Emirates breathed new life into business class with its debut A380s, and years on, the experience still thrills flyers crossing Asia and the Middle East.
Airline: Emirates | Route: Hong Kong (HKG) – Bangkok (BKK) – Dubai (DXB) | Aircraft: Airbus A380-800 | Cabin:Business Class | Rating: ★★★★☆
Emirates breathed new life into the business class experience with its first A380s, and more than a decade on, the superjumbo remains the backbone of one of the world’s most extensive route networks.
We flew Emirates’ A380 business class from Hong Kong to Dubai, via Bangkok, to see whether the product still thrills at 35,000 feet.
Check-In and the Lounge at HKIA
With many cities on the Emirates network, a business class ticket also rewards you with chauffeured airport transfers, provided by Blacklane, including in Hong Kong, which means a seamless journey out to Lantau Island from my hotel.
I check in on Emirates’ excellent app, which I always find very easy to use, and arrive early for my flight, EK385, knowing that an A380 carries a lot of passengers, which often places pressure on check-in staff. By the time check-in staff arrive for the Hong Kong–Bangkok–Dubai service, there are massive queues, with many passengers in the first and business class lines sitting on their luggage (some even on the terminal floor).
I was looking forward to returning to Emirates’ own lounge at Hong Kong International Airport, but at the time of my flight, it was yet to reopen the space and was instead using a Plaza Premium–managed space beneath gate 35. That said, the lounge proves newly renovated, and offered a range of café and lounge seating, hot and cold snacks, and a selection of beverages, and the airline has since reopened its refreshed HKIA lounge (above).
Boarding and the A380 Business Class Seat
I board at Gate 60, walking directly onto the upper deck of the A380, where the business class cabin consists of 76 seats in a 1-2-1 configuration. At the seat is bedding and a pillow, bottles of still and sparkling water and soda in the personal minibar, and the airline’s new Bulgari amenity kit, just one of the little perks (the limo service doesn’t exactly hurt either) that distinguishes the carrier from its Middle Eastern competitors. Crew offered water, juice and glasses of Moët & Chandon Imperial Brut.
I just love the A380 and always have, and while business class on the Emirates super jumbo isn’t the newest or prettiest out there, it’s still one of my favourites, mainly because the aircraft offers huge storage spaces beneath the windows, enough to store two full-sized pillows.
In addition, there is a large main monitor (with additional storage for little essentials above) and a separate, if not a little bulky, monitor controller, personal air vents, easily reached AC power, dual USB-A and headphone jacks, a pair of large windows with electric shades, and a pair of reading lamps. At 18.5 inches wide, the seat converts into a 70-inch-long bed that, paired with the offered bedding, proved very comfortable.
My only niggle with the seat — and this is only on one of Emirates’ A380 versions — is that with the headphone jack just below the screen, you need quite a long cable to use your personal headphones, and sadly there’s not Bluetooth connectivity. This isn’t a problem on the more modern version.
Crew took dinner selections as we prepared for pushback, and the captain advised a slightly bumpy two hours 15 minutes initial flight time to Bangkok, our first stop.
Dining at 35,000 Feet
The dinner service begins with a drink — in my case a Negroni from the airline’s extensive cocktail list — followed by salmon tataki with red radish, cucumber, toasted sesame seeds, furikake, and a soy ginger dressing. For the main course I opt for Chinese-style braised chicken with jasmine rice, choi sum and baby corn.
The salmon tataki is chilled and zesty, while the chicken is succulent with a hint of sweetness, and I pair both with a Clos de l’Oratoire Saint-Émilion 2011. As it was a short initial flight, I decide to forego dessert and take a nap instead.
As the second meal service takes place at 3 am, after our departure from Bangkok, I decide to sleep on through, as do many other passengers. However, passengers who feel peckish can make for Emirates’ acclaimed Onboard Lounge (below) at the rear of the upper cabin, which offers sandwiches and pastries and a staffed cocktail bar.
The Onward Journey to Dubai
After 90 minutes of frenzied activity on the ground in Bangkok, new passengers board and a new captain announces a flight time of five and a half hours to Dubai.
We arrive at 4.20 am in Dubai — not an ideal time to navigate any airport — but I’m well rested despite the interruption of the Bangkok stop.
Service Onboard
While the service on the initial Hong Kong–Bangkok flight is crisp and efficient, probably given the relatively short flight time, the service on the subsequent flight to Dubai is far slower, although it is 3 am and there is less demand. However, crew remain responsive to call bells throughout, and are cheerful and diligent despite the horrendous hour.
The Verdict
Although not entirely indicative of the overall Emirates business class experience, the airline offers a very competitive product on the popular Hong Kong to Dubai route and, combined with its extensive network from the UAE, sets the benchmark for business class out of the Fragrant Harbour.
Need to know: Emirates Business Class, Hong Kong to Dubai, from HK$33,000 (approx. US$4,214). emirates.com
Note: The author travelled on a full business class ticket without the airline’s prior knowledge.
