In early May, Etihad Airways unveiled their revolutionary A380s, which included the first private bedroom on a commercial plane. The three mega-Gulf carriers (Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar) are constantly going head-to-head to outdo one another, so it’s no surprise that the next day Emirates announced they were working on a similar concept.
Continue reading: Why I Hope Emirates Doesn’t Install Private Bedrooms
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
EK will most probably go over the top just to 1-up from EY, and end up with a huge waste of space that cannot be monetized.
and if they're re-doing F class ... PLEASE be less bling, less faux wood, and more class. EY F on A380 is the epitome of timeless design.
No idea. But what you said brings up something quite interesting. I quote "... based in Dubai, it really is important to have two showers. Unless you're flying to Australia or North America, most flights out of Dubai are in the 5-7 hour range...".
With this in mind, presumably for flights "in the 5-7 hour range", the very few willing to pay for this luxury (yet not have access to a private jet [ha.]) would become even fewer or 0 on most flights? I see some attraction in a 12+ hour flight, but otherwise...
How many people-especially people who can afford 1st class-really need to shower on a 5-7 hour flight?
The shower is basically a gimmick on those flights.
@ Ann -- Well people don't "need" to shower, just as they don't "need" to fly first class. But the reality from my flights on Singapore is that the showers are usually utilized for most of the flights.
they will definitely not take away the showers... that's too big ofs a selling point.
but i can see them eliminating that bis useless lounge and instead have it in the small area between the cabins like AA does.
If anything, the business class lounge is used as much as the showers are (as per Lucky's statement).
Just a minor correction: Etihad did not create "the first private bedroom on a commercial plane." Boeing's pre-WWII B-314 featured a "honeymoon suite" in the aft. Enthusiasts are encouraged to read Ken Follett's fiction novel "Night Over Water."
@Lucky, I think you meant Emirates, not Singapore. 😉 When I flew EK First, there were 6 others in the cabin and out of the 7 of us, only 3 took a shower. Perhaps it differs from flight to flight? I do know females with long hair tend to not take the onboard shower since they only provide 5 minutes running water.
As for the bedroom, if EK goes that route, they can still have 2 showers. EY has a bedroom but still has 2 showers on their A380s.
@wwk5d
i have never seen more than 2 people in the emirates lounge area... but i guess it differes from flight to flight. in any case the lounge could be smaller and could be moved between the cabins... where it should be anyway, it's awkward for F pasengers to walk all the way there.
I think it isn't kept behind the FC lounge in order to reduce the noise level in FC.
What's really awkward is the EK First class lounge in the front of the upper deck of the A380! Whenever I was there with my friend chatting, we'd get stares from the economy class passengers lining up to use the lavatory on the lower deck! Once a kid asked if there were any chocolates he could have. I wish EK had a curtain there similar to LH.
For complete separation could the A380 cargo deck hold an encapsulated suite - complete with living dining lavatory tub butler kitchen ? LCD projection walls for windows, etc
Wow interesting reading your comments. One of the best things about EK in business is the lounge area. When flying in F, I appreciated that it was at the back it kept the noise down and gave me a chance to stretch my legs. The bar/lounge area is a huge selling point for J. Its great to be able to stand up, stretch your legs, grab a drink and chat with others.
@ Ricardo-
If I remember correctly, MGM Airlines had private compartments too, for the celebrities who wanted total privacy.
Showering in the airport lounges is much easier and more pleasant imho. About the bedrooms, I'm more worried about people getting up to no good in them. Some people will...
Advanced stage of developing a concept could mean anything. I don't think they rush to retrofit all the planes -- will be awhile before we see anything concrete.