I have just enjoyed the privilege of speaking at a women’s evening in New Zealand, which was great fun and very exciting. When looking at who to fly, I decided to try Emirates as I had not flown on them for quite some time, and as it was the A380 as well it was too good to pass up. Having booked myself in economy class, I was delighted to be provided with an option to upgrade on my Brisbane to Auckland flight, so I took it as we all deserve a little pampering, don’t we? So here is my take on the experience!
The check in process was smooth as I was travelling with carry-on and everything was done online. At the airport, I flew through customs and immigration and headed to the lounge, where business and first class passengers board direct on to the upper-deck. This was pure luxury and made the whole process so easy. Lovely ground crew welcome you as you enter the lounge, swipe your passport and boarding card and you spend the next hour or so in a very peaceful and calm environment. Free wi-fi, refreshments, comfortable chairs and lounges and excellent service are available in the lounge before you even fly – one happy Diva so far.
The crew were great as you went on board, happy and smiling, however I have to say that my initial reaction when I entered the cabin and saw the seating was ‘sardine can’. I immediately felt closed in, as there are 76 seats across two cabins and it looked tight. However, the configuration was great with each window only having one seat per row and then in the centre of the cabin, only two per row. The seat is narrow but pretty comfortable, however, I think if you were taller or bigger in physique (like my husband who is 93 kilos and 188 cms), it could feel a little small. I loved the the area around my seat as there was lots of space to put books and laptops etc out, along with a little amenities bar that had water, juice and snacks.
Breakfast was served and the continental part of the meal was excellent, with juice, good coffee, yoghurt and croissants – delicious. However the hot selection was very average in flavour and warmth, and quite disappointing. Moet & Chandon, which looked very enticing, was on offer but as I was driving when I landed, I had to be a good girl and decline!
The entertainment was pretty comprehensive and easy to use, both in business and economy – so there were not complaints about that aspect of the flight at all.
I would have loved to have been on board during a lunch time or evening flight where there was time to socialise at the excellent bar and lounge area, which I think would make this a fun experience – so will have to try them again to find out what happens!
Overall, I would have to say this gets a 7 out of 10, and given the level of airfare that Emirates does charge for a business class seat I would have expected better, particularly in the catering and seating area. I know many of the Travelling Divas enjoy the luxury of Emirates business class and their excellent scheduling, which is a big bonus, but I would be interested to hear any comments about your experience when travelling. I flew home economy and I felt that was worth the money, but I was not convinced by the business class experience on this occasion.
Talk again soon!
Chief Diva Andrea x
