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To finish our outbound journey to the Maldives, we flew Emirates’ Boeing 777-300ER top quality from Dubai (DXB) to Male (MLE). I received’t be totally reviewing this flight, since I’ve reviewed Emirates’ “outdated” 777 top quality earlier than, and I don’t wish to be too redundant. Nevertheless, I wished to hit on a couple of of the highlights.
As a reminder, this was booked as half of a bigger award itinerary, as we redeemed 160,000 Skywards miles per individual to fly from Washington to Dubai to Male, with a stopover in Dubai (and naturally the Washington to Dubai flight in Emirates’ new 777 top quality was the spotlight).
A 4:20AM 4/20 birthday flight
Once I noticed award availability on this flight I felt like I needed to e-book it. My birthday is April 20, and taking a 4:20AM flight on 4/20 is one thing that I couldn’t actually flip down. Admittedly touring between the UAE and Maldives won’t be the perfect technique to have a good time this particular time. 😉
By the way in which, for these questioning about why my boarding cross says “PARTNER,” I don’t have a solution to that. I requested a pal at Emirates, and he mentioned that typically award tickets present that.
I believe “PARTNER” typically refers to worker workers journey, or at the least that’s the perfect rationalization I’ve provide you with. For instance, once I entered the Emirates top quality lounge, the agent needed to affirm that I redeemed miles and wasn’t on workers journey. Unusual.
Exploring Dubai Airport Terminal 3 Concourse C
I’ve transited Dubai Airport Terminal 3 extra occasions than I can rely, but in some way I had by no means (at the least knowingly) flown out of Concourse C. We spent most of our time on the airport within the top quality lounge in Concourse A, and the agent instructed us that it will be a 30-45 minute stroll to our departure gate.
I’m a quick walker, so normally I massively lower these numbers, and assume it’s extra like 10-Quarter-hour. Nope, it ended up taking us round 25 minutes to get to the far finish of Concourse C. How had I by no means flown out of there earlier than?!
We additionally briefly stopped on the Emirates top quality lounge Concourse C. I knew there was a Concourse B top quality lounge (which I’ve reviewed earlier than), however in some way I by no means know this lounge existed. And admittedly that’s most likely for the higher, as a result of this lounge isn’t spectacular. Does this seem like a random Precedence Move lounge, or a hub top quality lounge for one of many world’s finest regarded airways? Generally it appears like Emirates is absolutely caught up to now.
Anyway, boarding was scheduled to begin at 3:35AM, 45 minutes earlier than departure. Certain sufficient, that’s precisely when first and enterprise class passengers have been invited to board.
A formidable Emirates quick haul top quality flight
Our Emirates flight was scheduled to depart Dubai at 4:20AM and arrive in Male at 9:30AM, which is a 4hr10min block time (there’s a one hour time change). The precise flight time was 3hr40min. What was the expertise like? Very, very good.
We have been on one in every of Emirates’ oldest Boeing 777s (A6-EBU, which is 15+ years outdated), and the cabin positively felt a bit dated. The know-how on a few of Emirates’ older 777s isn’t nearly as good as on the brand new ones, from the hand-held tablets, to the decision of the leisure displays.
Nonetheless, how superior is that this for a 3hr40min flight?!
I assigned us the 2 heart seats within the second row of top quality. We have been speculated to have the cabin to ourselves, however final minute one worker booked, and he or she was in 1A (Emirates captains, Emirates executives, and their households, get house accessible top quality journey).
The 2 top quality flight attendants and the purser couldn’t have been lovelier — they have been skilled and by the e-book, in contrast to the crew we had on the final flight. Earlier than takeoff they supplied us pre-departure drinks, so we ordered some Dom Perignon (and we received a few refills).
We have been additionally supplied Arabic espresso, dates, an amenity equipment, pajamas, and slippers (these have been similar to what we had on the lengthy haul flight, so take a look at the earlier assessment for all of the contents).
By the point we have been airborne it was approaching 5AM, and we have been tremendous drained, since we hadn’t slept that evening. After takeoff we requested the crew to make our beds, and get up as near touchdown as attainable whereas nonetheless having the ability to eat breakfast. Certainly they took care of the turndown service inside 10 minutes of takeoff and dimmed the cabin lights, and we have been off to sleep.
I certain do love how Emirates has “stars” on the ceiling, it’s such a cute contact.
We slept for over two hours, which was a lot wanted, and have been woken up simply over an hour earlier than touchdown. Kudos to the crew for really letting us sleep this lengthy, as a result of a lot of Emirates crews will declare they’ll solely serve a meal as much as 90 minutes earlier than touchdown.
At that time breakfast was served. Emirates has a (comparatively) easy menu on this flight, and there’s only a breakfast possibility.
For these questioning, under is the wine checklist for this flight.
We weren’t actually hungry, however I figured I needed to take some photos for assessment functions. It’s all the time good to be woken up with a cappuccino, which even (loosely) had the Emirates emblem dusted on it.
To start out I used to be supplied a fruit plate, some yogurt, and a variety from the bread and pastry basket.
For the principle course I ordered the scrambled eggs with potatoes, mushrooms, and kale.
Whereas hardly probably the most thrilling Emirates top quality meal, it was good for a flight like this.
Emirates top quality birthday cake
As I not too long ago wrote about, Emirates lets passengers order a birthday cake, and it doesn’t value something further in case you’re in first or enterprise class. Since I used to be touring on my birthday I figured I’d order one in every of these, not as a result of I really wished or wanted a cake, however as a result of I wished to report again on how that is being executed these days.
As we started our descent the crew introduced this out — how superbly offered! The crew even put some roses and wrote “wishing you a cheerful birthday” with melted chocolate, which they don’t must do.
The crew additionally took an image of us with the onboard Polaroid.
We solely had a chew or two of the cake since we have been full already, however the crew then packed it up in a to-go field. I felt dangerous not taking it with me, however realistically this wouldn’t have ended effectively since we have been going to take a seaplane within the sweltering warmth. By no means thoughts the truth that I’m unsure what the Maldives’ coverage is on bringing recent meals gadgets into the nation.
A lovely method to the Maldives
Flying into the Maldives is all the time a deal with, because it’s not usually you get views like this when approaching a serious worldwide airport. I’ll let the photographs communicate principally for themselves.
It was cool to lastly see the Sinamalé Bridge (initially referred to as the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge) open, connecting the capital of Male to the airport. This wasn’t but open the final time I flew to the Maldives (on the time you needed to take a ferry), so it was cool to see. I nonetheless actually need to go to Male someday, as a result of I’m certain it should be fascinating.
Male’s Velana Worldwide Airport isn’t very giant, but it surely’s superb what number of planes are parked right here through the day, provided that many planes arrive within the morning and depart within the night. Qatar Airways alone had three planes on the bottom, together with two 777s.
It’s additionally enjoyable to catch a glimpse of the seaplane terminal, since that is the first technique to get round to the additional islands.
Velana Worldwide Airport can also be present process some main work, and can quickly have a brand new runway and terminal, which ought to be a sport changer for the airport. It appears to be like like vital progress is being made there.
We ended up parking at a distant stand subsequent to a different Emirates 777, which pushed again minutes after we arrived.
Upon arrival they arrange two air stairs, after which we needed to take a bus to the terminal. Thankfully there was no wait at immigration, so we have been by way of very quickly, and have been on the way in which to our first resort.
Backside line
Emirates impresses with its quick haul top quality expertise, as I can’t think about a flight like this being significantly better. A 4:20AM departure time isn’t precisely very best in case you’re not connecting from elsewhere, however I managed to get in a strong nap, had breakfast, and even loved some Dom Perignon. On high of that, the crew on this flight was wonderful, which made the expertise all the higher.
It’s superb how totally different a brief haul premium cabin product is in several components of the world, particularly when you think about this flight is comparable in size to a Chicago to San Francisco flight, for instance.
Should you’ve flown Emirates’ quick haul top quality, what was your expertise like?
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