iFlyMoreThanYou

intereting post and this is indeed how it used to be but recent unfortunate events with crew being harassed have changed this.

thijsseh

My interpretation of this is then that the main reason for recording is to safeguard the crew, which I can understand. You can get some really obnoxious passengers who quite possibly could harass crew members.
There should however be some way that passengers are advised that CCTV is in operation on the aircraft. Such an advise would certainly be an expectation in many / most Western countries but customs in other regions may well be different. And of course such a 'warning' might reduce harassment by itself.

Longton

Just wondering, do Western airlines such as BA, Air France and Lufthansa have cameras?

Are there cameras in business class and economy?

I would be tempted to tape over the lens. I certainly don't want flight crew or passengers watching me. It seems very intrusive especially since Emirates do not draw passengers' attention to the cameras.

Lkaroo

I cannot comment as to whether or not the cameras record.

Compared to the camera at the front of the A380 F cabin which has a limited view into the suites (in particular if you are in a window seat past after row 2), the cameras on the new F point into each individual suite. Taping over the camera is not an option given they are on the ceiling... but you can always close the door

In addition, while the cameras throughout an A380 are fairly obvious, unless you were specifically looking for them, the cameras are well camoufalged (or "integrated", to give EK the benefit of the doubt) on the new 777. I have been lucky enough to fly the new F 20+ times now and I doubt I would ever have noticed the camera had I not seen the crew's screen.

NWplatinum

A6-EQO is doing a flight to Seattle. SEA is sporadically getting the new F. The seat maps aren’t reflecting it until 24 hours, but one can only hope they continue. The flights are available with miles I would add. Hope this keeps up. I have a flight out of there on the 25th but may change the date if I can find one with the new F obviously.

I assume with the outbreak of coronavirus, the planes with the new F that are being cancelled to Saudi Arabia are being diverted to SEA which is good. Doesn’t look like this can be predicted as the new F flew out on March 3rd, a Tuesday, and now a Wednesday. Looking at the seat maps it’s still showing the old configuration until 24 hours but they’re blocking all F seats out according to expert flyer.

I’ll be keeping my eye on this...

NWplatinum

My luck has gone from bad to worse. First I miss out on the new F which I was suppose to have.

Now I rebooked for the end of the month and I don’t think they’ll let me into several of the countries I was going to go to. First world problems...

NWplatinum

Haven’t see the new F to SEA. I wonder what prompted it the last two weeks?

saaveraward

Before the outbreak, if I wanted to pick up a DXB-STN award in F that's released 2 days before travel, does anyone have evidence of what day of the week is best?

onlysuites

Doesn't matter what day it is. I have seen them released on all days including weekend flights.

Howard Long

This trip wasn't even three weeks ago, it seems a lot longer ago though bearing in mind the current situation.

I took the EK68 STN-DXB on 13 March, and the EK67 DXB-STN on 15 March, both in F, just before weirdness hit a new level. This was part of a back to back itinerary to HKG, with 3.5 hours in HKG.

o Stansted transfer from Canary Wharf was exactly 1 hour at Friday evening rush hour. I'd estimate you'd be lucky to do it in 1.5 hours to Heathrow at that time.
o Finding the STN check in zone (the 500+ desks) wasn't immediately obvious, but it's at the far right of departures as you enter the building from kerbside drop off.
o The STN check in agent's supervisor thought I was being flippant when I said the purpose of my visit was "dinner" during enhanced checks.
o Fastrack security was quick, but it's just a way of getting you to the front of the security line, it merges into the front of a shared security scanner.
o Escape lounge is quite meh, I had a diet coke and left. There's an area at the end which I was escorted to after lining up for a couple of minutes. Not worth coming early for.
o The lounge is downstairs, and while there is a lift, it's small and slow, so stairs may be a better bet.
o There are no washrooms (let alone shower facilities) in the Escape lounge, or even on the same level (except for a disabled one). The closest facilities stank like a third world inner city car park stairwell, it was pretty disgusting.
o Instead of the lounge, I sat at the counter at Not Always Caviar and indulged in caviar. Disappointed there was no vodka, it's just not the same, quite an omission if you sell caviar. Staff were pleasant, but they just seemed permanently confused.
o Picked up a chicken nuggets takeaway from Burger King for on board snack enhancement.
o Boarding was announced, irritatingly about twenty five minutes before there was any intention of boarding anyone.
o Gate was gate 1, which had plenty of nearby seating, which was just as well because they announced boarding so early.
o Priority boarding seemed to work, or at least somehow I managed to be first to board.
o Door 2L boarding.

o On board, in 1A, the first thing I realised was that the carpet in the cabins is nice and deep.
o Then there's the realisation that these minicabins are BIG, and the pictures and videos I've seen don't really portray that aspect.
o The on board service is the same as any other F flight far as I could tell.
o Additional seat-side snacks were welcome, caramel popcorn for example!
o As usual the drinks stored at the seats aren't refrigerated.
o Binoculars had bits falling off or missing - this is just a gimmick IMHO. They're quite useless in the middle seats.
o I didn't even realise there was another passenger in the F cabin in 2K until we deplaned, that was quite impressive!
o I was the only pax in F on the return.
o They made up the bed in 1E for me on the way out, I stayed in 1A on the return.
o I found you could hear galley FM in 1E, which interrupted my sleep, even with Bose in ear noise cancellers, so I don't recommend it. I'd imagine 1K to have similar issues.
o On the return, I slept in 1A and sleep wasn't interrupted.
o The gadgetry for me was just excessive, too much going on, I doubt I even touched the surface.
o I couldn't work out how to play movies on the tablet, maybe you can't.
o The wireless remote in the seat arm rest didn't seem to work consistently.
o The crew intercom works, as long as you have your headphones on and plugged in!!!
o There doesn't appear to be aisle ceiling cameras on row 1, only row 2: I assume this is primarily for crew to monitor pax during takeoff and landing, they can already see pax in row 1.
o Middle row seats larger than window seats, and 2A/2K larger than 1A/1K, but not by much. The ceiling in 1E/2F is also higher than the window seats.
o I found the seat in 1E in bed mode uncomfortable around the hip area as if there was a small hump, even when made up by the crew, perhaps I hadn't found the right buttons to adjust properly.
o The 1A seat I slept in was very comfortable.
o There is nothing at the sides in bed mode, so I found my various limbs would fall off the sides as I drifted off. For comfort, I'm afraid I prefer the "old" style suite seats for sleeping!
o The small control panel at the side in sleep mode is very useful.
o The service hatch is useful... when your door jams shut as I found out.
o It is possible for crew to see inside through small holes in the service hatch, so behave yourselves.
o The large slide out tables I encountered were a bit wonky, probably needs a bit more industrial design effort.
o Unlike any other suites, I would consider getting changed in these floor-to-ceiling cabins, and the crew positively encouraged it, although I used the bathroom on both occasions.
o The amount of storage space within the cabin itself is unsurpassed, with a rollaboard space to the front and hangers to your side, where you can also place bags.
o Take care on rollaboard width, if you have an expandable rollaboard that is very unlikely to fit.
o There is no overhead baggage storage.
o I met my fellow pax on the outbound in the throne bus at DXB, a student whose parents had told him to get home ASAP to the UAE, we had a good chat. I wish I got the chance to travel F when I was a student, I could barely afford the bus!

o On arrival back at STN, the door was 2L and the crew were insistent that they escort me to the door ASAP, which is kind but I don't like being rushed because I tend to forget things, like passports, wallets, glasses etc. Thankfully I didn't, and I got off first.
o Not being familiar with STN, of course you might get off first, but you still have to wait for the monorail to the main terminal.
o Again, being unfamiliar, and even with a diagramatic representation of where to go on the fastrack arrival voucher you're given on board, by the time you've oriented yourself, a dozen plus regulars have already made it to the line ahead of you.
o Tying up with the driver was very easy, and it was a short walk to his car.
o The journey back to home (Chelsea) was about an hour and a half on a Sunday night, so without doubt I'd have been better off coming into Heathrow.

In conclusion, this was quite the experience. Would I do it again? Yes, if travelling to/from Canary Wharf, no if travelling to/from Central London. Stansted is such a disappointment compared to Heathrow, or even Gatwick. The new cabin itself wouldn't be enough of a pull on its own (well, especially now that I've done it) to make me want to make a special journey compared to the other EK F cabins. The middle cabins with their TV screen "windows" seem to be a bit of a gimmick, I am not sure I would pick them. Comparing them directly with the older 777 Suite F, I marginally preferred the older suite because your limbs have better support in bed mode, i.e., they don't fall out. If you're travelling individually this seat makes more sense than if travelling as a couple or group.

I've been travelling EK in F since about 2004, this is the fourth longhaul Emirates F seat I've experienced. For me, on balance, I found this latest iteration all just a little bit unnecessary.


Burger King chicken nuggets - as good as Maccy D's?


Hat Trick ++


The view through the service hatch... so behave yourselves!


The view in 1A


The view in 2A


The view in 1E


Cheers! (This face mask drew smiles from the crew when I wore it using the video intercom).

Longton

Didn't realize it was a face mask.

Howard Long

How dare you!

Longton

Seriously, great report and thanks for taking the time to write it. I enjoyed the humour.

thijsseh

Thought it was the student in 2K, but then the window would have been on the wrong side...
I've once met a Howie Long, he owns (or used to own) a shipping line. Or probably more than one. But that was in 1996. Certainly F material though... Come on, remove the mask

travelbug333

Hi all, looking to book EK new first class suite from DXB for 2 ppl via AS ... no seats available on AS yet, I'm guessing I'll have to check -2 days departure. We are going from YYZ-DXB first (2 F class seats available), then onwards, final destination SEZ ... not fussy stopover/layover destination as goal here is to try and experience the new first class. Which route do you think we'll have the most luck getting on it or most availability? I know they have a DXB-SEZ route (currently 2 J class available) but I'm guessing because it's the cheapest fare to pay for if someone were to pay for the first class experience and because it's a popular tourist destination, availability for 2 may be scarce. Thoughts? Thanks in advance!