#1son

to begin I have have flown EK every month for the past 12 years in a mix of Y and J bookings

I still believe EK is the best Economy Class seat in the industry but in 2017, not once was I upgraded.

in their Business Lounge in Dubai the other day, I went to use the toilet and there was a line literally 10-deep, it was easier to leave the lounge and use the washroom in the terminal

it also seems unbelievable that the smoking section in the Business Lounge in Dubai is not closed in, I find it disgusting and think their hometown lounge has a really poor design

I think the meal service in J has been on a steady decline, it is obvious EK is cutting costs in many other areas too though they still have fabulous wines

EK changed their seating policy in Y and has made it more difficult for passengers with status to get the best seats without showing up at the airport 6 hours in advance

there are a number of other issues but bottom line I feel EK simply does not appreciate my business much anymore

In 2018 I plan to use DXB much less often and fly Qatar Airways with the understanding they do not have as many convenient connections as EK but better J service, more special fare offers and opportunities to earn miles as a Platinum, plus the Emerald status lounge access options are just incredible in some airports

I have been one of EK's biggest fans for years, but less so in recent years

moral_low_ground

Good luck using QR if you're based in Dubai....whilst EK may be cutting costs I would not spend 3 hours + to get to DOH to use QR especially when QR Economy is dire (try asking them for 2 cans of beer!).

Re your points - agree re Toilets although has always been that way during busy times.
Smoking section is one end of the lounge, there are plenty of places to sit where the smoke is not noticeable (however, it is unusual these days to see a non-enclosed smoking area)
EK J is hit and miss, depends on aircraft age, type etc

I fly EK Y most places except to London and the US where I fly BA. BA is cheaper and good to use if you don't want to do 15 hours down the back.

Finally, EK Skywards is undoubtedly amongst the worst FF schemes going, especially if you normally fly Y.

#1son

just for the record I will no longer be based in Dubai, prices in Dubai for everything have gone up and up

we moved our Free Zone Enterprise to UAQ to greatly reduce our overhead and beat the rush when the next Dubai bubble pops

not planning on using QR for Y flights (primarily long-haul J), Cathay or BA could work out better for Y flights

gorbatzjov

I recently flew KL on trips to Europe and North America. Must say I am very impressed with their service, seat comfort and food. I exclusively fly cheapest Y (except in the rare occasion I get an upgrade). I'm still EK Gold, flying Y saver gives you an idea how much I have to fly to reach Gold... The exorbiant price ex-DXB (which indeed was always there) and the increase in quality of other airlines, gave me the push to stop flying EK. There is not one flight or destination that I travel to that justifies the premium EK asks; connections are reasonable and airlines are just as reputable and comfortable...
DXB-BRU-DXB around 3000 AED or DXB-FRA-BRU-FRA-DXB / DXB-AMS-BRU-AMS-BRU for 1700 AED -- That's 1,300 AED I can spend on hotel upgrades...

extramileage

Total of 2 upgrades for me in 2017 as a Plat... As you know, when business is down, seats are more empty and thus less Op Ups are necessary.

Technically, it's as easy as ever to nab exit rows...if you pay up! I actually find the new policy favorable. As I'm late ticket booker and good "free" (for me) Y seats towards the front are now much more available.

DYKWIA

The OP says he is a Gold, so unlikely to get upgraded unless on Flex Plus tickets in reality.

DYKWIA

Which Business Lounge are you referring to? I don't smoke, and I've never really noticed a smoke smell from any of the lounges, so I'd be interested to hear where about's the smoking section is?

extramileage

If you ever want to exit the B concourse J lounge from the back you have to go through the smoking section, which is kind of nasty if you're a non-smoker.

DYKWIA

Is that up near the Champagne Bar? We went there a few months back - but at a very quiet time of day, so didn't really notice the smoking.

It's my pet hate about Dubai - most places still allow smoking. Not too bad in the winter when you can sit outside, but a pain in the summer.

I remember about 10 years ago when they banned smoking in bars. It was completely ignored

skywardhunter

Just to add, seat selection is much better since paid seat selection, at least for Golds, because you get to select pretty much any seat (except twins), including all non-status pax on the same booking. I always sit in the first mini-cabin on the 77W which is now "preferred seating" so unless the plane is full I find it heightens my chances of an empty seat next to me.

ft101

Quite well set out, although for newbies reading this, the smoking bit is a bit overstated. In A Lounge the smoking areas are enclosed and in C it is upstairs. No-one has to go near the open area in B, which I do admit you can smell from a distance. As a smoker, I look on it as you're getting something for nothing.

For a few years now, I've toyed with using EY and QR as alternatives to EK (and indeed I'm using EY in a few weeks) as EDI is more convenient for me than GLA but reading their respective forums on here has not encouraged me to do so. Neither did my previous EY experience and I'm doing it again for one reason only - the price.

jasondc

Are you still based in the UAE? You know that QR no longer flies there due to the blockade yes? How do you plan on flying QR?

skywardhunter

Perhaps have a look at post #3 in this thread...

jasondc

I did. it said they are no longer in Dubai. I asked if they were still in the UAE. The UAE is composed of 7 Emirates. It looks like based on their title they are in Umm al Quaim (one of the smaller Emirates). If that is indeed the case, I was wondering how they would avail themselves of Qatar Airways, given that QR can no longer fly anywhere in the UAE, not just Dubai.

skywardhunter

Yes, fair point I guess