Best EK First Seating?

[JB83]

Just allocated 2E & 2F for myself and the wife (gosh! we'll be getting hitched a week earlier!!) for JFK-DXB and DXB-BKK later in the year. Drained my entire Qantas balance of 402,000 points and $2500.00 in taxes and fees, just to fly the EK birds.

And the chauffeur drive at Dubai ..... most likely they pick you up in Volvos?? Really? :shock:

I flew EK A380 F for DXB - HKG back in November. The chauffeur drive in Dubai I had was a Mercedes E class. I read (and two days earlier) I got a Volvo but that was arriving in DXB in J.

 

[Alanslegal]

I flew EK A380 F for DXB - HKG back in November. The chauffeur drive in Dubai I had was a Mercedes E class. I read (and two days earlier) I got a Volvo but that was arriving in DXB in J.

Cheers for that. There is a thread over on FT which gives the models of cars that have been used for the 40+? cities CD operates and it's not uncommon for volvos to be used even for F passengers in Dubai

 

[pagingjoan]

We have exactly the same trip coming soon, also booked on the recent sale.
By the time I made the booking most of the seats were occupied already (I guess we were not the only one thinking $900 for F is a bargain) so I had to call EK to release 3E/3F.

While I prefer a window seat, so have never flown in the middle block on EK in the A380, I can't imagine that you would have a problem with any of their seats.

Have just completed a DXB-MEL flight (in 2A) and it was brilliant. I didn't count the number of staff in the F cabin but at times it seemed as if they must number 1:1 with the pax. I used the call button twice and had no sooner looked up to check that the call had registered, when there was someone at my side, smiling and asking how they could help.

The food was excellent, with the added benefit of offering any dish on the menu, in any category, at any time that you choose. Bonus points to EK for that degree of flexibility.

Then, of course, the showers. What could be better towards the end of a long haul flight than a hot shower, in a beautifully appointed room, complete with heated floor, bath sheet, a choice of spa products - and orchids in the shower stall?

Drat! I forgot to take a glass of the Dom Perignon 2004 into the shower with me!

Forget choosing seats. Can someone take up the DP-in-the-shower challenge?

 

[boomy]

While I prefer a window seat, so have never flown in the middle block on EK in the A380, I can't imagine that you would have a problem with any of their seats.

Flying with the missus this time so not much choice but middle seats on the A380.
Seats 1A/1K on the B747 are my favourite when flying together with someone.

Drat! I forgot to take a glass of the Dom Perignon 2004 into the shower with me!

Those few minutes in the shower will probably be the only time I won't hold a glass of Dom in my hand on that short flight

 

[pagingjoan]

...Those few minutes in the shower will probably be the only time I won't hold a glass of Dom in my hand on that short flight

Now, I need a "Don't like" for that one.
Have fun.

 

[mushez]

3E & F are always blocked, as is both the last seats before bulk heads in J, and a bunch of Y abc seats mid cabin on the A380, guess to allocate to groups at check in, but seems somehow the odd person gets these allocated prior to T48hrs

I am assuming the $900 is one way and not return?

Never yet stepped foot in EK A380 F, so cannot help on the seat front, but my default would always be a K seat.

 

[Nizar]

Just allocated 2E & 2F for myself and the wife (gosh! we'll be getting hitched a week earlier!!) for JFK-DXB and DXB-BKK later in the year. Drained my entire Qantas balance of 402,000 points and $2500.00 in taxes and fees, just to fly the EK birds.

And the chauffeur drive at Dubai ..... most likely they pick you up in Volvos?? Really? :shock:

That's the same seats that myself and my wife booked for DXB-MEL when we first tried EK F last year.
Chauffeur drive you'll most likely get a E class wagon in my opinion, I think the Volvos are for J class pax.

 

[Steady]

I've read you receive a laundry bag and amenity kit by having the shower.

Can anyone on AFF confirm this? I have booked a classic award in April and have just been searching for the best seating F seating on the EK A380. I plan to try the shower out on the morning flight to AKL anyway but am interested to know if this will mean I will get an amenity kit as a bonus.

 

[boomy]

Can anyone on AFF confirm this? I have booked a classic award in April and have just been searching for the best seating F seating on the EK A380. I plan to try the shower out on the morning flight to AKL anyway but am interested to know if this will mean I will get an amenity kit as a bonus.

No amenity kit or laundry bad for myself and the missus on our recent AKL-BNE flight.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Nope. We've never received any extra amenities just for having a shower. Isn't the shower enough?

ps: all the seating in first is the same, effectively.

 

[legroom]

Re: What the best seat(s) to choose in First class on A380?

The RH shower as you face the front (where the J 'lounge' is on QF A380s) is larger than the other; I've had hotel rooms with smaller bathrooms. So if you chose a K seat, you would just swan up forward. On the long haul, they take your preferred time at the start and I think you can nominate which side.

Yes, forget seat selection, now its shower selection!

Now I became the genius for having selected 2/3K for the upcoming trip (only thinking about sun orientation at the time).

Amazing the amount of minutiae seen on AFF (in a positive way) !

 

[RooFlyer]

No laundry bag or extra kit for me SYD-DXB. But here was a nice fruit selection and tea/coffee waiting for me when I returned to my seat

 

[pagingjoan]

No laundry bag or extra kit for me SYD-DXB. But here was a nice fruit selection and tea/coffee waiting for me when I returned to my seat

Yes, that has been my experience, too. Each time, I wondered momentarily if I had ordered the fruit platter. I had not. It is obviously a post-shower add on. Hard to fault it, on any level.

I must confess to not noticing the difference in size on the right and left hand showers. Have used both on several occasions but that detail has not registered. Too many glasses of Dom Perignon, perhaps?

 

[TheRealTMA]

No laundry bag or extra kit for me SYD-DXB. But here was a nice fruit selection and tea/coffee waiting for me when I returned to my seat

What shoud one expect for a shower at 10km in the air - A plastic duck or a teddy bear?
You get a nice towel

I've also never noticed a difference in lh and rh showers.

 

[Pushka]

What shoud one expect for a shower at 10km in the air - A plastic duck or a teddy bear?
You get a nice towel

I've also never noticed a difference in lh and rh showers.

Well that's a relief. I was thinking of changing from 1a to 1k. So far I'm the only one in F for four weeks time. Nice if it stays that way (and no upgrade interlopers - of which we both were last EK flight. )

 

[pagingjoan]

What shoud one expect for a shower at 10km in the air - A plastic duck or a teddy bear?
You get a nice towel

I've also never noticed a difference in lh and rh showers.

Yes, a very nice towel. A bath "sheet", really. Another indulgent touch at 30,000 feet.

 

[Pushka]

Do you reckon the attendants think it's a bit wanky having the shower on a four hour flight? Not that it matters of course. I'm doing it anyway.

Now, to select the best time. Before dinner. Après dinner. I plan to be there first to select the best time.

 

[boomy]

Do you reckon the attendants think it's a bit wanky having the shower on a four hour flight? Not that it matters of course. I'm doing it anyway.

Well, yes they do
When my gf asked the CSM when it's possible to have shower she got 'the look' with a reply: "you know it's just a three hour flight?" (Damn I thought it's four hours, these A380s are fast!).
Of course we did it anyway but were the only two pax to do use the showers in a full cabin.

Now, to select the best time. Before dinner. Après dinner. I plan to be there first to select the best time.

You can do it up to one hour before landing.
We left it to the last minute, after dinner.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Well that's a relief. I was thinking of changing from 1a to 1k. So far I'm the only one in F for four weeks time. Nice if it stays that way (and no upgrade interlopers - of which we both were last EK flight. )

In our experience EK are very generous in their upgrades to F - just slightly annoying to fare paying customers but good luck to them. And remember, in the F showers, no one can hear you scream (or read).

I've also seen EK allow a shower to someone sitting in J. No idea who he was, maybe friend of crew or someone with status of some kind.

 

[pagingjoan]

Do you reckon the attendants think it's a bit wanky having the shower on a four hour flight? Not that it matters of course. I'm doing it anyway.

Now, to select the best time. Before dinner. Après dinner. I plan to be there first to select the best time.

When someone had the shower on AKL-MEL recently, I did wonder if they didn't have a bathroom at home, or wherever they had come from or were going.
I don't think that should stop you though.