Emirates is one of the most generous airlines in the world in first class. Of course the airline charges high fares and is trying to make money, but unlike many other airlines, the Dubai-based carrier seems to be more focused on revenue than on costs in premium cabins, which I really appreciate.
Along those lines, Emirates has just made a nice improvement to the champagne it serves in first class before takeoff. This might sound minor to some, but I think it’s more significant than many assume.
In this post:
Emirates now serves Dom Perignon on the ground
While Emirates serves Dom Perignon in first class across its route network, this has historically only consistently applied in the air.
On the ground, Emirates has often served its business class champagne as the pre-departure alcoholic drink in first class. As I’ve written about in the past, airlines sometimes limit their alcohol selection on the ground, for pre-departure drinks.
In many countries, airlines have to pay taxes for the alcohol served on the ground, while that doesn’t apply in the air. Airlines take different approaches to pre-departure drink service — some don’t serve any alcohol, some airlines serve a watered down selection of alcohol, and some airlines serve their standard alcohol on the ground.
Within the past couple of weeks, Emirates has updated its policy, and has started serving Dom Perignon as part of the first class pre-departure service, so the airline no longer tries to cut costs there.
For context, Emirates has long served Dom Perignon on the ground in Dubai (given that the government owns the airline, so there were presumably no real taxes), but it is now also serving it on the ground at outstations that tax these drinks, including in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, etc.
Of course in some places, alcohol continues to be banned. For example, Emirates doesn’t serve any alcohol on flights to and from Saudi Arabia, and also doesn’t serve alcohol on the ground in the Maldives (but does inflight).
This is a minor but meaningful change
It might sound silly to even cover this, but I’ve long found this to be one of the only aspects of the first class experience where Emirates is cheap. For many people, a nice pre-departure glass of champagne is part of getting a celebratory flight off to a good start. However, I don’t know about you, but I can only drink so much alcohol, so I try to pace myself and be strategic. 😉
So when flying Emirates first class, I’ve long been conflicted. Do you enjoy a glass of the inferior bubbles while on the ground, or do you have a non-alcoholic drink, and save your “tolerance” for the good stuff? Now you no longer have to choose!
Like I said, Emirates really is in a league of its own when it comes to investing in the onboard first class soft product. Many airlines serve caviar in first class, while Emirates serves unlimited caviar. While many airlines have solid wine in first class, Emirates’ wine program is on a different level, as you’ll frequently find wines that retail for many hundreds of dollars per bottle.
Then there are the small ways that Emirates makes first class special, from the tote bag to take to the A380 shower suite, to a movie snacks menu, which is kind of adorable.
There aren’t many airlines that just keep finding new ways to make the first class soft product better. Emirates deserves credit for that (now if only the airline would actually install the first class product it introduced seven years ago on more than nine jets, but that’s a whole different topic).
Bottom line
Emirates is now consistently pouring Dom Perignon as its pre-departure champagne in first class. Previously the airline only served this before takeoff at airports that don’t tax these kinds of beverages. Minor as it may seem, I’m a fan of this change, as it’ll make it much easier to decide whether or not to have a glass of champagne before takeoff. 😉
What do you make of Emirates upgrading its pre-departure champagne?
I never new why they didn't serve Dom pre departure. But decided along time ago to just have water and appreciate the Dom Perignon for in flight. The one time I was on my own in first class they wouldnt let me say no to finishing the bottle. It was only a 2 1/2 hour flight
It is fitting that Dom is served on EK. They are both highly overrated.
Clearly you have never flown first class.
Wow!
Judging an airline by the label on a bottle of champagne …. some will be criticising cars because of the make of the wiper blades.
I have recently retired after working at a major airline for 30 years.
I don't know the profile of Emirates customers, but I can tell you for certain that the wine list is way low on the list of a real First Class full fare paying customer. From experience, these customers value the space, comfort and privacy. They tend to eat very little and mostly only drink water. A glass of red wine or...
I have recently retired after working at a major airline for 30 years.
I don't know the profile of Emirates customers, but I can tell you for certain that the wine list is way low on the list of a real First Class full fare paying customer. From experience, these customers value the space, comfort and privacy. They tend to eat very little and mostly only drink water. A glass of red wine or champagne with their meal at the most. I am reminded that these people have a lot of money and can afford to dine at the best restaurants in the world. They don't care need to harp about any airline's wine list. That is done by amateurs and les nouveaux riches.
Now you're retired, do you have a newsletter I can subscribe to? Wouldn't mind reading more of your hot takes on what inferior humans do to have fun like *shock* enjoy drinking wine on a plane
Just flew them from Australia to Nz and thought I was special when they pulled the Dom out pre departure
I've felt sorry for the flight crew as they've had to apologise that they couldn't serve Dom until in the air. Problem solved - great news
Flying First Class from Manchester a couple of years ago, my friend and I made what we thought was a comical comment about the champagne only being Moet & Chandon. The steward apologised and said they can only serve Bom Perignon after take off!
For a Muslim airline they have a very good wine selection.
What makes them muslim lol? strange comment
you wouldn't refer to air france as a Christian airline would you? Or any other state owned airline
Love flying this "cellar in the sky" airline!
I’ve never not been served Dom as a pre-departure beverage in F, even out of MXP and NBO. I guess I’ve just been lucky.
You’ve been lucky.
I’ve gotten the “cheap” stuff on the ground ex CPT, JNB, SIN, BKK, HKG, LAX, IAD, and ORD.
I was wondering the same! A friend was telling me they got Dom, but on SQ I believe. I was wondering if they were mistaken because I knew, or thought I knew, that EK had exclusivity.
What is their business class champagne typically? There are many champagnes I’d prefer to current release DP that cost less than half as much.
It’s Moet.
It’s Moet to Asia. Veuve Clicquot to Europe.
This makes sense, as they're all LVMH brands.
In addition to this upgrade, I would not be surprised if EK is being sought after to secure some luxury wines for its premium cabins moving forward. Napa and Sonoma county are my backyards, and grape growers and certain wineries are facing decline in sales. Would be an upgrade for those sitting upfront though! Now, if we can just get AA and UA to follow for their business class offerings.
I’ve never really understood this argument. How much do we think they pay for a bottle of Dom? Maybe $150? How much is the tax potentially in a high tax county? Is it like $20-30?
And even if they still serve a $50 bottle of something else, they’d still have to file paperwork and pay tax of a lesser amount. But this amount of money difference seems like a rounding error for 1-2 bottles on...
I’ve never really understood this argument. How much do we think they pay for a bottle of Dom? Maybe $150? How much is the tax potentially in a high tax county? Is it like $20-30?
And even if they still serve a $50 bottle of something else, they’d still have to file paperwork and pay tax of a lesser amount. But this amount of money difference seems like a rounding error for 1-2 bottles on the ground.
It would make more sense for them to say “the paperwork/tax is too complicated to serve *any* alcohol on the ground”. But just serving cheaper never made sense to me.
Maybe getting rid of their stock as the exclusive deal expired? (See you LH post).