Review Emirates flight, Milan Dubai in economy

We are looking forward to Emirates Put the giant of the skies back on the Milan/Dubai and Milan New York route..

Specifications

Aircraft:

B777/300

Class:

Economy

Treat:

MXP - DXB

Price:

560 €

Book

We make it clear before we leave with the flight review: a TFC we are in love with the A380 (we have never hidden it), flying on the 777/300 is not the same, it is not the same in business let alone economy class.

As is well known Dubai is one of the few destinations open to everyone, sure From Italy, it is possible to travel to the United Arab Emirates only for essential reasons, and in our case, the need to visit a construction site allowed us to fly to Dubai being able to test the economy cabin and understand how the carrier's service has changed in this time of crisis.

We want to be honest: the fact that the route is operated with 777/300s in the old 2-3-2 business class configuration and the flight duration is less than 6 hours was the main deterrent that made us lean toward the ticket in the cheapest cabin.

Check-in and airport

Upon arrival at Malpensa, what surprised us (negatively) was the chaos at the check-in counters. Against the backdrop of a deserted airport, we were confronted by a wall of people, the feeling was that half of the people at the airport in the province of Varese were ready to board the same flight as us.

The thought then of being able to spread out and have a line all to ourselves in a semi-deserted cabin deserted us well before we set foot on the plane, just as it became clear to us early on that the flight was not going to be "smooth" given the large number of families with children in the check-in line.

The rationale was that more than 200 people on board were bound for Pakistan and Bangladesh, obviously via Dubai.

No access to the Emirates private lounge, not because we were traveling on an economy ticket, but more simply because the lounge is closed as well as the beautiful Alitalia House (it may never reopen) and all the other lounges in the airport. Lowered store shutters and a lot of desolation walking around what looks like a cathedral in the desert.

The booth

The flight is operated, as mentioned, with 777/300s. Emirates is famous for having a fleet of only 2 models; the Boeing is the smaller of the two, and unlike its connections to Paris and London, traffic to Milan is not yet able to support the more capacious Airbus A380.

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The planes used in these months for the EK205/6 route are the two-class models. The first cabin is the business cabin with 42 seats in a 2-3-2 configuration, this means that not only those sitting window-side do not have direct access to the aisle, but also those sitting in the middle three seats do not enjoy the best seat in the skies.

Nothing compared to the new business class layouts on the A380 (photo below) but also light years away from the cabins of the latest 777s that entered service, which, by the way, also offer first class with what is arguably the best first class cabin in the world of single-deck aircraft today.

The rest of the plane is configured in economy with the three cabin sections having the classic 3-4-3 layout, for a total of 385 seats. The first cabin immediately after business class is the smallest and therefore quietest. I must say it was an excellent choice given the large number of children on board who were very vocal throughout the flight.

We have talked a lot about the best/worst places you can choose on board, in this case we "bet" on seats close to the bulkhead dividing the various sections of the aircraft, as they provide more legroom and ease of movement. On this type of aircraft and for these routes they are a good compromise.

Of course in these places there is always the risk of finding an infant's crib hanging in front of you, but if this does not happen, then you will be able to take advantage of the extra legroom without any contraindications.

The other special feature of the seats in the "bulkhead" rows is that by having table and TV hidden in the armrest, the spaces are defined: on the one hand, you will not be able to lie down and turn the row into a bed, as proposed by Lufthansa on its 747s., on the other hand it is certain that an overly bulky passenger will not "overflow" into our seat.

IFE and Service

Confirmed in its entirety is the meager equipment available to passengers: a small pillow, a blanket, and a pair of headphones for the onboard IFE.

Old the plane, old the configuration, old even the technology with entertainment system screens that make people regret even more the lack of the A380.

Everything is obviously governed by a remote control reminiscent of that of much less emblazoned companies than Emirates, but you know in times of crisis you try to optimize resources as much as possible.

Rich instead is the choice of content, on this it must be said that the company has always known how to be a step ahead of everyone, although of course on this plane one could feel all the advanced age of the system.

Food & Beverage

The flight normally takes off at 2:45 p.m. and lands a few minutes before midnight, for reasons unknown we left about 60 minutes late, a delay we partially made up in flight and allowed us to land in a deserted airport a few minutes after local midnight.

Emirates is was one of the first companies to restore its service on board, in all classes of travel, as it was an afternoon/evening flight the classic offerings were offered to economy passengers: rice and chicken dish or a "lasagna," having no appetite I ate only the cold part of the menu.

During the flight the staff also made two passes to offer drinks and snacks, in this case it was popcorn, I must say that the service (masks aside) was perfectly in line with the Emirates we all know.

Conrad Dubai, story of an upgrade to the 46th floor

In conclusion

At TFC we have repeatedly said this, a flight under 6 hours can also be done in economy without much sacrifice, in this case the business cabin was old and unexciting. Emirates, like all the Gulf airlines, Etihad and Qatar, departed immediately and today is among the most active despite bans and sudden airspace closures.

Flying in economy on the A380 is still another thing, even at this time of pandemic and difficulty.

The verdict

Let's face it Emirates is famous for A380s, sure B777s are good planes but it is not the same. However, the service is the same regardless of the iron used for the flight.

7

Service

8

IFE

6

F&B

7

Cabin and Armchair

7

Pro

• On-board service is as usual

Against

• Many people on board were not wearing masks properly
• the 777 is not Emirates' best plane