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Egypt and the Pyramids

Egypt and the Pyramids
Egypt and the Pyramids
via Air France La Première
November 2021

Egyptair Back to Cairo

We bid adieu to our wonderful guide Nermeen and headed into Luxor International.

Once again, not one but two security checks, one to get to the check-in counters...

... and another to get to the departure gate area...

Three VIP Lounges?  Someone here is very optimistic.

Luxor to Cairo
Egyptair 75
A220-300
3:35p-4:45p
November 9, 2021
Economy Exit Row

On our return, Business Class on this flight was sold out when we booked.  After our morning flight down, this turned out to be a blessing.  We paid only $60 and got the best seats on the plane, for free, when Egyptair opened exit row seating for free at T-72.  Even better as my Star Alliance Gold status allowed me to board the empty priority Business Class bus to our plane.

Whoa.  Why buy a Business Class ticket when this is available for half price?

Complimentary water once in the air.

Back in Cairo, we headed out to meet our driver Assem.

Traffic back to the Ritz was miserable.  Even worse as we spent some 20 bumper-to-bumper minutes in a poorly ventilated mile long tunnel.  OMG, so this is what running a car in a closed garage feels like.   About 1/2 mile from the Ritz, traffic simply stopped.  After 5 minutes, we decided to get out and just walk, hoping that Assem would escape and be able to pick us up four hours later.

After a quick trip to the room, back to the lobby bar for a couple of drinks.

And then up to the roof for dinner at Nox.  Nice nightime views of Cairo and The Nile.

Photo from ritzcarlton.com

Perfect night for dinner outside on the terrace.

Cairo to Paris

Assem eventually escaped the earlier Cairo traffic gridlock and picked us up at 11pm.  Less than 30 minutes later we were at the airport, where check-in counters were crowded just under 3 hours from departure. 

With that list, no wonder the Sky Priority line was packed.

But it moved and we had plenty of time.  Once we got to front of the line, check-in was smooth but, consistent with our arrival, no La Première ground services were offered.   Docs checked included our impressive and very official looking Covid test results.

Passport control and security was uncrowded and efficient.

The old CAI Premium Lounge was a dump from which another security check was required.  So I was looking forward to visiting the NEW Ahlein Premium Lounge.

OK, major league improvement.  This is actually a real lounge.

We did quick tour and discovered a private lounge, available for rent, for just $5.  So we settled in and only had to chase away one set of interlopers that tried to enter. 

Nice-ish looking food options from what was mostly a point-and-we'll-bring-to-you service.

Still full from dinner, I just went with something from the DEN Sky Club three days earlier.

At around T-50, we headed for our gate, and with no further security check.

Cairo to Paris
Air France 567
777-300ER (77W) with no La Premiere cabin
2:20a-6:00a
November 10, 2021
Business Class
 

At this point, exhaustion finally won out as I didn't take any more pics until Paris.   We had the same plane and same seats as our CDG-CAI flight some 48 hours earlier.  

I reclined my seat right after take-off and slept most of the way to Paris.  A full breakfast service was served and it actually smelled and looked very good, as much I could tell by looking at a nearby tray.