Just a quick report on my recent flight, EK 203 DXB-JFK in J:

Overall: very average

Seat: one of the worst J seats. I flew Air Canda(!) earlier in the trip on their A345 and their J seats were more comfortable. How can that be!!!

ICE: amazing, as usual, but only worked for 6 out of the 14 hours. About 7 ohter seats lost ICE, and all the rebooting in the world couldn't bring them back.

Food: good. nice midlflight snacks set up in the galley and hot snacks served. no complaints.

Service: friendly, but inexperienced. the cabin was not even full, and the flight attendants seemed strained, a little sloppy.

I am a HUGE fan of Emirates, gold skywards member, and really, really want to love them. But this experience, which is supposedly a flagship route and aircraft, was quite disappointing. I almost wonder if flying Business is worth it. Maybe it's better to split travel between coach, where you'll get a good product at a great price, and first where you will truly have a memorable experience.

Wow - a disappointing review. Especially as I will be flying business cl on EK 204 for my DXB - JFK return in late Nov (so I presume same plane).

This will be my first EK trip (honeymoon to Dubai) and I decided to surprise my fiance with bus class tickets. (She's never flown BC before). I hope this doesn't take away from her experience.

Chris

They might be changing the aircrafts soon i hear to the new 777ER with business class flat bed. Try to find out more. I do agree that the seats are the worst business class seats i have been on. Service is normally excellent. Some times its better to fly economy if the flight is not full ( which i doubt it will be) a you MAY get 4 seats for the 2 of you.

EK is installing lie-flat style (ie angled lie-flat) seats on the 777ER and not the fully flat beds found at carriers like BA, VS, NZ, Etihad and, in the near future, AC and CX. There is a difference !

A word of caution: The lie flat J class seats will not be on the flights via HAM so avoid them if possible

The flights I have booked are:

Nov 28th - JFK --> DXB is EK 204 (777ER) which is supposed to be updated with new seats early this month.

Dec 12th - DXB --> JFK on EK201 (A340)

Both are directs - so hopefully (and now I am getting a bit worried) they are above average experiences.

The A345 in C isn't all that bad - i agree the seats are not all that good for sleeping however the aircraft is pretty new and the cabin is beatiful - the screens are huge and I'm sure the business experience will please your girlfriend! Have a great honeymoon in Dubai...

You'll both have a good time. I'm just being hypercritical. Maybe I'm a bit jaded and hold Emirates to very high standards, as I want them to be the best.

No need to rescind words.

I too do a bit of international travel for work (although I don't think to the levl of some of the members on here). Although, I do have enough bus class trips (25 - 30 I'd say) to also be a bit of a discerning traveller. For me, though, my trips have been mostly on Western carriers: UAL, BA,Delta, Continental, Thai and Singapore Airlines. Since this is my first trip on EK - I am simpy looking for some honest info. Especially, as this is the first time I've actualyl had to pay for the seats! Thanks.

Chris

The seat comfort in C and F on Emirates is often critizized here at FT. For day time flights the seats are perfectly fine, and i have slept perfectly fine also on the longer routes, however the seat comfort can not be compared with that of carriers such as BA that offer lie flat seatings.

I have had 10 EK C and F flights this last year however mostly 4-7 hour flights, so my opinion is based on this...