Oman Air Airbus A330 200 seat review by Michael O’Donnell #34009

This was not a good flight. Muscat airport had opened only two days earlier but that is no excuse for the appalling boarding process. The notices on the boards were saying to go to the gate about an hour and a half before the flight. On arrival at the gate there was a very long queue of people and nowhere to sit. Approximately 20 minutes before the flight was due they started checking people’s paperwork and letting them through. This was not, unfortunately, to the plane but to the waiting area. Prior to getting into the waiting area all hand baggage was again screened and we had to go through metal detectors.

We were boarded eventually and then sat on the tarmac for a further hour and a quarter past takeoff time. I had paid extra for a legroom seat, But on the way out discovered that the seat I had bought was just like any other seat. Fortunately the outbound flight was relatively empty and I was able to move. Unfortunately this inbound flight was nearly full and when I had explained the situation on arrival at the airport was given this seat which I was assured had extra legroom. As I am 6 foot five this is important to me. The new seat was a bulkhead seat. The cushion was hard and lumpy. I could not get comfortable. Service was perfunctory: announcements were difficult to hear and I never heard a proper explanation for the delay in takeoff. Finally after takeoff we were given a bread roll and offered a soft drink. Although this was an overnight flight the lights were not turned down until after they had been round with the duty-free and my wife had specially requested them to do this. Before leaving us alone The cabin staff gave out some small bottles of water. After I had tried to sleep for a couple of hours I had to get up and ask the three crewmembers the other side of the bulkhead to stop talking and making so much noise. Unfortunately the seat was so uncomfortable this did not help my sleep. In the morning staff came round with a menu. This stated that this would be given at the start of the flight and accompanied by a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. It went on to say that in the morning light snack would be given. With the crew came round with the food no alcoholic drinks were offered and of course if that had been very few people would’ve wanted them. I can only guess, but I assume that the two meals were reversed to save them the hassle of doing a booze round.

The overall impression was of chaos and cabin staff who had no interest in the welfare of the passengers. If Oman Air seriously wish to join the ranks of Emirates and Singapore airlines they have a very very long way to go and need to train their staff properly and apply some discipline.