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It should be sold at a discount, if you were travelling with two friends it would be no hardship. Shame about the food though, definitely not up to the standard of other carriers!
I have other reasons for not flying Emirates but it was in Economy Class. Flying Manchester UK to Dubai in sitting in the middle seat block, rea cabin, lower deck, pre--lunch drinks started to be served, but not on my side of the aircraft where the drinks trolley stood unattended. Meanwhile, drinks AND meals were served on the left hand seats. By the time a flight attendant started serving on my side of the plane, meal-trays were beginning to be cleared away on the other side. I had a drink, then waited for lunch. It didn't appear and the cabin crew had become invisible. I pressed my call button and someone appeared, surprised, apparently, that neither I nor my fellow passengers had been served. He went away, cane back and announced they'd "run out of food" (!!). However, he said, "I'll go upstairs and see what I can find" (!!!!!). A few minutes later, he returned with a tray on which was my "lunch": hummus, carrot batons, some olives, a dry bread roll, a piece of spinge cake and an orange-juice. I complained, of course, and received an apology but was told they could, unfortunately, do nothing more. The flight attendant suggested I write an official complaint and provided me with the official form to do so. On my return to UK, I completed the form and posted it, as directed. I'm still waiting for a response. That was 3 years ago. Enough said. Yes, I know, it wasn't Business Class, but come on, this was really bad service and non-existent customer PR. I had the choice subsequently to fly to Singapore but chose Singapore Airlines, with whom I'd flown twice before. Now there's a slick outfit as airlines go! Bye bye, Emirates, you're the equivalent of a restaurant where I've been ripped off, rudely served and got food poisoning.
Remember when United's old business class on the 777/747 had an insane 2-4-2 configuration? Any middle seat in general should not be allowed for business class, no matter how good or bad everything else is
And a mother travelling with 2 children? A single father with his children? Parents with one child? A couple travelling with a widowed parent? Three siblings travelling? Unaccompanied minors? Just becasue something doesn’t work for you doesn’t mean nobody else should have the option.
They still have that config on some shorter domestic routes lol (SF > DEN, HOU) - I take it all the time. It is better than a narrow-body first class domestically
This has been the same for many years , I flew emirates business class in 2017 on the same upgrade . Access to the lounge was denied , the flight and the food was not good . I have spent 5 years telling all my customers not to waste their money on this product .
Hands down, my experience on Emirates First Class was phenomenal. I tried their Business Class on their 777 and saw the middle seats and can’t imaging how someone could sit there especially if the partitions on both sides are up. The windows seats are okay if there is no one sitting on the aisle as you would have to climb over the person if they were in the lay flat position. It was hard enough to squeeze thru to get out let alone having to climb over. I had to keep checking to make sure no one was sitting next to me.
I've used the Emirates promotional upgrades a couple of times and have always been informed at the time of booking the upgrade that lounge access wasn't included.
@@tntramzy12 Hi here, I don't think he was complaining, really, He was polite to the agent and he informed that on this video he didn't know. You need to put your self on people who look at these videos and wonder if they can have access to their lounge after upgrading. To be fair, Some airlines will granted access to their lounge, even if you upgrade ( for example Airfrance La premiere, or business class ). In any case He was making a point on How SkyTrax gived a 4th best on the world award when they still offer 3 seats on business class on the middle. . I am not a hater :) just saying Stay safe and in good health
@@stevena9305 I upgraded from economy to business class in Singapore Airlines and even they gave me access to lounge. Over that, I was told at check in that i will get Economy Class meal since it’s an upgrade. I was fine with it. But on board, I got asked what I’d liked to have from the menu (business class menu). It was the best flight of my life as a student.
@@keisuke5468If you're flying from Singapore I can't remember if upgraders & frequent flyers will be directed to the less luxurious KrisFlyer Gold instead of the SiverKris lounge (which is for people paying biz class prices)
I couldnt agree more. I flew Emirates nearly 20 years ago in their so-called Business Class which was configured 2-3-2. And they're still offering essentially the same product now on their B777, with some superficial window-dressing! However, the Business Class on their A380 seems to be a superb product...with the added advantage of an on-board bar.
You are correct I've actually done it before on Korean Air and Cathay pacific what they do in that configuration if you have a family you take the whole row
Middle seat in Biz class should be Illegal. the only time I flew EK 777-300 in business was on a holiday week of New Year from PVG-DXB and was in row 1 and only 8 people in the entire business cabin thankfully. I was continually told by the Flight attendant to keep my window shade closed for the entire 10 hour flight (It was a day time 10 hour flight) ... that was annoying .
I flew once with KLM in middle of business class in 2015 from Buenos-Aires to Amsterdam - a long haul flight on such seat - and it was awful. Just discomfortable
I only flew Emirates once, back in 2019. I also took advantage of the upgrade promo online and when I checked in, the staff specifically told me - “ you have no access to lounge”- in a very rude way. So I never flew with them again.
Emirates actually announced that during the retrofit of the b777 fleet they would change the business class configuration to a 1-2-1 similar to their a380 product & I'm not defending emirates and I think that these reviews actually help improve the aviation sector, in my opinion, i think emirates should show attention to the 777 fleets just as they would for the a380
@@crazylife726 and rightly so, its the best passenger experience you can get (im referring to the aircraft not emirates a380s specifically although only Singapore are really in the conversation with them)
@@MBSteinNL The seats should replaced now though with the Mercedes S Class inspired ones which look more appealing. It's even the inspiration for the new First Class seats found on select 777-300ER's
Great review and definitely pleased you’re highlighting this outdated seating configuration on the Emirates 777! Also the lounge access - really stingy attitude from them…. So many pax use upgrades and as you point out 90% of other airlines allow access. Again great you’re calling them out. Well done on an honest and accurate assessment 👍🏻 If you don’t get an A380 just don’t bother with Emirates!!
I wouldn't say outdated as a lot of airlines have business class with a similar configuration. My country's flag carrier only has business class on the b787-8 and b787-9. B787-8 business class is in a 2-2-2 configuration and is 1-2-1 on the b787-9. In my honest opinion, I don't think people should hate on this. Yes, a 2-3-2 configuration for business class on a b777-300ER isn't the most desirable, but it does have some benefits with the most notable one being higher passenger capacity.
Thank you for your honest reviews. I tire of reviewers who “play for pay.” I understand needing to make revenue when one freelances, but taking bribes for good reviews is so dishonest. Thanks for your integrity and keeping it real.
Those guys who pay for their travels are able to give us their un biased opinion which I love. Noel, Jeb, Josh, Non stop Dan are my favourites. Sam Chiu, although I'm sure is a nice guy, his reviews are false in my humble opinion.
I totally agree. I used to love Emirates with all their marketing focused on luxury and all. I was on business class from Dubai recently and we weren't served the pre-landing meal. The crew were fantastic on that flight, thankfully.
We stopped flying Emirates a few years back when we were exposed to the center seat. We travel from Australia to Europe a few times annually. We now use Singapore Airlines or Qatar both using 1-2-1 configuration.
I am glad you brought this to the attention, EK fares are very high in biz and first , and for this price you get much better offerings in other airlines. The 2x3x2 is non existent in long haul airlines
2-3-2 config was very common on the 777 ,AA,LY,TK,ET etc,but now most airlines configured their business class to 1-2-1.TK and ET still fly the old config.I would not mind it,if the prices were very discounted…but I will certainly not pay a full price if the competitors offer 1-2-1 config.EK seems to be getting away with that terrible config,but honestly if people buy it,why should they care? Great review as usual,and yes,def scamtrax, .Cheers
I dont know where you live, but fom my country Turkish business is usually at least 300 EUR cheaper if not more, for that I can take a middle seat, on turkish its a proper bed at least
2-3-2 was common when many airlines also had first class. Since business class has effectively transitioned to first class on many airlines, they have to build it like an older first class
I flew Emirates with the B777 in business class in September from Phuket to Dubai. I share the sentiment in your video. I also felt that the problem was me, when I quietly thought that they got it completely wrong. Now I see that a pro agrees with me. Thanks.
Just got back from a 2 week vacation in the Maldives, loved how you called it "Paradise".....great way to describe it. Seeing Male' Intl Airport brought back such awesome memories of a vacation of a lifetime..........keep up the great work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My first trip to the Maldives was in 1988 when my parents took me there, and you should have seen the airport in those days. It was like something out of the Second World War! Just a collection of 'huts'. And Emirates ran 727's on the DXB - MLE route in those days. We flew Singapore Airlines on that occasion ( 747-300 ) from Amsterdam ( AMS-VIE-MLE) as there were hardly any airlines flying there in those days.
The funny thing is that this actually works for us. My wife and I travel with our 6 year old daughter. It's good to have her between the two of us and within arm's reach. In the Collins super diamond seats, it's difficult to reach her and help her with food, seatbelts and IFE. This seat gives us good options.
I was looking for the “ emirates defenders or people from the management “ trying to discredit your review in the comments section but I’m glad to see most people agree , you should be proud for calling them out ! Great work and Emirates if your watching , get your sh*t together
I flew on both the 777 and A380 in September. Totally agree with your comments on the 777 seat config. Back in September both crew and passengers had to wear masks. They still remain my airline of choice as their schedules suit my needs.
Emirates has dramatically declined in everything. As a business frequent flyer they increased prices by 30%+ and their configuration sucks, the seats are old, their lounges are dingy, food is poor, their additional services reduced (eg chauffeur service) even at a full price biz ticket. Overall experience to price point is actual theft and dire. I personally started moving my money and points to other airlines.
It depends in the aircraft, all airlines declined during the COVID pandemic but things are improving now and they should considering how much prices have increased
I totally agree with your review as I had a similar disappointing experience on an Emirate business class flight earlier in 2022. Thanks for raising the issue.
If I'm 100% honest, the middle seat actually looks a bit nicer to me then the isle seats. It's a little cozier, you won'T get touched by crew memebrs or passengers on the way past your seat and you have these little seperation things you don't have on the other seats. I think I would be totally fine there and prefer only the window seats
Great review as always Josh. Based on the astronomical prices airlines are charging these days to fly in business class, having a middle seat in long haul business should not be allowed. If they did ever offer discounts for the middle seat, they probably wouldn't reduce the price by that much where it would be worth while for the average business class traveller.
@@Ad-Lo I’m unsure as to how you’ve come to the conclusion that I’m on a budget based on my initial comment. I think you may have misunderstood the opinion I have expressed which i’m confident many business travellers would tend to agree with. Since your average long haul business class traveller will usually be travelling solo or as a couple, I don’t believe airlines should be offering a middle sear in business and charge the same price for a poorer experience. In fact most decent airlines do not offer this.
SKYTRAX are paid reviewers, the passangers real review matters. Its just like movie critics who give favourable reviews to please the directors and studios. There are times they have praised the movies but the audience hated it and vice versa.
Scamtraxx 😂😂😂. I remember flying Turkish Biz with 4 seats in the middle..😅 lots of legroom, but the guy next to me decided to use some of my space too. Lol
Don't worry, Josh. Emirates is going to update the cabin which also includes installed Premium Economy on some of their fleets and the upcoming A350, 787, and 777X will have that product as well
totally agree with you Josh. Been flying with SQ for more than 20 years across economy and business classes, and they're quiet consistent with great service and food. Not to mention the SilverKris lounge in Changi was so good! Since moving to Germany, i tried Emirates for DUS-DXB-MLA flights in both economy and business class. Not much to complain on economy, the DUS-DXB-DUS was so much better than the DXB-MLA-DXB leg. Then tried their business class, DUS-DXB-DUS was with A380, everything was great including the food! Crew was friendly and very accommodating too. But, DXB-MLA-DXB was such a disappointment. Bad food, the loo was small (shared with the pilots), seats were tight (config similar to your flight). Crew were good though. This leg needs so much improvement! And for the fare they charge, i felt so underwhelmed and cheated. In a week, I will fly with Turkish Airlines on business class, hope it's better. I just wish SQ will fly back to Duesseldorf again, it's such a hassle to go to Frankfurt.
Hi Josh, the seats in business class look out of place, they are big but you looked squashed in and is totally outdated by 10 years. Loved the who wants to be a Millionaire question lol.
I have experience in Emirates as a cabin appearance staff and my review on your video is the hardworking, special attention and customer service of the Emirates crew is world class and at higher level. Thanks Josh
@@ks.p3219 cabin appearance staff rrefers to a person who Cleans , Sanitize, disinfect and re stock all cabin requirements before the departure of each and every flight ✈️ as required. In simple English , He is Called an Aircraft cabin Cleaner ( interior ) Thanks I hope i answered your question respectively.
I flew Emirates this year on this plane Auckland to London, business class, was so cramped and uncomfortable. So disappointed. Was in aisle seat and eating was terrible as I kept knocking arms with the chap in the middle seat, never again.
Agree 100% I had some disappointing trips with Emirates and stopped using them for that reason inclusive of extremely dismissive and hostile despite myself being very polite and friendly .... its a too big "machine" to have any room for criticism or ability to be flexible ... and they rank among the most expensive business classes to travel on!
Great review Josh, certainly won't be flying Emirates with that business class configuration, certainly agree outdated considering most offer a 2 4 2 configuration in Business class on the 777. I always check seat guru and look at seat plans before choosing which airline i fly with.
That seat would actually be great for travelling with a small child in business class. In more contemporary business suites it can be hard being so far away from your 2-year-old kid.
As mentioned in other comments, this layout may not so great for solo travellers, but it is actually pretty convenient if travelling with family. Tried Emirates for the first time a year or so ago when the Emirates network was still partly in pandemic mode and ended up with 777s on all 4 legs of the trip, flying with my elementary school-aged son so mostly had the 2 seats on the window side, but on one leg had to sit in the centre row, so put my son in the middle seat and it was fine; the seat on the other side was occupied by a stranger but with the divider up their presence was not really noticeable. One annoyance is that it was easy to get the seatbelt trapped in the flat bed mechanism, and the storage space in the side of the seat, where you'd want to put your mobile, is inconvenient. Also the huge screens are a bit of a distraction, particularly on night segments. And the decor is a bit blingy for my taste. But overall it works well for our situation, repeating the trip this year. Mind you, if I were travelling by myself I'd certainly consider other options.
Emirates depends on their branding. The first thing people think about when they hear Emirates is their first class, massive lounges and great soft product. I think because of that they can charge a premium for what would otherwise be an inferior product and people will still be happy to pay for it. Great review again 👍
I’ve flown Emirates Business Class a number of times on the A380 and once on the 777, where I had a window seat in the double configuration, not a great experience climbing over a fellow passenger trying to sleep, didn’t feel like business class at all. Sadly on the A380 the experience has not always been great either. While the single seat configuration is welcome I have had tv screens that would not switch off and had to be covered with a blanket, seats that would not fold out automatically into the bed, this had to be done manually by the crew and some rude set aft where service was less than great. What made the disappointment worse was when bringing this to the attention of Emirates to help any continual improvement they would be looking for the responses I received were not that great and me me feel that they didn’t really value me as a customer, sad to say.
Oh wow, Emirates? This was totally unexpected tbh. I had the same terrible experience on Turkish Airlines last year. It was the first time I found out there middle seats in business class.. I was so shocked I still complain about it lol Thanks for the video🥂
Yeah i get that. Turkish Airlines is such a great airline. I dont get whats going on inside their heads thinking that 2/3/2 Biz class is something people are okay with...same for emirates.
The fact that you were banned from the lounge is a example of bad customer service. Even if this responds to an understandable management decision, they should a) Inform clearly of this when upgrading the ticket, and b) Let the uninformed customers enter the lounge whilst infoming them that this is not including in the upgrade (i.e only this time).
If flying emirates obviously the A380 is the way to go, if possible of course. When not possible try to get F class on the 777 if you’re a regular premium flyer these upgrades to F are quite commonly available (with miles).. The retrofitted 777 cabins (2-2-2) in J class are quite comfortable too
I never understand why everyone goes nuts for Emirates. Have flown them multiple times and was always met with old planes, old interiors, and mediocre service. And i’m sorry but their cabins just look cheap with all that tacky diarrhea-shade wood. If you want to use wood effect, use a proper shade of it. Let’s stop promoting this average airline as if it’s a world class airline, because it definitely isn’t. Thank you for exposing their crappy cabin & business class! Great review
The first time I flew Emirates Boeing 777-300ER, was in August 2022. With the exception of the crew, I was very disappointed about everything else, to include the food which was barely edible. I was invited to give my opinion and I did. Considering I had flown Emirates Business Class Boeing A380 on a number of occasions between UK and Dubai, I was not prepared for the poor quality of Boeing 777-300ER. Therefore, please Emirates, either upgrade or scrap the business cabin section of this plane.
I flew business class on Singapore Airlines,Auckland-Singapore-UK (return fare),that's my main choice only!.Thanks for your awesome 10/10 honest flight review👍
I happen to travel often between Europe to the Far East. Fortunately I am not obliged to pay for it, my company do it and I’m grateful. Occasionally get upgraded to First, but find it ostentatious and fussy. You are quite right of course, I am looking for a consistently pleasant trip. A Hardworking but calm, efficient but unobtrusive crew is desirable. I do find Emirates wildly inconsistent, considering the premium price you are expected to pay. El Al and EVA and Qatar excellent, Singapore airlines likewise. Emirates, along with a clutch of underwhelming premium European airlines are way guilty of living on past reputations, by obsessing on all the gimmicks bells and whistles, they miss what a business traveller in that expensive seat really wants, some rest. Thank you for your fun and informative reviews.
I agree with most of what you are saying, but to be honest, the type of passenger flying business class these days is not the same as years gone by. Having flown EK BC multiple times I have seen the change in the type of passenger, it also depends on the destination. Sometimes there can be a lot of children even small babies in bassinets. So if you fly BC for the peace and quiet, it’s not always what you get.
The upgrade lounge access thing is interesting. On the other hand it often is not a full business ticket. For example you might not get the additional bags that would usually come with business if you upgrade with Lufthansa.
Thanks for your video, I like your honest reviews. I want to add that Emirates is also declining in term of Economy service and their land services. In comparison to other airlines like (Saudi airline ) which has significantly improved, I would go with Saudi airline. I strongly encourage you to do reviews for trips on economy class from Jeddah/KSA to Washington D.C (on Saudi airline) , Doha/Qatar to Washington D.C (on Qatar airways) , Dubai to Washington D.C (on Emirates) and Amman/Jordan to JFK (On Royal Jordanian), and then compare their services in term of on board service, food provided, and the hygiene level.
My first experience of flying first class was with Emirates in April 2009 ( London Gatwick to Singapore (via Dubai) return ). At the first class check in counter I was greeted with a condescending " flying first class?" by the female employee. The tone was friendlier as soon as she saw my reservation and realised that I wasn't at the wrong counter. When I boarded the plane a stewardess came with a menu and said " dining on demand sir whenever you want to eat please order" . After about an hour into the flight I ordered a prawn dish....and waited for 20 minutes before the stewardess came back and said " would you mind having lamb or pasta instead but if you really want prawns I'll look for them". In the end I was served an awful chicken dish. Till today I don't understand what looking for prawns on that flight means. I have never flown Emirates since nor will I fly with them ever again.
Emirates have gone downhill since Covid. I flew economy with them recently and they were nowhere near as good a Virgin. They also tried to flog me a one way Business Class flight for £750, but without the car, priority check-in and lounge access. I also realised that the flight would be in the notorious middle of three seat. Not good!
It is insane, all Business Class experience is about Lounge and comfort on board. If you take away one of those (even it is an upgrade) this experience means max of premium economy. Shame on you Emirates.
I know this video is a year old, but I enjoy the 777 BC setup, I have a family of 3 and it works perfectly for me. I do not like their economy, and have seen a decline in how often I get upgraded as a Gold member for a decade (and Platinum for a few years). Good video, thanks again, I never thought about the middle seat from a solo travelers perspective.
Amazing review Josh! I hope Emirates see your video and takes this as a positive criticism to activate a change on their Business Class product. I mean, Emirates is a great airline it has one of the best crew, excellent economy class, brilliant Entertainment system. But, it has to be holistic. I think an update to business class B777’s can make Emirates a superb airline.
I had the misfortune of getting the middle seat in economy on a emirates 777 from Tokyo to Dubai .. the guy on the aisle seat proceeded to pull the blanket over his head and sleep for 8 hours, In the end I had to climb over him to get to the toilet never again also the seat width is 17" on the 777 which isn't really suitable for 10 hours plus flights
Josh, just got back from honeymoon in Chennai for three weeks. Flew Emirates 777-3 on all four sectors from and to BHX through DXB. Never been on the 777 with Emirates only the A380. Flew economy as we always do. It was fine, average, what you would expect. Food though was very good I thought and the crew on DXB - BHX were really nice, friendly and smiley (not something to be taken for granted in economy in my experience. I did feel that when we walked through the business class product that I would not have liked to pay the increase in premium in what seemed to be offered. No real privacy, looked to me to have a flat bed, bit of extra gaudiness and a bigger TV. When you consider what is offered on other aircraft in their fleet it does seem a bit much to ask to pay thousands more for that product.
Flew Emirates once from Manchester to Johannesburg via Dubai, cattle class, in late 2019. Never again! Only 1 item carry on bag allowed & no exceptions (in their T&Cs). I had an additional small 'man bag' containing my Passport, wallet, keys, tissues etc. which was made to go into my checked-in suitcase (after taking out my Passport, keys etc, & putting them in my pocket). My carry on bag weighed in at 0.2Kg overweight & I was made find an item which bought it underweight. The lightest thing was my Chromebook, with internal battery! Which as far as I know shouldn't go in check-in luggage for safety/the battery could set on fire, reasons... However, I saw other passengers carrying handbags & carry-on bags while we waited at the gate... Maybe I was unlucky as the first person to check-in for the flight from Manchester, however the 'different rules for different people' miffed me...
With the exception of seat-pitch/flatbed, it seems comparable to Economy Plus in my experience. Very dissapointing for Business, but very nice for Economy Plus.
I will say one thing I do really appreciate about Emirates service is the actual cutlery and the food is pretty good, especially when compared to really any other airline in economy. Haven't been on all of the airlines in the world, I must say I do rank Singapore's experience is better. I recently flew from JFK-SIN, for business, in premium economy and it was a very nice experience for such a long flight.
Yeah, middle seat in biz class should be iilegal for sure. I'm traveling to Tokyo next year on Emirates from Glasgow, so really appreciate your reviews on the A380 biz class. Thanks for all your hard work in making the airlines accountable. Happy flying ✈️
I quit flying with Emirates in 2017 after I realised how poorly they handle their loyal members. Of course, the service is inconsistent, and their staff is poorly trained. Thank you, Josh, for sharing such an honest review!
I was senior cabin crew with EK for over 20years and I do believe, as all crew did, that customers 'upgraded to J/C' through whatever means, were being utterly ripped off for being denied access to the business class lounge. As you stated, 95% of other airlines allow this. And of course, said customers voiced their annoyance in this matter once on board and were told to write direct to Tim Clarke for an explanation! Also, being an upgrade, crew would be informed to take your meal choice last, so as to give priority to full fare paying customers. If only you knew what went on those galley curtains!! Oh, and please be aware that filming in Dubai without another person's, knowledge or permission is an offence and can result in huge fines. This is noted on the visitors guide to the UAE.
Agree with Emirates being tight on Business Lounge. I recently bought Business Special (No online Business alternative, bought 3 months in advance) No chauffeur collection or Lounge access included and the cost was more than normal Business
I think the reason why people are saying it's the "best business class" is because when most people travel they can only afford economy. so when they get the option to fly business they now think it's the best in the world without even trying others. Ex, Air India's business class is kind underrated, yes it's a little outdated but if you compare window seat legroom on Air India to Emirates, Air India will win. Don't be shy to say Emirates business class is mediocre cause you you want to spread truth and not false info. And I think what I'm about to say is pretty controversial but I think SKYTRAX, is corrupted.
I agree with you. My recent experience with them in 777 Dublin to Dubai, evening flight was not that great as expected, seat cover was torn , some part of tray table was broken and same as you have shown, overhead compartment needs maintenance. However, A380 was better. Reason maybe they are newer than 777. But keeping in mind the number of A380 Emirates, I doubt about the maintenance especially after seeing the state of 777. Qatar is definitely better and I can say luxurious
The first time I flew this out of Adelaide to Dubai I saw it and asked to be reseated ( full fare ) but was told it was full , ( I had a little secret up my sleeve ) so I told the manager I wouldnt be travelling this evening and needed my luggage offloaded - hmmmm - a delay - I don’t think so - SEVERAL staff were reseated and I got a window 😮absolutely the worst business class Config well after NZ but never again thanks and the food was terrible - great review Josh
If those seats are heavily discounted, that would make sense. Maybe they're rarely reserved and used when the air company wants to award free upgrades or when you book your trip using points (I remember it being very difficult to use miles to travel back in the day, they'd never have much availability even when you booked in advance and there were plenty of paid seats available)... It would be nice to be able to upgrade certain elements of your trip without others. Let's say you're fine on a small seat but you'd like a better catering, they could sell a catering upgrade. Others might prefer more space but care less about food or even luggage and so on. Cheap carries are sort of doing it here in Europe (with different elements, obviously) and it makes sense to choose what you want to pay for (I'd not pay 3x for a flight to fly on business but I'd pay to have nice food within reason, lounge access, guaranteed hand luggage boarding and maybe even an extra or oversized hand luggage to escape from the annoyance of dealing with dispatched luggage). It's also a bit wasteful to see a plane with business and 1st considerably empty with economy full. They could have some sort of auction system 20 minutes before open the check in gates (to minimize cannibalization) to use those seats for added revenue, letting the market decide how much passengers are willing to pay for extras... 🤔
Hi @Josh Cahill, What are your thoughts on the proposed El-Al route from Israel to Melbourne? Will you fly on it? Just a thought as it seems like a great alternative flying from Australia and then connecting to flights in to Europe as the only other alternate is Singapore and then the Arab airlines. What are your thoughts?
not worth dealing with racist Israeli security for a transfer lmao, easier to go through sg as we always have here in aus. trust in the Arab airlines is at a low after doha airport incident recently, so maybe a good option for some, but majority will probably stick with sg.
@@notdroidbot2348 I haven't been to Israel yet, so I cannot comment, but have noticed their connecting flights to most of Europe and haven't heard much about luggage being lost. As for "racist", yes, I have heard about that in Arab countries, especially when they disrespected our passports and the animals on them. That is why I normally us SG, and in the past Cathy. Now, if that "Project Sunrise" actually took you from Melbourne/ Sydney to Athens or Rome and get a connecting flight from there to all the other destinations in Europe, that would also have been great, but Project Sunrise seems to be stalling while El-Al seems to be progressing. That is why I asked for opinions and if @Josh Cahill was considering it.
Josh, do you think there is a chance they noted 'you' in the middle seat and booked the original neighbours to other seats? Or were you just lucky? Still, I guess you have to do it over again, with people next to you 🤣🤣🤣
Agree. Have been on the same flight to the Maldives. Food underwhelming, Lounge not comfortable. Even worse were our flight from Johannisborg to Dubai. Not working seats, bad food, overwhelmed crew. Will not fly business class with emirates again.
I completely agree with you. Their business class is trash. Honestly, the Air India business class is a lot superior than EK. EK business class reminds me of any premium economy. They should remove it as it from the jurassic age. The ultimate business class in today's aviation age is the Qatar QSuite, a truly magnificent product even better than SQ business class.
Here is my hot take on the middle seat issue: I'd say that Middle seats can actually be great, provided it has good privacy and can drown out some sound, there might be some niche for that. But i think it should be sold at a discount, and for a world-class airline its 100% illegal. The only "good" example of a middle seat in Business Class is JAL's 777s with the APEX suites, if people say that airlines should use APEX suites to replace the old 2-3-2 seats, i am afraid to tell you that the APEX suites are in a 2-3-2 config for 777s, maybe the Stelia Solstys (SQ and TK Biz), or the Safran Optima (Polaris & AF A350 Biz) is a better fit if an airline wants to keep the density of the cabins, both of those products are in a 1-2-1 config even on the 777.
BC Middle Seat is indeed a no go for me unless traveling as a family or group of 3. The no lounge access I don’t understand. Either you travel in a certain class, or not. Interesting learning from this video again.
Finally! Somebody told the truth! Thank you for the video. Personally, I hate this air company. I was harassed during the flight in business class. And the staff managed the problem poorly. The worst company ever.
Sucks that upgraded tickets don’t include lounge access. A big part of upgrading is to take advantage of the various benefits. Just adds a feeling of disappointment to the product. Etihad as well have been getting stingy with their loyalty tiers and lounge access in the last couple of years too.
I've done the middle seat in business on an overnight flight. Was a mad dash back to my home for what became the saddest of reasons. I had no choice of seats as it was Dec 23. Poor people around me as I was annoying - I did explain why and they were really nice to me. It is not a seat I would normally pay for.
Hi Josh! I love your reviews and how real you are with them. In terms of that middle seat for business class...I thought it was a joke at first hahaha.
I flew Emirates Biz class Dubai - Toronto on A380, which as a 1-2-1 configuration. The flight was awesome, only flight that was better was SIA business class.
Looking at the 2x3x2 business class configuration on a Emirates Boeing 777-300ER makes the old fashioned 60s style 2x2 business class seats on Air Koryos Ilyushin Il-62M and both their Tupolev Tu-154B and Newer Tu-204 100/300 narrow body airliners look and feel more comfortable to travel on.
Since Covid-19 I flew only some flights to Thailand from Germany (because my fiancee live now there). I only fly Eco at all. I had good experience with Lufthansa and Emirates. Worst with KLM (specially booking change many times and I don’t like Amsterdam Airport). In Business Class to have 3 seat config is not what I would expect in a 777. Eco is good with Emirates but this looks not what you would expect for this price
I flew business class for the first time in 9th standard. It was my first experience a very wealthy friend of mine had taken me on a family holiday with him. After years have been gone by I didn't even remember the seat. It surely wasn't the flashy ones in most youtube videos. But after seeing this I felt mine was similar, pulled out photos and damn it was the same seat. Had travelled in end of Dec 2014. At that time I felt this was the best ever seat. Damn Times change and now it has become overrated and outdated. The other business class seats they offer show how much they have improved in the years. The only difference though that I could find was the tablet to control stuff has got a nice redesign.
We flew Emirates on Biz class in Mar 2022 to Dubai. The service was bad and for a 8 hours flight we only had a meal, to make matters worse the meal was bad as well. We were on some type of seats, the seat was uncomfortable as it was not wide enough, we too had the same issues about the Biz lounge, our discount ticket had no lounge access. ☹ Now we only fly SQ or Qata.
Wow - I just can't believe there's a Business Class product out there with a 'middle seat'. Having just flown Etihad Business from Heathrow to Sydney return, I'd have been so annoyed to find a middle seat in there. Great video - thanks for sharing this!
Turkish Airlines has same configuration in their BC. My husband and I flew from Toronto to Istanbul in June and honestly it was not good for a price we paid. No privacy, thankfully my husband being next to me , made it easier to get up and use toilet or just stretch a bit. Also, I was soooo tired and slept almost all the time. Should be discontinued or cheaper.
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Yeah middle seat in Biz Class should be illegal. 1-2-1 config with direct aisle access should be the correct configuration
@@allaboutaviation787 apex suites are fine. Even 2-2-2 is ok for old planes. But 2-3-2 and 2-4-2 is terrible.
Can you please review emirates in premium economy from Dubai to Australia on airbus a380?
Middle seat in business should be illegal
It should be sold at a discount, if you were travelling with two friends it would be no hardship. Shame about the food though, definitely not up to the standard of other carriers!
The middle seat on EK should be sold for a discount considering you are so boxed in. Thank you for the honest unbiased review! Great work as usual
Sold. Give it away for free
One reason, there are others, why I will never fly Emirates.
Well I actually think it was - No lounge access for a bid upgrade so they are going to give you the worst seat in the house
I have other reasons for not flying Emirates but it was in Economy Class. Flying Manchester UK to Dubai in sitting in the middle seat block, rea cabin, lower deck, pre--lunch drinks started to be served, but not on my side of the aircraft where the drinks trolley stood unattended. Meanwhile, drinks AND meals were served on the left hand seats. By the time a flight attendant started serving on my side of the plane, meal-trays were beginning to be cleared away on the other side. I had a drink, then waited for lunch. It didn't appear and the cabin crew had become invisible. I pressed my call button and someone appeared, surprised, apparently, that neither I nor my fellow passengers had been served. He went away, cane back and announced they'd "run out of food" (!!). However, he said, "I'll go upstairs and see what I can find" (!!!!!). A few minutes later, he returned with a tray on which was my "lunch": hummus, carrot batons, some olives, a dry bread roll, a piece of spinge cake and an orange-juice. I complained, of course, and received an apology but was told they could, unfortunately, do nothing more. The flight attendant suggested I write an official complaint and provided me with the official form to do so. On my return to UK, I completed the form and posted it, as directed. I'm still waiting for a response. That was 3 years ago. Enough said. Yes, I know, it wasn't Business Class, but come on, this was really bad service and non-existent customer PR. I had the choice subsequently to fly to Singapore but chose Singapore Airlines, with whom I'd flown twice before. Now there's a slick outfit as airlines go! Bye bye, Emirates, you're the equivalent of a restaurant where I've been ripped off, rudely served and got food poisoning.
agreed.
Remember when United's old business class on the 777/747 had an insane 2-4-2 configuration? Any middle seat in general should not be allowed for business class, no matter how good or bad everything else is
No way. Without middle seats, the capacity decreases, carrying less people. Does every single carriers can afford doing this ? No.
@@x1achilles99 😂
And a mother travelling with 2 children? A single father with his children? Parents with one child? A couple travelling with a widowed parent? Three siblings travelling? Unaccompanied minors? Just becasue something doesn’t work for you doesn’t mean nobody else should have the option.
They still have that config on some shorter domestic routes lol (SF > DEN, HOU) - I take it all the time. It is better than a narrow-body first class domestically
Remember??? UA is still flying that config 772 on their LAX-HNL route. Just flew it in October 2022!
This has been the same for many years , I flew emirates business class in 2017 on the same upgrade . Access to the lounge was denied , the flight and the food was not good . I have spent 5 years telling all my customers not to waste their money on this product .
Hands down, my experience on Emirates First Class was phenomenal. I tried their Business Class on their 777 and saw the middle seats and can’t imaging how someone could sit there especially if the partitions on both sides are up. The windows seats are okay if there is no one sitting on the aisle as you would have to climb over the person if they were in the lay flat position. It was hard enough to squeeze thru to get out let alone having to climb over. I had to keep checking to make sure no one was sitting next to me.
Had window seat with a guy with very smelly feet next to me. Had to climb over him (and the smell) a few times, expected better for the money!
@@christophstalder8005lmao
@@christophstalder8005 😂
A
Then you gotta pay that 10 k for first baby
I've used the Emirates promotional upgrades a couple of times and have always been informed at the time of booking the upgrade that lounge access wasn't included.
This guy came here to complain you spotted it
@@tntramzy12 Hi here, I don't think he was complaining, really, He was polite to the agent and he informed that on this video he didn't know. You need to put your self on people who look at these videos and wonder if they can have access to their lounge after upgrading. To be fair, Some airlines will granted access to their lounge, even if you upgrade ( for example Airfrance La premiere, or business class ). In any case He was making a point on How SkyTrax gived a 4th best on the world award when they still offer 3 seats on business class on the middle. .
I am not a hater :) just saying
Stay safe and in good health
I’ve never flown Emirates BC and even I know and upgrade doesn’t include anything apart from the seat.
@@stevena9305 I upgraded from economy to business class in Singapore Airlines and even they gave me access to lounge. Over that, I was told at check in that i will get Economy Class meal since it’s an upgrade. I was fine with it. But on board, I got asked what I’d liked to have from the menu (business class menu). It was the best flight of my life as a student.
@@keisuke5468If you're flying from Singapore I can't remember if upgraders & frequent flyers will be directed to the less luxurious KrisFlyer Gold instead of the SiverKris lounge (which is for people paying biz class prices)
I couldnt agree more. I flew Emirates nearly 20 years ago in their so-called Business Class which was configured 2-3-2. And they're still offering essentially the same product now on their B777, with some superficial window-dressing! However, the Business Class on their A380 seems to be a superb product...with the added advantage of an on-board bar.
You are correct I've actually done it before on Korean Air and Cathay pacific what they do in that configuration if you have a family you take the whole row
Middle seat in Biz class should be Illegal. the only time I flew EK 777-300 in business was on a holiday week of New Year from PVG-DXB and was in row 1 and only 8 people in the entire business cabin thankfully. I was continually told by the Flight attendant to keep my window shade closed for the entire 10 hour flight (It was a day time 10 hour flight) ... that was annoying .
i would have told her not her seat 😂
Well I guess we can already know if they’ll lock the 787 style windows when they undoubtedly get windows of that style in their fleet
I flew once with KLM in middle of business class in 2015 from Buenos-Aires to Amsterdam - a long haul flight on such seat - and it was awful. Just discomfortable
BA did that on a 787 flight Heathrow to KL. I will never fly with them again.
Wait a sec, why? Blinding other passengers or something?
I only flew Emirates once, back in 2019. I also took advantage of the upgrade promo online and when I checked in, the staff specifically told me - “ you have no access to lounge”- in a very rude way. So I never flew with them again.
It literally says that(no lounge) on the page were u opt for the promo upgrade
@@iSuggestApps Have it always done so? Maybe it did not back in 2019.
@@Zyphera yes it always had that
You could pay more aroud 100$ and enter anycase
Emirates actually announced that during the retrofit of the b777 fleet they would change the business class configuration to a 1-2-1 similar to their a380 product & I'm not defending emirates and I think that these reviews actually help improve the aviation sector, in my opinion, i think emirates should show attention to the 777 fleets just as they would for the a380
They were too busy promoting the A380 experience
@@crazylife726 and rightly so, its the best passenger experience you can get (im referring to the aircraft not emirates a380s specifically although only Singapore are really in the conversation with them)
Ah, they are going to switch it over? Because the Emirates A380 business class is really top notch. Good to know.
@@MBSteinNL The seats should replaced now though with the Mercedes S Class inspired ones which look more appealing. It's even the inspiration for the new First Class seats found on select 777-300ER's
Great review and definitely pleased you’re highlighting this outdated seating configuration on the Emirates 777!
Also the lounge access - really stingy attitude from them…. So many pax use upgrades and as you point out 90% of other airlines allow access. Again great you’re calling them out. Well done on an honest and accurate assessment 👍🏻
If you don’t get an A380 just don’t bother with Emirates!!
I wouldn't say outdated as a lot of airlines have business class with a similar configuration. My country's flag carrier only has business class on the b787-8 and b787-9. B787-8 business class is in a 2-2-2 configuration and is 1-2-1 on the b787-9.
In my honest opinion, I don't think people should hate on this. Yes, a 2-3-2 configuration for business class on a b777-300ER isn't the most desirable, but it does have some benefits with the most notable one being higher passenger capacity.
Agree. If you don’t get an A380, just don’t bother with EK Biz class. May as well fly Economy and save your money.
Thank you for your honest reviews. I tire of reviewers who “play for pay.” I understand needing to make revenue when one freelances, but taking bribes for good reviews is so dishonest. Thanks for your integrity and keeping it real.
Sam Chui is one of those
Those guys who pay for their travels are able to give us their un biased opinion which I love. Noel, Jeb, Josh, Non stop Dan are my favourites. Sam Chiu, although I'm sure is a nice guy, his reviews are false in my humble opinion.
@@Matityahu755 Yeah. Sam is a scam.
Sam Chui. So silly and fake. I unsubscribed
@@fecardona I was on to him after a few videos. After being a pilot for many years and flying on many carriers - yeah. I could tell Sam is a phoney.
I totally agree. I used to love Emirates with all their marketing focused on luxury and all. I was on business class from Dubai recently and we weren't served the pre-landing meal. The crew were fantastic on that flight, thankfully.
Oh no! They forgot to serve you a pre landing snack! You must have thought you were going to die!
I did an 11 hour flight on FinnAir in their new business. It has been by far the best trip I’ve been on.
We stopped flying Emirates a few years back when we were exposed to the center seat. We travel from Australia to Europe a few times annually. We now use Singapore Airlines or Qatar both using 1-2-1 configuration.
I am glad you brought this to the attention, EK fares are very high in biz and first , and for this price you get much better offerings in other airlines. The 2x3x2 is non existent in long haul airlines
2-3-2 config was very common on the 777 ,AA,LY,TK,ET etc,but now most airlines configured their business class to 1-2-1.TK and ET still fly the old config.I would not mind it,if the prices were very discounted…but I will certainly not pay a full price if the competitors offer 1-2-1 config.EK seems to be getting away with that terrible config,but honestly if people buy it,why should they care?
Great review as usual,and yes,def scamtrax, .Cheers
I dont know where you live, but fom my country Turkish business is usually at least 300 EUR cheaper if not more, for that I can take a middle seat, on turkish its a proper bed at least
This can happen in tourist intensive routes. He expected too much.
2-3-2 was common when many airlines also had first class. Since business class has effectively transitioned to first class on many airlines, they have to build it like an older first class
I flew Emirates with the B777 in business class in September from Phuket to Dubai. I share the sentiment in your video. I also felt that the problem was me, when I quietly thought that they got it completely wrong. Now I see that a pro agrees with me. Thanks.
Just got back from a 2 week vacation in the Maldives, loved how you called it "Paradise".....great way to describe it. Seeing Male' Intl Airport brought back such awesome memories of a vacation of a lifetime..........keep up the great work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My first trip to the Maldives was in 1988 when my parents took me there, and you should have seen the airport in those days. It was like something out of the Second World War! Just a collection of 'huts'. And Emirates ran 727's on the DXB - MLE route in those days. We flew Singapore Airlines on that occasion ( 747-300 ) from Amsterdam ( AMS-VIE-MLE) as there were hardly any airlines flying there in those days.
Me toooo i visited "mafushi island" in january which was a part of maldives. Which island did u stay at?
The funny thing is that this actually works for us. My wife and I travel with our 6 year old daughter. It's good to have her between the two of us and within arm's reach. In the Collins super diamond seats, it's difficult to reach her and help her with food, seatbelts and IFE. This seat gives us good options.
I see yr point, probably a mix 1 3 1 and 1 2 1 needed, esp basinet seats
I was looking for the “ emirates defenders or people from the management “ trying to discredit your review in the comments section but I’m glad to see most people agree , you should be proud for calling them out ! Great work and Emirates if your watching , get your sh*t together
I flew on both the 777 and A380 in September. Totally agree with your comments on the 777 seat config. Back in September both crew and passengers had to wear masks. They still remain my airline of choice as their schedules suit my needs.
Emirates has dramatically declined in everything. As a business frequent flyer they increased prices by 30%+ and their configuration sucks, the seats are old, their lounges are dingy, food is poor, their additional services reduced (eg chauffeur service) even at a full price biz ticket. Overall experience to price point is actual theft and dire. I personally started moving my money and points to other airlines.
It depends in the aircraft, all airlines declined during the COVID pandemic but things are improving now and they should considering how much prices have increased
I totally agree with your review as I had a similar disappointing experience on an Emirate business class flight earlier in 2022. Thanks for raising the issue.
For the business class, was the aircraft an 777 or A380?
If I'm 100% honest, the middle seat actually looks a bit nicer to me then the isle seats. It's a little cozier, you won'T get touched by crew memebrs or passengers on the way past your seat and you have these little seperation things you don't have on the other seats. I think I would be totally fine there and prefer only the window seats
I actually love that middle seat. Gives you more privacy than an isle seat.
Great review as always Josh. Based on the astronomical prices airlines are charging these days to fly in business class, having a middle seat in long haul business should not be allowed. If they did ever offer discounts for the middle seat, they probably wouldn't reduce the price by that much where it would be worth while for the average business class traveller.
“Should not be allowed,” by who? You aren’t the only passenger on a budget 😂. Many families of 3 have no problem with the arrangement.
@@Ad-Lo I’m unsure as to how you’ve come to the conclusion that I’m on a budget based on my initial comment. I think you may have misunderstood the opinion I have expressed which i’m confident many business travellers would tend to agree with.
Since your average long haul business class traveller will usually be travelling solo or as a couple, I don’t believe airlines should be offering a middle sear in business and charge the same price for a poorer experience. In fact most decent airlines do not offer this.
SKYTRAX are paid reviewers, the passangers real review matters.
Its just like movie critics who give favourable reviews to please the directors and studios.
There are times they have praised the movies but the audience hated it and vice versa.
Scamtraxx 😂😂😂.
I remember flying Turkish Biz with 4 seats in the middle..😅 lots of legroom, but the guy next to me decided to use some of my space too. Lol
Don't worry, Josh. Emirates is going to update the cabin which also includes installed Premium Economy on some of their fleets and the upcoming A350, 787, and 777X will have that product as well
totally agree with you Josh. Been flying with SQ for more than 20 years across economy and business classes, and they're quiet consistent with great service and food. Not to mention the SilverKris lounge in Changi was so good! Since moving to Germany, i tried Emirates for DUS-DXB-MLA flights in both economy and business class. Not much to complain on economy, the DUS-DXB-DUS was so much better than the DXB-MLA-DXB leg. Then tried their business class, DUS-DXB-DUS was with A380, everything was great including the food! Crew was friendly and very accommodating too. But, DXB-MLA-DXB was such a disappointment. Bad food, the loo was small (shared with the pilots), seats were tight (config similar to your flight). Crew were good though. This leg needs so much improvement! And for the fare they charge, i felt so underwhelmed and cheated. In a week, I will fly with Turkish Airlines on business class, hope it's better. I just wish SQ will fly back to Duesseldorf again, it's such a hassle to go to Frankfurt.
Hi Josh, the seats in business class look out of place, they are big but you looked squashed in and is totally outdated by 10 years. Loved the who wants to be a Millionaire question lol.
I have experience in Emirates as a cabin appearance staff and my review on your video is the hardworking, special attention and customer service of the Emirates crew is world class and at higher level.
Thanks Josh
Dear commentator, kindly enlighten what did you mean by "cabin appearance staff".
@@ks.p3219 cabin appearance staff rrefers to a person who Cleans , Sanitize, disinfect and re stock all cabin requirements before the departure of each and every flight ✈️ as required.
In simple English , He is Called an Aircraft cabin Cleaner ( interior )
Thanks
I hope i answered your question respectively.
@@imurankaggwa9200 thank you for your service, brother 🙏
I flew Emirates this year on this plane Auckland to London, business class, was so cramped and uncomfortable. So disappointed. Was in aisle seat and eating was terrible as I kept knocking arms with the chap in the middle seat, never again.
Wow, that business class makes American's look positively luxurious. Or Delta's, or Air France. Or even KLM.
Worst Biz class seats have to be Air New Zealand, please treat us to an episode on that at some point 👍🏻
Definitely not the worst in the world. But dissapointing and overdue for replacement (which is on the way)
Real flower in Premium Economy on EVA air in the bathroom. Good review btw!
Agree 100% I had some disappointing trips with Emirates and stopped using them for that reason inclusive of extremely dismissive and hostile despite myself being very polite and friendly .... its a too big "machine" to have any room for criticism or ability to be flexible ... and they rank among the most expensive business classes to travel on!
Love the way you slip in "scamtrax says"...at 0.24"! Keep up the good work!
Great review Josh, certainly won't be flying Emirates with that business class configuration, certainly agree outdated considering most offer a 2 4 2 configuration in Business class on the 777.
I always check seat guru and look at seat plans before choosing which airline i fly with.
I just flew American Airlines 777-200 from Phoenix to London in Business Class. It was very nice. 1-2-1 configuration.
That seat would actually be great for travelling with a small child in business class. In more contemporary business suites it can be hard being so far away from your 2-year-old kid.
do you work for Emirates, you found a positive in an awful seat
@@cooldood37 Lol , it is also good for emotional animal support.
As mentioned in other comments, this layout may not so great for solo travellers, but it is actually pretty convenient if travelling with family. Tried Emirates for the first time a year or so ago when the Emirates network was still partly in pandemic mode and ended up with 777s on all 4 legs of the trip, flying with my elementary school-aged son so mostly had the 2 seats on the window side, but on one leg had to sit in the centre row, so put my son in the middle seat and it was fine; the seat on the other side was occupied by a stranger but with the divider up their presence was not really noticeable.
One annoyance is that it was easy to get the seatbelt trapped in the flat bed mechanism, and the storage space in the side of the seat, where you'd want to put your mobile, is inconvenient. Also the huge screens are a bit of a distraction, particularly on night segments. And the decor is a bit blingy for my taste. But overall it works well for our situation, repeating the trip this year. Mind you, if I were travelling by myself I'd certainly consider other options.
Emirates depends on their branding. The first thing people think about when they hear Emirates is their first class, massive lounges and great soft product. I think because of that they can charge a premium for what would otherwise be an inferior product and people will still be happy to pay for it. Great review again 👍
Emirates is the epitome of marketing hype
I’ve flown Emirates Business Class a number of times on the A380 and once on the 777, where I had a window seat in the double configuration, not a great experience climbing over a fellow passenger trying to sleep, didn’t feel like business class at all. Sadly on the A380 the experience has not always been great either. While the single seat configuration is welcome I have had tv screens that would not switch off and had to be covered with a blanket, seats that would not fold out automatically into the bed, this had to be done manually by the crew and some rude set aft where service was less than great. What made the disappointment worse was when bringing this to the attention of Emirates to help any continual improvement they would be looking for the responses I received were not that great and me me feel that they didn’t really value me as a customer, sad to say.
Oh wow, Emirates? This was totally unexpected tbh. I had the same terrible experience on Turkish Airlines last year. It was the first time I found out there middle seats in business class.. I was so shocked I still complain about it lol
Thanks for the video🥂
Yeah i get that.
Turkish Airlines is such a great airline.
I dont get whats going on inside their heads thinking that 2/3/2 Biz class is something people are okay with...same for emirates.
The fact that you were banned from the lounge is a example of bad customer service. Even if this responds to an understandable management decision, they should a) Inform clearly of this when upgrading the ticket, and b) Let the uninformed customers enter the lounge whilst infoming them that this is not including in the upgrade (i.e only this time).
If flying emirates obviously the A380 is the way to go, if possible of course. When not possible try to get F class on the 777 if you’re a regular premium flyer these upgrades to F are quite commonly available (with miles)..
The retrofitted 777 cabins (2-2-2) in J class are quite comfortable too
I never understand why everyone goes nuts for Emirates. Have flown them multiple times and was always met with old planes, old interiors, and mediocre service.
And i’m sorry but their cabins just look cheap with all that tacky diarrhea-shade wood. If you want to use wood effect, use a proper shade of it.
Let’s stop promoting this average airline as if it’s a world class airline, because it definitely isn’t.
Thank you for exposing their crappy cabin & business class! Great review
The first time I flew Emirates Boeing 777-300ER, was in August 2022. With the exception of the crew, I was very disappointed about everything else, to include the food which was barely edible. I was invited to give my opinion and I did. Considering I had flown Emirates Business Class Boeing A380 on a number of occasions between UK and Dubai, I was not prepared for the poor quality of Boeing 777-300ER. Therefore, please Emirates, either upgrade or scrap the business cabin section of this plane.
I flew business class on Singapore Airlines,Auckland-Singapore-UK (return fare),that's my main choice only!.Thanks for your awesome 10/10 honest flight review👍
I happen to travel often between Europe to the Far East. Fortunately I am not obliged to pay for it, my company do it and I’m grateful.
Occasionally get upgraded to First, but find it ostentatious and fussy. You are quite right of course, I am looking for a consistently pleasant trip. A Hardworking but calm, efficient but unobtrusive crew is desirable. I do find Emirates wildly inconsistent, considering the premium price you are expected to pay. El Al and EVA and Qatar excellent, Singapore airlines likewise. Emirates, along with a clutch of underwhelming premium European airlines are way guilty of living on past reputations, by obsessing on all the gimmicks bells and whistles, they miss what a business traveller in that expensive seat really wants, some rest. Thank you for your fun and informative reviews.
I agree with most of what you are saying, but to be honest, the type of passenger flying business class these days is not the same as years gone by. Having flown EK BC multiple times I have seen the change in the type of passenger, it also depends on the destination. Sometimes there can be a lot of children even small babies in bassinets. So if you fly BC for the peace and quiet, it’s not always what you get.
Hi Josh, love all your videos. As an ex emirates cabin crew member I couldn’t agree more! I’m glad you had great crew on this flight
The upgrade lounge access thing is interesting. On the other hand it often is not a full business ticket. For example you might not get the additional bags that would usually come with business if you upgrade with Lufthansa.
What a rip off !
I once bid at a TAP upgrade auction and lounge at LIS was included.
@@Canleaf08 But the additional bags that come with TAP "executive" are not included.
Emirates are clear about it on their website based on personal experience
Thanks for your video, I like your honest reviews. I want to add that Emirates is also declining in term of Economy service and their land services. In comparison to other airlines like (Saudi airline ) which has significantly improved, I would go with Saudi airline. I strongly encourage you to do reviews for trips on economy class from Jeddah/KSA to Washington D.C (on Saudi airline) , Doha/Qatar to Washington D.C (on Qatar airways) , Dubai to Washington D.C (on Emirates) and Amman/Jordan to JFK (On Royal Jordanian), and then compare their services in term of on board service, food provided, and the hygiene level.
My first experience of flying first class was with Emirates in April 2009 ( London Gatwick to Singapore (via Dubai) return ). At the first class check in counter I was greeted with a condescending " flying first class?" by the female employee. The tone was friendlier as soon as she saw my reservation and realised that I wasn't at the wrong counter. When I boarded the plane a stewardess came with a menu and said " dining on demand sir whenever you want to eat please order" . After about an hour into the flight I ordered a prawn dish....and waited for 20 minutes before the stewardess came back and said " would you mind having lamb or pasta instead but if you really want prawns I'll look for them". In the end I was served an awful chicken dish. Till today I don't understand what looking for prawns on that flight means. I have never flown Emirates since nor will I fly with them ever again.
'Looking for prawns' was crew speak for, 'that dish has already been reserved by the purser for his/her own crew meal'. FACT.
@@TheHayabusa09wow😅
Emirates have gone downhill since Covid. I flew economy with them recently and they were nowhere near as good a Virgin. They also tried to flog me a one way Business Class flight for £750, but without the car, priority check-in and lounge access. I also realised that the flight would be in the notorious middle of three seat. Not good!
It is insane, all Business Class experience is about Lounge and comfort on board. If you take away one of those (even it is an upgrade) this experience means max of premium economy. Shame on you Emirates.
I know this video is a year old, but I enjoy the 777 BC setup, I have a family of 3 and it works perfectly for me. I do not like their economy, and have seen a decline in how often I get upgraded as a Gold member for a decade (and Platinum for a few years). Good video, thanks again, I never thought about the middle seat from a solo travelers perspective.
Amazing review Josh! I hope Emirates see your video and takes this as a positive criticism to activate a change on their Business Class product.
I mean, Emirates is a great airline it has one of the best crew, excellent economy class, brilliant Entertainment system. But, it has to be holistic. I think an update to business class B777’s can make Emirates a superb airline.
Answer C is the right one
This product 20 years ago would have been amazing but Know it is just outdated
I had the misfortune of getting the middle seat in economy on a emirates 777 from Tokyo to Dubai .. the guy on the aisle seat proceeded to pull the blanket over his head and sleep for 8 hours, In the end I had to climb over him to get to the toilet never again also the seat width is 17" on the 777 which isn't really suitable for 10 hours plus flights
Josh, just got back from honeymoon in Chennai for three weeks. Flew Emirates 777-3 on all four sectors from and to BHX through DXB. Never been on the 777 with Emirates only the A380. Flew economy as we always do. It was fine, average, what you would expect. Food though was very good I thought and the crew on DXB - BHX were really nice, friendly and smiley (not something to be taken for granted in economy in my experience. I did feel that when we walked through the business class product that I would not have liked to pay the increase in premium in what seemed to be offered. No real privacy, looked to me to have a flat bed, bit of extra gaudiness and a bigger TV. When you consider what is offered on other aircraft in their fleet it does seem a bit much to ask to pay thousands more for that product.
Flew Emirates once from Manchester to Johannesburg via Dubai, cattle class, in late 2019. Never again! Only 1 item carry on bag allowed & no exceptions (in their T&Cs). I had an additional small 'man bag' containing my Passport, wallet, keys, tissues etc. which was made to go into my checked-in suitcase (after taking out my Passport, keys etc, & putting them in my pocket). My carry on bag weighed in at 0.2Kg overweight & I was made find an item which bought it underweight. The lightest thing was my Chromebook, with internal battery! Which as far as I know shouldn't go in check-in luggage for safety/the battery could set on fire, reasons... However, I saw other passengers carrying handbags & carry-on bags while we waited at the gate... Maybe I was unlucky as the first person to check-in for the flight from Manchester, however the 'different rules for different people' miffed me...
With the exception of seat-pitch/flatbed, it seems comparable to Economy Plus in my experience.
Very dissapointing for Business, but very nice for Economy Plus.
I will say one thing I do really appreciate about Emirates service is the actual cutlery and the food is pretty good, especially when compared to really any other airline in economy. Haven't been on all of the airlines in the world, I must say I do rank Singapore's experience is better. I recently flew from JFK-SIN, for business, in premium economy and it was a very nice experience for such a long flight.
Could not agree more! I did this business class all the way from Perth - MEHH
Yeah, middle seat in biz class should be iilegal for sure. I'm traveling to Tokyo next year on Emirates from Glasgow, so really appreciate your reviews on the A380 biz class. Thanks for all your hard work in making the airlines accountable. Happy flying ✈️
I quit flying with Emirates in 2017 after I realised how poorly they handle their loyal members. Of course, the service is inconsistent, and their staff is poorly trained. Thank you, Josh, for sharing such an honest review!
I was senior cabin crew with EK for over 20years and I do believe, as all crew did, that customers 'upgraded to J/C' through whatever means, were being utterly ripped off for being denied access to the business class lounge. As you stated, 95% of other airlines allow this. And of course, said customers voiced their annoyance in this matter once on board and were told to write direct to Tim Clarke for an explanation! Also, being an upgrade, crew would be informed to take your meal choice last, so as to give priority to full fare paying customers. If only you knew what went on those galley curtains!! Oh, and please be aware that filming in Dubai without another person's, knowledge or permission is an offence and can result in huge fines. This is noted on the visitors guide to the UAE.
Incorrect. EK does not allow it period. Unless for advertisement, HH has to permit it.@@c_t_z_n
EK 777 Business Class is essentially Premium Economy with an upgraded meal service.
Agree with Emirates being tight on Business Lounge. I recently bought Business Special (No online Business alternative, bought 3 months in advance) No chauffeur collection or Lounge access included and the cost was more than normal Business
I like the smooth jazz version of September by Earth Wind and Fire playing in the background.
I think the reason why people are saying it's the "best business class" is because when most people travel they can only afford economy. so when they get the option to fly business they now think it's the best in the world without even trying others. Ex, Air India's business class is kind underrated, yes it's a little outdated but if you compare window seat legroom on Air India to Emirates, Air India will win. Don't be shy to say Emirates business class is mediocre cause you you want to spread truth and not false info. And I think what I'm about to say is pretty controversial but I think SKYTRAX, is corrupted.
I agree with you.
My recent experience with them in 777 Dublin to Dubai, evening flight was not that great as expected, seat cover was torn , some part of tray table was broken and same as you have shown, overhead compartment needs maintenance.
However, A380 was better. Reason maybe they are newer than 777. But keeping in mind the number of A380 Emirates, I doubt about the maintenance especially after seeing the state of 777.
Qatar is definitely better and I can say luxurious
The first time I flew this out of Adelaide to Dubai I saw it and asked to be reseated ( full fare ) but was told it was full , ( I had a little secret up my sleeve ) so I told the manager I wouldnt be travelling this evening and needed my luggage offloaded - hmmmm - a delay - I don’t think so - SEVERAL staff were reseated and I got a window 😮absolutely the worst business class Config well after NZ but never again thanks and the food was terrible - great review Josh
That’s a great travel hack - but then at the same time you paid for it. Interesting that they prioritise staff over paying customers.
If those seats are heavily discounted, that would make sense. Maybe they're rarely reserved and used when the air company wants to award free upgrades or when you book your trip using points (I remember it being very difficult to use miles to travel back in the day, they'd never have much availability even when you booked in advance and there were plenty of paid seats available)...
It would be nice to be able to upgrade certain elements of your trip without others. Let's say you're fine on a small seat but you'd like a better catering, they could sell a catering upgrade. Others might prefer more space but care less about food or even luggage and so on. Cheap carries are sort of doing it here in Europe (with different elements, obviously) and it makes sense to choose what you want to pay for (I'd not pay 3x for a flight to fly on business but I'd pay to have nice food within reason, lounge access, guaranteed hand luggage boarding and maybe even an extra or oversized hand luggage to escape from the annoyance of dealing with dispatched luggage).
It's also a bit wasteful to see a plane with business and 1st considerably empty with economy full. They could have some sort of auction system 20 minutes before open the check in gates (to minimize cannibalization) to use those seats for added revenue, letting the market decide how much passengers are willing to pay for extras... 🤔
Hi @Josh Cahill,
What are your thoughts on the proposed El-Al route from Israel to Melbourne? Will you fly on it? Just a thought as it seems like a great alternative flying from Australia and then connecting to flights in to Europe as the only other alternate is Singapore and then the Arab airlines. What are your thoughts?
I would advice to avoid Israel at all costs. Illegal land grab, human deaths and suffering can not be validated by any convenience or money.
not worth dealing with racist Israeli security for a transfer lmao, easier to go through sg as we always have here in aus. trust in the Arab airlines is at a low after doha airport incident recently, so maybe a good option for some, but majority will probably stick with sg.
@@notdroidbot2348 I haven't been to Israel yet, so I cannot comment, but have noticed their connecting flights to most of Europe and haven't heard much about luggage being lost. As for "racist", yes, I have heard about that in Arab countries, especially when they disrespected our passports and the animals on them. That is why I normally us SG, and in the past Cathy. Now, if that "Project Sunrise" actually took you from Melbourne/ Sydney to Athens or Rome and get a connecting flight from there to all the other destinations in Europe, that would also have been great, but Project Sunrise seems to be stalling while El-Al seems to be progressing. That is why I asked for opinions and if @Josh Cahill was considering it.
same as qatar. upgraded ticket does not allow lounge access. that's why i carry Priority pass as back up.
if the airport supports PP… Most domestic terminals not.
Josh, do you think there is a chance they noted 'you' in the middle seat and booked the original neighbours to other seats? Or were you just lucky? Still, I guess you have to do it over again, with people next to you 🤣🤣🤣
I don’t think they know who I am. I was just very lucky I guess.
@@JoshCahill scamtrax knows you very well.Also what about that they threatend to sue you?
Josh no one in EK had an idea who you are but I hope they work on the honest review to improve their product.
Agree. Have been on the same flight to the Maldives. Food underwhelming, Lounge not comfortable. Even worse were our flight from Johannisborg to Dubai. Not working seats, bad food, overwhelmed crew. Will not fly business class with emirates again.
I completely agree with you. Their business class is trash. Honestly, the Air India business class is a lot superior than EK. EK business class reminds me of any premium economy. They should remove it as it from the jurassic age. The ultimate business class in today's aviation age is the Qatar QSuite, a truly magnificent product even better than SQ business class.
Here is my hot take on the middle seat issue: I'd say that Middle seats can actually be great, provided it has good privacy and can drown out some sound, there might be some niche for that. But i think it should be sold at a discount, and for a world-class airline its 100% illegal. The only "good" example of a middle seat in Business Class is JAL's 777s with the APEX suites, if people say that airlines should use APEX suites to replace the old 2-3-2 seats, i am afraid to tell you that the APEX suites are in a 2-3-2 config for 777s, maybe the Stelia Solstys (SQ and TK Biz), or the Safran Optima (Polaris & AF A350 Biz) is a better fit if an airline wants to keep the density of the cabins, both of those products are in a 1-2-1 config even on the 777.
BC Middle Seat is indeed a no go for me unless traveling as a family or group of 3. The no lounge access I don’t understand. Either you travel in a certain class, or not. Interesting learning from this video again.
Finally! Somebody told the truth! Thank you for the video. Personally, I hate this air company. I was harassed during the flight in business class. And the staff managed the problem poorly. The worst company ever.
I would avoid them whenever possible as an act of solidarity with persecuted groups in their country.
Thank you for having morals!
A 1-2-1 configuration is best
Ignoring the middle seat issue, the entire 777 business class product is rubbish compared with the A380 but they charge the same price.
Sucks that upgraded tickets don’t include lounge access. A big part of upgrading is to take advantage of the various benefits. Just adds a feeling of disappointment to the product. Etihad as well have been getting stingy with their loyalty tiers and lounge access in the last couple of years too.
I've done the middle seat in business on an overnight flight. Was a mad dash back to my home for what became the saddest of reasons. I had no choice of seats as it was Dec 23. Poor people around me as I was annoying - I did explain why and they were really nice to me. It is not a seat I would normally pay for.
Agreed, which is why my wife and I always opt for the 2 seats next to the window. Problem solved.
Thank you for your honesty. Their business class on 77W is below average.
Hi Josh! I love your reviews and how real you are with them. In terms of that middle seat for business class...I thought it was a joke at first hahaha.
I flew Emirates Biz class Dubai - Toronto on A380, which as a 1-2-1 configuration. The flight was awesome, only flight that was better was SIA business class.
Looking at the 2x3x2 business class configuration on a Emirates Boeing 777-300ER makes the old fashioned 60s style 2x2 business class seats on Air Koryos Ilyushin Il-62M and both their Tupolev Tu-154B and Newer Tu-204 100/300 narrow body airliners look and feel more comfortable to travel on.
Since Covid-19 I flew only some flights to Thailand from Germany (because my fiancee live now there). I only fly Eco at all. I had good experience with Lufthansa and Emirates. Worst with KLM (specially booking change many times and I don’t like Amsterdam Airport).
In Business Class to have 3 seat config is not what I would expect in a 777.
Eco is good with Emirates but this looks not what you would expect for this price
tks . Lucky you make this. It helped alot of people avoid the scam
I flew business class for the first time in 9th standard. It was my first experience a very wealthy friend of mine had taken me on a family holiday with him. After years have been gone by I didn't even remember the seat. It surely wasn't the flashy ones in most youtube videos. But after seeing this I felt mine was similar, pulled out photos and damn it was the same seat. Had travelled in end of Dec 2014. At that time I felt this was the best ever seat. Damn Times change and now it has become overrated and outdated. The other business class seats they offer show how much they have improved in the years. The only difference though that I could find was the tablet to control stuff has got a nice redesign.
We flew Emirates on Biz class in Mar 2022 to Dubai. The service was bad and for a 8 hours flight we only had a meal, to make matters worse the meal was bad as well. We were on some type of seats, the seat was uncomfortable as it was not wide enough, we too had the same issues about the Biz lounge, our discount ticket had no lounge access. ☹ Now we only fly SQ or Qata.
Wow - I just can't believe there's a Business Class product out there with a 'middle seat'. Having just flown Etihad Business from Heathrow to Sydney return, I'd have been so annoyed to find a middle seat in there. Great video - thanks for sharing this!
Turkish Airlines has same configuration in their BC.
My husband and I flew from Toronto to Istanbul in June and honestly it was not good for a price we paid. No privacy, thankfully my husband being next to me , made it easier to get up and use toilet or just stretch a bit. Also, I was soooo tired and slept almost all the time.
Should be discontinued or cheaper.