After Saudi Arabia opened its borders to foreign tourists in 2019, the country launched a massive campaign to revamp the passenger experience at its main airports and flag carrier Saudia Airlines. A world-class terminal now pampers passengers at King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED) in Jeddah. And in November, the government announced the construction of an entirely new aerial gateway in Riyadh. Saudia refreshed its fleet by acquiring a large number of Boeing 787-9 and -10 Dreamliners featuring a new Business Class product and an enhanced onboard service and in-flight entertainment. The Dreamliners are used chiefly on long-haul services to West Africa and East Asia and on a few medium-haul flights to some American and European destinations, including Milan.
So, visiting a friend who lives in Jeddah became the perfect occasion to try the top-notch product of the Kingdom's airline. To avoid spending a fortune for a relatively short trip, I booked a ticket in economy class on my way to Saudi Arabia and upgraded to Business Class on the leg back to Europe.
Upon making my reservation, I discovered that my flight would be operated by one of the carrier's Boeing 787-9s. The aircraft features a 24-seat Business Class cabin arranged in a 1-2-1 cross section-a considerable step forward in privacy and comfort compared with what passengers experience on the carrier's 777s, which feature older seats and an outdated 2-2-2 configuration. The airline operates the 777 product on its USA network, which includes New York, Washington and Los Angeles.
Denne historien er fra April 2023-utgaven av Business Traveler US.
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Denne historien er fra April 2023-utgaven av Business Traveler US.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Around the World in 80 Ways - Oneworld releases an Al-powered travel service for extended international voyages
A new generative artificial intelligence (AI) travel agent will leverage Google Cloud to help ambitious travelers easily book international trips with Oneworld member airlines. The alliance’s Round the World fares allow passengers to book up to 16 flights between at least three continents on a globe-spanning trip that lands back home up to a year later.
Fast Company - In a partnership with SpaceX, United is rolling out revolutionary high-speed Wi-Fi on all its flights
United has become the first major U.S. airline to announce a groundbreaking partnership with SpaceX to equip more than 1,000 aircraft with Starlink WiFi. Passengers will soon enjoy high-speed, lowlatency Internet service, enabling seamless gate-to-gate connectivity across domestic and international flights.
Special Sauce - Celebrated chef and entrepreneur Giada De Laurentiis shares her Italian heritage through her television shows, restaurants, cruise partnerships and an exclusive line of curated products
Celebrated chef and entrepreneur Giada De Laurentiis shares her Italian heritage through her television shows, restaurants, cruise partnerships and an exclusive line of curated products
The Censoring of Social Media? - Why legislatures continually try to regulate freedom of expression, and what the courts are doing about it
There seems to be bipartisan agreement that everything from teen suicide rates to poor mental health and more is due to social media. The obvious solution, they believe, is to impose government oversight on how such services can be provided. Congress is considering sweeping social media legislation and a number of states have already enacted such laws.
Golden Age
Porsche celebrates a half-century of its 911 Turbo with a limited-editon model
The Season's Best Underseat Carry-Ons
Bags that make the most of your space while providing carefree convenience
Crystal Palace
Baccarat offers sparkling cocktails in Midtown Manhattan
East Meets West
Chef Cyril Lignac fuses French and Japanese cuisine in the heart of London
Bigger.Better.
American Express relocated and improved its Centurion Lounge at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to address issues with overcrowding and enhance the customer experience
High Style
A nonstop journey from Singapore to Los Angeles in Business Class
