My Rough Night At Cairo Airport, Made Better By EgyptAir's Osama

I've spent too many semi-nights in that lounge over the years. Usually the lounge staff just ignore you (perfect by me) as long as you don't set fire to the furniture.

My guess is it was an insurance pic.
If you were to post online claiming the overnight pics of the buffet are the norm, then EgyptAir could counter that you took things out of context as they have a photo of you in front of the fully stocked buffet

I posted a similar comment in the lounge review post itself, but this does match my experience from back in November in that lounge - except it was during the day and very busy! But the lounge attendants were super friendly and proactive the minute we stepped in, finding a seat for us and taking food/drink orders and checking on us regularly. Very very surprised by the great level of service!

It’s wonderful to hear of the kindness of strangers in a world that increasingly lacks civility.

It's good to see posts about great service.

It’s great to see the name “Osama” being rehabilitated

I think at this point every airline employee is aware of the existence of bloggers/vloggers/tiktokers posting travel reviews, and likely also aware that there are a few of them who've found that content like "Ten reasons the EgyptAir lounge is a DISGRACE!" is what gets the views (and by extension the $$$)... I'm not going to name some of those reviewers, but if you follow this space, you can use your mind's eye. So if you were one of those (and Ben is one of the few that I'd say is about as far as one can get from both "this is what's a disaster about XYZ!" and "everything about XYZ is amazingly excellent because they're giving me all this behind-the-scenes access!" (not going to name names there either)), it makes sense that the airline would want to be ready in case it goes viral.

After traveling for many years my observation is that most people have a good heart and nature. Sure, there are exceptions to this rule but I find that the exception is mostly rare. I find it is even more common for good people in the service side of the business. Having said this, a 6-9 hour layover is one I really try to avoid. It is not long enough to check into a hotel, and too long unless you have a killer high-end lounge. FWIW keep layovers to <5 hours, or 16 hours+. Now that you’re older and a father you need to take care yourself.

yes - that 5 hours or less 16 hours or more (12? hours or more) but a 6-9 hours layover is more tricky

It’s wonderful to hear of the kindness of strangers

Yes it is

in a world that increasingly lacks civility

No evidence we're becoming any less civil, but plenty of evidence this perception has been going around for quite some time.

One theory is that the baseline percentage of uncivil people has never changed, but as we grow older, we are exposed to cumulatively more people. Therefore, by the law of large numbers, we are bound to run into uncivil people later in life, giving us a falsely pessimistic image.

I would have changed my name immediately.

Yeah, no one names their kids Adolph anymore either. One guy can ruin it for everyone.

Hate to say it but Lucky you sound like such a wimp for someone who travels frequently. I always carry a small sleeping bag and in a pinch I can easily sleep almost anywhere - an empty lounge would have been heaven compared to an overnight Turkish ferry I took last October!

Maybe it's just because I don't do well with a sleep deficit, but the more I travel the more I prioritize things like departure times, layover length, etc. I'll pay more money or miles to get the flight times I need. And I just won't do a 7 hour layover in the middle of the night with no hotel option.

Granted, you have a blog to run, so you have to make some sacrifices, but this sounds rough.

you sound like such a wimp

Anon braggart commenter calling a multimillionaire who shows his face and identity a "wimp."

Egyptians love taking pictures if tourists and with them. I ended up being asked to join in a few class & family photos

Headline: Millionaire refuses to spend $450 on a hotel, which would have been a business expense anyway

I wish all the success to Ben on what is clearly a successful business, but "multimillionaire" is assuming facts not in evidence.

Millionaire?

"In perhaps the oddest turn of events, he then asked if I could pose for a picture standing in front of the buffet. I complied with that request, so on Osama’s smartphone there’s a picture of me standing in front of the buffet. Why? I have no clue…" LOL
For pieces like this I would never regret any minute spent reading your blog since a long time!

It's a public fact from a Rolling Stone feature from 7 or 8 years ago.

Ben, you have a brutal schedule on these purely review trips. I can imagine you being exhausted and irritable. Does your exhaustion not play a role in how you perceive the service of flight or lounge attendants?

@Levi

Name names.
Whistleblowing is a very 21st century American thing to do.

He’s rich, not stupid.

I totally agree with you. I recently traveled with Egyot Air, which was first time for me. But I find the services good and while reaching Cairo for a short layover, the staff were greeting with a smile and everything was great. While returning back to NYC, I shared the experience with my colleagues. I was skeptical traveling with EgyptAir but it turned great.

During a quick connection that turned into a reroute seven hours later I was in a similar situation, and the LeM was completely booked due to some kind of event. I found my way to the Saudia lounge but there was nonpaid access available, and I actually sat down on the floor outside the lounge resigned to spending the night there. I looked up and realized there was a sheet of paper on a door in front of me that said "TRANSIT HOTEL" Turns out there is a huge, brand new hotel right there in the terminal. Very nice, pretty high standard for something airside. It was about 80€ for up to eight hours.

He's rich because he doesn't waste money. That's how one gets rich, you know.

My thoughts exactly. Overnight in an empty lounge with an attendant eager to please is not to shabby for a long layover. I've certainly done much much worse.

It's been a few days since this was posted... when are you planning to post the full reviews for the rest of the trip?

Lucky, did you consider asking him about the lounge temperature? It's likely turned down for the night because it was empty, but had you informed Osama that you found the room too cold, I'm pretty sure you'd have ended up sitting in a furnace, with blankets and nonstop cups of hot tea all night!

"You are taking pictures? Why?"
I couldn't help but to have TAAG flashbacks after reading this. Those reviews were... quite something.

Anyway, as others have said, it's always great to read/hear about great service.

WORST AIRPORT EXPERIENCE!!!
I was transiting thru CAI with Egypt Air from Paris to Madinah. Landed there around 10pm. I had a 2.5+hour layover. Wanted to freshen up before next leg. But the ****hole security guy won't let me go the the section of the airport where the lounges are. Zero English vocubolary. Supposedly my next flight leaves from Terminal S. So I can't use Lounge. Avoid CAI if possible.

Travel Nightmare. I just spent a miserable 14 hours in that airport. I’m a solo female traveler and there were only two reactions from airport staff: Abject rudeness/condescension or aggressive sexual advances. I actually tried tried to leave the airport in an Uber (to a hotel) but was so overwhelmed by the aggression from taxi drivers and overall scammy encounters (constant Uber cancellations when I wouldn’t agree to pay a higher fare), being surrounded by men in the taxi lot, being followed, being asked for money, that I feared for my safety and retreated back into the airport.

The airport security did not want to let me through so many hours before my flight but I kept repeating “24 HOUR LOUNGE ACCESS!” until they finally relented. I got a personal escort to an official who stamped an exit visa for me and then let me through security.

Unfortunately, my experience in the lounge was not as pleasant as yours with all that quiet and the kindly Mr. Osama - this lounge was large, overly bright, and had a steady flow of people. Most of the food was stale when I arrived around 11 PM but was refreshed early in the morning.

I will never visit Egypt, fly through Cairo, or use Egyptair again after my ordeal. The airport was only the tip of the iceberg.

I had to go through a similar experience twice in one week! I had a 11 hrs transit on my way to Morocco from Jordan on a business trip, i couldn't make it through the transfer desk to the lounge area because my next flight didnt have a gate yet, so i was stuck for 5 hours in that cold hallway alone with no internet no place to eat except for one canteen that served inedible food and a smoking area that keeps the door open, i felt i was never going to ger out of there ever, i speak arabic and i tried as hard as any non-arabic speaker to make a friendly conversation with any of the staff to just let me pass through to the loung but, then one of them told me (i believe that was my Osama) he said i can get out of the airport through immigration out and then get back from the gate of departures into the airport, i did that and when i was about to get back in, guess what? They said there is no flight to morocco and im not allowed until it is on the screen, at this point i was very upset i put 20 USD in his hand and told him to keep quiet and carry my backpack and take me to the duty free area, thank god that worked but stayed for 5 more hours in the freezing duty free trying hard to keep the make up shops ladies away from me, my transit back after a week was shorter but i managed to get out to a seafood restaurant near the airport
I cant say im not going back but i will try my best to avoid using that airport