Continue in EY or jump to EK?
Mar 7, 2018, 4:54 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AC Elite, EY Gold, QR Gold
Posts: 58
Continue in EY or jump to EK?
So, I have been Platinum on EY for a while, having consolidated travel between QR and EY solely on EY. After a long while, I travelled EK in J. They still had chaffeur pick up, and a far better hard product than the crappy A320s EY flies into India. Decision time, folks! Shall I shift, en masse, on to EK? Your valuable suggestions/opinions are appreciated.
Mar 7, 2018, 6:02 am
#2
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: AUH
Programs: EY Guest Gold, Hilton HHonors Gold, Le Club Accor Silver, AAdvantage Gold
Posts: 552
EK is a world ahead of EY.
Chauffeur service on the lowest J fare class, they will automatically match you to EK silver if you send them an email and they have flatbeds onboard and better lounges.
Chauffeur service on the lowest J fare class, they will automatically match you to EK silver if you send them an email and they have flatbeds onboard and better lounges.
Mar 7, 2018, 8:38 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AC Elite, EY Gold, QR Gold
Posts: 58
Edit: Oh, another pet peeve: the A380 toilets on EY J are dingy and fairly filthy, despite their planes being newer than EK. What's with that! The smell of stale urine and dim lighting is such a turn off.
Mar 7, 2018, 9:47 am
#4
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: AUH
Programs: EY Guest Gold, Hilton HHonors Gold, Le Club Accor Silver, AAdvantage Gold
Posts: 552
BLR-JFK-BLR is my standard route. Getting dropped and picked up ex Connecticut is a big deal. The onboard entertainment was way better! I found the EK J Class Lounge super busy (when compared to EY First Class Lounge at AUH). But for the love of God, what's with these old and dreary A320s that EY flies? EK flies a cool 777-300 that allowed me to get some much needed shut eye. Yet, I am rather conflicted about the impending EY divorce I see looming ahead.
Edit: Oh, another pet peeve: the A380 toilets on EY J are dingy and fairly filthy, despite their planes being newer than EK. What's with that! The smell of stale urine and dim lighting is such a turn off.
Edit: Oh, another pet peeve: the A380 toilets on EY J are dingy and fairly filthy, despite their planes being newer than EK. What's with that! The smell of stale urine and dim lighting is such a turn off.
My common route is AUH-MAA, but now I fly to/from MAA in EK from DXB because the flatbed is crucial on the redeye into MAA that is most crucial for me schedule-wise and on the return EK offers more flights to suit my schedule as well.
While EK's J lounge is packed to the gills, the food is better and they have voss water and better champagne.
About the EY a380's : I too have noticed that they are poorly maintain, I just got off the a380 from JFK in J and the frame itself was relatively new but the condition of the WC is shocking and the seat itself was very worn and full of scratches especially when compared to an EK craft more than double it's age.
Mar 7, 2018, 11:42 am
#5
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,632
Q
QR is also significantly better than EY. They don't have chauffeur service, but they have widebodies with lie-flat J to many destinations in India. Their 777 seats were old-fashioned, but are being updated to QSuites fairly rapidly.
Mar 7, 2018, 4:57 pm
#6
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: New York
Programs: EK Platinum, AA EXP, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,148
Make the switch. EY is a flying s***show. Cut after cut, everyday it seems that something is taken away. Soon enough they’ll probably be an LCC.
And yea the J lounge at DXB is crowded, but you’ll be platinum soon enough if you’ve flown enough for EY plat, so then you’ll have F lounge access eventually. EK is just more reliable and consistent.
I’ve reccomended this switch even for those that live in Abu Dhabi. An hour drive for a much better all around experience is worth it in my book. Especially when EK chauffeur service takes you to/from DXB.
And yea the J lounge at DXB is crowded, but you’ll be platinum soon enough if you’ve flown enough for EY plat, so then you’ll have F lounge access eventually. EK is just more reliable and consistent.
I’ve reccomended this switch even for those that live in Abu Dhabi. An hour drive for a much better all around experience is worth it in my book. Especially when EK chauffeur service takes you to/from DXB.
Mar 8, 2018, 9:04 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AC Elite, EY Gold, QR Gold
Posts: 58
See, that's the QR tragedy! They lost me when they moved from the old terminal to the new one without any planning at all. I mean, we J passengers were sitting on the floor in the Business Lounge, like some kind of Indian railway station. And despite all the apology letters that AAB wrote, I stayed away from QR. But that was when EY was firing on all cylinders. So, QR has recovered lost ground?
Mar 8, 2018, 9:08 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AC Elite, EY Gold, QR Gold
Posts: 58
Yup, that did cross my mind. At current flying levels, exclusively on J, shouldn't be too long. Even if I do miss the lounge access for domestic Jet Airways flights that EY Platinum accords me, I may be better off.
Mar 8, 2018, 12:07 pm
#9
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,632
See, that's the QR tragedy! They lost me when they moved from the old terminal to the new one without any planning at all. I mean, we J passengers were sitting on the floor in the Business Lounge, like some kind of Indian railway station. And despite all the apology letters that AAB wrote, I stayed away from QR. But that was when EY was firing on all cylinders. So, QR has recovered lost ground?
Mar 9, 2018, 8:45 am
#10
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Surrey, UK
Programs: BAEC Gold, QRPC Silver
Posts: 518
I have not experienced the transition period myself, but the new airport is working well now. QR food is better than EY, service is better (more consistent), seats are getting better. You even get pajamas, not that I need any more pajamas. Only reason I fly EY is that award seats are very hard to get on QR, and QR's schedule to my destination in India is worse (lands and takes off in early a.m. as opposed to convenient evening hours on EY).
Mar 9, 2018, 1:35 pm
#11
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Economy, mostly :(
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 7,801
Welcome to the dark side where all flights are in wide bodies with lie flat seating in J, there are many destinations with F, a lot of which are A380s, virtually all aircraft have WiFi (which once you reach Gold is unlimited and free even in Y), the lounges can be crowded but you'll soon learn where to find quiet corners (Champagne Bar, ends of concourse A lounge, etc)
EK will Match you one status up from current tier so if you get Silver first they'll then match you to Gold, though if flying J it makes little difference
EK will Match you one status up from current tier so if you get Silver first they'll then match you to Gold, though if flying J it makes little difference