It's July in Sydney and the wet weather is already setting in. It's been one of the coldest and warmest winters in more than 20 years, and with border restrictions easing internationally, Dubai seemed like the perfect melting pot.
First, we had a great resignation and now, after years of lockdown and the first real summer in the Northern Hemisphere that allowed Southerners to chase the sun, it looks like the time has come for the Great Migration. Internationally, the media has been reporting long check-in lines at airports, and as soon as I opened the doors and entered Sydney's Kingsford Smith International Airport, I was ready to face a battlefield.
Fortunately, today I was flying Business Class with Emirates, so I was quickly able to cut through the long lines of people waiting for economy check-in. It was one of the first flights of the day out of Sydney with a departure time of 6am so our A380-800 was not delayed or affected by any cancellations as it arrived before 10pm.
Each seat in Business Class sits in its own space containing our popular soft drinks, a Bulgari kit for him and her passengers, headphones, socks and eye masks, and a senior entertainer, along with Evian Still Water and Perrier Sparkling. Screen showing an extensive list of TV shows and movies. Controlling your screen has never been easier as each seat hosts its own dedicated iPad dock allowing you to access a phone built into the side panel of your bar.
Sitting in the A380's overhead cabin makes takeoffs so smooth that if you weren't looking outside, you might not have noticed that we left the asphalt behind with the freezing temperatures.
Once we were in the air the lights dimmed and a friendly crew member offered to make my seat a bed for me. Each seat converts into a flat bed with a mattress topper, pillow and blanket.
Breakfast was finished in a while. On this Emirates flight, guests can choose from a continental breakfast consisting of bread, pastries and fresh fruit. A full breakfast includes your choice of cheese omelet served with grilled chicken sausage, banana bread with caramelized walnuts, strawberries and honey butter, or granola with yogurt and berry compote.
I ordered a seafood option and was greeted with a light and fluffy omelette with smoked salmon and baked tomato on the side. Breakfast was perfect - nothing heavy, but satisfying.
Then, I decided to pop into the famous in-flight bar area, exclusive to Emirates Business and First Class passengers, to work my way through a few cocktails, all in the name of researching that story. My favorite Emirates breakfast was the martini, and the name only seemed too appropriate - marmalade with Sipsmith London Dry gin with Cointreau juice, orange and lemon. A really refreshing way to start the day and this long journey. The Espresso Martini - a Belvedere vodka enhanced by Tia Maria and a shot of espresso - was a welcome addition, I must say.
Having a bar area is a great way to divide your business cabin space, keep up with friends and family while you're traveling, or chat with fellow travelers over a mojito. Throughout the flight, Business Class guests can help themselves to a range of snacks, including gourmet sandwiches, fruit baskets, potato chips, cans of M&M's and nuts or, for something more substantial, a selection of hot snacks, including penne with arabiata sauce. And parmesan cheese with oyster sauce or braised chicken with vegetable fried rice.
Sitting next to a vintage Moet, in an ice bucket, are mini squares and apple hazelnut brownie, baked just right and displayed in a clear cake stand with a glass lid.
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