I flew DXB-Casablanca in Business (EK 751) recently and was amazed to see the old business class seats that don't recline fully. It was a 9-hour flight. No amenity kit. No mattress. Nothing. Aircraft was an Airbus A340-500 so I was half-expecting this but hoped they may have been fitted with the new seats or that they may at least have mattresses on board. It was a really poor experience.

So on the way back (EK 752), because I wanted to get some sleep, I upgraded myself to First as I had spotted the suites on the way in. Imagine my surprise to find that what was advertised all over their website as a 6'6 flat bed turned out to be not flat at all! The "flat" part came to about my knee after which my legs were dangling over because the last two panels of the seat don't come up to level with the rest of the seat. I showed this to the purser who was very surprised and apalled and apologised and said that some of "the old suites" had this problem. I had no idea there were two kinds of F suites! I just re-checked on the websites and it definitely says 6'6 flat beds - that is just patently untrue.

Is EK just sloppy on this sector because they have no real competition? Next time for me, it will be BA via LHR where I am guaranteed a flat bed.