Emirates Economy class Boeing 777-300 EK764 17 Sept 2013

Route

EK764 from Johannesburg to Dubai 17 Sept 2013

Scheduled Duration

8 hours.

On time departure and arrival

Departed on time and arrived 30 minutes early in Dubai

Ground Crew and check-in

Check in was handled by ACSA.
We could check in online 24 hours before our flight.
There was a dedicated counter for those who checked in online.
Ground crew were friendly and helpful.
Take note that when you pay with certain credit cards (e.g South African credit cards) you need to verify your credit card at the Emirates office at the airport before you can proceed to the check in counters.

Boarding procedure

Priority boarding for First and Business Class passengers, as well as skywards gold/silver members, families with small children and assisted passengers.
Economy class boarding was by zone, with passengers sitting at the back of the aircraft boarding first.

Luggage allowance

Hand luggage - One piece of carry-on luggage.
Checked luggage - 30 kg. Extra allowance depending on Frequent traveler status.
See more on  baggage allowances and rules.

Before take-off

Moist hot towels were provided to freshen up.

Seating

This flight had 3 classes, First, Business and Economy.
The seats were very narrow
Seat pitch - 83.82 cm (33")
Seat width - 43.18 cm (17")
Seatmap can be viewed on Seatguru or on Emirates Boeing 777-300
We sat in row 21 F and G. Its is bulkhead seats and had normal recline. It had standard overhead storage space.
There are manual air vents and remote controlled reading lights above the seats
On the remote control is a button to call the flight attendant.

Amenities

Pillow and blanket
Stereo headset

Entertainment

Emirates won numerous awards for their ICE in-flight system.
See more on Emirates ICE
On demand entertainment system with a wide selection of movies, TV programs and music.  You can also stay in touch with latest headlines from the BBC, follow the progress of your flight or view the aircraft's external cameras.
The ICE touch screen system is easy to use and movies can be started as soon as you are seated.  A remote control is also provided.
The flight's progress were displayed on screens against the bulkhead.

In-flight communications

Satellite phone.
Mobile phones were not allowed to be used.
No Wi-Fi available.

Charging points for electronic devices

USB charging point. Regular 110V AC power port at every other seat ( shared port).

Meals and refreshments

Dinner
A hot dinner were served soon after cruising altitude was reached.
On the tray -  Starter, hot meal, bun, cheese and crackers, dessert, still water and cup for coffee. Cutlery, wet wipe, one sugar sachet, salt and pepper, serviette, small chocolate.
I had the beef tagine with couscous and it was very tasty.

Breakfast
A continental breakfast were served before landing. I skipped the breakfast as it was too early to eat, it was just after 01:00 in Johannesburg and 03:00 local time.
On the breakfast menu was orange juice, fresh seasonal fruit, croissant served with butter and preserve, muffin, tea or coffee

Specify any dietary requirements at time of booking e.g. vegetarian.

Refreshments
Coffee/tea was served after meals. Drinks and wine were served before the meal as well as a small packet of pretzels

Toilets

The toilets were kept clean. 
Soap, body lotion and fragrance were provided.
Paper towels and tissues.
Basin to wash hands and brush teeth.

In-flight shopping

In-flight shopping was available

Travelling with Children

Baby bassinets must be pre booked. Meal request for children must be made at time of reservation.
Milk and baby food can be warmed up by the cabin crew
Read more on  Emirates - Travelling with infants   
 

Crew

The crew was friendly and helpful.

Disembarking

First class disembarked first, then business class. Economy class disembarked from the front of the plane.
We parked away from the terminal building and took a 15 min bus ride to the arrivals terminal.
Security at Dubai airport was very efficient and fast.

Overall opinion

What I liked

Tasty and well presented meals
Service
Entertainment system

Not so good

The seats were too narrow and not enough leg space. I am hoping that Emirates will soon service this route with a newer plane.





Leg room

Overhead locker

Seat

Dinner

Menu










 

Emirates Economy Class Airbus A380-800 EK049 18 Sept 2013

Route

EK049 from Dubai to Munich 18 Sept 2013

Scheduled Duration

6 hours 25 min

On time departure and arrival

Departed 8 minutes late but arrived 16 minutes early in Munich

Ground Crew and check-in

Check in was handled by Emirates staff. This was a connection flight and we checked in online 24 hours before the first leg of the journey. Our luggage were booked through to Munich. All A380's depart from Terminal A. There is a train between Terminal C and Terminal A. There is a Marhaba lounge (Priority pass/paid access) in terminal A.
Most ground crew were friendly and helpful.

Boarding procedure

Priority boarding for First and Business Class passengers, as well as skywards gold/silver members, families with small children and assisted passengers.
Economy class boarding was by zone. Zone C and F boarded first.

Luggage allowance

Hand luggage - One piece of carry-on luggage.
Checked luggage - 30 kg. Extra allowance depending on Frequent traveler status.
See more on  baggage allowances and rules.

Before take-off

Moist hot towels were provided to freshen up.

Seating

This flight had 3 classes, First, Business and Economy.
First and Business class is on the upper deck.

Seat pitch - 86.36 cm (34")
Seat width - 45.72 cm (18")
Seatmap can be viewed on Seatguru or on Emirates Airbus A380-800
We sat in row 51 F and G. It is bulkhead seats and had normal recline. It had standard overhead storage space. There is a passageway and galley behind these seats. To the right of the my seat was an emergency exit as well as crew seats. The crew used this space to do stock take of online shopping items and it was a bit noisy.
The seats have a very nice headrest that you can adjust.
There are manual air vents and remote controlled reading lights above the seats
On the remote control is a button to call the flight attendant.
A note on row 50 A-C, there were airline items stored in the overhead locker space and the passengers sitting there did not have enough storage for their hand luggage.

In flight Amenities

Small pillow and blanket
Stereo headset

Entertainment

Emirates won numerous awards for their ICE in-flight system.
See more on Emirates ICE
On demand entertainment system with a wide selection of movies, TV programs and music.  You can also stay in touch with latest headlines from the BBC, follow the progress of your flight or view the aircraft's external cameras.
The ICE touch screen system is easy to use and movies can be started as soon as you are seated.  A remote control is also provided.
The flight's progress were displayed on screens against the bulkhead

In-flight communications

Satellite phone.
Mobile phones could be used.
Wi-Fi available to purchase.

Charging points for electronic devices

USB charging point. Regular 110V AC power port at every other seat ( shared port)

Meals and refreshments

Breakfast
A continental breakfast were served. There were a choice of a Traditional Arabian morning mezze and a Breakfast deli platter
On the tray -  Fruit salad, Cold breakfast, croissant, Nutella, mini flat breads, orange juice and cup for coffee. Cutlery, wet wipe, one sugar sachet, salt and pepper, serviette.
I had the tasteful Arabic mezze.

Lunch
A hot lunch were served before landing. There was a choice between Cajun chicken fillet and Mutton curry
On the tray -  Starter, Hot lunch, bun, dessert, Box with salty biscuits, chilly dip and cheese, still water and cup for coffee. Cutlery, wet wipe, one sugar sachet, salt and pepper, serviette and small chocolate.
I had the mutton, it was tasty with just enough hotness in the curry.

Specify any dietary requirements at time of booking e.g. vegetarian.

Refreshments
Coffee/tea was served after meals.
Drinks and wine were served before the meal as well as a small packet of pretzels

Toilets

The toilets were kept clean. There were three toilets in the front of the plane servicing the zone we sat in.
Soap, body lotion and fragrance were provided.
Paper towels and tissues were supplied
Basin to wash hands and brush teeth.
Baby changing facilities

In-flight shopping

In-flight shopping was available.

Travelling with Children

Baby bassinets must be pre booked. Meal request for children must be made at time of reservation.
Milk and baby food can be warmed up by the cabin crew
Read more on  Emirates - Travelling with infants   
 

Crew

The crew was friendly and helpful.

Disembarking

First class disembarked first, then business class. Economy class disembarked from the front of the plane.

Overall opinion

What I liked
Tasty and well presented meals.
Entertainment system
Very generous seats

Not so good
Flight attendants bumping into our seats with service trolleys.
The A380 can take over 500 passengers, luggage can take a long time to arrive at the carousel due to the sheer volume of luggage that must be handled.



Economy Class Seats

Storage

Entertainment screen

Charging Plug

USB connector and stereo headset plug

Remote control

Arabian morning mezze

Breakfast Deli platter

Mutton curry for lunch

Adjustable headrest


















 

Air Malta Economy Class Airbus A319 KM306 - Review 2

Route

KM306,  Malta to Munich, 12 August  2013.
This is the second review of this flight. Read the first review here

Scheduled Duration

2 hours 20 min.
Departure: 09:25
Arrival 11:45

On time departure and arrival

Departed a couple of minutes late but arrived on time.

Ground crew and check-in

We could check in online 23 hours before departure. When flying back from Munich to Malta it is not possible to check in online for KM307

Check-in, and luggage drop off was handled by Air Malta staff
Ground staff was friendly and very helpful.

Boarding procedure

Boarding was in no particular order. The electronic boarding gates did not operate, and the boarding cards were manually scanned by the ground crew. We took a short walk to the aircraft.

Luggage allowance

Hand luggage - One carry on bag 10kg max
Checked luggage - 20kg
Air Malta's baggage policy

 

Seating

The Airbus A319 has 141 seats in total - 8 Club class seats and 133 Economy seats.
Economy seats has limited recline.
You can reserve your seat at the time of booking, for a small charge. This includes the emergency exit rows. If you do not pay the charge, you can only choose your seat when you check in, either online or at the airport counters. More information -  Seat selection
We sat in row 10, which is one of the emergency exit rows. These are very good seats with generous legroom. Row 9 has limited recline.
When flying with an A320, the emergency exits are at row 12.
Overhead: Air vents and reading lights.

Amenities

None.

Entertainment

Newspapers were available as you board the plane. In-flight magazine available in seat pocket.
Small overhead screens displaying flight information.

In-flight communication

None

Charging points for electronic devices

None

Meals and refreshments

Breakfast
We were served cold meats, cheese and half a boiled egg, a small bun and a muffin.
You cannot request a vegetarian or special meal at the time of booking. You have to ask for these when they serve the food and the availability may be limited.
Coffee, tea and other beverages were served after our meal.
Alcoholic beverages can be purchased.
On the tray -  Cup for hot beverages, plastic knife, fork, teaspoon. Wet wipe, serviette, creamer, salt, pepper and sugar. Bun, muffin, butter and orange juice.

Toilets

The toilets were kept clean. There are toilets at the back and front of the plane.
Basin to wash hands and brush teeth.
Hand soap is supplied but no hand cream.

In-flight shopping

None

Travelling with Children

Milk and baby food can be warmed up by the cabin crew.
I did not notice any diaper changing facilities.
Read more on Air Malta - Young travelers

Crew

I found the crew competent and friendly. Instructions were given in Maltese, German and English.

Disembarking

Business class disembarked first.

Overall opinion

What I liked
The plane was quiet with not too many rattles and noise.

Not so good
I dint find the food very appetizing
















Emirates Economy class Airbus A380-800 EK049

Route

EK049 from Dubai to Munich 16 May 2013

Scheduled Duration

6 hours 30 min

On time departure and arrival

Departed  13 minutes late but arrived 15 minutes early in Munich

Ground Crew and check-in

Check in was handled by Emirates staff. This was a connection flight and we check in online 24 hours before the first leg of the journey. Our luggage were booked through to Munich. All A380's depart from Terminal A. There is a train service between Terminal C, where we arrived and Terminal A
Ground crew were friendly and helpful.

Boarding procedure

Priority boarding for First and Business Class passengers, as well as skywards gold/silver members, families with small children and assisted passengers.
Economy class boarding was by zone, with passengers sitting at the back of the aircraft boarding first.

Luggage allowance

Hand luggage - One piece of carry-on luggage.
Checked luggage - 30 kg. Extra allowance depending on Frequent traveler status.
See more on  baggage allowances and rules.

Before take-off

Moist hot towels were provided to freshen up.

Seating

This flight had 3 classes, First, Business and Economy.
Fisrt and Business class is on the upper deck.

Seat pitch - 86.36 cm (34")
Seat width - 45.72 cm (18")
Seatmap can be viewed on Seatguru or on Emirates Airbus A380-800
We sat in row 51 F and G. It is bulkhead seats and had normal recline. It had standard overhead storage space. I enjoy sitting against the bulkhead as there is nobody sitting behind you, on this configuration, there was a passage behind us and the flight attendants bumped into our seats with the trolleys.
Manual air vent and remote controlled reading light. Button to call the flight attendant.

In flight Amenities

Pillow and blanket
Stereo headset

Entertainment

Emirates won numerous awards for their ICE in-flight system.
See more on Emirates ICE
On demand entertainment system with a wide selection of movies, TV programs and music.  You can also stay in touch with latest headlines from the BBC, follow the progress of your flight or view the aircraft's external cameras.
The ICE touch screen system is easy to use and movies can be started as soon as you are seated.  A remote control is also provided.
Flight progress were displayed on screens against the bulkhead

In-flight communications

Satellite phone.
Mobile phones could be used.
Wifi available to purchase.

Charging points for electronic devices

USB charging point. Regular 110V AC power port at every other seat ( shared port)

Meals and refreshments

Breakfast
A light breakfast were served.
On the tray -  Fruit salad, Cold breakfast, croissant, Nutella, mini flat breads, orange juice and cup for coffee. Cutlery, wet wipe, one sugar sachet, salt and pepper, serviette.
I had the Arabic mezze and it was very tasty. The other option was a cheese platter

Lunch
A hot lunch were served before landing.
On the tray -  Starter, Hot lunch, bun, dessert, Box with salty biscuits, chilly dip and cheese, still water and cup for coffee. Cutlery, wet wipe, one sugar sachet, salt and pepper, serviette and small chocolate.
I had the chicken, it was ok, the veggies was a bit rubbery.

Specify any dietary requirements at time of booking e.g. vegetarian.

Refreshments
Coffee/tea was served after meals. Drinks and wine were served before the meal as well as a small packet of pretzels

Toilets

The toilets were kept clean.
Soap, body lotion and fragrance were provided.
Paper towels and tissues.
Basin to wash hands and brush teeth.
Baby changing facilities

In-flight shopping

In-flight shopping was available

Travelling with Children

Baby bassinets must be pre booked. Meal request for children must be made at time of reservation.
Milk and baby food can be warmed up by the cabin crew
Read more on  Emirates - Travelling with infants   
 

Crew

The crew was friendly and helpful.

Disembarking

First class disembarked first, then business class. Economy class disembarked from the front of the plane.

Overall opinion

What I liked

Tasty and well presented meals.

Entertainment system
Very generous seats

Not so good

Flight attendants bumping into our seats with service trolleys. Service was at times a bit slow.
The A380 can take over 500 passengers, luggage can take a long time to arrive at the carousel due to the sheer volume of luggage that must be handled.



Seating

Overhead locker

Seating

Leg room

AC Power

Breakfast

Lunch


















 

Emirates Economy class Boeing 777-300 EK764 Review 2

Route

EK764 from Johannesburg to Dubai 15 May 2013

Scheduled Duration

8 hours.

On time departure and arrival

Departed on time and arrived 30 minutes early in Dubai

Ground Crew and check-in

Check in was handled by ACSA. We could check in online 24 hours before our flight. There was a dedicated counter for those who checked in online.
Ground crew were friendly and helpful.
Take note that when you pay with certain credit cards (e.g South African credit cards) you need to verify your credit card at the Emirates office at the airport before you can proceed to the check in counters.

Boarding procedure

Priority boarding for First and Business Class passengers, as well as skywards gold/silver members, families with small children and assisted passengers.
Economy class boarding was by zone, with passengers sitting at the back of the aircraft boarding first.

Luggage allowance

Hand luggage - One piece of carry-on luggage.
Checked luggage - 30 kg. Extra allowance depending on Frequent traveller status.
See more on  baggage allowances and rules.

Before take-off

Moist hot towels were provided to freshen up.

Seating

This flight had 3 classes, First, Business and Economy.
This flight is usually serviced by  Boeing 777-300 ER, on this flight it was a 777-300. The seats were very narrow
Seat pitch - 83.82 cm (33")
Seat width - 43.18 cm (17")
Seatmap can be viewed on Seatguru or on Emirates Boeing 777-300
We sat in row 21 F and G. Its is bulkhead seats and had normal recline. It had standard overhead storage space. The seats in row 21 H - K did not have adequate storage space for three passengers.
Manual air vent and remote controlled reading light. Button to call the flight attendant

Amenities

Pillow and blanket
Stereo headset

Entertainment

Emirates won numerous awards for their ICE in-flight system.
See more on Emirates ICE
On demand entertainment system with a wide selection of movies, TV programs and music.  You can also stay in touch with latest headlines from the BBC, follow the progress of your flight or view the aircraft's external cameras.
The ICE touch screen system is easy to use and movies can be started as soon as you are seated.  A remote control is also provided.
Flight progress were displayed on screens against the bulkhead

In-flight communications

Satellite phone.

Charging points for electronic devices

USB charging point

Meals and refreshments

Dinner
A hot dinner were served soon after cruising altitude was reached.
On the tray -  Starter, hot meal, bun, cheese and crackers, dessert, still water and cup for coffee. Cutlery, wet wipe, one sugar sachet, salt and pepper, serviette, small chocolate.
I had the beef curry and it was very tasty.

Breakfast
A light breakfast were served before landing. I skipped the breakfast as it was too early to eat, it was just after 01:00 in Johannesburg and 03:00 local time.

Specify any dietary requirements at time of booking e.g. vegetarian.

Refreshments
Coffee/tea was served after meals. Drinks and wine were served before the meal as well as a small packet of pretzels

Toilets

The toilets were kept clean. 
Soap, body lotion and fragrance were provided.
Paper towels and tissues.
Basin to wash hands and brush teeth.

In-flight shopping

In-flight shopping was available

Travelling with Children

Baby bassinets must be pre booked. Meal request for children must be made at time of reservation.
Milk and baby food can be warmed up by the cabin crew
Read more on  Emirates - Travelling with infants   
 

Crew

The crew was friendly and helpful.

Disembarking

First class disembarked first, then business class. Economy class disembarked from the front of the plane.

Overall opinion

What I liked

Tasty and well presented meals
Service
Entertainment system

Not so good

The seats were too narrow and not enough leg space. Hopefully the will use the 777-300ER again soon, the seats on this plane is much better.





Dinner menu

Breakfast menu

USB Port for charging or accessing your media

Dinner










 

Air Malta Economy Class Airbus A319 KM307 - review 2

Route

KM307,  Munich to Malta, 15 April  2013.
This is the second review of this flight. Read the first review here

Scheduled Duration

2 hours 15 min.
Departure: 12:40
Arrival 14:55

On time departure and arrival

Departed on time.
Arrived on time.

Ground crew and check-in

We could not check in online.
Self service check-in kiosks are available at Munich Airport. Your boarding card is printed at the kiosk, and you drop off your luggage at the drop off counters.
Check-in, and luggage drop off is handled by Lufthansa
Ground staff was friendly and very helpful.

Boarding procedure

Boarding was in no particular order. The electronic boarding gates did not operate, so the boarding cards were manually scanned by the ground crew. We had a bridge to the aircraft and boarding went smooth.

Luggage allowance

Hand luggage - One carry on bag 8kg max
Checked luggage - 20kg

Seating

Number of seats - 141 in total, economy has limited recline seats.
You can reserve your seat number at the time of booking, for a small charge. This includes the emergency exit rows. If you do not pay the charge, you can only choose your seat when you check in, either online or at the airport counters. More information -  Seat selection
We sat in row 20, a normal 3 seater row, with adequate overhead locker space.
I compared the seats with the ones we sat in on KM306 , and it seems like the leg space is more generous at the back of the plane.

Amenities

None.

Entertainment

Newspapers were available when you board the plane. In-flight magazine available in seat pocket.
Small overhead screens displaying flight information.

In-flight communication

None

Charging points for electronic devices

None

Meals and refreshments

Lunch
We were served cold meats and egg, a small bun and a date slice
If you want a vegetarian meal you must ask when they serve the food, there is limited vegetarian meals available.
Coffee, tea and other beverages were served after our meal.
Alcoholic beverages can be purchased.
On the tray -  Cup for hot beverages, plastic knife, fork, teaspoon. Wet wipe, serviette, creamer, salt, pepper and sugar. Bun, date slice, butter and salad dressing.

Toilets

The toilets were kept clean. There are toilets at the back and front of the plane.
Basin to wash hands and brush teeth.

In-flight shopping

None

Travelling with Children

Milk and baby food can be warmed up by the cabin crew.
I did not notice any diaper changing facilities.
Read more on Air Malta - Young travellers

Crew

I found the crew competent and friendly. Instructions were given in Maltese, German and English.

Disembarking

Business class disembarked first.
The aircraft was park close to the terminal building and a quick walk will get you inside.

Overall opinion

What I liked
The plane was quiet with not too many rattles and noise. The lunch was much better than on KM306.

Not so good
The food was better but the bun was still very dry.
















Air Malta Economy Class Airbus A319 KM306

Route

KM306,  Malta to Munich, 10 April  2013.

Scheduled Duration

2 hours 20 min.
Departure: 09:25
Arrival 11:45

On time departure and arrival

Departed on time.
Arrived on time.

Ground crew and check-in

We checked in online 24 hours before the flight.
The airport was quiet, luggage drop off at the check in counters took around 5 minutes.
There was a dedicated online/web check in counter but it was not open.
There were enough other counters open.
Our printed online boarding passes served as boarding tickets.
The counters were handled by Air Malta staff.
Ground staff was friendly.

Boarding procedure

Priority boarding for business class passengers, families with small children and assisted passengers.
The ground staff scanned our tickets.
We took a short walk to the plane.

Luggage allowance

Hand luggage - One carry on bag 8kg max
Checked luggage - 20kg

Seating

Number of seats - 141 in total, economy has limited recline seats.
You can reserve your seat number at the time of booking, for a small charge. This includes the emergency exit rows. If you do not pay the charge, you can only choose your seat when you check in, either online or at the airport counters. More information -  Seat selection
We sat in row 7, a normal 3 seater row, with adequate overhead locker space.
The seats are comfortable but very bulky and leg space is limited

Amenities

None.

Entertainment

Newspapers were available when you board the plane. In-flight magazine available in seat pocket.
Small overhead screens displaying flight information.

In-flight communication

None

Meals and refreshments

Breakfast
We were served cold meats and cheese, a small bun and a muffin.
If you want a vegetarian meal you must ask when they serve the food, there is limited vegetarian meals available.
Coffee, tea and other beverages were served after our meal.
Alcoholic beverages can be purchased.
On the tray -  Cup for hot beverages, plastic knife, fork, teaspoon. Wet wipe, serviette, creamer, salt, pepper and sugar. Bun, muffin, butter and orange juice.

Toilets

The toilets were kept clean. There are toilets at the back and front of the plane.
Basin to wash hands and brush teeth.

In-flight shopping

None

Travelling with Children

Milk and baby food can be warmed up by the cabin crew.
I did not notice any diaper changing facilities.
Read more on Air Malta - Young travellers

Crew

I found the crew competent and friendly. Instructions were given in Maltese, German and English.

Disembarking

Business class disembarked first. We used an aircraft bridge to enter the terminal building at Munich airport.
Our luggage arrived promptly at the baggage claim carousel.

Overall opinion

What I liked
The plane was quiet with not too many rattles and noise.

Not so good
The seats are cramped and the food was bland.

Leg space

Seats

Breakfast

Information screens

















Travelling with Children - Rules and Regulations

There are special rules and regulations that apply to children or infants travelling by air.

I will try to give some general guidelines, but these would be different for each airline and country.
As always inform yourself on what is expected of you and how the airline can assist you.
Visit the airlines website or contact them directly.

According to IATA:

• An infant is a person who has not reached his/her second birthday on the date when travel is commenced.
• A child is a person who has reached his/her second birthday but not his/her 12th birthday on the date when travel is commenced.

Unaccompanied Minors.

• Newborn infants require a medical certificate to travel. Most airlines specify the age as younger than 7 days.
• Infants and children under 5 years are not allowed to travel without one of their parents or legal guardian
• Children aged between 5 and 12 are allowed to travel without their parents but must make use of the airlines supervision service or travel with an adult.
• Young adults aged between 12 and 18 are allowed to travel alone.
• Most airlines will not permit an unaccompanied minor to be booked on the last flight of the day to a destination.
• Most airlines will not permit an unaccompanied minor to fly on connecting flights.

Tickets and booking

Airlines sell seats and most airlines will charge a discounted price for an infant, that sits on the adults lap, but will charge the full price for a child sitting in their own seat.
You cannot book a ticket for an unaccompanied minor online. You have to book through a travel agent or at the airline offices.
Notify the airline or travel agency of your child's age when booking your flight.
Inform the airline upfront if the child will be travelling as an unaccompanied minor.

Required documentation

Always enquire from the airline, embassy or border control agency what documentation is required.
A typical list can include:

• Airline ticket
• Valid passport and relevant visa's if travelling abroad. ID card or document for local travel.
• A supervision form obtained from the airline. Most airlines have this form available for download on their website.  It is advised that you complete three copies per child.

One copy remains with you,
One copy remains with your child
One copy is for the airline.

• Travel insurance certificates
• Information on allergies and medical conditions.
• Declaration of consent from the parents or legal guardians of the child if the child travels unaccompanied
• Letter of consent from the other parent if a child travels with only one parent.

Some airlines will provide the child with an recognisable item such as a shoulder bag or cap which the child must carry and keep visible at all times. The shoulder bag is can be used to store all the relevant documents safely.

At the airport - Check in, Security and passport control, and arriving at final destination.

Unaccompanied Minors
A parent or legal guardian must accompany the child to the check-in counter.
The parent or legal guardian must stay at the airport until the airplane is airborne so that the child can be collected if the flight is cancelled.
At some airports (enquire from the airport) the parent or legal guardian can accompany the child to the departure gate. If this is not allowed, an airline representative will accompany the child onto the airplane.
An airline representative will take the child through security checks as well as immigration and passport control at the departure airport.
An airline representative will wait for the child at the arrival gate of the destination airport, go through immigration and passport control with the child and hand the child over to the designated person who collects the child.
The designated person will have to provide proof of identity.

Infants and children travelling with a parent or legal guardian
A parent or legal guardian must accompanied to the check in counters.
A children that can walk without assistance must go through the metal detectors on their own. If they trigger the alarm, they can be patted down for additional security screening.
Infants must be taken out of their strollers and carried through the metal detectors by the parent or legal guardian. Additional screening may be required if the infant is carried in a sling.
Plan for extra time to get through security control when you with small children
The parent/guardian must accompany the child/infant to immigration and passport control.

Safety on board

Unaccompanied Minors
The child will be in the care of an airline representative.
Make sure to specify any dietary requirements of the child at least 48 hours before the flight.

Infants and children travelling with a parent or legal guardian

You must to be able to restrain the infant sitting on your lap.
Maximum of one infant on your lap
There might be a limit on how many infants per adult, no matter if the infant is on your lap or has a booked seat. In most cases this limit is maximum two infants per adult
You can book a seat for you infant but you need to have a proper child restraint device.
According to the FAA,  children (older than 24 months) must occupy his or her own seat during takeoff and landing.
A child is not allowed to sit in the exit row

Useful websites

UK Border Agency
EU Immigration Portal
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
TSA

Example of a Supervision Form from Lufthansa
Information on Emirates

Lufthansa Economy Class Airbus A321 LH1276 - review #3

Route

LH1276,  Frankfurt to Malta Luqa, 14 February 2013. This is the third review of this route, you can view the first and second reviews.

Scheduled Duration

2 hours 30 min.
Departure: 09:45
Arrival 12:15

On time departure and arrival

Departed on time.
Arrived 10 minutes early.

Ground crew and check-in

We checked in online 23 hours before the flight.
We arrived via train and dropped our bags off at the Lufthansa counter next to the All Rail Terminal
Our printed online boarding passes served as boarding tickets.
The counters were handled by Lufthansa staff.
Ground staff was friendly.

Boarding procedure

Priority boarding for business class passengers, families with small children and assisted passengers.
The crew asked passengers to board by row number, but most passengers ignored it.
The electronic boarding gates were not use, and the ground staff scanned our tickets.
We boarded via a mobile bridge.

Luggage allowance

Hand luggage - One carry on bag 8kg max
Checked luggage - 23kg

Seating

Number of seats - 200 in total, economy has limited recline seats. Lufthansa refitted most of their regional aircraft with new seats. These new seats are very comfortable and allow for generous leg room.
The seating configuration depends on how many business class seats are allocated.
Emergency exit row seats cannot be book online, they are allocated when checking in at the counters.

We sat in row 35, a normal 3 seater row, with adequate overhead locker space.
Row 37 and 38 has no overhead locker space.
View more information at  Lufthansa A321 seatmap or Seatguru A321 Economy seat information

Amenities

None.

Entertainment

Newspapers were available at the boarding gate waiting area. In-flight magazine available in seat pocket.

In-flight communication

None

Meals and refreshments

Breakfast
We were served sandwiches.
Any special meals must be pre-ordered when you make your reservation.
Coffee, tea, beer, wine and other beverages were served after our meal.

Toilets

The toilets were kept clean, economy class can only use the toilets at the back of the aircraft. I feel that there are not enough toilets on this plane/flight.
Basin to wash hands and brush teeth.

In-flight shopping

Available.

Travelling with Children

Milk and baby food can be warmed up by the cabin crew.
Read more on Lufthansa - Travelling with children.

Crew

I found the crew competent and friendly. Instructions were given in German and English.

Disembarking

Business class disembarked first. The doors at the back of the plane were also used to disembark.
We took a short bus ride to the terminal building.

Overall opinion

What I liked
The new seats are very comfortable and the sandwiches tasted good.
The plane was quiet with not too many rattles and noise.

Not so good
There are only toilets at the back of the plane, this can be a problem when food is being served or in flight shopping trolleys are blocking the aisle. Watch out for limited recline and overhead locker space on the two-seater rows as well as the rows in the back of the plane.







Sandwich















MENZIES AVIATION SHONGOLOLO LOUNGE

Airport

O.R. Tambo International

Lounge

Shongololo Lounge

Entry to Lounge

Business and First class passengers for selected departing airlines
Priority pass
Walk-in passengers for a fee of R300

Location: International departures towards gates A7-A18, OR Tambo International Airport Johannesburg

Services

Complimentary snacks and refreshments

• A choice hot and cold snacks, pre-packed sushi, soup, and a selection of fruit. 

Free Wi-Fi and Internet terminals

• Ask for the login details at reception

Telephone and fax
TV, newspapers and magazines
Flight information display
Electrical outlets to charge phones and laptops etc.
Shower facilities
Non-smoking lounge

Seating

Comfortable chairs and couches

Ambiance

Mostly quiet, but can become very busy during peak times

Bathroom Facilities

Toilets are kept clean.
Basin to wash hands and freshen up
Body Lotion
Separate shower facilities

Lufthansa Economy Class Airbus A321-200 - LH1277 - Review #2



Route

LH1277,  Malta Luqa to Frankfurt, 06 February 2013.

Duration

2 hours 43 min (scheduled time 2 hours 50 minutes)

On time departure and arrival

Departed 90 minutes late and arrived 83 minutes late. This was due to bad weather conditions at Frankfurt Airport, the incoming flight LH1276 landed at 13:05. There was also some technical issues that needed attending before we could take off. Landing at Frankfurt was delayed due to weather conditions.

Ground crew and check-in

We were able to check in online 23 hours before the flight.
We dropped off our luggage at the Lufthansa check-in counters.

Our printed online boarding passes served as boarding tickets.

Check-in, and luggage drop off at the Lufthansa counters was handled by Malta airport staff.

Ground staff was friendly and very helpful.

We arrived at the airport at 10:30 and the check in counters was still very quiet, February is not peak tourist season.

Boarding procedure

Priority boarding for business class passengers, families with small children and assisted passengers. Boarding cards were manually scanned by the ground crew.

I noticed some passengers using mobile boarding passes.

We boarded a bus to the aircraft.

Baggage allowance

Hand luggage - One carry on bag 8kg max
Checked luggage - One bag up to 23kg

For more information on Lufthansa baggage allowances

Seating

Number of seats - 185 in total, economy has limited recline seats. Lufthansa refitted most of their regional aircraft with new seats. These new seats are very comfortable and allow for generous leg room
The seating configuration depends on how many business class seats are allocated


Most seating websites, (even Lufthansa ) shows Economy starting in row 9, on our flight it started in row 6.

The configuration from row 9 - 11 is of particular interest as it is over the emergency exit. 
Row 9 A- C are normal seats.  9 D and E, is a two seat row and there is a crew seat behind 9D
Row 10 only have two seats - E and F - these seats have extra legroom.

Row 11 A- C and 11 D have extra legroom.

We sat in row 36, which is normal economy seats. I noticed that row 37 and 38 had limited overhead storage space.

Emergency exit row seats cannot be book online, they are allocated when checking in at the counters.

View more information at  Lufthansa A321 seatmap or Seatguru A321 Economy seat information

 The overhead locker space was adequate.

Amenities

None.

Entertainment



German and Maltese newspapers were available upon boarding. In-flight magazine available in seat pocket.

In-flight communication

None

Meals and refreshments

Lunch

No tray -  We were served a traditional Bavarian breakfast. Weisswurst and a pretzel roll (Laugensemmel)

Any special meals must be pre-ordered when you make your reservation.

Coffee, tea, beer, wine and other beverages were served before our meal as well as afterwards.

Toilets

The toilets were kept clean, economy class can only use the toilets at the back of the aircraft.

Basin to wash hands and brush teeth.

In-flight shopping

Available.

Travelling with Children

Toys were handed out to children
Milk and baby food can be warmed up by the cabin crew
Read more on Lufthansa - Travelling with children

Crew

I found the crew competent and friendly. Instructions were given in German and English.



Disembarking

Business class disembarked first. We had an aircraft bridge to the terminal building at Frankfurt airport.

Overall opinion

What I liked

The new seats are very comfortable and the food tasty.

The plane was quiet with not too many rattles and noise.

Not so good

There are only toilets at the back of the plane, this can be a problem when food is being served or in flight shopping trolleys are blocking the aisle.

 

Seats





Legroom





Cabin

 

Lunch


 

Drinks



 

Basin in toilet









Emirates Economy Class Airbus A340-300

Route

EK107 from Dubai to Malta 28 January 2013 - Note, as from Feb 2013 this route will be serviced with a Boeing 777-200. This route has a stopover on Larnaca. The layover time is one hour.

Duration

6 hours 55 min.

On time departure and arrival

Departed and arrived 50 minutes late.

Ground Crew and check-in

This was a connecting flight and our luggage were booked through to Malta.
Ground crew were friendly and helpful.

Boarding procedure

Priority boarding for First and Business Class passengers, as well as skywards gold/silver members, families with small children and assisted passengers.
Economy class boarding was by zone, with passengers sitting at the back of the aircraft boarding first.

Luggage allowance

Hand luggage - One piece of carry-on luggage.
Checked luggage - 30 kg. Extra allowance depending on Frequent traveller status.
See more on EK107 baggage allowances and rules.

Before take-off

Moist hot towels were provided to freshen up.

Seating

This flight had 3 classes, First, Business and Economy.
Seat pitch - 78.74 cm (31")
Seat width - 44.45 cm (17.5")
Seatmap can be viewed on Seatguru or on Emirates Airbus A340-300
We sat in row 26 D and E. Its is bulkhead seats and had normal recline. It had standard overhead storage space.

Amenities

Pillow and blanket
Stereo headset

Entertainment

The entertainment system is not an on-demand system like on most Emirates flights.  Programs only started after take-off. Programs could not be re-winded or stopped and there was a limited selection of movies, TV programs, games and music.
You can stay in touch with latest headlines from the BBC, follow the progress of your flight or view the aircraft's external cameras.
A remote control is provided.

In-flight communications

Satellite phone.
Mobile calls could be made during this flight.

Meals and refreshments

Breakfast
A hot breakfast were served on the leg between Dubai and Larnaca.

Lunch
A light lunch were serverd on the leg between Larnaca and Malta.

Specify any dietary requirements at time of booking e.g. vegetarian.

Refreshments
Coffee/tea was served after meals. Drinks and wine were served before the meal.

Toilets

The toilets were kept clean. 
Soap, body lotion and fragrance were provided.
Paper towels and tissues.
Basin to wash hands and brush teeth.

In-flight shopping

In-flight shopping was not available during the flight due to EU restrictions.

Travelling with Children

Baby bassinets must be pre booked. Meal request for children must be made at time of reservation.
Milk and baby food can be warmed up by the cabin crew
Read more on  Emirates - Travelling with infants   
 

Crew

The crew was friendly and helpful.

Disembarking

First class disembarked first, then business class. Economy class disembarked from the front of the plane.

Overall opinion

What I liked
The seats are comfortable
Tasty and well presented meals
Service

Not so good

Entertainment system

Notes
The plane lands for a stopover on Larnaca. Electronic equipment had to be switched off because the plane was being re-fuelled. Passengers were asked to identify their cabin luggage and to remain on their booked seats. Some passengers disembarked in Larnaca and there were passengers boarding the plane.






Seats

Entertainment screen






 



Emirates Economy Class Boeing 777-300ER

Route

EK764 from Johannesburg to Dubai  27 January 2013

Duration

8 hours 10 min.

On time departure and arrival

Departed on time and arrived 10 minutes early.

Ground Crew and check-in

When paying with credit card in certain countries, you need to verify the transactions at the Emirates office before you can check in at the counters or drop off your luggage. We could check in online 24 hours before our flight. There was a dedicated counter for online check-ins.
Ground staff was friendly and competent.

Boarding procedure

Priority boarding for First and Business Class passengers, as well as skywards gold members, families with small children and assisted passengers.
Economy class boarding was by zone, with passengers sitting at the back of the aircraft boarding first.
Emirates finally got it right to manage boarding by zones.

Luggage allowance

Hand luggage - One piece of carry-on luggage.
Checked luggage - 30 kg. Extra allowance depending on Frequent traveller status.
See more on EK764 baggage allowances and rules.

Before take-off

Moist hot towels were provided to freshen up. The entertainment system can be started before take-off.

Seating

This flight had 3 classes, First, Business and Economy.
Seat pitch - 86.36 cm (34")
Seat width - 43.18 cm (17")
Seatmap can be viewed on Seatguru or on Emirates Boeing 777-300ER
We sat in row 50 J and K. Its a two seater row at the back of the plane. It has no overhead storage space (The emergency Medical kit was stored above our seats) and our bags had to be stowed in overhead lockers above other seats. The toilets are next to it, and I found it a bit disruptive. You are served refreshments last.

Amenities

Pillow and blanket
Stereo headset

Entertainment

Emirates won numerous awards for their ICE in-flight system.
See more on Emirates ICE
On demand entertainment system with a wide selection of movies, TV programs and music.  You can also stay in touch with latest headlines from the BBC, follow the progress of your flight or view the aircraft's external cameras.
The ICE touch screen system is easy to use and movies can be started as soon as you are seated.  A remote control is also provided.
See photos for ports and chargers on seat back.

In-flight communications

Satellite phone.
Mobile calls could not be made during this flight.

Meals and refreshments

Dinner
The in-flight service started late due to turbulence.
We were served a hot dinner.
The choices on the menu were:

• Chicken ragout served with mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables
• Beef curry served with egg fried rice, broccoli and cauliflower
• Tortellini served with patty pan wedges and grilled brinjals

On the tray - Salad, bread bun, dessert, butter, salt, pepper, sugar, cheese, cutlery, wet wipe and serviette. Cup for Coffee. Small water.

Breakfast
Breakfast was served. I did not have breakfast as it was too early in the morning.

Specify any dietary requirements at time of booking e.g. vegetarian.

Refreshments
Coffee/tea was served after meals. Drinks and wine were served before the meal.

Toilets

The toilets were kept clean. 
Soap, body lotion and fragrance were provided.
Paper towels and tissues.
Basin to wash hands and brush teeth.

In-flight shopping

In-flight shopping was available during the flight, with a good choice perfumes, jewelry etc.

Travelling with Children

Baby bassinets must be pre booked. Meal request for children must be made at time of reservation.
Milk and baby food can be warmed up by the cabin crew
Read more on  Emirates - Travelling with infants   
 

Crew

I have always found the crew on Emirates to be very friendly and helpful. On this flight they were not very friendly and some seemed irritated. They took very  long to clear up the trays after dinner and some passengers took their own trays to the kitchen. There were a rowdy tour group a couple of seat in front of us and they did not understand English very well, the flight attendants were a bit impatient with them.

Disembarking

First class disembarked first, then business class. Economy class disembarked from the front of the plane.

Overall opinion

What I liked
The seats are comfortable
Entertainment system
Tasty and well presented meals

Not so good
Service



Seat and Entertainment System




Dinner




Ports





Charger ports



 

Remote Control