It’s emirates to Karachi as historical ties with emirates operations first flight to Karachi I guess I heard in an tv interview quite some time ago. EK
The rant is completely valid. He’s paying first class, he should get first class treatment. Underwhelming staff can ruin a whole experience. As somebody who works in the service industry myself, I know that I have to be awesome to customers, so maybe I could make up for some shortcomings in the company.
Exactly the point for this review is also they know that IF we could pay for that it would be once in a lifetime. Just imagine we would finally be able to pay for it and we would be like "okay the seat is cool but economy or business is more worth it" I would cry
I prefer super comfort equipment and privacy rather than first class treatment, dont forget you use the seat and equipments for a very long hours the service is just maybe 20 minutes of the whole flight
@@nerolowell2320 service on a 14 hour flight would normally be a 2 hour meal service after takeoff, mid flight snacks on request, and a full breakfast around 1 hour before landing. So nah, it’s not just 20 minutes. And throughout the flight a flight attendant has to be stationed and ready to service passengers.
@@HS-PGX maybe 2 hours for the whole plane but how long would be a personal service ? i mean how many times or how long would a stewardess would spend time on you ? less than 20 minutes for the whole 14 hours flight !
Sorry your first flight of 2022 wasn't up to snuff, as they say. I am physically unable to fly, and haven't been in an aircraft since 1997, so I fly vicariously through your videos. Thanks!
Josh. I absolutely agree with you about the Emirates onboard staff. They are, generally, not in the same league as the ME carriers they compete with (Etihad / Qatar). In my opinion, as you have experienced, the food offered can be sub par and delivered in a hurried manner. Their onboard wine cellar is often outstanding which matches their truly luxurious hard product. Thanks for the time and effort you put into your videos Josh.
Last time I flew Emirates first class was from Brisbane in 2019. I paid full price for the ticket. I was the only person standing in the first class check in line and was ignored by Emirates staff. Im usually very quiet and compliant at airports, but I found myself saying, 'I hope the service on the plane is better than what Im getting here!' Once on board, I was impressed with the cabin and the wonderful bathrooms, including the fact that after each person uses the toilet, it is cleaned and the toilet paper folded to show it has been serviced.
Always enjoy your reviews. They’re always real! First class seat, business class dining and economy service. Very sad for a first class Emirates flight
I think this is the problem with First-Class. It’s simply not worth it. When booking First-Class you go in with a certain expectation: perfection! When this expectation is no met you are disappointed.
Flew before with both Emirates and Quatar: Both good services in Economy: My impression is, that Emirates focuses more on mass branding, while Quatar want to keep it more exclusive?
I agree, i flew a couples of times long haul flights with Emirates in last 2 years in Economy class. Found their service extremely good and a lot of food was served during the 14 hrs journey. I was not expecting this. But after seeing Josh his first class experience, in which he is right about the service given to him, I agree that its more mass targeting.
Travelled economy from Manchester to Dubai and I noticed a difference in lack of interest from staff compared to Singapore airlines. You felt like you were bothering them by asking for a drink of water. Singapore Airlines staff always smile and are always eager to bring water, snacks and are very helpful.
Yeah that is the problem with the economy offering from Emirates now days. Singapore airlines has amazing staff and economy seats are like premium seats, always love it but I wish the price wasn't so premium.
I think the Kam Air all-female flight video was one of the most important videos you've ever done. Was there going to be more follow-up videos on the crew? I remember the lead pilot was from Ukraine, so she must really have had a hell of a year full of challenges. I would love to see more on what became of the crew and the airline.
Agreed, I just found this info from The Guardian in Nov 2021. The first female Afghanii pilot Mohadese Mirzaee (who'd fled to Bulgaria) said: "When I was studying [in Canada], my mum always told me to come back to Afghanistan and work for my country. I shared her conviction. But today, even though I’d like to go back, I can’t. There is no space for women like me in Afghanistan any more. I lost my job, my home, my crew - everything.” But she says: “I’m hoping another airline will give me a chance to continue my career. A lot has been taken from me, but I will fight for my passion. That is what makes me, me.” Tragic.
They (taliban) take their Islam seriously and want the women to be entered into paradise, thus they do what they do. When women are liberalised they prefer the herenow at the cost of a good hereafter. A hard truth. The hard-line of a believer.
Aaaah I got commiseration cringe from the coffee invite! I'm a food blogger on Instagram (AKA one of those annoying people that paps their food before eating it) and there's no embarrassment quite like a food brand reaching out to invite you to a venue - often setting a date and time and agreeing on expectations - and then turning up to staff that have no idea you were coming and treat you like a random chancer trying to score a freebie, even with an email trail for proof 🙈 Love your flight and airline reviews, it's nice to see there are still other honest bloggers out there even when doing PR trips (in this case a coffee trip too 😄)
You DO know that what you're describing is a deliberate action on the part of whatever organization you've offended, right? You complain, they retaliate by setting you up for an even WORSE experience. Smiling all the while. Customer service is a thing of the past.
It has been four years since I flew with Emirates and back then i think the service was pretty good but when I flew Qatar airways in 2019 and 2020 there service was a lot more better than Emirates and EK is for Emirates and Karachi as it was their first route
I took a 3 1/2hr domestic first class flight on American last December. I treated myself. During that short-haul, they checked on me no less than 5 times, refilled my wine glass 3 times (Though I didn’t finish that 3rd glass), and served a delicious hot meal on actual dishes with silverware and not a plastic tray.
I am lucky enough to be able to travel first class and did so a few times with Emirates. Last one was about a month ago on a 7 hours flight and I too thought a lot has gone down in quality. Cabin and seats were a little tired, food was ok-ish and a lot of corners cut. Hopefully they will take all this comments and your video on board and improve in the future
Flew Emirates A380 UK to Singapore via Dubai. On the return stop in Dubai I approached the Emirates desk to enquire about upgrading. Without even looking up I got a “Yeeeees?” from behind the desk. Economy attitude so I stayed in economy.
I worked for EK till 2009. This is when the service standards were on the way down. There were some amazing crew when I was there and you would have had a completely different experience if I was serving you. It saddens me to see the airline getting worse and worse... company keeps employing ppl without passion for the job and not caring for crew who are passionate. So sad 😞. I just couldn't work for them anymore. Lots of good crew left.
YES! Thank you. In my own experience EK is overrated in all classes. On some U.S. routes (MCO-DXB-MCO) the menu is the same year after year rotating only to the same few things, and the service average. Yes, far better than any U.S. carrier but still underwhelming for what we pay and how they promote it.
This video was great, too bad about the poor service and that door getting stuck. I LOVE these videos, and was wondering if you could maybe show even more of the airports? Because the airports are actually my favorite part of traveling. I know you already show some of the airports you’re in, but just so you know, you have a subscriber that loves that kind of stuff, and seeing just walking through and seeing the different restaurants and shops makes me so excited
Staff always make the big difference in how a flight is perceived..... bon voyages as always Mr ....... and I'm not gonna comment on your reasoning behind the millions of views of your other A380 flight ....... shower scene ...... oh Josh 😳😇
i thought they were supposed to make your bed for you too....seems like this is going to come off my bucket list of things to do. thanks for sharing your experience!
Considering the price you paid I would have expected a bit more indeed. Cabin Crew not following up or offering top ups is also quite underwhelming giving that they literally just have 2-3 passengers to look after. Also the food looks boring and bland. Looks like a solid Business Class experience at most. Thanks for pointing it out and let's hope Emirates puts a bit more effort into its First Class again since my recent flight wasn't that great either. SQ or Etihad, perhaps even Lufthansa and Swiss show a lot more appreciation towards their Premium Customers.
I have flown Emirates First Class dozens and dozens of times and haven't had an experience anywhere like Josh's. One of the more notable differences I'll note is I've never had a crew not keep the drinks flowing... in fact on a flight just over a month ago I had three glasses of Dom before takeoff, simply because the crew kept refilling them. Usually it's not even an offer to refill them, they just do it... it's me who has to stop them! In my 10+ years of flying EK first, I've always had caring and detail oriented crew who will do just about anything to make sure your flight is enjoyable. I'm not sure how Josh managed to find the one set of crew that doesn't, but perhaps that's something of a trend for him!
@@101watever101 I had it, and it is EXTREMELY rare, but it happens. Not sure it is the flights or individual crews. I hay been flying Poland/Germany to Dubai repeatedly last year, always amazing experience. Then add a Dubai/Seychelles holiday flight in and that one was on the way to the Seychelles - below what I would experience in business class. The flight back was good again. So, it really depends and there are some lines or some crews that are just not up to the standard. Bad luck, so to say. Btw., not offered headphones - they do not OFFER them, they are in one of the drawers normally.
Emirates is my favourite airline, and has never truly disappointed me in their level of service. However, after watching your video i feel bad on how it is like to be on first class and still miss out on that level of experience at 40000 ft. I would agree that some of their flights are inconsistent in their level of service Also thank you so much for your videos, i never get bored in watching them, feels like i`m actually flying😄
First class on Emirates isn’t usually like that, service and food usually depends on where your flying from. Watch a first class review from a different UA-camr like the luxury travel expert or nonstopdan
I really enjoy your videos Josh You are really genuine and I love it ! Keep it up ! 11:15 On ne parle pas la bouche pleine.. My French self is cringing 😬😂😂😂
It's always amazing to watch your flying experience and review because a lot of the inputs are fresh for me who have never try first class or business, and expectation is not as high with the lack of experience.
I totally agree with you that the service of the emirates airline became very low either first or business or economy class, their level of service is rude and low after COVID-19.
I recently flew x4 long Emirates First Class flights which ranged from very average to excellent. The difference? Cabin crew who, as usual, can make or break the whole experience.
My first flight ever was in the early 80's as a little kid. Never flown anything but economy (nurse's salary, here). I stopped flying anywhere about three years ago. The stress in today's major airports post 9/11 and the humiliation of it all, plus the added humiliation of the 'cattle-car experience' in current airlines' economy class and I've just had it with flying. I am exhausted after even a three hour flight. The last few flights I've been on everyone seems unhappy and tired and just gritting their teeth to get through the ordeal. Even the flight crews march down the aisles with a frown, because they're overwhelmed themselves trying to meet service, and then I feel like a jerk for asking for something extra of them. Flying used to be a beautiful, relaxing experience from the moment you arrived at the airport.
The "cattle car" experience as you call it is actually none other than your own doing, not you specifically but in general, people are cheap as fuck don't want to pay for anything so airlines have to meet that expectation... I mean they were going to take meals out of economy entirely until regulators stepped in and said that any flight over a certain amount of time had to have food on board. We've lost checked bags, food quality has gone down, seats are smaller and smaller, and they try to stuff as many people in as possible... what is now considered premium economy or plus or whatever is what regular economy used to be, they had to introduce a 4th class which I like to call "broke as fuck" and they simply couldn't name it that since people would have a fit so they named it economy and renamed economy premium. If people weren't so cheap then we'd have more innovation in the airline industry and probably a lot of other industries as well... but airlines can literally just do nothing as long as the prices keep coming down.
@@mihai733 I agree... to a point. People *are* "broke as f*ck" as you so delicately put it. The airlines are dealing with not trying be the same as their customers (broke as f*ck) and still keep their planes airborne. However, they have a big fat turd on their own heads by promising the moon to a majority of travelers that can barely pay their own mortgage or rent. It's a big circle of devaluation. I am old enough to remember when coach class meant a great experience. (P.S. I'm also old enough to remember when taking a plane trip meant you should be respectful enough to wear clean clothes, do your hair, and bring your best manners.)
@@user-qr8ki8ue4i I know, and I'm not quite that old, but we had been traveling ever since i was 3 months old haha, still have that passport. The main issue is with low cost carriers entering the market, they realized people are willing to pay the bare minimum to get from point a-b, same with how some people buy luxury cars vs a 10 yo honda civic... in order to compete with these low cost carriers they dropped the prices and the experience with it.... I mean we never really "looked" for the cheapest flights as a kid, but economy was usually around 1200-1500 for a trip from US east coast to Europe, nowadays the flights are a fraction of that, so it makes sense they had to take away something to make the flights that cheap...
EK stands for Emirates through Karachi! I like this video because it was “real”. We could tell you were tired and you didn’t try to hide it. Will be interesting to see if you find the same “shrinkflation” in other airlines this year.
The longer flights on Emirates first class have way more of a wine selection. Also, I flew Toronto-Dubai return within 2 days in first class and the menu was exactly the same, but the quality of the food when departing Dubai was levels above when I left Toronto. Same items on the menu but the food was exceptional on the way out of Dubai. I asked the stewardess why that could be and she simply said the food out of Dubai is always top notch because of the quality of the catering.
I was lucky enough to fly first class on a BA long haul flight once over 20 years ago, how things have moved on. I thought that it was incredible back then that your seat turned in to a 6' 6''/ 2m bed! Thanks for the enjoyable videos.
B&W Headphones are front - down - next to the door….that is First Standard…and the Byredo is not the amenity kit, which they should habe given to you for night flight same slippers and PJ
you are, hands down, the best reviewer. As an ex-flight attendant, i want to point out two things. To Emirates, this is a short flight. More importantly, if i am not mistaken, this flight is at night. The menu would, most likely be a special “night” menu. Crew who fly all-nighters aren’t going to be as effusive as they would be if they were on their normal sleep cycle ( and who knows if they were or not). I guess i would ask what the business class load was before I paid the $400. You always have such a good attitude.
Great review! Looks like a great seat on a great plane. Food looked pretty good. Should have been a little more upgraded for 1st class, but still looked pretty amazing. Can't wait to see the rest of your trip reports for the upcoming year. Be safe!
Josh, I humbly welcome you again to Uganda, because the last flight you had was on onboard the delivery of Uganda Airlines onboard the A330-800neo. This time the service is exceptional, for we fly to DXB and JNG. we also have the Bombardier CRJ900 doing our regional flights to NBO, BMJ,DAR, MGQ,JUB, FIH,JNG, LUN, and DXB. You are welcome.
An excellent unbiased review. Keep it up. Emirates is a fantastic airline. They need to up their game with regards to their in-flight service, which used to be their brand hallmark.
Yeah the 13:05 doesn’t sound like F at all. I’ve only tried LH and LH F so far and always wondered how good EK F would be. Wonder if staff is still getting used to having more passengers around. Either way, really good review, as always! On the flip side, that writing kit looks goooood!!!!! And I’m pretty sure it’s “Emirates Through Karachi” from back in 80s or maybe early 90s?
Well. Interesting appreciation of the Emirates' First Class product. Sometimes, when we see an airline's advertise, we "fall in love" with the hard product (comfortable seat, a lot of legroom, a functional IFE, etc.), but sometimes experience does not match with expectations because there is a lack of "soft product" (a friendly crew, variety on the menu, food's taste, etc.). This video shows a very critical opinion about Emirates' First Class product. Many trip reporters show it as a magnificent and perfect product, even more because we are talking about one of the World's best airlines; but even the best are not perfect.
I believe they have changed. I flew to Cyprus FC, Dubai just two weeks ago, Cape Town, Singapore via Dubai. This year (2023) was always really great, and those notepads are a great collector item, and the pen. The coffee and dates are the best part for me.
Another amazing Flight Review. I must say the ground transfer in DXB on your arrival wasn’t like bus transfers I’m used to. Definitely no squeezing as many passengers as possible onto an airport bus for 1st classes passengers ✈️
Emirates is investing a lot in equipment and accessories but really needs to prioritize that in-service rendering to their passengers regardless of whichever class of seats, especially in the premium ones, anyway my favorite airline is ANA so far, I don't know whether I have seen your ANA flight reviews if you haven't made one try it out in the near future.
I just did a RT to Dubai from the USA. We found the FAs very professional and attentive. The food was very good. Now your meal does appear to be more business class style than first class. But then again your seat is far nicer than the business class seat. But when you don't look like a serious traveller, than possibly the service is downgraded. I am retired from an airline. When I am non-revving, I dress up because I know the gate agent will give me an upgraded seat if I look the part. Now I have heard that Emirates service to Indian peninsula is not as high as other destinations. Could that be the reason for a lesser level of service?
First class on such a short flight is a waste of time to be honest. (as much of a bargain as it was to upgrade). I think most carriers with first give an underwhelming performance on such shorthaul flights.
I like your review Josh, I agree First Class hard product. You get your good and bad service in First on all airlines though, some more than others. Sounds like you scored a bad crew member that day. It is business class+ catering, but it is a 4 hour flight though ? I assume you were on the 10pm out of Colombo. If it was the 3am flight out of Colombo that catering would probably be appropriate for First for a 4 hour flight. How you are feeling also makes a difference. If you were tired - and I am often tired when I finally get away - it can affect your in flight experience. I think the service is such a key to the First experience. Pre-pandemic Cathay Pacific did not have the best or latest hard product in First, but their service made the inflight experience so good, even on short intra-asia sectors. When they had First on HKG-BKK and HKG-NRT the menu was similar in structure to the menu you were given on this flight.
Emirates really is struggling with this "service with a smile" piece - I think they'll have to go through a major soft product revamp or risk losing substantial business to Qatar; especially given that Qatar's route expansion strategy + service offering is on a very high level.
CMB is not a 'prestige' destination like Europe/USA/Canada/Australia etc hence there won't be any Caviar service. The headphones should definitely be there somewhere as there are many small compartments.
amenity kit is mostly given out after a certain amount of hours. It is true that caviar is mostly on the menu and if I remeber it correctly they do have in the past 3 red 3 white and 2 dessert. They maybe cut out some of the stuff due to the covid and therefore they made a difference between short and long haul.
I’m excited for the opportunity to receive an underwhelming (😂🥴) notebook and pen. I’m sorry your service was so underwhelming…… that’s not right, especially for First Class. I love your passion and honesty with your videos!
Always enjoy you videos. Thank you for sharing. Thank you for giving us the possibilty to come along your flights, flights i will never be able to do myself.
I flew Emirates economy for the first time back in November. I had studied up on it a little bit before boarding, and the main takeaway was I should expect great service. In my opinion, they fell short so I left confused and wasn't sure what to think of it. The flight was round-trip from NY to Dubai. Same sub-par quality of service both times. Although your review was from first class and not in the A380 like mine, you still validated my experience. Thank you, and I hope more airlines notice you and treat you in a welcoming manner especially when you are on board!
I flew their 777 dubai to birmingham for the first time and it was awful - I was literally denied breakfast for waking up two hours before landing, not even offered a coffee. Food had old veg in the salad and ICE wasn't responsive on all flights. Flying Eithad or any other next time
I love your videos. Thank you so much for taking me around the world with you. I am deaf and don't get much opportunities in my country, South Africa. I love to tell people... "I have flown to Dubai with Josh" or "I have flown to India with Josh" lol. Adds a bit of spice to life.
My sentiments exactly. Economy class service but sitting up front. I flew business class way back in 2006. I have never flown Emirates since, and never will.
Only flown with Emirates once on economy A380 Dubai to Sydney. Enjoyed the experience I have to say....but Ive never flown first class with any airline. Enjoyed your review....happy flying.
I think maybe because it was a short flight and from Columbo. Maybe from Dubai to NYC or a longer flight to a more major intl destination the service would improve.
This is absolutely an interesting review of Emirates. I believe the reason why customer service is below par, it's because a lot of the employee, especially Cabin Crew are complaining about the horrible treatment from the company. I say this because there's quite a number of videos here on UA-cam where cabin crews from Emirates are leaving the company with such joy and happiness. They complain about fatigue, the treatment they received from the cabin managers who will report them for the slightest of things. I don't think a lot of people understand what they're getting themselves into when they join the company so it will be evident that if you're not encouraging your employees they're not going to give 100%.
We just were on 2 Emirates Business class flights ZRH-DBX-Seychelles. Service on the first was absolutely lacking, food was mediocre. On the 2nd leg service was fine but food really disgusting. Emirates went from really nice to quite mediocre. Very disappointing. And we used to be frequent flyers.
have flown Emirates First Class twice and honestly besides the perks, I still prefer Business Class… the closing of the door/shade and isolation wasn’t a perk at all, and fun fact is that I kep it open by some crew kep asking for closing it ….
I went to the Maldives from Manchester with emirates economy and I was amazed how friendly they were and did everything for you I’m 60 next year and I’m going Bali I was hoping to go with emirate’s on my birthday to see if I could get a free upgrade because I loved that airline has it gone down hill since then 🥺 I was so looking forward to travelling with them
Totally agree to your review. I was flying 4 times Business ZRH-DXB (always upgraded by miles) within the last 5 weeks and there was lack of service on every flight. On my flight last Sunday, I even did not get a main course. However, as you said, there is something ❤️ about Emirates. The code EK is called after the first operated flight by the airline - Emirates to Karachi! I would really love to get the notebook, since I run out of them. Due to the pandemic I lost my gold status and now flying EK first became out of reach to me.
Josh, I totally agree with you when you say EK's meals are good but Business class standard. And it probably is because it's business class meals. I took an EK first class from Japan to Maldives to Bangkok a while back, and checked the menu on first class and business class, which was almost identical. First class menu used a bit more fancy phrases plus caviar, but that was it. It was delicious, but lacked the "wow".
I agree you Josh about service. I must say that with any Middle Eastern, there is always a problem with service. When ever I fly from London to Bangladesh. There is a lay over in Middle East depending on the airplane I use. The flight from London to Middle East is good, plane is good and clean. Service is very good. Cabin crew good. Once I get to Middle East, we have to change plane which is older and everything is downhill from there. The same with coming back to London. Flight from Bangladesh to Middle East not so good but Middle East to London is
Follow me on instagram.com/gotravelyourway for daily updates and good karma 😛 - see you over there!
i think that emirates is having a rough start
btw can u fly gulf air i want to see the new 2022 gulf air bcuz im travelling this year after 5-6 years
will i get the writing kit if i comment here? 😅😅😅😅😅
Still better than Vistara?
It’s emirates to Karachi as historical ties with emirates operations first flight to Karachi I guess I heard in an tv interview quite some time ago. EK
im always amazed they dont open the main doors and throw you out, you are so negative.
The rant is completely valid. He’s paying first class, he should get first class treatment. Underwhelming staff can ruin a whole experience. As somebody who works in the service industry myself, I know that I have to be awesome to customers, so maybe I could make up for some shortcomings in the company.
Exactly the point for this review is also they know that IF we could pay for that it would be once in a lifetime. Just imagine we would finally be able to pay for it and we would be like "okay the seat is cool but economy or business is more worth it" I would cry
I prefer super comfort equipment and privacy rather than first class treatment, dont forget you use the seat and equipments for a very long hours the service is just maybe 20 minutes of the whole flight
@@nerolowell2320 service on a 14 hour flight would normally be a 2 hour meal service after takeoff, mid flight snacks on request, and a full breakfast around 1 hour before landing. So nah, it’s not just 20 minutes. And throughout the flight a flight attendant has to be stationed and ready to service passengers.
@@HS-PGX maybe 2 hours for the whole plane but how long would be a personal service ? i mean how many times or how long would a stewardess would spend time on you ? less than 20 minutes for the whole 14 hours flight !
you should be offered dessert wine or port if you order a cheese board
As someone who has never flown first or business, I get a lot of joy in seeing your experiences. Thank you!
Sorry your first flight of 2022 wasn't up to snuff, as they say. I am physically unable to fly, and haven't been in an aircraft since 1997, so I fly vicariously through your videos. Thanks!
I'm on dialysis n also love watching to see how it would be if I could travel 💖
@@loulou8217 my mom is on dialysis too. I wish I could take her on a trip
Josh. I absolutely agree with you about the Emirates onboard staff. They are, generally, not in the same league as the ME carriers they compete with (Etihad / Qatar). In my opinion, as you have experienced, the food offered can be sub par and delivered in a hurried manner. Their onboard wine cellar is often outstanding which matches their truly luxurious hard product. Thanks for the time and effort you put into your videos Josh.
Last time I flew Emirates first class was from Brisbane in 2019. I paid full price for the ticket. I was the only person standing in the first class check in line and was ignored by Emirates staff. Im usually very quiet and compliant at airports, but I found myself saying, 'I hope the service on the plane is better than what Im getting here!' Once on board, I was impressed with the cabin and the wonderful bathrooms, including the fact that after each person uses the toilet, it is cleaned and the toilet paper folded to show it has been serviced.
How did the cabin crew treat you in the plane?
It is also probably because of the route, unfortunately.
Always enjoy your reviews. They’re always real! First class seat, business class dining and economy service. Very sad for a first class Emirates flight
I think this is the problem with First-Class. It’s simply not worth it. When booking First-Class you go in with a certain expectation: perfection! When this expectation is no met you are disappointed.
Couldn't agree more. First class just isn't worth the price
Flew before with both Emirates and Quatar: Both good services in Economy: My impression is, that Emirates focuses more on mass branding, while Quatar want to keep it more exclusive?
I really enjoy your flight reviews
sir it's Qatar not quatar
I agree, i flew a couples of times long haul flights with Emirates in last 2 years in Economy class. Found their service extremely good and a lot of food was served during the 14 hrs journey. I was not expecting this. But after seeing Josh his first class experience, in which he is right about the service given to him, I agree that its more mass targeting.
Travelled economy from Manchester to Dubai and I noticed a difference in lack of interest from staff compared to Singapore airlines. You felt like you were bothering them by asking for a drink of water. Singapore Airlines staff always smile and are always eager to bring water, snacks and are very helpful.
Birmingham to dubai and back - confirm the same, barely any water was offered
Yeah that is the problem with the economy offering from Emirates now days. Singapore airlines has amazing staff and economy seats are like premium seats, always love it but I wish the price wasn't so premium.
I think the Kam Air all-female flight video was one of the most important videos you've ever done. Was there going to be more follow-up videos on the crew? I remember the lead pilot was from Ukraine, so she must really have had a hell of a year full of challenges. I would love to see more on what became of the crew and the airline.
Kam Air is still there. Saw a Kam Air flight landing in New Delhi-India, few days back.
Agreed, I just found this info from The Guardian in Nov 2021. The first female Afghanii pilot Mohadese Mirzaee (who'd fled to Bulgaria) said: "When I was studying [in Canada], my mum always told me to come back to Afghanistan and work for my country. I shared her conviction. But today, even though I’d like to go back, I can’t. There is no space for women like me in Afghanistan any more. I lost my job, my home, my crew - everything.”
But she says: “I’m hoping another airline will give me a chance to continue my career. A lot has been taken from me, but I will fight for my passion. That is what makes me, me.”
Tragic.
They (taliban) take their Islam seriously and want the women to be entered into paradise, thus they do what they do. When women are liberalised they prefer the herenow at the cost of a good hereafter. A hard truth.
The hard-line of a believer.
Aaaah I got commiseration cringe from the coffee invite! I'm a food blogger on Instagram (AKA one of those annoying people that paps their food before eating it) and there's no embarrassment quite like a food brand reaching out to invite you to a venue - often setting a date and time and agreeing on expectations - and then turning up to staff that have no idea you were coming and treat you like a random chancer trying to score a freebie, even with an email trail for proof 🙈 Love your flight and airline reviews, it's nice to see there are still other honest bloggers out there even when doing PR trips (in this case a coffee trip too 😄)
You DO know that what you're describing is a deliberate action on the part of whatever organization you've offended, right? You complain, they retaliate by setting you up for an even WORSE experience. Smiling all the while. Customer service is a thing of the past.
@@maxalberts2003 nah I get what she means though. I mean if you invite someone also inform the servant of that so they know.
lol food blogger. Get a real job.
@@seanm3ify lol it's a micro advertisement agency and it's real money. You are missing out.
One reason why I never bother with “free” stuff.
The EK of Emirates stands for “Emirates through Karachi” as the first-ever flight of Emirates was from Dubai to Karachi in 1985.
It has been four years since I flew with Emirates and back then i think the service was pretty good but when I flew Qatar airways in 2019 and 2020 there service was a lot more better than Emirates and EK is for Emirates and Karachi as it was their first route
I love how honest you are about ANY airline that you fly! Stay safe and keep on flying.
Always flew on Qatar Airways and the difference in service between the cabin crew b/w Emirates is real. Cheers mate! Top work again
I took a 3 1/2hr domestic first class flight on American last December. I treated myself. During that short-haul, they checked on me no less than 5 times, refilled my wine glass 3 times (Though I didn’t finish that 3rd glass), and served a delicious hot meal on actual dishes with silverware and not a plastic tray.
out of my 55 emirates flights, I'd say 48% had great crew, 48% had average crew, and 4% had bad crew
I am lucky enough to be able to travel first class and did so a few times with Emirates. Last one was about a month ago on a 7 hours flight and I too thought a lot has gone down in quality. Cabin and seats were a little tired, food was ok-ish and a lot of corners cut. Hopefully they will take all this comments and your video on board and improve in the future
Flew Emirates A380 UK to Singapore via Dubai. On the return stop in Dubai I approached the Emirates desk to enquire about upgrading. Without even looking up I got a “Yeeeees?” from behind the desk. Economy attitude so I stayed in economy.
I worked for EK till 2009. This is when the service standards were on the way down. There were some amazing crew when I was there and you would have had a completely different experience if I was serving you. It saddens me to see the airline getting worse and worse... company keeps employing ppl without passion for the job and not caring for crew who are passionate. So sad 😞. I just couldn't work for them anymore. Lots of good crew left.
YES! Thank you. In my own experience EK is overrated in all classes. On some U.S. routes (MCO-DXB-MCO) the menu is the same year after year rotating only to the same few things, and the service average. Yes, far better than any U.S. carrier but still underwhelming for what we pay and how they promote it.
I flew them in august and I'll fly them again in months and according to their website it's still the same menu on my route...
This video was great, too bad about the poor service and that door getting stuck. I LOVE these videos, and was wondering if you could maybe show even more of the airports? Because the airports are actually my favorite part of traveling. I know you already show some of the airports you’re in, but just so you know, you have a subscriber that loves that kind of stuff, and seeing just walking through and seeing the different restaurants and shops makes me so excited
Some people are forgetting that the menue options and services available depends a bit on where you’re taking off from and your destination
EK stands for Emirates through Karachi, signifying their first flight in 1985 to Karachi 😉
That's complete BS. Made up by a misinformed Pakistani.
Staff always make the big difference in how a flight is perceived..... bon voyages as always Mr ....... and I'm not gonna comment on your reasoning behind the millions of views of your other A380 flight ....... shower scene ...... oh Josh 😳😇
i thought they were supposed to make your bed for you too....seems like this is going to come off my bucket list of things to do. thanks for sharing your experience!
Considering the price you paid I would have expected a bit more indeed. Cabin Crew not following up or offering top ups is also quite underwhelming giving that they literally just have 2-3 passengers to look after. Also the food looks boring and bland. Looks like a solid Business Class experience at most. Thanks for pointing it out and let's hope Emirates puts a bit more effort into its First Class again since my recent flight wasn't that great either. SQ or Etihad, perhaps even Lufthansa and Swiss show a lot more appreciation towards their Premium Customers.
I have flown Emirates First Class dozens and dozens of times and haven't had an experience anywhere like Josh's.
One of the more notable differences I'll note is I've never had a crew not keep the drinks flowing... in fact on a flight just over a month ago I had three glasses of Dom before takeoff, simply because the crew kept refilling them. Usually it's not even an offer to refill them, they just do it... it's me who has to stop them!
In my 10+ years of flying EK first, I've always had caring and detail oriented crew who will do just about anything to make sure your flight is enjoyable. I'm not sure how Josh managed to find the one set of crew that doesn't, but perhaps that's something of a trend for him!
@@101watever101 I had it, and it is EXTREMELY rare, but it happens. Not sure it is the flights or individual crews. I hay been flying Poland/Germany to Dubai repeatedly last year, always amazing experience. Then add a Dubai/Seychelles holiday flight in and that one was on the way to the Seychelles - below what I would experience in business class. The flight back was good again. So, it really depends and there are some lines or some crews that are just not up to the standard. Bad luck, so to say. Btw., not offered headphones - they do not OFFER them, they are in one of the drawers normally.
It is EK because emirate’s operated its first flight from Dubai to Karachi.
Emirates is my favourite airline, and has never truly disappointed me in their level of service. However, after watching your video i feel bad on how it is like to be on first class and still miss out on that level of experience at 40000 ft. I would agree that some of their flights are inconsistent in their level of service
Also thank you so much for your videos, i never get bored in watching them, feels like i`m actually flying😄
First class on Emirates isn’t usually like that, service and food usually depends on where your flying from. Watch a first class review from a different UA-camr like the luxury travel expert or nonstopdan
I really enjoy your videos Josh
You are really genuine and I love it !
Keep it up !
11:15 On ne parle pas la bouche pleine.. My French self is cringing 😬😂😂😂
It's always amazing to watch your flying experience and review because a lot of the inputs are fresh for me who have never try first class or business, and expectation is not as high with the lack of experience.
I totally agree with you that the service of the emirates airline became very low either first or business or economy class, their level of service is rude and low after COVID-19.
You need to get yourself some nice ripped jeans for first class mate 😂
Stop shaming my shorts 😂😂😂
I recently flew x4 long Emirates First Class flights which ranged from very average to excellent. The difference? Cabin crew who, as usual, can make or break the whole experience.
My first flight ever was in the early 80's as a little kid. Never flown anything but economy (nurse's salary, here). I stopped flying anywhere about three years ago. The stress in today's major airports post 9/11 and the humiliation of it all, plus the added humiliation of the 'cattle-car experience' in current airlines' economy class and I've just had it with flying. I am exhausted after even a three hour flight. The last few flights I've been on everyone seems unhappy and tired and just gritting their teeth to get through the ordeal. Even the flight crews march down the aisles with a frown, because they're overwhelmed themselves trying to meet service, and then I feel like a jerk for asking for something extra of them. Flying used to be a beautiful, relaxing experience from the moment you arrived at the airport.
The "cattle car" experience as you call it is actually none other than your own doing, not you specifically but in general, people are cheap as fuck don't want to pay for anything so airlines have to meet that expectation... I mean they were going to take meals out of economy entirely until regulators stepped in and said that any flight over a certain amount of time had to have food on board. We've lost checked bags, food quality has gone down, seats are smaller and smaller, and they try to stuff as many people in as possible... what is now considered premium economy or plus or whatever is what regular economy used to be, they had to introduce a 4th class which I like to call "broke as fuck" and they simply couldn't name it that since people would have a fit so they named it economy and renamed economy premium. If people weren't so cheap then we'd have more innovation in the airline industry and probably a lot of other industries as well... but airlines can literally just do nothing as long as the prices keep coming down.
@@mihai733 I agree... to a point. People *are* "broke as f*ck" as you so delicately put it. The airlines are dealing with not trying be the same as their customers (broke as f*ck) and still keep their planes airborne. However, they have a big fat turd on their own heads by promising the moon to a majority of travelers that can barely pay their own mortgage or rent. It's a big circle of devaluation. I am old enough to remember when coach class meant a great experience. (P.S. I'm also old enough to remember when taking a plane trip meant you should be respectful enough to wear clean clothes, do your hair, and bring your best manners.)
@@user-qr8ki8ue4i I know, and I'm not quite that old, but we had been traveling ever since i was 3 months old haha, still have that passport. The main issue is with low cost carriers entering the market, they realized people are willing to pay the bare minimum to get from point a-b, same with how some people buy luxury cars vs a 10 yo honda civic... in order to compete with these low cost carriers they dropped the prices and the experience with it.... I mean we never really "looked" for the cheapest flights as a kid, but economy was usually around 1200-1500 for a trip from US east coast to Europe, nowadays the flights are a fraction of that, so it makes sense they had to take away something to make the flights that cheap...
EK stands for Emirates through Karachi! I like this video because it was “real”. We could tell you were tired and you didn’t try to hide it. Will be interesting to see if you find the same “shrinkflation” in other airlines this year.
Your videos are fantastic. They are far more genuine and efficient than many aviation reviewers.
The longer flights on Emirates first class have way more of a wine selection. Also, I flew Toronto-Dubai return within 2 days in first class and the menu was exactly the same, but the quality of the food when departing Dubai was levels above when I left Toronto. Same items on the menu but the food was exceptional on the way out of Dubai. I asked the stewardess why that could be and she simply said the food out of Dubai is always top notch because of the quality of the catering.
I was lucky enough to fly first class on a BA long haul flight once over 20 years ago, how things have moved on. I thought that it was incredible back then that your seat turned in to a 6' 6''/ 2m bed!
Thanks for the enjoyable videos.
B&W Headphones are front - down - next to the door….that is First Standard…and the Byredo is not the amenity kit, which they should habe given to you for night flight same slippers and PJ
I love your reviews, especially the smile you have. You are very positive. Even when you dislike something, you do it with a smile.
Ive been on emirates bussiness. Your review was perfect. Service, economy, subpar. Seat, first-class level. The catering, not bad.
It is EK because emirates first fight was from Dubai to Karachi. So emirates made EK or emirates Karachi as it's call sign.
As most viewers probably know,
EK stands for Emirates through Karachi as the first flight of Emirates was from Dubai to Karachi in 1985.
I actually did not know. Thanks for informing.
Nice to see your honest, thorough report. You look so comfortable.
Where is Josh from? I hear German, Australian and Irish in his accent 🤩🤷♂️
Josh is half German and half Ukrainian that is what he says.
you are, hands down, the best reviewer. As an ex-flight attendant, i want to point out two things. To Emirates, this is a short flight. More importantly, if i am not mistaken, this flight is at night. The menu would, most likely be a special “night” menu. Crew who fly all-nighters aren’t going to be as effusive as they would be if they were on their normal sleep cycle ( and who knows if they were or not). I guess i would ask what the business class load was before I paid the $400. You always have such a good attitude.
Do you think the crew are able to see what type of fare you paid (upgrade/full fare) and as a result modify their level of service accordingly?
Yes and more 😌
@@steveb149 what's the and more stuff 👀
Great comment at 5:01. Which is why I respect you for giving unbiased reviews... unlike the other UA-camr whose first name is Sam...
Great review! Looks like a great seat on a great plane. Food looked pretty good. Should have been a little more upgraded for 1st class, but still looked pretty amazing. Can't wait to see the rest of your trip reports for the upcoming year. Be safe!
Seeing how first class is like 10-15 THOUSAND a ticket, definitely should be way more😂
I smoke weed everyday so I decided to make my habit into something productive so now i smoke weed on my UA-cam channel xD
Josh, I humbly welcome you again to Uganda, because the last flight you had was on onboard the delivery of Uganda Airlines onboard the A330-800neo. This time the service is exceptional, for we fly to DXB and JNG.
we also have the Bombardier CRJ900 doing our regional flights to NBO, BMJ,DAR, MGQ,JUB, FIH,JNG, LUN, and DXB.
You are welcome.
Excellent and accurate review. Agree with the service. Never the USP for Emirates.
You got their old First Class. The new one found on a handful of 777’s is the best alongside SQ’s A380 one
An excellent unbiased review. Keep it up. Emirates is a fantastic airline. They need to up their game with regards to their in-flight service, which used to be their brand hallmark.
My question is do you ever send in suggestions to the customer service department of the airlines that you fly ??
Yeah the 13:05 doesn’t sound like F at all. I’ve only tried LH and LH F so far and always wondered how good EK F would be. Wonder if staff is still getting used to having more passengers around. Either way, really good review, as always!
On the flip side, that writing kit looks goooood!!!!!
And I’m pretty sure it’s “Emirates Through Karachi” from back in 80s or maybe early 90s?
did the same upgrade at Dubai last leg to Cebu in the Philippines, from business not over impressed either, was happier in business.
Well. Interesting appreciation of the Emirates' First Class product. Sometimes, when we see an airline's advertise, we "fall in love" with the hard product (comfortable seat, a lot of legroom, a functional IFE, etc.), but sometimes experience does not match with expectations because there is a lack of "soft product" (a friendly crew, variety on the menu, food's taste, etc.). This video shows a very critical opinion about Emirates' First Class product. Many trip reporters show it as a magnificent and perfect product, even more because we are talking about one of the World's best airlines; but even the best are not perfect.
I believe they have changed. I flew to Cyprus FC, Dubai just two weeks ago, Cape Town, Singapore via Dubai. This year (2023) was always really great, and those notepads are a great collector item, and the pen. The coffee and dates are the best part for me.
Another amazing Flight Review. I must say the ground transfer in DXB on your arrival wasn’t like bus transfers I’m used to. Definitely no squeezing as many passengers as possible onto an airport bus for 1st classes passengers ✈️
Always thought emirates was the best of the best, thanks for opening my eyes Josh.
Emirates is investing a lot in equipment and accessories but really needs to prioritize that in-service rendering to their passengers regardless of whichever class of seats, especially in the premium ones, anyway my favorite airline is ANA so far, I don't know whether I have seen your ANA flight reviews if you haven't made one try it out in the near future.
I just did a RT to Dubai from the USA. We found the FAs very professional and attentive. The food was very good. Now your meal does appear to be more business class style than first class. But then again your seat is far nicer than the business class seat. But when you don't look like a serious traveller, than possibly the service is downgraded. I am retired from an airline. When I am non-revving, I dress up because I know the gate agent will give me an upgraded seat if I look the part.
Now I have heard that Emirates service to Indian peninsula is not as high as other destinations. Could that be the reason for a lesser level of service?
First class on such a short flight is a waste of time to be honest. (as much of a bargain as it was to upgrade). I think most carriers with first give an underwhelming performance on such shorthaul flights.
EK stands for Emirates through Karachi as the first ever flight for Emirates was from Dubai to Karachi in 1985
I like your review Josh, I agree First Class hard product. You get your good and bad service in First on all airlines though, some more than others. Sounds like you scored a bad crew member that day. It is business class+ catering, but it is a 4 hour flight though ? I assume you were on the 10pm out of Colombo. If it was the 3am flight out of Colombo that catering would probably be appropriate for First for a 4 hour flight.
How you are feeling also makes a difference. If you were tired - and I am often tired when I finally get away - it can affect your in flight experience.
I think the service is such a key to the First experience. Pre-pandemic Cathay Pacific did not have the best or latest hard product in First, but their service made the inflight experience so good, even on short intra-asia sectors. When they had First on HKG-BKK and HKG-NRT the menu was similar in structure to the menu you were given on this flight.
Emirates really is struggling with this "service with a smile" piece - I think they'll have to go through a major soft product revamp or risk losing substantial business to Qatar; especially given that Qatar's route expansion strategy + service offering is on a very high level.
CMB is not a 'prestige' destination like Europe/USA/Canada/Australia etc hence there won't be any Caviar service. The headphones should definitely be there somewhere as there are many small compartments.
amenity kit is mostly given out after a certain amount of hours. It is true that caviar is mostly on the menu and if I remeber it correctly they do have in the past 3 red 3 white and 2 dessert. They maybe cut out some of the stuff due to the covid and therefore they made a difference between short and long haul.
I’m excited for the opportunity to receive an underwhelming (😂🥴) notebook and pen.
I’m sorry your service was so underwhelming…… that’s not right, especially for First Class.
I love your passion and honesty with your videos!
It's EK because Emirates first flight was to Karachi, Pakistan. Picked that up along my short aviation journey so far
Always enjoy you videos. Thank you for sharing. Thank you for giving us the possibilty to come along your flights, flights i will never be able to do myself.
I flew Emirates economy for the first time back in November. I had studied up on it a little bit before boarding, and the main takeaway was I should expect great service. In my opinion, they fell short so I left confused and wasn't sure what to think of it. The flight was round-trip from NY to Dubai. Same sub-par quality of service both times. Although your review was from first class and not in the A380 like mine, you still validated my experience. Thank you, and I hope more airlines notice you and treat you in a welcoming manner especially when you are on board!
I flew their 777 dubai to birmingham for the first time and it was awful - I was literally denied breakfast for waking up two hours before landing, not even offered a coffee. Food had old veg in the salad and ICE wasn't responsive on all flights. Flying Eithad or any other next time
I love your videos. Thank you so much for taking me around the world with you. I am deaf and don't get much opportunities in my country, South Africa. I love to tell people... "I have flown to Dubai with Josh" or "I have flown to India with Josh" lol. Adds a bit of spice to life.
Wow you live in Colombo! what made you decide to live there? That’s cool!
Lol at the door not opening initially. Another great review! Love the honesty.
Wow underehelming first class so brave and so original rewiew no one talks bad about first class ever!!! Truly brilliant impressive rewiew.
My sentiments exactly. Economy class service but sitting up front. I flew business class way back in 2006. I have never flown Emirates since, and never will.
Hopefully, I get an opportunity to travel business class on emirates some day 😁
Only flown with Emirates once on economy A380 Dubai to Sydney. Enjoyed the experience I have to say....but Ive never flown first class with any airline. Enjoyed your review....happy flying.
I think maybe because it was a short flight and from Columbo. Maybe from Dubai to NYC or a longer flight to a more major intl destination the service would improve.
Have you ever considered reviewing long haul and regional Latin American airlines? (Aeromexico, Volaris, TAM, VivaAerobus, Magnicharters, etc?)
This is absolutely an interesting review of Emirates. I believe the reason why customer service is below par, it's because a lot of the employee, especially Cabin Crew are complaining about the horrible treatment from the company. I say this because there's quite a number of videos here on UA-cam where cabin crews from Emirates are leaving the company with such joy and happiness. They complain about fatigue, the treatment they received from the cabin managers who will report them for the slightest of things. I don't think a lot of people understand what they're getting themselves into when they join the company so it will be evident that if you're not encouraging your employees they're not going to give 100%.
We just were on 2 Emirates Business class flights ZRH-DBX-Seychelles. Service on the first was absolutely lacking, food was mediocre. On the 2nd leg service was fine but food really disgusting. Emirates went from really nice to quite mediocre. Very disappointing. And we used to be frequent flyers.
have flown Emirates First Class twice and honestly besides the perks, I still prefer Business Class… the closing of the door/shade and isolation wasn’t a perk at all, and fun fact is that I kep it open by some crew kep asking for closing it ….
I went to the Maldives from Manchester with emirates economy and I was amazed how friendly they were and did everything for you I’m 60 next year and I’m going Bali I was hoping to go with emirate’s on my birthday to see if I could get a free upgrade because I loved that airline has it gone down hill since then 🥺 I was so looking forward to travelling with them
i just found your channel and am addicted to watching your adventures. can't wait for more videos!
Qatar airways crew is amazing they make it seem like your the most important on the whole flight
Totally agree to your review. I was flying 4 times Business ZRH-DXB (always upgraded by miles) within the last 5 weeks and there was lack of service on every flight. On my flight last Sunday, I even did not get a main course. However, as you said, there is something ❤️ about Emirates. The code EK is called after the first operated flight by the airline - Emirates to Karachi!
I would really love to get the notebook, since I run out of them. Due to the pandemic I lost my gold status and now flying EK first became out of reach to me.
Honest review on the Emirates First Class especially the catering.
Josh, I totally agree with you when you say EK's meals are good but Business class standard. And it probably is because it's business class meals. I took an EK first class from Japan to Maldives to Bangkok a while back, and checked the menu on first class and business class, which was almost identical. First class menu used a bit more fancy phrases plus caviar, but that was it. It was delicious, but lacked the "wow".
I only wear Lacoste thanks to Josh! 😉 🐊 👍 Sharp!
its funny! i like the way that people dont know you and really can review the service that you get in the flight.
Six hour layover, that is a killer. Have fun on your upcoming flights.
I like this Chanel because is All about planes
Lovw the review on the Emirates first class. At least your video describes how good the service quality is..
I agree you Josh about service. I must say that with any Middle Eastern, there is always a problem with service. When ever I fly from London to Bangladesh. There is a lay over in Middle East depending on the airplane I use. The flight from London to Middle East is good, plane is good and clean. Service is very good. Cabin crew good. Once I get to Middle East, we have to change plane which is older and everything is downhill from there. The same with coming back to London. Flight from Bangladesh to Middle East not so good but Middle East to London is
One of these days ill get to experience this.. until then.. ill enjoy your honest opinion on the vast aviation travels
you're right. Service is Economy. I'd say it defiantly not worth 400$ for the 6 Hour flight. Business could not have been much worse.