Category: Airlines

Manila to Sydney Qantas Business Class Flight

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Manila to Sydney Qantas Business Class Flight 1

Manila to Sydney Qantas business class Flight review

 

As one of the most well-known airlines in the world, Qantas offers several classes of service to its passengers. One of its most popular and well-regarded classes is its business class. In this review, we will take a closer look at Qantas’ business class flight from Sydney to Manila and vice versa including its amenities, service, and overall experience. Gazing out at the flying kangaroo logo whilst waiting to land 35000 feet in the air, in business class, could be worse! There was one major let down however on the Manila to Sydney leg of the flight. Read on to discover what it was!

sydney bound qantas view out of the window
When the window seat is the one you want in business class!

Check-In and Boarding Experience:

Qantas offers dedicated check-in counters for business class passengers, which can help to speed up the process and make it more comfortable. There are also dedicated security lines that can help to speed up the entire process, allowing passengers to move through the airport quickly and efficiently.

qantas plane at Sydney International Manila bound
Checking in was slightly painful but once on board things were better!

The check in at Sydney was painful however. Even though the queue was short 4 passengers ahead of us took a long time. You know the scenario! When it’s your turn a few clicks on a mouse and you’re off. One of the unexplained phenomenon of travelling.

At Manila airport, the check in process was swift and efficient with smiles from everyone. The flight back to Sydney is an evening flight, just shy of 8 hours.

Quick Index Manila to Sydney Qantas Business Class Flight

Qantas cabin sydney to Manila business class
The business class cabin has been refurbished since the global pandemic on most Qantas aircraft.

Once onboard the aircraft, business class passengers are greeted with a warm welcome, by name and guided to their seats. The cabin crew is friendly, professional, and attentive, creating a welcoming atmosphere that sets the tone for the rest of the flight. The pre take off drinks are swift to arrive.

The Cabin

Manila to Sydney Qantas Business Class Flight 2
The 1 – 2- 1 cabin configuration on board the Sydney to Manila business class flight and vice versa. The plane is an A330 300 for plane geeks who like to know such details.

The Manila to Sydney  Qantas business class cabin is a 1-2-1 configuration, with all seats facing forwards. We say this because on some Qatar business class flights we have been on, some seats face the rear of the plane. There are 28 business class seats and 269 economy seats. On both flights of the Sydney to Manila return flight there were no empty seats. You’ll be travelling on an A330 -300 which has business suites. Not quite as private as the Qatar business suites with a sliding door, but better than previous business Qantas business seats. The window seats provide the best privacy when travelling alone, but the divider in the middle seats provides decent coverage between yourself and a stranger in most seating positions.

qantas privacy screen business class.
The privacy screen is quite decent when you’re sitting down if you are next to a stranger in business class in the middle seats.

The cabin design is modern, elegant, and stylish, with clean lines and muted tones that create a calming atmosphere. The cabin is well-lit, with large windows that provide stunning views of the sky and the world below. This is the one time when you do want the window seat! Depending on your route the flight can be a bit warm. We usually find the cabin too warm coming from Australia to the rest of the world!

modern and elegant business class design Qantas a330-300 Manila to Sydney
A modern and elegant design onboard the Qantas A330-300 Manila to Sydney business class flight.

The seats on board the Manila to Sydney Qantas business class flight

Qantas’ business class seats are some of the most comfortable in the sky. The seats are spacious, with a generous amount of legroom and plenty of room to stretch out.

footwell Qantas A330-300 business class Sydney to Manila
Legroom is pretty good. C is 165 centimetres tall.

The seats are also fully adjustable, so passengers can find the perfect position for sleeping, working, or relaxing. All seats have a massage function which works at all angles, even in the lie flat bed mode. You are provided with a mattress to soften the lines between the back and the bottom.

window seats in business class are the best Qantas Sydney to Manila
The window seat is great in business class. Cannot say the same for economy class!
A personal mirror Qantas business Sydney to Manila
A personal mirror in your seat surrounds.
extra space for a magazine Qantas business class Manila to Sydney review only1invillage
Extra room for the in flight magazine. Does anyone really read that anymore?

The electronics

usb power plug seat controls Qantas A330 300 business class suites Sydney to Manila review. Only1invillage.
A bird’s eye view of the electronics around your seat on board the newly refurbished Thomson Aero seats. You will find USB, international adapter power access and seat controls at your finger tips.

The bathroom

The bathroom or toilets or washroom, whatever you want to call them are the same as economy class. The only difference is there are less people queuing for them. Surely we don’t need to show you a photo?!

Amenity kit

Qantas’ business class amenities are good. Passengers are provided with an amenity kit that includes skincare products, toothpaste, earplugs, and more. Each seat also comes with a cozy blanket and fluffy pillow, ensuring that passengers are comfortable throughout the flight. The toiletries bag has recently had an upgrade and is one you would want to keep. The range of skincare is the same as in the lounges (Li’tya). There are apparently six amenity kit bags to collect. 

business class kits for Qantas passengers 1980s design Manila to Sydney
There are 6 business class amenity kits to collect from Qantas. We received the 1980s design bag on both journeys from Sydney to Manila and vice versa. That’s 4 more bags for the collection!

Inside the plastic toothbrush has been replaced with a bamboo toothbrush. The paper used is all forestry commission certified and fully compostable. The plastic packaging contains 40% recycled plastic. Even the inner carton is made up of a plastic which has enhanced biodegradable properties. Clearly, Qantas is trying to present a more sustainable and environmentally friendly take away kit for its business class passengers.

On overnight flights passengers are offered Qantas pyjamas which are a cotton polyester blend. The smallest size available is medium. All pyjamas are grey coloured with a white kangaroo on the chest.

Qantas grey pyjamas. Polyester and cotton.
Qantas pyjamas are offered on overnight flights in business class. Sadly they are not 100 per cent cotton. The smallest size they have is medium.

Entertainment System

One of the standout features of Qantas’ business class is its impressive entertainment system. Passengers have access to an extensive library of movies, TV shows, music, and games, all of which are displayed on a large touchscreen display. The selection is vast and varied, with something for everyone. The new release films are standard offerings which most airlines will have and they are also divided into different categories for your viewing pleasure. The noise cancelling headphones provided make the sound experience whilst watching films  or listening to music so much clearer.

screen entertainment Qf19 Sydney to Manila business class
The Qantas screen in business class is clear and large. There is so much to choose from on the entertainment system for the 8 hour flights.

Food and drinks Dining Experience

yummy prawn apetizer Sydney to Manila QF19 Qantas business class
The lunch appetizer from Sydney was a delicious prawn dish which did not seem to match the description on the menu card! Nonetheless it was very succulent and refreshing.

Qantas’ business class dining experience is varied. We found a huge difference in the quality and taste  during both flights. From the Australian side into Manila the food was very good.

lamb sandwich main Qantas QF19 sydney to Manila business class review only1invillage
The sandwich of slow cooked chipotle lamb from Sydney was tasty, but the presentation could have been improved.
Creme caramel dessert QF19 business class review Sydney to Manila only1invillage
Vanilla creme caramel for dessert was a little gluggy and a touch too sweet.
fruit plate Qantas business class flight
Why not have a fruit plate too while you’re at it?!

On the way back, the food was oily, lacked taste and was presented badly. Maybe the origin country of the flight really has an effect on the quality of the dining experience, since the cabin and seats are obviously the same. 

The Manila to Sydney Qantas business class dining experience was probably the worst tasting we have experienced from Qantas.  In the picture below the bread roll was definitely not sourdough!

starter to a poor meal Manila to SYdney Qantas business class review

The beef and snapper dishes we chose, sounded really exciting but when delivered lacked any finesse and were presented poorly. 

Asado braised beef with star anise, soy and tomato. Served with steamed rice and gai lan. Sounded really tasty but in reality, was bland.
Asado braised beef with star anise, soy and tomato. Served with steamed rice and gai lan. Sounded really tasty but in reality, was bland.
not an impressive snapper dinner from Manila to Sydney on the Qantas business class flight
Seared snapper with spiced cauliflower, roast sweet potato with snow peas and coriander yoghurt sounded very gourmet. Unfortunately, the flavours were just missing and the presentation was clumsily put together and glistening with oil.

Passengers are served a gourmet meal that is expertly prepared, beautifully presented, and exquisitely delicious (usually). The menu is designed by renowned chef Neil Perry and features a range of options that cater to different tastes and dietary requirements. There are always vegetarian and gluten free options.

The wine list is also impressive, with a carefully curated selection of wines from around the world. However, like we always say, the food and wine is not as good as Emirates or Qatar business class, who have higher quality wines and better presented tableware. 

on;y1invillage review Qantas business class Sydney to Manila return breakfast
The best part of the breakfast as we were flying into Sydney from Manila was the smoothie. The coffee was bitter and not even hot, the muffin re heated to within an inch of acceptability and the yoghurt too sweet. All in all the most disappointing meal service we have received on board a Qantas flight departing from an Asian city.

The bar

There is no bar available on the Manila to Sydney Qantas business class route as the plane is not an A380.

Service

pre take off drink sydney to Manila
You are always swiftly offered a pre take off aperitivo or glass of champagne or both on board a Qantas business class flight.

 The cabin crew are friendly, professional, and attentive, always willing to go above and beyond to ensure that passengers have a comfortable and enjoyable flight. You are addressed by name as you board and are asked to fill in the breakfast menu card so you won’t be disturbed during the night on the way back from Manila and the dinner card on your way to Manila.

The crew are knowledgeable about the menu, the wine list, and the entertainment system, and they are always available to answer questions or provide assistance. If you have connecting flights the crew will reassure you that you won’t miss your next flight, as they contact with the crew on the ground at the landing destination.

Sometimes, the crew can seem a little flustered especially around meal times. This is more evident when the crew is young and inexperienced. On the other hand, when the crew are experienced, thy can sometimes appear a little aloof and just going through the motions. What is guaranteed is  smiling whether it be fake or not, you definitely don’t see miserable Qantas crew in business class.

Final thoughts

Qantas’ business class is good value offering a premium experience that is both luxurious and practical. From its comfortable seating and stylish cabin design to its impressive entertainment system and gourmet dining, Qantas business class ticks all the boxes for a very comfortable flight experience. The service is what one expects, and the attention to detail is somewhat hit and miss in every aspect of the experience. For those looking for a premium travel experience, Qantas’ business class is definitely worth considering.

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Qantas Lounge London Heathrow Review

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Qantas marble bar upper floor London lounge Heathrow. Only1invillage review.

Qantas lounge London Heathrow Fab or drab?

London Heathrow is one of the world’s busiest airports. In Europe, it certainly is the place to connect to destinations across the globe. When you’re flying long haul from either East or West to Europe, chances are you’ll be connecting in London Heathrow. The Qantas lounge  London Heathrow  (terminals 1, 2 and 3) is just one of a selection, jostling for your attention. Other top airlines will be Emirates, Singapore Airlines and of course British Airways.

Entrance Qantas lounge London Heathrow
Welcome to the Qantas lounge at London Heathrow terminal 3.
Qantas lounge London Heathrow terminal 3 only1invillage.com review
Welcome to the kangaroo lounge in London! A sign of the times – no magazines anymore it’s gone all digital!

There is no separate lounge for first class customers at the Qantas lounge London Heathrow. Sorry, you have to slum it with the business class passengers. Life can be hard sometimes!

no dedicated first class lounge for Qantas customers at London Heathrow
The Qantas lounge at London Heathrow is shared between business and first class customers.

    

Qantas Lounge London Heathrow overview

The Qantas lounge can get very busy! On two separate visits there was hardly any sitting room on the upper level and the Australian rugby team were taking up space on another! It was very difficult to relax and the level of noise was quite high, with families with young children adding to the din.

The lounge seemed to be serving all the passengers on the A380 London to Singapore flight, because the lounge emptied out pretty swiftly half an hour before take off for the evening 20:40 scheduled 13 hour flight.  

Qantas Lounge London Heathrow Review 9
Despite what the sign says about the upper floor, it can be very difficult to stretch out and relax when it is busy!

Meant to reflect a private members club, the Qantas London lounge Heathrow has a mix of Australian and British accents on the furniture, fixtures and fittings. Yes, there is carpet, a very English floor covering. It’s meant to add a cosy touch, but, personally we prefer the hard stuff, like wood and stone. Thankfully there is parquet  and other smooth surfaces to walk across!

Qantas marble bar upper floor London lounge Heathrow. Only1invillage review.
The central bar on the upper floor. Qantas like to use a lot of marble in their lounges.

You might notice some similarities between the Singapore, Hong Kong and Brisbane business class lounges. The large amount of marble used for the bar areas seems to be a Qantas accent. The seating is a mix of stylish padded chairs that almost look like armchairs, dining chairs, bar stools and sofas. There are some real armchairs too.

stairs to the upper or lower floor depending on where you take the photo London Qantas lounge Heathrow. Only1in village review
Where will the stairs take you? Oh the places you’ll go……well only to the other floor of the Qantas London Heathrow lounge!

If you have an earlier flight there is some natural light, coming through the windows. The plane spotting is very good from the red leather seats.

It’s hard to see out of the windows at night, but at least there is natural light in the London lounge. There are tarmac views from both levels of the lounge.

looking out at the windowns Qantas lounge London Heathrow
It’s hard to see out of the windows at night, but at least there is natural light in the London lounge.

There is a separate restaurant dining area with booth like seating and waiter service. Quieter areas for lone travellers face the tarmac on the lower floor. However, as it was dark there was no plane spotting to be had.

    

Eligibility Qantas London Lounge Heathrow

Qantas is part of the One World Alliance which means you will get access to this lounge if you’re a top tier frequent flyer with airlines such as American Airlines, Emirates, Qatar, Japan Airlines, Malaysian and Cathay Pacific.

If you hold a QF ticket you cannot use the Emirates Lounge which would be our preference, even though Emirates are part of the One World Alliance. Sorry Qantas, although we love you, Emirates is just a step above in the food and beverage quality in our experiences in Kuala Lumpur, Melbourne and Dubai. 

Qantas lounge London Heathrow only1invillage review
Would you let her in a business class lounge? Well………..

So how will the Qantas business lounge Heathrow stack up against its rivals? Read on to find out!  There is no time limit in the lounge, but the annoying thing about any lounge is that you’re not allowed to check in for your flight until 3 hours before the flight leaves. Luckily, the check in queue for non economy is always shorter! 

    

Lower floor Qantas London lounge Heathrow

The Qantas business lounge Heathrow has two floors. A dedicated gin bar on the lower floor and a general dining and relaxing area that comes with another bar on the upper floor. On the lower floor, you can also eat your a la carte food options at the bar itself on stools.

lower floor Qantas lounge London Heathrow
When you enter the lower floor is the gin bar and restaurant style eating area.
padded bench seats lower floor Qantas London lounge Heathrow. Only1invillage review
Different types of seating encircle the gin bar on the lower level. You can opt for the padded bench type seats which face the bar.

    

Seating

On the lower floor of the Qantas Lounge London Heathrow you can sit around the bar and eat the a la carte food or you can sit at tables which encircle (well rectangle, but that’s not a word to en-rectangle!) the bar. There are also padded long bench seats which face the bar where you eat your ordered food in comfort at the right table height level.

dining table lower floor Qantas lounge London Heathrow only1invillage lounge review
On the lower floor you can dine at a restaurant like table. The chairs are wooden and hard, but the table is the correct height for good posture!

If you’re lucky, you can opt to sit on a padded restaurant chair on the lower floor.

padded restaurant chair lower level Qantas lounge terminal 3 London Heathrow Only1invillage review
There are some padded restaurant style chairs on the lower level off to the side of the gin bar at the Qantas lounge London Heathrow terminal 3.
A padded chair, not quite an armchair, but more comfortable than a chair. Qantas lounge London Heathrow.
A padded chair, not quite an armchair, but more comfortable than a chair.

    

Upper floor Qantas lounge London Heathrow

Upper floor overview Qantas London lounge Heathrow Only1invillage review
At busy times the upper floor of the Qanats lounge at London Heathrow can get crowded.

The upper floor is where it can get really crowded. After eating your a la carte meal you may want to try and stretch out upstairs. There is another bar here too so you don’t have to go back downstairs!

grey chairs upper level Qantas London lounge Heathrow only1invillage review
This photo was taken as people were boarding the A380 to Singapore. Before this, these seats were not empty. The lounge was very business from 5pm onwards.
Padded seats upper level by the stairs Qantas London lounge Heathrow only1invillage review
The padded seats by the stairs are thickly padded and very comfortable, if you can get one!

The help yourself drinks bar has the wine and soft drinks on the upper level. For cocktails and mocktails, you have to order at the bar.

Help yourself to wine and soft drinks upper level Qantas London lounge Heathrow only1invillage review
Wine and soft drinks are adjacent to the buffet food on the upper level of the Qantas London lounge.

There is also flavoured water and Dilmah teas. Or, your own tisane in a cute tea pot!

Flavoured water upper level Qantas London Heathrow lounge only1invillage review
Neil Perry’s signature flavoured water! Did you know you can claim water as your signature??!!
Hot tea selection London Qantas lounge at Heathrow Airport Only1invillage review
The hot tea selection on the upper floor is next to the buffet food. The little tea pots are very cute!
South Asian buffet menu on the upper floor Qantas London lounge
Yummy it’s Indian food for dinner, you know it’s not authentic but you cannot resist a bit of butter chicken! Help yourself to the buffet on the upper floor at the Qantas London lounge Heathrow.

The upper floor has the help yourself selection of food. Reasonably well presented for the side options. It’s always very hard to make the hot dishes look great in those silver keep warm vessels that all lounges and 5 star hotels use. You know the ones where you lift up the glass lid to take a better look at the food, even though you can see it through the transparent lid!

buffet food upper floor dinner time Qantas London lounge only1invillage review
It was South Asian themed food for dinner on the upper level at the Qantas lounge London Heathrow one time we visited.

 

upper floor Qantas London lounge
After getting your buffet food you can sit on the padded booth style seats on the upper floor of the Qantas London lounge Heathrow.

There is a small strip of an area on the upper floor where you can conduct business. We spotted a printer and socket points with chairs. Unfortunately, the lounge was so busy some people had to use this area to put their food and drinks!

Printer and business space upper floor Qantas London Lounge Heathrow only1invillage review
The business space on the upper level got so busy that customers had to use it to place their food and drinks.

 

    

Qantas Lounge London Heathrow Drinks Menu

The food and beverages have sometimes been disappointing in Qantas lounges, but only because we are comparing it to their rivals. The wines were about nine pounds in quality per bottle, whereas the wine in an Emirates lounge will start at fifteen pounds per bottle.

drinks menu London Qantas lounge Heathrow only1invillage review
The alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks menu at the Qantas Lounge London Heathrow

The drinks menus outside of wine was good with a nice selection of cocktails and gins. However the non alcoholic cocktails are plain and boring. The bar tender pictured put his finger in the glass to stop the foam forming on the top! Had he not heard of basic hygiene? He also seemed a little irritated as the demand for service was high and he was on his own.

There were a couple of private rooms which had a door you could close off. These rooms were mainly being used by families.

Private room inside the Qantas lounge at London Heathrow Airport. Only1invillage review.
Private room on the upper floor. Good for families or big groups?

    

The dinner menu 

We are happy to report that the western food is much better than we have previously experienced in Melbourne and Sydney international business class lounges. It was good to experience the dinner food, since we usually have early flights and only get the breakfast menu. The service was swift to get the food but to get the staff’s attention involved a lot of smiling and trying to get eye contact due to the number of people using the lounge in the evening.

Chicken pie and crispy squid. Qantas London lounge Heathrow. Only1invillage review.
The chicken pie had an excellent puffed up top. The pie itself was not that tasty but it had plenty of chicken chunks inside!

Roast chicken, Lancashire hot pot and salt and pepper squid were on the dinner menu. As is the current trend, something from the land and something from the sea. The vegetable dishes sounded equally enticing with roasted cauliflower or a tomato, basil and mozzarella salad on offer.

Evening food menu Qantas lounge London Heathrow only1invillage review
The evening food menu promises tasty vegetable, fish and meat options.

The squid whilst good could have been crispier. The presentation was good.

crispy squid for dinner Qantas lounge London Heathrow
The crispy squid appetiser was well presented. Neil Perry inspired menu is available at the Qantas London London Heathrow.
finger food crudites and cheese
The crudites, fruit and other finger food is set out buffet style, so go on and help your self.

To do justice to the review it is only fair that we eat different meals and sample as many dishes as we can. Here is the Lancashire hot pot lamb which is basically a meat stew. Served with mint sauce and a rocket and pear salad which was very refreshing!

Lamg hot pot Qantas London Heathrow lounge review dinner time only1invillage
One of the meat options on offer was the Lancashire hot pot (gluten free).
buffet selection Qantas London lounge only1invillage review
The buffet food presentation at the Qantas London Heathrow lounge. Whilst good, it does not quite compare to the presentation of some of its rival lounges.

    

The washroom and shower facilities 

It’s time for the anticipated bathroom pictures. Named the Refresh space it contains products from the Liptiya range which are in the business class amenity kits.

The shower area at the Qantas London lounge Heathrow was too small. There were only 10 showers. We got in early and did not have to queue. By 7pm queues were forming outside the showers. Not exactly a relaxing experience, knowing people are waiting for you to finish your ablutions. In Europe, everything is smaller and more condensed into a smaller space – the same must be true of Qantas lounges.

shower sign on the upper floor Qantas lounge London Heathrow. Only1invillage review.
This way for the showers. There are only 8 shower rooms so you might have to queue during busy periods.
towels for the shower rooms Qantas lounge London Heathrow.
If the towels are not already in the shower room, help yourself. They are thick and fluffy we are happy to report.
bathroom Qantas lounge London Heathrow. Only1invillage review.
The shower rooms have a rain shower and a glass screen. A modern retro look with the green accent tiles breaking up the otherwise all white decor.
Shower room Qantas lounge London Heathrow. Only1invillage review
The shower room at the Qantas lounge London Heathrow.

The space is mostly white. The mirror is quite funky and unique. Pictured below is the common bathroom, not the individual shower room.

Qantas bathroom London Heathrow only1invillage review.
We like the marble which breaks up the white theme in the bathroom.
hairdryer on the wall London Qantas lounge London Heathrow . Only1invillage review.
The hairdryer is one of those hose hairdryers that do not come off the wall. Is it retro or just inconvenient?

    

Final Thoughts

Our thoughts on this London lounge are generally positive. We like the extensive menu options. The layout of the London Heathrow lounge is quite unique being on 2 floors. The cleanliness and funky design of the bathrooms impressed. Even though there wasn’t much natural light and the run way views were limited, at least there were some. The gin bar and the inventive cocktails are amazing. We wish the wine selection were just a notch higher. Overall though of course it’s  way better to spend three hours in the Qantas London lounge at Heathrow than outside with the masses. 

Have you been to the Qantas lounge at London Heathrow? Do you agree with our assessment? Let us know!

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British Airways short haul business class review

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British Airways short haul business class review 18

British Airways short haul business class review

British Airways flies directly to many European destinations from London. Many popular destinations for Brits require a change in Germany, Italy or Spain, particularly flights heading for the Greek Islands and Malta. From London Heathrow Terminal 5, Gatwick and London City airports, British Airways flies to key European business hubs direct. We recently took three British Airways short haul flights, one to Malta, one to Skiathos and one to Paris. Below is what you can expect from the UK’s flagship airline.

British Airways short haul business class review only1invillage
If Club Europe is on your ticket, you’re flying business class!

Flights of 3 hours and under on British airways planes whether new or old have the same seats as economy. The only difference is you get a gap in the middle if it is a 3-3 configuration. Sometimes the plane will be a 2 – 2 seat configuration. Some of the seats are faux leather and we found quite slippery. The recline is not great and you certainly will not be getting a flat bed! But who needs one for a short haul flight anyway?

British Airways short haul business class review only1invillage
Dedicated business class cabin staff on shortts are haul flights, even though the seats are the same as economy class.

Typically, the first 3 to 7 rows will be business class, but the seats are essentially small economy seats. The curtain is what separates you from the peasants. Sometimes it is only the first 3 rows for “business class”.

British Airways short haul business class review only1invillage
A curtain separates you in business class from the economy cabin.

The food is the biggest differentiation point on board when flying business class on British Airways for a short haul flight. What you get is your meal on porcelain plates and your wine in a glass. Economy passengers get a sandwich and 250ml of water at best and at worst 10 pretzels, or a small 50g packet of crisps (at least it is a British brand called Tyrell’s).

British Airways short haul business class review only1invillage
Lunch on porcelain. Ooops that was a beef in red wine sauce for the main. The smoked salmon was very good and the white French wine hit the spot.

Depending on what time you fly you can choose the full English Breakfast or a main meal. If you have never experienced the institution that is the Full English Breakfast, then you must choose this option. 

This was an unexpected surprise for the tea! Not that there was liquid milk, but, it came in a disposable cup! Typically on board tea and coffee is never as good as you would get on the ground, business class or not. What can you do about mediocre hot drinks but keep calm and carry on drinking?!

British Airways short haul business class review only1invillage
Wait what? Tea in a paper cup in business class! We did keep calm and carry on though!

You also get your own dedicated economy class toilet, but on some flights, the crew will let the rear enders use the front end loo too! Well I never! Yup the toilet is the same as the other passengers get.

You also get your own dedicated economy class toilet, but on some flights, the crew will let the rear enders use the front end loo too! Well I never! 
You didn’t really want to see the toilet?! Here is the sink instead.

In summary, you get prioritised boarding, use of the lounge (if they have one), dedicated staff, extra baggage allowance, good quality meals and drinks before everyone else gets their scraps! British Airways business class for short haul flights is worth it if you value the differentiated food, more weight allowance and getting on and off the plane before everyone else. In the air, the seat itself won’t give you that exclusive luxurious feeling, but the extra smiles and unlimited drinks just might!

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Qantas A380 refurbished business class flight Singapore to London

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Qantas A380 refurbished business class flight Singapore to London 25

Qantas A380 Refurbished business class Flight Singapore to London

 

Read all about the refurbished Qantas A380 QF2 business class flight from Singapore to London. It’s a non stop flight, just shy of 13 hours.

The last time we flew business class on a Qantas A380 was on the older style aircraft and it desperately needed an upgrade! Well Qantas must have listened to us and taken our feedback on board. After all, when you fill in the after flight questionnaire, surely someone in head office reads it?!

old style A380 Qantas business class only1invillage
The non refurbished Qantas A380 seats in business class. The seats are 2-2-2 which means that person next to you could be a stranger!

The newly refurbished A380 now has 14 first class seats, 70 business class seats, 60 premium economy and 341 economy seats. Let’s see if the refurbishment meets the Only1invillage standard! Australia’s national carrier gets the Only1invillage review.  

It’s a night time flight out of Singapore, but it’s OK as the Qantas lounge in Singapore has been used for a good 3 hours beforehand! Who cares if the plane is late from Melbourne or Sydney when you’re sipping champagne and watching the world go by from your lounge seat?

Turning left onto the newly refurbished A380 is a whole new experience. Hopefully it will meet our expectations. You’ll only find out if you keep reading!

Quick Index of Qantas A380 refurbished Business Class Flight QF2

 

                                        

The refurbished Qantas A380 business class cabin

Qantas a380 refurbished business class seat Only1invillage
The refurbished Qantas A380 cabin is a 1-2-1 forward facing configuration. Much better privacy and aisle access for all.

There are 70 business class seats. The configuration is 1-2-1 which means everyone has aisle access, no more stepping over a stranger. The older style A380 jet which we previously flew on was a 2-2-2 configuration. Qantas are calling the seats business class suites. They are not technically suites with a closed off privacy area like Qatar’s Q suites. But, they do offer much more privacy than before and the seat itself is much more comfortable.

Qantas a380 refurbished business class seat Only1invillage
Gone are the days of sitting next to a stranger on the newly refurbished Qantas A380 in business class. The configuration is 1-2- 1 now.

Everyone faces forwards in a staggered arrangement. Some airlines like Qatar have a herringbone arrangement where some business class seats face the rear end of the plane.

                                       

The seat and its surrounds on the Qantas A380 business class cabin

The window seat feels very spacious and of course you’ll get the better cloud and take off shots. 

Qantas a380 refurbished business class seat Only1invillage
Seat 16A has no one in front of you. The window seats are your best bet for those fluffy cloud shots.

 

The footwell is good and there was plenty of space for size 45 feet and 185cm tall (6ft 1″) human when lying flat.

Qantas a380 refurbished business class seat Only1invillage
The footwell was spacious enough for a tall human over 6ft.

Plenty of storage for your handbag, manbag, phone, noise cancelling headphones and laptop. There is also room for a water bottle, a coat hook and a reading light.

Qantas a380 refurbished business class seat Only1invillage
Qantas has kept the personal storage locker on the window seats. Heaven forbid you should have to stand up and reach for your cabin baggage from an over head locker like in economy!!

When it’s time for bed, you get the mini mattress like Emirates A380 business class and Qatar business class offer. This makes the gap between the bottom and the back less obvious in lie flat mode.

Qantas a380 refurbished business class seat Only1invillage
Qantas provides a thin mattress to soften the seat in lie flat mode. ZZZZZZZZZ

On the 13 hour flight Qantas provides pyjamas. Are you ready to see J in his sexy night wear?

Qantas a380 refurbished business class seat Only1invillage
Why is there a kangaroo on your top J? Oh it’s the Qantas pyjamas. One size fits all.

                                               

In flight entertainment

Qantas a380 refurbished business class seat Only1invillage
16 inch screen compared to the old 12 inch screen. 4 inches is a big upgrade!

The new upgraded HD 16 inch screen is a welcome upgrade from the older 12 inch version. Believe us when we say 4 inches makes a big difference! The usual movies and TV shows, documentaries and music selection are on a par with other international carriers. Suffice to say there is more than enough to entertain you on the 13 hour non stop flight from Singapore to London.

                                      

The electronics around the seat

You get the usual charging spots in your seat – the USB, universal charger and the headphone socket. The noise cancelling headphones are comfortable and do a great job, which you expect at this price point. However, they are not as crystal clear as the Bose headphones.

Qantas a380 refurbished business class seat Only1invillage
Noise cancelling headphones are good, but, not as good as Bose noise cancelling headphones.

The seat switching functions are all within easy reach on a shelf type arm rest.

Qantas a380 refurbished business class seat Only1invillage
Everything you need for the 13 hour flight is within easy reach. The new faux wood look and leather seats are definitely an upgrade from the previous seats.

On the old A380, it was almost impossible to find the USB outlet and the adaptor socket. In fact, for a while, we didn’t think there were any, so this is definitely an upgraded feature and much more in line with other international airlines we have flown with.

                                      

The amenity kits on Flight QF2 business class

Now here is where Qantas has really improved. A bag you can re-use and isn’t to be re-gifted to a 5 year old niece. The faux leather bag is on par with other business class airlines, but still doesn’t beat the swanky Qatar business class amenity kit bag.

Qantas a380 refurbished business class seat Only1invillage
Now here is an amenity kit bag you don’t have to re-gift! A much improved design, material and colour than the previous Qantas A380 business class amenity bag. The toiletries are still a bit mean in quantity.

                                    

The food and beverages

Dinner and breakfast will be served since it is a late flight out of Singapore and landing in London before rush hour starts. Throughout the flight there is food on demand and various snacks such as chips/crisps and fruit.

Qantas a380 refurbished business class seat Only1invillage
Feeding time is coming!

The pre flight champagne has been sipped. Let the feeding commence! The main course of stir fried beef could have been presented better. It looks a bit like a canteen “help yourself” job. Still, presentation aside, it was tasty.

Qantas a380 refurbished business class seat Only1invillage
Stir fried beef with hot and sour cabbage, sugar snap peas and jasmine rice. Neil Perry’s green salad

The clinking of cutlery and the tablecloth tells you it is time for dinner. In case you need to remind yourself of what you’re eating, you can always refer to the menu card.

Qantas a380 refurbished business class seat Only1invillage
The dinner menu on the Qantas A380 Singapore to London.

Almost forgot the drinks menu!

Qantas a380 refurbished business class seat Only1invillage
The alcoholic and non alcoholic bevarages are a selection of Australian wines typically ranging from $20 to $30 AUD.

Dessert was a delicious pain au chocolat bread and butter pudding. A nice blend of a classic French pastry and an English pudding classic! It went down very well with the sweet dessert wine.

Qantas a380 refurbished business class seat Only1invillage
We were enjoying the pain au chocolat bread and butter pudding so much, we almost forgot to take a picture!

After a good sleep in the Qantas pyjamas, the clatter of crockery signalled breakfast. This was served 2 hours before landing in London. You fill in the pre order personalised breakfast card.

Qantas a380 refurbished business class seat Only1invillage
The a la carte breakfast menu. Pre fill before bed time to wake up to a hot breakfast with coffee.

A bacon, egg and cheese brioche served with hot sourdough toast was a good choice. The muesli and fruit salad with yoghurt was the healthy part!

Qantas a380 refurbished business class seat Only1invillage
A scrumptious hot breakfast is served including a Danish pastry. The coffee was just ordinary, not up to Melbourne standards!

                                    

The service of the Qantas staff

The staff kept on calling us sir and madam. It took us quite a long time to figure out who they were referring to. We thought it best to let them carry on using these names since they were convinced that’s who we were. Sir and madam were well watered and fed throughout the duration of the flight. They were not over friendly and seemed happy to be back in the skies.

                                      

The Qantas A380 business class toilets

Here is where the most interesting photos of a blog are! It was no different to the economy class toilet!

                                      

The refurbished Qantas A380 business class bar

Qantas a380 refurbished business class seat Only1invillage
The new bar area is no longer a straight line. More like a cafe style booth seating arrangement.

The bar isn’t really a bar per se, where there is a bar person, like on the Emirates A380. It’s more like a place to meet others for a chat out of your seat.

Qantas a380 refurbished business class seat Only1invillage
The L shaped bar seating area at the front of the plane. The grey is a much better colour than the previous bright red.

Here is a picture of the Emirates A380 bar for comparison.

Emirates A380 business class review Dubai to London
After take off the cupboards are opened and the Emirates A380 bar is open for business class passengers. This is a stand up and sit down area with a human. 

A few people made use of the bar area. The old style A380 had a bright red bar area.

Qantas A380 business class cabin flight review Melbourne to Singapore Only1invillage
This is the Qantas A380 older style non refurbished bar! Judge for yourself. The red matches the Qantas logo on the outside of the plane nicely!

We much prefer the new understated colour palette. The bar doesn’t have to match the outside of the plane (red)! which was a bit bright in the non refurbished A380 super jumbo. 

Qantas a380 refurbished business class seat Only1invillage
The bar area is a place to help yourself to soft drinks, chocolate and Pringles chips/crisps. Bring your own (BYO) alcohol to the socialising area since there is no one to mix your coctails.

                                      

Final Thoughts

We’re really glad that Qantas listened to our thoughts and read our previous comments about the A380 desperately needing an upgrade! The refurbished Qantas A380 superjumbo is now in line with other international carriers such as Singapore airlines, Emirates, Qatar and Etihad, in terms of cabin configuration and seat. The food and drinks selection is more on a par with British Airways A380 business class. We think the Middle Eastern airlines do higher quality wines and the food presentation is definitely a cut above Qantas. 

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FinnAir Business Class Review

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FinnAir A350 business class review

 

Finnair? Who? Is that connected to Finland? Where is Finland? Yes, Finland has its own fleet of planes including a business class product which we share with you now! Finnair business class review here we come!

Finnair business class review Helsinki to Singapore only1invillage
Finnair business class from Helsinki to Singapore.

Read our Finnair business class review from Helsinki, the capital of Finland to Singapore. From freezing temperatures to the humid and hot touchdown in Singapore, we reveal what you’ll get on your 11 and a half hour flight. The modern fleet is made up of A350 900 narrow body jets. It’s a late flight almost midnight so you will be ready to sleep when you get on board!

Quick Index of Finnair Business Class Helsinki to Singapore

The Finnair A350 business class cabin

After a traditional meal of meatballs and salad in the Helsinki lounge, which closed at 6pm (yes we had to slum it with the common people for 6 hours!) we were desperate to join the priority queue to get the pre flight champagne and kick our shoes off!. Due to this little thing called a global pandemic, the Finnair Lounge in Helsinki has drastically reduced its opening times. Also the main reason for choosing Finnair was to use the sauna area, which of course was closed. Wah, wah, wah, had we known, we would have flown via Dubai and with  Emirates business class who have fully opened their lounges.

Finnair A350 business class cabin configuration only1invillage
The A350 Finnair business class cabin is very bright and white. The configuration of the seats offer a good amount of privacy, even if you’re in the middle seats.

The configuration of the seats is a glorious 1-2-1. Off to a good start. This is one time where a window seat is great, when travelling alone. 

window seat a350 Finnair business class
The window seat offers good privacy on one side only and of course the view for take off and landing. It’s always the best seat if travelling alone.

The seats

bright refurbished seats A350 Finnair business class only1invillage review
Fresh bright colours on the A350 Finnair business class section.

Most seats are less than 2 years old. Finnair is in the process or refurbishing its entire fleet of A350 and A330 planes. According to their statement their seats will, “elevate your travel experience to new heights”.

When sitting up before take off, the seat doesn’t feel that padded and comfortable which is a bit surprising. The seat belt is also huge and quite heavy. 

Finnair usiness class seat heavy seat belt only1invillage
Look at the size of that seat belt! You definitely feel it when it is fastened.

There is no mattress for you to even out the gaps in the seat on the Finnair business class flight from Helsinki to Singapore.

the bed on Finnair business class Only1invillage
The seat in the bed position has large gaps which are not covered with a mattress.

There’s not a  huge amount of leg room in the up right position and you can see that lying down if you’re tall you’re going to have to keep those legs quite close together!

narrow footwell on the As50 Finnair business class from Helsinki to Singapore Only1invillage
The footwell becomes quite narrow. It’s ok for people under 185cms though! Start practising sleeping with your legs together.

There is ample storage in the overhead lockers/bins and each one is labelled with your closest seat number. Additional storage can be found in the padded ‘armrest’ which contains the noise cancelling headphones and a bottle of water.

noise cancelling headphones A30 Finnair business class Only1invillage
The noise cancelling headphones are always hiding in the armrest storage compartment!

In flight entertainment

Every passenger in business class gets 60 minutes free wi fi. However it was quite difficult to get a signal and it only worked half of the time.

good headphones A350 Finnair business class review Only1invillage
The noise cancelling headphones are a snug fit and provide good acoustics for whatever you’re watching on the entertainment channels.

When you have settled in and checked out your fellow passengers there’s plenty to watch and listen to. The screen is huge and has very good resolution. The latest world cinema films are available as well as some classic Golden Oldies. In addition, you have TV series, documentaries and more music than you can ever get through on a 12 hour flight.

Finnair Tv on business class flights A350 Only1invillage
The Finnair business class screen is crystal clear. Enjoy films, Tv shows, games and music.

 

The electronics around the seat

You can charge your laptop, connect to HDMI and USB ports from your seat. Everything is within easy reach and nothing is hidden or in a hard to reach corner.

electrics around the seat A350 Finnair business class Only1invillage
The electrics around your seat allow you to charge a variety of devices.

To control the seat itself there are a variety of self explanatory buttons.

buttons to make your seat flat on board Finnair business class Helsinki to SIngapore Only1invillage review
It’s almost bed time! Underneath the universal adaptor are the buttons which transform your seat to a flat bed. Of course there are varying degrees before you get to 180 degrees.

The amenity kits on the Finnair A350 business class

One word – disappointing.

amenity kit Finnair business class Only1invillage
What’s inside the bag? The outside of the amenity kit isn’t filling us with confidence.
Finnair slippers and amenity kit balnket Only1invillage
The amenities include a pair of grey slippers which are one size fits all. The blanket is a calming blue.

The amenity kit is quite mean and sparse. It is certainly not up to the standard of the Qatar business class amenity kit.

disappointing amenity kit on board Finnair A350 business class Only1invillage
Ta dah! The contents of the amenity kit are disappointing. No socks and no ear plugs.

The bags are definitely NOT classy and ones for keeping for future travels. Unlike the bags we received on Qatar Airways (see below)

Qatar Qsuite A350-1000 Doha to Singapore review men's toiletries contents business class
For gentlemen, on Qatar Airways this is what you get for the amenity kit. This is a bag you will want to re use. Compare this to the Finnair business class amenity kit bag above.

The food and beverages

glassware on business calss Finnair Helsinki to Singapore Only1invillage
The glassware is very unique on board the Finnair planes. The take off nuts were delicious.

It’s dinner time on the Helsinki to Singapore flight. The mains to choose from were fish or chicken. In no way does the presentation match up to the middle eastern airlines such as Qatar or Emirates. (See the photo below). However in taste, the food goes down a treat and is of fine dining quality.

What we really like about the Qatar food service is the cute little touches like the mini salt and pepper grinders and the table light.

Qatar Qsuite A350-1000 Doha to Singapore review breakfast Asian prawn congee business class
The prawn congee with shitake mushrooms, spring onion, ginger and soya sauce. Tasty and authentic.

The dinner menu was very interesting. A western and an Eastern option. We opted for the seafood and it was a delicious prawn appetizer and a baked salmon with vegetables. 

Finnair business class review dinner menu only1invillage
Will it be chicken or fish for your Finnish dinner?
drinks menu business calss Finnair Helsinki to Singapore Only1invillage
Before you can select your dinner you need to check out the drinks menu!

 

trout for dinnen Finnair business class review only1invillage
The trout with roasted potatoes, shitake mushrooms and nori oil was very tasty. It had been glow fried, don’t know what that means though!
Normandy apple pie dinner dessert Finnair business class review Only1invillage
The Normandy apple pie was moist and the apple pieces crunchy.
cheese plate Finnair business class review only1invillage
Just when you thought you couldn’t eat any more, the cheese selection comes out. Oh well, it’s all for the blog!

After a few good hours of sleep the clinking of plates and the smell of coffee is the signal for more food! Breakfast is served.

scrambled eggs with chorizo for breakfast Finnair business class review only1invillage
Scrambled eggs with chorizo for breakfast. There is no second choice for breakfast.

Throughout the flight Finnair offer a selection of sweet and savoury snacks. We were so full and bloated that we did not try any. If you have tried them, drop us a line and let us know what is on offer!

The service of the Finnair staff

From the moment you board the staff address you as Miss or Mr. They have done their homework and you can see your name on the passenger list has been hand written. Frequent fliers of Finnair business class got an extra special welcome and were copiously plied with alcohol offerings throughout the flight. As newbies to Finnair, we thought the service was efficient, friendly and not too intrusive. A few small details, such as noticing empty water bottles and replacing them, would have been good. Apart from that, there wasn’t much to improve on.

The Finnair A350 business class toilets

Well they were a bit disappointing. They were exactly the same as economy class. The only difference was the number of people using them and the number of times the toilet paper roll was folded into a triangle!

 

Finnair business class toilet only1invillage review
An economy style bathroom in the business class Finnair hard product.

However, you do get a better handwash in business class and the moisturizer too is of better quality.

business calss Finnair Helsinki to Singapore Only1invillage
The body lotion is the same brand you get in the amenity kit in the business class bathroom. Sadly, the size of the bathroom/ toilet is the same as economy class.

The Bar

There isn’t one!

Final Thoughts

All in all a very solid soft product, with good food and wine albeit with small touches like a table coth for dinner. The the seat and amenities are not as luxurious as Emirates or Qatar and you don’t get as much space overall. The flight time is also a big consideration with a 6 hour gap between closure of the Finnair lounge in Helsinki and the boarding time. Would we fly Finnair again? Probably not if given the choice.

While you’re in Helsinki airport don’t forget to pop into the Moomin Cafe. The Moomins are Finland’s answer to the Simpson’s and were a hit cartoon show. It also has comfortable seats to wait on during that long six hour gap. Go on, indulge your inner child!

 

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Qatar 787-8 Dreamliner business class review London to Doha

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Qatar 787-8 dreamliner business class lgw to doha seat herringbone configuration

Qatar 787 – 8 Dreamliner business class review

 

An evening take off with a flight time of just under 7 hours.  Read our review about the Qatar 787-8 Dreamliner business class product Qatar from London to Doha. We are eager to compare the Middle Eastern airline to the likes of Emirates and Etihad. We have flown Qatar in economy and it isn’t great. Let’s hope the business class product is much better.

After a disappointing experience in the Aspire Lounge Gatwick North Terminal, we try to get on board the Qatar 787 – 8 business class as soon as possible. Also, we like to try and not get other passengers in our shots. We’ll blur you out for anonymity!

We are also looking forward to the stop in Doha because the Qatar Al Mourjan business lounge is supposed to be their best lounge in the world. 

Quick Index of Qatar 787 – 8 dreamliner Business Class 

                                        

Qatar 787 – 8 dreamliner business class cabin

The business class cabin is relatively small, compared to the likes of the non refurbished Qantas A380 business class cabin. There are only 22 seats. It is arranged in the reverse herringbone configuration. Thank goodness it isn’t like the British Airways ‘honeymoon’ configuration!

Qatar 787-8 dreamliner business class lgw to doha seat herringbone configuration
The herringbone configuration of the 787-8 Dreamliner is good for everyone’s privacy. The seats are in a 1-2-1 arrangement, which means everyone has aisle access.

The configuration is 1-2-1 which is great for solo travellers and couples. Everyone has aisle access, yay!

Qatar 787-8 dreamliner business class lgw to doha seats near the toilet avoid
You probably want to avoid these two seats because they’re close to the toilet. They do however, offer maximum privacy, since they are ‘separated’ from the main cabin by the “bar”.

There are two seats that you probably don’t want. These are located just behind this ‘bar’ ledge area, that seems to us, very strange. These two seats 6E and 6F  are also closest to the toilet, so avoid them. A curtain separates you from the economy class cabin.

The service galley is at the front of the 22 seats so if your’e noise sensitive, you may want to choose a seat towards the back. There are 2 toilets at the back of the cabin.

Qatar 787-8 dreamliner business class lgw to doha seat closest to the front is near the service galley
If you don’t want to hear the clinking of cutlery and clattering of plates, don’t choose a seat near the front! This will be your view.

Qatar uses mood lighting throughout the flight. The changing colours are said to aid relaxation. But they don’t help for taking good food shots!

                                    

The seat and its surrounds on the Qatar 787 – 8 dreamliner business class cabin

Qatar 787-8 dreamliner business class lgw to doha seat herringbone configuration
The seat on the 787-8 Dreamliner plane from London Gatwick to Doha.

The seats themselves look very comfortable. After take off you get to ‘make your bed’ with the mattress, but, you have to ask for it. On Emirates and Qantas flights we have experienced, the mattress is already on the seat when you board. The curved back however, doesn’t give maximum privacy, but adds a touch of elegance. The window seats ‘lean’ towards the windows so you’re facing away from the aisle and the centre seat passengers. Even if you’re travelling alone and you get a centre seat, you can raise the privacy shield.

Qatar AIrways business class 787-8 dreamliner LGW to Doha seat and surrounds
The herringbone configuration means if you want to interact with your neighbour, you can! If not, the privacy screen will provide plenty of non- face time!

The seat controls move you into various positions. They are very well ‘drawn’ and easy to understand.

Underneath the seat control panel, there is an additional storage bin, which contains the noise cancelling headphones.

Qatar Airways business class 787-8 dreamliner LGW to Doha additional storage bin
As you’re looking around your seat lift up the padded storage locker. In here, you’ll find your headphones and enough room for a small bag.

You get an extra bit of elbow room, whichever seat you’re in. Everyone gets a mini storage draw which contains a bottle of water and the noise cancelling headphones.

Qatar AIrways business class 787-8 dreamliner LGW to Doha seat and surrounds
Every seat has this extra shelf space. We think Qatar could have used this space more effectively, perhaps a mini bar like Emirates do?

The foot well is somewhat narrow and very tall passengers, may find this a problem.

Qatar AIrways business class 787-8 dreamliner LGW to Doha seat and surrounds
For very tall passengers you may find the narrow footwell slightly annoying.

When you pull the table out for eating, if you move your legs to cross or uncross them, you may hit the table with your knees.

Qatar Airways business class 787-8 dreamliner LGW to Doha review table in business class LGW to Doha
The fold out table is spacious, around double the size of an economy class table.

There is an international charging socket underneath the shelf

                                

In flight entertainment

The Oryx entertaiment system is quite comprehensive. The Qatar in flight entertainment system has all the usual options. The latest films and classic films in various languages. You can watch the flight cameras or listen to music. The TV screen doesn’t move which is great or not?

Qatar 787-8 dreamliner business class review sreen size LGW to Doha
The business class screen is 17 inches and crystal clear. Qatar claim it is the first in the world to operate a dual screen interface which allows you to play a game, whilst watching a film.

You can either touch the screen itself or use a hand held device to select your entertainment.

Qatar AIrways business class 787-8 dreamliner LGW to Doha hand held IFE controller
The hand held IFE controller is a little small in our opinion.

In our opinion it is a bit too small, the hand held device. We much prefer the tablet you get on the Emirates A380 – 800.

comparing the IFE touch screen tablet you get on an Emirates A380 business class to Qatar 787-8 dreamliner business class procuct only1invillage
Sorry Qatar, but we prefer Emirates’ tablet control system for the entertainment options. Emirates provides this in addition to the hand held controller.

The noise cancelling headphones are a nice touch. They are superior to the ones you get in economy class. If it weren’t for the three prong jack, the headphones wouldn’t be given back!

noise cancelling headphones Qatar Airways 787-8 dreamliner business class review LGW to Doha only1invillage
We like the noise cancelling headphones. They make a big difference when you compare them to economy class headphones!

            

The electronics around the seat

The TV controller hides in a compartment to the left  or right of your seat.

Qatar AIrways business class 787-8 dreamliner LGW to Doha seat electronicsTHe
The IFE controller is neatly stored near your elbow.

The seat positions allow for a fully flat angled bed. Not all Qatar’s business class seats do. Similar to Emirates, some business class seats are still the old fashioned angled style. Shock, horror, gasp!

Qatar AIrways business class 787-8 dreamliner LGW to Doha seat electronics
Easy to use seat controls. Even if you don’t understand them, it’s just fun pressing every button!

There is a massage facility which is really good, if you like massages.

The charging socket is located underneath the shelf area where the seat controls are. The USB slot is next to the headphones slot.

Qatar AIrways business class 787-8 dreamliner LGW to Doha seat
Your universal charger point is located underneath the seat control buttons.

                        

The amenity kits on the Qatar 787- 8 dreamliner business class

We do love a good amenity kit with a toiletries bag you can reuse! The one provided for ladies is orange and filled with Monte Vibiano goodies, an eye mask, some rather fetching matching socks and ear plugs. The bag is from a family owned Italian luxury goods company, called Bric’s.

Qatar 787-8 dreamliner business class lgw to doha ladies amenity kit
Definitely a keeper! The bright orange bag is sturdy and will be a good reminder of the Qatar Airways 787-8 dreamliner business class flight from London to Doha.

The amenity kit for men is blue. It contains exactly the same toiletries as the amenity kit for ladies. The only difference is the socks and eye mask are a different colour.

As it’s an overnight flight, we are provided with pyjamas and slippers. The pyjamas are not 100 per cent cotton, unfortunately. The black slippers are also a nasty nylon, which will make your feet sweat. Still, the pyjamas and slippers are better than creasing and sleeping in your own clothes. You’re also more inclined to fall asleep after the dinner service.

Qatar Airways business class 787-8 dreamliner LGW to Doha pyjamas only1invillage review
On overnight flights, Qatar add pyjamas to the amenities on board.

                      

The food and beverages on the Qatar 787-8 Dreamliner business class

Qatar 787-8 dreamliner business class lgw to doha pre flight cocktail and warm nuts
Before take off you are offered some warm nuts and a cocktail. After a disastrous experience in the London Gatwick lounge, we are eager to sit back and sip!

If you have special dietary requirements, like vegetarian or gluten free, this can be ordered on the app beforehand. You can even get a ‘bland’ meal. What would that taste like?!!!

Qatar AIrways business class 787-8 dreamliner LGW to Doha seat table setting lantern salt and pepper
What we do love about the Qatar meal service in business class is the little extra touches. The electric lantern and the ever so cute mini salt and pepper grinders, make you feel at home in the skies!

Did we ‘relish sumptuous cuisine designed by the best chefs in the world and savour expertly served exclusive vintages?’ Those are the words from Qatar’s website. In terms of presentation, the food is very good. In terms of taste, we’re sorry to report that there is room for improvement.

Qatar 787-8 dreamliner business class lgw to doha appetiser beef bresaola and melon
The beef bresaola and melon appetiser is very well presented. However, the beef was turning brown at the bottom. It should be bright red.

The bevarages are not as expensive as Emirates offer either. Notably the wines are of a poorer quality. However, the signature mint and lemon drink is refreshingly delicious and you must order at least two throughout the flight!

Qatar 787-8 dreamliner business class lgw to doha signature mint and lemon seriously addictive drink
We don’t know what goes into the Qatar signature mint and lemon drink, but, it’s seriously addictive.

The menu selection always reflects the place you’re flying to and from. So, on the flight from England there are traditional English and Arabic options.

The dinner service begins an hour into the flight. After a disappointing selection of food in Qatar’s London Gatwick North Lounge, we are hungry!

It’s appetiser time! The amuse bouche is very well presented. Top marks! It tastes good too.

Qatar 787-8 dreamliner business class lgw to doha food amuse bouche
A very tasty salmon and grapefruit amuse bouche to start the dinner service on the evening flight from London Gatwick to Doha.

For main course the most exciting sounding dish is the beef fillet. Let’s see if Qatar can pull off a medium-rare steak in the air!

Qatar AIrways business class 787-8 dreamliner LGW to Doha food main course dinner only1invillage
The beef fillet presents well. Unfortunately it was overcooked and dry. The peas, as you can see are also not green. Too much time in the oven.

Unfortunately the beef was really overcooked. It had a nice flavour, but, it was not gourmet standard. We were offered a chicken alternative, but, we didn’t want white meat. Thumbs down for Qatar’s main course. The flight attendants were eager to hear our feedback, but, will anything be done about it for future customers?

So far two strikes for the appetiser and main course. Can Qatar win back some points with the dessert?

Qatar AIrways business class 787-8 dreamliner LGW to Doha dessert
The fresh berries served with almond syrup. The strawberries could have been sweeter. The almond syrup was good.

We choose the healthy option, because how wrong can you go with mixed berries? Even here, attention to detail is lacking. There are still some green parts of the top of the strawberries in the bowl. Overall, a disappointing dinner. It certainly didn’t meet our expectations of the “finest dining in the skies” with “extraordinary cuisine” as the Qatar website suggests.

Qatar AIrways business class 787-8 dreamliner LGW to Doha breakfast
The pastries, juice and coffee at breakfast time served just before landing in Doha.

One hour and 20 minutes before landing in Doha, you are offered breakfast. We choose the cooked option, knowing that there will be middle eastern breakfast choices in the Al Mourjan Lounge, when we land. The next flight we take to Singapore on the Qatar Qsuite will also start with breakfast.

                    

The service of the Qatar staff

The staff greet you by name which is a good touch. On this flight the staff are very friendly, but not over friendly. They ask for feedback and are more than happy to take pictures for you.

                    

The Qatar 787 business class toilets

Why didn’t you go to the toilet before?!!! The bathroom, the restroom, the wash closet. Whatever you want to call it, it’s where you do your ‘business’ in the plane. We are sorry to report, the toilets are a bit disappointing as business class toilets go. It is the same size as an economy class toilet. 

Qatar AIrways business class 787-8 dreamliner LGW to Doha toilet shot
Qatar Airways 787-8 business class toilet. It’s the same size as in economy class.
Qatar AIrways business class 787-8 dreamliner LGW to Doha toilet amenities
There’s Colgate toothpaste and brushes in the toilets. There’s a bottle of something missing in the toiletries section. Poor show Qatar.

                  

The Qatar 787 -8 dreamliner business class bar

There isn’t one!

Qatar AIrways business class 787-8 dreamliner LGW to Doha bar ledges
These two ‘ledges’ are essentially the ‘bar’ area on board the Qatar Airways 787-8 business class flight from London to Doha.

Ok there isn’t one as in bar service with a flight attendant mixing you cocktails. You can place some drinks here on this ‘bar ledge’ and congregate if you need to stretch your legs. But, how awkward for the passengers sitting in 6E and 6F! 

Qatar Airways business class 787-8 dreamliner LGW to Doha champagne glasses
After take off the social area is set up. A few bottles of champagne and wine are placed on the bar ledges.
Qatar Airways business class 787-8 dreamliner LGW to Doha snacks in the common area
Some packaged snacks are arranged in the common area at the back of the business class cabin, next to the exit doors.

Not that we crave alcohol, you understand, we just like comparing on board bars on different airlines! There is only a bar on the A380 Qatar business class product. After take off, some fresh fruit, nuts and a few bottles of alcohol are placed on the “bar” ledges.

Qatar Airways business class 787-8 dreamliner LGW to Doha fresh fruit
A fresh fruit bowl sits next to the champagne glasses to help yourself after take off on the Qatar Airways 787-8 business class flight from London to Doha.                  

                  

Summary of the Qatar 787 -8 dreamliner business class cabin 

Firstly, we like the layout of the cabin. It works really well for everyone, offering privacy to all passengers.

Secondly, the seats are very comfortable and the fully flat position is always welcome.

We love the amenity kits. Good quality and a great souvenir of the flight. 

However, the Qatar 787-8 Dreamliner business class does have some down sides. There’s no real bar on the Dreamliner. Oh well, next time we must fly the Qatar A380. It seems to be an A380 thing! 

The biggest let down is the food quality and taste. Qatar need to up their game on this aspect of the soft product on this particular flight.

Have you flown out of London Gatwick on the Qatar 787-8 dreamliner in business class? Do you agree with our review? Let us know, by submitting a comment.

 

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Qatar Qsuite A350 -1000 business class review

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Qatar Qsuite A350 Business Class

 Qatar Qsuite A350- 1000 business class review

 

This is our most anticipated  flight review yet! The business class Qsuites have really been a game changer for Qatar Airways. The first of its kind to offer first class like suites with extreme privacy. The two middle seats can be joined to make a double bed! Is that encouraging the mile high club????!!!! Wink, wink, nudge, nudge!

Qatar Qsuite A350-1000 Doha to Singapore review the bed in the sky business class
Good night or as the pillow says, it’s a good day, whichever way you look at it. The Qsuite bed in the sky is Qatar’s biggest selling point for business class passengers. The blanket is one of the softest and most luxurious we have experienced yet.

Read our review of the 7 hour flight from Doha to Singapore. It’s an early morning start. Well, early for us, 8.30 am. We get on after a quick visit to the Al Mourjan Lounge in Doha. 

Quick Index of Qatar A350 Business Class Qsuite

                                                                                                                                          

Find out which planes in the Qatar Fleet have the Qsuite

Not all Qatar business class planes are made equally! You are not guaranteed a Qsuite unless you are on the A350-1000. Some of the Boeing 777-200LRs will have Qsuite. Similarly, select Boeing 777-300ERs and Airbus A350-900s might have Qsuite. We did our research very carefully!

                                                                                                                                          

The Qatar A350 business class cabin

After a sumptuous feast in the Qatar Al Mourjan business class lounge in Doha we reluctantly board the plane. Just joking, any time we board a business class flight, we are pretty excited!

Qatar Qsuite A350-1000 Doha to SIngapore review cabin configuration
The Qsuite cabin in all its glory on the A350-1000 from Doha to Singapore. There’s a total of 46 seats. Some seats face forwards and some seats face backwards to the nose of the plane.

The configuration of the seats is a glorious 1-2-1. Off to a good start. This is one time where a window seat is great, when travelling alone. From the picture above, you can see that some seats face forwards and some face backwards.

Qatar Qsuite A350-1000 Doha to SIngapore review cabin configuration window seat
The one time a window seat is a good choice is in business class! You get the view and the leg room! Note how C’s passport matches the Qatar colours!

The seats in the centre section that are closer together can make a double bed after take off! That’s what all the fuss is about. A first class experience at a business class price is the selling factor here.

Qatar Qsuite A350-1000 Doha to SIngapore review cabin configuration the qsuite bed
Qatar’s Qsuite bed is made up for you after take off. A true bed in the sky!

Qatar were the first to introduce sliding doors, like in First Class on some airlines. However, these doors are purely visual. They don’t stop the sound of a crying infant from reaching your ears! Whether crying infants should even be allowed in business class is a whole other blog post!

Qatar Qsuite A350-1000 Doha to SIngapore review cabin features sliding door for privacy
The Qsuite sliding door guarantees privacy from your fellow travellers. However, it doesn’t protect you from snoring passengers or crying infants!

Not only can some Qsuite seats convert to a double bed, but people travelling and actually ‘doing business’ can make a mini conference room of 2 opposite seats facing each other to form a group of 4. Qatar call this the quad set up. Movable panels can be opened up to form a social or business area. How cool is that?! On this particular flight, there were no people ‘doing business’. In fact, the flight was pretty empty, about 14 people in total. Therefore, we don’t have a picture of 4 people opening up the Qsuite dividers to make a conference room. Click here on the Qatar Airways website to see what the ‘conference room’ in the sky looks like.

Qatar Qsuite A350-1000 Doha to Singapore review conference room on board
The four seats to the right of C, convert to a mini conference room in the sky. Due to the emptiness of the flight, this cannot be shown. But, go to Qatar’s website if you’re really curious to see how it looks. The pink mood lighting isn’t great for taking pictures though!

                                                                                                                                          

The seat and its surrounds on the Qatar A350 business class cabin

Most seats are less than 2 years old. Qatar launched their first Qsuite in June 2017. If you’re on a plane that just got configured with Qsuite, then it could even be new! There’s a total of 46 seats.

When sitting up right for take off, there is a huge amount of legroom. Well that’s what business class is all about!

Qatar Qsuite A350-1000 Doha to Singapore review leg room on the foot stool business class
Ready for take off! There’s a huge amount of leg room in the up right position on board the Boeing A350-1000 configured with the Qsuite.

There is ample storage in the overhead lockers/bins and each one is labelled with your closest seat number. Additional storage can be found in the padded ‘armrest’ which contains the noise cancelling headphones and a bottle of water.

Qatar Qsuite A350-1000 Doha to Singapore review padded arm rest containing head phones and water business class
The padded arm rest can be lowered for extra room when the seat converts into a bed. Pretty clever piece of engineering!
Qatar Qsuite A350-1000 Doha to Singapore review inside the arm rest extra storage business class
Inside the arm rest there is additional storage space. You can easily slip your lap top in for take off and landing. Your noise cancelling headphones are located in here with a bottle of water.
Qatar Qsuite A350-1000 Doha to Singapore review mattress on bed business class
When you’re ready for your snooze, the crew will put the mattress down on your lie flat bed in the sky. Sweet dreams. We personally found the converted beds very comfortable.

                                                                                                                                          

In flight entertainment

Every passenger in business class gets 60 minutes of complimentary wi-fi internet on board. 

Qatar Qsuite A350-1000 Doha to Singapore review complimentary 60 mins wi-fi internet on boardbusiness class
Get your social media fix on board the Qsuite for a whole hour!

When you have finished ‘Whats apping’ and uploading Instagram stories to make your friends jealous, there’s plenty to watch and listen to. The screen is huge and has very good resolution. The latest Hollywood, Bollywood and world cinema films are available. In addition, you have TV series, documentaries and more music than you can ever get through. 

Qatar Qsuite A350-1000 Doha to Singapore review screen size business class
The screen is 21.5 inches wide. Touchscreen or handset operated. Choose from thousands of entertainment options.

                                                                                                                                          

The electronics around the seat

You can charge your laptop, connect to HDMI and USB ports from your seat. Everything is within easy reach and nothing is hidden or in a hard to reach corner.

Qatar Qsuite A350-1000 Doha to Singapore review international charger and usb business class
The international charger and USB port are within easy reach of the Qsuite seat. They are at eye level and easy to find.
Qatar Qsuite A350-1000 Doha to Singapore review international charger and headphone jack business class
The headphone jack and your complimentary 60 minutes wi-fi internet are all easy to access from your Qsuite seat.

To control the seat itself there are a variety of self explanatory buttons.

Qatar Qsuite A350-1000 Doha to Singapore review seat control icons business class
The elegant seat controls will convert your seat into a variety of positions at the touch of a button.

The ‘DND’ button is an acronym for ‘do not disturb’. So much better than sticking a sticker onto your seat in economy class. The Qsuite seat also comes with a massage function which is very effective.

Qatar Qsuite A350-1000 Doha to Singapore review reading light business class
Need to catch up on some reading? Switch on the reading light for a warm glow.

                                                                                                                                                                                                          

The amenity kits on the Qatar A350 business class

Like the amenity kits from London to Doha, the kits are filled with Castello Monte Vibiano toiletries inside a  Bric’s bag. Bric’s is an Italian luxury travel bags and fashion accessories company. It boasts that all merchandise is made in Italy. On top of that it remains a family company. 

Qatar Qsuite A350-1000 Doha to Singapore review ladies' toiletries bag and contents business class
The female toiletries bag is a bright yellow with matching flight socks, ear plugs and eye mask! Stop the lips drying out with a Monte VIbiano lip balm. Keep skin hydrated with a moisturising facial mist and an anti-aging moisturiser.

The bags are definitely classy and ones for keeping for future travels.

Qatar Qsuite A350-1000 Doha to Singapore review men's toiletries contents business class
For gentlemen, the toiletries are exactly the same as the ladies’ bags. The bag is blue and comes with blue flight socks and matching eye mask (not shown, they’re in the bag). Inside the plastic container are ear plugs.

The Monte Vibiano toiletries are hypoallergenic, paraben free, nickel tested and cruelty free.

                                                                                                                                                                                                        

The food and beverages

It’s breakfast time on the Doha to Singapore flight. The mains to choose from are Arabic, Western or Asian. Having had the Arabic meze in the Al Mourjan Lounge in Doha, we opt for the Asian prawn congee.

What we really like about the Qatar food service is the cute little touches like the mini salt and pepper grinders and the table light.

Qatar Qsuite A350-1000 Doha to Singapore review breakfast Asian prawn congee business class
The prawn congee with shitake mushrooms, spring onion, ginger and soya sauce. Tasty and authentic.

It’s a short flight from Doha to Singapore, about 7 hours. After catching a few hours of shut-eye it’s feeding time again. There is a choice of light bites ranging from a mixed garden salad, Thai red curry with seafood, spring onion panini with beef fillet or fresh finger sandwiches and scones. If none of that takes your fancy, there’s a snack platter, where you get snack size portions of world cuisines.

Qatar Qsuite A350-1000 Doha to Singapore review snack platter before landing business class
Sample the world on a platter. From top left: gooseberry crumble with redcurrant confit, sweet and sour chicken kebab, Vietnamese rice paper rolls. Bottom row: mushroom poppers, smoked salmon, seafood tikki. Served with a choice of harissa aioli, pesto mayonnaise and sweet chilli sauce. Yummy!

                                                                                                                                                                                                        

The service of the Qatar staff

Throughout the flight, the crew introduced themselves and asked for feedback on their service. The Qatar staff react with lightning speed to the call button. They are eager to promote the Qsuite and explained the cabin features in detail. The crew offered to take numerous photographs and open up the quad set up. We found the Qatar crew to be very friendly without being over bearing. Top marks!

                                                                                                                                                                                                          

The Qatar A350 business class toilets

Will they be as special as the cabin? Are they big enough to swing a cat in (like in the BA A380 business class)? Is the toilet tissue 3 ply? These burning and very important questions will now be answered!

Qatar Qsuite A350-1000 Doha to Singapore review toilet on board business class
It’s an economy class size toilet on board the A350-1000 Qsuite cabin. Amenities available are not as generous as an Emirates A380.

The tissue paper isn’t 3 ply, it’s the same old rough stuff you get in economy. There is a box of disposable razors, toothbrushes and combs in case you come on board unshaven and with bad breath.

Qatar Qsuite A350-1000 Doha to Singapore review soap and lotion business class
The hand wash and lotion are the same brand, Rituals, as in the Al Mourjan Lounge in Doha.

                                                                                                                                                                                                          

The Qatar A350 business class bar

Unfortunately only the Qatar A380 business class product has the bar. You have to ask yourself, what’s more important the bar or the seats? You can get the bar effect by ordering as many cocktails on demand and glasses of champagne as you can manage!

                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Summary of the Qatar A350 -1000 business class cabin 

Firstly, we love the layout of the Qsuite cabin. The flexibility of transforming spaces into work and leisure zones for people travelling together is fabulous. Solo travellers are not neglected either, with the best window seat view and privacy screen.

Secondly, the seat comfort in all modes is good. Some people may experience issues with the table when eating. If you’re very tall, your knees may bang against the underside of the table as you cross and uncross your legs.

Thirdly, the Qsuite is modern, clean  and has great electronic features. The mood lighting enhances rest, even though it isn’t ideal for taking photographs.

              

Qatar Qsuites A350 vs Emirates A380 Business Class

How does the Qsuite experience compare to our current favourite business class product, the Emirates A380?

Well, let’s do the scoring!

The first let down for Qatar is the lack of chauffeur service. Getting a complimentary ride to and from the airport is a big plus in our eyes.

Secondly, sorry Qatar, your flagship AL Mourjan lounge in Doha, misses a few points. In terms of food presentation and choice, shower facilities and of course, who can compete with the Moet and Chandon Lounge Emirates has in Dubai?

A plus for Qatar Airways is the larger screen. Size does matter! The Qatar screen (21.5 inches) is 3 inches wider than the Emirates screen (18.5 inches).

The second plus for Qatar Qsuite is the sliding door, which none of the Emirates fleet in business class have.Optimum privacy is guaranteed on the A350-1000 fitted with Qsuite seats.

Emirates win back a point with the food and beverages. The quality and taste of the Emirates dining experience is superior to Qatar’s, notably the choice of premium alcohol, served on board. 

Just for the flight experience, the A350-1000 Qsuite is the better product. However, overall, in our opinion, if you include the lounge and the limo service (pre and post flight experience) we will still pick Emirates A380.

If you’re looking for cheap business class flight deals direct to your inbox, we recommend luxuryflightclub.com

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Qantas A380 business class desperately needs an upgrade

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Qantas A380 Business Class

Qantas A380 business class desperately needs an upgrade

 

Read the highs and lows of the Qantas A380 business class cabin on its journey from Melbourne to Singapore. It’s a non stop flight of just over 7 hours.

Australia’s national carrier gets the Only1invillage review. Flying high  and flat with the white kangaroo because Qantas has an impeccable safety record. Like the character in Rain Man says, “Qantas has never crashed”.

We get to turn left when we board a plane! One of us is already a little light headed after 2 hours in the Qantas international business lounge Melbourne. Is it going to be a g’day or not? Continue reading as we give you all the details of this business class flight.

Quick Index of Qantas A380 Business Class 

                                        

Find out why the Qantas A380 business class desperately needs an upgrade.

The flight from Melbourne to Singapore is scheduled to leave at mid day. An announcement is made that the plane is going to be delayed. When you’re sitting in economy class, expletives start to form. Your eyes meet your fellow passengers and you roll your eyes upwards.

Qantas A380 business class cabin flight review Melbourne to Singapore Only1invillage
On the flight leaving Melbourne, there isn’t any pre flight champagne. We settle for the wine and pretzels.

But, if you’re in business class, you don’t care, because the champagne just keeps on coming! Well actually, there’s no pre flight champagne on the Qantas A380. We settle for wine and pretzels instead. We have sympathy for our fellow economy class passengers. After all, we fly economy too!

Maybe Qantas read our blog, because on a second flight on the A380 from Melbourne to Singapore, champagne was available. Plus other exciting news, the nuts now come in a ceramic bowl!

Qantas A380 Melbourne to SIngapore business class
Thanks Qantas for upgrading the almonds into a bowl! Previously nuts came in a plastic bag, not very business class like. Pre flight champagne is now available too.

                                        

The Qantas A380 business class cabin

Qantas A380 business class cabin flight review Melbourne to Singapore Only1invillage
The Qantas A380 business class cabin is a 2-2-2 configuration.

First up, it’s really big. The business class section on the upper deck is split into two parts. The front end is smaller and feels more cosy. There are 18 seats here. We get seats 13 A and 13B. One is a window seat and one is an aisle seat.

Qantas A380 business class cabin flight review Melbourne to Singapore Only1invillage
Seats 13A and 13B are a window and aisle seat. The window passenger has no direct aisle access.

The configuration is 2-2-2. If you’re not travelling in a couple or with friends, it can get a bit awkward for the window seat passenger. The window seat passenger has no direct aisle access. Your fellow passenger will have to step over you when you decide to go fully flat!

Qantas A380 business class cabin flight review Melbourne to Singapore Only1invillage
Even with the privacy screen on maximum, it’s not that private! On board the Qantas A380 business class cabin.

The service galley separates the mini cabin from a further 24 business class seats. Behind that there are 8 rows of premium economy seats. Finally at the very back of the plane are 2 rows of economy seats.

The front end contains the ‘bar’. We’ll get onto that a bit later!

                                      

The seat and its surrounds on the Qantas A380 business class cabin

The seats themselves are comfortable enough, but, showing their age. The positives are the 180 degree flat bed position and the comfort mattress. Notice that business class seats are not much wider than economy class seats. It’s all about the legroom.

Qantas A380 business class cabin flight review Melbourne to Singapore Only1invillage
Qantas A380 business class seats. Not as wide as you might think. But, you’re in it for the legroom! The mattress makes the seat extra comfortable, especially in lie down mode.

There is a huge amount of legroom.

Qantas A380 business class cabin flight review Melbourne to Singapore Only1invillage
Flying business class is all about the amount of legroom space. The seat width isn’t that much wider than an economy class seat.
Qantas A380 business class cabin flight review Melbourne to Singapore Only1invillage
On board the Qantas A380 business class cabin, there’s plenty of leg room.

The window seat passenger gets an extra piece of stowage space in a side compartment.

Qantas A380 business class cabin flight review Melbourne to Singapore Only1invillage
The window seat passenger enjoys handy stowage space. This is in addition to the overhead storage on the Qantas A380.

An additional advantage for the window seat passenger is the extra ‘arm lean’ space. It might make up for the fact that you have to step over your fellow passenger to get to the aisle.

Qantas A380 not upgraded plane Dec 2019
If you’re stuck in the window seat, you get some extra arm lean room! Plus, you get the view of the clouds. There are some good things about a window seat.

                                      

In flight entertainment

 There is plenty to entertain yourself with. The Qantas in flight entertainment system has all the usual options. The latest films and classic films in various languages. You can watch the flight cameras or listen to music. The TV screen is a bit grainy and small for business class.

Qantas A380 business class cabin flight review Melbourne to Singapore Only1invillage
There are plenty of entertainment options on board the Qantas A380 business class cabin.

The noise cancelling headphones are a nice touch. They are superior to the ones you get in economy class. You almost want to take them with you!

Qantas A380 business class cabin flight review Melbourne to Singapore Only1invillage
The noise cancelling headphones really do make a difference.

But what’s going on with this controller? Is it a telephone?

Qantas A380 business class cabin flight review Melbourne to Singapore Only1invillage
Hello Qantas! Your TV controller needs an upgrade! Is this controller a telephone too?

                                      

The electronics around the seat

The TV controller can hide in a compartment to the left of your seat. The seat can go into many positions. You can have just your feet up, a slight recline or, the fully flat bed. The buttons to change the seat positions are self explanatory. What we love most, is the in seat massage function of the seats. Getting a massage at 39,000 feet, that’s luxury.

Qantas A380 business class cabin flight review Melbourne to Singapore Only1invillage
Adjust your seat to 4 different positions at the touch of a button. The Qantas A380 has a lovely massage function built in to the business class seat.

The most disappointing and surprising aspect of the seat electronics is the lack of charging outlets. There are no USB or sockets to charge your devices! What is going on Qantas? That’s a big reason why this fleet of planes needs upgrading. Many airlines in economy have USB charging options under the TV. We are baffled by the lack of electricity available in business class.

On this point, we have to apologise to Qantas. There is a socket and USB charging points on the A380, but they are very difficult to find. On the most recent flight, we only found out the power points after over hearing the flight attendant tell another passenger! They are not in the most obvious location.

Qantas A380 Melbourne to Singapore business class only1invillage
Oops there are power sockets and USB charging slots! Sorry Qantas! However, in our defence, their location is very difficult to find. They are located in front of the middle console that contains the TV.

                                      

The amenity kits on the Qantas A380 business class

We have to say, they’re a bit under whelming. No pyjamas, that’s only for first class passengers. The quality of the toiletries bag isn’t great. It looks a bit cheap and will make a great ‘re-gift’ present for a 5 year old. The Aspar products do smell very good, though.

Qantas A380 business class cabin flight review Melbourne to Singapore Only1invillage
The his and hers amenity kits are certainly eye catching. They don’t contain much, however, which is a little disappointing.
Qantas A380 business class cabin flight review Melbourne to Singapore Only1invillage
Apart from the eye mask, ear plugs, socks and toothpaste, this is what you get. Mini Aspar toiletries products – hand cream, a face moisturiser and a lip balm.

                                    

The food and beverages

Now if you really want to know what you’re eating, you can pre- select your food online. You go to ‘manage your booking’ on the Qantas website and look for ‘Menu Select’. Personally, we like the surprise, there’s always something you’ll want to eat, when flying business class.

Qantas A380 business class cabin flight review Melbourne to Singapore Only1invillage
We are happy to report that the lunch service looks and tastes good on the Qantas A380 business class flight from Melbourne to Singapore.

When you fly business class you expect the food to be restaurant quality. The food should look and taste different to economy class. From the ‘real’ cutlery and crockery, you expect a big difference. The food is definitely better than economy class! One small gripe is the wine and premium alcohol quality.There’s also no cocktail service, unlike on  Emirates business class.

Qantas A380 business class cabin flight review Melbourne to Singapore Only1invillage
The Asian inspired appetisers of pork and shiitake mushroom dumplings look and taste good. There is a choice of fresh bread. J opts for sourdough bread.

The menu selection always reflects the place you’re flying from and the destination. So, on the flight from Australia there is a choice of Asian inspired and Modern Australian food. We opt for one of each and share!

The menu selection always reflects the place you're flying from and the destination. So, on the flight from Australia there is a choice of Asian inspired and Modern Australian food. We opt for one of each and share!
The prawn salad is delicious and fresh. The modern Australian menu also includes a third option, of pumpkin soup, but, we can’t fit it in! The chilli and lime salsa on top of the prawns is sublime.

The lunch service begins an hour into the flight. The headphones are on and the latest film is rolling. It’s main course time. There are four options to choose from! There’s a vegetarian polenta with braised greens, mushroom ragout and a salsa verde. The other choice is a Moroccan style beef tagine with chickpeas, roasted sweet potato and coriander yoghurt. As you can see, it’s a difficult choice!

The menu selection always reflects the place you're flying from and the destination. So, on the flight from Australia there is a choice of Asian inspired and Modern Australian food. We opt for one of each and share!
J opts for the seared Humpty Doo (A small town in Northern Australia) barramundi. It comes with a tamarind sauce, gai lan and Jasmine rice. It’s very good and doesn’t have the mud taste that barramundi can sometimes have.
The menu selection always reflects the place you're flying from and the destination. So, on the flight from Australia there is a choice of Asian inspired and Modern Australian food. We opt for one of each and share!
C opts for the roast chicken breast on a potato gratin. It is served on minted peas, with honey roasted carrots and a tarragon eschalot butter. Now, try saying that again, without reading it!
Qantas A380 Melbourne to Singapore only1invillage business class
On another flight there is a Moroccan spiced carrot soup with coriander yoghurt. All starters come with a salad and a choice of bread.
Qantas A380 Melbourne to Singapore only1invillage business class
Qantas ran out of a chicken salad, so C got a seared tuna and eggplant salad from first class, instead! No complaints here!

Ok, Ok, so we eat a lot. Yes, we had a little breakfast in the lounge before the flight, but, you can always make room for dessert! In the interests of a thorough review, it would be unfair not to order something sweet!

Qantas A380 business class cabin flight review Melbourne to Singapore Only1invillage
The final act is here. Sweet and savoury delights on board the Qantas A380. The cheeseboard is served with quince paste and a cranberry jelly. The chocolate mousse is topped with sour cherries and toasted almonds. The almonds are missing on our pudding.
Qantas A380 business class desperately needs an upgrade 49
The bread and butter pudding with mascarpone is only just OK to finish the lunch service. We want to speak to the chef please!

Now, just when you think you can’t eat any more. Three hours into the flight, there’s the mid flight snacks. These are also available at the ‘bar’ section at the very front of business class. They are pieces of whole fruit, chocolate bars and bags of crisps/chips. They don’t need a photograph.

Prior to landing, so about 6 hours into the flight comes the last food offerings. There’s a choice of two things, so naturally, we order one of each!

Qantas A380 business class cabin flight review Melbourne to Singapore Only1invillage
The prior to landing meals are much better than in economy class. The Cornish pastie and the egg noodles are both very tasty. They get the thumbs up from Only1invillage!
Qantas A380 Melbourne to Singapore only1invillage business class
Beef koftas with chickpea and a cucumber yoghurt dressing. Pre landing snack on the Qantas A380 business class ex Australia.

                                    

The service of the Qantas staff

The staff are friendly, but not over friendly. They don’t seem to have as much time to chat to you about your destination. For example, landing cards are handed out regardless of whether Singapore is your final destination. A more personal touch would have been to ask passengers if they are connecting or not. Outside of meal times, the Qantas staff keep to themselves. 

                                      

The Qantas A380 business class toilets

This is what you have all been waiting for! Here it is, the toilet photo!

Qantas A380 business class cabin flight review Melbourne to Singapore Only1invillage
It’s an economy class toilet. The Qantas A380 business class cabin desperately needs a toilet upgrade! There are no toothbrushes or face towels on offer in the toilet.

                                      

The Qantas A380 business class bar

This is the part of the Qantas A380 that needs the urgent upgrade the most. When you see the pictures of the bar, you will understand why. Unlike its competitors Emirates, Etihad, Qatar, Virgin Australia, Virgin Atlantic and Korean Air, you probably won’t be leaving your business class seat for this bar.

It’s not really a bar and the shape of it, isn’t really enticing. Despite that, you will always get some people using the room behind the curtains!

Qantas A380 business class cabin flight review Melbourne to Singapore Only1invillage
This is the Qantas A380 bar! Judge for yourself.
Qantas A380 business class cabin flight review Melbourne to Singapore Only1invillage
You collect your own drinks from a separate section of the ‘bar’ and then walk to the seating area of the ‘bar’. We do like the safety belts, in the bright red seats. Safety first Qantas!

                                      

Summary of why the Qantas A380 business class cabin desperately needs an upgrade

Firstly, that bar isn’t enticing. There should be better quality wines on boarding and cocktail options to match competitors. If you compare the area to its competitors, you can see why it doesn’t come close to Emirates or Qatar’s on board bar. See pictures of the Emirates A380 bar here.

Secondly, the seats are starting to sag and could be a little wider. Seating configuration of 2-2-2 vs competitors such as Emirates 1-2-1 means a lot less space. Also it means window passengers need to climb over the person next to them. The privacy screens are too short. The television screens are too small and low quality. The toilets have no amenities.

Good news the overhaul of the A380 started in September 2019. The first upgraded plane flew from London to Singapore in October 2019. We have yet to fly this route. When we do, we’ll let you know! Qantas promises to make the bar area more inviting. 

Qantas A380 business class cabin flight review Melbourne to Singapore Only1invillage
This is what Qantas envisions the new bar area to be. Definitely an upgrade from the existing bar on the A380. The refurbishment begins in September 2019.

Qantas has also announced that all seats will have aisle access in business class. They are making their business seats more like Qatar’s ‘business suites’ which are like mini first class areas.

The upgrades are scheduled to finish at the end of 2020. Roll on 2020, we say!

To read about the improvements, Qantas is planning for the A380 fleet, click here.

 

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Is Emirates A380 business class the best business class airline?

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Emirates A380 business class review Kuala Lumpur to Paris

Emirates a380 business class Kuala Lumpur to Paris

It’s non stop luxury from the business lounge in KL and onto the first A380. A BMW return transfer service to a complimentary hotel in Dubai too. Back in the dazzling and glitzy flagship lounges (there’s 3) in Dubai and onto another A380 to Paris. Come along with us for the ride.

Quick Index of A380 Business Class KL to Paris

                                                                                                  

Getting to KLIA and the Emirates Lounge

You will notice when in Malaysia, that acronyms are everywhere. No one says Kuala Lumpur – it’s KL darling. Unfortunately the Emirates limousine service to the airport isn’t available in KL so you are stuck with a cab, Uber, Grab or train. 

Flying business class on long haul flights makes it that much more bearable! Using the lounge beforehand in Kuala Lumpur is even better. The lounge is pretty empty for the 19.10 departure flight. This is also the best flight in our opinion, because you can leisurely check out at midday from your hotel. Most, if not all hotels in Kuala Lumpur have a midday check out time. So much nicer than European hotels, that sling you out at 10am. You also miss the notorious KL traffic. Sometimes, it takes over 1.5 hours from downtown KL to KLIA (Kuala Lumpur International Airport). The lounge is actually very impressive check out our full review here.

Stopover, Flight Times and Transit

Emirates flies with 1 stop in Dubai, between Kuala Lumpur and Paris (Charles de Gualle). There are 3 flights daily. Departure times from the Malaysian capital, are, 01:10, 10.15 and 19:10. The flight time is approximately 7.5 hours for each leg of the journey.

Emirates flight times from Kuala Lumpur to Paris
Emirates flies 3 times a day from Kuala Lumpur to the French capital.

The transit time can range from 3.5 hours to 18 hours! If you opt for the longest stopover, in business class, Emirates will provide you with a complimentary hotel stay. This will also include your meals and transfer in Dubai.

Emirates business class long transfer chauffeur Emirates provide all business and first class passengers with a complimentary chauffeur to a hotel in Dubai. Your layover in Dubai has to be over 6 hours to access this.

Emirates use Dubai and Singapore for their stopovers in Asia from Australia and New Zealand. From Kuala Lumpur, you’ll be in  transit in Dubai for between 3.5 hours to overnight. If you choose the overnight stopover/layover option, (anything over 6 hours for business class passengers) Emirates will provide you with a complimentary hotel. Emirates call this their Dubai Connect service. All the meals are included and so is the BMW or Mercedes chauffeured car to and from the hotel.

Emirates business class stopover in Dubai includes a BMW to and from the complimentary hotel
Emirates business class stopover in Dubai includes a BMW to and from the complimentary hotel if your stop over is 6 hours or longer.

The hotels Emirates use varies. We stayed in the Roda Hotel. Emirates like to advertise the Copthorne Hotel as standard, but it is at their discretion.

Emirates business class stopover in Dubai includes a complimentary hotel
Emirates business class stopover in Dubai includes a complimentary hotel stay. All meals and transfers to and from the hotel are provided.

                      

You must make use of the stopover in Dubai by using the Moet and Chandon Lounge in Terminal 3. It’s quite unique. When flying business class via Dubai, don’t miss out. See our separate review here for the Dubai Emirates Lounge. Read on to find out what to expect from the Emirates A380  business class flight from Kuala Lumpur to Paris, via Dubai. 

                                                                                                

Here’s the full review of the flight on Emirates A380 business class flight from Kuala Lumpur to Paris

 

After using the very non busy Emirates Lounge in Kuala Lumpur, (See separate review here) we are very relaxed as we board the 7.5 hours flight to Dubai. The personal welcome message ensures you are in the correct seat! Naturally you will have chosen the best seat via the Emirates App, beforehand!

                                                                                

the Emirates  A380 business class cabin

                                                         

The cabin is spacious and private on the upper deck. Nab the window seats if you’re a lone traveller. The window seats offer the most privacy. The middle seats are great for friends. Even if you’re not travelling together, the middle seats are still private enough.

Emirates A380 business class cabin configuration
The cabin configuration on the Emirates A380 is 1 – 2 -1.

The walnut and cream colours are used throughout the cabin. There are a couple of gold bling accents throughout too.  The bar is packed up for take off. It looks modern and funky when the canapes and stuzzichini come out later! You receive your champagne before take off.

EMirates business class cabin a380 kula lumpur to paris
No Emirates business class flight is complete without the pre -flight champagne and nuts.

When you need to sleep, the cabin darkens and you look up to the twinkling stars. Well, not literally, the electric stars on the roof. There is also mood lighting that sends signals to your body to prepare for sleep and waking up. That’s why some of the photos are a strange colour!

Emirates business class A380 KL to Paris via Dubai review
The configuration of the seats is good for both single and couple travellers. The privacy screens in the middle seats are high enough to shut out your fellow traveller, should the need arise! There is no problem getting in or out of every seat. All seats offer easy aisle access.

 

                

the seat and surrounds on Emirates A380 business class

The most important thing about the seat in any business class flight is that it reclines to 180 degrees.  A flat bed makes all the difference. There’s good storage space around you and you won’t inconvenience anyone when accessing your belongings. In business class, ample electrical points for charging various devices comes as standard. You get a personal soft drinks mini bar too. An additional ‘mattress’ for softness is  provided after take off. Your personal tablet is also available for flight information and selecting entertainment.

Emirates A380 business class review Kuala Lumpur to Paris via Dubai
Reserve a window seat if you want more privacy on the Emirates A380 business class seats.

The seats are most importantly able to go to a fully flat position. The Emirates 777 -300 ER business class does not do this. Newer 777 – 200LR planes do, however have a lie flat bed. The 180 degrees position allows you to get a full night’s rest. Immediately after take off, Emirates provides you with a ‘mattress’ which makes the seat even more comfortable for sleeping. Even if you don’t want to sleep, the mattress provides an extra layer of comfort.

Emirates business class A380 KL to Paris via Dubai review
A sleeping C awakes from the fully flat lie down bed in business class. Note the happy face after a good rest. Check your plane model carefully as not all Emirates planes have 180 degree positions. Shock horror! Yes, some of the older planes only have angled seats in business class. You have been warned.

There is plenty of space surrounding you. Plenty of stowage space by your feet and the over head locker.

Emirates A380 business class deep locker window seat
If you have a window seat you get a deep storage locker.

Some people don’t like the personal storage ‘box’ which is quite deep on your window side if you have a window seat. If you’re in the aisle seats, you have plenty of storage overhead. You’ve got your USB ports and international sockets close at hand too. Your soft drinks mini bar and small items storage shelf are all within easy reach.

Emirates A380 business class review Kuala Lumpur to Paris via Dubai
The seat area on the Emirates A380 business class includes your own personal mini bar. Plenty of charging options and your own personal tablet.

So, after the welcome drink and warm nuts, which come in a ceramic bowl, it’s time to look into the amenity bag. Men get a compact, grey rectangular toiletries bag filled with mini sized Bvlgari products. A disposable razor, shaving foam, the plastic toothbrush and those all important sexy flight socks!

Emirates A380 business class review Kuala Lumpur to Paris via Dubai
Looking into the mens’ toiletries bag. Bvlgari products, shaving foam and a razor to fight the 5 o’clock shadow. The bag is quite smart and good for re-use.

Ladies get a beige Bvlgari toiletries bag. Plastic brush, compact mirror, toothbrush, eye mask, body lotion and eau de toilette. Not sure the bag is reusable. It’s not as sturdy as the mens’ toiletries bag.

Emirates business class a380 flight kula lumpur to Paris
The ladies’ toiletries bag is filled with mini sized Bvlagri products.

All passengers are provided with noise cancelling headphones. They’re not as good as your BOSE headphones, but 10 times better than the economy class headphones. 

Emirates business class Kuala lumpur to Paris
Your noise cancelling headphones. A lot more padded and comfortable than the economy headphones!

 

                  

Emirates A380 business class In flight Entertainment

The entertainment system for business class passengers comes with a huge 23 inch screen. You can control your entertainment in three ways. You can touch the screen directly, use the handset, like in economy class, or use your personal tablet. There are over 4000 programmes and films. You can catch up on TV boxsets, listen to whole West End or Broadway musicals or watch endless documentaries. The latest films/ movies are a highlight of Emirates’ in flight entertainment. The flight cameras are also quite fascinating. We always leave the personal tablet on flight camera mode. If you’re not asleep, you won’t get bored.

Emirates A380 business class screen 23 inch Kuala Lumpur to Paris flight review
Your business class screen keeps you entertained for hours if you can’t sleep. Bye bye Dubai….hello Paris!

                                                                        

 Emirates A380 business class service

Business class service is pleasant and friendly. Staff notice when your personal mini bar needs a top up. We do notice that when there are only 20 passengers in business class, the friendliness of the staff increases dramatically. They are attentive, but not in your face. They also seem genuinely happy, particularly the bar staff. Where else do you get to chat and get paid at 40,000 feet? 

Emirates business class A380
Emirates flight crew are always smiling on the A380 service. Wouldn’t you if you were here?                                                                                                                    

                                                                            

the bar on the Emirates A380 business class

Fancy going to the pub or wine bar? After take off, the staff busy themselves setting up the famous bar at the back of the plane. Here you will find a large screen TV, standing room and seating for about 8 people. Little hors d’ouvres decorate the bar and cocktails are made to order.

Emirates A380 business class review Kuala Lumpur to Paris via Dubai
The famous A380 bar on board Emirates planes. Photo courtesy of Rob Young (Flickr)

If you’re a light sleeper, make sure you choose a seat away from the bar. If your flight is carrying an international sports team, things can get quite rowdy! The bar area is like a mini lounge area. You have 2 small seating areas on either side. There are 2 stand up spaces and a dedicated cocktail maker! The on board bar used to be the standout feature of Emirates business class. Now other airlines have jumped on board (no pun intended!!!) Qatar, Etihad, Virgin Atlantic and Korean Air also have on board bars. Maybe we’ll get to try them and write a review.  

                                                                                                

The food and Beverages on Emirates A380 business class

 

The food is good, but not exceptional. Whilst not exactly gourmet in taste, the presentation is solid. It is really hard to get fantastic tasting food when so high up in the air. It still needs to get reheated and this is where the freshness factor loses points. Still, the smoked salmon entree is always a good choice. You can’t go wrong, pulling out some salty fish from the refrigerator!

Your gourmet food is served on fine china crockery by Royal Doulton.  Your cutlery is exclusively designed by Robert Welch! (Just in case you wanted to know). All the salads are crisp and fresh. If you really want to know what you’re going to eat before the flight, you can download the PDF menu here.  J loves looking up the premium wine and liquor section, which you can also see here. The main draw card of all Emirates A380 planes are the bars at the back, where you can mingle with other guests or the staff. Never have your warm nuts and crudites looked so good!

The food on board is presented as a taste sensation of the globe. Flying from Kuala Lumpur you have a choice of Asian or Western starters, mains and desserts. All food is served on a crisp white tablecloth. You have shiny, stainless steel cutlery instead of plastic. If you haven’t pre – ordered a special meal, the staff come around with their phone to log your meal requests. There are also light bites available during the flight. You won’t be going hungry, that’s for sure. 

We opt for the smoked salmon starter. Moist and tasty. Fresh lemon and capers on the top are pleasing to the eye. The little salad has not wilted yet.

Emirates business class A380 KL to Paris via Dubai review
The smoked salmon starter is a great way to start off your dinner on the Emirates A380 business class. It even comes with capers!

For main course, the beef dish is succulent enough. There’s a bit too much sauce and the beef is medium. Like we say, it’s really difficult to get restaurant quality in the air.

The 7.5 hour flies by! (No pun intended)

We’re landing in Dubai and swapping onto another A380. As we opt for the long stopover in Dubai, we use the complimentary hotel service. (See above – Stopover, flight and transit times)

When we get back to the airport for our Paris flight, we make use of the Emirates Dubai lounge before boarding !

Back on board the Emirates A380 to Paris, from Dubai. We settle in to the same comfortable seats and play with the electrics again. Surely that’s the first thing everyone does? The crew is new and are as relaxed and refreshed as we are. We make sure the latest films are showing and calculate how many we can watch before landing. The menu is different and the first difficult choice is what to eat for breakfast.

We choose  the Western English breakfast. The little flower shaped butter is one of those special touches that foodies will appreciate. Cute little salt and pepper shakers add some table elegance. Fresh orange juice is on offer as well as cappuccino or freshly brewed tea. 

Emirates A380 business class review Kuala Lumpur to Paris via Dubai
It’s breakfast time! Yoghurt and a refreshing fruit salad. Fresh coffee or cappucino available.

It’s deja vu! We’re on another A380 plane. This time however we bring you a toilet review!     

                                                                                                

the toilet on the Emirates A380 business class

No Only1invillage review is complete without the important toilet pictures! Don’t look in the magnifying mirror. Flying has a terrible habit of enlarging pores and drying out your skin! You’re still breathing the same air as your fellow economy class passengers.

Emirates business class A380 KL to Paris via Dubai review
Erm, we know you have always wanted to see inside the business class toilets!

If you love brushing your teeth, you’ll find extra toothbrushes and Colgate toothpaste in the toilets. Apart from that, there’s not much more to say. It’s got a tap with hot and cold water, face cloths and perfume. It’s not a huge toilet, but how much room do you need? It is slightly bigger than economy class and of course, you have fewer people to share with.

                                                                                                

final thoughts on the Emirates A380 business class KL to Paris

 

The Emirates world wide network is quite big. Partnering with Qantas and part of the One World alliance, you can fly practically anywhere in the globe. If you’re flying with British Airways and at the last minute you get a plane swap for an Emirates A380, this is a good thing. 

On this particular flight, the two A380s are exactly the same. In fact, maybe it is the same plane? The crew changes in Dubai, but the standard of service, food, entertainment etc remains the same. 

A good thing about taking two shorter business class flights is you get to use two separate Emirates lounges in different countries. You get to experience the KL Emirates lounge and the Dubai Emirates Lounge. If you take a longer flight, for example, the Dubai to Melbourne route, which is 15 hours non stop, you only get to use the Dubai lounge.

The on board bar is a definite plus, over other long haul carriers such as Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific. Having a bar, brings back that luxurious feel of flying in the good old days when a whole deck was a lounge. We read  that somewhere. Is it the best business class available? Well, you’ll have to decide for yourself.

 

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British Airways A380 business class

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British Airways A380 business class 64

British Airways a380 business class london to singapore

Only1invillage tells you what to expect on the British airways A380 business class 13 hour flight. From the seat to the service, everything is covered!

13 hours is a long time to spend in the air. Choose carefully which carrier to fly with. A non stop, long haul flight can either be hell or heaven. Thankfully Only1invillage will help you choose. Below, we provide a thorough review. Read on to find out what to expect from the British Airways A380  business class London to Singapore.

So dive right in or skip to what you’re interested in…

                                                          

Summary of the British Airways A380 business class

British Airways A380 business class cabin                                                              

The seat configuration is unique to say the least! BA call it the honeymoon seat. We call it not great if you’re travelling alone! You will fall in love or out of love with these seats.

British Airways a380 business class seat

The seat converts to a 180 degrees  flat bed with foot stool. There is good storage space around the seat for small items. Ample electrics for charging various devices are all within easy reach.

British Airways business class summary - only1invillage.com

british Airways a380 business class f&B

The food is just OK. It is quite disappointing for a business class product. As always the appetisers are better than the mains. The presentation of the food is good. It’s a shame that the taste doesn’t match up with the presentation. The drink selection is a bit cheap. When you’re in business class, you want to feel like you are buying a premium product. When the wine is mediocre, disappointment starts to creep in. 

British Airways A380 business class service

Pleasant but not overwhelming standard of service. Sometimes it feels like that the cabin crew are hiding. 

 
                                                                                                                                                    

Here’s the full review of the flight on British Airways A380 business class flight from London to Singapore

A 13 hour flight is never something we look forward to. However, flying business class makes it that much more bearable!

Of course there are comparisons to be made with Emirates business class’ A380 service and Emirates Boeing 777-300 planes which Only1invillage has experienced on various routes. BUT Emirates do not fly non stop, from London to Asia.

After refreshing showers in the lounge it’s time to board the 13 hours British Airways business class flight to Singapore, from London Heathrow. We do feel for economy passengers, we have been there too!

Firstly, even though we know the cabin configuration is 2-4-2 , we decide to give C’s home nation carrier a go!

                                                                                                                                                    

the British Airways A380 business class cabin

 

BA A380 business class flight London to Singapore
British Airways’ A380 business class configuration is 2–3- 2.

Secondly the seating is not everyone’s cup of tea. Do you really want to face a stranger for 13 hours? Probably great if you’re travelling together (and you like them!). Not so great if you’re a lone traveller. Of course you can put your privacy screen up, but, it will come down so the cabin crew can serve food and drinks more easily. On the positive side, the window seats have easy aisle access for both passengers.

The seats face each other on the British Airways A380 business class cabin, but there is easy aisle access
The seats face each other on the British Airways A380 business class cabin, but there is easy aisle access.

                                                        

the seat and surrounds on British Airways A380 business class

The seats are a boring grey colour. Neither very comfortable or very uncomfortable. There is plenty of stowage space, where everything you need is within easy grabbing distance. Window seats have an additional deep storage space. See the picture on the right below.

BA A380 business class flight London to Singapore
BA A380 business class seats are a boring grey colour. Not the most aesthetically pleasing. Handy stowage areas around your seat.

Also, there is plenty of leg room and the seat does convert to a fully flat bed, which will be very welcome on the 13 hour flight. We think we will be falling asleep somewhere over the Middle East.

BA A380 business class flight London to Singapore fully flat seat
British Airways A380 business class seat converts to a fully flat bed. Time to put your feet up!

So, after the welcome drink and nuts, which come in their original packet, unlike Emirates, which come in a ceramic bowl. It’s time to look into the amenity bag provided. A couple of Elemis mini sized products, the plastic toothbrush and those all important sexy flight socks! We are not impressed with the drawstring bag that the amenities come with. It looks very cheap and you definitely won’t be reusing it. Similarly, the size of the products given are not generous.

BA A380 business class flight London to Singapore
Inside the amenity kit (photo courtesy of buisnessertraveller.com) on the BA 380 business class.

                                  

the bar on the British Airways A380 business class

The bar on board the British Airways flight, isn’t quite like the Emirates A380 bar. Judge for yourself! Still, if you don’t want the flight crew to think you’re a complete glutton, it’s an easy trip to go and get some in flight exercise and extra nibbles! As you can see, there are a few snacks and pre bottled drinks. No one is mixing you a cocktail here! It’s do-it-yourself on board the BA A380. There’s also no where to socialise on the BA A380. You have to take the drinks and snack back to your seat.

BA A380 business class flight London to Singapore
Well it’s a bar of sorts! Crisps/chips and a few drinks to help yourself in between meals.

                                

The food on british airways A380 business class

The food on board is better presented than in the business class lounge on the ground. A good selection of cuisine from around the world. The salad is crisp and tastes fresh. The tomatoes are juicy and the micro herbs make the appetiser look restaurant quality.

BA A380 business class flight London to Singapore
A good start! The apertiser looks appealing and tastes good.

You get the linen tablecloth and of course, ‘real’ cutlery and ‘real’ plates. By ‘real’ we mean metal cutlery and china crockery. The apetiser is a good start to the meal. Similarly, the main is reasonably tasty. It is always hard to get high quality food in the air, even in business class. The vegetables are a bit on the soft side. That’s what reheating does to your food does at 40,000 feet!

BA A380 business class flight London to Singapore
A main course of beef and ginger served with rice and vegetables.

Continuing on to dessert. A cheesecake and a chocolate mousse with raspberry coulis (aka raspberry blobs as we like to call them!)

BA A380 business class flight London to Singapore
Calorie conscious dessert. Cheesecake AND chocolate mousse!

In addition to the food, of course there is all the alcohol you could ever want. Unfortunately, the wine list isn’t of premium quality. You won’t be testing your sommelier skills out on this BA A380 business class flight.

Moving on to breakfast. C opts for the ‘full English’ cooked breakfast of bacon and eggs. Can’t get more British than that! The orange juice is a bit disappointing because it isn’t freshly squeezed. Not even 100 per cent juice. You can taste concentrated orange juice even 36,000 feet up in the air. 

BA A380 business class flight London to Singapore
A very British breakfast, bacon, sausage and eggs. The ‘full English’ breakfast choice on BA’s A380 business class service from London to Singapore.
BA A380 business class flight London to Singapore
Breakfast is served with fruit salad and a croissant on fine bone china.

              

the toilet on the British Airways A380 business class

No Only1invillage review is complete without the all important toilet pictures!

Even though there was only one toilet, it was huge!

If you bring your cat along, you can swing it around, as the saying goes. If you don’t have your cat with you, you can do some exercise in the spacious toilet. It is the biggest toilet we think you’ll agree.

BA A380 business class flight London to Singapore
That’s a big space! This is just one half of the spacious toilet on the BA A380 business class flight from London to Singapore.
BA A380 business class flight London to Singapore
The other half of the toilet in business class on the A380.

                  

final thoughts on the British Airways A380 business class

Not many airlines fly non stop between London and Singapore. Consequently your choices are limited to British Airways, Qantas, Singapore Airlines and most recently Norwegian Air. However, Norwegian Air’s premium product isn’t really business class standard, given that the seats don’t fully recline.

We like this flight because it is non stop. The seat configuration on the British Airways A380 business class is not for everyone. You may wish to fly Qantas or Singapore Airlines instead, due to this. In addition to this, Qantas is upping its game with an on board lounge on its A380 business class planes. Moreover, Singapore’s newest A380 business class product has centre seats that join together to make one bed! However, you will be paying a higher price for this luxury.

British Airways is a slightly cheaper business class product, given the lack of leather seats and other cabin aesthetics compared to Singapore Airlines business class. Also the amenities are a bit cheap and the food nothing to write home about. In conclusion, if price is your main comparison factor and you need to fly non stop, British Airways A380 business class is a good choice to consider.

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Review Emirates A380 Business Class Dubai to London

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Review Emirates A380 Business Class Dubai to London 72

Review Emirates A380 Business Class Dubai to London

Recently only1invillage was fortunate enough to have the pleasure of travelling on the Emirates A380 business class Dubai to London. Check out our thoughts on the amenities and highlights of the trip below.  Maybe you’ll change your mind on which carrier you choose as a result of reading this! Especially relevant when reading this is to note that we are not sponsored in any way by Emirates, even though it seems like it. 

So dive right in or skip to what you’re interested in…

                                                                                                                                                           

sUMMARY

THE SEAT and AMENITIES on the Emirates A380 Business Class

Storage space, pull out large  table/tray suitable for a laptop. Seat controls, 180 degrees flat bed, entertainment screen tablet and non alcoholic mini bar.

THE BAR on the Emirates A380 Business Class

The socialising area of the A380 comes with nibbles and freshly made cocktails. 2 couches and a flat screen TV. Fine wines and spirits.

Emirates A380 Business Class Dubai to London Summary - only1invillage.com

THE FOOD and BEVERAGES on the Emirates A380 Business Class

Tasty smoked trout and chives served with quality bread for appetiser. Quinoa and roasted cod for main. All served with fine wines, beers and spirits.

THE SERVICE and ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM on the Emirates A380 Business Class

Huge variety of films, TV shows and music, 20MB of free internet on the 23 inch screens. Attentive but  non intrusive service from cabin crew.

  • Only1invillage’s Review of Emirates A380 business Class In more Detail with the EMBARRASING Selfies

  •  

    After a pleasant three hours in the Emirates business lounge in Dubai, Only1invillage is refreshed and relaxed to continue the next flight to London, having flown from Denpasar (Bali) on the B777-300 in business class the night before. 

    See review on the inferior Emirates 777-300  business class flight Bali to Dubai on our blog page.

    The Emirates A380 business class cabin is much fresher and cleaner looking than its 777-300 counterpart.

    Emirates A380 business class review Dubai to London
    The same soothing wooden, cream and light grey tones abound throughout the spacious cabin.

     

     

     

     

     

                                                                                          

  • Emirates A380 business class review Dubai to London
    Cream, grey and wood are Emirates’ business class’ signature colours.

                                                                                                                                    

  • Seating on the emirates A380 business class dubai to london

    First of all it was a very empty flight with about 20 passengers travelling in business class.

    Originally allocated seat 8G, an aisle seat in the middle section. Had to move after take off as the passengers in front had a baby and they smelled rather strongly of BO!!! (body odour)

    The configuration of seats on the Emirates A380 business class are much better than the ageing Boeing 777-300 Emirates business fleet of planes. The seats are in the 1-2-1 arrangement with good privacy. Any seat is good and you won’t have to climb over anyone to get to that bar!

  •  

    The seats are 1-2-1 in configuration – each middle seat has aisle access which means no climbing over your fellow passenger!

    More on that later! If you’re a privacy freak, you might want the window seats and you’ll also get those precious extra inches of ‘window lean’ space!

    Review Emirates A380 Business Class Dubai to London 73
    Window seats on the Emirates A380 are all single, no one next to you!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Minibar on the emirates A380 business class dubai to london

Thank goodness the seat itself comes with its own minibar of non alcoholic drinks and two USB chargers. That’s more like it, Emirates!

Emirates A380 business class review Dubai to London
Only1invillage enjoys the in seat mini bar on the Emirates A380 business class.

 

 

Emirates A380 business class review Dubai to London
2 in seat USB chargers with storage for phone or tablets above the mini bar. Stay powered on during the flight.

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

  • seat comfort on the emirates a380 business class dubai to london

    There are cool, one touch buttons, to recline, half recline and flat bed controls, within easy reach.

    Emirates A380 business class review Dubai to London
    One touch buttons to change your seat position in the A380 Emirates business class cabin.

     

    The “mattress” comes out immediately after take off and in our opinion, makes a big difference to sleep comfort as it covers the ‘gap’ between the back rest and the seat when in the fully flat position. This is especially relevant if you are on the heavier side.

    Emirates A380 business class review Dubai to London
    The comfort “mattress” to make the fully flat bed more comfortable.

     

     

    Emirates A380 business class review Dubai to London
    Only1invillage is very happy due to the fully flat bed on the Emirates A380 business class product.

     

    There’s plenty of space to store a handbag or laptop bag in the foot area.

    Emirates A380 business class review Dubai to London
    There’s plenty of storage space under the foot rests to store small bags.

     

Inflight entertainment system on the Emirates A380 business class

The controls for the entertainment system are much newer than the 777-300 and quite the opposite. The TV is sharp and consequently a pleasure to watch. A tablet sized control unit controls the TV and separately shows the flight path while your movie/film is playing.

Emirates A380 business class review Dubai to London
Watch the flight path on the adjoining tablet in addition to controlling your entertainment (review Emirates A380 business class Dubai to London)

 

 

Emirates A380 business class review Dubai to London
Control your entertainment from a tablet sized device.

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Amenities on the Emirates A380 business class

No amenity kits were provided as apparently, they are only given out on flights over 9 hours in duration. Funny that, because on a previous flight in business class on Emirates, from Melbourne to Singapore, an amenity bag was present. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                    

bathroom on the Emirates A380 business class

In the interests of fair reporting, Only1invillage went to the toilets and was happy to report that although not as big as the British Airways A380 business class toilet, where you could swing a cat and probably a dog too, it wasn’t the same size as in economy class (unlike the 777-300)

Emirates A380 business class review Dubai to London
Only1invillage is not sitting on the toilet taking this selfie!

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                

the Bar On the Emirates A380 Business Class Dubai to London

At the bar, only1invillage calculates that standing elbow to elbow, there is probably enough room for 8 people and the two couches can cozily seat 3. 

Emirates A380 business class review Dubai to London
Before take off the Emirates A380 bar doesn’t look so glamorous (Review Emirates Business Class Dubai to London by onlyi1nvillage)

 

Emirates A380 business class review Dubai to London
After take off the cupboards are opened and the Emirates A380 bar is open for business class passengers.

 

Emirates A380 Business Class Dubai to London - only1invillage.com

Emirates A380 business class review Dubai to London
Canapes are placed at strategic locations around the Emirates A380 bar for business class passengers.

 

                                                                                                                                                                                            

the food on the Emirates A380 business class

Back to the seat to eat the main course of roasted cod and quinoa…..

Emirates A380 business class review Dubai to London
Dinner time! Roasted cod and quinoa served with sourdough bread.

 

It was time for dessert. A chocolate mousse. Slightly disappointing in both appearance and taste.

Emirates A380 business class review Dubai to London
A disappointing chocolate mousse on the Emirates A380 business class Dubai to London.

 

After watching a few films and snoozing, C woke up with bed head! Quite the opposite hairstyle to a few hours before!

Emirates A380 business class review Dubai to London
Is that what sleeping does to your hair on the Emirates A380 business class Dubai to London????

 

                                                                                                                                                                                        

the emirates chauffeur service when flying Emirates business class

A smooth landing into London Gatwick, where the Emirates chauffeur service is waiting after customs. Whisked away to the final destination by a Mercedes van, while relaxing in the comfortable and spacious seats. In as much as we like Singapore Airlines, Emirates pips them at the post by offering the complimentary chauffeur service to business class passengers. While it is a great service, do check though that your destination is on the chauffeur city list.

Emirates A380 business class review Dubai to London
A fleet of Mercedes await at London. Got a van instead of a sedan. The Emirates chauffeur service is a slick operation in addition to the perks of flying business class.

 

A fleet of Mercedes await at London. Got a van instead of a sedan. The Emirates chauffeur service is a slick operation in addition to the perks of flying business class

                                                                                                                                                                                    

Final Thoughts on the Emirates A380 business class

In conclusion, good job Emirates! Most of all, we like the pleasant experience which starts in the business class lounge in Dubai and ends with being driven to the final destination after landing in London. Probably the best business class service after landing because of the chauffeur service.

When flying Emirates business class, only1invillage says it is probably best to fly on the A380 where possible, due to the fully flat bed and the good food and wine on board. As a result of all these differences between the two aircraft  noted in our review, we consequently decree the Emirates A380 business class is a far superior product to the Emirates B777-300 business class.

Hope you enjoyed reading only1invillage’s review of the flight from Dubai to London in business class. While you’re here, you might want to read our other reviews relating to business class.

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Emirates 777-300 Business class review Denpasar to Dubai

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Emirates 777-300 Business class review Denpasar to Dubai 81

 Emirates 777-300 business class review flight Denpasar (Bali) to Dubai

Recently only1invillage was lucky enough to travel on the Emirates 777-300 business class Denpasar to Dubai. Check out our thoughts on the amenities , highlights  and low lights of the trip below. 

So dive right in or skip to what you’re interested in…

  •                                                                                                                             

    summary

    Recently only1invillage was fortunate enough to travel on the Emirates 777-300 business class Denpasar to Dubai. Check out our thoughts on the amenities, highlights  and low lights of the trip below. 

    It was a very empty flight. Ten people in business class. A departure time of midnight. Flight duration 9 hours.

    The seat does not fully recline! You won’t get a fully flat bed. But, there is an in seat massage facility. However this does not make up for the lack of 180 degree recline. If you get the window seat, you will also have to climb over your fellow passenger. Again, not great! This plane the Boeing 777-300 is clearly the older model.

    only1invillage emirates 777 300 business class review

Full Review of Emirates 777-300 business class flight EK 399 Denpasar (Bali, Indonesia) to Dubai (UAE)

Before you even get on the plane in Denpasar, you will have come from the the Emirates Lounge in Denpasar Airport which is quite a surprise, but not in a good way! Check out the review Bali Business Class lounge.

The flight will probably be extremely empty with plenty of space.and If you are not happy with your seat, there are options available to move. The lack of passengers is probably due to the late take off time of just after midnight. The total flying time is forecast to be just over nine hours. So time to sit back and relax.

Immediately,  one can see that this  plane is older than some of Emirates other planes. The interior cabin  still has the colours of the Emirates A380 business class, which are cream and walnut wood. The configuration of the cabin is 2-3-2 which is great for people travelling together. It’s not so good if you’re strangers and you like your privacy.

only1invillage emirates 777 300 business class review Denpasar to Dubai
The cabin configuration is 2-3-2 in the business cabin on the Emirates 777 300.

the seat on the emirates 777-300 business class

Seat 3K is a window seat. The configuration of the plane is not ideal if you’re a lone traveller. The window seat passenger will have to climb over the aisle seat passenger, therefore not very convenient. This is not the case on the A380 business class cabin. Luckily, an empty flight means this won’t be a problem. After take off, you are given a ‘mattress’ to soften the seat. The ‘mattress’ also covers that annoying gap that opens up between the seat and the back rest.

only1invillage 777 300 businesss class review Denpasar to Dubai
Window seat 3K, you’ll have to climb over your fellow traveller to exit on the 777-300

There were a few crumbs in the arm rest which, which was disappointing for business class cleanliness. Also the cup holder in the seat divider had coffee stains. Ewwww.

You have various choices for a pre flight drink and you have time to test the workings of the seat, which include in seat massage. The leg room is good for all people under 185cms. The pillow is soft and supportive.

only1invillage business class review emirates 777 300

The pre flight drink and warm nuts. Champagne is of course on offer, but C chooses orange juice.

                                                                                                                            

the electrics on the Emirates 777 -300 business class

The seat itself, is slightly uncomfortable and wearing thin especially on the bottom part, probably due to age. Thank goodness passengers get a “mattress” after take off to soften the seat and to aid sleep.

only1invillage emirates business class 777-300 review

 Emirates provide you with this ‘”mattress” immediately after take off, to aid seat comfort.

The space around the seat is limited. There is nowhere to store a laptop or small handbag. There is no USB charger, only an international socket which isn’t very convenient! Luckily, only1invillage has USB adapters in hand luggage!only1invillage emirates business class review 777 300

 No USB charger??? You can only charge one device. B777-300 older electrics on the seats in business class.

The seat does not not fully recline to a 180 degree flat position which is very disappointing. This makes it a bit like AirAsia business class, but this seat is still better.

The entertainment system is showing its age. It is so old in fact, it hasn’t had an upgrade from economy class. The TV is fuzzy and  consequently this means the picture quality is not sharp. While the headphones are reasonably comfortable, they are not however noise cancelling.only1invillage emirates business class review 777 300

That’s an economy class control unit!  Emirates B777-300 EK399 business class entertainment system control.

                                                                                                                            

the amenities on the emirates 777-300 business class

An amenity bag is provided with Bvlgari products which is a good touch. There is a handy little mirror enclosed which only1invillage likes. The rest of the amenities are a bit cheap looking, for example the plastic brush. Men get a slightly different bag, both in design and contents. Inside the bag for men, there is a razor and also eau de toilette instead of parfum. The construction quality of the amenity bag for men is altogether of a higher quality and can be used again. If you run out of toothpaste, you can always get more from the bathroom.only1invillage emirates business class review 777 300 amenities for ladies

Amenities provided for ladies on Emirates business class flight EK399 Denpasar to Dubai. Bvlgari products and a mirror for the ladies.

the toilets on the Emirates 777-300 business class

Upon venturing to the toilets, only1invillage is dismayed to find they are exactly the same as economy class! The only difference is there are amenities such as toothbrushes, hand cream and face cloths. It doesn’t deserve a photograph because we all know what a toilet in economy class looks like! Furthermore, it also smells like it hasn’t had a good clean in a long time. There is also some cheap air freshener placed in a rather awkward place.

                                                                                                                          

the food on the Emirates 777-300 business class

Now onto the food. It is disgraceful for business class. As you would expect, a tablecloth is spread over your tray, metal cutlery and porcelain plates come as standard. This sets an expectation for great food. Unfortunately, nothing is further from the truth. We are very disappointed with the food on this business class flight.

The smoked duck is dry and tasteless and the accompanying salad to start, going limp and browning on the edges. When you read the menu, the taste buds start to get excited. Sadly, after eating it, your expectations have not been met.only1invillage emirates business class review 777 300 food

 Dry and tasteless smoked duck with a wilted salad EK399

The main was slightly better, but nothing to write home about!

only1invillage emirates business class review 777 300 main course
The beef and bok choy main course. Apologies for the green tint. The cabin was in dim mode for dinner.

 

The desert is a disaster, in fact, almost inedible. Billed as an orange frangipane tart, what transpired was a dry, cheap looking cake. Therefore, two bites later it was left to further dry out! Having travelled frequently with Emirates in economy class, there isn’t much difference in the taste on this particular class. 

only1invillage emirates business class review 777 300 food dessert

Dessert disaster  on flight EK399, a dry, tasteless cake, not a tart!

There isn’t a wide range of herbal teas or decaff options for drinks  making you feel like you’re travelling in economy class. Emirates business class food needs to look and taste like it is special.The non alcoholic options are also limited which is easy to improve on. Overall, severely disappointed with the dinner that this Emirates business class product provided on this flight. The taste and presentation of every dish was more similar to Emirates economy class and not Emirates business class.

The breakfast is better, probably due to fresher and less processed options. Only1invillage chooses granola and yoghurt and cannot comment on the cooked omelette option. One can only guess the quality and edibility.

only1invillage emirates business class 777 300 breakfast

 Granola and yoghurt breakfast Emirates 777 300 flight EK399 business class.

                                                                                                                          

final Thoughts on the Emirates 777-300 business class

An ageing plane the Emirates 777-300 business class product is definitely not as good as its A380 counterpart. The whole experience makes you feel not as pampered. Very disappointed with the food and beverages on board this flight. A non fully flat bed is really surprising for Emirates business class. This will make only1invillage think twice before booking a non A380 business class flight with Emirates.

Along  with the awful lounge at Denpasar and no chauffeur service to the airport in Denpasar, Bali, we will try to fly from another Asian city. Chauffeur service and a great business class lounge can be found in Singapore when you fly with Emirates. In conclusion, due to 4 factors, we’ll probably not fly from Denpasar again. The bad food and the economy class toilet are not great business class expereinces. The entertainment quality in addition to a non flat bed means we will probably be avoiding this route and this plane in the future.

Emirates has now suspended its chauffeur service until further notice for all business class passengers.

                                                                                                                          

arrival into dubai from an Emirates business class plane

Arrival into Dubai is a bit of a walk to get to the chauffeur service, so be prepared to walk about 20 minutes.  There are plenty of those walking escalators, which will lessen the steps. It’s still a hike to reach your bag if Dubai is your final destination. However, you will be rewarded with the sight of the Emirates chauffeur service which almost makes the long walk worth it!

If your next flight is over 9 hours away, Emirates kindly provides you with a hotel. This also includes all meals and the transfer from the airport, to the hotel and back again. Consequently, if Dubai is not your final destination, you are still entitled to the chauffeur service due to the layover/ stopover time. So if time is not an issue, this is a good option since you can get a flat bed at the hotel.

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Emirates 777-300 Business class review Denpasar to Dubai 88

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