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Old Jul 16, 2015, 3:22 am
  #14  
eternaltransit
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 5,447
Some people make iO with very few tier miles - some people with hundreds of thousands of tier miles are not iOs because they "only" spend 100-200k USD a year with EK (e.g. once a month F travel USA-DXB).

The critical factor is spending money with the Emirates Group (1M USD+ in most cases), being in charge of a company with a serious commercial relationship with the Emirates Group or someone whom Tim Clark (or someone nominated by a local office, but Sir Tim signs off) believes should be given iO status, but isn't suitable for the "VIP" designation - although iO in most cases I think is better given the questionable levels of fame and status I have seen with given VIP treatment

In terms of the main tangible benefits:
- remote stand iO car pickup at DXB
- chauffeur drive at DXB in the S550 (was Range Rover) on arrival and departure in all classes
- chauffeur drive at all stations where available
- no restrictions on outstation lounge usage (i.e. you can use them whichever carrier you are travelling on, arriving, departing or in transit and you can bring as many guests as you want in depending on capacity)
- 10 guests at the F lounge DXB
- sometimes your family is also given iO treatment even when not travelling with them
- escort to and from the gate at all stations where possible from check-in through to immigrations - even if you are connecting from another carrier to/from EK
- if you are in Y or J as an iO you are escorted to F at top of descent to disembark first
- you can pre-board the aircraft before it is open to other pax (i.e. immediately after the cabin is secure and ready for passengers). you can also board it last
- in oversold situations, iOs in Y or J are immediately upgraded to F, not just one class, as a matter of policy

Less tangible benefits:
- your point of contact at EK will bend over backwards to get you on to flights you need to (as in, offload people/op-up them etc. to get you on), as well as open up skywards miles redemption availability as required
- outstations are briefed as to who you are etc. so if you call in with a request such as the arranging chauffeur on short notice, they will go above and beyond to make it happen (i.e. cough up the money to buy the service for you)
- baggage sometimes picked up off the belt by a local agent so you don't even have to wait for it - however it usually comes in the first container along with bags loaded at DXB as short transfer F, so YMMV

YMMV as to whether this means much to you It's nothing that the average frequent flier can actually aspire to, though - like BA Premier.

The VVIP lounge referred to upthread refers to a lounge that is part of the Al Majlis complex. Whilst they have their own building and facilities, they also have a lounge directly connected to the FCL B - you can book the service, which includes private Al Majlis bus to/from remote stands, meet and greet etc. for 1500 AED per person.
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