Emirates

[mazo]

Hi has anyone flown by Emirates business class Bangkok to Birmingham lately is it good or bad. I have been told that the in flight entertainment is good but what about food and seating what is the seating is it 2 3 2 ? do the seats go all the way down bed style ?. I will be flying with my 6 month old baby are they good with babys all repotrts welcome thanks

Edited January 9, 2007 by mazo

[my friend I]

Emirates are the best airline. Contact them to let them know about your special requirements.

[expatgaz]

Best Airline I agree.However Business Class is very very poor compared to other Airlines.The seats are to small, hardly any recline.Not much better than Economy.Infact I would suggest you go Economy rather than pay for something which certainly isn't "Business Class". If you want good Business Class I'd recommend ETIHAD,they recline to flat bed and are a reasonable price.

[mazo]

Best Airline I agree.However Business Class is very very poor compared to other Airlines.The seats are to small, hardly any recline.Not much better than Economy.Infact I would suggest you go Economy rather than pay for something which certainly isn't "Business Class". If you want good Business Class I'd recommend ETIHAD,they recline to flat bed and are a reasonable price.

Expatgaz can you tell me why you found business class veray poor what was it was it the food service or seating. I must admit i am looking to pay the extra for good seats i must admit the price difference is a lot from economy to business. And can you please tell me if ETIHAD flys to Birmingham thanks for any help

[expatgaz]

Mazo - PM Sent.

[Mahout Angrit]

And can you please tell me if ETIHAD flys to Birmingham thanks for any help

No ..... via Abu Dhabi to LHR or LGW and Manchester Edited January 10, 2007 by Mahout Angrit

[midas]

Emirates are the best airline. Contact them to let them know about your special requirements.

I have never understood why so many people like Emirates airline ?

Compared to business class on Singapore Airlines or Cathay Pacific

- in my opinion they are not even in the same league ???????

Personally I think they were a dreadful airline and to make things worse-

Dubai airport is the dreadful place to have to stopover in.

look at least two web sites and see the comments of some other disgruntled

Emirates passengers :-

http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Cafe/9653/emirates.html

http://emiratecomplaints.blogspot.com/

[bapak]

Emirates are the best airline. Contact them to let them know about your special requirements.

I have never understood why so many people like Emirates airline ?

Compared to business class on Singapore Airlines or Cathay Pacific

- in my opinion they are not even in the same league ???????

Personally I think they were a dreadful airline and to make things worse-

Dubai airport is the dreadful place to have to stopover in.

look at least two web sites and see the comments of some other disgruntled

Emirates passengers :-

http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Cafe/9653/emirates.html

http://emiratecomplaints.blogspot.com/

Having flown both Biz and Economy on Emirates, I agree entirely.

Not a patch on SIA or Cathay.

Cheers, Bapak

[Axel]

With SQ and CX you have to go first to Singapore or Hong Kong.

With EK you are from BKK on your way, can relax for 2-3 hours in Dubai, take breakfast in the lounge. Might take a shower or check your mails (TV???)

[Mahout Angrit]

The OP wants to arrive in Birmingham or Nottingham. I suggest you fly direct to Amsterdam with KLM. EVA Air or China Airlines and fly Amsterdam to East Midlands or Birmingham. It's just that you will probably have to buy separate tickets as only KLM sell through tickets BKK - BHX.

Anyone comment on business class with KLM. EVA or China Airlines?

Edited January 10, 2007 by Mahout Angrit

[mazo]

The OP wants to arrive in Birmingham or Nottingham. I suggest you fly direct to Amsterdam with KLM. EVA Air or China Airlines and fly Amsterdam to East Midlands or Birmingham. It's just that you will probably have to buy separate tickets as only KLM sell through tickets BKK - BHX.

Anyone comment on business class with KLM. EVA or China Airlines?

Yes Nottingham would be my final destination i am not to botherd about a cheap flight i just want a more comfortable and quick way because of the baby. There does seem to be mixed reports about Emirates on a lot of the other boards to so any information on KLM. EVA or China Airlines route to Nottingham in business class would be gratefully received thanks

Edited January 10, 2007 by mazo

[Mahout Angrit]

Yes Nottingham would be my final destination i am not to botherd about a cheap flight i just want a more comfortable and quick way because of the baby. There does seem to be mixed reports about Emirates on a lot of the other boards to so any information on KLM. EVA or China Airlines route to Nottingham in business class would be gratefully received thanks

I cant give any comments on business class travel but I found EVA both economy and enhanced economy as good as they get when flying to London

EVA Air

If you decide to go direct to Amsterdam then BMIBaby fly from Amsterdam to both East Midlands and Birmingham

BMI Baby

KLM fly Amsterdam to Birmingham and non stop Bangkok to Amsterdam

KLM

You can book all your tickets on line

Edited January 10, 2007 by Mahout Angrit

[dradrian]

Stick with Birmingham

I go with KLM and Air France. both easy transfers and business class can be obtained for 1500 GBP. AF is best deal as they are flat bed but KLM give you a delf pottery filled with Bols!!!!

always go bus class. no contest

[crowbait]

I can recommend SwissAir - Birmingham(BHX) to Zurich and on to BKK. Travelled economy with them last year (Jan 2006) good flight, great flightime (evening take off from Zurich 21:00 land BKK 15:00 so can sleep on flight), excellant food and fantastic chocolate (given out twice FREE during flight)

The price we paid was certainly cheaper than KLM, Air France even Emirates. We will certainly travel with them again.

Next week, we are flying to BKK from BHX but this time we are going KLM to Amsterdam and then China Airlines onward. We've no experience of China Airlines and will post our experience if anyone's interested. The flight times are pretty crappy especially on the way back (02:45 take off from BKK).

Just my 2 pennyworth.

[Billfo]

How come Dubai is such a bad stopover? Is it just the inconvenience or is it genuinely a bad airport?

[midas]

How come Dubai is such a bad stopover? Is it just the inconvenience or is it genuinely a bad airport?

it's a bad airport because a huge number of Emirates planes get parked on the tarmac

what seems like miles away from the terminal and we were bused in and honestly the bus

journey really took a longtime because it was so far !

when you get into the terminal it just doesn't have a nice feel about it -although

that's just my opinion - when compared to say the new Hong Kong airport

or Kansai Airport. Hundreds of people in transit from other Emirates flghts

seem squashed into this poorly laid out terminal when it just seems overcrowded

and in Hong Kong even with all the Cathay pacific passengers also in transit

you don't get the same feeling

[Canislupus67]

Hi has anyone flown by Emirates business class Bangkok to Birmingham lately is it good or bad. I have been told that the in flight entertainment is good but what about food and seating what is the seating is it 2 3 2 ? do the seats go all the way down bed style ?. I will be flying with my 6 month old baby are they good with babys all repotrts welcome thanks

I have been through DXB 5 times in the last year. The bussiness class lounge is quite comfortableand roomy. With all the ammenities. Flight from DXB to BKK and back is quite nice, very comfortable. Would not be bad with a baby at all. Seating is 2 2 2 , on most of the flights. Depends on which flight you take on that part.

Have a great trip.

[endure]

What really annoys me about Dubai is the fact that transit security won't use wands and insist that you walk through the security hoop without setting it off. I've seen blokes having to hold their trousers up because security insist they take their belts off to stop the alarm going off.

[richard_smith237]

Hi has anyone flown by Emirates business class Bangkok to Birmingham lately is it good or bad. I have been told that the in flight entertainment is good but what about food and seating what is the seating is it 2 3 2 ? do the seats go all the way down bed style ?. I will be flying with my 6 month old baby are they good with babys all repotrts welcome thanks

I have flown Business back to the UK on many occasions and can confirm that everytime I have flown with Emirates I have been very satisfied.

As I pay for my own tickets I try to limit the cost and often seek out offers.

i.e. 2 for one deals (the Girlfriend often tags along). .. no idea about babies !

In order of preference (best first)…

Qatar.

(Great Value for money, great service and great seating – Excellent all round)

Over Christmas I decided to take a risk and fly with Qatar. 72,000 per person. Which was the most competitive at the time. The seats moved flat – although at about 160-170 deg not a horizontal 180 deg. The Qatar business terminal was great. The only downside was traveling via Manchester – but the price benefit clearly offset this.

Emirates.

(Good value for money – OK seating – great service – great schedule / my 1st choice until I’d flown Qatar Airways – Approx 10 trips, never disappointed)

Emirates to Birmingham cost 75,000 per person in the summer, and 93,000 per person over the Christmas period. The Terminal in Emirates is busy, but OK, the lounge is busy, but also ok, nothing glorious. The seats on all my flights were 2+2+2 across. The seats did not go flat – but reclined a lot to about 160 deg (guess). The food and service is always fantastic. The departure and arrival times (on both departure and return) are convenient.

Gulf.

(Great Value for money – not flown with them yet though – always fully booked !)

Gulf Air have been doing a 2 for one deal (but only fly to Heathrow or Manchester). Last time I traveled back that was approximately 63,000 bhat per person.

KLM.

(Rubbish – Expensive)

I have also flown KLM in summer 2006– both my girlfriend and I were shocked at how rubbish the business class is, and will not be paying 120,000 per seat again.

It seems to me that the middle eastern airlines offer great deals and service and appear to be the best value. IF you don’t mind the stop over half way.

How these compare with SIA and others I’m not sure – But BA, TG, KLM etc are heavily over priced when compared and they don’t fly into BHX so a change over is needed anyway.

Hope that helps.

Edited January 16, 2007 by richard_smith237

[cleggit]

We've flown Business class with Singapore, Etihad and Emirates. The food on all 3 was great but the seats on Singapore and Etihad win hands down as they recline into proper beds. Emirates seats just recline a bit further than economy seats.

Personally i don't like Dubai airport as a stopover as it is so bloody big ! I much prefer Abu Dhabi to stretch the legs - as long as the stopover isn't more than a couple of hours as there is not much to do.

However, if you only want to fly into BHX then i think you will be limited to Emirates. Personally i wouldn't fly again with any of the European Airlines - crap service, crap food and crap entertainment systems......

[jackr]

How come Dubai is such a bad stopover? Is it just the inconvenience or is it genuinely a bad airport?

Used to be great but now so many flights go through there it is packed with little seating. Miserable security staff etc. Should be better when the new terminal opens. In-flight service great and flying to Brum is a bonus over London airports if you live out of London.

[cclub75]

What really annoys me about Dubai is the fact that transit security won't use wands and insist that you walk through the security hoop without setting it off. I've seen blokes having to hold their trousers up because security insist they take their belts off to stop the alarm going off.

.... and the shoes too. Very annoying.

Anyway I agree : Dubai is crowded with people lying on the ground, sleeping everywhere. And not enough gates for airplane (they are building a new terminal).

However : Emirates has a great website, a solid miles system (better than Thai Airways), a great way to manage on line the miles, the possibility to make "e"-check-in and choose your seat etc.

Plus : a good in flight entertainement system. Years ahead of Thai Airways (even the one in "new" business class on Thai) on their old B747.

"New" planes : B777 and Airbus.

[pampal]

Emirate business class is so-so. Not really worth the extra money.

I used to fly to BKK with emirates business class a few years back, but switched to Qatar airways.

[3NI9MA]

I am (was) a frequent flyer with Emirates (skywards), so I often got upgraded to Biz - as they oversubscribe flights (based on the previous year) - or did anyway.

Getting into the Dubia terminal is a pain espcially if another airline lands at the same time and beats you to the scanners. Single file maybe 3 scanners working and frequent re-passes when a alarm sounds - absolutly nothing metalic! Switch on Laptops etc.

The Biz lounge in Dubia has gone down from what it was since it got relocated - downsized to be hip! It is also available to more skywards silver members as well as true Biz class passengers, so it is far more busier as more people have managed miles, the food standard has definatly gone down too.

The inflight entertainment is very very good - if you get a new plane fitted with the Enirates ICE system. - something like 500 channels. My last flight had a broken seat in ecomony and they couldn't find 2 seats together!

Would I fly them again? Yes ONLY as I am finishing off my airmiles, my next return ticket back to the UK for 4K Bht.

Regarding flight costs, I have previously booked Rooms and Flights with Major Travel in Pratunam (Nr Indra hotel) and got fantastic service.

Edited January 19, 2007 by 3NI9MA

[3NI9MA]

cclub 75

However : Emirates has a great website, a solid miles system (better than Thai Airways), a great way to manage on line the miles, the possibility to make "e"-check-in and choose your seat etc.

Have you tried this? I was offered worse seats than my ticked (this was re-booking through Manchester sales office) seats! There was a better selection when I arrived at Gatwick.

[jingjoe]

KLM give you a delf pottery filled with Bols!!!!

Hmmm I have just flown BKK to TPE Biz with KLM, and found them great. I also got given the little Delf pottery thingy... but <deleted> is a "Bols"?

PS KLM Fly the 747-400, the seats recline 150 degrees, food is nice, entertainment is fine, and service is good too.

Take a look at the SEAT MAP KLM 747-400

[jingjoe]

FTR: I found out "bols" is Dutch Genever (aka Dutch GIN).

Edited February 2, 2007 by jingjoe