Except for a few early flights, Sydney Airport was notably quiet at 4am ahead of our planned departure time at the unsocial hour of 6am.
Many of my fellow passengers had adhered to the three-hour, pre-flight guideline, resulting in significant queues at the Emirates check-in.
Having checked in online, I found myself in the same queue as premium economy passengers. This was convenient for economy online check-ins but perhaps less so for those who had paid extra for premium economy, yet still queued with the rest of us.
The Emirates check-in desks in Sydney are still manned by real people, unlike my return trip from London via Dubai, where check-ins were automated and faster in my experience.
After a 20-minute wait, I dropped off my bag and breezed through security. Boarding commenced at 5:28am, with strict adherence by seat zones. We eventually took off at 6:29am.
Emirates’ Airbus A380 features premium economy and economy on the lower deck, with business and first class on the upper deck. Approximately 75 per cent of the lower deck seats are economy.
For the Sydney to Dubai leg, I secured an extra legroom seat towards the back of the plane – a window seat behind the emergency exits. The interior looked new and stylish, and even the toilets seemed more spacious than usual.
The cabin crew, particularly the women, were impeccably presented, friendly and helpful. Remarkably, they even assisted a mother by holding her baby for 20 minutes so she could enjoy her meal – something I’ve never witnessed on a flight before.
Before take-off, the crew photographed families and handed out polaroids, while children received substantial entertainment packs.
The entertainment system is extensive, with up to 6,500 channels. Even browsing through what’s available takes a significant amount of time. I particularly liked the number of box set movies and also the range of documentaries available.
If you prefer to stay in the here and now, the aircraft is fitted with external cameras which stream live onto the system.
Wi-Fi is available for a fee, but warnings about limited bandwidth deterred me from trying it.
Now, to the highlight of the flight – the meals. Despite being standard economy fare, the food was fresh and delicious. My frittata was fluffy, the vegetables were vibrant and tasty, and the butter chicken for lunch was flavourful.
Meals were spaced out nicely, avoiding long waits between them, and the portions were generous. Each main meal came with a roll and butter, biscuits and cheese, a starter, main course, dessert and a sweet biscuit, AND metal cutlery was provided.
On the Dubai to London flight, we were even treated to a scone with clotted cream before landing.
My only criticism is that water wasn’t served frequently enough. While it was easy to request, it wasn’t brought around very often.
Overall, my experience with Emirates in economy was excellent and I personally like the longer flight from Australia, leaving the shorter flight from Dubai to Europe.
It is also worth noting that my flight back, London to Sydney with just an hour and a half in Dubai, was the fastest I’ve ever made it between the two countries. Total travel time of 22 hours and 30 mins!
Sorry, Singapore Airlines, but I think I’ve found a new favourite airline.
AT A GLANCE
Flight Number: EK 415
Date: July 19, 2024
Seat Number: 68K (Economy Class)
Aircraft: Airbus A380
Baggage Allowance: 30kg
Flight Time: 13 hours 40 minutes
The Interlude Hotel Competition Question 4:
Who is the chef at the North&COMMON restaurant at The Interlude?
