Just back from the economy class DBX-LAX route - best flight ever. Hated Emirates on the Capetown to Dubai leg - the most uncomfortable seats ever, failed to provide seats confirmed on their website and stuck in a dreaded three row window seat and lousy food, couldn't understand the fuss about Emirates at all. Seated next to wing and noise was so bad I could not use their ill-fitting headphones even when I had the volume up to the max. Luckily was able to borrow Bose noise-canceling earphones to enjoy some of the ICE.

But then boarding the 777 200LR to LAX we got our requested seats in the few two seat rows with a window to the incredible scenery on that route going over Iran, the Caspian and Aral seas, Russia, the North Pole and Canada. Fantastic. A bonus travel adventure.

Much quieter seat location (row 36) and used my own Bose earbuds for a great ICE experience though the navigation displays were slow and balky and hard to use.

Never has such a long flight gone by so easily - very nice legroom, good, (but not great meals - take some lessons from Air France, particularly on their breads), very comfortable seats and this fantastic travel route across the middle and most remote part of our planet.

Unimpressed with Transit terminal in Dubai - one heck of a long walk to see it all, nothing there except US chain restaurants and fast food places and the typical over-priced "duty free" junk. Very disappointed in their jewelry and gold offerings - mainly elaborate 22k items which does not have the same aesthetic "western" appeal as it has for non-western travelers who made up the bulk of their customer base , where it is lovely and highly appreciated.

Emirates wins on this economy flight: great seats and leg room, okay food and excellent in-cabin entertainment.

However, food service was very slow - many special order meals had to go out first and rarely got a hot beverage service with the meal. Silly, useless snacks. But we had the time to wait - what else are you going to do for 16 hours?