Flight flown, experience logged. Thought I'd put my findings here for anyone else that has a similar scenario;

1. A flex ticket allows you Priority check in at the Business desk. It isn't clearly indicated on the ticket unless you read the fine print and the stand at the notice was fairly minimal.
2. Not done and not necessary imho. I told crew we were travelling together and that was fine.\
3. Yes, I was able to join them while being escorted through security.
4. There was Y pax with us (poor guy was pushing two wheelchairs at the same time). He got left outside the Swissport lounge while we were taken in. I assume he got taken straight to the gate as he was there when we got there. I was allowed in. Looked like a little bit of hot food, but all we had was water. We got collected about 30 mins earlier than expected.
5. I was asked at the business class gate if we were travelling together and was allowed to go through at the same time. Which was a relief as i was in Group 5 otherwise!
6. I did tell the crew on the first leg which was handy as they kept an eye for me at Abu Dhabi to advise of a change of plan. We had to deplane using a truck as we parked at a stand, not gate.
7. Flights were full as far as I could see. Not sure why they kept emailing me about bidding for upgrading to J or to keep the seat next to me free. I would have tried the later, but was wondering if I'd lose my mid cabin seat for a row at the back.
8. I was able to go up into the cabin but each time they were asleep!!
9. As per point 6, all wheelchair passengers had to wait until the truck came to the other side of the plane to collect us. This was a good 15 mins after the rest of the pax had deplaned via the stairs onto buses. There ware about 10 wheelchair pax, some with less mobility than others. We were the first called off the bus and we had run through the terminal (well, they were pushed) to get the connecting flight.
10. No time!
11. NA
12. NA (so needed a shower after running through the airport and going through 2 security searches).
13. The tray has returned to Y! Main dish, bread roll, butter, cheese and crackers, dessert, water pot. There was also a snack served on the 14 hour sector for a vege wrap with either a brownie or dried fruit bag. Volumes were a little on the small side, but better than what I had seen on line. Met people here who complained about their flights 2 months ago or so that featured the tiny catering.
14. There are holes for a two pin adapter, like the old days. Interesting as I read an article on new noise cancelling headsets and they were saying companies don't include the 2 pin adapters anymore as most airlines are single pin now.
15. Standard pillow. Bit hard for my liking.
16. The seat is hard and narrow. On the first leg I was constantly bumping arms with the next pax. On the following leg I had a child next to me which was fantastic as I had plenty of shoulder space and no arm rest battles. They were seated in a car seat and were constantly swiping the screen or kicking the chair in front. Despite their crying, the space was too much of a plus.
17. NA it was a short distance from gate to immigration to bags so they walked it.
18. We were rescreened twice. First getting off the bus (where on guard was being really slow then just walked away mid check laughing) and then again at the gate where they wouldn't let us take a bottle of water onboard that the first security let us take with us!
19. NA - no chance to find out!
20. NA - see point 7
21. If the seat was redesigned to have a proper headrest and they added to the food offering it would be an airline I'd consider using them again. Oh, and add some more movies and tv shows please.