Emirates A380.......

[HoHoHo]

Sitting here in cattle class on my way to Dubai on business on an Emirates A380. I'm in my wider than normal seat, with a choice of a bazillion songs/movies/games etc. Watching from three different camera angles what's happening outside, having a half decent breakfast and of course for the cost of a cuppa on wifi and checking mail and more importantly surfing Pistonheads

If this is the future of flying I'll have some of it - however I'm not sure how I'll feel next time I'm boarding my Easyjet flight to wherever!

Now how do I stream the F1.......

[TobyLaRohne]

I've got my flights to and from here on one with emirates for chrimbo, the child in me is super excited, the adult can only imagine how long it is going to take to collect the luggage at the other end with that many passengers on board!

[HoHoHo]

The flight is 2/3rds full and the departure gate was still full of passengers waiting to get on.

The boarding process however was over in 30 minutes and we were seated and off - they appear to have it fine tuned that's for sure.

Everything about this aircraft is simply on another scale. I'm sat just behind the wings and they are absolutely huge. The ailerons are massive and in three sections and during take off all moving in different directions! Clearly and aircraft that requires computer input to fly.

Boeing are going to have to up their game I think!

[TobyLaRohne]

getting on is easy, its getting your bags back in short order that is going to prove difficult I fear...luck of the draw I think. Last time I won the baggage carousel lotto and my bag was first off, I practically did a little dance of joy when I saw it then smugly walked past all the people "tutting" at me as I strode past leaving them to wait...I think that time actually slows in the baggage collection area.

[HoHoHo]

I fear you may be correct!

Ah well, another 5 or so hours to go until that little moment of joy

[Wheelrepairit]

Where did you start from OP, New York

[HoHoHo]

Wheelrepairit said:

Where did you start from OP, New York

Started at Heathrow.

Now just going past Budapest (which I flew to on an Easyjet flight a couple of weeks ago and it was ste!)

[MitchT]

HoHoHo said:

If this is the future of flying I'll have some of it - however I'm not sure how I'll feel next time I'm boarding my Easyjet flight to wherever!

I guess the difference is that on a low-budget short-haul flight you're generally not on there long enough to get really bored - the flying bit is usually entertainment enough... at least if you get a window seat.

HoHoHo said:

Boeing are going to have to up their game I think!

I've heard some really good things abut the 787 - that when you first fly on it you don't think any huge leaps have been made, but when you fly on something else afterwards you realise just how far the 787 has moved the game on. I wonder whether it would be that much nicer than an A380 though? I also wonder what the A350 will be like?

[HoHoHo]

I guess you're right about shorthaul, too short to really get bored and ultimately the aircraft are buses.

As you say, it will be interesting to see the next generation of Boeing aircraft.

[K50 DEL]

HoHoHo said:

Sitting here in cattle class on my way to Dubai on business on an Emirates A380. I'm in my wider than normal seat, with a choice of a bazillion songs/movies/games etc. Watching from three different camera angles what's happening outside, having a half decent breakfast and of course for the cost of a cuppa on wifi and checking mail and more importantly surfing Pistonheads

If this is the future of flying I'll have some of it - however I'm not sure how I'll feel next time I'm boarding my Easyjet flight to wherever!

Now how do I stream the F1.......

If you think A380 cattle is good you should try First or even Business....having a shower mid-flight is different, that's for sure!!
It's a great plane and EK (especially at DXB) have the setup for it.... their new 380 only terminal opens here shortly and promises to be amazing.

Glad you enjoyed your flight.

[HoHoHo]

Sitting here about to start work, lovely weather, no flooding and 31 degrees

Was a great flight and I'm not looking forward to the 777 flight home Friday!

If you like aircraft and have a chance to fly on an A380 it's well worth the money. I'm sure business and 1st are fab, economy is more than enough and it made the flight very enjoyable.

[WhereamI]

HoHoHo said:

Sitting here about to start work, lovely weather, no flooding and 31 degrees

Was a great flight and I'm not looking forward to the 777 flight home Friday!

If you like aircraft and have a chance to fly on an A380 it's well worth the money. I'm sure business and 1st are fab, economy is more than enough and it made the flight very enjoyable.

Actually business on an A380 is much the same as business on anything else, just a lot more people, which isn't necessarily a good thing.

[K50 DEL]

WhereamI said:

Actually business on an A380 is much the same as business on anything else, just a lot more people, which isn't necessarily a good thing.

Apart from the 21" TVs, the on-board business lounge, the seat area that's substantially bigger than any other J cabin I've ever been in, the seatside selection of drinks and nibbles... etc etc

[WhereamI]

K50 DEL said:

WhereamI said:

Actually business on an A380 is much the same as business on anything else, just a lot more people, which isn't necessarily a good thing.

Apart from the 21" TVs, the on-board business lounge, the seat area that's substantially bigger than any other J cabin I've ever been in, the seatside selection of drinks and nibbles... etc etc

The only emirates flights I've done in the past few years have been on A380 so I can't comment on what their other planes are like but I've done a couple of 380 flights without thinking it is anything special compared to Etihad or Singapore which are my preferred carriers.

[K50 DEL]

WhereamI said:

The only emirates flights I've done in the past few years have been on A380 so I can't comment on what their other planes are like but I've done a couple of 380 flights without thinking it is anything special compared to Etihad or Singapore which are my preferred carriers.

You've probably got me on that one then, I've heard good things about both those carriers, but have never flown either.
I do know for certain that EK's J offering is better than BA, AA, AS, VI and most of the other US carriers.

That said, I still prefer BA's F above EK, AA etc despite the fact that technically it's substandard... F on BA just feels more special somehow.

[shirt]

my pay grade requires me to fly cattle, but i don't find the a380 any better than the rest of the emirates fleet. that is to say, no better except for the stewardesses. they must pick the hot ones for the a380, the two blonde russians looking after my section on my last trip to manchester were 10/10.

[HoHoHo]

shirt said:

my pay grade requires me to fly cattle, but i don't find the a380 any better than the rest of the emirates fleet. that is to say, no better except for the stewardesses. they must pick the hot ones for the a380, the two blonde russians looking after my section on my last trip to manchester were 10/10.

Agreed, the stewardesses were very well made

Couple of blonde Russian ones on ours as well

[TobyLaRohne]

HoHoHo said:

shirt said:

my pay grade requires me to fly cattle, but i don't find the a380 any better than the rest of the emirates fleet. that is to say, no better except for the stewardesses. they must pick the hot ones for the a380, the two blonde russians looking after my section on my last trip to manchester were 10/10.

Agreed, the stewardesses were very well made

Couple of blonde Russian ones on ours as well

DIRTY OLD MEN!...haha

[LotusOmega375D]

I take a business trip to India early each year (Delhi and Bangalore). I can't be bothered with connecting to other flights so always fly directly with BA. These used to be 747-400s each way, but in the last couple of years 777s have been sharing the routes, presumably due to falling passenger numbers. I am departing again at the end of January: one flight should be a 777 and the other a 747-400.

I am lucky enough to fly Business (Club) Class. The 747 is far superior to the 777 in this respect. Ideally I aim for an upstairs window seat: this gives you plenty of room, numerous sizeable bins to put your belongings in, several windows to look out of, peace and quiet, plenty of toilets, as well as nobody pushing past you down the aisle. The 777 lacks most of these advantages.

The Business Class airport experience at Terminal 5 is excellent (apart from Immigration!) and it's great to be able to grab a shower in the Arrivals Lounge after the return journey.

The bad news is that the in-flight entertainment on either aircraft is woefully outdated and limited. Maybe BA's just waiting for their A380s and don't want to invest any more in their Jumbo fleet? Also there is often an issue with the food/drink service with certain items being unavailable, which I find irritating for the price you pay.

[IanUAE]

HoHoHo, shame you are leaving on Friday as it race day at the autodrome.