February 10, 2017
Emirates 218, LAX-DXB
777-300ER, A6-ECW
Depart: 9:30pm
Arrive: 1:30am+2
Duration 16:00
Seat: 2F
We were connecting off an Alaska flight which was too boring to include in this report so we headed through the LAX south-side tunnels and the new TBIT connector straight to the Emirates lounge. It probably wasn’t the most lux approach to our flight, but once we were in the lounge the ruggedness of the airport faded away. The lounge was a pleasant rest-stop before the flight and had an ample selection of hot and cold food items and a range of beverages. Although the lounge is set-up to be self-service, there were a couple extremely friendly servers offering assistance and clearing away used plates and glasses. The only disappointing aspect was the very basic shower facilities located within the restrooms.
We left the lounge before any sort of boarding announcement was made but by the time we ambled over to the gates 1st and business class boarding with underway. Much to my disappointment, the flight had been switched from an A380 to a 777 the week before we were scheduled to depart (no shower
no bar
) but it’s hard to say that the opulent, intimate 777-300ER first class cabin was disappointing. We were greeted by a friendly flight attendant, shown to our seats, given a brief overview of its features, and offered a beverage of choice which was promptly served.
Settling in...welcome oj, snack basket, and vanity
Minibar upon boarding
Drinks were quickly served, followed by pajamas. All of business class boarded through 1L which made for a bit of unnecessary bustle in the cabin before departure but soon enough the announcement was made that ground crew must disembark and we were offered Arabic coffee, dates, and a hot towel before pushback.
Pre-departure coffee and dates
We pushed back right on time at 9:30pm and slowly taxied to runway 24L before launching into the air to the west at 9:50pm.
Quickly, the thick curtains between first class and business were pulled shut, fast track cards were distributed, and the snack baskets which were at our seats upon boarding, but had been collected for take-off, were returned. Menus were distributed, and food and drink orders were taken.
Menu Page 1
Menu Page 2
Wine list (Dom is on the prior page, not pictured)
Given the late hour and Emirates generous portions, I opted to skip a “main” and just go for caviar, mezze, and dessert which was more than enough food. The mezze was spectacular, I probably would've been content just grazing on it the whole way to Dubai. The meal concluded with coffee, packaged chocolates, and a hot towel.
All set for dinner
Caviar time!
So much mezze...this really isn't an appetizer, it's a buffet
Coconut and pineapple delice
I asked that my bed get made up, closed the doors to my suite, and dozed for exactly 4 hours which seemed to be the perfect amount of sleep given our late night arrival into Dubai.
Bed time!
The downside of sleeping so little, however, was that we still had nearly 10 hours of flight time remaining and I was exhausted. After a couple of cappuccinos, however, I was ready to take on the day, or at least the Emirates IFE system and a light snack.
Midflight canapes
Service throughout was friendly but not particularly pro-active (more Cathay than Singapore, if you would, but not nearly as impressive as either of those airlines). Our route took us slightly south of the North Pole over Hudson Bay and Southern Greenland then south over St. Petersburg, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Iran before crossing the Gulf and landing in Dubai from the west.
Roughly 2 hours out, I ordered a pre-landing meal of (more) caviar, salad, the smoked salmon from the breakfast menu, and some fresh fruit. At some point I realized that I’d eaten a ton of food over the past 16 hours but avoided any “hot” options which was probably a bit odd, although I was trying to avoid feeling completely stuffed at the end of the flight (moderately stuffed was an improvement).
One of the better airline salads
Smoked salmon and cream cheese for breakfast
Fruit plate
A selection of juices was offered to end the meal, followed by a hot-towel as we began our decent into Dubai. The IFE had been showing us arriving nearly an hour early for much of the long journey from LAX but after four loops over the Gulf and a somewhat bumpy landing I was grateful to pull into a gate on-time at 1:30 in the morning. All in all, even extreme comfort can’t overcome the fact that this is a l-o-n-g trip—I was definitely ready to be back on the ground.