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During the Christmas and winter holidays, I had the opportunity to fly back and forth between Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) and Singapore on a Saudia Boeing 787-9. It was my first opportunity to fly this airline’s wide-body jet, so I was looking forward to reviewing the experience for our readers.
The first part of the trip was a short flight on Saudia between Kuwait and Jeddah. The layover in Jeddah was smooth enough, and I spent some time before my flight in the airline’s Alfursan Lounge in the airport’s old southern terminal.
How to get to the plane
It was boarding time and I headed to the gate, only to realize that I would be boarding the bus and boarding from a remote stand. I think it was about a 15 minute bus ride, but it felt like we were taken to a completely different part of the airport grounds. Below are photos of that long process. This situation will change in the coming months as Saudia gradually moves towards the new terminal.
Space, seating and first impressions
Seats on all Saudia Airlines aircraft appear to be made of beige leather-type fabric. I think it’s very nice and you can sink into it. The 787’s economy cabin layout was his typical 3-3-3 configuration. SeatGuru lists the seat width as 17.8 to 18.3 inches for him, but it still felt cramped, especially around the elbows and shoulders (depending on your size and the size of the person next to you). But thankfully, this was better than the 16.5-inch width of some Airbus A350s operated by Air Caraibes.
Regarding legroom, I had an unusual experience as I was in the exit row. Of course, the space in that row was exceptional, even though I was over 7 feet tall. The only downside is that you can’t keep your bags and belongings in front of you during the flight (even when cruising). On the return flight, I stood in the regular line and noticed that these planes have drop-down footrests. This may be useful for shorter travelers. The legroom was perfect for me, who is 6 feet tall.
As someone who primarily flies with Air France and KLM, I was initially a bit surprised at how much better Saudia’s service was than the others. First of all, there is a hot towel service that is provided before takeoff. On my recent long-haul flight with Air France and KLM, I was given wet towels/wipes in a plastic package.
Next, this flight provided an amenity kit that included an eye mask, toothbrush and toothpaste, and socks. This is something that other airlines with comparable flight times (such as Air France and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines) do not offer in economy class. However, I am aware of the fact that it creates a lot of environmentally unnecessary waste (I returned mine).
food and beverages
The food was absolutely amazing and the best part of the flight. The first snack served was warm focaccia bread topped with tomatoes, olives, and melted cheese. This also came with a delicious yoghurt with a large whole cherry in it.
I had a chicken patty for my main dish. Once again, I have to say that the in-flight meal service is a great dining experience, with just a placemat placed on your tray. I think quality food service is something that many full-service Middle Eastern airlines (even MEA and Kuwait Airways) do well.
In-flight entertainment
This was one of my least favorite parts of the flight. The screen was a bit laggy and the menu design looked amateurish. In the audio section, you’ll see the album title, but not the actual artist. So if you’re looking for something specific, you need to recognize the album cover (or name).
The selection of content seemed to be sufficient to keep me entertained even on a long flight. However, while watching a movie, the system would shut down every 2-4 minutes and “kick me” out of the movie. Thankfully there was a “resume” option, so I was able to proceed directly from where I left off. However, doing this every few minutes was less than ideal.
I informed the crew and the system was reset. Unfortunately, after the reset process I could no longer hear the audio and things only got worse. Resetting again didn’t fix the problem and left him without IFE with 6 hours left. I had the option of moving to a middle seat, but I declined.
WiFi was available on this flight and I initially had access to free messaging options (WhatsApp, FB Messenger, etc. only). It was easy to access, but once started, only 10MB is available. Use it wisely!
Looking at the other options, I noticed that the word “purchase” was misspelled as “purcahse”. Small mistakes made by amateurs like this tarnish the airline’s professional reputation.
In-flight service
I was recognized as an elite status passenger and even though I was in economy, the flight attendant called my name. The chief purser introduced himself to me and told me he would be happy to help if I needed anything.
The flight attendants in charge of himself and my section were very attentive and checked on me multiple times throughout the flight. I understand this may not be the case for all passengers, but I appreciate the effort. As a frequent flier and a Sky Team Elite status holder, he shows his appreciation from customers.
However, this special consideration is not consistent across SkyTeam, and since reaching Gold level (on Flying Blue) this is something I only experience on half of the long-haul SkyTeam flights I fly. . I think Air France has been the best at this so far, including some surprise upgrades and cabin crew ratings.
It was later explained to me at the end of the flight that this special treatment for status holders was something airlines were just starting to implement in their economy service. It’s a great concept and I hope it continues. However, on the return service a few days later this was not done at all.
However, I think they overdid it by asking near the end of the flight how the 6th flight was. I had already informed them about his IFE issues, so repeating this all the time makes it feel procedural and less authentic.
*If you are reading this as a flight attendant, what do you think about these types of job requirements for economy passengers? Does it add too much additional stress to your job?
Other highlights:
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There is an eight-person prayer area in the back of the plane. FA brought this to my attention as a unique feature of Saudia.
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The 787’s dimmable windows are always comfortable.
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Unfortunately, the toilet seat and toilet seat cover did not go up.
conclusion
In conclusion, I thought the service and food were excellent and the best part of the flight. The experience at the Jeddah terminal was noticeably lacking, with a malfunction in the IFE system ruining the flight.
The two big negatives are certainly flight specific, as I had a good experience at the Saudia terminal in Riyadh and the IFE system on the new Airbus A320 from Milan to Riyadh was much better. As someone like me who doesn’t drink much, I didn’t mind the lack of alcohol.
Overall, considering all the shortcomings, I would give this trip a rating of 6.8/10. I know Saudia can do better and I look forward to trying it again on a future trip.
Have you ever flown long-haul with Saudia? If so, how does your experience compare? If not, does this review encourage or deter you from trying the airline? ? Let us know by leaving a comment.
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