Thanks for your quick and helpful response ung1.

I still find it amazing that airlines can get away with charging the same fare for vastly different products across different aircraft types to the same / similar destination. :td:

DXB seems a particularly popular spot for this type of rort ~ I also struck it several times when travelling there with Cathay in the past...

tb

Sure, no problem.

Yes especially on such long flights, where having a bed is the biggest concern for most travellers in premium cabins. Emirates is notorious for this, and a lot of their overnight flights have recliners while day flights have flat beds (to Europe especially). The likes of Etihad are more consistent with a flat bed on all their aircraft, but don't serve as many destinations.

Seat advice
 

Hi all, New to this and could do with some help. Does seat 18K on EK407 (777-300ER 3 class) out of Auckland on August 14th have a window? We fly via Melbourne to Dubai. We picked 18K & J so my wife had a view out over the front of the wing. What's your thoughts on these seats?

Thanks for any advice

Feedback...
 

Just to feedback on my first experiences flying with Emirates and the astonishing variation of seating offered in J class.

In all I flew 6 sectors with EK last month, on a 2-week trip that started and ended in MEL and included stops in Asia, Dubai and Paris.

Across those 6 sectors I flew on three different configs of B777, the A380, and the A340.

The sectors MEL-SIN and CDG-DXB, while in slightly different cabin configs of B777-300ER, were in quite comfortable business class seats. They were the almost horizontal flat bed type seats. Pretty good, but somewhat less spacious than some other airlines.

The sectors SIN-CMB and CMB-DXB were in an old style, wide, comfortable, but limited seat pitch business class seat. Not so bad for daytime flights, but not very good when sold for overnight sectors. (Similar to those Cathay still use for some "regional" flight sectors, including HKG-DXB). Interestingly, this aircraft shows as a B777-300ER on EF, as do the two other B777 flights I took, so I am not sure how a customer is able to differentiate between the various seat configs...

The DXB-CDG sector was on the A380, in a comfortable flat bed seat with a range of fairly gimmicky accessories. This was quite a pleasant seat to sit in. It was a daytime flight, so I didn't try sleeping. (Slightly OT, but on the A380 I would rank the EK cabin fit-out and business class seat well below SQ, and actually a bit of a line-ball toss-up with QF. This was not what I expected).

My final sector, DXB-MEL was on an A340-500, using an older 'cradle' type J class seat. I have to say that this is without doubt the most uncomfortable business class seat I have ever sat in. It was almost impossible to put the seat into a configuration where it was comfortable for me. Leg room was very restricted, and the seat just seemed to work on some very strange angles. This for a 13.5 hour sector...:mad:

So, using a business class ticket travelling on six different sectors over 2 weeks I sat in 5 different types of business class seat. They ranged from one of the most comfortable seats in the sky (the A380), to the least comfortable business class seat I have experienced across 20 years of J class travel.

I still find it unbelievable that an airline with the self-promulgated elite reputation of Emirates can get away with such wide variation of hard product across and even between its fleets. Incidentally, I find it almost as unbelievable that their customers continue to put up with this. Perhaps it says something about the magnetic pull of FF loyalty programs, but I would expect people to start voting with their travel budget. I certainly will be.

Perhaps the airline should channel a bit more of their astonishing recent profit into refurbishing hard product and a little less into sponsoring the free-flow of champagne at horse races.

Rant over.

The second DXB-CDG flight is supposed to be a 773 with old seats, so you got lucky there.

The SIN - CMB - DXB flight sort of keeps alternating between the two seat types, so I guess you got unlucky there.

I believe they are getting rid of the 345 on long hauls by the end of the year.

Hi,

I am flying to LGW on 9th July, EK011 leaving DXB around 3AM. The website says B777-200/200ER so could anyone tell me which seats are in Business? And also which plane as I gather a 777-200 is different to 777-200ER?

Thanks in advance, once again!

If you look at "Services By Flight" here:
http://www.emirates.com/uk/english/f...ce_finder.aspx
you'll see it is due to be a B777-200 with deeply reclining seats in Business Class.

Thanks ft101,

I followed the link but it doesn't seem to be working, once I enter my flight number etc nothing comes up.

My other question is in MMB it says B777-200/200ER, one the EK website under our fleet, the only ER's are 777-300's, and the only 200 with any letters is LR.

Why on the ticket would it say B777-200ER when EK don't have any? What does that mean?

Thanks

Link working OK for me. Enter Flight Number and date then press "Search".

Try this one which might take you right in to your actual flight:

http://www.emirates.com/uk/english/f...5c598f6e1cec57

I'm not sure why MMB would show a non-existant aircraft.

1000th FT post. :cool:

The seatmap shown on services by flight is more accurate than the generic 'our fleet' page.

Thanks for your help, i have pasted below what MMB says, with regards to the B777-200/200ER thing...

FlightONWARD Dubai, United Arab Emirates to London, United Kingdom
Flight Depart / Arrive Time Airport Duration / Stops Class / Aircraft
EK 11 Depart
Fri09 Jul 10 02:50 Dubai International Airport (DXB) 07 hrs 30min
0 Stops Business
Boeing 777-200/ 200ER
Arrive
Fri09 Jul 10 07:20 London Gatwick Airport (LGW)

So I am presuming it will be the B777-200, which following ft101's link says recently refurbished so hopefully it will nice new seats?

Total newbie here so you can douse me down if you wish, but hopefully there is at least one kind soul that may be able to assist.

I keep reading DREADFUL reports of Emirates...(what happened?) and we are flying with them in September. I am hoping that some advice can be given as to what seats to choose for DH and me as we have never flown Emirates before, only the good ol' flying 'roo!

We are flying on 22/9 from Melbourne to Dubai, with aprox 2 hr stop and then onto their new destination, Madrid.The flights are respectively EK 407 777-300ER & EK141 A330-200.

Return is on 8/10 from Venice to Dubai, with aprox 4 hr stop, and back to Melbourne. Flights are EK136 A330-200 & EK408 777-300ER

Also, what will happen at Dubai? Will we be allowed to get off the plane on our outward journey, and is there somewhere at the airport to freshen up, such as showering? I have searched the website but it only mentions First & Business class...we are at the back of the plane in Economy!

Any other tips and hints will be gratefully appreciated...except to cancel the booking!:rolleyes:

Welcome to FT Lara.

There seems to be a lot of service inconsistency with Emirates of late. I've had some excellent flights though, so it's what you make of it, and how the crew on your flight are.

As far as seating goes, the 330-200s are easy. They're in a 2-4-2, so grab an aisle and window for your travelling partner and yourself.

The 777-300ERs are a bit more tricky. They have a 3-4-3 unless you go to the last three rows which are 2-4-2. If you don't mind being all the way down back, where meal choices and people queuing up for the loos, as well as getting out of the a/c can be an issue. I think it's still preferred by most couples to a block of 3 seats.

You will have to change planes at Dubai. Basically go out, follow everyone back up to security, roam around duty free, and then to your departure gate.

EK lounges are only accessible to those with status or flying in F/ J as you found out. There are some other lounges (Marhaba lounge, civil aviation lounge) that are accessible on payment, or through various credit cards.

Thanks sooo much for your info and prompt reply ung1, such a relief not to have been shot down for my naivety!(not yet anyway!);)

....."The 777-300ERs are a bit more tricky. They have a 3-4-3 unless you go to the last three rows which are 2-4-2.


Just checked Emirates "Manage your booking" and those 2-4-2 seats have already been allocated!:( What now???

Also, I'll check out more info about the lounges you mentioned!^

It's kind of early for them to already be gone. They could be blocked, so check closer to the date. You could go with an aisle and center in the middle, and not having anyone jumping over you guys. Or take a window and aisle/ center, though I can't imagine having to jump over two people every time I wanted to get out, on such a long flight.