Flying can unfortunately be a nerve-racking experience these days.
But boarding the Qantas Airbus A380 to fly business class from Dubai to London, I felt assured I was in safe hands.
The Australian airline topped the world’s safest airlines list in 2013 from airlineratings.com thanks to its fatality-free record since 1951. It’s a comforting factoid for the frequent flyer.
Thanks to the codeshare between Qantas and Emirates, I boarded from the Emirates-only Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport and could still collect Skywards airmiles for the flight.
On board, I was guided to my seat and explained the layout of the 64-seat business cabin.
However, chatting was off the agenda. It was 2.15am and I had a lunchtime meeting in London to attend. So the moment we were airborne, I attempted to roll out my lie-flat Skybed and fit the mattress ready for my kip. And this is where I became unstuck. I needed a manual for all the electronic gadgetry, first lowering the privacy divider between me and my neighbour much to his amusement, and then ejecting the TV. My neighbour then kindly guided me through the system.
The crew do offer a turndown service but my determination to get some shuteye meant the hostess had just enough time to hurl some pyjamas and a Kate Spade amenity kit at me before I was asleep.
Waking up five hours later, the breakfast I’d ordered just before take-off arrived – free range scrambled eggs on toasted brioche with braised beans. But because I had been upgraded from economy, my gluten-free meal had not followed me up the plane and I removed the brioche from my plate.
However, I arrived in London refreshed enough for a full day’s activities, proving that night flights can be time savers for the business traveller.
My return journey – a day flight – offered the same high-levels of comfort. I caught up on work thanks to the handy USB and PC power ports and with enough storage space around me to suit a family of four, I didn’t even need the overhead storage. There was also time to immerse myself in the Oscars classics category on the in-flight entertainment system which offers 150 movies, 500 TV options, 1,000 audio CDs and 80 PC-style videogames.
But I was chilling in more ways than one as the cabin temperature was positively icy, requiring two duvets to keep the cold at bay. Choosing the warming spinach and watercress soup was my saviour – one of several meal options from the airline’s mix and match menu that allows you to eat as much and as often as you like. Even my gluten-free meal travelled up the plane this time, so a full stomach helped to combat the cold.
q&a comfort the top priority
Kylie Morris, the head of creative development and customer experience at Qantas, reveals more about the airline’s business class product.
How much is a return business-class flight from Dubai to London?
The average return business fare is Dh17,215. We currently have a sale on business fares from Dubai to London for Dh12,805 until September 11 for travel until September 30 and October 7 to November 30.
You have two Qantas flights to London daily as part of the Qantas-Emirates codeshare. Are you planning to increase this service?
Our customers now have the best of both worlds when they fly on the extensive joint network, including earning points, redeeming flights and accessing lounges. However we don’t have any current plans to increase services.
What is the purpose of the lounge area in the business cabin on-board?
Customers travelling on our A380 in business can catch up with travel companions and help themselves to refreshments and magazines in a separate, furnished lounge. Equipped with a 58cm LCD screen, it’s perfect for displaying a presentation or viewing a video, and an ideal location for an unplanned meeting.
The business cabin was extremely cold. Why is that?
The cabin is generally set at the same temperature each flight, but our cabin crew monitor the temperature and can easily adjust it for the comfort of our customers.
arayer@thenational.ae
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