Some of you might know that I have just signed up to a job which means I have to travel to Singapore every couple of weeks. After looking at the prices of the direct flights I thought I would try Emirates via Dubai in J Class, Ł1200 cheaper than SQ direct.

I booked EK4 from LHR to DXB then EK404 from DXB to LHR, A380 the B777. I was really looking forward to it, I had been looking at all the trip reports and even out a threat on here asking for tips! It all started off well but soon went downhill.

The car picked me up early as I wanted to get to the LHR lounge and enjoy it, which I did. Nice food and a great place to look over the departure runway – it was looking good. The A380 arrived, A6-EDF, and we were soon boarding by the direct gate. I was greeted on board and i made my way to my seat. I unpacked a few things and sat down. This is where things went downhill. My IFE was blank and I was trying to get the attention of the crew but they said they would come back me. They seemed to be greeting passengers personally; i assume they were Gold Card holders as they didn’t greet me. They spent about 10 minutes explaining to the guy behind how there was a bar at the back, and where the toilets were, even though he said he had flown the sector several times, perhaps it would be a better idea to explain it to someone who has never flown on the A380?

Anyway the screen came on and started working on its own, but not perfectly. The little wireless control wouldn’t work at all so if I needed to change the channel I had to get up and move forward to press the screen as the wired control didn’t work either. It was also really dirty, not fresh like spills, but just ingrained dirt like you get on the back of a door when people with dirty hands close it. Food came around which was ok but not great but I waited about 30 minutes between starter and main and, I kid you not, 1hr for my main to be cleared away. I just couldn’t get the attention of the crew, they all seemed to be rushing about and I couldn’t use my call bell as the controllers were dead. So not impressed.

We arrived in Dubai, 40 minutes late, and I made my way to the lounge to have a shower. I tried all of the showers available but all had a large queue. It was only because a couple of guys I was speaking to asked if I wanted to jump the queue I managed to get a shower before my next flight. I grabbed a quick drink and ran to the next gate. On arrival I went straight aboard and found my seat. It was ok and I had an orange juice and the stewardess said that my seat was broken but an engineer was coming to take a look, I kid you not!!!!!!

So I waited and waited and the engineer didn’t come, I didn’t know what was wrong with it so I assumed it was the IFE or something. Anyway the doors were closed and we pushed back. I was concerned that the seat hadn't been fixed so I had a closer look about and found the problem. The door to the compartment which has the life jacket in had come adrift and was stopping the seat from moving. So I fixed it myself, it was easy (I’m an aircraft engineer, but not on B777). Other than that the flight was good, the crew better than the LHR/DXB sector but it was still nothing special.

I was a little disappointed with the whole service, I am not sure what I expected but I was just disappointed with the broken seats, the cleanliness of the cabin and seats on the A380, the lounge in Dubai which was really packed and too busy and the second broken seat on the B777. I noticed that EK were offering F Class tickets from LGW at a reasonable cost and I was going to take my next flight from London, on the 27th, in F but I am really having second thoughts on the whole EK thing now.

I’m writing this in Singapore so I still have my return legs to do, so they might redeem themselves but I wanted to ask you all, am I being picky or is this out of character for EK?

It is just hit and miss EK004 Regular. It depends on many factors, first the crew, then the plane load, the time or the flight duration. Just Yesterday I had a flight in J, and I was totally ignored for first half the of flight despite my call to them, sitting alone in 6k on an airbus flight, to be only later on remembered by the crew which during the second half the the flight I had the purser and a hostess sitting with me chatting and asking me if all was good all the time. It just depends on workload and crew character i believe. And when you meat a crew who you traveled before with, you will get double attention like it happened a couple of time before with me

From your description it doesn't sound like your experience was particularly sour, and I feel like flying F would address all your concerns.

Service on the 380 is known to be slow because of the pax numbers. There are changes on the way to address the meal service - so this should hopefully improve soon. Otherwise, go with a 777 and service levels should be better. In F, however, service is fantastic and very attentive.

The DXB lounge is notoriously crowded and this is a very valid point. The F lounge is truly an oasis of calm and you'll want to spend more time than you have over here!

As for the malfunctioning IFE and seats - The IFE controller can be an issue on the 380. Happened to me as well, but didn't seem like a big deal. I think the malfunctioning seat would have annoyed me to no end if a solution hadn't been found. Since you managed to fix this, the problem was averted. This is not typical for an EK seat though.

I think other than the system problem of an overcrowded lounge, the rest are all bad luck on any given day. If you can do F, go for it!

The seat and blank IFE screen are one-off problems. You're definitely not expected to fix your own seat on EK! If you have a problem like this again, methinks you should fill a feedback form (ask the crew).

The return trip should be much more satisfying, if it goes without a hitch.

It does not sounds that good, Maybe you should try QR and compare it with EK?

I've seen many broken seats in Y with QR and last year with Saudi Airlines many of the seats were broken on a 777 from JED to LHR and many of the screens didnt work!

Will fly EK this aug and see how they are, have not used them for a while now. But since QR become so expensive and no longer flying from LGW I will give EK a try.

After reading this post I am afraid of how we will be received onboard the 380 in F from BKK to DXB. Is it not the same crew that continues onto HKG that arrives from DXB
They must be tired and may not serve well.

The A380 crews are atrociously poor (due to inexperience mainly) and enough reason to avoid the A380 altogether - especially in Business Class.

In First, there is a low enough pax:crew ratio to bumble through regardless and in Economy the service is formulaic anyway. Business gets the raw end of the stick.

I remember a PEK-DXB flight last year where the service took so long that they were taking breakfast orders in one aisle while the last remnants of the dinner were still being cleared in the other.

No, crew slip in BKK and then do a HKG shuttle the next day.

Thats everyone, its such a shame that EK seem to be letting people down. I am not going to do an F sectors with EK as at the moment I would rather pay the same money for SQ J class direct.

I will write a report up for the return legs. I take EK405 out of SIN very early Thursday morning.

So fingers crossed

IMO EK J is a joke compared to SQ J (but it is much cheaper), when it comes to F though, EK is much better value for money (cheaper and same level of service, same level of hard product).

Out of MUC, EK and SQ J prices are almost identical (to AUS/NZ).

apparently sometimes from the US as well their prices are competitive.

but anyway i was referring to the london-singapore route, as that is the one i fly most often. in fact i'm flying tomorrow

I forgot to mention that it's not SQ that is offering cheaper fares. EK became very expensive this year.

happy flying!

Or as they say on Come Fly With Me: Happy flighting

This is quite a revealing thread. No surprises though.

I just wonder how many people would fly EK J/F if they were paying for it out of their own pocket. And I don't mean out of your expenses if you're a consultant or a sole trader, etc, etc.

Any feedback?