WE at TTN had the opportunity to sample Emirates A380’s business class offering, over a trip from Dubai International Airport to London’s Heathrow Airport and back. The trip comes highly recommended and here are a few key reasons to experience it yourself and sell to clients with confidence.
CHAUFFER SERVICE
One oft-unremarked but remarkable service provided to Emirates Business Class and First Class passengers is the complimentary chauffer-driven service. Professional and courteous, the chauffer service is great for families (more than four should check ahead for larger vehicles), frequent travellers, VIPs, travellers who require special assisted services, for red-eye flights as well as for those living a bit far from the airport in Dubai.
Equally, in the destination city, it is quite a relief and, in some cities in Emirates network, truly a luxury, to hop on to the airline’s chauffer-driven luxury car, waiting just outside the airport at a time of convenience chosen by you. This luxury sedan (think BMW or Mercedes) provides a free transfer up to a few hundred kilometres the chauffeur tells me (check destination city for exact allowance), which means that passengers often get dropped off as far as Oxford for free. My trip to the city centre of London, to The Park Tower Knightsbridge, was therefore very comfortably within the free service limit.
The pick-up service is scheduled to pick you 2 hours and 30 minutes before departure, but allows you to reach the airport as early as you wish, knowing that you are in the safe hands of the airline itself. The service is flexible too. If your destination requires you to take a PCR upon landing, for instance, which was the case in my recent trip to London, there is a team of staff managing transfers for the airline’s business and first-class passengers onsite, who are very helpful.
THE LOUNGE EXPERIENCE
While some Emirates Business lounges remain closed, with rising passenger traffic at the airports and resumption of flights to the airlines worldwide network, some 120 First and Business Class Lounges will be available by the end of this month.
Emirates lounges at a host of airports in the UK have been open, including London Heathrow, Birmingham and Manchester and just last month London Gatwick and Glasgow lounges have also been made accessible.
Emirates Business Class Lounge in Concourse B is located on the top floor of the terminal with views all round and catering from Costa Coffee. The premium beverages and lounge buffet is back but you will be served by an attendant if you choose to. Menu is similar to what was offered before Covid-19 and the beverages are free-flowing 24 hours. Canapes are available at the bar and there is even a fine selection of vintage beverages.
Sample canape: Smoked salmon with wasabi mayonnaise. Passion fruit and jasmine macaroons to go with fine selection of bubbles.
In a world of busy and increasingly confusing airports and procedures, the convenience of boarding a flight straight from the comfort of an Emirates lounge is indeed a luxury that every frequent traveller is used to. This is just as stress-free, if not more, for passengers who do not travel frequently, prefer assisted services, travel in large families or are travelling after a long pandemic.
SHOP WITH CONFIDENCE
It bears a small mention that Emirates Red, the airline’s duty-free shopping catalogue, has some really value-for-money deals from time to time and additional discounts on top of them.
As a travel advisor though, you can tip your guests to shop in advance of journey and receive their product mid-flight, which is delivered to their seat. Many products listed on the in-flight duty-free magazine are no longer available on board but need to be pre-booked.
This is obviously also an opportunity to surprise your loved one with a present or your favourite customer with a little duty-free love.
BUSINESS CLASS CABIN
What we all love about Business Class cabins is the space they afford, both for tired legs as well as between people, and of course the fully-flat beds. On board the A380 aircraft, the beds are wider than the ones on Boeing 777 and provide more privacy with their staggered design of seats. A spacious 1-2-1 layout also ensures that everyone has access to the aisle.
There are built-in amenities such as mini-bar with soft beverages and snacks, privacy panel for centre seats, which can be moved up and down, a large personal table, separate foot-rest extension for added comfort, laptop stowage, literature pocket, shoe stowage, adjustable headrests and noise cancellation headsets.
A 23” HD LCD screen, linked to Emirates’ award-winning ice inflight entertainment system and dual USB ports installed in each seat ensure you are never bored no matter how long the flight. Keep your Emirates Skywards number and password handy as they may come in to use for free Wi-Fi when the flight takes off. Without these credentials the Wi-Fi will come at a cost of $20. There are toothbrushes in the bathroom - amenity kits are provided on overnight flights only.
All Business Class seats are located on the upper deck. Tip: those on the rear of the plane are cosier and closer to the lounge on the plane.
MEAL SERVICE
Welcome drinks comprise fruit drinks and bubbles. Only one meal is served now versus two before Covid-19. There are four main choices including local and international options. Crew can make beverages per choice, while the bar is open for guests once the flight is midair.
I had preordered an Asian vegetarian meal for both legs of my journey – there are over 20 meal options to choose from ahead of the flight including kosher, vegetarian, kids meals, vegan, low calorie meals, low sodium meals. It’s best to pre-order these meals if your client has specific needs and not wait too late as meal choices tend to close 24 hours ahead of the take off.
The meal service aboard Emirates Business Class is always generous with starters, main courses and dessert. A typical meal would be salad, beef tenderloins and tarts followed by fruit and cheese boards with a selection of British and Spanish cheese. This would be followed by coffee and chocolates.
Sandwiches can be ordered any time during the flight, or you may walk up to the bar to grab one. There is a wide variety of knickknacks at the bar, including gummy bears, chocolate coated resins, fruit and a wide variety of drinks. The bar/lounge is only accessible to first and business passengers and becomes a hub of activity during the flight. Live sports are shown on wide TV screens and light meals and beverages are served on request.
The walk-up bar is great to be able to stretch your legs and enjoy a beverage or a snack standing around and chatting with fellow passengers and crew. There are some seating areas here but they go pretty fast. I made several trips down to the bar/lounge just to have a seat but it was always occupied by different groups of friends and family with much to catch up on.
Maybe another trip on Emirates A380 is on the cards but this time it has to be to sample the mid-air shower that Jennifer Anniston highly recommends.