Great flight with KLM 's first and only "Dreamliner" Boeing 787-9. The nearly brand new aircraft flew like a new computer! :) When I saw the projected flight path, I thought: "Wow! We might see some interesting fireworks! We're flying right above Mosul!" But once near the Turkish - Syrian border, we made a detour, flying over the borders of Azerbaijan until the Gulf of .... literally flying between air spaces avoiding Syrian, Iraqi and Iranian airspace! (See pic)
The crew was absolutely very nice and helpful. But... The food catering... :/ The menu looked and "sounded" great! But ...:( The main course: "Penette all arabiata"... 1/3 length penne pasta with likely spinach, some tasteless Mozarella and "likely" some bits of sun-dried tomatoes... Even with all the pepper and salt, I ended up with a salty, tasteless dish! A so called "starter" was nothing else than a (fresh) Atjar Tampoer Addoek (Cole and carrot rasp, should be sweet-sour, but was more sweet than anything else) with some dried raisins to make it even sweeter. :( Desert: Lemmon mouse? Something mousy, :D with 3 mini profiterolles and something called chocolate sause? That was IMO just awfull, yeaky; mainly sugar! :(
But honestly, my REAL problem was and is: I'm a smoker, thus, I wanted to get out and have a smoke at Abu Dabi after 6+ hours. NOT BEEN GROUNDED; tortued by KLM to have to stay for one hour in the plane and another 2 hours before being able to have a smoke outside the Muscat International Airport.
Dreamliner? I had nightmares that night due to 11 hours of dictated smoke-free flying and arrest on board. :(
Next time I'll fly Etihad with stopover at Abu Dabhi and 2 hours to have many flags and drinks and a decent meal!
KLM served a "stroopwafel" and a mini cup of water, after 2 hours (including 1 hour grounded). Really, last time to Muscat Oman with KLM! :( Or: KLM gives me a bording pass for Amsterdam AND Abu Dabhi.
Tomorrow we'll drive out north of Muscat and the Sultanate Oman to Dubai UAE where we stay till November 1, going by car to Abu Dabhi for a day, leaving for Amsterdam by KLM nov.2 at 02:00.
