Hello friends. This is my first post and first trip report. I go to India once in every 3-4 years. Everytime different airlines. KLM, GF, AA, 9W, QR. First time on an EK flight. In 2011 I went to India on QR from IAH. I travelled with my 11 month old son. It was an interesting trip. This time around he is 3 nd my wife is 5 months pregnant. I read lot of happy trip reports here. So this is more of a whining long report . Sorry I only have few pictures.

Little bit about the DFW-TRV route. Unlike IAH, the flight leaves in the afternoon then there is a 9hr layover in dubai. On the return leg another 13hr lay over. So both times we received hotel rooms. Right now EK is the only direct flight from DFW to middleeast. QR and Etihad are starting this year.

DFW-DXB
Date: 2/21/14
Flight: EK 777-200LR
Class: Economy
Seat: 27ABC

Reached DFW airport right after 9am. Since I did web check in, the process went faster. According to EK policy all pregnant women must travel with a doctor's approval letter. So at the check in, 3-4 people looked and discussed about 10 minutes to decide if my wife should fly or not. Atlast those EXPERTS decide it�s ok to fly. This happend so many times, and hold us, it was not even funny in the end. After receiving boarding pass and hotel vouchers in Dubai, since lot of people told me the vastness of DXB airport, I requested wheel chair for my wife for the whole trip, even though she have a normal pregnancy and able to walk. I didn't want to take a chance. . I tell you, that was the BEST decision I took on this entire trip. Security was quick. But they decide to check me again, rubbed something on my hand and checked on their scanner. Im glad I wasn't using any hand lotions . 5 min walk to the gate and the long 1.5hr wait. Ate breakfast at the gate. The closest option is Bennigans. It was right by the gate.



Gate D11


Boarding started around 11. Wheel chair and families with kids called. They formed 2 lines. I stood with my wife on wheelchair holding my kid. Then one of the EK personal yelled at me, u cannot stand here due to security reasons. U have to stand on the other line. His supervisor was standing behind him. He said, he is with his family, let him go. So they let us go in first. Went into the door, another problem, flight is not ready for boarding. Stood in that aerobridge for 20 mins. After that boarding started. At the gate FA asked again for the Doctor letter. Stood there another 5 min, while they did their little meeting. Experts again let us go in.

We choose 27 A B C cuz my kid will kinda stuck in the middle (he likes to run around) and wife can sit on isle seat since she needs to get up every hour. I was worried about the seat pitch. But it wasn't bad. But the space on the isle is horrible. Even my kid couldn't walk without hitting somebody.

Flight was full. I didnt see any empty seats. Lots of families with kids(babies). Lots of them couldn't get a crib. Felt bad for them. All of them was crying in tandem on the whole flight. Noise cancelling headphones are a must on these flights.



Take off was smooth around 1215PM. Wet towels given. Lunch served. I heard lot of raving about EK food. But I felt QR food was better plus serving size was small too. We chose Kids meal and lactose free meal for wife. She said it was just ok.




Then I explored the ICE. Im not a big fan of tvs on flights. Mainly because of the headphones. Even on the highest volume, all I can hear is the engine sound. May be its my ear. So I stick with my tablet and a book. My kids screen went out of calibration after a while. May be he was hitting on it quite few times. So when I touch anything on the screen, the pointer will be somewhere else. . FA brought some toys for the kids. My Kiddo got a small monster toy worth 99cents. On QR last time, we got a small bag with few toys and other stuff. My wife went to the back to see if they got any snacks. A small box filled with apples and bananas. I think EK trying to be healthy I guess. Few hours later FA served frozen veggie pizza. It was hot as hell at first, then it went back to frozen state in few minutes. It was a battle to get that inside my body. No water or snack runs in between. Few hours later they served breakfast. After a while my kid started crying and agitated cuz he never been on this much crammed space for 14 hrs.

Breakfast


We reached dubai on time, but due to fog in the morning everything was delayed. So flew around the ocean for 30mins. Landing was smooth around 1PM. Saw some 380's. Looks beautiful. Wheelchair was ready outside. I put the kid in a stroller. Then started the loooong journey called DXB airport. The benefit of having wheelchair, you get priority access everywhere. We breezed through immigration cuz the guy took us to an agent away from all the other queues. Passed through security check and went to the hotel counter by the exit. Even with all this the walk was waay too long. We got a room at Arabian Park hotel. Plus free lunch. They serve lunch till 4:30, so we were able to eat something. Hotel is about 5 miles away from the airport, took us there by hotel van. So it gives a quick tour through Dubai. Ate lunch, took a shower, slept for 2hrs.

Waiting for the shuttle:


Around 7pm got the call to get ready to go back to the airport. The same process again, at the airport went to the office where they arrange wheelchair s. Wheelchair nd stroller,breeze through immigration and security. It was little early, so they took us to a holding area, few minutes later another holding area. Then got the dreaded news that the gate is changed to another terminal. Again started another looong journey through DXB airport. Get into a caddy, then took the train, another caddy, another holding area. Very frustrating. Still managed to reach the gate on time. Went straight to the flight, priority access again . But the EXPERTS at the gate wants to conduct another meeting about the doctor letter. Stood there another 5 minutes, while other passengers push us away trying to board. Experts said, its ok to fly.

DXB-TRV
Flight: EK Airbus A330-200
Class: Economy
Seat: 16

Sad to say, comparing with the 777-200 this one has lot more space. I could travel 14hrs on this. Only downside is the ICE, which I don't care. Lot of flights were delayed due to the fog. But luckily we were able to leave on time around 10PM. Flight was almost full. 2 kids in the front and side was screaming through out the flight. No escape from it. My kid was ok except few times wen he got tired. Lime juice served before take off. Take off was smooth. Dinner served. I chose the chicken biriyani. Good portions too. Then everybody took a nap. 4 hrs went fast. Before we knew it, a smooth touchdown in TRV around 3.15am. Since EK is the first to land, we were saved from the middle east chaos at TRV airport. Even though its a new airport, the inbound immigration area is too small. I dont know how they handle 6 international flights in 1 hour !!!!. We passed through the immigration, got bags, out of the airport in no time.

TRV-DXB
Date: 3/12/14
Flight: EK Airbus A330-200
Class: Economy
Seat: 26
After 2 weeks of chaotic vacation, we arrived at the airport by 8.30am. Bag handling boys were ready to take over my bags. Did all the negotiations for fees, outside the airport cuz if it is inside they will rip you off. Unlike U.S airports, security starts outside the airport, another one inside the airport then only you even get to Check In. With U.S passport, we were able to check in fast. But as before EXPERTS came again to do the meeting about the doctor letter. After wasting 15-20mins, they gave the green flag. Since EK was the only int. flight this time, everything went fast. I always worried about the immigration but it went really smooth. With the wheelchair we were at the gate quick again. Called for boarding, we were again stuck in the aerobridge 10-15mins cuz flight was not ready. I don't know why this happens everywhere. At the door FA s did another meeting with the letter. Another 5 mins gone. I chose the back seats this time away from all the babies. Lime juice served, take off was smooth right after 11 AM. Lunch served little later. I wanted to try the goat biriyani but the time they reached to us in the back, it was looong gone. So I ended up with veg option. It was reaally good though. During flight, one of the passengers had some kinda medical issue. But the FA s took care of it. I saw the passenger walking out fine. Landing was little rough. We reached around 1:30pm, started the loooong journey through the airport again. This time the layover was 13hrs. So we got lunch and dinner at the hotel. Very basic buffet. 4-5 dishes, but looots of appetizers. Slept for 5-6hours.

Dubai + Hotel:








DXB-DFW
Date: 3/12/14
Flight: EK 777-200LR
Class: Economy
Seat: 27ABC

Started the journey back, 3 hrs before the flight time. Because of that we got stuck in the wheelchair holding area for loooong time. Reached the gate around 2. This time they took us in a caddy and left us by the gate. Then they suppose to take my wife on wheelchair to the door, but that didn't happen this time. So when the boarding started, only few people got wheelchairs. Everybody was standing around the gate. It was utter chaos. So we walked to the flight. This time my wife hid her stomach with the bag, cuz we didnt had any more patience to deal with those EXPERTS. Flight was full, but not too many kids. So it was quieter. Kiddo slept for 4-5 hrs. So we were able to get some rest too. On EK s website they were raving about seats. But the truth is, its good for them, not for passengers. Its really stiff. Our back starting to hurt after couple hours. So I had to put pillows, blankets to make it comfortable. The people sitting in the front makes the whole thing more worse by pushing their seat back. Some people have no consideration for others. FA's on the DFW-DXB and back was not very pleasant. I heard lots complaints bout the FAs on the flights to south india. But ours were really pleasant. Take off was smooth around 3AM.


2 hrs later they served us breakfast. I chose the veg omelet. It was just ok. Most of the flight was during day time. So the FAs closed all the windows and turned star lighting on. Few water runs between. One snack run which was again apples and bananas. Lunch served after few hours.


One hour before the landing they served the FROZEN pizza as snack/breakfast. Since wife was getting lactose free meal, she got a chicken sandwich. Usually traveling back was really tiring. But this time we didn't feel like that, may be cuz of the rest at dubai. Reached DFW by 9.15am. Smooth landing. Then I had to debate between wheel chair or not. I opt for wheelchair. Baaad decision. There were like 15-20 pple on wheelchair. They took 2 passengers at a time to the immigration to reduce the queue. Most of them had indian passport. So it took forever. And we were the last in line. DFW have an electronic system now, that lets U.S and Canada citizens go through the immigration without seeing an officer. It looks like an ATM machine, u slide passport in, machine takes a picture and gives you a print out. That's it. But my picture didnt match the passport pic(had glasses before) so the print out had a X on it means I had to see an officer. But it was quick. She looked at me and the passport picture nd said u can go. The next 5-10mins was more like the tv show Amazing Race. Wheelchair lady said grab a cart and lets go. Quick run to the conveyor belt. But the bags were already out. So ran around and grab the bags, load em up and another run to the exit. Right before the exit another officer was standing the take the slip from the machine. I think he s the one decides about the bag inspection. He asked, how was your trip? I said, I went with my 3yr old and a pregnant wife, what u expect. He smiled and said Have a good day. I said, thank you. And walked out into reality.

Detailed report. Thanks.

Great tr, thanks for posting.

I think the fact the EK is 3-5-3 on the 777 would stop me flying them on that aircraft. The food looks pretty good though.

Nice to see a report about EK Economy for a change. ^

The free hotel stopover looks a great service and breaks up the long journey into more easier managed sectors. I've been on both EK's A330 and 777 in economy class and much preferred the A330 seating configuration.

Thanks for posting.

This was a good read, thanks.

Agreed! Also, props to you for taking such a long haul with a small child.

Thank you guys...


Its 3-4-3. There s no more space in 777 to put an another seat...

The stop over is better if you are by yourself, but with family on a LARGE airport like DXB. Really tiring.

A330 have the 2-4-2 config. But I felt more spacious.

Thank you. I felt bad for the families who have smaller kids & didn't get a crib. They had to hold them for 14 hours !!!

With all due respect, did you ask for a wheelchair because of a health condition? I've seen way too many healthy people get off planes in Dubai and then ask for a wheelchair(apparently it is really easy to get one at Dubai) just because they want to breeze by security or don't want to walk.

Ummm, his wife is 5 months (thanks ft101 for pointing out my error ) pregnant, as explained in his first post... does that meet your requirement for a "health condition?"

5 months.

Further down the post it says:

Some may call that an abuse of the system.

It takes all kinds.
In my experience, most of the ones on wheel chairs on these flights are NOT disabled.
Out of shape maybe, scared and not used to travel perhaps, and some with language issues
(and in some cases for convenience as well)
BUT this may be the best way to get through the ME bureaucracy.

Anyway I found it a really honest report in economy long haul through the middle east.
How many of those have I read here?
I was expecting a long detailed report on shower temperature on the A380.
This had third world issues - doctors letters hassles, kids screaming, back ache from seat, food that was just edible - the stuff that 99% of travelers deal with.

The middle east carriers are basically undercutting all EU carriers on these long haul flights to Asia.
And it looks like, (much as in the US where people talk of service but went with Southwest low pricing) the masses vote with their wallets and will fly these carriers.

As an American I tell all my friends to book their family on LH or BA or failing that AF/KL.
Why?
I had a friend's trip delayed by a day due to a Mechanical on LH.
800$ (600Euro) later, he had the money almost fully back from his flight costs and had a nice holiday just 1 day shorter than expected.

I will only fly on the ME carriers when I cannot get a seat via EU.

I didn't catch that. Apologies. I've had fairly healthy 25 year olds jump onto a wheelchair just to avoid the lines. Just wanted to know if this was a growing trend.

Absolutely, great report indeed. I don't agree with your insinuation that EU carriers are somehow capable of much better service than any of the ME carriers. I've flown EU and ME carriers a lot in Y, and to me, it's all a wash. In fact, I think EU carriers have a lot of catching up to do in the IFE department compared to the ME carriers. Service and food are all the same in my experience.