Royal Brunei: An Airline Experience Fit For Royalty

Royal Brunei Airlines is the national carrier of the sovereign state of Brunei, located on the island of Borneo. It flies from London Heathrow to Dubai and onto Brunei and other Asian destinations, as well as Melbourne. The airline has a good reputation for its customer service, with reviews praising the attentiveness and friendliness of the cabin crew. The food is also said to be good, and the airline caters to specific dietary requirements. Royal Brunei operates Dreamliners on all its long-haul routes, which are said to be more environmentally friendly and create a more comfortable flying experience. However, some reviews mention issues with check-in, delays, and baggage handling, as well as a lack of alcohol on board. Overall, Royal Brunei seems to offer a good flying experience, particularly in Business Class, with comfortable seats, excellent service, and good food.

Royal Brunei's business class

Royal Brunei Airlines is the national carrier of the sovereign state of Brunei, located on the island of Borneo. The airline offers business class on its Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, which operates on routes such as London to Brunei, Melbourne to Bangkok, and London to Dubai.

Pre-Boarding

At London Heathrow, Royal Brunei Airlines has a separate check-in lounge for business and Royal Skies members, featuring comfortable seating and magazines. The check-in process is swift, and passengers are given a pass to access the Sky Lounge. The Sky Lounge offers snacks, showers, free wifi, and charging points.

The Seat

The business class cabin on the Dreamliner features 18 larger-than-average seats in a 2-2-2 configuration. Each seat has a contoured design and can be fully reclined to a flat bed, with an 11% larger surface area compared to most other airlines. Passengers are provided with a plush duvet, a pillow, and a mattress topper for added comfort. An amenity kit is also provided, containing items such as an eye mask, socks, a toothbrush, toothpaste, and luxury HARNN toiletry miniatures. Additionally, slippers and noise-reducing headphones are available.

In-Flight Entertainment

Each seat is equipped with a 15.4-inch touchscreen LCD monitor featuring the Panasonic eX2 in-flight entertainment system. The system offers a wide range of entertainment options, including the latest box-office titles, classic Hollywood films, music, and TV series. There is also a USB charging port at each seat.

Service and Dining

Upon boarding, business class passengers are offered a fresh juice or mineral water (no alcohol is served onboard due to Brunei's regulations) and a hot towel. An on-demand menu is available throughout the flight, allowing passengers to order meals up to 90 minutes before landing. The food quality in business class is excellent, with a choice of dishes that rival those served in restaurants. Meals are served on china crockery with proper cutlery, cute salt and pepper shakers, and glassware.

Overall Experience

Royal Brunei Airlines' business class offers a spacious and comfortable experience, with attentive service and high-quality dining. The flat-bed seats ensure a restful sleep during long flights, and the in-flight entertainment system provides ample entertainment options. The overall experience is one of relaxation and luxury, making it a good choice for travellers seeking a comfortable and enjoyable journey.

Royal Brunei's economy class

Royal Brunei Airlines is the national carrier of the sovereign state of Brunei, located on the island of Borneo. The airline offers flights from London Heathrow to Dubai and from there onwards to Brunei and other Asian destinations, as well as Melbourne.

Royal Brunei Economy Class:

The economy class cabin on the 787 Dreamliner has 236 seats, with a seat pitch of 32 inches, providing ample legroom. The seats have a semi-articulated recline of around six inches, and adjustable headrests, allowing for a comfortable resting position. Each seat also features a personal 9-inch touchscreen monitor with a wide range of entertainment options, a USB port, and a shared power supply.

The Airbus A320 aircraft, which is part of the Royal Brunei fleet, offers ergonomic seating with an average pitch of 30-32 inches and a seat width of 17.1 inches. Each seat has a 4.5-6-degree recline for added comfort. The NEO aircraft feature 10.1-inch personal touch screen TVs, USB ports, and in-seat power supplies.

The level of service in economy class has been praised as "impeccable", with friendly and helpful staff. The food in economy class has been described as "delicious", although not on par with business class.

Pros of Flying Economy with Royal Brunei:

• Affordable pricing
• Comfortable and spacious seating
• Generous baggage allowance of up to 30kgs
• In-flight entertainment system with a wide range of options
• USB ports and power supplies at each seat
• Friendly and attentive cabin crew

Cons of Flying Economy with Royal Brunei:

• No alcohol served on board (due to a ban on alcohol sales in Brunei)
• Food may not be as impressive as in business class

Royal Brunei's customer service

Royal Brunei Airlines is the national carrier of the sovereign state of Brunei, located on the island of Borneo. The airline has been praised for its customer service, with reviews describing the staff as "unbelievably kind and helpful", "friendly and helpful", attentive, brilliant, efficient, gracious, very professional, polite, hardworking, and well-trained.

However, there are also reviews that describe negative experiences with the airline's customer service. Some reviews mention issues with online check-in, rude ground staff, delayed baggage, and a lack of responsiveness from customer service.

Overall, Royal Brunei Airlines seems to have a mixed reputation when it comes to customer service, with some passengers praising the helpfulness and kindness of the staff, while others have encountered issues and delays.

Royal Brunei's food and beverage offering

Royal Brunei Airlines offers complimentary in-flight dining on all flights, with a range of special meals that can be pre-ordered. The airline serves three inflight meal choices in economy class, along with an appetiser and dessert. All meals served are Halal-certified, and no alcoholic beverages are served on board. However, passengers can enjoy a range of non-alcoholic drinks, including water, fruit juices, soft drinks, tea, and coffee.

Royal Brunei also provides special meal options for dietary restrictions, such as gluten-free, vegan, and lactose-free meals, which should be requested in advance. The airline accommodates dietary requirements, as one diabetic passenger noted that their dietary needs were met, and the food was among the best they had eaten.

The food served on Royal Brunei flights has been described as "excellent" and "fantastic," with a good variety of options. On a flight from London to Brunei, a passenger enjoyed smoked salmon rillettes with apple dressing as a starter and braised kalio beef with turmeric-infused vegetables and mustard seeds with basmati rice as the main course. Another passenger praised the quality of the food, stating that they wouldn't have been disappointed if served the same meal in a restaurant.

Royal Brunei's business class service includes an amenity kit with an eye mask, socks, a small plastic toothbrush, and mini Colgate toothpaste. The airline also provides luxury HARNN toiletry miniatures, including lip balm and body soufflé.

Royal Brunei's in-flight entertainment

Royal Brunei Airlines offers a range of in-flight entertainment options to keep passengers amused during their journey. The airline's in-flight entertainment system, Panasonic eX2, offers a variety of movies, TV shows, music, and games. Passengers can choose from a selection of 'new', 'classic', and 'Hollywood favourites' movies. In addition, Royal Brunei Airlines provides a range of magazines, including their in-flight magazine, for passengers to read during their flight.

The in-flight entertainment system features a 15.4-inch LCD touchscreen monitor, which is large enough for comfortable viewing. Passengers can control the system using the touchscreen or the provided remote control. Noise-cancelling headphones are also provided, enhancing the overall audio-visual experience. Additionally, a USB charging port is available for passengers to charge their electronic devices during the flight.

While the in-flight entertainment system offers a diverse selection of content, some passengers have noted that navigating through the options can be challenging. In particular, the system's user interface could be improved to make it easier to search and select desired content.

Overall, Royal Brunei Airlines' in-flight entertainment system provides a wide range of options to keep passengers entertained and engaged throughout their journey. The combination of movies, TV shows, music, games, and reading materials ensures that there is something for everyone, making the flight experience more enjoyable and pleasant.

Frequently asked questions