Emirates

[big carl]

I have been considering a flight to the states and they came up on cheap air flights. Does any one know about how their service is. I am handicapped and would need a wheel chair.`

From Chiang Mai to the west coast in the states. Not sure where yet relatives from San Diego to Everett.

I haven't heard much about Emirates and what I have heard is some what of a mix which I guess can happen with many air lines.

[Broken Record]

Ranked in the top 5 Airlines 2015.

http://www.worldairlineawards.com/awards/world_airline_rating.html

[Lannig]

I fly them almost exclusively from France to Thailand and back, 2 to 5 times per year.

Excellent service. If they operate the Airbus A380 on your route, that's a real plus. It's more roomy and much quieter than other aircrafts even in cattle class.

Usually you get very service-minded staff, very international. 20 or more different nationalities in cabin crew is common on an A380.

Highy recommended and definitely the best deals I could find on my own route.

Their frequent flyer program isn't very generous, though.

[MyFrenU]

Economy class on Emirates is as good as business class on most other airlines to Thailand!

[changside]

Flew with Emirates to Thailand last month. Found them to be excellent. Pretty much the same as Ethiad in service and price

[Lannig]

Economy class on Emirates is as good as business class on most other airlines to Thailand!

I wouldn't go that far but on their most recent A380s (tail number A6-EOx) they have an economy class section upstairs.

This is even quieter than downstairs, there are only about 20 or 25 rows of 2-4-2 seats, the cabin crew is more available due to less passengers to take care of, so so the overall ambiance isn't quite far from business class indeed, if it weren't for the seats.

Edited June 20, 2016 by Lannig

[smokie36]

Emirates is good...no complaints at all.

[Ian223]

I fly 5-6 times/year to and from the states on Emirates. I can only speak for their A380's, which as another poster said are very roomy and quiet, and their ICE entertainment system has a great selection. WiFi access is available but is spotty and unavailable over certain airspace, and seats have power outlets.

The business class cabin is excellent, with fully reclining bed seats a full bar and lounge in the rear. I find their service - whatever the class - to be among the best in the business.

Highly recommended.

[Chicog]

Tbh unless you're waiting for Qatar to fly to Chiang Mai later this year, you can perm any one of Etihad, Emirates or Qatar, and go CNX-Gulf-US.

They all do non-stop direct to the US I think, and they'll all organise a wheelchair for you.

I'm doing a non-stop DOH-LAX in July on QR.

Maybe that will fit the bill.

[MyFrenU]

"and their ICE entertainment system has a great selection."

It's a bit anorak to name the actual name of an airline's entertainment system!

[kannot]

from someone who's used them for over 10 years........................ service varies wildly, down to the crew even travelling business class and even first service has on occasions been bloody crap but for me they offer the best routes for what i want . Hit and miss Id say.

They will take care of any wheelchairs or help you need, they are pretty good with that as when I brought my 88 year old Mother here they were fine, Check any stopver times in Dubai if you go thru there as they can on occasions be a LONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNG time.

Im flying again on them this Sunday theyll send a car for me, this part has always been reliable and they are pretty lax on excess baggage ie 20kilos over allowed on several occasions.

Absolutely no way is Business anything like economy class, there is more room on the A380 but Emirates like to ram in more seats across on all their flights the 777's have a 3-4-3 arrangements whereeas others use 2-4-2 or 3-3-3 so prepare to not be able to cough in your seat and enjoy eating with your elbows in someone elses face in economy.

Last trip was Hong Kong and the TV didnt work.............in First class

Ive often asked for a pineapple juice when boarding and theyve forgotten on 3 separate occasions, this is their "welcome aboard" drink.....hardly a welcome.

Complaints always get the same answer but nothing seems to change

Their lounges are pretty good in fact I usually eat way too much even before boarding.

They have a 70 mile limit on Chauffeur drive cars in the Uk, Etihad have a 100 mile range dont know what the U.S is.

Business class also gives you fasttrack access at airports where available.

You need to wacth fares daily differences of over £3-4-500 not uncommon with Business.

First Class isnt worth the money over business class the benefits versus costs are minimal unless you want a private suite which really arent so private and a writing set!!

As a wheelchair passenger you will get to board first if in economy and theyll save you an aisle seat

Edited June 20, 2016 by kannot

[ChidlomDweller]

How's the terminal in Dubai?

I flew with Qatar Airways once (about 2012) and found the flight very good, but that airport was like a Greyhound ststion in the US, and the most disgusting toilets I've ever seen. Puddles of urine everywhere, to the point of streaming out of the stalls. Also a long bus ride to the terminal. It gets better if you pay for using the lounge there, but even so it's a very boring airport. It's why on a recent trip I decided to fly with Japan Airlines. I'd also look at Korean Airlines. That'll shave about 2 hours from the flying time as well.

[CharlieH]

TRAVEL FORUM

MOVED

[55Jay]

^^ Qatar (Doha) has opened their new terminal since then.

[kannot]

How's the terminal in Dubai?

I flew with Qatar Airways once (about 2012) and found the flight very good, but that airport was like a Greyhound ststion in the US, and the most disgusting toilets I've ever seen. Puddles of urine everywhere, to the point of streaming out of the stalls. Also a long bus ride to the terminal. It gets better if you pay for using the lounge there, but even so it's a very boring airport. It's why on a recent trip I decided to fly with Japan Airlines. I'd also look at Korean Airlines. That'll shave about 2 hours from the flying time as well.

Dubai when I first went was very small and quiet (1990) its now very very large with a separate terminal just for the A380 planes only .

Its ALWAYS very busy there even the lounges can get packed.

Never had any real problems there though and plenty of things to do/eat etc etc

[RabC]

"and their ICE entertainment system has a great selection."

It's a bit anorak to name the actual name of an airline's entertainment system!

Says the person who cant seem to differentiate between Cattle and Business class..........Flow business many times?

[Lannig]

Dubai isn't the nicest airport I know, it's kind of cold (too much air-con IMO) and poorly lit in some areas.

Transfer walks are kind of long and sometimes difficult to figure out. I know it by heart now and almost every time I have to help puzzled people searching their way.

There's a huge duty-free mall but I have hardly found anything that's worth a purchase. Electronics aren't cheap contrary to many people think. I can get better deals online here in France on Amazon or local e-commerce sites.

The good thing is that there are fast-food outlets (MacDonald's and Burger King I think) selling stuff at regular prices, unlike the ripoffs of Suwarnabhumi.

There are many deck chair style seats but they are really hard and poorly located along noisy and busy alleys. Very few if any in quiet places.

Only at both ends of the terminals there are some sofas and a couple of things almost looking like real foam mattresses you can lie and possibly sleep on (but don't forget your blanket). As one can imagine they're hard to get to.

I've seen showers, apparently free to use but I haven't tried them yet.

What I dislike the most about Dubai airport? the wifi. It really sucks. You get only one hour free and even this is after quite many clicks. It's slow and unstable as hell.

Well, I paint a dark picture here but overall it's not that bad. Certainly much better than the "old Doha" (I don't know the new one) and probably as good as Paris Charles-de-Gaulle (except for the wifi maybe).

[fertilizer]

Economy class on Emirates is as good as business class on most other airlines to Thailand!

I wouldn't go that far but on their most recent A380s (tail number A6-EOx) they have an economy class section upstairs.

This is even quieter than downstairs, there are only about 20 or 25 rows of 2-4-2 seats, the cabin crew is more available due to less passengers to take care of, so so the overall ambiance isn't quite far from business class indeed, if it weren't for the seats.

Thanks to this post from “Lannig” I am now aware Emirates have 3 versions of A380.

It made me change the seating for our next flight to DXB as Emirates uses the 2 classes version for that flight. The economy section on the upper level is located in the forward section of the aircraft as well.

Edited June 21, 2016 by fertilizer

[JaiLai]

The Biz class on the A380s is fantastic, as someone mentions above not worth the money to travel 1st ( unless someone else paying - company ).

Only complaint about the Biz class is if you're seated from about 25 back the bar can be noisy if you're wanting to sleep.

I guess it's a safety issue why they never had it partitioned off?

[Lefty]

Have flown them a number of time business Class Bangkok to Houston using their wheel chair service which I rate as second to none,just make sure your reservation notes wheel chair service is required and don't forget to tip the wheel chair attendant.

Lefty

[JLCrab]

Thank you all very much for the reports but unless I am specifically traveling to the Middle East I prefer to travel from Bangkok to the USA over the Pacific because sh*t rarely happens over the Pacific.

Someday I hope to fly on an A380 but it will be Seoul to Atlanta on Korean Air.

Edited June 21, 2016 by JLCrab

[MyFrenU]

"I flew with Qatar Airways once (about 2012) and found the flight very good, but that airport was like a Greyhound ststion in the US, and the most disgusting toilets I've ever seen. Puddles of urine everywhere, to the point of streaming out of the stalls. Also a long bus ride to the terminal. It gets better if you pay for using the lounge there, but even so it's a very boring airport. It's why on a recent trip I decided to fly with Japan Airlines. I'd also look at Korean Airlines. That'll shave about 2 hours from the flying time as well."

You obviously didn't fly business/first class as the Qatar business and first class lounge in Doha is excellent,full of great restaurants,sandwich bars etc. the only difference is there's no cash registers!

[MyFrenU]

"Says the person who cant seem to differentiate between Cattle and Business class..........Flow business many times?"

Probably more than you "Rab" and actually I'd rather fly economy on Emirates than for instance,business class on EVA with their 45 degree flying coffin seats that make you feel like Count Dracula awakening in a Hammer House of Horror movie!

[JaiLai]

"Says the person who cant seem to differentiate between Cattle and Business class..........Flow business many times?"

Probably more than you "Rab" and actually I'd rather fly economy on Emirates than for instance,business class on EVA with their 45 degree flying coffin seats that make you feel like Count Dracula awakening in a Hammer House of Horror movie!

Biz class on ANY airline is better than Economy on ALL airlines.

[RabC]

"Says the person who cant seem to differentiate between Cattle and Business class..........Flow business many times?"

Probably more than you "Rab" and actually I'd rather fly economy on Emirates than for instance,business class on EVA with their 45 degree flying coffin seats that make you feel like Count Dracula awakening in a Hammer House of Horror movie!

You really should engage brain before putting your mouth in gear. EVA have had fully lie flat seats for 3-4 years now. The only aircraft I would fly business on Emerates is the A380, they put 7 across in business on their 777 which is pathetic. I learnt all this from experience flying numerous trips every year in business on business.

[RabC]

"Says the person who cant seem to differentiate between Cattle and Business class..........Flow business many times?"

Probably more than you "Rab" and actually I'd rather fly economy on Emirates than for instance,business class on EVA with their 45 degree flying coffin seats that make you feel like Count Dracula awakening in a Hammer House of Horror movie!

Biz class on ANY airline is better than Economy on ALL airlines.

He probably read it in the Daily Mail.

[Lannig]

The Biz class on the A380s is fantastic, as someone mentions above not worth the money to travel 1st ( unless someone else paying - company ).

(...)

+1 to this. They've upgraded me once for free, possibly because I had just subscribed to their frequent flyer program or just because economy was overbooked and being a member I was shortlisted for an upgrade and got lucky. Don't know.

Anyway, you never travel the same again once you've experienced it. Must be real close to what first class is on many airlines I guess. That was a great experience, alas unique... hoping to upgrade again using my miles but it will take a while because they're not too generous.

[MyFrenU]

"Says the person who cant seem to differentiate between Cattle and Business class..........Flow business many times?"

"You really should engage brain before putting your mouth in gear. EVA have had fully lie flat seats for 3-4 years now. The only aircraft I would fly business on Emerates is the A380, they put 7 across in business on their 777 which is pathetic. I learnt all this from experience flying numerous trips every year in business on business."

You sound and spell like a TEFLer,must be the only one in the World that flies business class,just hilarious!

[Lannig]

How an interesting thread with people exchanging useful tips, feedback and opinions is derailed into childish bickering

TVF at its worst.

[MyFrenU]

I find people of lower intelligence trying to bait me an irritant akin to a mosquito,nothing more!
Every village has its idiot...