BOARDING:
Finally we were invited to board andthe lounge emptied out quickly. Unfortunately, they were checking passports so I had to stand in the economy queue while Corbin and Terry entered quickly through the premium queue. Once inside the jetway, Corbin and I bade adieu to Terry who made his way down the lower jetway as we entered the upper jetway to First and Business class.
We were greeted warmly at the door by several flight attendants and upon seeing our ticket the purser escorted us to our suites. I had only had the suites on the Airbus 340-500 before and the First Class on the A380 seemed to be similar. With six total passengers, the cabin was only half full. This ensured that the service would be top-notch.
We were offered a pre-flight beverage and I chose champers. It had been SEVERAL minutes since I last had any champagne. Corbin stuck to the fresh squeezed orange juice. I told a FA that both Corbin and I wanted to take a shower at last possible opportunity. She said that she would book both of us for one hour before landing. SWEET! Next she delivered a whole pamphlet about the shower experience including descriptions of all the toiletries. Two lines of products were available: REVIVE to wake you up and RELAX to bring you down.
The suite is a techno-geek’s dream. Corbin quickly started pressing all the buttons to explore the power at his fingertips. He loved the built in mini-bar the best. He couldn’t believe all the space around him.
Standing in front of the suite’s TV
A view of a suite from the outside
The First Class cabin
Dates and Arabic coffee came around next. The coffee was a bit weak but I finished my tiny cup. I figured that the caffeine would be a good balance for all the champers of the morning. Corbin liked his date, a taste I have never learned to love.
Next came our menus in a lovely leather folder. Corbin and I both enjoyed seeing our options for today’s flight. While the meal would be fun, today’s flight was all about the shower.
Once settled, it’s time to peruse the menu
Corbin and I next started to look over our entertainment options. Emirates ICE system is wonderful and I was pleased to find the King’s Speech. It had just swept the Oscars and I still hadn’t seen it. My 23” LCD screen was big enough for me to enjoy the film.
I showed Corbin how to view the external tail camera and we watched our plane beautifully and quietly take off into the clouds. A month earlier we sat in about the same place on Qantas’ A380. Immediately, we were struck once again how quiet it is upstairs on the A380.
Our three hour flight would be aided today by tailwinds making it much shorter. We would even arrive early in spite of our late departure. Grandma and Grandpa would not be left waiting too long!
INFLIGHT SERVICE:
Overall I was very impressed with the in-flight service. As expected with a light load in First, we were well attended the entire time. The service was very typical of all my Emirates First Class flights. It is professional and formal but lacking in any personal conversation. I’ve had more luck getting the crew to talk while standing in the galley over out in the cabin.
The meal service began immediately as soon as the fasten seatbelt sign was turned off. The large white table cloth covered the huge tray table. I was surprised when the meal was presented on a tray! Even for a shorter flight this seemed out of place for Emirates First Class. The breadbasket and drinks were offloaded from the tray but this seemed very businessclassy to me.
The croissant in my basket was warm, buttery and flakey. It was the best croissant I have ever tasted in the air. The bowl of fruit was beautifully presented and we both finished it off. For my main, I chose scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and Hollandaise sauce and Corbin decided on the plate of cheeses. He said he wasn’t in the mood for a big breakfast. Mine was delicious and I easily cleaned my plate.
Corbin attacks his breakfast
Close up of Corbin’s breakfast
My breakfast sans the main dish
Fruit plate
Eggs with smoked salmon
Right after we were done with our meals, a FA came by to let us know that our showers were waiting. THIS IS THE MOMENT WE HAD BEEN WAITING FOR. When we got down to the shower area, I was impressed with the water fountain behind a beautiful floral arrangement. We met our attendants one for each of us that would be standing outside the door the entire time we were in the shower room in case we needed anything. This seemed a bit extravagant but I guess the whole thing is extravagant!
Water feature and flowers outside the showers
The attendant asked if this was my first time and proceeded to show all the features of the shower room. The sink was huge and had a big lit mirror perfect for putting on my make-up if I wore any. The toiletries selection was overwhelming but I managed to select some REVIVE products to get me clean.
View toward the sink and shower
Another view of the shower room
Many different products on offer
A flower on the towel
Pile o’washcloths
More toiletries
The vanity area
Soon she left and locked the door and I was finally alone. I immediately started to giggle. I started to take off my clothes and couldn’t believe that I was going to be entirely naked on a place for my first time ever. Then it dawned on me the REAL reason that each shower has an attendant: to prevent me inviting someone else to join the mile high club. There was enough room to invite four people in for a mile high fourgy or fivegy.
The super plush towel had a nice orchid place on top that gave the place a nice spa-like feeling. I wrapped the towel around me and made a brief video documenting this momentous moment.
You can view the “Showering at 39,000 ft” on YouTube. The following video is rated PG, Parental Guidance is suggested:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9E-0HB_EiI The X-rated version is also available on Xtube. Just kidding. Don’t even bother looking there. I teach math. And my students know how to use the Internet.
At last I walked in the shower and began my five minutes of bliss. A colored light indicator lets you know how far you are through your five minutes and then shuts off at one minute as a warning. From the time the water began to flow, I got the giggles again and then lasted for the whole five minutes. I just couldn’t believe that I was showering on a plane.
I can only imagine how much it costs to haul all that water for the possible twelve passengers. I guess when you’re paying tens of thousands of dollars for your ticket, Emirates doesn’t mind moving some water around the world for you.
After my shower, I used the hair dryer to get me looking presentable again. I tried to use as many of the different products available but didn’t get far. I’m a guy with pretty simple needs. I was sad to be getting in my clothes and would have loved to return to my seat in a big, fluffy bathrobe.
When I opened the shower room door, the attendant told me that Corbin had already finished and was back at his seat. I went by and got him so we could go visit Dad downstairs. We descended the front staircase and unbuckled the cord that prevents economy class passengers from climbing upstairs. Terry was seated near the front and he looked surprisingly happy! He said the breakfast was very good and he was happy to have a free seat next to him. Corbin made him smell his hair which is our tradition after a shower so he can prove to us he actually used shampoo and just didn’t let the water flow over his body.
Once back upstairs, Corbin and I decided to take a look at the bar area for First and Business Class passengers. It was empty except a “bartender” waiting to serve us. They also offered a variety of nibbly-bits for the hungry. On a long fifteen hour flight, I’m sure the bar area is a welcome distraction.
Back up at our suites, I finished the King’s Speech and really enjoyed it. I was not familiar with any of the story and found it fascinating. I speak Spanish with a Castilian accent. This accent is unique because it has forced lisping. One of the kings had a lisp so he made everyone speak that way. Now hundreds of years later, Spaniards continue this tradition even though it sounds quite funny. What’s the deal with so many kings with speech issues?
Throughout the entire flight my bottomless glass of Dom was topped up faster than I could drink it. I’m not a big champagne connoisseur but Dom has a lovely taste. I look forward to drinking more of it on the way back to Sydney at the end of the month.
Near the end of the flight, I requested a cappuccino. The FA served it to me in a to-go cup with the word “CREW” printed on the side. It was probably too late to serve it in a nice china cup so this was a great solution.
One nice perk that Emirates offers children is a Poloroid picture of them during the flight. It’s kind of fun and obviously doesn’t cost them much. The FA took two pictures and gave them to Corbin. His last Polaroid from Emirates lived on our refrigerator for over a year!
Once Corbin got back form this shower, he shut his suite doors and left them closed until we were preparing to land. This made me laugh seeing him pursue his privacy. Prince Corby hates to be bothered.
When he was two, we took a wonderful video of him in First Class on Cathay Pacific. He looked so tiny in that big seat. Most of the video is of him eating a chocolate truffle and then the flight attendant meticulously cleaning his hands and mouth. I set the whole video to “Prince Ali” from Disney’s Aladdin and Prince Corby was born. One of these days I’ll get the video on YouTube. It’s priceless.
SEAT:
My close, personal friends Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte all took Emirates First Class on their improbable flight to Abu Dhabi from New York. They were very impressed with their surroundings for the long Hollywood flight over.
Corbin and I with noticeably less glamorous footwear equally enjoyed our “seats”. Obviously Emirates has a top notch product. The privacy afforded by an enclosed suite easily beats most airlines’ offerings. I have flown several times on Emirates “mini-suite” First Class seat and the real suite version with doors is vastly superior. I took a short nap after my movie ended but didn’t bother to have them roll out the mattress that is available. The seat is comfortable for both sitting and sleeping.
With that said, I think the suite has a number of gimmicky features. The makeup mirror with additional toiletries seems silly but maybe better appreciated by a woman. The built in mini-bar is another gimmick. The drinks are all warm. Since it is First Class, I have no problem getting any drink I want at the press of a button. But maybe it works for bashful passengers.
Finally at the start of each flight, the flight attendant provides each passenger with a basket of snacks. I’m not sure who their intended audience is but I can’t imagine too many passengers flying First Class crave Pringles or Nutrigrain bars. They only item that is edible is the small bar of Toblerone. I think they need to rethink this snack basket with items more suited for adults.
Corbin with his suite doors closed
In the bed position after the great shower
We have the suites in the middle with the privacy barrier down
DEPLANING:
Prior to arrival, we filled out the arrival cards for New Zealand. They were equally concerned about the importation of food products and other banned items as Australia. We also received Fast Track passes to get through immigration.
Once we landed and were waiting by the door, the Purser asked Corbin how he liked his shower. Corbin said that it was lots of fun. The Purser added that Corbin now has a great story to tell his friends. Corbin just smiled. He’s just not the kind of person to even bring that up unless asked. Me on the other hand, I’ll have no trouble slipping it into conversations!
I posted the “Showering at 39,000 ft” on my Facebook page and got lots of comments from my friends. Most didn’t even know that showering was ever a possibility when flying.
We met up with Terry almost immediately after deplaning because he was seated in the front downstairs. Passport control was a breeze but I did mention that Corbin and I both had rock climbing shoes that I had cleaned. This got us a red circle on our forms that meant we would have to show an agent our shoes.
The Priority First tags on the bags worked wonderfully and our bags were the first to exit. The secondary screening was simple once he saw that I had cleaned the shoes very well.
As we exited the customs hall, we saw Grandma and Grandpa’s smiling faces for the first time in seven months. Grandma had made a cute sign welcoming the Haley Boys to New Zealand. Corbin ran up to them and gave them huge hugs. He has missed them so much over the past two and a half years that we’ve been living abroad.
OVERALL:
After anticipating this flight for many months, I can say that it lived up to all our expectations. Taking a shower on a three hour flight doesn’t make that much sense but for two travel geeks, it was a wonderful experience. I look forward to showering at the end of a fifteen hour flight some day when it will feel even better.
Emirates has a strong lounge system worldwide and excellent in-flight service to match their leading hard products. At the end of the month, we’re back on Emirates in First Class this time for a dinner service.
Previous reports in this year of travel:
My Son’s Fifth Grade Year, 97,737 miles, 40 flights, 6 continents, 16 countries
FLIGHT#28: QF32 A380 Biz Class & QF/CX SIN Lounges with photos
FLIGHT#27: Five OW Lounges & JL 719 NRT-SIN Biz Class with photos
FLIGHT#23: BKK CX/QF/BA Lounges CX751 BKK-DEL Biz Class with photos
FLIGHT#26: Delhi Green Lounge & JL 740 Business Class with photos
FLIGHT#22: SGN International Sasco Lounge & TG 551 Business Class with photos
FLIGHT#20: SGN Dom Sasco Lounge, VN452 SGN-NHA Biz Class and Sheraton Nha Trang
FLIGHT#19: BKK Royal First Lounge & LH772 BKK-SGN in First Class with photos
FLIGHT#18: TG242 KBV-BKK in Biz Class with photos
FLIGHT#17: TG245 BKK-KVG in Biz Class with Photos
FLIGHT#16: THE CABIN & CX751 HKG-BKK in Biz Class with photos
FLIGHT#15: CX748 JNB-HKG Biz Class with photos