It Doesn't Get Better than Emirates Airlines
Have You Ever Looked Forward to a Long Flight? Well, I have!
It was a few days before Thanksgiving last year, and I was preparing to board a 15-1/2 hour flight to Dubai. Every flight was completely full, lines were incredibly long, and families were travelling with all of their children. LOTS of children. Suddenly an Emirates rep approached the line and announced that you could upgrade to Business Class for $900. We looked around and decided that the comfort and tranquility would be worth the price. We were looking forward to a more peaceful flight; but, we had no idea what awaited us!
We boarded Emirates Airlines’ new Airbus 380. When we went to find our seats…they were MUCH MORE than seats. I can only describe the experience like one big, delicious sundae, complete with a cherry on top.
Let’s start with the ice cream -- The business class on board this particular plane is better than any first class I have ever flown. Each individual space was like a pod built for your privacy. You had your own stand-alone space, and never saw who was in front of you, and you certainly did not know when they reclined their seat. Your seat could adjust into several modes, including a completely reclined position where they provided you with a mattress for your comfort. You have a birdseye maple side table along with a secured rack containing a variety of beverages for your convenience. You also have a large-screen monitor, an iPad and a remote device to manage everything. Oh, yes, and state-of-the-art headphones.
The Toppings - Not only are Emirates’ flight attendants dressed impeccably, they are extremely courteous and professional. In fact, when they realized that I loved my mimosas, it seemed they made sure I had a fresh champagne glass of orange juice, just in case. Did I mention that each passenger was provided with a lovely gift bag of Bvlgari products and that the perpetually sparkling clean restroom was also equipped with Bvlgari treats for freshening up along the way? So, as we are beginning to be accustomed to all this wonderful treatment and environment, food is served. It was like dining in an upscale restaurant, I began to look for Wolfgang Puck! Not only was the cuisine absolutely superb, but Emirates’ really pays attention to presentation. It was the first time that I can remember eating everything that was put in front of me. And…to accompany that wonderful food was an offering of free top shelf beverages. I was thrilled that they served Veuve Clicquot, which complimented my orange juice perfectly!
Now for the Cherry on Top! - On the upper deck of the Airbus 380, where business class is located, they have a LOUNGE! A classy circular service bar accompanied by seating on the periphery of the lounge. Here, you can meet and chat with other passengers without disturbing those who are resting. You can treat yourself to snacks such as sandwiches, antipasti, chocolates, fruit as well as nuts and chips. If you are still hungry, they may even serve you another meal, especially if you slept through the service…and they keep track of who missed a meal. You can relax and enjoy an array of magazines and/or watch the giant screen TV.
We arrived in Dubai refreshed and ready for an arranged late-night dinner where we enjoyed a feast at Amaseena with the chefs.
It is truly hard to anticipate another long flight without such comforts and attention, so we were delighted to discover that we had the same upgrade option upon our return home a month later. We eagerly upgraded and joyfully anticipated another wonderful flight from Dubai to San Francisco. We were not disappointed; and I couldn’t help but notice, as we relaxed in the Lounge with the giant TV, that our flight was directly over the North Pole…and it was CHRISTMAS EVE! We looked out the window, just in case.
