Dear Emirates,

I’ve been thinking of writing this for some time but haven’t quite had the courage to do so before now and have been putting it off. I kept wondering if I was just going through a phase or being overly emotional. But the truth is that I’ve been having doubts about our relationship for several months now, and I just have to be honest and open with you.

I still remember when I first flew with you all those years ago. We were both so much younger then. You hadn’t yet blossomed into the extraordinary airline you are today. I’d flown with quite a few other airlines before you and thought I knew everything there was to know. I realise now just how inexperienced I was in reality. You were exotic, from the Middle-East, and I guess there was a sense of wonder and excitement of the mysterious unknown.

That first time was so brief - a 3 hour flight from Bangkok to Hong Kong. It was nothing really compared to the 12 hour long hauls I’d experienced with other airlines, but somehow it felt special and I knew right from that first moment that you were different. I think it was the attention to detail and willingness to please that really impressed me. You did things that most airlines don’t do, such as providing a refreshing towel prior to take-off (others just gave me one of those semi-wet poor-man’s baby wipes which come in sachets).

And once up in the air, I felt so relaxed and comfortable. Perhaps it was the extra leg-room. I was flying economy but even so, I could definitely extend a few extra inches. And when the meal service began I was expecting the normal bland offerings that I’d experienced with other airlines, but boy was I wrong. It was actually really delicious and what’s more, there were 3 options rather than the usual 2. Like Oliver Twist, I could have asked for more. And you never batted an eyelid or judged me when I asked for extra drinks.

When I first experienced your in-flight entertainment, ICE, I was mesmerised. It was the best I’d come across, hand downs. There was so much choice. Whatever I could think of, no matter what my mood, you had it and I found your interface really user-friendly.

I must admit that back then I did some things that, in hindsight, weren’t very wise. Even though you regularly asked me to join your frequent flyer program, and good friends told me I should, it took quite a few flights before I got round to it. In fact, for the first few flights, (including a long trip in Central Asia) I was actually taking your miles and putting them on my Star Alliance account. Pretty stupid I know, but like I said I was naïve back and hadn’t yet grown to completely trust you.

Well anyway, I finally got round to enrolling and I immediately started to see the benefits. It didn’t take long to get past the Blue level and into Silver. That’s when I got priority check-in and you started getting my bags off first. For some, these might seem like small details but as a frequent flyer I really appreciated them. Back then, as a Silver Skyward member, I could enter your Lounge in Dubai. I see you don’t allow that anymore.

My loyalty increased over time. When going on a trip, the first thing I’d do was check on you and only begrudging looked elsewhere if you weren’t available for some reason. And I did go with others, several times, I make no secret of it. But the experience was really never the same – mid-flight I’d find myself thinking of you and how much better you were. I missed that personal touch and your special ways. I would be lying if I said that the air-miles weren’t a factor as well, but it was extra things you did that kept me coming back for more and I knew, like D-Ream once said, that things could only get better.

When I hit Gold I have to say I was overjoyed. Immediately and in no uncertain terms, you let it be known that I was special. Being able to enter your lounges anytime and anywhere was just amazing and I started looking forward to those long layovers. Before then I used to dread the wait in the airport and would end up spending so much money in that crappy Irish pub in DXB, always walking away with a feeling of guilt. I loved being able to go inside that comfortable space and eat and drink to my heart’s content without having to worry about the consequences. You always had a vast spread and it was a real pleasure to sample your delicacies.

It was during that honeymoon period that my feelings for you were at their strongest. You could do no wrong in my eyes, and if anyone said a bad word about you I’d be the first to jump to your defense. But over the weeks and months that proceeded, the initial excitement gradually started to wane. I’m not sure whether it was you who changed or if it was me. Maybe I just started to take things for granted, but even taking that into consideration there were a few things that you did which upset me and sowed the first seeds of doubt in my mind.

Suddenly, out of the blue, you changed the way you awarded tier miles. Now, in order to get the same amount as I used to, I had to purchase the more expensive flex tickets. The normal priced saver tickets now only gave me half the miles. I knew this was going to make it really tough to retain my status unless I constantly bought the higher priced tickets. What was your reason for this? Was it because you had too many people coming in your lounge? To be honest, it came across and pretty tight and backhanded. What really bugged me is that you didn’t even have the courage to tell me yourself and I had to find out through a friend.

A few years back, I don’t know if you remember this, but you used to ask me what I wanted to eat before asking the others. This suddenly stopped. Why, Emirates, why? I did ask you once and the reply was a frosty “That’s not done anymore.” And you know that thing you do, where you come over shortly before take-off and tell me that, as one of your special ones, you are happy to have me on board and will do everything you can to please me during the flight? It’s a small thing, but it’s cute and I’ve grown to love it. But recently you haven’t been doing it as often and when you don’t I actually get quite upset. I know that I’m probably being a bit irrational, but when you get used to something and it’s suddenly snatched away it’s quite hurtful and I almost feel like it would have been better if you’d just never done it in the first place.

Again, this maybe this seems like a silly thing, but when I push the call button you hardly ever come anymore. What exactly is that point of that button if it doesn’t do what it’s supposed to? When I ask why, you just say you were busy. Well guess what, we are all busy but is that any reason for you to not look after one of your Gold Members?

So now I see you’ve got into bed with Aussie Qantas. In principal I’m ok with it, but if you’re going to do it, do it properly and make sure your systems are fully hooked up. I went to Australia earlier this year and booked the whole trip with Qantas. It was a disaster. I wanted to upgrade on the first leg and I had more air miles than I knew what to do with, but your systems just wouldn’t allow it. You were using a handheld device which is supposed to have all the answers, but it didn’t work then, did it?

I wouldn’t have minded so much, but when I wrote a strongly worded letter to complain, you took ages to reply and then when you did it seemed little more than a generic reply and I didn’t really get the feeling that you’d taken my comments on board.

On the flight from DXB to BKK the other day, just before push back, you made an announcement asking if I was on the flight and if so to let you know. What? How could you not know whether I was on the flight or not? Is this really how you treat one of your frequent flyers? When I asked why, you just looked embarrassed and said that it was a mistake.

Don’t get me wrong, I still have strong feelings for you, it’s just that I’m having doubts. I wonder sometimes how much you really respect my loyalty. I don’t want to completely stop going with you but maybe it’s time for me to start looking elsewhere and spreading myself around a bit. There are many good airlines now in the Middle-East - Qatar, Gulf, Etihad to name but a few and I’ve had a few offers, believe me.

So where do we go from here? I really don’t know, but I hope you understand why I felt it right to get this out in the open. I hope you can find the time to tell me how you feel too and that we’ll get a chance to discuss the way forward from here.

One thing I can say for sure, Emirates, whatever happens, is that I’ve really enjoyed your Company over the past few years and will always have very fond memories of our time together.

Yours (for the time-being at least),

The Downlow Traveller