Oman Air, Business Class – Airbus A 330-200: Kuala Lumpur to Muscat

Date: 23. December 2016
Departure: 09:40
Arrival: 13:10
Flight time: 6 hours 30 minutes
Seat: 10A

Getting to the Airport

In Kuala Lumpur I am staying at the Sama Sama hotel that is connected to the airport terminal building via footbridge. It takes you about five minutes on foot from the hotel lobby to the departures concourse on level 4 of the terminal building.

Check-in

Terminal: 1.
Row: M
Airport check-in:

Business Class – two counters.
Web check-in – one counter.
Economy Class – four counters.

Web check-in: I receive an e-mail from Oman Air the evening before the flight, inviting me to check in online for the flight from Muscat to Zürich, but not for the flight from Kuala Lumpur to Muscat. So I am not quite sure what that e-mail was about and what the web check-in counter is supposed to be for.
Comment: The airport is crawling with people when I arrive for check-in. There are long queues for all airlines and outside, most of the aircraft stands appear to be occupied.

The Lounge

Location: In the satellite terminal, above the station of the shuttle to the main building.
Name of Lounge: Malaysia Airlines Golden Lounge.
Type of Lounge: Malaysia Airlines Business Class lounge.
Toilets: Toilets are available in the lounge, but they are pretty old and smelly.
Showers: Also available, but in equally bad shape as the toilets.
Food & Beverages: There is a selection of hot and cold dishes, with a mix of traditional Malaysian and Western breakfast dishes.
Connectivity: Wifi is available in the lounge, password required.
Comment: The lounge is used by all passengers travelling on Malaysia Airlines and a few others, like Oman Air. As a result, the place is completely full and there is hardly a place to sit. Once I do find a place to sit down, I go and get myself a drink, only to find that they have run out of clean glasses.

I think this is a really nicely designed lounge, but I also think it is starting to show its age, it looks tired and worn.

Boarding

Priority Boarding: Kind of…
Number of Airbridges: 2.
Comment: My flight is boarding from gate C1, which shares a security checkpoint with gate C3. There are two queues for the security checkpoint. There is no dedicated lane for Business Class passengers but at least the queue moves fairly quickly. Once you are inside the holding pen, there are two separate exits to the aircraft. Business Class passengers use the L1 door, all other passengers use the L2.

The Cabin

Configuration: 2 + 2 + 2.
Seat Layout: Oman Air has started to renew the Business Class cabin of its Airbus aircraft. Where previously the A 330s had a seat that was more akin to what other airlines have in First Class, the new Business Class definitely makes better use of the available space. Oman Air has installed the same seat that Japan Airlines has on the Boeing B777-300 on long-haul flights. On a pair of two, the seats are slightly staggered, with the aisle seat is slightly behind the window seat to allow the person sitting by the window easy access to the aisle without having to climb over another person.

Apart from the fact that the seat and cabin are obviously still very new, I like the colours Oman Air uses, a combination of light and dark browns with a dash of turquoise to liven things up.
Capacity:

Business Class – 30 seats.
Economy Class – 196 seats.

Pitch: 82 inches.
Width: 22 inches.
Length as a Bed: 77.5 inches.
AC Power: Every seat in Business Class has its own AC power port and two USB ports.
Audio and Video: Audio and video on demand. The IFE system is operated via remote control. The control reacts very well and is very fast.
Earphones: No name branded earphones.
Connectivity: Wifi is available on board and there are different price plans for mobile devices and laptops. You can choose between 30 minutes/10 MB for USD7; 60 minutes/25 MB for USD13; or 3 hours/100 MB for USD20.
Comment: Of course the new seat is not as luxurious and spacious as the old Business Class seat that used to be installed on the A 330. However, having said that, the new seat certainly makes more sense commercially. I like this seat. It offers a lot of storage space and if you raise the privacy screen between you and the person on the aisle, the window seat really is quite private. Besides, on this particular flight only 10 out of 30 seats are occupied anyway.

I was unable to find a seat map with the new cabin layout.

The Crew

The crew are friendly enough. As soon as I am seated, I am brought a scented hot towel that is so hot it actually has steam rising from it. In short succession I am also brought the earphones, the vanity kit, the menu and an orange juice.

Once the doors close, the service begins with the traditional Omani welcome, which consists of a fresh date and a cup of Arabic coffee.

Amenities

Shaver with shaving cream.
Colgate toothbrush and toothpaste.
Eye shades.
Earplugs.
A comb.
A lot of useless Amouage cosmetics (lip balm, eye cream, hand cream…)

The First Service

Welcome drink on the ground: Orange juice.
Towel before the meal: Scented hot towel served while still on the ground.
Delivery: Individual tray service.
Type of meal: Breakfast.
First course: Natural yoghurt with honey.
Main course: Bowl of fruit (mango, pineapple, grape, kiwi, melon, nectarine)
Breadbasket: A selection of warm breads, including Arabic bread, a Danish roll, a croissant and a bun, served with butter.
Beverages: Coffee with cream, orange juice.
Comment: On the morning flight from Kuala Lumpur Oman Air changes the service order around. Just after take-off the small meal is served, while the main meal is served prior to arrival in Muscat.

The Meal

Choice: There are three options each for the starter, the main course and the dessert.
Delivery: Individual tray service.
Type of meal: Lunch.
Breadbasket: A selection of bread, including Arabic flat bread.
Beverages: A Diet Coke and still water, coffee after the meal.
Comment: Ninety minutes out of Muscat the main meal service begins. For the starter I have the Arabic mezze, which are quite tasty. I have to say, this dish is not on the same level as Qatar Airways’ mezze platter, for example. But the food is good enough and the presentation is nice.

For the main course I have the beef curry and this really is quite tasty – the beef is so tender! The meal is served with cucumber and a chilli in case you like your food a bit spicier.

I decide to skip dessert and have the cheese plate instead. As the flight attendant comes to remove the plate from the main course, he notices that I have already demolished all the bread, so with the cheese plate he also brings me some more bread.

First Course

Arabic hot and cold mezze (labneh, olives, samosa and something red with a tasty, strong flavour of roasted bell peppers.

The Main Course

Oriental beef curry with a spiced gravy and fragrant steamed rice.

The Cheese

A selection of cheese with pineapple chutney and poached pears.

Arrival

Our arrival into Muscat is very spectacular and leads us along the cost past Mutrah and the city of Muscat to land in a westerly direction.

From the outside, the new terminal in Muscat looks nearly finished. However, I ask one of the cabin crew and he tells me the facility will not be opening before the end of 2017 because there is still quite a lot of work to be completed on the inside of the building.

But of course this is all good news for me because it means we will be deplaning via stairs and ferried to the terminal by bus. I always enjoy taking a good look at the aircraft I fly with from the outside. Business Class passengers are bussed across to the terminal in their own, dedicated bus.

Oman Air, Business Class – A 330-200: Muscat to Zürich

Introduction

I just arrived in Muscat on an Oman Air flight from Dubai. In a few hours time I shall continue my journey to Zürich.

Transfer in Muscat

The transfer in Muscat is easy, convenient and quick. The bus from the aircraft drops me off at arrivals. Straight ahead is the counter for visas on arrival and immigration beyond that.

Transit passengers however, turn left and then take the escalators one floor up to security and the transfer area. There are quite a few flights leaving around this time of day, even so, the line for security can hardly be described as being busy.

The Lounge

Location: The Oman Air lounge is located behind the duty free shop.
Type of Lounge: Dedicated Oman Air lounge.
Facilities: Toilets, showers in the lounge.
Internet: Free wifi, the password is available at reception.

The lounge is a good size. It is not really very big, but then again there do not seem to be that many passengers using it either. The facility is currently undergoing construction and extension.

The selection of food and drinks is very good, with a wide choice of Arabic and Western dishes, both hot and cold.

Boarding

Priority Boarding: There is a separate shuttle bus for passengers travelling in Business Class. In Muscat Oman Air boards Economy Class passengers first. Business Class passengers are boarded last. Theoretically you could try boarding one of the Economy Class busses, but the gate dragons are certainly not amused if you try to pull that one on them.

More than anything, I am just delighted by the opportunities the ramp boarding gives me to get up close and personal with the aircraft.

The Cabin

Configuration: 1 x 2 x 1.
Pitch: 88 inches.
Length as a bed: 5 inches.
Width: 22 inches.
Facilities: One AC port, two USB ports, Ethernet socket and audio video assumption (RCA) socket per passenger in Business Class. There is also wifi available on board, provided by onair, which is the same provider Emirates uses. So if you have an account already, you will be able to use it on Oman Air as well. However, passengers in Business Class also have to pay for wifi connectivity.
Audio and Video: The selection is limited and the choice of films is somewhat strange.
Seat: There are twenty seats in the Business Class cabin, which is divided in two separate cabins. The larger cabin is located between the front galley and the second galley and has a total of twelve seats on three rows. The rear Business Class cabin is behind the second galley and has another eight seats on two rows.

The Oman Air seat is really very nice for a Business Class product. In actual fact, it is more akin to the First Class seat on many other carriers. The cabin is kept in shades of brown and beige. Upon entering the cabin, the first thing you notice is the smell. I do not know where it comes from, but I think it is quite obvious that it is a smell that is intentionally fed into the air conditioning system. It is very subtle and instantly gives you the sensation of having stepped on board a carrier from the Middle East.

I am seated on row 10, which is the bulkhead row in the forward Business Class cabin. Today’s flight has a good load in both classes. In the forward Business Class cabin only two seats remain empty. In the rear cabin there are also only few empty seats.

The Crew

The Business Class crew on today’s flight is made up predominantly of females of southeast Asian descent. They are much friendlier than the crew on the previous flight and interact with the crew in a very pleasant manner.

The Meal

Welcome drink: There is a choice of water, orange juice or lemon and mint juice. I have the orange juice.

Hot Towel: Hot towels are served before the doors close. And they really are very hot towels!

Choice: There are five choices for the first course and four choices for the main course, with at least one vegetarian option for the first and main course. For dessert there are three options plus cheese.

Delivery: Tray service.
Type of meal: Late lunch.

The Soup

Arabic red lentil soup with pita bread croûtons.

The Cheese

A selection of cheese with fig bread, served with dried apricot and walnuts.

Dessert

Selection of ice cream.

To be honest, I am not really that hungry yet. I am still rather full from the meal I had on the short hop from Dubai to Muscat. So instead of indulging in another full meal, I go for the red lentil soup and some cheese after that.

The soup is excellent. It is flavourful and quite spicy for an airline meal. The cheese platter which follows is good, although it is way too much cheese for just one person.

For dessert I have the ice cream, which is described in the menu as ‘a selection of ice creams’, which I take to mean that there are different choices. But in actual fact, when it arrives the dessert consists of three scoops of ice cream in one plate, with chocolate sauce drizzled over them and a sprinkling of pistachio nuts.

The Second Service

Towel: Hot scented towel.
Choice: No.
Delivery: Individual tray service.
Type of meal: Light snack.
Meal:

Mixed salad with chicken.
Crumbed chicken goujons with sweet chilli dip.
Grilled vegetable and cream cheese panini.
Frosted mini chocolate muffin.

A bit more than two hours out of Zürich I start to get hungry. I ask one of the flight attendants if perhaps there might be something to eat before the second snack service. A few minutes she returns and sets the table for me. She then brings me a very tasty salad with marinated chicken breast.

By the time I am finished, it is time for the second service and I figure I might as well have that too.

Arrival

Eventually the flight draws to an end. The aircraft gently dips its nose and we start our initial descent over Austria. Along the way, we pass the Alps, which look beautiful still covered in their coat of white. They are quite a contrast to the landscapes we left behind just a few hours previously.

Like most of the long-haul flights, Oman Air uses the E dock in Zürich.

Getting into Town

Transport: Train
Departs from: The railway station is located under the central terminal facility. The station is connected to the Swiss national and international rail network and offers services to many parts of Switzerland.
Journey time: One hour and twenty minutes, there is a direct train to Basel at 4 minutes past the hour. The last train leaves for Basel at 21h04.
Fare: CHF35 one way.

Conclusion

I last flew with Oman Air three years ago on the same routing. I think what impresses me most about the carrier is the consistency of their product. In fact, the flights I took with them on this trip were an exact replica of the previous trip, save perhaps that horribly flashy vanity kit they used to have which has since been replace by something a little more subtle.

The new airport in Muscat is quickly taking shape and will probably open not too long from now. With this new facility, Oman Air will have a hub that will be comparable to the products in neighbouring Dubai or Doha, at least in terms of comfort if not in size. Having said that, I do think it is a pity the old airport at Seeb will be closing down. One of the things I have always liked about Oman is that it is a very traditional country. And to me, to a certain extent, the old airport exemplifies that very well. But I guess you cannot stop progress.

And now what? Now I have the luxury of being able to spend an entire week in the office in Switzerland without travel. And then the week after that I will be going to Luxembourg, the week after that to Bucharest, the week after that to Tokyo and the week after that to Luxembourg again.

Oman Air, Business Class – A 330-200: Dubai to Zürich via Muscat

Introduction

After a week of work at the new and very empty Dubai World Central Airport, it is time for me to head home to Switzerland. This Oman Air trip review covers the return segments from Dubai via Muscat to Zürich.

Part I: Positioning to Muscat

Date: 29. June 2012
From: Dubai
To: Muscat
Airline: Oman Air (WY)
Aircraft: Embraer E-175
Cabin: Business Class
Seat: 1F, first row of Business Class, window

Getting to the Airport

It is Friday morning, the weekend here in Dubai. So the streets are empty and the journey to the airport only takes 30 minutes to complete. I am at the airport by 07h45.

Oman Air check-in in Dubai is done by DNATA in sector E. There is no queue for the Business Class counter. The check-in agent is an efficient, friendly young man. With the boarding passes he also hands me an invitation to the Gulf Air lounge near gate 122, which Oman Air shares.

The airport is quiet, so immigration and security are painless. The latter also has to do with the fact that in Dubai you do not have to take out your laptop and liquids before going through security.

From security it is down the escalators and across the pedestrian walk way underneath the apron, which connects the departure gates to the terminal building.

In contrast to check-in, the transit area is incredibly busy. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many people sleeping in such uncomfortable looking positions in one place. There’s one guy lying stretched out across the floor face down and slobbering on the carpet. For a moment I wonder if perhaps he may have passed out.

The Lounge

But fortunately I am able to make an escape from it all. I enter the Gulf Air lounge, where I am greeted by a friendly young lady. She tells me she will inform me when my flight is ready for boarding. How nice of her.

The lounge is empty when I arrive. It has a nice feel to it and I quite like the Bedouin theme of the place, with individual seating areas covered by a stylised tent. Outside there is an Emirates B777 being readied for departure. Not sure where it is heading, but it’s interesting to watch the activity around the aircraft as it is prepared for departure.

The lounge is sufficiently well stocked, especially given that it caters only for Gulf Air and Oman Air passengers doing the short hop to either Bahrain, Muscat and possibly Salalah.

Boarding

There appears to have been an aircraft change and instead of the Boeing B737-800 I was expecting, I suddenly see an Embraer E-175 of Oman Air taxiing past the lounge. That’s quite okay I guess.

At 09h10 I notice the flight is showing as ‘boarding’, which in Dubai is the equivalent to ‘Gate open’ or ‘Go to Gate’ at other airports. When I arrive at gate 112 most passengers are already waiting inside the holding pen.

I think I can truly say that I have never seen such vast amounts of ‘cabin’ luggage in all my life. There is one guy pushing and dragging two large suitcases that can only be called ‘carry-ons’ by a very considerable stretch of the imagination. His son, probably not more than four years old, is trying to pull a third suitcase of equal dimensions, which is slightly larger than him. What on earth do these people have in there for heaven’s sake?

The Cabin

There are four passengers in Business Class this morning. I have row one for me alone and the seat next to me stays empty. Behind me are two ladies happily chatting and on the other side of the aisle from them is some dude who evidently thinks he is way too cool for this world.

The doors close, the red cap and flight attendant say good bye to each other with a polite ‘Ma’a as-Salama’. And we’re on our way.

Our take-off route is a spectacular one. We depart in a northwesterly direction. Once we are over the sea, we do a long, gentle left turn. It looks as though we’re orbiting around the Burj Khalifa. As we come out of the turn, the Palm Island and Burj al-Arab become visible on the right.

Considering all the junk the passengers have brought aboard this flight, boarding is surprisingly fast. As soon as the red cap informs the flight attendant that we’re all on, the service up front begins with the distribution of those nicely scented cold towels. This is followed by a drinks round and I choose a glass of excellent and very refreshing lime squash.

As the glass is removed, the flight attendant informs me that we will be served a continental breakfast. She would like to know if she should prepare a coffee or tea for me with that. And coffee it is for me.

The Meal

Shortly after take-off the meal is served. First the table is set with linen and the metal cutlery. The tray itself consists of a plate with a warm croissant and a warm cardamom roll, which is very tasty. There is also butter, strawberry jam and a small bowl of dried fruit and dates.

The coffee is served on its own, separate tray.

Arrival

The flight is only 45 minutes long, just enough time to leisurely drink the coffee. Our co-pilot on this flight is obviously German, judging by his accent. He’s a very friendly guy and gives us a detailed update about the flight’s progress.

Our arrival is rather unspectacular. As on the outbound trip, Business Class passengers have their own bus to the terminal. It’s kind of strange to watch. As soon as the plane stops, one of the two attendants working the Business Class cabin immediately jumps up, rushes towards the back and closes the curtain to prevent the Economy Class passengers from getting in the way. Of course this does not give me much of a photo opportunity, I don’t want to hold up everything, so I just snap a quick shot of the cabin and then I’m on to the bus. It’s much more humid here in Muscat and my glasses and camera immediately steam up.

Part II: And then Home to Zürich

Date: 29. June 2012
From: Muscat
To: Zürich
Airline: Oman Air (WY)
Aircraft: Airbus A330-200
Cabin: Business Class
Seat: 14E, first row of the second Business Class cabin, aisle seat

The Lounge

Once I’m in the terminal building I head straight for the lounge again. All four passengers in Business on this flight do the same. As it turns out later on, they’re also all heading to Zürich on the same flight as me.

This time round the lounge is empty when I arrive. I help myself to some of the lovely Mezze and then find a nice spot to sit and answer my e-mails.

Boarding

Gradually the lounge begins to fill up. Even so, I’m so engrossed in answering office mails that I barely notice. In fact I’m so concentrated that I completely miss the last call for my flight and nearly end up missing the flight. But only nearly and when I arrive the last Economy bus has just left. The Business Class bus is being held up – by me. I hate it when that happens. Worse still when I’m the cause.

We arrive at the bottom of the stairs of our plane and I get my camera ready. But it is to no avail and I surrender to the fact that my camera is having a seriously bad time coping with the humidity in the air and the heat.

The Cabin

The cabin is nice and clean, quite similar to the outbound flight a week previously from Zürich to Muscat. Again there are no overhead bins in the middle, which gives the cabin even more semblance of a First Class rather than a Business Class cabin.

Service begins on the ground with the distribution of scented hot towels – very hot towels – and another glass of that tasty lime juice.

Next come the newspapers, the totally camp vanity kit and the menus.

Once the doors close, two attendants come by offering Arabic coffee and fresh dates. It’s the first time I’ve tried a fresh date and it tastes lovely!

The Meal

Once the seatbelt sign goes off, the meal service begins. While I wait for the food to arrive I have another glass of the excellent lime juice and some warm nuts.

Then the table is set.

Amuse Bouche

We begin with an amuse bouche of chicken in a pistachio and garlic pesto with a spicy chutney.

The First Course

Next I have the centre cut smoked salmon with grilled vegetable timbale, homemade grissini and a creamy pesto sauce.

The Soup

After that I have the Arabic red lentil soup with pita bread croutons and a slice of fresh lemon.

The Main Course

For the main course I have the Omani spiced fish (hamour) with zaatar butter with sautéed vegetables and coriander rice.

Dessert

And to finish off the meal, a chocolate mouse cake with a chocolate fondant sauce and mixed berries.

And to conclude the meal, some fresh mint tea.

After the meal I decide to explore the IFE. The first movie I watch is John Carter. It’s about some guy who accidentally finds himself transported from the America of the Civil war to planet Mars, which is inhabited. This must be, without a doubt, the worst movie I have ever seen in my entire life! Hands down, really! Don’t ask me about the plot, I didn’t get it because it didn’t have one. The next film I watch is the Adventures of Tintin. And this is, I have to say, rather entertaining.

The Second Service

By the time Tintin comes to a heroic end, it’s already time for the afternoon snack before we make our arrival into Zürich. Once again I am brought a refreshing towel, this time a cold one.

Followed by some canapés and a cup of Earl Grey. There were more options, but I was still rather full from lunch.

Another toilet with a view, like SAS.

And this brings to an end my adventure. It was, I think, a successful week, but it was also very tiring. And the heat certainly takes getting used to. I leave you with the last image I took on the approach into Zürich. I am glad to be back, everything is just so green here!

Oman Air, Business Class – A 330-200 / E-175: Zürich to Dubai via Muscat

Part I: Heading for Muscat

Introduction

I’m on the airport train. I’m heading for Zürich again. I’m off on a business trip to Dubai, where I will spend nearly a week. It’s nearly the end of June and the temperature has picked up, the clouds have subsided – finally. And something else is different. The light. My train departs Basel’s main station at 19h40 when the low evening light casts a lovely warm glow, brilliant shades of gold across the land.

Date: 22. June 2012
From: Zürich
To: Muscat
Airline: Oman Air (WY)
Aircraft: Airbus A330-200
Cabin: Business
Seat: 10K, first row of Business Class, window

‘Are there really no direct flights between Zürich and Dubai?’ I hear you ask. Of course there are. Swiss operates a daily A330-300. The last time I was on that flight, we had a ratio of one flight attendant to every passenger in First Class.

And then of course there’s Emirates, operating two daily flights to Zürich. Both of which I believe, are operated with a Boeing B777. I chose Oman Air out of simple curiosity. That, and because I want to try their new Embraer E-175.

Getting to the Airport

Here are some pictures of the train journey to Zürich Airport. Everything is a lush green and so different from the landscapes I am heading for.

Loads of leg space.

This here is the original castle Habsburg, from where the Habsburgs set out to become the most dominant political power of their day. It’s near Brugg.

A regional train in Brugg station.

Check-in

I arrive at Zurich Airport just before 21h00. The place is fairly quiet. I reach check-in and here too, there are not many people. There is one couple checking in at an Economy Class counter and another, elderly couple checking in at the Business Class counter. There is a thick, lush carpet spread out before the check-in counter. As I arrive, an agent from DNATA, the handling agent, welcomes me to the flight and tags my luggage. Very friendly and polite.

The Lounge

From there I head through security and then on to the DNATA lounge. The lounge is located one floor up from the transit area, next to the Skyteam lounge. The offerings are more or less the same too, perhaps with the only difference is that the DNATA lounge is even smaller.

Boarding

My stay is a short one. The flight will be leaving from the E dock, like most of the wide-bodies, so I assume there will be a long queue at immigration. And indeed, when I arrive, there are six lanes open and all of them look very busy. But I’m lucky and the queue of passengers moves quickly. After passport control I head downstairs to catch the Skymetro to the E dock.

A quick phone call to my mum later and I’m at my departure gate E46, where boarding for the flight has already started. Although there are two airbridges at the gate, only one is in use today. Even so, I do not have to queue and can go straight on board.

At the door I am welcomed by a friendly Asian female flight attendant and an oriental looking male. He takes my boarding pass and guides me to my seat in the first row of the cabin.

The Cabin

The first impression of the cabin is very good. First of all, I can’t but notice that the seat and stowage space are more like what many other airlines have on offer in First Class. The central bulkhead has two integrated small vitrines showcasing Omani craftsmanship and jewellery.

The Crew

I stow away my things and sit down. Nick, the cabin manager arrives and introduces herself. She brings me a scented refreshing towel and a glass of Elder juice. While we’re chatting, one of her colleagues arrives with the vanity kit and the drinks and food menu. The vanity kit is an opulent affair in gold. Inside there are the famous Amouage cosmetics, as well as the usual shaving kit, toothbrush and tooth paste, a comb and socks. A nice big white pillow and a thick blanket are already at my seat.

Amenities

The Meal

The experience begins shortly before the doors close, I am served a tasty, sweet date and a cup of Arabic coffee. A nice touch, me thinks!

Departure is to the north and very smooth. As soon as the fasten seatbelt sign goes off, the cabin crew start taking orders for dinner. I ask for mineral water and receive a glass of San Pellegrino with warm nuts. Something tells me I’m going to enjoy this…

Dining is à la carte and there is a rich and interesting selection of dishes.

Amuse Bouche

First there is a vol-au-vent filled with a mousse of grilled aubergine, together with a shaving of Tête de Moine cheese and chives. ‘Tête de Moine’ literally translates into ‘Monk’s Head’. It’s a typically Swiss cheese. It gets its name from the fact that each serving is shaved off the top of the slab of cheese, making it look like the bald head of a monk.

The Soup

After that, I have the creamy spring vegetable soup with garlic croutons and fine herbs. And it is outstanding. The taste is simply amazing, an interesting combination of pea and asparagus. The soup is served with a slice of lemon. The flight attendant explains that the idea is to squeeze the lemon in the soup. It proves an excellent combination!

The First Course

After the soup I have the tart of red pepper, goats cheese and caramelized onions with a balsamic reduction. This is served on a bed of fresh herbs: coriander, dill, estragon and mint. I am still in two minds if this or the main course was my favourite. The taste is simply outstanding and the pastry is not in the least soggy!

The Main Course

And then comes the main course: pan fried sea bass fillet with lemon-caper butter, braised Mediterranean vegetables and steamed rice with herbs. The lemon-caper butter in particular is exquisite. It is a finely balanced combination of ingredients that complement each other beautifully.

Dessert

To finish off this outstanding meal, I attempt to tackle the home baked chocolate cake with whipped cream and fresh berries. It’s wicked, but in the end the chocolate cake is invincible. After getting through half of it I must admit defeat and capitulate to its sweetness and richness. A battle I tremendously enjoy losing.

After this epic meal, the flight attendant brings me a pair of slippers and pjs. I head for one of the very clean toilets to change. When I return to my seat, it has already been extended into a bed. Over and out!

The Second Service

My only grippe with this flight is really that it is too short for a good night’s sleep. You depart Zürich at 22h30 and arrive in Muscat at 06h30, which is two hours ahead of Zürich. About 80 minutes before we arrive, I awake and immediately one of the attendants asks me if I’d like breakfast. I say yes, but in actual fact I am still full from dinner. I just have the fruit, a brioche, coffee and orange juice. It is worth pointing out that the milk for the coffee is warmed.

Arrival

And then all too soon we start our descent through the heat haze for our arrival into Muscat.

There is a separate coach bus ready to take the 14 Business Class passengers to the terminal. There are no airbridges yet in Muscat, although construction of the new airport is already quite advanced.

Deplaning via the stairs gives me some excellent photo opportunities. But in actual fact I am too close to capture all of the mighty A330 in one shot.

Part II: Connecting to Dubai

Transfer in Muscat

Transfer in Muscat is an efficient and painless affair. The lounge is very full when I arrive. But a short while later, the Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Frankfurt flights are called and the place quickly empties.

Date: 23. June 2012
From: Muscat
To: Dubai
Airline: Oman Air (WY)
Aircraft: Embraer 175
Cabin: Business
Seat: 2A, first row of Business Class, window

The Lounge

By the time the lounge empties, I’m starting to feel hungry again. The food selection in the lounge is an absolute delight. As they say, when in Rome do as the Romans do. So I treat myself to an Arabic breakfast to revive the spirits. I have a hard time choosing from all the lovely dishes there are.

Boarding

After the meal I decide to leave the lounge and have a walk about around the terminal. There has been a recent extension to the facility with additional gates. It has a modern feel to it, with an Arabic twist. And the effect is rather nice, with a reoccurring intricate mashrabiya theme.

On my way to my gate I stop at a shop selling Amouage perfume. It is one of the most expensive perfumes that exist today. The young lady there strikes up a conversation with me. Out of curiosity I ask her which is the famous ‘original’ scent. Before I know it she grabs my arm and sprays some of the stuff on my wrist. The smell is, I must confess, quite exquisite. It smells expensive. It also gives me a headache straight away and I am somewhat alarmed when the young lady assures me that it lasts up to two weeks on the skin. As it turns out, that is perhaps a tad overstated. I head downstairs to the ground level of the building extension, where the gates are.

First all Economy Class passengers are boarded, again with a bus, while the Business Class passengers are boarded last, using their own dedicated bus. And again I’m too close for any decent pictures of the whole aircraft, even if it’s a little mini like the E-175.

The Cabin

The cabin of the aircraft seems new and has a dedicated and very spacious Business Class cabin in a 1 + 2 configuration. I am on 2A, the bulkhead row, which is on the row of single seats.

Service begins while we are still on the ground with the distribution of the very welcome and very refreshing cold towels. Right after this, the male cabin attendant makes a drinks round. I choose a glass of fresh lemonade with mint.

Everything is cleared away as we start our taxi to the runway. The ramp is quite busy at this time of the day. We stop at the holding point for a company E-175 to make its arrival. I can’t help noticing just how dry it looks outside, a vast expanse of desert.

The Meal

We take off in an easterly direction. Shortly after departure we make a wide left 180 degree turn over a beautiful green blue sea. Our flight time is announced as 45 minutes. As soon as the fasten seatbelt sign is turned off, the cabin crew spring in to action. The cabin is full, with 12 passengers in Business Class. Even so, the cabin crew ask every passenger individually what they would like to eat and drink.

I order a Perrier and a coffee. A short while later, the cabin attendant returns with this. Quite impressive for such a short flight:

A mixed platter of (from left to right) pumpernickel with cheese, grilled apple, smoked salmon on a brioche filled with cream cheese, falafel with humus and garlic.

Grilled peppers and olives drizzled in pesto and olive oil.

And for dessert a slice of tasty carrot cake. The size of the meal is perfectly adequate for the duration of the flight and the quality of the food is excellent. Just as I wash down the last of the carrot cake with the coffee, the fasten seatbelt sign comes on again and we start our approach to Dubai.

Arrival

The approach is quite bumpy. It’s very hazy outside so I can’t really see anything much until we are only a few hundred metres above the ground. Fortunately the airport is deserted at this time of the day, unlike the evenings when most of the European carriers arrive in the city. I make my way to immigration and there is next to no queue at all. The immigration officer is a friendly, chatty guy. He checks my visa and passport, and I’m good to go. I pass through customs and then from there head outside to grab a taxi. And I nearly keel over with the heat!

Conclusion

So what did I think of Oman Air? From what I understand, Oman Air does and always has run at a loss. To be honest, I’m really not surprised. Their product is outstanding in terms of hardware, the quality of the food and the friendliness of their crews. Basically they offer a First Class product at Business Class prices. Would I fly them again? Certainly! I just hope they will last long enough at Zürich for me to try them again.