DUBAI LAYOVER
As I stepped off the airplane and into the modern and spacious terminal with its huge glass windows and wide, well-lit corridors, it’s hard to imagine that only forty years ago Dubai International was little more than a gas station serving the many airlines flying between Asia and Europe that would stop by essentially to top off their tanks.
Dubai itself has undergone an incredible transformation over the past half century. Oil was discovered in the 1950s. Full independence from Great Britain was granted in 1966 and the government was set up so that the United Arab Emirates became a federation of hereditary monarchies. There are a total of seven emirates with Dubai and Abu Dhabi being the wealthiest.
Much of that wealth can be seen in downtown Dubai where massive government spending on infrastructure has transformed Dubai into one of the world’s most modern and attractive skylines. Until the global economic meltdown of 2008, Dubai was home to almost 30% of the world’s largest construction cranes! Although the pace of construction has slowed a bit since then, the UAE still retain the 7th largest oil reserves in the world so it remains a very wealthy country.
The creation of Emirates Airlines in 1985 and its subsequent growth into one of the largest and most dynamic airlines in the world has transformed Dubai into a major connecting hub for global air travel and spurred the development of the world class facility that we know today as Dubai International Airport.
Emirates Terminal A at Dubai International Airport
Courtesy of Emirates Airlines
We had parked at Terminal B and since my connecting flight was not scheduled to depart for another eight and a half hours, I had plenty of time to get some sleep.
I should note here that Emirates’ First Class revenue passengers transiting Dubai are provided with complimentary hotel accommodations. Alas, freeloaders traveling on award tickets are not offered this courtesy. Thankfully, Emirates offers two excellent First Class lounges here in Dubai – one in Terminal A and another in Terminal B. Each lounge is open 24 hours and provides a Quiet Room complete with couch, table, lamp and a bottle of water. I have utilized both Quiet Rooms and prefer the one in the older Terminal B lounge.
Unlike the Quiet Room in Terminal A which provides an open room with a couple dozen chaise type loungers spread about, the smaller Terminal B facility offers a measure of privacy with each lounger individually cordoned off by hanging curtains. The loungers do not provide a 180° flat surface, but thankfully I came equipped with my complete Airport Sleeping Assemblage that includes a Thermarest pad, full sized wool blanket, small pillow, eye shades, headlamp and alarm clock. I set up camp on the floor and slept until my alarm went off at 7:00am local time.
By the time I broke camp, changed into a new set of clothes and made my way by train over to Terminal 3, the time was approaching 7:40am. With my San Francisco bound flight scheduled to depart from gate A9 at 8:20am, there was no time to visit the beautiful First Class lounge. Instead, I made my way straight to the gate where boarding was already in progress.
April 30, 2015
Emirates Airlines Dubai to San Francisco 820a – 110p A380-800 First Class
Alaska Airlines San Francisco to Seattle 345p – 550p 737-800 First Class
Upon arrival at the gate I quickly discovered that as a First Class passenger, if you want to enjoy unfettered access through a dedicated jet bridge onto the aircraft, you’ll need to board from the First or Business Class Lounge. Otherwise you’ll have to join the glut of humanity surging onto the single jet bridge serving the lower level.
Upon seeing that I was indeed a First Class passenger – albeit a wayward one – the gate agents did an admirable job of expediting my progress toward the front of the line. I still had to endure a crowded and muggy wait in the jet bridge but that was easily offset by the knowledge that soon I’d be ensconced in the wonderful plush cocoon known as Emirates’ First Class Suite whereas these poor wretches around me would soon be stuffed into one of the four hundred and twenty-seven seats arranged ten abreast on the lower deck.
I took some solace in the fact that many of these folks were genuinely excited to simply be flying to San Francisco. On Emirates. Aboard the largest passenger plane in the world. In my younger days I would have been so excited at the prospect of a flight aboard an Emirates A380 that it never would have occurred to me to feel otherwise. First Class would have been so far beyond my means that it wouldn’t warrant even the tiniest twinge of lament at my lot in life.
It’s a different world today however, and I took a moment to mouth a silent Thank You to Alaska Airlines, for without their Mileage Plan program my presence here today would not have been possible. Indeed, mileage earned through Alaska’s Mileage Plan has fueled the vast majority of my First Class adventures over the past thirteen years. For me at least it’s been a great and generous frequent flyer program that richly deserves all the credit it’s gotten via a number of Freddie Awards won over the years.
Given the pleasures that await them in Emirates’ fabulous First Class lounges, not many First Class passengers board the A380 here at Dubai via the lower level. The flight attendants working the entry door did a good job of stifling their surprise when I presented my boarding pass and quickly directed me to the grand stairway leading to the upper deck.
Anyone who’s ever flown economy on a long international flight aboard a large jetliner knows the bedlam that accompanies the boarding process in the economy cabin – crowds of people ever so slowly working it all out, like a human rubix cube. Voices everywhere, cabin baggage too large to fit in its allotted space, impromptu discussions amongst couples or families about who wants to sit where, a screaming baby, a wrong seat and/or seat swap request, people behind you trying their best to disguise their impatience at the madness of it all... Edvard Munch’s “The Scream” comes to mind…
So as I ascended the broad stairway and entered into the rarified air of the First Class cabin, I believe I just may have issued an audible sigh of relief tinged with gratitude that I should be so fortunate as to be enjoying the next fifteen hours from the comfort of an Emirates First Class Suite. Indeed, a harp glissando and a chorus from the heavens would have been most appropriate as I stood at the top of the stairs and took it all in.
Emirates A380 First Class cabins are outfitted with fourteen suites, arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration. Mine was located to the right, three doors down at 3A. Flight Attendant Maya was only too happy to provide direction while helping me to stow my roll-a-bord and hang my jacket.
Now then, may I bring you something to drink before we depart?
Interestingly, Champagne was not available as a pre-flight offering on morning departures. That’s alright – there’ll be plenty of time to imbibe later in the flight. I’ll settle for a cup of coffee for now, please. One cream, one sugar. Might I care for any juice or a smoothie with that? A smoothie? Did you just say smoothie? Oh yes, please! My oh my, are we off to a good start now or what?
My coffee and smoothie were delivered in short order, accompanied by a small plate of biscotti. It’s the little touches like this that make flying international First Class aboard the world’s finest airlines such a treat.
A tasty welcome to this morning’s flight
I slipped off my shoes and stored them in the closet, polished off my coffee, then retrieved my camera and headed out to take a few photos of my home for the next few hours.
Standing at the rear of the cabin and looking out over the tops of the suites, I thought the cabin layout looked rather cluttered. That said, while by appearances this is cabin full of walled off suites could hardly be called elegant, the real beauty of Emirates’ suites isn’t totally realized until you’ve sat down and settled in for the flight. Like any proper First Class seat or suite there are plenty of storage areas, a large table and an impressive 30” television screen. What makes the Emirates suite so special are the little touches such as lamps in addition to overhead lights, warm faux marbled walnut table tops, carpeted suite sidewalls and stylish gold trim on most everything. Add to that the sliding doors and you’ve got a very private and elegant looking compartment in which to enjoy your flight.
Emirates A380 First Class Cabin
Looking from the front to the back
Emirates A380 First Class Cabin
Looking from the back to the front
Emirates A380 Business Class Cabin
Emirates A380 ~ Suite 3A
Looking across the aisle from my suite
Service on the A380 is no different than it is on the 777, so you all know the drill by now with regard to pre-departure hand outs and formalities. There was one significant difference however. Because this flight is almost twice as long as the comparatively brief eight hour flight up from Johannesburg yesterday, Emirates provided us with what has to be the finest amenity kit I have ever received. Produced by Bulgari and presented in a beautiful zippered leather case, this kit contained everything you’d ever need (and perhaps even a couple of things you wouldn’t) to help get you through a long flight in comfort and style.
Emirates First Class Amenity Kit
Emirates First Class Amenity Kit contents
Truth be known, I have no need for any of these items. My life is one big trip anyway and so I already travel with all the essentials I’ll ever need. As such this kit will likely make a great Christmas present, perhaps to my neighbor Steve. Then again, ol’ Steve doesn’t have any more use for fancy creams and balms than I do. He’s more interested in stuff like ammunition and car parts. Oh well – I’m sure I can come up with something. After all, I now have four of these kits sitting around my cabin…
Shortly before pushing back, our purser stopped by to introduce himself. He was a very nice guy named Erich and he left me with no doubt that I and my fellow travelers were in capable hands.
* * * _ * _ * * *
One of my favorite times in any flight comes right after we’ve pushed back and the engines slowly begin to spool up. At this point I’m full of anticipation for the actual flight. Oh sure, there will be lots of food and drink and other inflight services to look forward to but what I’m talking about is the pure enjoyment derived from actually flying - cruising serenely above that beautiful blueish-green orb we spend 99% of our lives living upon.
The pleasant anticipation continued as we taxied out to the runway, then built as the Captain powered up the engines, released the brakes and we thundered down the runway. Like most every A380 operator, Emirates provides strategically placed cameras that allow one to better appreciate the takeoff. I set mine to the tail mounted camera, then sat back and enjoyed the view…
Enroute to the runway, we passed this 777
Thundering down the runway as seen from on high
The noise from the engines was surprisingly muted during our 47 second takeoff roll. To be sure those engines are a long way below and behind those of us sat up here at the front of the upper deck, but even so the overall ambience was no louder than most cars driving along at 70 mph. I could have easily held a conversation with a seatmate using no more than my normal speaking voice.
47 seconds may not seem like very much time, but when you’re sitting aboard a fully loaded A380 weighing in at nearly 1,265,000 pounds and charging down the runway at speeds approaching 175 mph, time does seem to slow down. Finally we reached V1 and the Captain smoothly rotated the big French girl’s nose skyward. For all its size, the A380 is a surprisingly graceful airplane. Watch one take off sometime and see for yourself. Better yet, purchase a ticket on one and experience it for yourself!
As we climbed smoothly away and accelerated ever faster into the pale blue skies above Dubai, I reclined my seat a bit and settled in for the fifteen hour and four minute flight. By the time we’d climbed through 10000 feet we were speeding north over the Persian Gulf with the shores of southern Iran just visible in the distance. Next stop: San Francisco – just 8,090 miles away.
We were about ten minutes into the flight when Paul, one of four flight attendants working the First Class cabin, stopped by to present the menu and wine list for the flight. As always, the menu was encased in a stylish brown leather binder with the wine list presented separately. The menu itself was extensive with separate sections covering breakfast, the main meal and light meals. We’ll discuss the menu offerings and my selections all in good time but first I had other matters to attend to.
Paul had first stopped by shortly before pushback to present a brochure about Emirates’ famous onboard showers. There are two of them aboard each A380 and their use is reserved exclusively for First Class passengers. Referred to by Emirates as Shower Spas, they offer a generous five minutes of shower time in a modern, spacious shower stall. The actual lavatory that houses each shower is huge – far and away the largest facility of its type on any airliner I’ve ever flown upon. Indeed, it’s larger than some bathrooms I’ve seen in houses on terra firma.
The famous shower aboard Emirates’ A380
Due to potential high demand, use of the showers is by reservation only. Paul was ready to accept reservations right then and there, so I informed him of my preference to shower as soon as possible once we’d leveled off. Shortly after distributing the menus, he returned to inform me that my Shower Spa was ready. Flight attendant Noelle met me at the service area outside the lavatories and then provided a thorough tutorial on the use of the showers and what to do if we encountered turbulence. Total shower time allowed is five minutes while total time allowed in the spa is twenty-five minutes.
Although this is my fourth flight in First Class aboard Emirates’ A380, this will be the first time I have actually taken advantage of the service. Whaaaat?! Yes, it’s true. Now I realize that many people here are absolutely fascinated by the concept of showering onboard an airplane and - judging by some trip reports I’ve seen – have made it a point to use the service regardless of flight length or time of day.
I tend to take a more practical approach. I didn’t need a shower on my first A380 flight between London and Dubai. My second flight was too short (Hong Kong to Bangkok), and my third (Bangkok to Dubai) was operated at a time of day I deemed better suited to sleeping than showering.
As a resident of Alaska I always knew that eventually I’d log a Dubai to U.S. flight that would provide ample time and opportunity to take a shower and now – with fourteen and a half hours of flying ahead of me – I’m enjoying just that. The shower stall is quite spacious given the confines of its unique environment and it includes a place to sit in the event significant turbulence is encountered. A nice selection of shampoos, gels, soaps and lotions are provided and I’m happy to report that I was able to adjust the water to exactly the temperature I like while the water pressure was just fine.
A nice selection of shampoos, gels, soaps and lotions is provided
Everything one needs to properly freshen up
As I mentioned earlier the lavatory is quite spacious, very likely the largest of its type aboard any commercial jetliner. It even has a heated floor! A large fluffy towel awaited me as I stepped out of the shower and the spacious lavatory allowed plenty of room to towel off and change back into my clothes, including a fresh shirt.
Emerging from the spa clean, invigorated and ready for the next fourteen hours aloft, I returned to my seat and opened my menu to the breakfast offerings…
Now THAT’s a nice menu presentation!
A LA CARTE DINING
BREAKFAST
Dubai to San Francisco
Juice
Orange or grapefruit juice, apple and carrot detox drink, or a strawberry smoothie
Breakfast Fruit
Fresh cut seasonal fruits
Yoghurt
Natural of fruit flavored
Assorted Cereals
Choice of cornflakes or muesli
MAIN COURSES
Spinach and Feta Egg White Omelette
Served with baked beans, roasted cherry tomatoes and crushed potatoes with chives
Poached Eggs
Presented atop salmon and rösti, served with sautéed spinach and sour cream with chives
Anda Aloo Bhurji
Spiced scrambled eggs with potatoes and minced mutton with lentils, served with potato patties
Breakfast Platter
Spiced grilled chicken and bresaola, with red Leicester and gruyère
BREAD BASKET
A variety of baked breads, butter croissants and breakfast pastries
Served with butter and preserves
Whether it’s on the ground or up in the air I do love a good breakfast! Aside from the coffee and biscotti offered prior to our departure, I hadn’t had a thing to eat since the second meal service aboard yesterday’s flight up from Johannesburg. I was ready to take full advantage of the many fine choices available amongst these breakfast offerings.
When Paul returned to take my order, I opted to start with the fruit plate followed by the Spinach and Feta Egg White Omelette. And yes, another cup of coffee would be great, thanks!
I watched with anticipation as linen was laid followed by a succession of cutlery and various other assorted breakfast accoutrements. I appreciated how Paul took care to place everything neatly and even symmetrically where possible. It’s nice to see someone who takes pride in their work, especially the little things. A bowl of freshly toasted wheat bread completed the assemblage.
My fruit plate looked almost too nice to eat. It was almost as if someone had taken care to arrange the colors in such a way that they’d provide the greatest visual impact – the warm orange and yellow of the mango and pineapple nicely contrasted by a splash of red from the berries and dark purple from the blackberry. It was every bit as delicious as it was aesthetically pleasing.
An artistic little fruit plate
The omelette plate was similarly artistic – evenly presented in a delicious circle centered on the middle of the plate. The baked beans and potatoes complemented the musty feta cheese and eggs very nicely. I could’ve gone back for seconds!
Spinach and Feta Egg White Omelette
After the last of my plates had been cleared, I sneaked a glance at my watch and noted with satisfaction that there were still another thirteen hours left in this flight. I couldn’t help but reflect briefly on the difference in perspective between those of us comfortably reclined in our spacious First Class suites as opposed to the four hundred some odd folks squeezed into ten across seating with 33” of pitch just fifteen feet beneath me. Whereas I’m perusing the lavish bounty of luncheon selections from the leather bound menu and considering whether or not I’d like to sample all of the wines over the remainder of the flight, my less fortunate brethren downstairs in Economy have only the excellent IFE or a good book to distract them and, barring that may very well be thinking “Ugh – Only. Thirteen. More. Hours. To. Go!”
As I type this up some six months after the flight, my recollection of this flight is that it was long but it didn’t seem all that long. Much of this may be because I clearly cherish the overall experience of flying in international First Class aboard an airline of Emirates’ caliber and so, rather than spend much time focusing on the time remaining in the flight, I’m simply enjoying the flight. That’s not to say I’m consciously enjoying every minute of the flight but rather – well, it’s kind of like listening to an album you really like. You put it on, it plays and off you go puttering happily about the house doing whatever it is you’re doing without necessarily soaking up every note of every song. The album provides a nice soundtrack for your existence at that moment. A long flight is very much like this for me. Just being up there above the clouds with access to all manner of human luxuries is music to my soul. Add to this the fact that I have no problem finding ways to entertain myself regardless of my circumstances at the time. Be it a laptop or with a good book or watching the IFE – whatever, I refuse to be bored.
The one thing I try not to do – unless the timing of the flight and/or the potential for jetlag demands it – is sleep. While anyone can relax in a comfortable chair at home or go out to a swank restaurant to enjoy a fabulous meal served course by course, very few of us get to do so in the rarified atmosphere of a jetliner cruising high above the planet. I know I’ve touched on this before, but seriously, sitting in First Class aboard one of the world’s finest airlines is a unique and special experience that comparatively few ever get to experience. It’s so special to me that I enjoy writing extensively about it while you, dear readers, having read sixty some odd thousand words so far, would seem to actually enjoy reading about it. Again, we’ve got a good thing going, you and I!
Inflight aboard the Emirates A380 – A good place to be
Courtesy of Emirates