Originally I had planned and booked an award ticket on QR to DOH and on to DXB that would connect me to the next leg of my RTW a BA flight from DXB back to LHE. However I decided instead to stump up some AA miles to get me back to DXB on the same QF flight I took at the start of my last set of flights. This time however I went with J flights instead of F. This meant I could also spend the day and one night in DXB and do something I had wanted to do for a while now. That is to visit the Burj Kalifa tower.
As part of the deal, even on an award J flight, QF offers the limo service. As with my last flight I received a call the day earlier to confirm my pick up details.
In a strangely de ja vu way I worked the day and went home to pack and shower before my limo arrived.
The driver arrived around 30 minutes early and I was just finishing packing when he left me message to say he was outside. He did say he would wait but if I was ready and wanted to head out I could.
I trotted down stairs and out to the waiting Benz and we headed out around 18:45.
We took a different route to my last trip but none the less still ended up at LHR Terminal 3 around 40 minutes after setting off.
After being dropped off I walked up to the QF desks and the agent checked me in and sent me upstairs to security and told me I could use the BA lounge.
Security was faster this time and I was through in a few minutes. Once inside I made my way to the BA lounge to wait out the flight. I needed to show the agent my BA Gold card to get into the F lounge as the ticket was on AA stock and had my AA Platinum ( OW Sapphire ) number on it that would only get me into the J lounge.
Once inside I settled in and only at this point did I realise I was sans an essential piece of equipment for my trip report. Yes folks I somehow managed to leave my camera on the shelf at home. Oh well it could be worse as I will be travelling 38000 miles in this next jaunt, but I am going back to London on Friday and will be in London for 8 hours and will be going home in between flights. Phew.
The lounge had some salads and cold meats including grilled chicken, parsnip soup, rice, chilli con carne, pork belly, vegetable lentil curry and thai chicken curry along with the usual other nibbles etc. The champagne out this evening was a Taittinger Prelude or Taittinger Rose.
There were plenty of staff wandering around picking up plate, glasses etc which was good to see.
I left the lounge before any call was made, as usual, and made my way to the gate. Boarding had already started and I had my BP and PP checked and was able to walk straight on up the ramp to the upper deck.
Flight QF0010 LHR-DXB Seat 13K (Business)
Aircraft: 380-800
Departure time: 22:15
On board I was directed to my seat and my jacket was taken as soon as I removed it. Bubbles, OJ or water were offered and of course the bubbly was my choice. A menu was already on the seat and the crew dropped by with amenity kits and PJs. There was a pillow and duvet at the seat.
The captain announced a flying time of 6 hours. After the door closing announcement a guy in 13 E was asked to switch off his iphone. He said ‘Yeah sure’. He then proceeded to send and receive texts and finally just sat his phone face down on the armrest. We pushed back at 22:24 and he was sill at it on his phone. He sent his final text at 22:35 and switched off the phone as the engines spooled up on the runway. Tosser!
After take off the crew dropped by with bottled water and a hot towel service.
The crew confirmed my pre-booked meal choice.
One of the crew stopped by and added a quilted under blanket to the seat.
As this was a late night ‘supper’ flight the meal was served with a salad and main at the same time with no starter course. Bread and wine were offered and I went with a lovely shiraz that I often drink at home. Water and wine were replenished during the meal and after I finished I was asked if I wanted dessert or tea/coffee. I declined both.
I set the seat into bed mode and wrapped up under the duvet for a few hours sleep.
I awoke around 1 hour 40 out of Dubai and changed back into my civvies in order to beat the rush that was inevitably going to happen later. The crew came by with the breakfast trolley around an hour out. I opted for some fruit and yoghurt and a coffee.
The crew went about getting the cabin prepared for landing and asked people to open their shades. I could see that icon of Dubai in the distance standing tall above the smog/fog.
We landed at around 08:35 and taxied up to the gate. The gates were attached relatively swiftly and I was on my down to immigrations. Most people diverted off to the transit security area, as it seems not many people, from up the front anyway, use the QF service as a means of getting to DXB only from LHR.
I needed to catch a transit train over to the main terminal and then walked down a level to the immigrations area. The QF crew had given me a fast track card that said I should use rows 8 – 15 but there were no queues at any desk so I walked up to the closest one. A very pleasant chap processed me into the UAE and I walked on through the baggage hall and outside.
The QF limo service is operated by their Emirates friends. You need to turn right after exiting customs and walk to the end where they have a desk that will print out the voucher for the transfer. You then walk outside and hand the voucher over and hop in your limo. In the case of business class travellers this was a Volvo estate.
My car zipped me on down to the Mall of the Emirates where the Sheraton hotel awaited me.
At check in the agents were quite apologetic that they couldn’t put me in the pre-assigned suite as a PLT upgrade as there were none available. They said I could wait or they could put me in a Club room now. I opted for the later.
They sent me up to the Club lounge where they said the agent would cut me a key when the room was ready and it would only be ten minutes or so. In the lounge I was invited to have some breakfast. My room was ready moments later and I went down for a shower and snooze before heading out for the day.
I had pre-booked a trip to the ‘At the top’ experience at the Burj Kahlifa. I had already done my homework and knew I could use the Dubai metro to get me from the Mall of the Emirates to the Dubai Mall and Burj Kahlifa so at around 14:00 I headed out through the mall to the train station. I was able to get a return fare for 9 AED.
It is quite a walk from the station to the Dubai Mall but there are moving walkways and it is all under cover. Don’t be alarmed that you walk past the Burj Kahlifa though.
Inside the Dubai mall is enormous. There is little signage pointing out where you need to go for the At the Top experience and you need to go to the lower ground level where you will signs directing you. I needed to collect my tickets from the ‘will call / cloak room’ to the left of the entrance area. I was quite early so after getting my ticket I wandered around the mall for a while.
I was instructed to come back around 15:15 for my 15:30 trip to the top. The entrance waiting area filled up and a long queue formed. They eventually started to let people through. First up was a security check with WMD and x-ray like an airport. A long walk and later we queued again for the elevators. The elevators travel at 10 metres per second and take you to the 124th floor in around a minute. From the start of the queue moving through security to my arriving at the top it took around 30 minutes. None of the multi-elevator experience here to get to the top. At the top there is an outdoor terrace where you can gaze down on Dubai a long way down. Looking up there are another 40 floors above the deck with the spire on top of that.
After spending some time looking around it was time to queue up again to get down.
Walking around Dubai mall is like a strange conglomerate of all malls of the western world. Galleries Lafayette (France), Bloomingdales (USA), Tim Hortons (Canada), Gloria Jeans (Australia), Carluccio’s (UK) etc.
I grabbed some lunch in the mall at one of the many eateries there before heading back to the Sheraton. When I got back to my room the turn down service was in progress so I went up to the lounge as ‘happy hour’ was beginning.
I didn’t stay long as it was full of noisy people and I was tired.
Back in my room it was a struggle to stay awake until 22:00 when I finally crashed for the night.
I awoke about 05:45 and had a shower and headed up for breakfast in the lounge. On offer were scrambled eggs, veal sausage, beef bacon, grilled tomato, potatoes, baked beans and Arabian beans, pastries, breads, cereals and oatmeal along with continental options of salads, cold meats and cheese. I really don’t get the whole idea of beef bacon, turkey bacon etc. If it is not pork it is not bacon why do we need to invent substitutes and call them bacon?
After breakfast it was back to the room and a make ready for my departure. I had originally planned on going the cheap option to the airport using the Dubai metro that would have cost 8.5 AED. However it was Friday and the metro doesn’t start running until after lunch. A taxi was the next best option and after a forty minute 65 AED taxi ride I was at DXB terminal 1.
Inside the BA first check-in desk was empty and I approached the agent. He asked if I wanted to check in to MEL or just LHR. I said London as I would be checking a bag anyway in London.
He then called over another agent who handed me off to another gent who escorted me through immigrations and security and the in a buggy to the terminal building. We then ascended and got into another buggy for a ride to the BA lounge.
Inside the lounge the agent said the BA wifi was down and I could use the airport wifi instead. I went inside and attempted to do that but it didn’t work. It was crowded and full of noisy children so I left and went to the Priority Pass lounge that was located just across from the BA gate anyway.
Inside I was welcomed into the relatively quiet solitude of the lounge with wifi that worked.
There was a decent spread of western and Middle Eastern breakfast items on offer.
I grabbed some juice and checked emails etc. Around 09:10 the agent made an announcement that the BA flight was boarding.
I finished up what I was doing and made my way out to the gate. I asked the desk agent how long before boarding would actually start. She said the crew were on board and they were just awaiting the go ahead. There is a secondary security at the gate but liquids, laptops etc can stay in bags. I sat down and a few minutes later there was announcement that boarding would start in 10 minutes.
Boarding started with groups with children and other passengers needing assistance. Then First, Business and BA and OW elites were invited to board. Needless to say a scrum formed at the entrance. I waited until it died down before walking up. The agent was checking BPs was kicking to the curb those who were not yet entitled to board.
I walked down the ramp and to door 1 as they had two bridges attached.
Flight BA0108 DXB-LHR Seat 1K (First)
Aircraft: 777-300
Departure time: 10:05
At the door I was directed to my seat but not escorted as BA are supposed to do.
At my seat I was offered a newspaper or magazine and an amenity kit was handed out. I was asked if I wanted to a sleeper suit or slippers. The kit now does not include things like mask or socks so I did ask for some socks. The BA slippers are useless if you have feet large than size 10.
I was offered a date and some Arabic coffee that were delicious as ever. I was then offered another drink and bubbly was the go.
The captain announced a flight time of 7 hours and 30 minutes with a strong head wind hindering our progress. He did say were all on board and we would probably get away a little early. A hot towel service was done before push back at 09:53. Menus were handed out as we taxied and we took off at 10:11.
After the belt sign was off drinks orders were taken and I opted for a bloody Mary this morning. It was delivered a while later with the warm nuts.
My lunch order was taken and I was asked if I wanted to eat straight away or wait for a while. I said I would wait an hour as that would be midday DXB time.
I started to work on this report whilst listening to some music. I was offered a refill of the BM but instead asked for some sparkling water instead. The smells of cooking in the galley caused me to sneeze several times and this evoked a Bless you from the crew. It reminded me of a flight in F on SQ a few years back where I sneezed and suddenly a box of tissues appeared at my seat. Some airlines know how to operate a truly first class experience. Not BA.
The lunch service started at the time I requested and my table was made up for me.
The meze plate was out first but no bread was offered and there was no top up of my water glass that was empty, or any offer of wine.
My empty plate was taken away and I had to ask for some sauvignon blanc and more water.
Next up I was expecting the salad but my main course appeared. Oh dear BA strikes again.
The veg were nice and the steak OK but a little over done for my liking.
After the main I was asked if I wanted dessert. I said I would have some cheese and my crewmember said that they were out of cheese. I am afraid the camel’s back was broken at this stage and in a rare DYKWIA moment I said ‘I thought I was travelling in First’. She said let me just double check and a while later came back with a cheese plate for me. I was offered port or red wine and I opted for a glass of the Shiraz.
After my cheese was consumed I was offered coffee or tea. I asked for a double espresso and a refill of the red. Both were delivered a while later along with a box of Iain Bartlett chocolates that was left at my table. There were some interesting combinations in the chocolate box and I opted for a lime and lemongrass and lime and chilli chocolate. I had to close the lid to stop me dipping in again.
The crew asked if I wanted any duty free and I made my order. It was delivered a while later. My coffee cup was removed and the chocolate box taken away and I was offered more red that I accepted.
I snoozed for a while and then watched a couple of programs on the IFE before afternoon tea was offered around 90 minutes out of London. Even though this was a 777 with the newest Thales IFE I still struggled to find music I wanted to listen to or programming I wanted to watch. It seems my tastes and those at BA that set up the IFE are vastly different things. They don’t seem to offer enough variety and stick with similar items. On CX or QF I never seem to have the same problem finding something of interest.
For afternoon tea I went for some sandwiches, scones and tea.
There was some turbulence for a while around 50 minutes out of London and the seat belt signs came on. The captain made his 40 minutes to go announcement and turned off the belt sign for a while. Fifteen minutes later the crew set about making the cabin ready for landing and the belt signs came on again. There was no visit from the CSD on this flight and no immigration cards were handed out.
We touched down at 13:44 and taxied up to a terminal B gate. The ramp was attached to door 2L and the crew held back the J passengers until the F cabin had left. I thanked the crew on the way out and made my way down to the transit system. It was 4 minutes before the transit train arrived to take us to terminal A. Upstairs I was pleased to see no queues at fast track and I was able to walk up to a free agent.
As I was with hand baggage only I walked straight on out of the baggage hall and down to the Heathrow Express train. I had just missed one, as always seems to be the case and had to wait 13 minutes for the next. After the HEX journey it was a quick two tube train ride home where I walked up to my flat around 1 hour and 15 minutes after touchdown.