What's up with Emirates?

[MEL_Traveller]

I managed to make my connection in SYD. If I had known that I could make EU600 for a 24hr delay, I just may have gone with the proposed delay. At the time, making it home for the weekend to be with family was priority #1 but even my wife would give me up for a day at EUR600.

well - it potentially gets a bit tricky... if you accept alternative arrangements (eg overnight), there may be no grounds for compensation. If your delayed departure from MAN meant that you missed the connection in DXB, and there was no alternative available to get you to SYD within 4 hours of your original time... you may have had a good case.

 

[N860CR]

I'd go with QF J transtasman over EK. EK may have the long haul product, but you don't really need it. The Jetconnect service is usually good and there are several flight options throughout the day. Food and wine will be better on QF

 

[CMA222]

Did ZQN - DUB yesterday in Y. VERY average. No priority tags on bags which added about 20 mins to getting our bags in DUB. No status recognition until before descent when we received the Express Passes, which were dealt out like cards in a poker game to eligible passengers. Asked for a second (tiny) bottle of wine on two occasions during lunch and am still waiting, despite promises to deliver. Crew were smiling but just not following through. Y toilets were either not working or later closed off by crew to store bags of rubbish and then blankets etc. Flight parked at a remote location (despite many available A380 gates observed from the subsequent bus) so buses for a full A380 went on and on. Arrived at terminal on bus about 45 mins after landing and then the 40 minute wait for bags. This was at 1.30 am Dubai time. Y passengers waited in the front cabin for ages while a J passenger shuffled to and then down the internal and external stairs. The Y passengers could have moved off and back on the aircraft at least twice in the mean time but the CSM wanted the J passenger to have priority. Even the J bus gave up waiting and departed. It was a 'fail' for me a as a Y passenger. Lesson learned !!

 

[Borisdog]

I'd go with QF J transtasman over EK. EK may have the long haul product, but you don't really need it. The Jetconnect service is usually good and there are several flight options throughout the day. Food and wine will be better on QF

You're not serious? You'd rather 737 in J than a 777 or 380 in J? As for the food and drinks, again you can't be serious. 737 QF in J is so far behind EK J that it's not funny.
Given that the price is often cheaper on EK 380 J than QF I can't believe that anyone would take QF if the arrival time or departure time are not a factor.

 

[Sprucegoose]

You're not serious? You'd rather 737 in J than a 777 or 380 in J? As for the food and drinks, again you can't be serious. 737 QF in J is so far behind EK J that it's not funny.
Given that the price is often cheaper on EK 380 J than QF I can't believe that anyone would take QF if the arrival time or departure time are not a factor.

Six or one half dozen for me. Meal will be better on QF. Short hop.

 

[Borisdog]

Six or one half dozen for me. Meal will be better on QF. Short hop.

I'll gracefully disagree with you about the food, but J going anywhere in a 737 is bordering on legal theft at the prices charged.

 

[Pushka]

After the disgusting meal served in SQJ recently then emirates food is wonderful.

 

[N860CR]

I'd definitely take QF over EK across to NZ. The long haul hard product is of really no benefit on the sub 3 hour sector. Qantas have good wines and in my experience the food far exceeds that of EK.

While the 737 seat is nothing more than a seat, it's in a small cabin on a carrier (Jetconnect) that has consistently good service.

The last AKL-SYD I did on EK was on a half empty A380 with the staff doing an express service through the J cabin (meal was still cold in the middle) to disappear and never be seen again.

 

[Altair]

As a NZ based Trans-Tasman traveller the EK service does not really warrant what QF (Jetconnect) offers. Sure I am travelling EK A380 F in a couple of months but that is pure indulgence as a birthday present for me. EK schedule is not convenient for NZers, on board service, including food, is not better and the smaller Business cabin on the 737 does provide better service from the dedicated crew member. Row 1 provides enough space for me to put my backpack with laptop down from the overhead bins, yes only during cruise, , and to work on my computer after the meal service. As others have stated IMO you do not need the flatbed over the Tasman unless you want to forego all inflight service and sleep but the travel times are out of sync with actual sleeping times, which due to EK's overly lengthy cabin announcements really reduce the time available to sleep. Oh the EK 777 Business Class product, from the looks of it, I would not even bother to make the effort for a TT trip.
IMO QF, especially when there is a Sale on, offers a decent Business Class product and schedule without the need for the EK service. Of course very much a YMMV.

 

[esquire]

Agree - I have found myself going back to the QF 737s in J to and from NZ rather than EK. Previous flights on EK have been underwhelming. I find QF better with service and food. Whilst seats are not as good obviously for such a short trip it does not really matter to me as I find the QF 737 seats comfortable.

 

[Cossie]

Slighty OT, flew LAN 787 from Sydney to Auckland and back, the flight over was ok, breakfast in the F lounge!, but the 6:15 departure time coming back was a tad harsh to cope with, add the time difference, it means for a long day. Probably go Qantas metal (Jetconnect) next time, times are much more convenient.

 

[drron]

Flying J Trans Tasman on QF beats EK any day when the cost is 17500 AA miles and able to be booked online.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Unfortunately for EK, the staff maketh the airline and chc to syd was really bad.
Dodgy head phone socket, uninspiring movie selection, had to go and get own water then had to interrupt hostie who had a doing nothing fixation in the gallery to even get a glass. Earlier request for a wine whilst meal trays being collected were responded to with 'wait until we finish the trolley service then press your call button and ask again', no express card offered. And staff had head in paper work whilst pax disembarking. Booked as qf. Complete contrast on the 738 qf metal over which was everything a full service carrier should be.

Similar dismal experience on EK Y across the ditch. The CSM "ran out" of express passes as they apparently "weren't loaded". Asked for a wine when the meal trays were being collected and 40 minutes later ended up going up to the galley to get it myself.
IFE not working on my seat (front row Y) on the way over. Offered to move me to a middle seat up the back of the aircraft.
I will not fly EK Y again unless I really, really have to.
I've got one of those cheap ex-NZ F fares booked and have booked QF J for the flights to AKL as the timing is much better and from all reports it will be a better service than EK J. I've done QF Jet Connect J a few times and couldn't really fault the service although I'm not really a fan of J 737 for anything other than SYD-MEL.

 

[kermatu]

Add me to the list of QF supporters trans-tasman. I regularly fly Y or J - and certainly the QF Y experience is far superior. I've had only a couple of EK Y trans tasman flights (none in J or F) - service was indifferent, even when my travelling companion had wine spilt on her from a cup that had a hole in it, minimal visibility of staff with pax generally getting up to get drinks themselves. Food was good though.

I consistently find the QF jetconnect services to be excellent. Admittedly even in Y I'm near the front and have had a bit of extra service being WP or P1, but the staff are generally all around terrific.

The extra privacy of an EK J seat would tempt me but the reports here don;'t look good.

I will say however the EK lounge in Auckland beats QF's Auckland F lounge.

 

[blackcat20]

We've chosen EK over QF as they were about half the price over xmas...

 

[Awesom Andy]

My colleague recently did a trans-Tasman trip in Y, with one flight on an EK 777 and the other on a QF (Jetconnect) 737. He was much more impressed with EK than with QF. However, any friend who flew SIN-MEL on EK (also in Y) said that she wouldn't fly with them again if she had the choice. Guess both airlines can be rather inconsistent. And as for myself, I'll finally get to test out EK Y in about 6 weeks time (unless I get op-uped again - unlikely based on current loads).

 

[JohnK]

All of this is assuming Emirates had it right in the first place.

Not convinced this is the case. Want to try Emirates in economy but that will have wait for now. Have a business class fliht BKK-HKG in a few months.

 

[TomVexille]

We've chosen EK over QF as they were about half the price over xmas...

With a QF code to boot

 

[PineappleSkip]

i mentioned the EK F lounge in DXB T1 a while back in this thread. Last trip through a couple of weeks ago I was in there again, it looks to have had a makeover of sorts.

Pic enclosed, taken from the smallish dining area toward the lounge. Either new chairs or reupholstered. Mind you it is still not a patch on the marvellous lounges in T3.

Cheers skip

 

[Nizar]

Not convinced this is the case. Want to try Emirates in economy but that will have wait for now. Have a business class fliht BKK-HKG in a few months.

Did you know F on this route can be had for only 38k QFF points ?
Not bad at all considering that for many this would be a bucket list item.