Hey there: This message is to quash any ideas you had going through your mind when you read “love” and “in-flight” in the same phrase. Though, considering where the flight inadvertently stopped over…
I was all set to travel with Etihad from Abu Dhabi/AUH to Jakarta/CGK, one of my formerly usual haunts. Until that flight, I had a layover in Abu Dhabi for a few hours – if you had significantly more than just four hours, and you were in economy class with Etihad, you can take free coach buses to Dubai from Abu Dhabi Airport – so I did what any casual visitor to the Emirates would and visited a Fuddruckers.
The public bus ride from downtown was fast enough, and I made it back to the airport with about 1.5 hours left, in order to leave time for immigration and security. Turns out that extra time was never needed, because the flight was delayed. It’s not the most pleasant airport – did airport executives visit LaGuardia for inspiration? – but what confused me more was that the gate was more crowded than I had expected…
Am I at the right gate? Yes.
But what’s with the surplus of European tour groups? Oh, Etihad decided to throw Bangkok/BKK passengers onto the flight too, because that flight was cancelled. THANKS for the advance notice.
In fact, we were only told of this once on-board. Fortunately, I didn’t have plans that day, save for sprinting past everyone towards the immigration lines, but other people certainly did. My biggest concern was that we’d be arriving in Jakarta around the time the usual rainy season Cumulonimbus clouds appear. Sure enough, right the plane pulled into the gate, rain paid a visit.
Didn’t feel like lodging a complaint though, since the temperature in Jakarta was ~90°F/32°C and in New York was around 10°F/-12°C.
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Ever had one of those flights?
buildingmybento 
Etihad are a great airline! But I prefer SIA! http://backpackerlee.wordpress.com/2014/05/21/garuda-vs-thai-vs-singapore-airlines-vs-malaysia-airlines/
My only good memory of SQ was from July 2000. It was my first trip to East Asia – LA to Tokyo – and I couldn’t believe that they had Super Nintendo as the IFE (in-flight entertainment). It was a 747 and the purser let me visit the cockpit too. Their catering has never been memorable. In fact, on the flight back to the states, lunch was a curry puff.
Which carrier(s) would you like to fly just for the food (if that possibility exists?!)?