At this point I've reviewed almost every international first class product in the world. While I'll never be able to review every single business class product, not that many airlines have first class, and I'm almost there. At the moment I'm down to the following airlines in first class (or so I thought): -- Cathay…
Continue reading: Whoa: Equatorial Guinea’s Airline Has A First Class Product?
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If u check out their Facebook page they have a picture of part of their first class product (seems to be in a 2+2+2 configuration) and some contact details. ( https://m.facebook.com/Official.ceiba.intercontinental/?ref=page_internal)
@ Leo -- Are you actually able to pull up any dates with availability on that website? Even when searching the route I can't get Ceiba to come up.
Spent some time there in 2014 working in the oil patch. Malabo is on a scenic volcanic island in the Atlantic. Mt. St. Isabel is on the island of Bioko, there are views of Mount Cameroon when the clouds lift. Interesting way to check out colonial west Africa (Spanish) without needing a visa. Nice Hilton and Sofitel properties on the island. The Sofitel had a golf course, which was in OK shape in 2014.
Another interesting story involving flights departing SSG was when the AF SSG-DLA-CDG flight flirted with Mount Cameroon in 2015. Thankfully this story didn't turn into an actual incident.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-32890312
@ Jake -- Interesting, thank you. For anyone else curious, here's the direct link to the first class picture:
https://www.facebook.com/Official.ceiba.intercontinental/photos/a.435889039926673.1073741830.435870226595221/435889109926666/?type=3&theater
Dragonair First class is really just CX Business class (the longhaul product). Can't say you're missing much.
From the report the air ambulance appears to possibly suffered sudden decompression as a result of the collision. Whatever happened it continued to fly for another 45 minutes and then disappear hence the assumption about what happened to it.
You can read more here...
http://avherald.com/h?article=48c031e2&opt=0
So, the 777 appears to have been delivered new to Ceiba back in 2011, so it's not at all like your recent Azores flight on an ex-Emirates 340.
Also, their sole 777 (40668) shows as being in São Paulo as of this morning, while the MAD-SSG flights are being operated by 737-800 aircraft.
"The airline was on the list of air carriers banned in the European Union but it currently has scheduled direct flights from Malabo to Madrid."
They are not allowed to fly with their own planes, but are allowed to use leased planes to fly to europe.
Believe me , EG is not a place you'd want to visit - it is seriosuly the a*s end of the World, visiting numerous times having worked in the Oil and Gas game and couldn't wait to get home quick enough after every swing
Wouldn't recommend a trip - CEIBA is curently banned from operating in the EU due due to a lack of safety oversight by the aviation authorities in EG:
https://ec.europa.eu/transport/modes/air/safety/air-ban/search_en
And clarification on the Wikipedia quote:
"Despite appearing on the EU Air Safety List, CEIBA has managed to operate a 4x weekly Malabo – Madrid Barajas service by re-registering its B777-200(LR) under Portuguese charter operator White (WI, Lisbon). In response to the Spanish decision, CEIBA has avoided deploying its B777 on the Madrid route, using smaller aircraft or leasing other planes from White and from Privilege Style (P6, Palma Son Sant Joan)."
I haven't used it but people I know say ruta47.com is a good contact for booking flights there.
Equatorial Guinea ranks among the worst for human rights abuses. Why you want to go there?
Lucky, strike El Al's First Class from your list. With a 2-2-2 configuration, it's not as comfortable as business class on many other airlines.
Instead please do a report on their new 787 business class:1-2-1!
The EU ban it seems, they get around, because the plane might be leased AND operated by another carrier.
I am not sure, but if you want to fly Dragonair First Class, you must go to Beijing, as I do not think they fly first class to Shanghai.
Talk about an airline I would pay money for NOT to fly. I think you should think about the safety standard of some airlines.
Not all pilots, mechanics and ethics are of the same around to the world. When it comes to EG - I am pretty sure they are at the bottom of the barrel in all those aspects.
Hey Lucky, have you ever heard of Air Leisure based in Cairo? They have a fleet of A330 and A340 with a first and business class product.
http://www.air-leisure.com/en/Fleet/2043
@Leo - Thank you for recommending our website - www.alternativeairlines.com
@Lucky - We set the Ceiba International page up as we know there are many travelers looking to fly this route and we specialise in ticketing for lesser-known carriers and internal flights within many countries.
Depending from where you are beginning your trip, other airlines that we can ticket to Equatorial Guinea include; Asky Airlines, China Eastern, Cathay Dragon, TAAG Angola, Ethiopian Airlines, EL AL, Kuwait Airways and more. It appears that Ceiba International are flying domestically (between the Malabo and Bata).
- Hope this helps! Happy to discuss anything else
Someone already commented, Ceiba indeed wet-leases the plane from White Aviation, therefore they can operate the flight to Europe.
Ceiba only deals via their own office in Malabo or Bata pr via local travel agents you can book tickets.
The incident described in your story, this was indeed horrifying, but believe the air ambulance was later found(crashed into the ocean)
As the 777 is on a wet-lease, it is pretty save to fly, at least more reliable then Ceiba's own 737's.
TAAG was in a similar situation where they were blacklisted but still had flights to LIS (Rumour was TP was pushing for it at the risk of not being allowed to operate their profitable LAD flights):
https://macauhub.com.mo/2016/06/14/angolan-airline-taag-removed-from-eu-blacklist/
Lucky,
I have seen this plane countless times in Sao Paulo GRU - as someone posted here.
From what I have been told, it comes here to pick up people that work in the oil industry between the two countries - apparently there is a good Brazilian investment over there.
I am not sure if you can just buy a ticket as a random passanger.
Maybe you can base in GRU and review GRU-LAD with TAAG and SSG-GRU with Ceiba? Couple that with Azul MCO/FLL-VCP in Business!
I'm pretty sure I saw this plane at HAV on 24 July. No clue if that's a regular route, but I watched it take off and looked the airline up later. It was supposedly flying nonstop to SSG.
Lucky - will we see you and Jr. at TRAVEL WEEK?
If yes, I will spring for Krug.