Riyadh
Actually things started to really break down here, and it got to the point that we just had to start laughing at things. We were supposed to out of Gate 25, according to the information desk. You would not know this by the monitors, they showed flight number, departure time destination, but no information about the flight. Before we boarded I needed to speak with a gate agent and get my seat reassigned so I could sit by the family. Well finally a gate agent shows up about 70 minutes before the plane was supposed to leave. I went to arrange things with him, and he not only did not work for Saudi Airlines he said the flight leaving out of gate 25 was going to Lahore Pakistan. So back back over to the information desk. Nope, confirmed that we were leaving out of gate 25. Went back and waited till 50 minutes before departure, they are now boarding for Lahore. Nobody has any idea what is going on. But, I have learned from watching that you need to be in line early. The boarding priority in Riyadh is not by zones, First Class, business class, Medallion status, it is by who can push the hardest. Well, to make a long story short, everyone lined up for our flight, and 10 minutes before departure one guy walks up to us and says they have changed the gate, and the mad dash for the airplane began.
Landing
The flight was not nearly as pleasant as the one from London, as it was chaotic the entire flight. The landing best depicts this. All was going well, we were on final approach, but there were still a few people still standing up! Then the second the wheels hit the ground, everyone and I mean everyone unbuckled and popped open the overhead bins in a mad rush for their bags. It is no exaggeration that every single overhead bin was open, and everyone but us was standing in the aisles before the plane left the runway.
Delhi
We came into the international terminal at Delhi, and then had to transfer to the domestic terminal. This took about an hour. The mass of people was unbelievable, no place to sit, and just pushing and shoving. Very different experience for everyone. The boarding process to Chennai was very similar to Riyadh. In that they had a gate listed for us everyone lined up for the flight to board at 4:00. At 4:10 they started to board for Another city at our gate. So we had people trying to board 2 flights stacked up at the same gate. Finally, one guy quietly said oh....I am going to change your gate. Even the Indians were pissed! The Indian guy behind be threatened to kick the gate agents A$$ because he would not announce the gate change over the PA system. We then boarded busses for the 15 minute ride to the Airplane. Take a look at the attached picture taken from the door of the airplane. You can see our shuttle bus, and the terminal where we left from. A distance of maybe 100 FEET! Same exact thing happened on landing.
Chennai
Finally we are in Chennai. Fortunately the drivers from the Courtyard Marriott were there to meet us in 2 nice vans. The ride in from the airport was very comfortable and enjoyable. Traffic was insane, glad I chose not to drive here. When we got to the hotel, it has a guarded gate. The Hotel van had to stop, and the security guards checked the van for bombs. Then we pulled up to the front of the hotel, and every bag, and parcel we owned was sent through an Xray machine, then we were personally hand wanted to check for metal. Umm.... we are not in Kansas any more folks!
Actually things started to really break down here, and it got to the point that we just had to start laughing at things. We were supposed to out of Gate 25, according to the information desk. You would not know this by the monitors, they showed flight number, departure time destination, but no information about the flight. Before we boarded I needed to speak with a gate agent and get my seat reassigned so I could sit by the family. Well finally a gate agent shows up about 70 minutes before the plane was supposed to leave. I went to arrange things with him, and he not only did not work for Saudi Airlines he said the flight leaving out of gate 25 was going to Lahore Pakistan. So back back over to the information desk. Nope, confirmed that we were leaving out of gate 25. Went back and waited till 50 minutes before departure, they are now boarding for Lahore. Nobody has any idea what is going on. But, I have learned from watching that you need to be in line early. The boarding priority in Riyadh is not by zones, First Class, business class, Medallion status, it is by who can push the hardest. Well, to make a long story short, everyone lined up for our flight, and 10 minutes before departure one guy walks up to us and says they have changed the gate, and the mad dash for the airplane began.
Landing
The flight was not nearly as pleasant as the one from London, as it was chaotic the entire flight. The landing best depicts this. All was going well, we were on final approach, but there were still a few people still standing up! Then the second the wheels hit the ground, everyone and I mean everyone unbuckled and popped open the overhead bins in a mad rush for their bags. It is no exaggeration that every single overhead bin was open, and everyone but us was standing in the aisles before the plane left the runway.
Delhi
Chennai
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