Best Emirates J seat BNE - AKL

[russ]

There aren't any F saver deals out of Australia - just on the NZ exit flight. Even so F is pretty much deserted.

Into NZ there is no guarantee that there are no other planes arriving just ahead of you. And that will be of far more impact than getting out of the J cabin on the A380 which I expect just wont be particularly busy.

I have been commuting SYD/AKL for the past few months mainly using F Saver round trips ex-AKL, so I get F both ways! As a commuter, I optimise on speed because I'm doing it so often. It's not a problem to get out of F quickly, but when I have had to slum it in J, the delays have been very annoying!

Agreed, there is always the chance of other aircraft coming in, but if you are at the front of your aircraft, you're always going to be better off than at the back. The old people in J are a real issue. They struggle to manoeuvre out of their seats (the opening is narrow) and then struggle with the overhead compartments, etc, all while the masses in economy are alighting beneath you.

russ, you have unsettled my world

can you please repost taking into account that I only have to soil my lungs and body in New Zealand as a stopover. I dislike sheep. I assume no customs and elderly queues as a transit pax with a connection to LAN flight to SCL??

You'll still have the elderly queues getting off the aircraft, but it sounds like you'll be tipsy enough not to care!

I am WP but travelling on a complicated ticket (I think it was booked through BudgetAir) in J. Is there any chance a WP Qantas person would be upgraded to F on a BNE-AKL flight?? I have no expectations, but just want to know if this could happen?

Yep, I've been upgraded from J to F at the gate a couple of times.

Possibly. Its a weird route but Emirates tend to look after status QFF'ers quite nicely. Make sure you log into your booking through the EMIRATES website and put your QFF number into the booking if it isnt already there.

I've always booked through the QF website and never had any reason to use the Emirates website - my QFF number has always appeared on my boarding pass.

 

[Pushka]

Lucky to be able to book return from NZ. If travelling there twice you could interlock the two I guess but thats unusual for most.

I am OC when it comes to detail. Once I did notice there were no QFF numbers on the Emirates website so knowing from experience they do upgrade I made sure I put them in.

Only once when travelling in J have we not been upgraded to F.

 

[medhead]

I had 8J on my one EK-A380 flight. The rest of the family had the middle row 8 seats and middle row 7. I'll be interested in your comments on bed length. 8J bed was slight shorter than the middle row 7 seats. I'm not that tall it was about 7cm too short for me to extend my legs to flatness.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I would take 23A. Seat is fine, it's close to the bar and if not going into NZ then no issues.
I don't have any luck yet with upgrades from EK and neither do any of my WP colleagues so lower your expectations accordingly.
On a short flight like that with a transit to International the J mini cabin will be just fine IMO

 

[Pushka]

I don't have any luck yet with upgrades from EK and neither do any of my WP colleagues so lower your expectations accordingly.

Clearly they dont KWYA. Wonder if WP1 will help.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Clearly they dont KWYA. Wonder if WP1 will help.

Doubt it, pretty sure EK can't tell the difference between WP and WP1.
One of the other issues with EK flights on QF code is that if there are multiple sectors on the ticket the status of the passenger can drop off on the subsequent sectors. I have had this happen to me and also have heard of it happening to others.

Can't say I'm rushing to book any EK LH flights over QF although their J seats are much better for me as a mostly solo traveller.

 

[mushez]

Good god, are you mad? Yes, it is closer to the bar, but it will take you ages to disembark behind all those other seats. For whatever reason, there's always a lot of old people flying EK J and they are very slow to get off. Disembarkation time on an A380 is critical because there is a floor below you who are just waiting to choke up the immigration queue. If you want to go to the bar, walk the aisle mid-flight when you are not racing to beat the grey nomads off the plane.

When I am slumming it in J, the only acceptable seat for me is 9A. 7A is too close to the galley and 8A is an aisle seat so you have the work-experience crew brushing past you all the time. And don't get me started on K... that adds an extra 30 seconds to disembarkation. So, 9A it is!



Nah, the real frequent flyers grab the F-Saver deals and are safely ensconced up the front. If they do venture to the bar, you'll be able to identify them because one of the F attendants will come down with some real bottles of grog just for them.

Remember to ask for an Express Arrivals card. They often don't give them out, and even if you ask, they will often tell you that AKL does not have an express lane. It bloody well does! However, if you sit in 9A, you'll won't need the express lane because there will be no queue at the passport machines and you can go straight through.

In would concur with 9A or K

Further forward, the faster exit as well as service for anything, can be 30-60 mins in service from the front of J to back of J in any EK A380. Not to mention the further back, you get more traffic as every J meal is walked tray by tray from rear to seat, and then again back to clean up at end.

Then you have a bigger walk back to bar and toilets in rear.

Also EK434 BNE-AKL will 99% of the time be serviced at Gate 10 in AKL, which is a twin aero bridge gate, and exit from it is narrow and slow moving for a while as the 2nd aero bridge was a tack on to allow 3rd A380 for EK, as the other 2 gates, Gate 15 & 16 are built from new with three aero bridges with A380 in mind.

 

[juddles]

.....I am in SO much trouble with SWMBO for first tasting the delights of Emirates J without her ...

Still working damage control as the flight looms near (next week) - just a question for those that have flown the route, do they give out an amenities kit for a barely 3.5 hr flight? So I can promise it for my wife.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Still working damage control as the flight looms near (next week) - just a question for those that have flown the route, do they give out an amenities kit for a barely 3.5 hr flight? So I can promise it for my wife.

Normally not. But you can always ask!

 

[Pushka]

Still working damage control as the flight looms near (next week) - just a question for those that have flown the route, do they give out an amenities kit for a barely 3.5 hr flight? So I can promise it for my wife.

I didnt receive one in F so probably unlikely. You can ask though.

 

[mushez]

Further - what I didn't add in above in choosing any J seat, EK A380 that is isle is shorter a few inches in length than a Window or Middle because the isle are shorter to allow the gap to allow access to the window/middle seats.

21B & J are the exceptions to this rule in more recent A380s - and seem to have been extended as the cabin allows extra length with them being with the exits behind them - so if Isle is the only option, I would jump on 21's - but be a toss up over 8's & 10's for less traffic but shorter length or full if not extra length 21's but traffic risks.

Choosing any isle seat by choice is crazy on EK A380 in J, because you don't have as much privacy or protection from flying objects off meal trays being walked up, tray by tray, from rear to each seat by crew - and then the return after. Have had my fair share of glasses off trays in my lap being seated in an isle seat in J, on a full J flight, seated in seat number 21, 23, 24 or 26 during service - but more often during the rush to clear empty away.

 

[Pushka]

Further - what I didn't add in above in choosing any J seat, EK A380 that is isle is shorter a few inches in length than a Window or Middle because the isle are shorter to allow the gap to allow access to the window/middle seats.

21B & J are the exceptions to this rule in more recent A380s - and seem to have been extended as the cabin allows extra length with them being with the exits behind them - so if Isle is the only option, I would jump on 21's - but be a toss up over 8's & 10's for less traffic but shorter length or full if not extra length 21's but traffic risks.

Choosing any isle seat by choice is crazy on EK A380 in J, because you don't have as much privacy or protection from flying objects off meal trays being walked up, tray by tray, from rear to each seat by crew - and then the return after. Have had my fair share of glasses off trays in my lap being seated in an isle seat in J, on a full J flight, seated in seat number 21, 23, 24 or 26 during service - but more often during the rush to clear empty away.

Aren't all the seats next to the aisle?

 

[medhead]

Further - what I didn't add in above in choosing any J seat, EK A380 that is isle is shorter a few inches in length than a Window or Middle because the isle are shorter to allow the gap to allow access to the window/middle seats.

21B & J are the exceptions to this rule in more recent A380s - and seem to have been extended as the cabin allows extra length with them being with the exits behind them - so if Isle is the only option, I would jump on 21's - but be a toss up over 8's & 10's for less traffic but shorter length or full if not extra length 21's but traffic risks.

Choosing any isle seat by choice is crazy on EK A380 in J, because you don't have as much privacy or protection from flying objects off meal trays being walked up, tray by tray, from rear to each seat by crew - and then the return after. Have had my fair share of glasses off trays in my lap being seated in an isle seat in J, on a full J flight, seated in seat number 21, 23, 24 or 26 during service - but more often during the rush to clear empty away.

That explains my experience with 8J

Aren't all the seats next to the aisle?

No. They all have direct aisle access, but some a next to the aisle and some are next to the window.

 

[Pushka]

Ok. Have just selected two K seats for Sin-Syd overnighter. On the way up I have deigned to be seated next to MrP as it is an early evening flight. I think thats right now?

 

[TheRealTMA]

Ok. Have just selected two K seats for Sin-Syd overnighter. On the way up I have deigned to be seated next to MrP as it is an early evening flight. I think thats right now?

You ol' softy, you!

 

[juddles]

Well the day has arrived. Or more specifically the flight leaves in 11 hrs. I have not been excited about a flight for a long time - hoping my first experience of Emirates is good.

Am driving down to BNE from Sunshine Coast at 4am - it is those sort of starts that really test customer service

 

[Mattg]

Remember to ask for an Express Arrivals card. They often don't give them out, and even if you ask, they will often tell you that AKL does not have an express lane. It bloody well does! However, if you sit in 9A, you'll won't need the express lane because there will be no queue at the passport machines and you can go straight through.

Do the NZ express arrival cards cover immigration and quarantine/customs, or just immigration? Last time I flew into AKL I got through immigration straight away, but the queues for customs after collecting baggage were phenomenal. The queue ran right to the end of the arrivals hall, then snaked around back as far as carousel 4. I waited over an hour.

 

[russ]

The express arrivals card only covers immigration, not customs. If you are one of the first 30-40 people off the plane and there is no other A380 just landed, you probably won't need the express card because there will be no queue on the passport machines. But it's good to have one just in case.

Customs can be a long wait if an A380 has landed just before you. If it is backed up, take the leftmost queue or Aussies and Kiwis. During summer, there are attendants who hand out "green cards". If you are an Aussie or Kiwi, grab a card and go through the special green card lane on the left. Alas, this is not operating at the moment.

 

[juddles]

None of you know me very well, but I do not smile much. But about to board the Emirates A380 I did just that

 

[Pushka]

View attachment 68248

None of you know me very well, but I do not smile much. But about to board the Emirates A380 I did just that

Enjoyed it then?