Have travelled several time's with the so called better Middle east airlines and all are at best just ok slightly cheaper but the food in Business class is at best edible.

My 8 course meal on EVA business snack's or even another full meal if you have the room before your next course of only 6 this time was second to none, N/B you can pre order you meal on line before so if you don't get it right that's you problem. When I last had food on Emirates business was offered starter no choice two dishes for main course the one that arrived was tepid gave up on anything else seat's small not lie flat poor to say the least, added to the fact that you had to hang around in yet another airport for 2/3 hour's their lounge was very good though, needed to be but couldn't make up for the rest. Must admit though that all cattle class food is not that great.

For years when I flew between UK and Ausralia, I had to stop in the Middle East in the middle of the night as well as Bangkok/Singapore. Usually Bahrain. For me it's a pleasure not having to any more..

How can people who say "I have flown only XYZ airline" for the last 7 years because "ABC airline" are rubbish (by implication 7 years ago). The one thing I have found by travelling 6 return journeys UK to BKK per annum for the last 10 years is that:

1. airlines change in the finer points of their service offering and therefore their relative perceived superiority changes surprisingly frequently

2. the finer points of service seem so important when you fly infrequently or are an airline nerd

3. when you fly regularly you get used to paying the cheapest price (within reason - nothing will compensate me for changing a plane in India), feeding yourself at your departure airport and buying a couple of bottles of water airside on departure, shutting your eyes and sleeping

No point reading anybody's' review when they are already hooked for a long time and exclusively on one airline.

EVA were fine when I last flew them 4 years ago, so were Thai (if you had your own entertainment or slept) and British Airways. The 3 big arab airlines then took over and I haven't used anyone else since. By dint of my earlier reasoning you should not trust any review of mine, other than a comparison between those 3 arabs. They are equally good by the way and equally have a (different) weak point and an occasional cock-up. Just buy the cheapest at the time!

Edit: All airlines are now cr@p in economy at leg room and serving alcohol. Sorry - that's down to the likes of me, who buy tickets mostly on price.

Some valid points. However I think the comparison between Thai & Eva is for those who prefer to fly direct as neither of them can compete with the Middle East airlines in terms of comfort, food, entertainment etc IMHO.

Flew EVA BKK-LHR couple of months back . Not bad, be wary of aisle seats with the AVOD box nicking the legroom, but would be the same with Thai and the retro fitted 747's they are using (no doubt responsible for them being one of the noisiest airlines at Heathrow in another thread). Food definitely a weak point with Eva but I take sandwiches

I am not sure that the Doha experience is worth a bit better food.

I used to fly EVA often ( got their mileage card and got into the lounge also very nice)

I started on them when my usual "bucket shop" ticket place did not have a good price on the other airline I frequently used, so I got EVA.

If you shop around ( find some travel bucket shops) tickets are reasonable even for premium economy.

one flight I got upgraded to business class on EVA. not much different then premium economy.

Upgraded must have been some time ago.

Just travelled with EVA business, seating herring bone 1/2/1 large fully reclining seats fantastic food 5*, service second to none, not cheap but less that what that so called airline Thai charges. Only flown once in the last 10 years with Thai Business class and the food was inedible, service what service.

it was a long time ago, these days we try to get Cathay business or first ( got lots of oneworld miles to burn)