First time with Emirates - First Class!
 

Hi all, this is my first post - I've been visiting Flyertalk for a couple of years and love reading all the interesting posts and trip reports, and I'm here looking for some advice:

I'm currently in Bangkok and going to Hong Kong on the 20th April. I was looking at flights online and could get a one-way for just GBP120. Just for fun I checked Business Class and Emirates was only GBP260. This made me think - how much might First Class be? GBP400....!! So I booked it. I might never get another opportunity to fly Emirates First Class and I'd like to know if anyone has any tips for me to maximise the experience? For example, is the lounge at Bangkok nice enough to warrant arriving early for my flight, can I have a shower on such a short flight, will there be an amenity bag, etc etc...

Any tips and information will be most gratefully received!!

Thank you all in advance

Kelvin

I should add that I intend to write my first trip report while on the plane and post it here :)

I have used the lounge in Bangkok and whilst its nice its nothing special. if you dont have the opportunity to use premium lounges much, then its worth turning up early for the experience, otherwise i wouldnt bother.

I dont believe Emirates give out amenity kits or pyjamas on short day flights, they didnt when i flew first with them, but do what i did and ask and if you have a nice attendant/purser they may source one for you. They got me a whole bag of goodies, but i may have struck lucky.

The shower on the plane is worth doing just for the hell of it !

What flights are you flying from BKK to HKG that have a shower on the plane?

Welcome to FT jamiethedog!

The Emirates BKK-HKG flight is a great way to experience EK and the A380
We took that flight last year and it was our first 380 flight. The showers are pretty cool. Here are pics from my report. Enjoy your flight.

Emirates Lounge at BKK
EK384 BKK-HKG part 1
EK384 BKK-HKG part 2
EK384 BKK-HKG part 3

SFO777 - thank you so much for those links! Very informative indeed and much appreciated. I'll probably not arrive at the airport too early as the lounge doesn't look so special, but I'm looking forward to having a wander around the plane. I wonder if the food onboard will be any better than you experienced - maybe less effort goes into catering on such a short flight.

I agree that it is not the most magnificent lounge on Earth, but it's free! With wines (and champers) and other bar drinks, an espresso machine, hot food, cold buffet, other beverages. So you could easily have a pretty nice 3 course meal with drinks there. ^

No showers on short flights because they do not have someone to clean them. The FAs do not do that on the long-hauls - there is a special staff person other than an FA, who manages the showers, on those flights (from my experience).

Also the meal service is done with a tray on flights less than 4 hours. It is not the same as their long-haul service.

Get there early for the lounge. There is another EK flight leaves a couple of hours after you (direct to DXB) and 2 x A380 J and F class pax (plus Golds in Y) can make it very busy.

I have definitely had a shower on EK385 from HKG to BKK (April 2011). Ask early as there isn't time if everybody wanted one, but the shower attendant is on board and the showers in use.

I also had a shower onboard EK384 from BKK to HKG. Ask when you get onboard, and also - I had the most wonderful purser on EK 385(HKG-BKK) and he not only left me the bottle of Dom in my suite, but also got me amenity kits. His and hers from F and C, and another bottle of Dom and a tedddybear to my 3-month old son(who was back home in Norway)

Maybe I was lucky, but just ask politely, and the worst you'll receive is a "no"...but more probably..."yes" :) :) :)

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/yy66/ln-fhu/261.jpg

^ I will be on EK 385 in F in 2 weeks (!!), just missing the OP by a day. EK 384 in J in just over a month. I plan to be posted up at the bar for that segment :o

I'll definitely ask for an amenity kit as politely as I can then!

Once I traveled in Emirates and I too much surprised to see the high standards of it as I experienced in any outward journey. It provided extreme level services and the quality of food/refreshment was continued to be high class. The airline developed itself alt in area of services and standards.


bumper stickers

Jamie

Well done on taking the plunge and splashing out on EK F. I've actually never travelled on the A380 between BKK and HKG, so I am very keen to hear what you think of the service. Post back your thoughts when you have time...

My trip has begun!
 

Hello all!

So here I am, in the Emirates lounge at Bangkok. I arrived at the airport 4 hours before my flight (I'm always too excited to sleep before I fly so I get up very early anyway) and the check-in desks were closed, however I only had to wait 20 minutes or so for them to open.

The First Class desk had no one at it so I checked in at the Business Class desk. Not very friendly staff but perfectly professional so no problems there. I received a voucher for the premium security and immigration queues - there were only three other people in either queue so all was very speedy.
The lounge is quite a walk from check-in, however I must say that it's very pleasant. I've just had some chicken schnitzel with mashed potato and vegetables (and lashings of Heinz ketchup which I adore - I'm a philistine I know). This was very tasty indeed although could have been hotter. I had a glass of Pomerol with it which was very good too. I followed with a slice of overly-sweet lemon meringue pie which I couldn't finish.

I'm not going to have any more alcohol until closer to departure because if I start now I'll be too tired to enjoy the flight and the wines on it. So now I've settled down with a glass of coke and several newspapers and magazines. My first English paper for three months - what a treat!!! More to follow...