Flight: Ethiopian Airlines ET608
Route: Addis Ababa to Bangkok
Seat: Economy Class, 57H
Airplane: Boeing 787 Dreamliner
I’m currently on what feels like a never-ending journey from Uganda to Sydney via Addis Ababa and Bangkok.
It’s a marathon of a trip, made even more painful by an eight-hour layover in Bangkok. Arrgghhh!
So imagine my delight when I discovered I’d managed to secure an entire row of three seats on this Addis Ababa to Bangkok sector. Suddenly life felt a whole lot better.
It certainly helped make up for what was a rather chaotic boarding experience.
The signage around the gate area was confusing, with multiple boarding zones seemingly merging into queues for different flights. At one point, I genuinely thought I was about to board a flight to Moscow!
Once onboard, however, things improved considerably.
The cabin crew were warm, welcoming and impeccably presented in Ethiopian Airlines’ elegant teal uniforms.
A thoughtful touch was the small amenity kit handed out to passengers. Having foolishly packed my toothbrush deep inside my checked luggage, I was delighted to find essentials including a toothbrush, eye mask and socks.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is configured in a standard 3-3-3 layout in economy, with a respectable 32-inch seat pitch.
The seats feature adjustable headrests and there is ample overhead locker space throughout the cabin.
One disappointment was the lack of a USB charging port, which isn’t ideal on a long-haul journey when every percentage of battery life counts.
We eventually pushed back almost an hour behind schedule. Then again, with an eight-hour Bangkok layover ahead of me, what’s another hour?
My original plan was to stay awake and thoroughly review the meal service, but the temptation of three empty seats proved almost irresistible. Sleep was calling.
Thankfully, dinner arrived before I drifted off and I’m pleased to report it was worth staying awake for.
The main course was a surprisingly tasty chilli chicken served with vegetables and mashed potato, preceded by a chickpea salad. It was a protein-packed meal that certainly helped fuel this epic journey.
There was no dessert, but drinks included red wine and a refreshing local Ethiopian beer, which hit the spot nicely.
After dinner I settled in with an old favourite, Rumour Has It, starring Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Costner and one of my all-time favourites, Shirley MacLaine.
The entertainment system features an 8.9-inch screen and more than 80 channels of content, ranging from the latest releases to family favourites. If you’re a Harry Potter fan, you’ll be particularly well catered for.
With my private row firmly established, I stretched out and enjoyed several blissful hours of uninterrupted sleep.
I was awakened gently before landing and offered a choice of eggs or pancakes for breakfast. Tempting as they sounded, I opted instead for a few more precious minutes behind my eye mask.
We eventually touched down in Bangkok around 30 minutes behind schedule.
While the boarding process left a lot to be desired, the friendly crew, decent meal service, comfortable Dreamliner cabin and, admittedly, my unexpected three-seat upgrade made this a pleasant flight overall.
Sometimes, on a long journey, having space to stretch out is worth more than any inflight luxury.
TravelTalk Rating: 7.5/10
Highlights: Friendly crew, comfortable Dreamliner cabin, surprisingly good dinner, amenity kit.
Lowlights: Confusing boarding process, no USB charging ports, delayed departure.
Would I fly it again? Absolutely – especially if I can snag another row of three seats!
https://www.ethiopianairlines.com/
