This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
We arrived a DXB around 7.15am via the audi provided by the hotel since they made abit of a cock up with selling us their broadband for the week[V]. We headed straight thru the bag screening and x-rays machines etc and lined up in the upper class area.
After spending 5mins twiddling our tumbs, FINALLY a VS rep came over to us but in all honesty i wish she hadn't. She asked us if we were flying upper which we replied yes but the temptation was there to say no im just standing here for the good of my own health[:p]. She informed us that upper was overbooked and asked us if we would be willing to move down to PE and be rewarded with 50k in miles or a free return Y ticket. We kindly declined and she soon wizzed off.
But this is what got to me. She made no effort after to accomodate us in the check in process. A couple that were behind us in the security queue, who were in PE managed to be checked in before us somehow. I was left scratching my head at this stage and had a feeling it was going to be one of those days.
We were checked in by a very friendly female agent who gave us all the directions to the lounge[y]. For all the security checkpoints etc in DXB, by god it runs smoothly unlike other airports i know with less checkpoints.
We arrived in the duty free area of DXB and i found out that there is a god. A litre of Jager for just over 10 euro[:D]. After mooching around the rest of the duty free area, we made our way to the lounge. The Gulf air lounge had been done up since our last visit and it was very pleasant. It is much brighter and even had a hot breakfast buffet[y].
I settled down in the lounge and read afew business magazines. Around quatre to nine, our flight was called and we made the treck to gate 43. Now it was time for some fun. I took off my belt like every one else was doing a put it thru the machine. That wasnt good enough for mr.dxb security man and i had to take off my shoes, the only person that had to do so[:(!]. A guy who was 2 behind me in the queue set off the metal dector and began to say he had a metal hip. He showed mr. dxb security man his scar and let him feel him up but that wasnt good enough for mr. dxb security man who still though he was hiding a metal fridge freezer on him somewhere.
Gate 43 is a bus gate at DXB. We were directed toward the UC/PE bus, which left quick enough. The bus trip to the plane was long enough and it actually reminded me abit of a road runner cartoon the way it would pass the same rock every 10 yards but in our case it was the same 777-300er in emirates colours[:o)].
When the bus arrived at the plane, we boarded through the front door and settled into our seats. A young bearded FA offered us the choice of pre take off drinks soon after. I went for the water since it was still early and because i havnt become a full blown alco, yet[:p].
Now it was time for more fun. A female FA came around and asked people was this there first time flying in upper but much to my amazement she skipped honeylamb and myself and asked the man next to me. Was it something we said??? Didnt open my mouth. Was it because we are young??? No cant be that since im flying with the boss. Is it because we are Irish??? No, how would she know that. To this exact day she still hasnt asked us if it was our first time[:(].
We pushed back slightly late and had a grand long taxi. We took off towards the east and banked left and headed in the general direction of Iran.
Now time for some more fun. It was nearly an hour into the flight before our drinks order was taken, yet half of the cabin had been served and were finished[n]. I had missed the announcement on the PTVs that lunch wasnt going to be served until 12 dubai time. Why couldn't they just announce it over the PA system?? Heck the FSM basically gave her life story over why not this simple one liner??? NOTE; this was the FSM's only telling contrabution to the flight!!
I settled down and watched Superbad on the IFE. During the course of the movie, the bearded FA came and took my order and near the end of the film it arrived. Now here is what pisses me off. I never get a wine glass with my tray set. Now im not the biggest fan of wine but i would still like option to have. Its not like i look like a 15year old, heck im going on 20. I had the lamb which was very tasty and followed it with some ice cream. I was finished everything before HL had even had her starter and i wasn't eating fast[:0].
After dinner i did a small bit of study, yes it was 1pm DXB time so it was time to do some work[;)]. That didnt last long and i headed to bed (somehow all this sounds fimalliar). But before i headed to sleep, i asked one of the other male FA's for a sleep suit. I was literally thrown one by the FA and given a large one. I asked if there was a medium one but before i could ask i got a snarly no( how do you know if you didnt check the press which was full up of sleep suits)
I woke up just as we crossed into Germany and the bearded FA asked if i wanted abit. Since there was no ice cream left, i didnt boder with anything. I watched afew programs before we started our decent.
We burst through the cloulds and landed on the runway nearest T4 which was colourful with the sight of CO, NW and DL metal. We arrived on stand and waited awhile for the jetbridge to connect. we proceeded to make the long treck to the baggage claim and to my surprise both bags came out almost instantly. Why cant it happen all the time???
Overall i thought the FA's were shocking apart from the bearded FA. I can only recall one hello and that was when i first stepped onto the plane. The FSM might aswell have been on holiday and other crew members were rude enough. I personally feel that the level of service has dropped alot since my last VS flight 18months ago and it shows no sign of slowing
