Originally Posted by Will08

I flew yesterday, I asked to upgrade as soon as I was on board as I knew there was only a few seats left in J. The guy who greeted me at the door was really professional. He immediately called someone over to take over at the door and proceeded to call through to the purser. After a few attempts the purser answered and I listened to my request go through. The response or at least the way he was spoken to obviously shocked him from the look on his face and for my benefit he repeated what the purser said. "So you want me to tell the customer who is concerned there is only a couple of seats left, that you are too busy right now and to try again once we have taken off?" The purser must have hung up without responding. To be fair to the guy, he then tried looking on his ipad screen thing for seat availability but sadly it wasn't working.

I thanked him for his efforts and waited at my seat. After ground crew had been requested to leave, he came and found me at my seat to see if the purser had been down. After I had said no he had a discussion with another lady who then called through to the purser.

Bearing in mind I could only hear her responses I can only surmise what the questions were.. "Yes I am aware he was told to wait until after take off but that it not usually what happens" "Yes he has enough miles" "Yes, I have told you he is a platinum member so yes he is silver or above". With a confused look she turns to me and asks if I happen to have my card with me but before I could respond she replies that it is not required and that she has seen my miles balance already!

Whilst we were taxiing the purser eventually came down only to go through all the same things with me that I knew he already knew. He spoke like he was doing me a huge favour and tried making out as though he had only just received the request. Annoyed at this point I told him I knew that was a lie and so did everyone else sat around me who by now had been listening to the longest miles upgrade in history!

The issues did not end there but thats for another time. Although on a positive note the cabin supervisor was really good. He came and introduced himself and then himself and the girls serving my side were constantly checking it I wanted another drink and had replacements there before I had even finished - its been a while since I have had crew do that (but it has also been a while since I had alcohol on board).

The long winded point I am making is that service experience can vary hugely during a one particular flight never mind the inconstancies you may encounter throughout the year. And that is not just in one particular cabin class either.

Finally, whilst talking about things we miss, I really wish they would bring back the huge glass bowls they used to have at the entrances to the lounges filled with Lindor!

Originally Posted by iFlyMoreThanYou

Good work and effort by the CSV. While I agree with m3red that during boarding they may be busy, they do have procedures in place to do this then. This is why the CSV moved away from the door and have another crew stand there as there should be crew at ML1/ML2/UL1 during boarding at all times. If you have the time, write in about this purser.

Originally Posted by m3red

So when did you finally get the seat?

Its always a bit of a difficult time to process an upgrade when they are trying to board 500 plus people. Why didn’t you sort it out in the lounge?

Originally Posted by Will08

So this time EK went one better.. neither I or my bags made the connection. This is infuriating for two reasons. One I strolled to the gate even though I had already been told I had been taken off, only to watch pax still casually boarding, therefore at least I could have made it but probably not my luggage. Secondly my flight departed 4 MINUTES late from BKK and I was notified by emirates about my flight change only a few hours into the flight which means I was never going to make the connection according to EK so why offer it me?

Is it any surprise that flyer talk is showing F0 J0 Y0 for my original connection.... but I didn’t get IDB...

Originally Posted by thijsseh

I have not travelled EK in economy for over a year now and before that only sporadically, so I can't reliably comment on the decline. I must however say that friends and family who have flown Emirates and other airlines economy cabins recently, still find Emirates significantly better. To be specific: I am referring to BA and KLM. Although sad, it would be understandable from a commercial point of view to keep the standards just a bit above the crowd, but not spend more money than is necessary to do so.

Originally Posted by rumbataz

I think the point you make is exactly what is happening. I wouldn't fly BA if they gave me a free flight. I just wish for some of the Emirates magic to be restored. I'm sure it's great in Business and First, but Economy is withering. I wish some of the hard-to-describe-in-words Emirates magic was restored.

Perhaps Emirates could source more UAE and more experienced crew for Economy, but I imagine all the top crew talent is now solely reserved for Business and First class.

Originally Posted by Will08

Upstairs can be as unpredictable as Y unfortunately and at times worse. The staff in F and J have been with EK longer so where they improve in terms of experience they deteriorate in terms of enthusiasm. You get some great crews upstairs and you get some great crews downstairs, I wouldn't say one is more predictable than the other.

Also to add, as a plat it is also no different. You could have one flight where you are spoken to by name and are treated like royalty throughout the flight then on your following connection you are not even acknowledged as a plat.

I doubt any other companies are any more consistent, I guess you just have to choose an airline for different factors.

Originally Posted by BadoRas

I can't really comment on Y crews, but I can definitely confirm that crews upstairs can be very variable. From unnecessarily obsequious to charming to downright rude for no reason.

Its just pot luck what you end up with, and it's always best to just go with the flow and never get upset.

Originally Posted by kq747

Not sure about donkeys but I recall the hot towels at the start of the flights (at least for ULH) were cut in 2017 but they kept the second hot towel service. Cant remember when the square chocolates went away but I am going to guess it was when they changed the meal tray shape? I do miss them...

Originally Posted by tabeko

Just flown EK from BKK to HKG last week. I was disappointed.

1) Boarding: the male crew stationed at A380 L2 door greeted every passengers by name. No more Menu distribution snd hot towel service.

2) Meal Service: No meal choice. The crew serving my aisle just put the meal tray on my table without saying anything. A piece of KitKat was preset on.the meal tray.
( I was abit shocked as EK no longer offer meal choices in Y class on this flight. And the crew didnt name the meal to passenger. I think it would be nice to let passenger know what they are going to eat?)

3) Drink Service: Drink serve together with meal. Only Red Wine/ White Wine/ Beer/ 1.5L Pepsi and 7 up/Orange Juice/Apple Juice available. Tomato Juice upon request.

4) Collection of meal together with Tea/Coffee service.

I remember when.i flown EK on the same route in 2012 also by the same A380. The service was excellent and memorable:

1) Boarding: Hot Towel service followed by Menu distribution

2) After Take-off: Drink Cart service with Nuts. Full selection of drinks including Mango Juice/ Pineapple Juice/ Can of Coke. And you can pay usd7 for a glass of Champagne.

3) Meal cart followed drink cart with full selection of drinks on the cart top. Crew who was responsible for meal tray distribution verbally offered drinks to passenger again.
2 meal choices with a piece of Godiva Chocolate on the tray.

4) Tea/Coffee service offered by hand with a fancy silver serving tray.

5) Collection of Meal tray.

All of the above showed the differences between 2012 and 2019. You can see nowadays EK is trying the best to cut cost in Y class. I talked to the crew who served my area. He said that all the changes is not about cost cutting. Its all about flight time limitation. As flight time only last for 2hrs something. Its impossible to offer 2 meal choices in Y class. Cabin Crew will not be able to finish the service. When I heard this explaination. I wanna laugh out loud. I want to ask him to fly Cathay Pacific and Thai Airways on the same route to see how their crew run the service with 2 hot entree choices and HD ice creams. Or ask his senior how they managed to work in the old days. Lol

I observed something weird. The crew on my flight had a habit to collect unconsumed cuplet juices/ water/ Kitkat from meal tray when they were doing collections. I hardly ever see EK crew did that in the past. When passengers asked for water. The crew offered those "recycled" cuplet water to them. I think this is one of the cost cutting measures that company requested crew to follow?

Only thing that didnt change at all is the Inflight entertainment system. I like it so much!