V-Flyer

EK015 DXB-LGW 2 Apr 2006 (First)

The DXB EK First lounge is becoming rather overcrowded these days, no longer being the tranquil spacious area it was a couple of years ago. Not only is finding a pair of seats difficult, but there are insufficient showers for demand. Niki Lauda was at a table in the buffet area on his way back from the Australian Grand Prix.

The buffet breakfast includes a very extensive selection hot and cold options. Wines on offer are fairly average and Champagne is Veuve Clicquot NV.

Once the flight was called, I realised as we found ourselves at the end of the terminal that we'd be bussed out. Like the arriving bus at DXB, the departing bus takes a ludicrously long journey to the other side of the new terminal under construction to our waiting plane. There is only one set of steps to board and enevitably a long wait as boarding by row number can't be executed in this situation.

Returning to our regular seats 2A and 2B on the old style 777-300, we're offered another Dom Perignon as soon as we sit down. I realise that before I have taken off on this final leg of seven EK flights that I am safe in the knowledge that I have finally made my target of six bottles of DP for the journey.

This leg is slightly different to all the others in that the FA always addresses me 'Mr Long', something that I like. I guess this is part of the widely discussed inconsistency of service on EK, although I have to say that I have been happy overall with the service across the board, and indeed I feel that it is more consistent than a couple of years ago the last time I flew EK First through to AKL.

Very soon after takeoff, I celebrated the demolition of the half case with another DP and some lovely warmed nuts. Continental breakfast started the food service where I settled for some cheese. We were back to the Western Hemisphere wine list that includes a favourite of mine, the Pichon Baron 1995. However for the cheese, as well as the DP for the goats cheese, the smooth red Burgundy on offer (Michel Chapoutier Ermitage 'Les Climats' 2002) was spectacular and went better with both the soft and hard cows milk cheeses.

The IFE is the old style with the option of several film and TV options, but not on-demand. The alternative is the choice of fifty or so videos from the on board library that are played on your individual in seat video players. I settled down to a video from the on board library paired with a regular top up of DP.

About five hours into the sven hour flight, lunch was served. After canapes (including dim sum, shish tauk, lamb kibbeh and samousa prawn wrap). For the appetisers, there was the welcome return of Caviar with the traditional accomaniments, the Arabic Mezze and Sesame Seed Tuna Loin.

I passed on the soup and salad course, heading straight for the mains. The selections were: Grilled Lobster Tail, Beef Fillet Rossini, Moroccan Chicken, Gnocchi, and Poached Fillet of Sole. I had the Beef Fillet which was accompanied with pan-seared foie gras and a black truffle jus. Disappointing I'm afraid: the beef was over cooked (as is the norm) and unless I had been told beforehand, I would have stuggled to identify what the foie gras was both visually and by taste. Still, always good to have something to soak up the Pichon Baron. The beggies were pretty good, although again over cooked: on offer was broccoli, roasted onion wedges, grilled asparagus, baby carrots and either rice or roast potatoes.

I missed out dessert (either Chocolate Dome or Raspberry Gratin) and headed for the International Cheeseboard, just the thing for all that wine.

We arrived at Gatwick's North Terminal, passing through passport control immediately to be greeted by a fifteen minute wait for baggage.

For the Emirates provided car, we met the driver at the Tristar desk in arrivals and arrived home about an 45 minutes later.

For the money, I think it would be difficult to match the level of service, comfort and convenience provided by EK. My biggest concern before the trip was that on several of the the segments there would be no lie-flat horizontal beds or full on demand IFE, but this concern proved to be unfounded. The comfort of these enormous old Lazy-boys still make for a very comfy flight.

On several occasions, I checked how full each of the segments were just prior to flying by looking at the seat allocations on expertflyer.com. On many of the segments I was surprised how many seats filled up when we actually boarded. Flights which had barely three or four seats allocated in the First cabin were nearly full a day or so later. I am certain from glancing the people seated in the previously empty seats that many of these were crew, and a few upgrades.

At 2,700 per person including stop overs and two-way transfers at London, Singapore, Auckland and Sydney I think that this was extremely good value.

Total DP consumption this trip: 7 bottles.