SINGAPORE to COLOMBO (SIN-CMB) on EK 777-300ER
The switch of flights from Manila changed a short connection into a longer one, and so I had some time until check in for my next flight opened. I headed to the silver kris lounge to fill in some time, checking emails, surfing FT and sipping Dom Perignon. I also grabbed a shower and changed into fresh clothes.
I left the lounge early to talk a long walk around the terminals before checking in at the transit desk. I was unable to get checked in for the return flight. Never mind, I have plenty of time in Colombo. Last time I flew Emirates out of Singapore they used the Skyview lounge, which as far as I’m concerned only has 1 redeeming feature of a nice view of the tarmac. Since then, however, Emirates has opened their own lounge and I was interested to see how good it was.
As with other Emirates lounges I have visited there is only one lounge – no segregation of first and business class passengers. The lounge was pretty good – on par with the joint Qantas / British Airways lounge at Singapore. Several computers, showers, good selection of drinks, proper food with table service so you can eat before your flight and maximise sleep (very handy given the late departure times), newspapers, magazines, etc.
Eventually it is time to board. The assigned gate is right near the lounge, as are the assigned gates for later Emirates flights. It seems all the transit passengers (from Jakarta) had to deplane and there is a big queue at the gate screening station. The flight is full and we depart some 20 minutes late as a result.
Before take off we get a very nice amenity kit, plus menu and also pre-departure drinks and hot towel. The seats are more comfortable than I’d remembered. The overhead monitors show the nosewheel camera view until after we’ve lifted off before switching to airshow. I skip the great ICE IFE system, preferring instead to catch some sleep on this short overnight flight. We arrive in Colombo in the middle of the night.
Service was great if not as polished as on top notch airlines. For example pre departure one side got drink and nuts, the other side did not, they didn’t know what wines were loaded and had to check.
Passengers continuing on to Dubai were asked to remain on board. For those of us deplaning, we had to show our boarding pass at the top of the airbridge.