Review: Emirates A380 Sydney – Dubai Business Class

In 2017 Quentin Long reviewed Emirates A380 business class declaring it ‘legendary’. Seven years later he gets on board to see if the carrier has maintained the standard.

Just to answer the question. Yes. It is still a legendary experience in the air.

All the elements that create the mystique of the Emirates A380 Business Class experience are still there plus a few of the missing elements from seven years ago have now been added (PJs being my number one wish seven years ago – talk about First World problems!)

Pre Departure

A late gate change from Gate 57 to Gate 9 has conspired against Emirates delivering a flawless pre-departure service.

Totally beyond the contrail of Emirates and yes another First World problem (let’s be honest, this is a business class review so it is all First World problems).

Gate 9 is on Pier B North and close to the security and customs clearance while the Business Class lounge is at the furthest reaches of Pier C, a good 15-minute walk away but right next to Gate 57.

Emirates A380 flies from Sydney to Dubai.

So once clearing customs, I schlepp the 15 minutes through the luxury shopping mall that is now Kingsford Smith Airport to the lounge knowing that I would have to repeat the schlepp back in about 90 minutes.

The lounge itself is a little tired but the food and drink and facilities are beyond reproach. The salmon blini with a glass of self-poured Laurent Perrier makes the effort worth it. The lounge is spacious and comfortable with plenty of seating for all A380 Business Class passengers to find a seat to suit their needs: work, read, eat or relax…

I refuse to change my beverage choice as I place a plate of beef check and potatoes next to my laptop as I need to finish off a few last-minute but urgent emails before the 14-hour flight.

Quentin Long enjoyed the drinks onboard the business class flight. (Image: Quentin Long)

The Seat

The seat is new even though it has everything I remember loving about the Emirates A380 business class seat.

Part of the $2b fleet-wide retrofit of the A380, all seats were replaced in 2022 (for the curious, the timelapse is worth a watch). My favourite personal mini-bar is still there as is the storage space to fit shoes, laptops, notes books and a plethora of cables to charge said laptop and phone.

The business class seat has more leg room.

The 1-2-1 configuration is still in place. My 10G seat is part of the middle two configuration but with the mini bar console between me and my fellow middle passenger means while I am not seated next to anyone I am on the aisle.

There’s a mini bar console between the seats. (Image: Quentin Long)

This configuration has one small flaw; is not as private as some business class seats that do come with a small sliding privacy screen.

The most sought-after seat for a solo business class passenger (and most private) are the odd numbered window seats; so 7A and 7K, 9A and 9K and so on.

Board the business class in style with the special luxury loungewear. (Image: Quentin Long)

In 2017 I did pine for a pair of PJs so after boarding I slipped into the bathroom before take-off to don my QF jimjams only to be handed Emirates’ recently launched (February 2024) ‘luxury loungewear’. Red-faced I pop back into the WC to make a second change (nine more changes than a Madonna concert I mutter about myself) and I am glad I do.

The silky satin ‘premium modal material’ is breathable and more comfortable than traditional cotton.

Three different light settings; the overhead light, reading spotlight and the muted LED lighting of the mini-bar are more than enough.

The seat comes with the three traditional settings: upright for take-off and landing, relaxed lounging and lie flat.

Get cosy in the lie-flat bed.

In 2017 I didn’t feel the seat made a true lie-flat bed. No such troubles this time. While having a nightcap in the Onboard Lounge bar (another one of those Emirates innovations that makes A380 Business Class an incredible oasis in the sky) while one of the flight attendants ‘made my bed’. The ‘mattress topper’ is fitted to the seat with a blanket and pillow. It is a fine 47cm wide bed at 30,000 feet.

You’ll sleep comfortably in the new loungewear.

Lounge wear, an eye mask and a flat comfy bed and it gets better. The exceptional amenities kit is stuffed with practical grooming products like shaving cream, a razor, a brush toothbrush and toothpaste, plus a suite of Bulgari Homme products to perk up tired skin and a refreshing aftershave.

The amenity kit is complete with grooming essentials. (Image: Quentin Long)

Food and Beverage

If you are like me and read the wine list first then you are in for a treat; Emirates A 380 Business Class could easily become your own wine tasting extravaganza.

A glass of Moët is always a win but the Shaw + Smith M3 Chardonnay is a personal favourite.

Indulge in creamy dishes on offer. (Image: Quentin Long)

The Moët works brilliantly with the creamy and generous Salmon rillette starter (so does the Shaw + Smith but who’s counting?) and not the soup or traditional mezze.

Pair your meal with a bottle of Shaw + Smith M3 Chardonnay. (Image: Quentin Long)

The seared beef with boulangerie potatoes and sauteed mangetouts (snow peas) is good but the beef was a little dry and the snow peas were sadly on the well-done side of grey-green. The Two Hands Lily’s Garden Shiraz lifted the beef but I should know by now; beef at 30,000 feet is best cooked slow in a sauce with vegetables, so some kind of stew.

The seared beef is topped with potatoes and snow peas. (Image: Quentin Long)

In hindsight, the prawn Tahta (prawns served in Emirati spices on butter rice) was the standout on the menu and would have been brilliant with the Shaw + Smith.

However, while this is the main meal, it is merely a soupçon of the entire food and beverage offering.

Sit back and relax with a drink of your choice.

In the Onboard Lounge, an extended wine list is served plus a series of ‘snacks’; chicken and beef sandwiches, beef rendang with rice (now that would have been the hit with the Two Hands), pasta, fruit, cake, baklava and artisanal chocolates.

If you want a snack served in your seat, there is a menu for that. Options include, tuna salad, spinach and ricotta crostata, Balinese-style coconut chicken and an orange cheesecake.

Have your meal served in your seat.

Before landing breakfast is served; continental breakfast plus a choice of omelette, scrambled eggs or bircher.

The choice and quality of the food at 30,000 feet is truly astonishing, some could even say legendary.

Enjoy a satisfying continental breakfast. (Image: Quentin Long)

Entertainment

Not much has changed here. The ICE (Information, Communication and Entertainment) system is still serving up a plethora of choices to the global audience who board Emirates aircraft.

With such a diverse audience the breadth of entertainment options is huge, I counted 64 different categories of movies, many of which have options for Closed Captions or Audio Described (which is a new option).

Enjoy inflight entertainment with the ICE system onboard Emirates A380.

The challenge with such breadth – there are three categories of Bollywood movies, films in Faris, Tagalog, Latin American Spanish and European Spanish for example – is it can be a little shallow for any particular passenger, like me.

I managed to find a couple of movies I wanted to watch but nothing lept out at me. Neither did the TV shows.

Finally, the Bose headphones have been replaced by in-house noise-cancelling headphones and in my research of the retrofit upgrade I discovered that you can Bluetooth your personal headphones on some flights. It didn’t leap out to me on this flight but it well could have been user error.

The breadth of entertainment options is huge. (Image: Quentin Long)

Service

Most passengers I think are a little like me. We understand that the life of an attendant is tough so will always give some leeway to an attendant who is not as happy or appears a little stern.

Not the case with the Emirates crew – almost too helpful is probably closer to the mark.

When asked if I would like anything and I wasn’t sure, the kind attendant prompted me with champagne, wine, coffee, tea, and juice.

“Actually, I would love a herbal tea. Do you have lemon and ginger?”

She returned with a handmade fresh ginger and lemon concoction and said “We didn’t have any tea bags but I managed to make you one. Would you like me to add some honey?” as she held the fresh honey jar.

That’s legendary.

The Emirates crew are always happy to assist the passengers.

The IT Verdict

I love flying when it is Emirates A380 Business Class.

Forget the idea that the flight is merely a glorified air-born taxi service, the Emirates A380 Business Class makes the travel experience delightful from the moment you check-in.

Service

9 (in 2017 8.5)

Incredibly positive and responsive without being overbearing.

Comfort

9 (in 2017 8.5)

The new loungewear is heavenly, and the beds are a joy.

Food and Drink

8 (in 2017 9)

The offerings are comprehensive, I should have ordered better.

Value for money

8 (in 2017 8)

Details

Emirates currently flies:

Sydney and Melbourne to Dubai three times daily. Sydney is serviced by two refurbished A380s (you can tell as they will have the Premium Economy class) and an A380 yet to be refurbished. Melbourne is serviced by two refurbished A380s and a Boeing777.

Brisbane to Dubai twice a day. Currently one flight is an A380 yet to be refurbished and the second a 777. The 777 will be replaced by an A380 yet to be refurbished in October 2024.

Perth to Dubai once per day, an A380 yet to be refurbished.

In the future:

Perth to Dubai will increase to twice a day 1 December 2024, the additional flight will be a 777.

Adelaide to Dubai will recommence daily 28 October 2024 on a 777.