How Many Seats Can They Cram into the Economy Class Section??!!
Written: Oct 16 '07 (Updated Oct 16 '07)
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Pros: Dubai-based airlines offers an extensive array of flights to several continents.
Cons: Not many flights out-of-the USA. Typically expensive. Economy Cabin configuration makes for crowded conditions!
The Bottom Line: Emirates is rapidly_expanding their routes across-the-globe, but quality of service has diminished. Emirates places the maximum number of seats permitted in economy class, leaving the passenger with little personal space.
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| reginafug's Full Review: Emirates Airlines |
This summer we flew Emirates from Dubai to Victoria, Mahe (The Seychelles). There aren’t many airlines servicing the Seychelles, and the traveler is limited to two airlines flying out of the UAE and two from London and Paris. Due to lack of competition for that route, the fares tend to be high!
We traveled from the US on Delta Airlines, spent some time in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and then traveled to the Seychelles, causing us to go through the Dubai Airport four times times. The Dubai airport is rather overwhelming, the passages are long, and the queues to go through Immigration and Security are always long. For our flight to Mahe, we gave ourselves a total of three hours to check-in, eat breakfast, and then do a little shopping, but we barely had time to get a bite to eat, not shop, and then rush to the gate!
Past Experiences with Emirates:
It’s been at least three years since I’ve flown Emirates, but I’ve always remembered them as "the airline with fantastic service! Back then, my flights were only from Jakarta to Singapore and back (1:10 hrs flight), on barely-full cabins, and as such, what could go wrong? As a result, flying Emirates was always a very pleasurable event; the flight attendants were truly charming as they really didn’t have to work very hard serving 40 to 50 passengers!
Recent Experiences: August 18 – September 2, 2007
~ Online Booking: Dubai – Mahe – Dubai
I started looking at their fares in January 2007 and followed the trend all the way to late April and the price never budged one Dirham. A four-hour flight, cost 2,900 AED or US$759.00. Realizing that the fares were not going to go down (why should they, they practically have a monopoly on the flights from the UAE to the Seychelles), I booked our tickets.
Flights from Dubai to the Seychelles are offered four times a week, once a day; therefore, careful planning is essential.
Booking Online was very easy, and I paid by credit card, and received our e-tickets in a matter of seconds.
~ Watch your Weight (your luggage, that is!)
Emirates weight allowances vary from region to region, and we were dismayed to find out two days before travel, that the allowance from Dubai to Seychelles was only one 20 kg bag (44 lbs), and one carry-on at 7 kg. Having arrived on Delta, on a business class ticket, we were entitled to three suitcases at 70 lbs a piece, but being conservative, we each brought only two suitcases weighing 40 lbs each, but we obviously exceeded Emirates' weight allowance.
Packing light for a three-week trip is not easy, especially since part of the luggage included some dive equipment.
In Abu Dhabi, our friends live in the building next to the Emirates office, and we were able to go in person to plead our case. We spoke to a very nice Customer Service person and explained our weight dilemma. She said she would contact a manager to see if they would grant us each, a second bag at no cost, but if the request was declined, we’d have to pay 18.00 Euros per each excess kilo. They called us the next day and gave us an additional 20 kg per person, and since we were going to the Seychelles, they gave us an additional 10kg for dive equipment. So, we were okay, at 30 kg per person! That was very nice!
Immigration, Security and then Check-in ~ What a nightmare!
On 15 August, 2007 thousands of illegal immigrants were permitted to leave Dubai under "amnesty," instead of going to jail. On 18 August, the airport was a madhouse, as illegal foreign workers were exiting the UAE en masse! And, of course, we flew to the Seychelles on that day!
~ Going through Security - A madhouse!
Security agents were shouting at the workers, herding them like cattle! Those poor men looked so confused, clutching their documents while pushing taped-up, massive cardboard boxes with their feet (it was their luggage). Many of them would cut in front of others without a second thought, and somehow one single queue to the Security scanners became a double queue and my husband and I became separated.
There were three or four people ahead of my husband, when I attempted to join my husband. One of Security Agents, working the scanner, saw me changing queues, and he pointed his finger at me and shouted:
“You! What are you trying to do”? “You will stand there and wait until I call you to come forward”
…My husband said, “We’re together, she’s my wife”…
The Security guy pointed a finger at my husband and said:
“You will not say a word, or you’ll not go through”! I could see the fire in my husband’s eye, and I shook my head, and gave my husband a pleading look not to say a word! He kept quiet, and we went through without incident!
~ Check-in Area
More chaos… what were those people carrying in those huge cardboard boxes and where are they going? I started reading the names and addresses on the boxes, written with heavy markers and I could see most folk were heading to the Philippines, Pakistan, and other cities in India.
We found the desk for our flight, and there were four, super-long queues. Fortunately for us, a fifth position opened up, and we didn’t have to wait long!
Boarding our flights on both directions was easy and orderly.
Dubai- Seychelles Flight ~ Let’s pack them like Sardines on a 777-200!
We flew during the high season, in mid-August, when all of Europe (OK, I’m exaggerating) is vacationing in the Seychelles. Since flights are not offered daily, and there is only one flight a day from Dubai to Mahe, you can imagine that both classes are fully booked… and don’t even dream about getting a free upgrade!
If you’re familiar with a B777-200, it is a big aircraft, and Emirates’ configuration for that particular plane is: 42 business seats and 304 economy seats! Yes, sir, 304 seats! That’s a lot of seats, conducive to packing the passengers like sardines!
Emirate’s economy cabin seating arrangement is 3-4-3; so, we requested two isle seats, and we were basically sitting together, but without having to deal with who’s sitting in the middle seat, etc.
The cabin was very clean and the seat upholstery in very good condition. Regardless of condition, the seats are small and just plain uncomfortable!
Emirate’s 3-4-3 configuration (and 304 seats) means the cabin space is very tight, especially when the person in front of you decides to fully recline their seat, and you have your tray table open; you’ll barely have but a few inches to move around. Suffice it to say that I couldn’t reach for a magazine when it fell to the floor and my tray table was open, and I’m only 5'4"!
Most US airlines configure their B777-200 at 3-3-3 seats. Continental for example, offers a 3-3-3 configuration with 235 seats in economy class and 42 in Business, so clearly, the passengers have more space, even though it doesn’t seem like it. Delta, configures their 777-200 at 50 business class seats and 218 economy seats, offering a little bit more room.
So, Americans: stop complaining about the tight seating conditions on our carriers!! It can be worse, fly Emirates!
~ But How’s the Service?
Emirates has a tradition of excellent service and they have received many accolades for outstanding service throughout the years, for "Best Business Airline and Best First Class Service," but I didn't find records of any awards for "Best Economy class."
In my opinion, to test an airline’s true commitment to service, one must fly in Economy Class; that’s the real test!
On past flights, I found the Emirate flight attendants warm, friendly, smiley, and quite attentive. I think today things are a little different, and I observed that they do not go out of their way to help passengers, unless asked to. The attendants do what they are supposed to do, ensure passenger safety, assist passengers if needed, serve food and drinks. However, I observed the majority of the attendants performed their duties in a rather mechanical manner.
~ Quality of Food on both flights
No award-winning cuisine on either Dubai – Mahe – Dubai flights. The food was rather average, my lasagna (or something like that) tasted like cardboard, and the bread was rubbery. But, who cared (although I noticed the poor quality), as we were on our way to the prettiest archipelago in East Africa!
The best meals in economy class, in my opinion, are served by Malaysia Air and Singapore Air.
~ Beverage Service
On the Dubai-Mahe route, there was one beverage service before the meal, during, and then, after the meal; the attendants went around asking if there was anything else desired to drink. Alcoholic beverages such as beer and wine were complimentary, as were soft drinks. My hubby was served a few rounds by Anna, the French attendant; he seemed pleased!
~ Entertainment
Emirate’s 777-200 cabins have the famous ICE entertainment. Wouldn’t you know it; I couldn’t get mine to work! My husband’s ICE worked and he was happy with it, watched a movie, and a HBO special.
~ Lavatories
From Dubai to Mahe, the bathrooms were kept spotless and no complaints. From Mahe to Dubai, one of the bathrooms in our section was ruined when apparently someone got sick, but didn’t notify an attendant. Of course, I had the displeasure of discovering the mess, and promptly notified an attendant. They sealed the door with a red sticker saying “out of service”.
Return flight: Mahe – Seychelles
This is truly a red-eye flight, and we left Mahe at 12:50 am. This time, the aircraft was an Airbus 330-300, and the good thing about it is that seating configuration is much better, at 2-4-2, so this time we sat together! The seats are still crammed-in, as Emirates uses every inch of cabin space and go for maximum number of seats in Economy Class! This flight was also fully booked.
As soon as we had leveled-off, the crew started the dinner-service, with the beverage service right behind. The goal, I detected, was to feed the crowd, and get them to go to sleep, which is exactly what happened. Then, about 45-minutes before landing, they passed a sweet pastry with a choice of a hot beverage, juice, or soft drinks. We landed around 5:30 am.
~ Entertainment
The ICE entertainment was not enabled on this flight, but I doubt anyone would have used it. Everyone just passed out after dinner.
Arrival in Dubai
We landed and taxied to a distant tarmac where several buses were waiting to pick-up passengers. The ride from the plane to the Arrivals building seemed endless.
A young woman traveling with her parents fainted in front of me and started having convulsions. Everyone froze, I didn’t know what to do, how to help, but her mother told everyone she knew what to do, and we just moved back and gave her space!.
Mercifully, the girl fainted only a couple of minutes or so away from the terminal and the driver radioed for help. As soon as the bus arrived, staff was waiting for them!
You’d think at this ungodly hour the Immigration lines would be short… not so!
Getting a Visa to enter the UAE
As U.S Citizens we were granted a free 30-day visa on our first arrival. The Immigration officer asked what we intended to do while in the UAE and where we were staying. End of conversation.
CONCLUSION
Overall, Emirates is a good airline. Here are my praises and complaints:
* We were very pleased with the Emirate’s Office personnel, how they granted us the extra weight allowance, etc.
* We were pleased with the upkeep of the planes, as they are clean, and in good-condition. The staff for the most part is friendly, but not overly-obsequious; as I had experienced in past years.
* The quality of the food left much to be desired, but then again, few airlines serve quality meals in economy class (such as Malaysia Airlines and Singapore Air).
* The beverage service was very good, as they are not stingy and replenished drinks frequently, if you asked.
* My biggest complaint is the “cabin space” situation. It’s obvious Emirates makes full use of the cabin by placing the maximum number of allowable seats,leaving the passenger with very little personal space!
Since I'm already on a roll, please allow me to nitpick [grumble] some more:
Emirates Business Class at a glance
Since we had to walk through business class to exit the plane, I must say I was not impressed with the the size of their business class seats. Having flown business class on Delta and Continental, I could see that Emirate's business seats are smaller, and are “recline only” seats, as opposed to the ”almost lie-flat” seats on business class on Delta or Continental.
Emirates does not promptly deposit (or maybe never deposits) actual miles flown into customer's partner airline account
When I purchased our Emirates tickets online, I entered our OnePass membership numbers when prompted, and then again, when we checked-in at the counter, we gave our OnePassnumbers to the Customer Service person at Check-in.
To date (it's been over two months), and we have not received credit for the air miles flown on Emirates. Now I have to provide Continental with our boarding passes and itinerary so that they can assist us get credit for those flights.
~ Partnership with other airlines
Emirates is a member of SkyTeam, OnePass, and other major alliances. However, Emirates has several blackout periods (July to September), and other major holiday periods, so, flying free on this airline using partner miles can be tricky!
Recommend it?
Well, if you can afford to fly in Emirate’s premium class, or happen to get lucky that day and receive a "free upgrade," then, more than likely you’ll enjoy (and even rave about) the "Emirates experience."
Otherwise, their economy class is cramped, seats are uncomfortable, the food is not very good, but drinks are plentiful, the flight attendants are young, and most of them good-looking!!
You’ve been informed!
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Thank you for reading!
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©reginafug 2007
Recommended:
Yes
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