Following on from my recent review on Emirates Boeing 777, it’s time for me to give a detailed review of Emirates A380.
Emirates A380 Dubai to Bengaluru
Flight Details
- Flight Number – EK568
- Departure Airport – Dubai International Airport (DXB)
- Arrival Airport – Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (BLR)
- Registration – A6-EUW, 7.8 Years old during the time of flight.
- Aircraft Type –Airbus A380-800
Pre-Check-in Experience
Now, as this was a layover experience, I do not have much to say about the pre-check in experience as a detailed review on this could be found in my previous trip report.
Arrival at Dubai International Airport
After arrival, the markings were straightforward leading passengers towards the transit. Unlike my layover experience in Europe and India, here at Dubai everything was more organized.
Considering the fact that Dubai is one of the world’s largest transit hubs I was expecting long lines at security check but to my surprise the line was almost negligible. Kudos to the security personnel and the airport staff who were managing the crowd efficiently.
I think it was roughly about 25 minutes from de-boarding the aircraft until I had cleared security. Then, I was back at the airside of Dubai International Airport waiting for my next flight.
The airport is also known for its duty-free shop and oh boy – it had by the best collection of items I had ever seen in any duty-free stores! After grabbing a quick bite, I headed towards my boarding gate.
Boarding Experience
Emirates had a very organised boarding plan, like the experience in Frankfurt airport! At the entrance of the aircraft, crew greeted each passenger with a smile and voila, I was seated in Airbus A380! It had always been my dream to fly on the big Airbus and it was finally happening.
The Seat
This aircraft comes in 3-4-3 configuration, and I was seated on seat 83A. Leg space was good enough (my height is 176cm). I did not face any difficulty through the flight with leg space. On the seat they had kept a blanket, a pillow and a pair of headphones.
The aircraft felt more spacious in comparison with the Boeing 777 I just flew in! The windows were wide and the gap between the seat and the window was far more than I have ever seen on any other aircraft. This meant I could comfortably rest/sleep during the duration of the flight.
The IFE screen was of better quality as well and touch response was excellent. I have already highlighted the availability of shows on “ICE” of Emirates in my previous report.
There was a universal power outlet right under the IFE which worked for the entire duration of the flight. In my previous flight with Vistara, for some reason the power outlet hardly had power during the flight. The aircraft was in top notch condition and I was excited to be there.
In-flight Service
Soon after take-off, I made myself comfortable and took a short nap, only to be woken up by the cabin crew who served my meal before other passengers.
I had pre-booked a special “Indian Vegetarian Meal”, and unlike my previous flight there was no special meal which was handed out to me. As this flight was headed to India, most of the passengers had opted that meal by default.
The service was over in the initial 2 hours of the flight; crew later came around to collect the food tray and offered a choice of coffee and tea.
I settled in for rest of my flight, and I was amazed by their collection of entertainment they had to offer on their flights. From live television to movies from almost every part of the world, including regional movies and TV shows, they had it all.
I must say no other airline can beat Emirates when it comes to their wide selection of entertainment.
Service and Amenities
Coming back to service – somewhere I felt the Emirates A380 crew was laid back during this flight, my experience on their earlier flight from Frankfurt to Dubai was top notch. The crew always had a smile on their face, engaged with passengers and were very polite!
But on this flight, it was the exact opposite, every time the crew was serving passengers there was no smile. Whenever passengers asked for something and replied with thank you the crew just did not bother to respond back! It was quite surprising for me.
As usual I decided to do the “loo review” I wasn’t expecting it to be in the best condition as it was almost towards the end of flight. To my surprise, the crew had done a wonderful job in maintaining the cleanliness.
The washroom had basic amenities such as a hand wash and a body lotion. The toilet on A380 had this wooden finishing to it which made it look shinny and new.
Arrival at Bengaluru
We arrived at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru right on time. While de-boarding the Emirates A380, there was no crew standing to greet you goodbye!
The crew was either leaning against the walls of aircraft or was just casually standing there. I was honestly quite surprised by the casual approach of the crew towards the passengers on this flight.
Conclusion
Emirates overall impressed me. As I said before, everything of their in-flight and on-ground experience was top notch!
The food was amazing, and interiors were up to the mark. I honestly had trouble finding a fault until I stepped on-board this flight from Dubai – Bengaluru and things took a turn.
I am not sure if this crew behavior on the Emirates A380 was an isolated incident, or the experience is similar on flights on this sector.
Whatever was the case, this left a bad image in my head. Would I recommend Emirates? The short answer is a big Yes!
As an airline they did everything right, and in my honest opinion transit with Emirates is a bliss. Everything is mostly organised and even if you have a tight turn around there is 90% chance that you would make it.
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