I’ve reviewed Emirates first class many times before, though this was my first time in their A380 business class, so I was very excited to see howtheir business class product compared.
Continue reading: Review: Emirates Business Class A380 Dubai To Los Angeles
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
I don't think the flight is (+1 day) unless there is something weird going on?
Hi Lucky, random question, is the EK window seat in anyway similar to the OZ window seat on the A380 that they have? They are both staggered.
17 hours on a plane - 12 hours time diffrence. You should reach home in 5 hours 😉
At MEOW:
They're virtually identical save for the bells and whistles you find on EK's planes. OZ has them on their 777-300ERs as well.
Hi Ben,
I really enjoy reading your review and I am using a lot of your tips when I book a flight! I am also impress with the quality of your pictures, can you share the type of camera you are using?
Thanks
Jean
I've noticed the pictures of your reviews appear to be video taped (digitally). Edit them and post those too like Sam Chui and Avid Flyer. Maybe narration. Thanx
". All four business class lavatories are located at the very back of the cabin, behind the bar."
The seatmap shows a crapper between first and j on the right side in front of 7K - maybe thats for F only ?
FYI, not only are the window seats more private, better for window gazing, and give you the storage bins, they are also longer when in bed mode. Same goes for the "couple" pair next to each other in the middle pairs. A, E, F and K seats are longer than B, D, G, J. The difference is significant if you're taller than about 5'10"/178cms.
@ jean alain -- Thanks! Using the Sony RX100 for most pictures:
https://onemileatatime.com/sony-rx100-review/
I have read soooo many Emirates report on your site io am beginning to worry you are on their payroll. Please give us more perpective on other airlines.
"My only complaint about the IFE is that the audio portion of the entertainment doesn’t have any Shawn Mendes songs. That’s a real shame."
Hahahahahhah!
I'm a very loyal EK Business Class flyer and while I love most parts of their product it each and every time leaves me shocked that they cannot offer dine-on-demand in such a sophisticated plane. They cannot heat up anything so if you asked them to just serve your dinner towards the end of the flight, it's not possible. Normally I wouldn't mind but they need so long for dinner service which steals a lot of sleeping time on a ~5-6 hours flight.
Still love EK.
@LG Thomas, you clearly didn't even read this one. Lucky clearly explained why he did this review. It wasn't redundant at all.
"...you need to lift the metal shield in front of it. This is of course a total gimmick,..." Really? I would have thought it was there to stop the drinks falling out on take off, landing or in turbulence?
Chas, I think he means the "mini bar" is a gimmick. Even in First they are just sitting there at room temperature, so unless you like warm soda you've got your get a glass of ice from the FA. It's the gimmick of providing "more" and something unique.
@Lucky - I'm surprised that they permitted you to board via the front stairs if traveling in Business Class. The policy is that Business Class pax who board from the main deck have to use the rear stairs so as to not disturb the First Class cabin when they walk through. Only First Class passengers are permitted to use the front stairs.
I endured LHR to AKL and return with EK in business on their 380's and never again will I be flying with them.
As you stated the cabin is huge and my wife and I found it very cramped looking and claustrophobic. The gap to get into one of the inner seats was only as wide as my iPad, so if you're a large person, they might not be suitable for you. The seat backs, fake wood window trims are all shiney and reflect other tv screens.
I found it incredible that EK provide a chauffeur service (in fact the only good thing about them) but even on the world's longest commercial flight, do not offer pyjamas, which would cost them a few dollars each!!! Having been pre warned, we took our own, I was going to wear my QR one's, but was told not to by the wife.
As you said, there is no 'dine on demand'. The meal service was very busy, with the FA's rushing up the aisles carrying two trays at a time, so if your unlucky enough to be in an aisle seat in the rear cabin like me, you have a constant stream of traffic tooing and frooing.
The only toilets are at the back of the plane in between the lounge and galley. On the flight back I was at the front, and there was a fairly steady stream of pax venturing forward to use the toilets, only to be turned around by the first class FA's.
I decided to miss my lunch on the DXB-LHR leg and decided to sit in the lounge and snack on their excellent cheese rolls. Big mistake! The FA's were rushing about taking up trays and then clearing trays. Then the pax started to drift down queuing for the toilets, so it doesn't have the ambience of the QR A-380 lounge.
On our next AKL flat, we'll be flying QR!
Oh wow Andy sounds horrific! Not sure how you managed to survive? Must be that those individual AC nozzles stopped you from melting, my dear snowflake.
The Emirates experience was far superior than the Ethiad experience in every way especially the friendliness and professionalism of the extraordinary flight crew.
My Daughter is an FA for Emirates. Been there now almost a year. We are going over for our first time and in business in three weeks. She loves reading all the Emirates comments on Boarding Area
DRAV.
As someone who actually has to pay to fly, it took a lot of overtime to be able to afford the £8.5k price of the tickets.
I had been looking forward to the trip, with all the positive reviews, but was grossly disappointed.
It would make the FA's task so much better if their was a dine on demand option, rather than spend a mad two hours serving/clearing etc.
I wasn't impressed with the food either, cold hard rolls and pastries, and not just ambient cold, but really cold like their cutlery.
I have flown with QR since they first started, A-300's from Europe and B-727's around the Gulf, at least 14 flights at my own expense, and have always been very impressed with the service.
Unfortunately we did not find EK at an equivalent standard.
Ben - thanks for the fantastic review. Would you say that the EK business class experience is similar on the 777 vs the A380 that you flew? The cities I am near operate the 777 to and from DXB and per your earlier posts, redeeming AS miles for EK business still seems to be a reasonable value.
Many thanks!
Andy- What difference does it make if you have to "pay" to fly? Is your opinion deemed more valid because of this? To "endure" means to suffer patiently. I wonder how the 350+ serfs in economy felt on this flight while "King Andy" had to suffer? Your comments would almost be comical if they weren't such a sad peek into how so many human beings truly feel.
The isle seat is substantially less desirable. Would be disappointed knowing the guy in the row ahead paid the same $ for a vastly more private seat.
Neil.
I was referring to the business people who fly at their companies expense.
I had to save up and do a lot of 12 hour shifts to afford our tickets.
I'm sorry if I've upset the EK fan club, but my expectations were not met.
@ Andy
QR doesnt go to Auckland. So no, you wont be flying them (unless you fly them to SYD then connect to somebody else at Sydney).
Nice review. I flew this just before you did. Agree with your points. Look forward to my return flight soon. Super fares ex-Cairo.
I never have had the nerve to order a fish dish (other than shrimp or scallops) on a long haul airplane trip but I did order the fish on EK. It was delicious.
My only food complaint for the whole trip was that the poached eggs for my Eggs Benedict were overcooked. Boo Hoo. Really fabulous trip, champagne, service and food was fabulous.
Interesting that the flight was eastbound,
Don't most ME3 flights to the US go westbound?
I have enjoyed both Emirates and Etihad in business from Australia to the Middle East and Europe and found both of them to a pretty equal standard. But do admit I would specifically avoid the Emirates 777 as the hard product on those aircraft is an inferior product which is reflected in the price Emirates seem to charge as it is about A$1300 cheaper one way in the same fare category flying the 777 Brisbane to Dubai via Singapore than it is to fly the A380 Brisbane to Dubai direct. I know the non-stop service is probably a better option but A$1300 more seems to confirm that even Emirates admit the 777 is below par these days and I don't think the new 777 business class seats will bring it any closer to the A380 experience.
I am going to Barcelona and back in May-August and got all A380 flights
Jason.
QR start their DOH-AKL this Saturday using a T72-LR.
Unfortunately this was too late to correspond with the NZ school holidays.
We have travelled QR DOH-MEL and return before, with an ANZ connecting flight.
The one thing that would be helpful to mention is that all of the lavatories are located at the very rear of the business class cabin.
It is an extremely long walk back from the first row of business class.
With all due respect, I don't feel that you tackled the issue of the tardy mean/drink service sufficiently. EK's approach to this, even in a 777, is absurd. More so than the intransigent dining conveyor belt which you referenced, the inability (largely) to score a drink before "the appointed time" is painful. Even your own timeline of the flight report indicates that you got your first drink a full 40 minutes (my goodness!!!) after take off. The meal service, pursuant to your timeline, only COMMENCED 75 minutes after take-off. These timelines are truly astounding and are totally out of synch with passenger expectations. Other carriers serve you a drink within mere minutes of the seatbelt light being switched off. When taking off from Bangkok at, say, midnight for a 6 hour flight to DXB there cannot be the expectation from EK that it is fine to serve the first drink at 00:40 and the meal at 01:15. The rear bar area also does serve drinks until well into the flight. That is entirely not OK and is a huge failing of EK. Again, too much corporate hype, not enough consideration of what works for a customer - this drinks service timeline is right up there with airlines using miniscule tea cups (well done to Thai Airways which introduced mugs of tea/coffee just recently), thimble-sized wine glasses, and trying to be too fancy with meal selections (what's wrong with providing the possibility of a toasted sandwich, or other comfort food, after a midnight take-off instead of a faux fine-dining attempt?). Having to stay up for half the flight merely to get fed does not make for a restful flight or a happy customer experience. On a late evening departure, I would have thought that nearly the entire cabin would prefer a quick drink, a quick meal, and maximum snoozing time, instead of the drama of the EK meal service. Agree with some readers' comments that other Gulf carriers, actually all other decent airlines, offer a far more obvious approach to their customers: feed and water 'em quickly, allow them shut-eye, basta!
If you think you suffer in Biz, wait until you travel 1st! Now that cabin really is cramped and in the ailse seat, I felt very boxed in and I am only 5' 10".
Sadly I notice that many bloggers seem to have been infected by the 'airline-bull**** jargon' and use phrases such as 'travel experience'; an aircraft is transport - nothing more and by comparing the friperies instead of the cost, per class, per mile flown, you are ignoring the real issue. People seem to be commenting on the food etc instead of whether or not the trip was value for money. We are being ripped-off by airlines who, in real terms, are making more and more money per square metre out of us but if they serve the right Champange or Fillet Mignon, people seem to find that acceptable.
EK is an average service by world-standards and not particularly cost-effective, no matter how much plastic-wood-trim they stick everywhere. They are only good value when their load-factors are down and then, they practically beg you to fly.
Go figure!!!!!!!!!
Major Bumsore
40 years in; Economy, Business & First
I also agree with the experience as recalled by ‘Andy’.
I have travelled many times with EK; in all classes. and my daughter worked for the company for many years, but my experience on my last flights from Manchester to Saigon then back to Manchester from Hanoi left a lot to be desired.
This was the first time I had flown on the two class A380, and I found the seating to be very crowded and tight. I had selected the window seats but this was changed by the airline and I ended up in the 2 seats together and it was so cramped almost like economy. The bar no longer has hot snacks just some dried rolls and was full of crew, there was hardly room for passengers! On the return flight I had to use the bar if I wanted to get a drink, as the harassed crew did not come round with them. The bar was very busy as all the passengers were having the same experience and the girl on the bar just could not keep up; not of her colleagues came to give her a hand, they were to busy in the galley chatting.
At one point I buzzed and asked for a cup of tea and was given a very strong tea with hardly any milk, when I asked for more milk I was abruptly told to stir the tea as it was at the bottom, no amount of stirring would have made this tea milky. Anyway, it tasted of coffee so was vile. All the tea on the 4 legs was the same tasting of Coffee, I looked in envy at you photo of the coffee, I hope it didn’t taste of Tea?
On the DXB –MAN leg the food was awful, two poor choices that ran out, ages between courses. You say the food is the same as first? If that the case I won’t be going first again with EK. I feel that they have cut back the business class product so much that it now is only a premium economy, the crew are harassed, robotic and rude. I think your experience is due to your blog, and the airline knowing that you review the flights through it, as I am also aviation obsessed I have a blog but not as well known as your (really informative) blog 🙂
We flew with the A380 from Munich to Auckland in the business class. It was our first time ever to fly business in a A380 plane and thank good it was with EMIRATES AIRLINE. It was the best flight we had so far, from the beginning until the end.
I think an explaination to this economy-like service you describe is due to operational upgrades causing the business class to be always full. I have been upgraded for free three times in one year (Dusseldorf - Dubai) because they overbook the planes constantly. Might be negatively impacting the service.
However I could not even phantom the thought that they would do this with 50 tickets, but that would also explain why I constantly got bumped up for that leg. Single traveller in holiday periods, part of the Skywards frequent flier programme (a shame I decided to fly with KLM in december this year or would have had silver by now) and not dressed like a beggar going on holiday is probably helpful. Emirates also kept sending me mails to upgrade to business class for only €250 for the Dusseldorf - Dubai leg.
Now I have only experienced Emirates business class as I am a (premium) coach plebbian but I do find these reviews very enjoyable to read and hope it will be in my reach to fly business or even first without being a freeloader ;).
Emirates A380 business class from DXB to SFO was strictly average, I've had better experiences. My key points:
1. Seats are much small and space is compact. I am a broad shouldered guy and could barely fit on the flatbed, I can literally roll on an Aeromexico business class seat (Boeing 787 Dreamliner).
2. Service is SURPRISINGLY below average. The staff seemed very inexperienced and lacked hospitality big time. It could be because not many ppl fly business on that route. I've had a better experience with China Airlines.
3. Food was very average and they ran out of some entrees. Nothing compared to the top-notch menu on Air France business class.
After flying Emirates A380 economy and business on DXB to SFO route, I find the economy much better bang for the buck. The seats are spacious (as compared to other flights), service is fantabulous (sadly much better than business class) and the food is great. As I said, it could be that Emirates values the economy flyers on this route, simply because unlike business, economy is ALWAYS full on this flight.
Hello,
Loved your review. I flew with emirates route dxb-jhb 3 weeks ago and while I loved the experience I might confess I was a bit disappointed at some aspects. We started out by being late for almost 3 hours on the ground due to an unforeseen issue. I was glad it was solved and we could continue the trip but I might confess that the experience didn't allow me to be unbiased. I was not a huge fan of the seat configuration as I am a huge fan of the herringbone seating which provides more privacy. I did not receive the amenity kit (????) and I wonder if they discontinued 🙁 besides that I found that service was at times a bit slow. Nevertheless the cabin crew was incredibly nice, but I had some very minor issues with their level of service at times but as I am not a specialist I will not raise this here.
The food was amazing as always, the raspberry cheesecake is delicious.
I couldn't stop comparing emirates and Qatar (I have never flown ethiad) and I kind of felt Qatar offered me more (and I was a cheaper ticket) so I was kind of shocked actually because I thought Emirates (the A380) would have a better business class service (I actually choose to do an extremely long layover in Dubai because of the A380).
Business Class Lounge:
One of the things I loved in the business class lounge in doha was the baggage room for your luggage. it gives you a lot of mobility, I looked around in Dubai business class lounge and I couldn't find it. However I found that Dubai had better food availability and variety than Doha.
Of course business class lounge in Dubai is huge and I loved the washrooms - I found them more accessible in Dubai then in Doha. I loved that the water comes in reusable bottles in Dubai - strong support for the reduction of plastic use in the airports love it and that they offer their amazing dates at every corner. Wish they would add a but more a touch of the Middle East, specially of their culture as I think it was way much more westernized that Qatar (I love experiencing different cultures).
I love Emirates, but I must confess I was expecting more for the A380 business class service 🙁
I'v been flying the Emirates A380 Business class since the last 3 years from Sao Paulo to Dubai and then Dubai to Hong Kong. Its recommendable to sit around rows 16-19 in order to be closer to the lavatories and bar. Also if you need your drink faster just go to the bar once the "fasten seatbelt" sign has been switched off. Much faster than waiting for the drink service after takeoff.
I am flying Emirates for many years to and from Asia via DXB to PRG or FRA or MUC. There was never any reason to complain. I am 1,93m tall and the seat is long enough after making the bed. I never feel squeezed or uncomfortable. Much, much better then Lufthansa or other EU Airlines (except Swiss), I have flown. Service is excellent as well. In July I was first time on a refurbished B777-200 LR with 2-2-2 configuration. Beside the noises this Aircraft made (which is beside B787 the noisiest Aircraft in the world), comfort of their new seat was a little bit better than A380. Overall Airbus is much quieter, comfort and service are comparable to B777. However, when there is a chance I try to select Emirates flights operating A380.
I have come late to Emirates business class. Recently flew to Bangkok on their A380 in Business, on the way to Yangon. I was actually surprised - better than I had been led to believe, though, the cabins were way worse than I had expected. The faux wood was the least egregious - it was those plastic waves on the seat backs that did my head in. My review: https://www.2paxfly.com/2018/09/05/emirates-a380-business-class-sydney-to-bangkok/
I was looking for flights LHR to MNL, the reason that I wouldn't book Emirates is that they use 777 to MNL & have the old 2-2-2 seating, when nearly all of the other airlines to MNL have 1-2-1 seating on their 777s & also most other airlines are cheaper, Emirates need to get their act in order if they want to survive.