Emirates Airlines BOM-DXB-SFO First Class (inc Suites)
BOM-DXB
Arriving at BOM in the back of the Silver Mercedes supplied to all F & J passengers by Emirates at 2 in the morning always makes you feel guilty, as there are many travelers “camping” outside on newspapers before their departing flights the following day. For those unfamiliar with BOM the domestic terminal is a good 15 minute drive away, very few Domestic Indian Airlines check in bags all the way through, so if you are on an early morning flight, camping out is one of the only ways. My advice though, would be to stay at the Domestic terminal for as long as possible as it’s nicer and having been there too in the middle of the night on a previous trip, a lot less crowded. Anyway, back to First Class!
Once you show the security guards your passport and boarding pass/ticket you are allowed through. There was a couple in front on me in the dedicated F check in and 2 waiting at the J desk and as always a long line to the Y check in, but very orderly!
A very friendly CIA assisted me, and made sure I had filled out all the relevant paperwork to clear Indian immigration. I was handed my onward boarding pass and bags checked in through to LAS (I was taking a VX flight to LAS immediately upon landing into SFO).
Immigration was breeze as there is a fast Track for J & F which can be used by any airline. There was a CX flight going out at a similar time but only 4 people waiting for 2 desks. There were other flights, but Al Jazeira, Air Arabia etc offering no Premium Class Travel. Once you have your passport stamped, you then join everyone else for a security check. After this, like many airports in India and Pakistan, they insist on stamping the label on your hand luggage.
Emirates Lounge
Lounge was great, easy to find and plenty of seats for F, J and Y passengers flying with Skywards Gold membership (which I also have). Great selection of food and beverages, however, this was one of the many public holidays in India to be considered a dry day! So no booze! I have always noticed in this lounge that a Red Luggage Tag (First Class) means show off, you can tell these people are like Peacocks, showing off their feathers. A tremendous display of “look at me” going on in the lounge as you MUST have a label to clear customs you could almost see those with red labels looking for the blue (Business) to sit next to and flash their feathers. Interestingly enough, the couple in front of me checking in were in Business Class, and I later saw the majority of passengers showing off their labels entering the J class cabin, there were 4 of us (none of which were the peacocks) in total out of a possible 12 seats in F. There is no smoking in the lounge, I had asked the CIA if she knew of anywhere once passed immigration and she informed me “just to ask around”. I asked reception and they made a call. Within less than a minute, there was a guy waiting to escort me to this special place. It’s the restaurant by gate 1 – this is the only place you can smoke in BOM, if like me you are escorted in by airport staff you are able to use the “luxurious” cornered off area with leather couches, providing you buy a 100irps bottle of water. I gave my new best friend 5 U$ for his trouble and he told everyone to look after me.
BOM-DXB SEAT 2A 777-200
Boarding soon commenced, and like many flights departing from the Sub-Continent, it’s always chaos. Everyone milling around the departure gate, the minute any noise comes over the intercom, everyone rushes to the front of the queue. Priority boarding was announced and F, J and Silver and Gold pax man handled their way to the front of the queue and we made it onto the bird. Seat 2a was my temporary home for the next 2hrs 45 mins.
I was handed a menu and asked what I would like to drink, I asked for a glass of fizz (knowing EK serve Dom to its first passengers) I was presented with a glass of WARM champagne. I asked if they had any cold stuff. I then waited for around 15 minutes for a new glass – I knew they were desperately trying to cool some stuff down by this stage. I looked around the cabin. This was the 777-200 with the cabin style with the massive dividers
http://gallery.flyertalk.com/gallery/album81/DSC09084 between each seat including a mini bar in tact. I was handed (all whilst waiting for cold champagne) the towel, and slippers. No amenity kit on this short flight. Eventually I got another glass of champagne and I was right, all they had done was cooled it down in an ice bucket, it was still not right, the senior FA came over and I asked him why they did not have it chilled prior to the flight? He had no answer and admitted he was wrong.
We took off, with the usual 10 – 15 minute delay out of Bombay; most flights are usually delayed out of BOM due to ground staff having to run round the whole airport shouting for the last remaining passengers etc. I was given a glass of almost right temperature champagne, and I was happier. 20 minutes later I was offered a top up – the FA topped up my glass along with my leg, my jeans, my socks and my shoes and the seat. She ran back to the galley to get a cloth, I must admit it took her ages to come back! I moved over to 2B as it was dry, unlike my clothing! I was mopped up and decided NOT to eat anything, but to grab a couple of hours sleep.
The First Class seats turn into a fully flat bed at the flick of a switch and you can get very comfortable indeed. IFE off, shutters down, I took the extra pillow off 2A which was dry and I was out like a light!
Landing into DXB 10 mins ahead of schedule, the senior FA came up to apologize yet again for the champagne and asked if I would like to take a bottle with me. I declined as I did not want to look like a pain, but thanked him for the thought. (I was also in transit and was not sure of the liquid rules in DXB Transit – which apparently there are none!).
Transit – DXB First Class Lounge
Currently if you fly from India to the Americas in F or J you are entitled to a 30 minute massage. I do not like them, but wanted to let other people know what is available. I do however like to avail to the very civilize smoking area. Both the J and the F lounges have smoking areas, which in their own rights, have a great selection of food and drink, offer very comfortable seating, and are impeccably clean. There were however, no plug sockets for me to charge my laptop. I asked one of the very tentative waiters, who ushered me to a lounge section by the smoking area, removed the no smoking sign and there I sat for the remainder of the 3 hour transit time. I did manage to go to the Wine Cellar to make some purchases for my return trip of course. I was there from 06:20 until 08:15 which is perhaps one of the busiest times to be in DXB. The flight was called for boarding and I made my way to gate 213, one of the furthest in T3 from the lounge.
DXB-SFO
As I neared the gate, there were people everywhere, despite having a separate queue for premium passengers. However, there was a woman in front of the premium gate traveling with 5 children and an elderly lady in a wheel chair – so I was happy to wait. Eventually we boarded and F Class had its own bridge!
To my sheer delight, it was a suite service,
http://gallery.flyertalk.com/gallery/album81/DSC09091 
I knew it should have been, but of late you can never be too careful. The flight was a day flight and would head to be close to 18 hours in total. Departing DXB at 08:45 and arriving SFO at 13:45 the same day (technically).
I immediately changed in to my Pajamas, hung up my clothes in the provided wardrobe in every seat and settled in. I do love the suites! On the 777’s there are only 8 suites in total, the 380’s you have a total of 14. I prefer the 777 cabin, but wished it had the shower and the stand up bar. However, we were told that due to US regulations there are no communal areas and passengers were not to congregate anywhere in the aircraft. Of course, this made the tiny stand up bar social area at the font of the cabin impossible to use and pointless to have on this flight to SFO.
I was given the amenity kit, slippers, towel, and menu and asked what I wanted to drink, I had a glass of champagne, Hoorah this was the right temperature. I was asked if I would like to be shown how the cabin worked, but then the FA noticed I had tied up my bag – so then said I must have done this before! I said I had and if I needed anything I would be in touch, but felt as if my door would be closed most of the time.
For those that have not flown in the suites, you are in what can only be described as a mini-cabin. You have a 23 “Plasma TV screen at one end, that sits over a shelf, with pop up mini spa kit surrounded by a mirror
http://gallery.flyertalk.com/gallery/album81/DSC09103with lights in an oval shape (sounds tacky), you have a reading light with a dimmer switch, which you can angle anywhere within the cabin, You have a pop up mini bar, with glass, orange juice, Pepsi, water, still and sparkling and a basket with chocolates and small snacks in it. You have a call bell – named room service, a phone, a fully wireless remote control docking station for the cabin, including the TV, the Seat (which includes a massage facility), the lights, the shutters, the doors etc. There are no overhead lockers, but ample space for storage of your bag, plus many smaller bins to store your books, wallet, glasses, etc. There are also 2 air con vents which are both angled so you can have them where you want. The cabin also comes with a mattress, a sheet and a duvet. You also get a small booklet on how to make the most of your suite. And on one of the longest none stops done by Emirates, I was certainly going to be able to make the most of this suite.
I was offered a top up and the FA went though the menu with me, explaining that I could have what I wanted, when I wanted. The menu is vast and included breakfast, snack and dinner items way too many to list. Easy! I did admit that I would be sleeping as much as possible on this trip as I was going on a big night out in Vegas that evening, before heading to a wedding the following day, then on a flight back to DXB on the Sunday, which is the same day they all return, however, I was flying back from LAX so would not see them.
In order to help me sleep, I ordered a few glasses of wine, beautiful I was heading to the land of nod, took 2 night time panadol and prepared the bed, there is a simple “bed” mode button, where the arm rests also go down, making the bed wider. I am a large framed 6ft 2’ ‘er and have no trouble sleeping at all – even without the wines and panadols! I placed the mattress onto of the seat, and stole an extra blanket for more neck support, placed the sheet over and then the feather duvet. Climbed into my bed, closed the shutters, turned off the TV and I was ready to sleep. I closed the door, illuminated the “do not disturb” sign and I was almost ready. You also have the option to turn all the lights in your area onto night mode, I opted for total black out, but needed the provided eyeshades as other cabins had their shutters still open. I slept a full uninterrupted 6 hours.
http://gallery.flyertalk.com/gallery/album81/DSC09110
Usually I stir on flights, but hardly ever in the suites.
I woke to a glass of champagne – you have to really and a cup of tea,
http://gallery.flyertalk.com/gallery/album81/DSC09106
which is served to you in a silver pot, along with a milk jug and a bowl of sugar all served with a plate of your choice of biscuits! Digestives being my favorite too! And I ordered something to eat; I opted just for soup and a salad, but then half way through my salad (which you make to order from the selected ingredients) I decided I may have to go for the “light bite” lamb shanks. Amazing, the meat fell off the bone. I did not go for desert, as I wanted a full meal after my next sleep. I had a few more wines, watched one episode of friends whilst sat crossed legged as if I were doing yoga on my bed.
And another sleep! 6 hours later and I am awake again! I was going to a friends wedding in Vegas, I knew that many people were arriving much earlier than I and would be “partying” before I arrived, it was 11am in Vegas, I was not due to arrive until 6pm, I did not want to start playing catch up when I arrived, so was on a mission to be on the same wave length when I arrived. I explained this to one of the FA’s, who immediately asked what I wanted, I went for Vodka and Diet Coke, and ordered lunch. Salmon followed by Beef Fillet. Done just to my liking, as were the wine top ups, followed by the usual F class desert selection – I love them, and more wine. Followed by what I call a golden triangle. The FA had not heard of them, and brought, on a try, the required, bottle of baileys, bottle of vodka and a bottle of cointreau along with a very large glass of ice. This finished off the meal perfectly and the bottle soon re-appeared where together we mixed another, and another, and another
It was soon time for decent, so I was given a quick glass of champagne as a good luck for the wedding, and once again, offered a bottle to take off as a good luck for my friends wedding, I had to refuse as I was in transit! But a real nice thought this time, instead of a bribe from not telling anyone about the champagne on the first flight! We were given all the paperwork from US immigration; I used the pen from the stationery kit you receive in the writing drawer in the suite. I gathered my things and looked out for the Golden Gate Bridge as we landed.
This flight being one of the longest none stops in the world soon passed, and the almost 12 hours I had spent sleeping, somewhat a waste of champagne and other cocktails! | did ask the crew for a customer service comment card, as I always do when I receive such good service.
I was ready to face my first Virgin America Flight, although in first, I knew it would not live up to what I had just encountered!
