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The short 2 hour flight from Dubai to Riyadh was long enough to whet my appetite to take the 19 hour long flight from Riyadh to Los Angeles on the same plane.
We checked in at Terminal 1 in Dubai a few hours before our flight. Initially, it didn’t seem like there was a priority check-in, but I found a line in a separate area to the right of the main check-in area.
After passing through immigration and security, we spent about 90 minutes in the SkyTeam lounge.
> Read more: Review – SkyTeam Lounge Dubai (DXB)
My boarding pass stated that boarding would start an hour before boarding, so I left the lounge around 5pm to ensure I was the first to board.
Our plane was waiting at the gate –
Boarding began exactly one hour before departure, as indicated on my boarding pass. A separate “Sky Priority” line was available to premium cabin guests and those with elite status.
saudia 555
Dubai (DXB) – Riyadh (RUH)
Friday, August 18th
Departure: 18:15
Arrival: 7:15PM
Duration: 2 hours
Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER
Seat: 2A (first class)
An FA named Mohammed was standing at the door and gave us a nod as we boarded. The Saudia first class cabin has his 12 enclosed suites in a 1-2-1 configuration. We boarded the plane first and took a few photos of the cabin before taking our seats.
At least it was for me. Ben found two bags and a hat on the seat. The FA came up to me and said, “This is the manager’s seat!” Then a purser, also named Mohammed, approached me and said, “Why are you sitting in my seat?!”
I know that sounds terrible, but it certainly wasn’t professional. But the purser had a big smile on his face while doing this. He was the friendliest Saudi I’ve ever met. He burst out laughing as he packed his bags and commented that he had to find another seat on the plane. Ah, the hard life of a Saudia purser!
Saudia 777-300ER first class seat
The suite has an impressive design. Although not unique (you can find similar configurations in first class on many carriers), it is well thought out and comfortable. I also like the color scheme of the Saudia and think it will stand the test of time.
This suite offers a high degree of customizability via a passenger control module adjacent to the seat. You can dim the lights, turn on the massage function, adjust the lumbar support and, of course, rotate the seat in sections.
The ottoman serves as a comfortable footrest and seating for guests when dining with fellow travelers.
Lift the counter toward the window to access a bi-fold tray table and deep storage compartment with USB plug, universal power port, and plenty of additional space.
Each suite is equipped with a personal vent (twist-to-control).
The closet is large enough to hold garment bags and other narrow bags.
There are no overhead bins in the first class cabin. If your bag doesn’t fit under the ottoman in your suite, your FA will store it in your closet.
But sadly, the plane was less than a year old and the seats were already falling apart. Almost all the sliding door slats were broken.
There were a lot of scratches on the counter.
The leather above the closet was already cracked.
And the seat across the aisle from mine had a big red “Not for Use” sign posted. At least Muhammad won’t be sitting across from me!
Saudia 777-300ER First Class short-haul meal
Before takeoff, FA provided a choice of warm or cold towels and a date smoothie or mint lemon drink. The date smoothie was delicious, but the mint lemon drink would have been more refreshing on a hot Dubai night.
No menus (or amenity kits) were distributed on this short flight. After takeoff, FA served Arabic coffee and dates without napkins or plates. After a while, another FA suggested the same thing, but seemed unaware that her colleague had offered the service to me.
After a few minutes, Mohamed (junior FA, not purser) asked, “Do you want something to eat?” Then offered me a choice of chicken or steak, but no further details. He also provided more coffee and dates.
I chose the steak and was quickly served the entire meal on one tray. I don’t like trays in business class, let alone first class. The flight was long enough to provide adequate service, especially considering the cabin was only 5/12 full.
The food was quite good. The steak was overcooked, but thankfully it was more like two beef kofta patties than a steak. It was served with cooked tomatoes, roasted tomatoes, broccoli, and carrots. Sides included bread, Greek salad, honeydew melon and mango slices, and a small coffee cake with white icing.
Bread was served from a basket.
A glass of water was proactively offered with the meal, but nothing else was offered. I had to flag FA to order lemon mint juice.
After dinner, Mr. Mohammed offered me coffee or tea. I requested a cappuccino but was told it was not available on this flight. So I opted for tea instead, which was served in a fairly small cup.
Saudia 777-300ER first class restroom
The bathroom was clean, but no larger than standard. There were some additional amenities on the counter and some nice flowers on the mirror. I noticed there was a drain in the floor. Luckily I didn’t have a hose. There’s nothing more comfortable than a wet bathroom floor, even if you’re wearing shoes.
Saudia 777-300ER First Class IFE
I’m going to do a full review of the 777-3ooER IFE for the connecting flight, but I’ll just write a few notes here. After the safety video and prayer, I spent a few minutes playing my favorite aviation game, “Hidden Object.”
Next, we finished the movement. Table 19 I started watching it last month on a United Airlines flight, but I never finished watching it. Saudia edits quite liberally, so you won’t know how much of the movie you actually missed.
That’s it. Soon the lights dimmed, the mood lighting came on, and I just listened to the moving map for the rest of the flight.
conclusion
I’m glad this was the actual flight to take me to the next 19 hour RUH-LAX flight (via JED) that I’ll review. With this, I could certainly review the seat properly, but I couldn’t really review the rest of the car products. It’s sad that the brand new 777-300ER Saudia suite is already falling apart. It’s also sad that Saudi purchasing managers don’t seem to be doing anything wrong. But for just a two-hour flight, you can’t beat this seat. The food wasn’t bad and the service was much better than my previous trip in Saudia business class.
Upon arrival at RUH, first class (and business class) passengers were transported to the terminal in a “luxury” coach.
Read Ben’s thoughts on this flight here.
Next is Riyadh’s First Class Lounge.
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