Aeroflot B777-300ER business class
MOSCOW- HONG KONG
I watched The Shining, since I stay in so many hotels that remind me of The Overlook Hotel
BACKGROUND For passengers boarding from connecting flights, Sheremetyevo airport and the gates are well signposted. Assuming you have a few hours spare, there is a choice of lounges.
THE LOUNGE To see the full review of the one I chose, in Terminal D and called Blues, visit businesstraveller.com.
BOARDING This went smoothly and once on I was quickly offered water, sparkling wine or orange juice, and had my jacket hung. Staff switched effortlessly between Russian and English.
The amenity bag was an upgraded one from the shorter A330-300 Aeroflot flight (left). It contained Salvatore Ferragamo products and items such as a shoehorn, toothbrush and toothpaste, and eye mask.
THESE AT I was in windows eat 1 K. This seat is fully flat, unlike that of the Aeroflot A330-300 (see the review opposite). It has power sockets for EU, UK or US plugs and USB. The seats are at a slight angle, so they don’t face directly down the aircraft.
As well as the pillow that’s already at the seat, you are also provided with a mattress cover (not a topper, since it has no cushioning in it) and a duvet for comfort. While the seat reclines fully flat, you are aware of the fact that the bed is made up of separate cushions.
BEST SEAT All but the window seats offer unimpeded access to the aisle. The washrooms are at the front, and the service also comes from the front, so avoid row 1 if you want to remain undisturbed.
THE FLIGHT The in-flight entertainment (IFE) system had a wide range of newrelease movies. However, I watched
The Shining, since I stay in so many hotels that remind me of The Overlook Hotel. The IFE system is more modern than that of the A330, with a handset that incorporates a screen, allowing you to watch one thing on the handset, and another on the larger screen. Wifi access was available with OnAir, but it is very expensive at US$40 for 100MB.
Meal orders were taken after we were at cruising altitude and while service was friendly, it was also quite slow. Orders for drinks were taken at the same time, so it was 75 minutes before my drink arrived along with the starter.
An extensive menu included Russian specialities. I chose the Chinese menu, with dishes such as Asian-style beef and tomato salad; aubergine with tomato, garlic and spicy red pepper; soup with shrimp wonton; chicken with sweet and sour sauce; and a dessert of baked pineapple with jasmine rice. The drinks options were French red, white or sparkling.
I slept pretty well for about five hours. Breakfast was a selection of juices, yoghurt, cheeses, pancakes with strawberries or cream cheese with blackcurrant. ARRIVAL We landed on time and without incident at Hong Kong.
VERDICT Another excellent Aeroflot flight. Although not the most comfortable fully-flat seat, it’s more than adequate. If you didn’t fancy eating, you could easily have slept right through this night flight – and many passengers did. Tom Otley