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Gulf Air: A Pleasant Airline for Middle East Travel Gulf Air

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Some thirteen years ago, Gulf Air flew from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York to Bahrain with a stop in Laranaca, Cyprus. Luckily for me and my family, Larnaca was our final destination, and we took advantage of this flight a couple of times. However, I remember my family swearing off Gulf Air after our flights had been cancelled twice - and only during one of these cancellations had we been given accommodations. Nonethless, let’s fast forward thirteen years. There I was, booking yet another flight on Gulf Air. This time, however, we would be flying from Dubai to Larnaca, with a connection in Bahrain.

Because this flight was part of a three-legged journey, I’m not sure of its exact cost. However, it could not have been too significant, considering that the total cost was $1,675, and two of the legs were 13-hour transatlantic itineraries. I did receive confirmation for the flight via e-mail from Expedia.com. Unfortunately, the seats that I selected online did not translate to the ones I actually got on the flight, but I think that has more to do with Expedia than Gulf Air (considering the same thing happened on another airline whose flight I booked via Expedia).

I was dropped off at Dubai International Airport about two and a half hours prior to departure. We were misinformed that there would be a lot of traffic going to the airport, hence our early arrival. Nonetheless, we went through security and off to the Gulf Air check-in counters. Interestingly, unlike American airports, Gulf Air does not have a set check-in area. Instead, there were TV screens and signs pointing to Gulf Air check-in. Those who checked us in were employed by the airport, not Gulf Air. The woman who took our luggage and gave us our boarding passes was not friendly and not too professional either, but at least she got the job done.

Boarding started about 20 minutes before departure. This was an empty flight - the gate agent informed me that there were only 36 passengers booked on this 737 to Bahrain. I was not too surprised about the light load considering that it was a Tuesday morning, though the flight from Bahrain to Larnaca was completely full. In any case, the flight had three flight attendants, which made a 1:12 ratio of flight attendants to passengers. Because of this, I was certainly expecting good service.

The seats on this Gulf Air were somewhat small and legroom was cramped, but this wouldn’t be a big problem considering the flight was about an hour long. Service was very friendly and professional; all flight attendants were in the cabin the whole time catering to customers. Shows were shown on overhead TV’s, which I thought was a nice touch for such a short flight. There was also a snack service which blew away anything that I would find on an American carrier. The snack box given to me included an Arabic sandwich (some type of cheese with spices), mini cookies, and a water box. We were also offered service of coffee and tea by the flight attendants, which was greatly appreciated since we had awoken early to take this flight. After the snack service, hot hand towels were given out in the cabin. Nice touch.

Our flight landed in Bahrain on time, but we still had to go through another round of security before grabbing our connecting flight. We ended up getting to the connecting gate with ample time, but there was certainly not ample seating for our entire flight. The gate area was dark and dingy, and there were some obnoxious people who spoke loud, were taking pictures, and giggling at the top of their lungs. However, this was expected since we were going to the “Cancun of Europe” - Cyprus, a party spot that rivals Mallorca and Malta.

Boarding began on time, and we had to take busses to the airplane and then walk up stairs to board. Unfortunately, we somehow ended up being given seats in the very last row of the airplane. These seats did not recline, and it was annoying having people constantly in the aisle next to us when they were lining up for the bathroom. These seats were just as cramped as the ones of the earlier flight, and legroom was just as tight. This flight was a little bit more uncomfortable considering that we couldn’t decline and that it was three hours long. Further, we were the only Americans on this plane - the majority of others were Vietnamese people going to Cyprus in search of work or Lebanese women going on vacation.

After our scheduled departure time had passed, the cabin crew came on the PA and informed us that we would be delayed another 30 minutes because the President of Bahrain had just landed at the airport and no flights were allowed to depart until he had exited the property. This was especially annoying since the plane was not yet turned on, and the air conditioning was therefore not on. Needless to say, Bahrain in the middle of a July day is extremely hot. After my wife complained several times to the cabin crew, they came down the aisle and offered customers water. One flight attendant even felt so bad for my wife that she brought her to the galley so that she could sit in front of the open refrigerator. I have to say that this friendly level of service continued throughout the flight, and I was very impressed.

Finally, we departed about thirty minutes behind schedule. As soon as we got in the air, the flight attendants came around and offered drinks and meals. One meal offered was a traditional Asian dish, and the other was chicken. Me and my wife both decided on the chicken since it was a “safer” dish to choose. We certainly made the right decision - the chicken was edible, and it came with a salad, dessert, and a water box. After our meal, we were offered hot towels once again.

We ended up landing at Larnaca International Airport about twenty minutes behind schedule. Thankfully, our luggage was one of the first to get out onto the conveyor belt, and it was in perfect condition - which surprised me considering that I had seen the luggage handlers in Dubai literally chuck them into the plane.

Overall, I think Gulf Air did a very good job in getting me from Dubai to Larnaca. The service on the flights was outstanding; all flight attendants were very friendly, professional, and personable. Further, the food service was pretty good - and it was especially surprising to me considering that in the United States, we hardly get food service on transcontinental flights let alone short- and medium-haul flights. My flight to Bahrain was on time, and my flight to Larnaca would have been on time if it wasn’t for the President’s arrival. I would certainly recommend Gulf Air for future travel, and I would not hesitate to book another flight with the airline.

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