Review: Kuwait Airways First Class Boeing 777 (KWI-BKK)

I know wifi is a super important feature for you, and that broken wifi is usually the kiss of death on your review, but this really doesn’t seem that bad. Cabin looks comfortable, service was good, the food presentation was attractive. I’ll admit they have an odd interpretation of Singapore noodles, but that doesn’t surprise me. It’s not like it’s Kuwait’s national dish. You took the flight not me, so I’m not trying to second guess. It just doesn’t seem like it was that awful, particularly at the price.

@ John — You’re right, the flight wasn’t bad at all, and I wasn’t meaning to suggest that it was. But I’m trying to compare this to the first class experience offered by virtually any other airline, and that’s where it falls short. I think good first class hard product with mediocre business class soft product is a fair way to sum it up. So if the price is right and I didn’t have miles, I wouldn’t avoid the airline…

Got it. Fair enough.

Okay, now we officially found the second worst First Class product beside TAAG F Class. What is the sense of having a decent suite with mediocre soft products, catering, beverages. KU should concenzrdte on one premium product and at least offer a decent quality on par with QR or BR. Kuwait is a rich country, there should not be a problem in improving its national carrier.

Good review, but “unimaginative salad”……… what airline has unbelievably creative dinner salads? Lol.
Enjoy Bangkok 😉

If anything, this first class product represents where Kuwait is now. The bones of a good product, ie, the seat and screen, are there, it just needs a soft product overall to be world class competitive. Much like Kuwait itself, which has the resources to invest in itself to be a world class city-state like Dubai and Doha, but seems to come up short (though that is due to mismanagement and corruption, but still).

My recent ANA F flight HND-JFK was deeply frustrating because Internet was "not working". For me this is 47 times more important than if the plane had no alcohol whatsoever and I was flying Longhaul F. I don't drink alcohol. I don't check bags (ever). If there was a way to know in advance that Internet would not be working, I'd have bailed on the flight. Yes, I pay extra for F, I enjoy and appreciate it, and Yes I never drink any of the bubbly or the whisky or whatever. And yes, my lavish baggage allowance goes to waste every time I fly J/F. But Internet? If you tell me before the flight it's not working, I will cancel. Every time.

Kuwait is a small country, plus the flight in question is only six hours long and goes to a low-yield destination, so it's not inconceivable that other routes get more attention in terms of meals etc. The question is whether one would pick KU F over a business class ticket on their competitors. Equally, I wouldn't be at all surprised if their business class pricing is comparable to that of EK premium economy.

Good point. Quality can differ with the same airline depending on the route. For example, transatlantic Turkish is superior to IST-TAS, and Emirates to BAli did not compare to flights to the US.

So why bother offering a first class product at all? I very much doubt that the catering and entertainment on London or JFK flights is massively better. They should concentrate on making the business class product really good, and drop the pretence that this first class is in any way competitive.

I think when you choose the meal selection you should choose items that either would be likely good in the air and/or the airline may do well due to its origin. I do not think chicken for example fits that description. Also, I do not necessarily think paying with Amex points represents a good deal considering there are often transfer bonuses for partners and if you use those partners often it can represent a better deal. Further, I hope you can review some premium economy cabins and economy cabins too. Consider that you are doing this for the blog, but there should be a balance of what people may actually do. Delta and Air France have a cabin called Premium Select which is in between business and economy and it is sometimes good depending on the plane and route, etc. I also agree with a lot of the other comments. There was nothing wrong with this flight especially given the flight time, but there was nothing so special. I think your bench mark was the other gulf airlines which everyone knows it would not be.

They need a great Food and Service Department for starters if they are serious about attracting first class passengers

Well then improve a better premium business class. Even on their London and US flights the First Class product is mediocre. No excuse for that.

But the product is fine for the price point- I would rather fly them in business than their competitors in premium economy. They are in an interesting niche instead of doing what everyone else is.

If the current setup isn't losing them money, it would be silly to invest millions in shiny new cabins and try to compete head-to-head against airlines with huge networks, global partners, popular FFPs, hubs with lots of passengers and businesses willing to pay extra for flying direct etc.

I don't know what stringy, starchy mess that is, but it certainly ain't no Singapore noodles!

@ iamhere -- Regarding the food, which item on the menu do you think would be good based on the origin of the flight and/or can be done well in the air? I found all the main course choices to be strange. Penne pasta, Singapore chicken, Mongolian beef, and deep fried prawns, aren't exactly Middle Eastern specialties.

@ Rk777 -- I wasn't expecting the most exciting salad on planet earth, but most airlines can do much better than this. Just to look at some of my recent reviews, my EgyptAir flight had a salad with sundried tomatoes and parmesan, while my American flight had a salad with artichokes. There was simply no effort that went into that salad, in my opinion.

@ Throwawayname -- A couple of points. First of all, I guarantee their current product is losing them money. For that matter, the airline is losing money across the board, while competitors are reporting record profits. Personally I think the airline should just eliminate first class, since clearly people aren't paying, and the cabins are pretty consistently empty.

Also, I think it's important to emphasize that I booked a ticket out of Cairo, which is known for cheap fares. Kuwait Airways first class isn't always this cheap. For example, for a comparable price I could have flown Oman Air, which offers great champagne and caviar.

@Ben, that obviously changes things.

If they are losing money, I agree that it may be worth taking a different approach and becoming more 'boutique' like Oman or Gulf Air, perhaps striking up a partnership or two with larger airlines in the wider region- e.g. Aegean, Egyptair, Air Astana (assuming SkyTeam and oneworld members probably wouldn't be too interested). I do recall spotting some exceptionally low premium fares on KU from various origins, so I'd been under the impression that aggressive pricing is a consistent part of their strategy.

@Iamhere... haven't been for long clearly LOL

You mentioned lack of amenity kits and were surprised no basic amenities were offered (which I absolutely agree even on a business class flight of this length and timing I would expect an amenity kit e.g. on QR) but to be fair there were some in the bathroom as you pointed out

@Ben.. thank you for trying KU First. I am eager to try them but after your report I have to say I should put money to the airlines I know ehich are reliable and consistant in their products.

Actually, the chefs might be Indian or Pakistani as in all the Gulf countries. So I eat usually Indian or Pakistani food in the Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait etc. and keep the Arabic food for Jordan, Lebanon,... 🙂