Emirates A380 First Class – How to Fly0

Inside my First Class 'suite' aboard the Emirates A380. Seriously, you've got to try this!

I have to share this brand experience with you.

Flying may never be the same. As regular readers of my blog will know. I travel a lot for business – usually between 65 and 100 flights per year. Not as many as a pilot, but enough to know the game of business travel. It’s easy to become jaded with the world of frequent flier miles, status cards and priority lounges: It turns out that for all their marketing most of the products are, in reality, fairly similar.

Until now…

To get you in the mood, here’s the video Emirates play as you land in Dubai. In my experience, they are the only airline so proud of their home city they play a promotional video for the City as you fly in for landing…

I was heading to Kuala Lumpur to work on a dairy portfolio branding project across South East Asia. A trip of this distance is always Business Class, but on this occasion my gold card really did work for

Well, wouldn't you?

me and I hit the jackpot with the much sought-after complimentary upgrade to First.

Now on a normal plane that’s great. But as it happens, on a new Airbus A380 that’s I-N-C-R-E-D-I-B-L-E.

For a start, you don’t get a “seat” you are given your own enclosed personal suite.

Slide your suite doors closed for more privacy.

It comes complete with sliding door, pop up vanity mirror, drinks cabinet and interactive touchscreen multi-media entertainment system. Naturally, your chair / bed is fully automated and offers about 6 types of massage. It goes without saying that the food was exceptional. So good was the fine dining that you almost forget that you are at 40,000 ft.

This isn't a small hotel. This is the bathroom onboard the A380. It's like a spa. And yes. That's a shower. "Max 2 People" is the message on the door.

And when ‘nature calls’ you’ll want to use the bathroom. In keeping with everything else, it’s ‘off-the-scale’ quality. Be careful that you don’t get confused and think you are at a spa or health resort. The spacious bathroom contains a wide sink superbly lit mirror, shave mirror and of course there’s a shower. Yes. You can shower onboard this flight. Oh, and there’s a loo too.

For my general amusement, the bathroom door was marked “Max 2 People.” (Thanks Emirates for planting that seed. Although there’s actually room for more.)

Even in Business Class, you can enjoy a bar at the back of the plane, complete with cinema display and seating and standing areas to enjoy drinks and nibbles from the bar. In First there is a private spirits bar which towards the end of the flight is transformed into a beautiful water feature. That’s right. Water feature. On this particular flight it was a tranquil trickling waterfall with ambient lighting display and orchid. The 40,000 ft spa experience is complete. You hardly remember you’re in the air.

Enjoy a relaxed flight by the water feature. This is a waterfall display and orchid at the top of the stairs. The 40,000 ft spa experience is complete!

In fact, as far as I could tell the only problem with Emirates First Class in the A380 is that it’s so far superior to anything else that any other flight leaves you longing to turn to your luxury capsule!

Find out more at Emirates.com