Honestly, you should check out how the VIP terminal works, as I'm sure these sort of annoyances wouldn't be there. I don't know if it's only for private jet customers, though you do sound like you're in that category (and I mean that in a good way).

Obviously one easy solution to this whole problem was to have your son fly in F, either using miles or whatever. EK does value your custom, which is why they give you F lounge access. And they value your son's custom, so they gave him J lounge access. Anyway legally in the UAE sons cease to be 'family' after 18.

Yahillwe, I think this is a case of assumption (of guest access to the first class lounge in DXB) being the mother of all screw ups or whatever the quote is.

I would have also assumed that you could guest someone into the first class lounge and in fact you can do this at outstations like LHR and LGW assuming you have a gold, and maybe even silver, Skywards card. Seems that in Dubai you can guest into the Biz lounge which I guess (partly) explains why its so full but not the first lounge thereby keeping it very exclusive. Of course, the outstations are combined first/biz lounges.

For future reference, you can upgrade a Biz fare to first for 25,000 miles (which you should have in your account already) to Europe assuming availability and you can do this right in the lounge; once done you have access to the first lounge. Or, you could just have bought 2 first class tickets to avoid separating the family in the lounge and also on-board or were you expecting an opup as well

Suggest you re-assess not flying again with EK. I mean, there's no comparison between first class on the A380 and BA's dated concept so why would you want to deprive yourself? You wouldn't not fly BA again because they don't do chauffeur drive or would you assume they do just because EK does? Different companies, countries and different rules.

Just my observation, but if you were prepared to divide your family inflight by travelling in seperate class cabins, then it shouldnt come as a surprise that EK applied their access policy accordingly.

I never had this problem. Last year i used the F lounge thrice with my friends travelling with me, they were on J and i was ticketed on F but on the same flight and the lounge attendant didnt say a word. I guess it depends on the mood of the attendant.
In another instance 4 days ago i was in mumbai airport and was travelling Air India in J but their lounge is bad so i went down to the EK lounge and asked them if i could enter and she politeliy refused saying you have be travelling on EK to use their lounge. I didnt know that but i guess thats fair. I thought gold members had access to all ek lounges period.

Even if I wanted to, I wouldn't do the private, very environmentally and class conscious... and don't go flogging me for flying F...And the solution, if there is another flight with EK, would be to just avoid the lounge and go directly to the hotel...As for sons and 18, I am originally from th biggest country in the gulf and know the customs very well, a son NEVER, EVER ceases to be a "family" on the contrary will always be THE family, since the son carries the family name forward. The daughter stays a family but when she marries (she keeps her maiden name, never belongs to anyone but to her birth family) her children carry her husbands family. Maybe this was were the confusion was, my son carries his father's name and I carry MY father's name. We can go on and on about this ritual, but this is how it works, my 70 some old mother carries her father's name and never has my family's name.
If you have ever read the BA threads about kids in F, you might get to know my feeling about that, I already feel ashamed that my young adult kids travel in CW, would never and only in few circumstances allow them in F. I feel that a bit of humble pie for kids takes them a long way.. You might come and argue about CW, and you are correct. The last few times I flew my son in Y. As for the lounge vs the plane, one is just down the ail while the other one is on the other end.
Correct different companies, different rules. As I have mentioned before, I only flew them 3 times rt, and when I looked at my FF account it seems that I signed up on their program only the last 2 rt flights. Am not really that good with FF accounts or collections. And you are correct, there is no comparison with the EK planes and BA's. and even on the dreaded 777s, I still fly BA out of loyalty. The chauffeur, they offered it to me the last 3 flights and I didn't ask for them. It doesn't bother me to take my car or a taxi to the airport, I don't need this service. Am a very humble person as I mentioned before. The lounge use was/is to get away from the "mall atmosphere and having to be bombarded by all the perfumes being sprayed. I have no problem not using the lounges as I love the atmosphere of an airport, but not a mall. Case in point, I use the CCR at LHR to use the restrooms and if I have come back TATL to sleep a bit while waiting for my connection. Have guested many people without any incidence. Even reserved Cabanas for fellow travelers. But as you said, different companies different rules. Am still not sure if I would use EK when I go to Dubai for the June meet up. Might try Qatar or back to BA.

I really think you are missing a trick and would not regret it if you participated more actively. Cabin upgrades will become a normal way of life for someone with your travel profile and earning potential. As an example, I regularly go UK to NZ in business class with EK, essentially 4 flights. That sector earns me so many miles, that I can upgrade one of those 4 flights and still end the trip with more miles than when I started. I can upgrade 2 of the 4 sectors and just about break even! All subject to availability but personally I have found availability to be good. With such miles, you could have upgraded your son. Note that unlike BA Emirates has NO costs whatsoever on a miles upgrade. It's a great feeling, putting through an EK miles upgrade (easily done online) and the cost is precisely 0

QR is brilliant in business class but the F product is a long way short of either EK or BA. QR J food is better than either airline's F food!

MrSoft, I should, but I find the whole process very complicated, and I am a hoarder . And as HenkyBaby once said, I am the poster child of a person with ADD, can't stay on one subject too long before I loose interest and attention. Besides, I would be worried that my preferred seats would be taken, an example was the return. But I survived the plane, though the terminal's smells caused an irritation to my throat and was coughing all through the flight and now have a full fledged head cold .

Oh another thing, I usually don't eat while in the plane, always have a fruit with me in case I get hungry. And if I did, then it would be a green salad and the cheese plater. Don't enjoy reheated/microwaved food. So don't need to add the extra calories for mediocre food. And yes there goes my training mentality .

Regarding the lounge.
Last year my GF had to wait outside 122 Lounge while i went for a quick shower, Emirates do have a waiting area for family and mainly kids who are waiting for people to come out of Business. Its only to seats, but least i knew where my GF was.

I've lived in Dubai my whole life, so I know what you mean (bin, bint). But in the UAE, for example, one cannot sponsor their son on their own visa once the child crosses 18. For daughters it is fine till they get married. Which is ridiculous because no 18 year old is completely independent. They don't have jobs. And they do need to visit family!

I was suggesting using the VIP terminal (but flying EK). I'm sure they make exceptions for Sheikhas. In fact, T3 has some VIP lounge that's better than the F lounge, used for dignitaries and sheikhs.


I think it's unfair to dismiss EK for following their rules. Having said that, have you tried Etihad? They have a pretty solid F product (unless you fancy an onboard shower).

And BTW, I did email EK's customer affairs office while I was at the airport, have to say, once I was in Paris and checked my email. I found a very courteous and quick reply. Ok standard, but never the less quicker than any that I got from BA.

I guested my sister into the F lounge whilst she was on the same flight in Y. Maybe I got lucky the one time but I didn't even have to ask, they just told me I was entitled to it

Saudi sheikha/ Emirati sheikha - same thing

But seriously - the J lounge would let you get away from the smells. As it was too crowded and using the F lounge doesn't work, try a different lounge. Doesn't have to be about ego, just about fulfilling your needs. Ego comes from knowing one can buy something if one wanted to (private jet travel or whatever) but not having to make that purchase in the first place.

This is all a bit ironic considering you live in Paris. One would think your Parisian nose would be well accustomed to having to deal with a variety of smells.

Actually it was a killer for me to go to restaurants ( I compiled a huge list of ones that had no smoking, and yes there were lots) and for perfumes, the french don't use as much as the gulfies. And don't spray it lavishly. I can detect a person who has smoked a few minutes ago, by the sudden sneeze attack, have even drawn stares.

Oh yes, I actively avoid Oudh shops in the malls in Dubai. My father loves the smells and bought an oudh burner once, and whenever he uses it is sends my mum into a sneezing frenzy!

Thanks for the note about Saudi royalty. My knowledge on the subject is limited to "The Princess" and Al Waleed's private jets

Actually when buying Oud, if you buy the ones from trees grown in southern India or Sri Lanka, they have more oils in them and are tolerable and in fact smell really good.

They (for the lack of a better word){ you"ll understand what I mean once you've seen how the process is done} fumigate my clothes with them and I wear them later after all the dust has settled down and they do smell very good, not the smokey kind. Long after my return when I smell my clothes it reminds me of mother