Bangkok Exotic - EK, UU & MK - Reunion and the Mauritius

[RedEyeflight]

In this TR, I review 3 airlines between Hong Kong, Bangkok, La Reunion and the Mauritius. The major leg being BKK-RUN on UU.

My trip begins in HKG on the usual EK fifth freedom to BKK. I walk into the terminal around 90 minutes before departure.



The check-in area is deserted. Unfortunately, this will not be the case for the actual flight. A kind but efficient Hong Konger checks me in for my flight.



Our gate for tonight, gate 60, necessitates using the automated people mover.



Once at the gate, I learn it is a completely full flight.

A6-EEE being prepared for EK385 HKG-BKK and onwards to DXB.

[RedEyeflight]

Once aboard, I settle in my seat, seat 53A, but a rather abhorrent man spreader is in the seat beside me. He refuses to put his bag in the overhead compartment. Oversized and unable to fit under the seat, his backpack is hugged between his legs, invading my space. Unfortunately, FAs do nothing about this.



Menu cards are handed out. No choice of meal on this flight. But nice to have an actual paper menu card. SQ has stopped these.



We taxi to runway 07R.



Soon we are airborne and service begins. Flight was 2 hours and 20 minutes.

Dinner is served less than 30 minutes after takeoff and consists of a chicken pasta as the main dish.





Soon, we begin our descent into Bangkok.





We pull into Satellite gate S116 next to a Condor A339.

[RedEyeflight]

After a day in Bangkok, it was time to head for Reunion Island.

I find myself at the back of a long queue for UU’s check-in. Luckily, it moves fast.



Our gate today is E3, in the main terminal building. Once onboard, let the French begin. Tight quarters on F-OREU, a B77W. Flight time is 7 hours and 30 minutes.





We leave the gate slightly behind schedule.

Inside the seat pocket I find a small amenity kit. It includes ear buds for the entertainment system and an eye shade. A pleasant touch and certainly a nice souvenir to get from a niche airline.





The entertainment system is available in English. Unfortunately, my favourite section, TV, has very little content. There are a handful of English movies, but a lot of European content with English subtitles.



Once airborne, the service starts with a cold breakfast.



However, the crew come around immediately after handing these out and I have to gulp down my meal.

[RedEyeflight]

This is a daytime flight, so I spend most of it listening to the audio section of the entertainment system and reading. I also watch 'Prince of Bel-Air' which is available in the TV section. The lights remain off for most of the flight and FAs disappear. A moving map was not available on this aircraft. Less than 2 hours before landing, the mood lighting is turned on and crew hand out disposable hot towels.



Loo review. Basic bathroom in Y.



FAs come around collecting garbage. Old UU logo.



90 minutes prior to landing. FAs finally start the meal service. It consists of only one choice, a Thai chicken dish.





Metal utensils.



The cabin prior to landing.



Soon, we begin our descent into RUN. We land 20 minutes behind schedule and park at gate 5. I am asked a few questions and then stamped into this French overseas department. Unfortunately, because the meal was served so close to landing, I did not have time to use the bathroom, so I struggle to find a washroom in the arrivals area at RUN.

[RedEyeflight]

The last leg of my trip would take me to the Mauritius, a 30 minute hop by airplane from La Reunion. I drop off my rental car and head to check-in.



FIDs at RUN.



I am one of the first to check-in for my flight MK219. The airline had sent an email warning passengers to check-in early due to space constraints at RUN.

After check-in, I head upstairs to the departures area. I am stamped out of France, clear security and find myself in the departure lounge.



Our aircraft, 3B-NBP, an A359 arrives from MRU with a handful of passengers.



I past the time in a coffee shop. There aren't many stores at RUN. Soon it is time to board through gate 6. It is a full flight.

[RedEyeflight]

Boarding.



Very generous seat pitch. How I wish I had flown MK from BKK. Sadly, it's only left with KUL as its sole East Asian destination.







Flight time is announced to be 30 minutes. We could have pushed back early had it not been for the tower misplacing our flight plan. We push back on time.

Views of the ramp at RUN. UU A223.



AF B77W arriving from CDG.



Corsair A339 arriving from ORY.

[RedEyeflight]

A short taxi to the runway. We don't make use of the full length of it to take-off.



Cruising at flight level 20.



IFE powered up but no headphones distributed, as expected.





FAs actually distribute juice packs.



The Mauritius coastline comes into view and we land at MRU after a quick 30 minute hop.

[RedEyeflight]

Time to go back to Hong Kong by way of Reunion Island and Bangkok.

I return my rental car and show up at the check-in counters. MK has a dedicated area at MRU. Lines move fast and I am checked in for my return flight to RUN, MK292 operated by an A332.



There are long lines for passport control and security. It takes me a good 25 minutes to emerge from these. Once I do, I get a shot of the FIDs.



I spend time drinking coffee at Paul, a coffee shop chain.

Our flight today will be operated by 3B-NCM, MK's sole A332.



Ramp activity at MRU. Air Seychelles A320 arriving from SEZ.



SA A320 preparing to return to JNB. Glad to see SA back on its feet, somewhat, albeit with a much diminished footprint. Also interesting that SA is operating service to CPT. Pre-crisis, SA did not have a hub out of CPT, but only JNB.



Waiting area at MRU.



Boarding is called, albeit in French only. It is another full flight for the hop back to Reunion Island.



Seatback on the A332.



It is another uneventful flight. FAs hand out the same juice packs. We arrive at gate 4 at RUN. For some reason, I am asked more questions, perhaps just got a more persnickety customs officer. But I am soon stamped back into Reunion and ready to spend the night in Saint-Denis before my flight back to BKK.

[RedEyeflight]

Leaving RUN, I fly back to BKK on UU887. The flight leaves at night and arrives in Bangkok the following morning.

Departure curb at RUN.



I arrive 3 hours beforehand. It looks like people are used to arriving well before their flight leaves.

[RedEyeflight]

F-OLRD being readied for their flight to BKK.



FIDs at RUN that night.



Tight legroom once again. But a different seat model it seems. The seat comes with leg rests which are extremely annoying given how tight the legroom is.



We took-off using the full length of RUN's dual runways.

Service begins with a proper dinner. Again, only one choice, Ragouile for tonight.





I sleep for the next 3 hours and wake up 2 hours prior to landing. Again, a disposable hot towel is offered. This is followed by a light breakfast.



Arrival into Bangkok. A moving map was available on this aircraft.



Cabin prior to arrival.



It is a smooth landing in BKK and we park promptly at the far end of the main terminal. It is a trek to passport control. After being stamped into Thailand, I wait for my bags.

[RedEyeflight]

On my final leg, I fly EK384 BKK-HKG on an A388. I check-in for the flight, and the check-in area is once again deserted.

Gate for today is S112, which means having to use the Automated People Mover.

Emerging at the satellite terminal station.



Waiting area.



A6-EDX.



Boarding.



Menu cards distributed. One main choice again, a chicken dish.



Uneventful 2 hour and 20 minute flight.

[RedEyeflight]

- Final thoughts -

BKK-RUN-BKK on UU was exceedingly expensive for the length of the flight. This was so even while I made the booking 6 months in advance. However, given the convenience it offered, I'd still choose to fly on them. If I was flying from CDG or ORY, I might think twice about flying on them, however. Service was generally acceptable and the food was good too. Let's also not forget that as an avgeek it's a real treat to fly on such a niche carrier. But practically-speaking, the tight legroom, lack of meal choices and extremely lacklustre IFE, make it a much harder sell if there was competition on the route.

RUN-MRU-RUN is probably not long enough to test out MK. But from what I saw, I was generally quite impressed with the hard product, especially on the 359.

HKG-BKK-HKG on EK was probably the best of all three segments. Unfortunately, it's always the boring stuff that wins. Food portions were excellent and the food itself was tasty. Entertainment is hands down the best in the sky. And Y on the 388 is extremely comfortable. Of course, ideally, EK would serve RUN, but unfortunately it does not, and very few major carriers do. However, I am quite fortunate that I did not choose to fly them to MRU given the current conflict. HKG-DXB-MRU would have costed even more than BKK-RUN on UU, so it looks like that region as a whole is just not well served from East Asia in general. In all, I'd fly EK on their A380 any day (maybe not the 77W because of the annoying 3-4-3 configuration), and I hope the airline sees some recovery in the months ahead.

[yflyer]

Very nice report, RedEyeflight! Exotic airlines and destinations I have never visited. Did you see a lot on Mauritius or Reunion Island? These are places I wish I knew more about! Thanks for sharing!

[RedEyeflight]

Hi yflyer, thanks for reading! I spent about 10 days combined on Reunion Island and the Mauritius. Reunion Island is more developed but less touristy. It gets a lot of French tourists but very few non-Francophone tourists. In that regard, it is a bit more challenging to navigate. I even took 2 months of French lessons before going. But I have to say it is worth it as one rarely gets to visit a French overseas outpost. The scenery is quite spectacular, the food is good and locals are generally friendly. Wouldn't spend more than 5 or 6 days there though unless you are super into hiking. Mauritius on the other hand has more to offer in terms of beaches and historical landmarks in the capital Port Louis. It also has a different cultural make-up with a much larger population of descendants of indentured Indian labourers, although there is also a large Indian population on Reunion Island too. I even saw a roadside Hindu procession in Reunion. I highly recommend visiting the Mauritius. I think it has a lot to offer and generally quite tourist friendly and easy to get around with a rental car, although still very authentic. I spent more time on Reunion than Mauritius, but in future would probably do the reverse.