While I take notes of most of my international travels (with plans to post a trip report), I never seem to actually post them... So this time I decided I should actually post one of my trips... So here goes.
Apologies to the Emirates experts if I appear to be telling you what you already know! Apologies also for the many mistakes I'm set to make in my recollections, and the rambling that may occur!
Several months ago, I booked a First Class ticket BNE-AKL with Emirates. These tickets are pretty cheap compared to Qantas J tickets, and the Emirates J tickets are even cheaper. So I decided to give Emirates a try instead of flying Qantas.
One of the great advantages of these fares is the free chauffeur transfers to and from the airport in each direction. That's a $150+ saving for me I reckon based on normal cab fares in Brisbane and Auckland.
BNE-AKL
The day before my travel, I received a call checking my transfer details. I confirmed that I wanted to be picked up at 5:35am and my transfer was booked.
That night, I checked online and realised that my flight was delayed around 90 minutes due to late departure from Dubai. I wasn't worried about changing my transfer at that point, although the extra sleep would have been nice. I checked in online and moved myself to the last row in First (Row 3).
I woke up bright and early as I tend to do before morning flights. Didn't want to go back to sleep, so I spent time watching TV and final preperations before the trip. Morning TV is horrendous!
My chauffeur arrived a few minutes early. It was a fairly new Holden Statesman. We had good conversation on the way to the airport and the journey was quick.
Checkin was quick and simple through the F checkin line. The queue was empty. I received a lounge invitation and a personalised letter from the BNE Emirates manager advising me about the flight crew and my flight. Quite a nice touch. I was advised of the delay to the incoming service, and the new estimated departure time.
Outbound immigration was painless at that time of the morning, so it only took a couple of minutes and I went straight to the lounge.
The Brisbane Emirates Lounge is very nice. Upon entering, the lounge attendant welcomed me, advised me again that my plane was delayed, and asked if I had been there before. When I said no, I got a quick tour of the place. The lounge is bigger than the Qantas international lounge in Brisbane. It's also much nicer. It probably has around 50 seats and a small dining area. There is a food buffet set up at one end and a business centre and tv down the other. There are approximately 10 computers and a shared printer, although I feel that the computers are too "open" and everyone can easily see what you're up to. At least the QP computers are a little more private.
The EK lounge has no outside views at the moment due to the construction being done at the Brisbane International airport. All windows are blocked out. The lounge has nice locally themed artwork of Brisbane landmarks and is well presented.
Breakfast in the lounge was a hot and cold buffet. Much nicer than the Qantas fare at that time of the morning. There were 6 hot items and a rotunda of cold items. Items included:
Vegetable fritatas, scrambled eggs w/bacon in pastry cases, sautéed mushrooms, spinach and ricotta shells, veal sausages, fried corn and herb puffs, cold cuts, yoghurt, breads, cereals, cheese platter, fruit salad etc.
The drinks selection was also nice. A partial list includes:
(Juices) (Fresh) Orange, Guava, (bottled) several others.
(Beer) Heineken, Crown, Boags light, James Squire, Guiness, Stella
(spirits) many including Bundaberg Distiller's #3, Bacardi, Smirnoff, Bombay Sapphire, Johnny Walker Black, Jack Daniels, Captain Morgans, Baileys etc.
Wine and Champagne were available, but I didn't note the names. The Champagne was a french Champagne, but not Dom/Moet etc which are the two I recognise instantly.
Oh and for vegemite fans, they have 40g bottles of Vegemite with the other spreads. First time I've seen that size bottle in any lounge.
Eventually boarding time came around, and a first call made. I left soon after that first call, but there was another one due about 10 minutes later.
Apologies to the Emirates experts if I appear to be telling you what you already know! Apologies also for the many mistakes I'm set to make in my recollections, and the rambling that may occur!
Several months ago, I booked a First Class ticket BNE-AKL with Emirates. These tickets are pretty cheap compared to Qantas J tickets, and the Emirates J tickets are even cheaper. So I decided to give Emirates a try instead of flying Qantas.
One of the great advantages of these fares is the free chauffeur transfers to and from the airport in each direction. That's a $150+ saving for me I reckon based on normal cab fares in Brisbane and Auckland.
BNE-AKL
The day before my travel, I received a call checking my transfer details. I confirmed that I wanted to be picked up at 5:35am and my transfer was booked.
That night, I checked online and realised that my flight was delayed around 90 minutes due to late departure from Dubai. I wasn't worried about changing my transfer at that point, although the extra sleep would have been nice. I checked in online and moved myself to the last row in First (Row 3).
I woke up bright and early as I tend to do before morning flights. Didn't want to go back to sleep, so I spent time watching TV and final preperations before the trip. Morning TV is horrendous!
My chauffeur arrived a few minutes early. It was a fairly new Holden Statesman. We had good conversation on the way to the airport and the journey was quick.
Checkin was quick and simple through the F checkin line. The queue was empty. I received a lounge invitation and a personalised letter from the BNE Emirates manager advising me about the flight crew and my flight. Quite a nice touch. I was advised of the delay to the incoming service, and the new estimated departure time.
Outbound immigration was painless at that time of the morning, so it only took a couple of minutes and I went straight to the lounge.
The Brisbane Emirates Lounge is very nice. Upon entering, the lounge attendant welcomed me, advised me again that my plane was delayed, and asked if I had been there before. When I said no, I got a quick tour of the place. The lounge is bigger than the Qantas international lounge in Brisbane. It's also much nicer. It probably has around 50 seats and a small dining area. There is a food buffet set up at one end and a business centre and tv down the other. There are approximately 10 computers and a shared printer, although I feel that the computers are too "open" and everyone can easily see what you're up to. At least the QP computers are a little more private.
The EK lounge has no outside views at the moment due to the construction being done at the Brisbane International airport. All windows are blocked out. The lounge has nice locally themed artwork of Brisbane landmarks and is well presented.
Breakfast in the lounge was a hot and cold buffet. Much nicer than the Qantas fare at that time of the morning. There were 6 hot items and a rotunda of cold items. Items included:
Vegetable fritatas, scrambled eggs w/bacon in pastry cases, sautéed mushrooms, spinach and ricotta shells, veal sausages, fried corn and herb puffs, cold cuts, yoghurt, breads, cereals, cheese platter, fruit salad etc.
The drinks selection was also nice. A partial list includes:
(Juices) (Fresh) Orange, Guava, (bottled) several others.
(Beer) Heineken, Crown, Boags light, James Squire, Guiness, Stella
(spirits) many including Bundaberg Distiller's #3, Bacardi, Smirnoff, Bombay Sapphire, Johnny Walker Black, Jack Daniels, Captain Morgans, Baileys etc.
Wine and Champagne were available, but I didn't note the names. The Champagne was a french Champagne, but not Dom/Moet etc which are the two I recognise instantly.
Oh and for vegemite fans, they have 40g bottles of Vegemite with the other spreads. First time I've seen that size bottle in any lounge.
Eventually boarding time came around, and a first call made. I left soon after that first call, but there was another one due about 10 minutes later.
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