Having sampled the food and drink in a couple of their restaurants we found a room with beds, blankets, eyeshades etc and settled down for an hour before we had to leave for our onward flight to Sydney. The boarding gate was in a different area so we couldn’t board from the lounge and had to take a lift and inter-terminal train. This was a plus as it meant we experienced more of the bustle associated with Dubai Airport.
On arrival at the boarding gate I gave them the tickets only for the gentleman to say that I should not board here as there was a First Class lounge I should see as the view was very nice. I explained I had already been in a lounge and this would be fine but he wasn’t having it and directed me back into the airport. 15 mins later I arrived at the lounge which looked smaller but otherwise similar to the one I had just left and waited to be called. The call came and who should greet me at the gate but the very man who had refused to take my ticket 15 minutes earlier. He seemed to think it was very funny and for the second time in the trip I was experiencing violent thoughts towards EK staff!
I hurried onto the plane before Interpol were informed and again given a warm greeting and shown to my seat. This flight was 14 hours and I was given a large hessian bag with a sleep suit, amenity bag, slippers, socks and eye mask all in separate drawstring bags.
I was interested on this flight to see a number of women arriving on the plane covered very stylishly in black from head to foot, but as soon as the plane was in the air they darted into the bathroom and re-appeared wearing very glitzy TOWIE western outfits.
The Menu and wines were different from the previous flight but just as good and again the on demand service worked beautifully. The films on ICE were the same as for the previous flight which I found disappointing.
One of the problems with having a Private Suite with doors is that it is really difficult to spy on your fellow passengers!
I wondered down to the bar area at the end of the Business Section a few times but it seemed to be set up as a crèche for small children so that Mum Dad or other Pax could have a rest. The First Class Bar was simply a small help yourself area outside the bathrooms with no seating and as you could order from your seat I did not see it used at all apart from pinching fruit on the way back to my seat!. Likewise the very fancy bar in the suite that rose out of the woodwork at the press of a button was not refrigerated so again the drinks were better ordered from the crew.On arrival in Sydney I went through Immigration first with no problems but Justin (husband) has a new passport and was asked to join a long queue of frustrated and tired passengers waiting for their passports to be processed by hand. Apparently Australia isn’t set up for the new digital passports yet. Once the passports had been processed a lady held them up and called out the name and it was handed over without any further checks. I can imagine given the chaos that a number of people ended up with the wrong passport.
Another great flight. Superb on-board service making a 14 hour flight almost a pleasure.
A purple boarding card, pre-booked cowshed treatment, glass of T10 with lime, a proper amenity kit, packet of polos and a Freedom Menu please!
Jacki
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Jacki
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