Hello from Brussels where I’ve stepped off a 7-hour Emirates flight on its 777 “Game Changer” first class product…a product that is arguably the best first class suite in the sky, but a soft product that left me somewhat disappointed.
Emirates 777 “Game Changer” First Class: Spectacular Suite, Disappointing Service – My First Impressions
It has been seven years since I last flew in the “new” first class on Emirates (review here), which it continues to call a “Game Changer” even though it is only available on nine aircraft all these years later.
Compared to the older first class suite on the 777, it is indeed a game-changer and I’d argue this spacious suite remains the most comfortable, spacious, and private first class products available in the skies. The cabin finishes are beautiful and the seat is perfectly padded. With a huge screen, individual climate and lighting control, and superb bedding, I’d say this hard product edges out (slightly) first class on the A350-1000 on JAL, though I have yet to try the new Air France La Première First Class.
After breakfast I slept like a baby for four hours (part of me hated to spend the flight sleeping, but I’m jet lagged and recovering from Delhi Belly, so I appreciated the little snooze).
The pajamas are excellent…my favorite in the skies right now. They are super soft and can breathe.
So what fell short of expectations? Breakfast was served after takeoff (the flight departed at 7:55 am) and I thought the choices were limited. My omelet was fine, but I’ve had much better omelets on other carriers.
After my nap, the feast began. The caviar course was excellent and the Dom Pérignon Rosé was excellent.
The Arbaic mezze is so excellent out of Dubai and I loved the extras beyond the standard humus, grape leaves, and tabbouleh like falafel, kibbeh, and fattoush salad. Delicious!
I probably should have stopped there because the main course was a huge disappointment: the lamb was cooked so far beyond recognition that I did not finish it…and I’m generally pretty forgiving.
I ended with a cheese course and chocolate tart.
But more disappointing than the food was the service. I woke up a couple hours before landing for the meal and was totally ignored for almost 30 minutes (and my suite door was open). I realize that I could have just pressed the call button (and eventually did), but I don’t think that should be necessary in first class…I think that the FAs should have been more proactive in monitoring the cabins.
When I did call the FAs to begin meal service, there was 90 minutes left in the flight, which in theory should have been time for everything. I provided the full order and the caviar came quick, but once again the crew was not attentive. I finished the caviar and waited. Finally, the mezze came and I finished it…and waited. I waited and waited for the main course and it came (having been left in the oven far too long).
I waited again. The captain announced our descent into Brussels. My glass was empty, my plate was pushed way, but no one was coming.
Do I really have to push the call button after I finish each course? That’s not the kind of first class service I like.
With 40 minutes left in the flight, I finally flagged a FA down and asked her to bring the cheese and dessert at once. She seemed very agitated, not in the hostile sense, but because she was so stressed…because it wasn’t only me trying to finish my lunch, but the other four in the cabin (it was booked 5/6).
She brought over the cheese and dessert and I ate it…it was fine…but I felt too guilty ordering coffee with so little time left…again, not a feeling I should have in first class. Drink refills were not offered.
The pre-arrival service could have been so much better executed. The service flow was so perfect on my A380 flight because the flight attendants took charge and proactively executed service. Not so on this flight.
So was it was the best flight ever? No, not this one. The A380 flight the day before was perfect…this one was not.
I think it’s always appropriate to mention here that I am incredibly grateful to fly first class on Emirates and this sort of “first world problem” is not meant to condemn Emirates or gripe so much as it is to offer an honest comparison between this and other premium cabin products.
I don’t think you will find a more spacious and private suite and the entire drink list is phenomenal, but I was disappointed by the food and the service flow…it could have been better. Stay tuned for a full review.
Wow! So nice! Four photos this time!
Oh, and, umm, yeah I guess the First Class Suite and meals are nice, too…
🙂
Safe, comfortable, (so) spoilt delivery to your destination.
What have we become?
From your last review: “I think a crew makes or breaks a flight, even with a great hard product like Emirates, and this crew could not have been better.” (Emirates A380 FC) While the A380 had the worse hard product, the crew on that flight were outstanding compared to this flight, and it changed your enjoyment of the flights.
Just my opinion, Matthew, but I do not think (sadly) 90 minutes is enough time for multi course dining in First on Emirates. I once flew CHC-SYD, and ran into a similar problem on that flight with service, and even with the 2.5 hour flight time struggled to get through cheese and dessert. I think on Emirates if you want to do caviar, mezze, main course, cheese, dessert, you must budget at least 2.5 hours. Once on a flight from BUD to DXB in First, the meal service took almost the entire flight.
“I realize that I could have just pressed the call button ”
Rookie mistake. That is expected practice when flying F on EK.
No need to apologise or justify flying in whatever class you are able or want to.
I loved my EK Gamechanger experience when I was pleasantly surprised to have a plane switch from the older product the day of my flight (DXB-SEA in Feb). IMO the best hard and soft products I experienced in the air. The only downside I had on the flight was that I had too much of the very generous pours and my mid-flight nap made me miss the lunch service before landing!
There are 6 First class seats at B777 game changer, so the flight was full. There are 2 flight attendants in first class. One is taking care of the customers and other one is in the galley. There are so many things that they need to take care of when preparing for landing that I am actually impressed they were able to serve all that meals in 90 minutes. Moreover, flight time to Brussels is around 7 hours. If we will remove taxi, take off, climbing, decent and landing time, and 4 hours nap we are left with 2 hours. I think that FIrst Class crew who was serving you was very proactive.
Proactive in what world?
Exactly…
Apparently, being proactive is not a Middle Eastern/Arabic concept. I had a similar experience with Qatar business class where you have to ask for everything and be specific (e.g. when being offered the “tea service” make sure you also ask for the sandwiches, pastries etc or else you’ll just get tea!). I think perhaps the disappointment, at least for me, comes from comparing the service you might get with an Asian airline like Singapore, Cathay or JAL where the FA’s are proactive (especially Singapore) whereas the ME airlines expect you to tell them what you need.
I really don’t like this approach to service…and I felt that it wasn’t necessary based on the outstanding proactive service the day before from BOM-DXB.
This has been my exact experience! The funny thing is that these big Middle East airlines tend to be managed by Brits or Aussies so you’d think the culture would flow from those places. Qatar Airways has a far superior hard product to Singapore Air or Cathay Pacific but I’d rather fly in an outdated seat on an Asian airline any day. (And don’t get me started on the fact that most of the crews on Etihad, Emirates, Qatar are actually Indonesian, Malaysian, Filipino, etc – from SE Asia. Culture clash!!)
My brother and I prefer our lamb chops cooked through, well done. So those you called over cooked . . . actually look just perfect!