Emirates chauffeur entitlement question

[mushez]

Pity EK don't (potentially) save themselves some money by allowing pax to use MMB to trade the available cars for miles or other incentives to use less of the available cars per booking. (Eg: My next booking has 24 cars available, but as few as 3 are needed.)

What point does one start or finish with that? Miles for not drinking in the lounge? For not using the amenity kit? Not having checked baggage?

Think the commercial logic is not all will need or use, so the cost is lower. It is likewise the commercial logic in offering money back guarantees, sells more by offering it and profit from that more than covers the few who take up the offer. Playing the odds.

 

[Infrequent]

What point does one start or finish with that? Miles for not drinking in the lounge? For not using the amenity kit? Not having checked baggage?

Think the commercial logic is not all will need or use, so the cost is lower. It is likewise the commercial logic in offering money back guarantees, sells more by offering it and profit from that more than covers the few who take up the offer. Playing the odds.

Of course. However, in the light of all the recent cost-cutting, it would be "nice" (rather than strictly commercially sound) to allow a trade-off along the lines of:

• 24 cars offered, 3 used.
• Cost to EK per car, say, $20.
• So, saving of $420.
• 42,000 miles credit (42K miles actual cost to EK ... ? $42 perhaps?)
• Profit

 

[mushez]

Of course. However, in the light of all the recent cost-cutting, it would be "nice" (rather than strictly commercially sound) to allow a trade-off along the lines of:

• 24 cars offered, 3 used.
• Cost to EK per car, say, $20.
• So, saving of $420.
• 42,000 miles credit (42K miles actual cost to EK ... ? $42 perhaps?)
• Profit

Think you will find Chauffeur Drivers are contracted by a contractor who Emirates Contracts on a fixed fee per car movement in the range of $100 per movement. Savings to EK is around $100 they don't have to pay a contracting company, however it will no doubt differ port to port - as it wouldn't surprise me in places like Singapore, the amount to be as low as $20

Miles would be in cost terms $20-$40 per 1,000 to EK, not $1 per 1,000

But all is missing the main point of what any service attached to a "Full Service" carrier is - that it is an all inclusive single fare that includes all the services - and you are not having to pay $5 for a can of coke, or 30 cents for a square of toilet paper.

The second you encourage a Full Service carrier to give discounts or credits for not using a service, is a slippery slope encouraging them towards being a low cost carrier.

It is the one thing that turned me off Air NZ when the put 4 fares on the Tasman, so you get savings by not having checked baggage or meals, not that I have an issue with it in principle - what I found was that simply asking for something I had paid for - the answer was never yes Sir, it was - let me check my paperlist if you are entitled to that service......

You are really thinking about your short term savings, rather than the long term ramifications to yourself.

Chauffeur drive is there as a service option for you, just like extra checked baggage, just like lounge access, just like priority baggage tagging - Full Service Airline - all inclusive, use it if you wish. Likewise the airline will do the odds on someone using the service - and adjust their fares on all taking the odds into account along with all other market forces to consider price.

 

[diningdecadence]

are you meant to get a call prior to the day with a confirmation? can't remember from my flight last year, and bit concerned i haven't had a confirmation prior to my flight in about 8 hours time.

 

[Pushka]

are you meant to get a call prior to the day with a confirmation? can't remember from my flight last year, and bit concerned i haven't had a confirmation prior to my flight in about 8 hours time.

I did when flying out to Dubai but didn't get one when returning. They seem extremely reliable imo. I was collected in a Mercedes Maybach. Google it - my sons and friends were very jealous.

 

[Scoot]

Find Emirates are inflexible to the point of stupidity with some of the chauffeur services. We are a little outside the distance limit for the free service - to go the extra would have been an outrageous amount. We are travelling together on J class fares and could have booked 2 vehicles - we are saving them a lot travelling together in one car yet Emirates refused to go an extra 12 kms for free - I wouldn't have minded paying however the amount was simply outrageous. A big thumbs down to Emirates for biting off their nose to spite their face.

 

[Dr Ralph]

Find Emirates are inflexible to the point of stupidity with some of the chauffeur services. We are a little outside the distance limit for the free service - to go the extra would have been an outrageous amount. We are travelling together on J class fares and could have booked 2 vehicles - we are saving them a lot travelling together in one car yet Emirates refused to go an extra 12 kms for free - I wouldn't have minded paying however the amount was simply outrageous. A big thumbs down to Emirates for biting off their nose to spite their face.

Take the chauffeur to the end of the radius and then get a taxi the rest of the way.

 

[Scoot]

Take the chauffeur to the end of the radius and then get a taxi the rest of the way.

Take the chauffeur to the end of the radius and then get a taxi the rest of the way.

Yep - thanks - will do

 

[SoftDraw]

Sorry if this has been answered before. I am considering booking an EY award to Abu Dhabi then connecting to an EK award from DXB I note the Emirates offer chauffeur anywhere in the UAE. Therefore could I have my pick up as Abu Dhabi airport and use the chauffeur as my transfer between the two airports?

 

[N0mad]

So i just booked for December this year, i can see the buttons when i manage my booking to book a chauffeur, when do you normally request now or just prior to flying?

Also we are a family of 4, i assume we should be booking 2 cars considering we'll have lots of luggage... is this easy?

 

[Dr Ralph]

So i just booked for December this year, i can see the buttons when i manage my booking to book a chauffeur, when do you normally request now or just prior to flying?

Also we are a family of 4, i assume we should be booking 2 cars considering we'll have lots of luggage... is this easy?

I book about 1 month out. Getting multiple vehicles is no issue.

 

[N0mad]

I book about 1 month out. Getting multiple vehicles is no issue.

thanks Doc, thought it silly to book now.

slightly off topic, what dates did you get that trip for? i notice you mention Christmas and New years, my Wife's Thai and our little one will be in school next year so we will be restricted to travel probably from Boxing day onwards to end of Jan in future years.

trying to work out if i should focus on QFF points or switch with some Velocity for SQ.

 

[Dr Ralph]

thanks Doc, thought it silly to book now.

slightly off topic, what dates did you get that trip for? i notice you mention Christmas and New years, my Wife's Thai and our little one will be in school next year so we will be restricted to travel probably from Boxing day onwards to end of Jan in future years.

trying to work out if i should focus on QFF points or switch with some Velocity for SQ.

From memory I departed SYD around Dec 21 and return from BKK on Jan 2.

These EK flights were booked about 3 months out.

 

[N0mad]

From memory I departed SYD around Dec 21 and return from BKK on Jan 2.

These EK flights were booked about 3 months out.

ok, that's really interesting, they do seem to offer large volumes of seats considering i booked 4 business rewards and when i search now i still see availability for another 4 on the same flight.

I might monitor this year for next then, will stick to QF card churning in the short term.

thanks again, always a great help

 

[N0mad]

back on topic, anyone know the extra fee for child seats in Sydney?

 

[N0mad]

back on topic, anyone know the extra fee for child seats in Sydney?

Hi just to update anyone interested, i phoned Emirates just now and was told they absolutely do NOT charge for child seats in Sydney.

Lady looked at my itinerary and confirmed

 

[ayebee]

I have flight coming up in March where I get a chauffeur car for Venice VCE.
I have a friend on same flight in Y, staying in same hotel, and wondering if I can bring him along. The online booking doesn't provide option for number of pax (I guess as I am solo traveller on the flight booking). Should I ring Emirates here in Oz before leaving?

Supplementary question - once we get to VCE can I take my friend into the Marco Polo lounge as a guest ?

 

[Happy Trails]

I have flight coming up in March where I get a chauffeur car for Venice VCE.
I have a friend on same flight in Y, staying in same hotel, and wondering if I can bring him along. The online booking doesn't provide option for number of pax (I guess as I am solo traveller on the flight booking). Should I ring Emirates here in Oz before leaving?

Supplementary question - once we get to VCE can I take my friend into the Marco Polo lounge as a guest ?

While the extra passenger is outside the T&Cs, there are several positive posts on FT, so I'd think it's worth a try.

And unless you have gold or platinum status, your friend would have to pay for lounge access.

 

[ayebee]

While the extra passenger is outside the T&Cs, there are several positive posts on FT, so I'd think it's worth a try.

And unless you have gold or platinum status, your friend would have to pay for lounge access.

Thanks Happy Trails

 

[jase05]

Probably a silly question but have ended up booking via Qantas ADL-MEL-DXB-FRA and CDG-DXB-MEL-ADL in J class. Obviously I wouldn’t be permitted the CD for the ADL pickup but because we get into MEL around lunch I was going to head into the City and catch up with a mate rather than spend 9 hours at the airport. If I make my own way into the CBD would I then be entitled for the CD to return to the Airport?
Have decided to go via MEL both ways as the last 2 trips with EK on the 777 have been a tad underwhelming and this way I can travel on their A380 the whole journey and at it came in $100 cheaper than leaving from ADL and get to use the EK lounge as an added bonus