I have been a fan of Emirates since the first time I flew it. Iam sure passengers doing the Asia - US or Asia - Europe long haul will find the break at DXB a refreshing change apart from giving some stretching (and smoking) space.
What's going for the airline :-
1. The service is quite good from smooth check in process to inflight crew's helpful attitude to transit services desk to prompt baggage arrival on destination conveyor belt - it has all been flawless so far.
2. The aircraft fleet is quite young and on their A-380's the economy seats are comfortable with decent leg space (Qatar Airways is still the best for economy seat leg space).
3. Personalised entertainment system is fantastic and movies released 2 months back are available. There is a large selection of English, French and Indian movies to choose from.
4. Latest newspapers / magazines are available on request and range from Forbes to Harper's Bazaar. Crew will gladly get you newspapers and magazines from the business class section subject to availability.
5. The in-flight meals are amongst the better ones I've had. Choice of beverages is also pretty good.
6. On the Dubai - Europe route, the service seems to get even better. That is hardly surprising since Asian passengers are considered to be the most challenging set to cater to. However, the service leaves much to be desired on the Dubai-USA route.
7. EK pricing is just right. Unlike quite a few Middle East airlines, they haven't priced themselves too low to drive away spending tourists and business travellers. At the same time without paying extortionate fares, you avail world class service.
What could do with some help :-
1. Too much hand baggage is allowed to be carried onboard with the result your overhead cabin could well be full before you reach your seat.
2. Since Dubai is such a big shopping destination, inflight shopping doesn't offer any extraordinary deals.
3. The service on the Dubai-USA route is sub-average and the staff just doesn't seem to care.
4. If you don't fly the A-380 on the Dubai-Singapore or Dubai-USA route, be prepared for the old Boeing 777-300ER aircrafts which lack leg space, have small washrooms and whose business class also is quite a cramped affair.
Overall rating : 8.5/10. Since there really is no other competitor, between the two I rate EK higher than Singapore Airlines (SQ). SQ is far superior if you are a PPS Club member or travelling SQ business/first class but delivers a below-average experience in economy class. The onward excellent connectivity to US, Europe and Africa is a big reason to fly Emirates for all Asian long-haul travellers. I only hope their service consistency improves. As much as I recommend Emirates for Asian and European travel, I'll avoid it to go to USA.
What's going for the airline :-
1. The service is quite good from smooth check in process to inflight crew's helpful attitude to transit services desk to prompt baggage arrival on destination conveyor belt - it has all been flawless so far.
2. The aircraft fleet is quite young and on their A-380's the economy seats are comfortable with decent leg space (Qatar Airways is still the best for economy seat leg space).
3. Personalised entertainment system is fantastic and movies released 2 months back are available. There is a large selection of English, French and Indian movies to choose from.
4. Latest newspapers / magazines are available on request and range from Forbes to Harper's Bazaar. Crew will gladly get you newspapers and magazines from the business class section subject to availability.
5. The in-flight meals are amongst the better ones I've had. Choice of beverages is also pretty good.
6. On the Dubai - Europe route, the service seems to get even better. That is hardly surprising since Asian passengers are considered to be the most challenging set to cater to. However, the service leaves much to be desired on the Dubai-USA route.
7. EK pricing is just right. Unlike quite a few Middle East airlines, they haven't priced themselves too low to drive away spending tourists and business travellers. At the same time without paying extortionate fares, you avail world class service.
What could do with some help :-
1. Too much hand baggage is allowed to be carried onboard with the result your overhead cabin could well be full before you reach your seat.
2. Since Dubai is such a big shopping destination, inflight shopping doesn't offer any extraordinary deals.
3. The service on the Dubai-USA route is sub-average and the staff just doesn't seem to care.
4. If you don't fly the A-380 on the Dubai-Singapore or Dubai-USA route, be prepared for the old Boeing 777-300ER aircrafts which lack leg space, have small washrooms and whose business class also is quite a cramped affair.
Overall rating : 8.5/10. Since there really is no other competitor, between the two I rate EK higher than Singapore Airlines (SQ). SQ is far superior if you are a PPS Club member or travelling SQ business/first class but delivers a below-average experience in economy class. The onward excellent connectivity to US, Europe and Africa is a big reason to fly Emirates for all Asian long-haul travellers. I only hope their service consistency improves. As much as I recommend Emirates for Asian and European travel, I'll avoid it to go to USA.
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