Business Class Air

[Walker88]

I think the OP knows by now, but once you hit your final destination, you will not have access to any lounge. Lounges are in the Departure area, and once you've passed Immigration, only an ongoing ticket and security check will get you into the lounge/Departure area.

 

As far as lounges go, I'd put Qatar as tops, followed closely by Etihad. All the ME airlines have nice lounges, including Emirates and Oman Air. If transferring in Muscat, the entire airport, lounge included, is quite empty. That's kind of pleasant. Hit Doha at the wrong time and even Qatar's massive lounge is crowded. The airport at Abu Dhabi (Etihad) is always mobbed, and any transfer seems to involve long walks through a scrum.

 

The worst lounges tend to be the US ones, with United near the bottom. Plus, United flight attendants always seem miffed that they have to work, rather than just schmooze with each other while finishing off the Godiva chocolates ostensibly meant for passengers. I'd also swear some of United's FA's were with the Wrights at Kitty Hawk.

 

Inside the aircraft, Qatar's Q-Suite is tops. Slide the door shut and chill for 12-15 hours. Window seats on Oman Air are almost like Q-Suites, as they have unfettered access to aisles plus privacy.

 

If you fly private, lounges are not as nice as, say, Qatar's lounges, plus you share them with inbred monarchs, oligarchs and international arms dealers.

[SAFETY FIRST]

On 12/23/2023 at 9:28 AM, sungod said:

You            should    be able                                    to access..............your airline's lounge or at least

 

one

 

they have an                      agreement with.  Hope               thats                   clear.

Ha, ha, this was funny 👍

 

[MangoKorat]

On 12/23/2023 at 6:14 AM, Oliver Holzerfilled said:

Qatar is one airline with some business class tickets that don't include lounge access.

I get access to Qatar's business class lounges in Doha and I'm just a Gold Economy passenger.

[GammaGlobulin]

On 12/23/2023 at 2:44 PM, Thingamabob said:

No idea. I only fly first class.

 

I never fly commercial.

 

[treetops]

20 hours ago, MangoKorat said:

I get access to Qatar's business class lounges in Doha and I'm just a Gold Economy passenger.

I believe you'll get access to the Gold and Platinum Lounges in Doha but not the Al Mourjan lounges which are the "true" Business Class Lounges.

[Dan O]

On 12/23/2023 at 1:14 PM, Oliver Holzerfilled said:

Contrary to what many are saying you only get business class lounge access if you buy a business class fare that includes it.  Qatar is one airline with some business class tickets that don't include lounge access.

You can pay for access to a Qatar lounge although its not considered business class. 

[worrab]

On 12/23/2023 at 6:05 PM, VBF said:

Your posting got me worried so I checked with Emirates regarding my February / April flights LGW-DXB-BKK and return.

I'm on a Business Saver ticket and that does include all lounges and chauffer drive, the latter I'd already booked anyway.

 

Apparently there's a cheaper option than Saver which doesn't include those options - that must be the one to which you refer. 

 

What the buggers have done is change my flight from DXB to LGW from an A380 to a 777-300ER which, looking at various videos is far less comfortable! 🤬 Lots of YouTube vids where people say as much.

Emirates tell me I can lodge a formal complaint but I doubt I'll get anywhere, however if it's really bad, I'll contact them on my return...after all, I might find it's OK...

Yes, you are okay as I always book the Saver ticket as well. The chauffeur drive is an absolute godsend for me.

I was swopped to a 777 BKK-DXB a couple of years ago. Still had the window seat but it is 2-2-2. Still comfortable but not the same a the 380 and no bar!! I better check my July flights then. Lol

[thaibeachlovers]

On 12/24/2023 at 11:42 PM, SAFETY FIRST said:

My company did get us cheap tickets but would pay for lounge access at Angola coming of the rig.

They also paid for 2 free drinks, the coupons were waiting at the sign in counter.

 

While we're on the subject of airport lounges don't bother going to any lounge in Saudi Arabia, NO ALCOHOL, bloody waste of time, only have Budweiser no alcohol (disgusting drink). 

 

As one that would have been able to get a job on a rig I must have been mad to go nursing. Sounds like you got some great perks, unlike nursing which is devoid of any perks, underpaid and full of management bullies.

[GinBoy2]

On 12/24/2023 at 4:03 AM, Walker88 said:

I think the OP knows by now, but once you hit your final destination, you will not have access to any lounge. Lounges are in the Departure area, and once you've passed Immigration, only an ongoing ticket and security check will get you into the lounge/Departure area.

 

As far as lounges go, I'd put Qatar as tops, followed closely by Etihad. All the ME airlines have nice lounges, including Emirates and Oman Air. If transferring in Muscat, the entire airport, lounge included, is quite empty. That's kind of pleasant. Hit Doha at the wrong time and even Qatar's massive lounge is crowded. The airport at Abu Dhabi (Etihad) is always mobbed, and any transfer seems to involve long walks through a scrum.

 

The worst lounges tend to be the US ones, with United near the bottom. Plus, United flight attendants always seem miffed that they have to work, rather than just schmooze with each other while finishing off the Godiva chocolates ostensibly meant for passengers. I'd also swear some of United's FA's were with the Wrights at Kitty Hawk.

 

Inside the aircraft, Qatar's Q-Suite is tops. Slide the door shut and chill for 12-15 hours. Window seats on Oman Air are almost like Q-Suites, as they have unfettered access to aisles plus privacy.

 

If you fly private, lounges are not as nice as, say, Qatar's lounges, plus you share them with inbred monarchs, oligarchs and international arms dealers.

Actually I'm going to agree and disagree about United's US lounges.

 

They appear to have woke up and smelt the roses.

 

They have been abysmal in the past.

 

But we just flew back home from San Diego through Denver, and both almost rivaled the best.

 

The Denver one in the B concourse just gutted and rebuilt. It actually has a kitchen, and gone are the rather sad stack of instant noodles and stale sandwiches, the hot food was actually good.

 

The rebuild was, so the blurb goes was to give it a Colorado log cabin feel, and it actually does look and feel pretty good.

 

To compare it to the TG lounge in BKK, way better.  Still not Emirates but hey, one step at a time

Edited December 26, 2023 by GinBoy2

[VBF]

17 hours ago, worrab said:

Yes, you are okay as I always book the Saver ticket as well. The chauffeur drive is an absolute godsend for me.

I was swopped to a 777 BKK-DXB a couple of years ago. Still had the window seat but it is 2-2-2. Still comfortable but not the same a the 380 and no bar!! I better check my July flights then. Lol

They've put me in the window seat too but I'm quite annoyed at the switch, because part of the reason I choose Emirates Business Class is that  they use the A380 with all it includes! I haven't studied the T&C but I presume that contractually swapping aircraft for "operational reasons" is not something to which I can object. It's the last sector of my journey (DXB - LGW) so when I get home, IF I've found it objectionable, then I will make  a formal objection and see what, if anything, it gets me.

[VBF]

5 hours ago, GinBoy2 said:

<snip>

 

To compare it to the TG lounge in BKK, way better.  Still not Emirates but hey, one step at a time

In 2020, when Emirates stopped flying, I flew TG from BKK to LHR. I found the TG lounge at "Swampy" very unimpressive compared with the Emirates one which, IMO, is actually superior to the one in Dubai. Seeing as how Dubai is Emirates' home base, I found that rather odd.

[josephbloggs]

1 minute ago, VBF said:

In 2020, when Emirates stopped flying, I flew TG from BKK to LHR. I found the TG lounge at "Swampy" very unimpressive compared with the Emirates one which, IMO, is actually superior to the one in Dubai. Seeing as how Dubai is Emirates' home base, I found that rather odd.

I agree, I prefer their Bangkok lounge too. More intimate, more accessible. The one in Dubai just feels like a big canteen and I prefer to pour my own drinks rather than have to ask someone for one each time. The only thing superior in Dubai is the Moet bar, that is very cool, but it's only in one of their lounges and I always forget which (just looked it up, Concourse B):

https://www.executivetraveller.com/visiting-emirates-moet-et-chandon-champagne-bar-in-dubai

[VBF]

2 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

I agree, I prefer their Bangkok lounge too. More intimate, more accessible. The one in Dubai just feels like a big canteen and I prefer to pour my own drinks rather than have to ask someone for one each time. The only thing superior in Dubai is the Moet bar, that is very cool, but it's only in one of their lounges and I always forget which (just looked it up, Concourse B):

https://www.executivetraveller.com/visiting-emirates-moet-et-chandon-champagne-bar-in-dubai

Thanks for that - I was unaware of that Moet bar! 👍

I feel a plan forming here......

Visit the Moet bar, enjoy what it has to offer, get on the 777 for my flight home and...….sleep!

 

I'm putting your link in my calendar for my flight home to remind me - cheers! 🍸

[josephbloggs]

11 minutes ago, VBF said:

They've put me in the window seat too but I'm quite annoyed at the switch, because part of the reason I choose Emirates Business Class is that  they use the A380 with all it includes! I haven't studied the T&C but I presume that contractually swapping aircraft for "operational reasons" is not something to which I can object. It's the last sector of my journey (DXB - LGW) so when I get home, IF I've found it objectionable, then I will make  a formal objection and see what, if anything, it gets me.

When Emirates first started operating the A380 I was excited to try it so booked business back to the UK. I always check aircraft type when booking, but two legs were last minute changes to 777s which are way behind the A380 experience. I did write a formal complaint as it had upset me - it was the whole reason I chose Emirates: the A380 and its bar.

They did reply that it is their right to change aircraft type due to any number of reasons so they can apologise, but it is normal and you have no recourse. If I remember rightly they bunged a few miles into my account but that was all.

[VBF]

Just now, josephbloggs said:

When Emirates first started operating the A380 I was excited to try it so booked business back to the UK. I always check aircraft type when booking, but two legs were last minute changes to 777s which are way behind the A380 experience. I did write a formal complaint as it had upset me - it was the whole reason I chose Emirates: the A380 and its bar.

They did reply that it is their right to change aircraft type due to any number of reasons so they can apologise, but it is normal and you have no recourse. If I remember rightly they bunged a few miles into my account but that was all.

That's sort of the response I'm expecting, to be honest.

[josephbloggs]

1 hour ago, VBF said:

Thanks for that - I was unaware of that Moet bar! 👍

I feel a plan forming here......

Visit the Moet bar, enjoy what it has to offer, get on the 777 for my flight home and...….sleep!

 

I'm putting your link in my calendar for my flight home to remind me - cheers! 🍸

Enjoy, cheers!