emirates

A Dream Come True Part 2: 24 DAYS Around FRANCE, ITALY & SPAIN For Less Than ₱170,000 ALL IN – Airfare, Accommodation, Food, Museum Tickets & Transportation Included

I flew to Europe alone in 2019 and explored 4 countries – The Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic and Denmark – for 19 days and spent a little over ₱117,000 for everything. The total expense included return flights via Singapore Airlines, hostel accommodations, visa application fees, travel insurance and daily expenses. Cheap-o, right? I honestly cannot believe I did it that time. I hope you can check out all the details of this life-changing EU solo trip here – Going Solo in Europe category.

Fast forward to 2022 when prices of everything went up, I did not think I will be able to do it again. In early to mid-2022, my friends and I talked about flying to Europe for a few weeks towards the end of the year. After months and weeks of planning and visa applications, we finally flew to Europe in November 2022 for holiday. I, with some friends, went around France, Italy and Spain for 24 days.

Guess what? I spent a little over ₱167,000 ALL IN for this 3.5-week trip! Curious how I made it happen? Let me share the breakdown of travel expenses below.

Air Tickets

Back in 2020, I booked a ticket with Emirates from Hong Kong to Munich and back from Budapest to Hong Kong for only HK$4,039 or ₱27,072.73 for October 2020. The pandemic happened; I was not able to use that ticket.

Luckily, Emirates offered the most flexible option for tickets booked that year. They offered to keep the ticket and extended its validity for 3 years. They allowed passengers to book their tickets when they are ready to fly. On top of that, they also allowed the passengers to change the airports of origin and destination as long as the airports are within the same Emirates region. Emirates also waived all fare difference, rebooking and change fees.

After securing my tourist visa last October 2022, I called Emirates and advised them my preferred dates and flight schedules. I got my new ticket in less than a minute after I ended the call. I wrote about my Emirates flight experiences last year under the Flight Reports category – EK 335 Manila to Dubai, EK 073 Dubai to Paris CDG, EK 256 Barcelona to Dubai and EK 332 Dubai to Manila. I hope you can check them out.

My friends and I also booked our inter-country tickets before flying to Europe. We flew with Air France from Paris, France to Rome Italy and paid ₱6,854.74 for a one-way ticket. After Milan, my friends all flew back to Manila while I continued my journey to Barcelona. I flew with Vueling from Milan, Italy to Barcelona, Spain. I got my ticket 2 months before the trip and paid ₱3,442.29 for this one-way ticket.

On top of these flights, I also paid the Philippine Travel Tax of ₱1,620 before leaving Manila. This travel tax is required for all Filipinos going out of the country for holiday or vacation.

Accommodation

I mentioned in my 2019 Euro trip summary that accommodations in the continent are expensive. After the pandemic, I noticed that accommodation rates got more expensive in general. I still cannot afford staying in these hotels and private rooms so I opted in staying with hostels again! I am happy I found a travel buddy / friend who is also keen on staying in hostels to save some cash. Just like before, I stayed in popular and high-rated hostels found in central and well-recommended locations.

I stayed with Le Village Montmartre by Hiphophostels for 4 nights in Paris (€147 paid during check-in), The Romehello for 5 nights in Rome (€89,26 paid through Agoda days before check-in), YellowSquare Florence for 4 nights in Florence (€95,60 paid during check-in), YellowSquare Milan for 4 nights in Milan (€109,24 paid during check-in) and YEAH Hostel Barcelona for 4 nights in Barcelona (₱5,589.42 paid through Agoda in Philippine Peso).

Travel Insurance

Schengen tourist visa applications require a travel insurance with up to €30,000 medical coverage for the duration of the trip, some even up to 15 to 30 days after the trip.

I got my travel insurance from Oona Insurance (previously known as Mapfre Insurance) and paid ₱1,969.43 (€34.95) for a 35-day coverage.

Schengen Tourist Visa

I applied for my own tourist visa with the Italian Embassy in the Philippines’ Visa Center – VIA Italy. I paid ₱4,494 (€80) for the visa fee and ₱1,350 for the visa handling fee including the courier fee / service. I opted for the passport pick-up to make sure I get the visa in time for my trip. I previously shared in this website how I got my Schengen tourist visa from VIA Italy without the help of any tour agency. Check out that Tuesday Tip post here.

Internet Sim Card

Travelling around Europe is a lot easier when you are connected to the internet throughout the trip. I did not want to get lost during the trip so I ordered a 3UK internet sim card from Travel Sim PH Shopee Store (not sponsored). I got the sim card that has 12GB data allocation valid for 1 month after activation. I paid ₱1,521 for this sim card including shipping fee and had it delivered at home weeks before the trip.

Pre-Booked Tickets & Tours

Weeks before our trip, my friend and I booked several tickets that we will use for the trip. We booked our bus tickets from Rome to Florence, Florence to Milan and the return bus tickets to Serravalle Designer Outlet. We also booked entry tickets to museums like the Vatican Museums in Vatican, Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence and the Last Supper in Milan. We also booked day trips to the Colosseum in Rome, Tuscany countryside in Florence and Lake Como in Milan.

All these tickets were booked using our credit cards and cost us ₱20,206.70 each.

Daily Expenses

I tried to set a daily budget for the trip but I noticed I have been spending more than the allotted amount. I decided to just let things go with the flow. Most of the day-to-day expenses came from food and transportation. I brought some euros to Europe and used my credit card for other purchases.

POCKET MONEY

Before leaving for Europe, I managed to change some cash to Euros to serve as my pocket. I changed ₱29,980 worth of Philippine pesos to €500. Towards the end of my stay in Italy, I also withdrew some cash from the ATM. The withdrawal cost me ₱9,435.93 including the international withdrawal charges.

I used the cash for day-to-day expenses like transportation and food. I also used the money to get my Navigo card and Paris Museum Pass in Paris.

TRAVEL EXPENSES CHARGED TO CREDIT CARD

Credit cards are widely accepted in Europe. In fact, it is the preferred mode of payment of some establishments. I used my credit cards a lot of times during the trip – mostly for food and transportation.

FOOD

I tapped my card in a lot of restaurants, fast food chains, hostel buffets and supermarkets during the trip. For instance, I used my card in paying for all the hostel breakfast buffets I availed at The RomeHello and YEAH Hostel Barcelona. I also used it in various restaurants in Florence, Milan and Barcelona. I even used my credit card in getting food from different fast-food chains and supermarkets.

In total, I charged ₱20,424.28 to my BPI Credit Card (not sponsored) only for food.

TRANSPORTATION

I also used my credit card in paying for transportation costs like airport trains, subways, buses and ride-hailing applications such as Uber, Bolt and FreeNow. In total, I charged ₱6,865.51 to my BPI Credit Card (not sponsored) for all transportation-related expenses.

Summary of Expenses

Here is the summary of all the expenses mentioned above.

The total amount spent for this 24-day trip around France, Italy and Spain is ₱167,752.45. This total cost includes flight tickets, accommodation bookings, visa application fees, travel insurance, entry tickets, food and transportation costs.

Please do not get me wrong, ₱167,752.45 is a big amount of money. At the same time, it was everything I spent for a 24-day trip to Europe from the Philippines. It may be a little over 40% higher than my 2019 Euro trip but it is still cheap given all the places I have been to in this trip.

Blog List

Here is the list of blog posts that are related to this 2022 trip to Europe.

FLIGHT REPORTS ✈️

Flight Report: EMIRATES EK 335 – Manila to Dubai – Overnight Long-Haul Flight with the Middle Eastern Global Carrier [November 2022]
Flight Report: EMIRATES EK 073 – Dubai to Paris CDG – Excellent Airbus A380 Superjumbo Flight to the Famous French Capital [November 2022]
Flight Report: AIR FRANCE AF 1304 – Paris CDG to Rome – Short Inter-European Hop to Italy’s Capital City [November 2022]
Flight Report: VUELING VY 6333 – Milan Malpensa to Barcelona – Superb Flying Experience with a Spanish Low-Cost Airline [December 2022]
Flight Report: EMIRATES EK 256 – Barcelona to Dubai – Impressive Intercontinental Flight on a Rare Long-Range Aircraft [December 2022]
Flight Report: EMIRATES EK 332 – Dubai to Manila – Underwhelming Inflight Meals on a Busy & Full Flight Back to Manila [December 2022]

HOSTEL FEATURES 🏨

Hostel of the Day: LE VILLAGE MONTMARTRE BY HIPHOPHOSTELS – Authentic & Affordable Parisian Property in the Artist District
Hostel of the Day: THE ROMEHELLO – Affordable, Hospitable & High-Rated Accommodation That Felt Like Home
Hostel of the Day: YELLOWSQUARE FLORENCE – Lively & Social Hostel Outside (But Near) Florence City Center
Hostel of the Day: YELLOWSQUARE MILAN – Hidden Hostel Gem in Milan’s Porta Romana District
Hostel of the Day: YEAH HOSTEL BARCELONA – 4 Fun & Solid Nights in One of the World’s Best Hostels

VISA APPLICATION ✍️

Tuesday Tips for Philippine Passport Holders: Do-It-Yourself SCHENGEN TOURIST VISA Application with VIA ITALY

PARIS 🇫🇷

N9 Friends in Europe: PARIS – 5 Days Around the Postcard-Perfect French Capital [Days 1 & 2]
N9 Friends in Europe: PARIS – 5 Days Around the Postcard-Perfect French Capital [Days 3, 4 & 5]
N9 Friends in Europe: CHÂTEAU DE VERSAILLES Day Trip Photoblog
PARIS MUSEUM PASS Review – Is It Worth It?

ROME 🇮🇹

N9 Friends in Europe: ROME – 6 Days Around the Italian Eternal City – Arrival, Colosseum Tour & Trastevere Food Tour [Part 1 of 3]
N9 Friends in Europe: ROME – 6 Days Around the Italian Eternal City – Vatican City, Necropolis Tour & Papal Audience [Part 2 of 3]
N9 Friends in Europe: ROME – 6 Days Around the Italian Eternal City – Rome at Night, City Walking Tour & Departure [Part 3 of 3]

FLORENCE 🇮🇹

N9 in Europe: FLORENCE – The Cradle of Renaissance | 4 Wonderful Days Around the Historic Italian City
N9 in Europe: TUSCANY EXPERIENCE CLASSIC TOUR Photoblog – A Day Trip to Pisa, San Gimignano & Siena
P’s List: 7 Food Places to Check Out in Florence

MILAN 🇮🇹

N9 in Europe: MILAN – 4 Beautiful Days Around the Italian Business, Shopping & Fashion Capital
N9 in Europe: LUGANO & LAKE COMO DAY TRIP FROM MILAN Photoblog – Exploring 3 Places in 2 Countries in 1 Day

BARCELONA 🇪🇸

N9 in Europe: BARCELONA – 4 Lazy Days Around the Bustling Spanish City

Do you have any questions about anything mentioned above? Is there anything you want to ask how I planned the trip in general? Or maybe how I made it happen? Feel free to post your questions in the comments section below. You can also send it via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thank you for joining me in summarizing my 2022 trip to Europe. I may be months behind in posting everything about this trip but I hope it is never too late to share these details. I would like to thank my N9 friends for joining me in this life-changing and memorable trip to Europe. I cannot wait to go back to the continent in the future!

Feel free to follow me on my social media channels for more information on cheap fares, thrift hacks & fun itineraries – Facebook & Instagram. I will end this post with this statement. I DID IT AGAIN – 24 DAYS AROUND FRANCE, ITALY & SPAIN FOR LESS THAN ₱170,000 ALL IN AND I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT TOO!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Flight Report: EMIRATES EK 332 – Dubai to Manila – Underwhelming Inflight Meals on a Busy & Full Flight Back to Manila [December 2022]

Late last year, my friends and I went on a 3.5-week holiday around France, Italy and Spain. We visited and went around the cities of Paris, Rome, Florence, Milan and Barcelona. We took different flights to and from Europe.

I flew with Emirates from Manila to Dubai and Dubai to Paris to Europe and Barcelona to Dubai and Dubai to Manila (this flight) back to the Philippines. I have shared with you in the past on how the first 3 flights went in previous flight reports.

To complete the flights on this trip, allow me to share with you details about the last sector – Emirates Flight EK 332 from Dubai, United Arab Emirates to Manila, Philippines. Read on below to know why I believe this flight was the only underwhelming flight among all 4 sectors I took with the airline last year.

Emirates commenced operations in 1985 from its home hub in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. 37 years after, the airline is now one of the world’s biggest airlines. The airline is a subsidiary of the state-owned The Emirates Group. Most, if not all, of its flights depart & arrive from the massive Dubai International Airport Terminal 3.

In case you missed it, I post reviews & features of my flights since June 2019. I’ve covered airlines such as EVA Air, Indonesia Air Asia, Singapore Airlines & Cebu Pacific Air. All posts about these flights are found under the Flight Reports category.

The airline flies to over 80 countries & 150 destinations in the 6 habitable continents. It has a fleet of over 250 wide body aircraft with 200 more on order. The airline currently operates only Boeing 777 & Airbus A380 aircraft in their fleet; it is also the largest operator of both aircraft types. It makes use of Dubai’s strategic location in connecting people from all over the world.

Apart from its commercial division, the airline also has its cargo & corporate subsidiaries. Its cargo division is called Emirates SkyCargo, while its corporate & private subsidiary is called Emirates Executive. Emirates’ frequent flyer program is called Emirates Skywards. The airline is not part of an airline alliance but has codeshare & partnership agreements with airlines like flydubai, Qantas, United, Air Canada & a lot more.

Emirates is a full-service airline. This means that the airline offers services & amenities such as inflight meals & snacks & personal entertainment screens on every flight. All Emirates tickets also include check-in baggage allowance depending on the booking / ticket class where the passengers are booked.

Do you want to know the difference between a full-service & a low-cost airline? Check out my previous post detailing the differences of these 2 types of airlines.

Airfare

I booked my Emirates ticket in January 2020 before all borders closed due to the pandemic. Back then, my ticket was from Hong Kong to Munich, Germany via Dubai & back to Hong Kong via Dubai from Budapest, Hungary. I wasn’t able to use this 2020 ticket, but I was so pleased that Emirates offered the most flexible airline ticket option.

Basically, they extended the ticket validity for 3 years & allowed passengers to rebook the ticket when they are ready to fly as long as there are seats available. The flights tickets should be used within the validity period. On top of this, they also allowed the passengers to change the airports of origin & destination as long as the airports are within the same Emirates region. Emirates also waived all fare difference, rebooking & change fees.

Fast forward to 2022, my friends & I decided to fly to Europe for a 3.5-week holiday. After getting my tourist visa from VIA Italy, I called the Emirates hotline & requested for my ticket to be issued. I changed the airport of origin from Hong Kong to Manila (both in the Far East) & the airport of destination from Munich to Paris (both in Europe). My return flights were also changed from Budapest to Barcelona (both in Europe) & then back to Manila. I got my new ticket in less than 2 minutes after the Emirates agent confirmed my preferred flight schedules & details. The best thing was this new ticket didn’t cost me anything – no additional fees, change fees or airport taxes or whatever. It even included a 20-25 kilograms check-in baggage allowance from previously 15 kilograms.

Believe it or not, I only paid HK$4,039 or ₱27,072.73 for this return ticket. This ticket includes inflight meals, personal entertainment screens & even baggage allowance both ways. Compared to the usual tickets to Europe, this one didn’t cost much. Thank you, Emirates, for this flexible ticket. I know I’ve booked tons of cheap tickets in the past, but I believe this was probably the best-valued to date.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

At the time of the flight, the Philippine government still required proof of vaccination or negative test result (for those unvaccinated) for all incoming international passengers. On top of this, they also required the E-Travel QR Code which can be obtained from the E-Travel website.

As of July 2023, the government has removed all pandemic-related entry requirements. They retained the E-Travel QR code requirement to replace the previously required physical arrival forms.

Before The Flight

Emirates sent an e-mail and mobile application check-in reminder 48 hours before my scheduled flight to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The airline offers free standard seat selection during web or mobile check-in.

I already had my seats pre-booked at the time of getting this ticket so I did not bother checking or changing them during web check-in. I checked in for the flights to Manila immediately I received the check-in reminder. Take note that you will need your passport information and other necessary details to complete this early check-in.

Aircraft & Flight Information

This Dubai to Manila Emirates flight was operated by a 10.6-year-old Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. This plane, delivered to Emirates back in May 2012 has 3 cabin classes – first class, business class and economy class. The first class section has 8 enclosed private suites. The business class cabin has 42 lie-flat seats on a 2-3-2 configuration while the economy class area has 310 seats arranged in a 3-4-3 layout.

The flight took off from Dubai International Airport at 4:17am, flew around 6,900 kilometers, cruised an altitude of 35,000 to 37,000 feet and landed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila at 3:47pm. The whole flight took 7 hours and 30 minutes.

Ground & Airport Experience

Emirates fly out of Dubai International Airport Terminal 3.

CHECK-IN

I completed the check-in process for this flight in Barcelona, Spain when I checked in for the first flight to Dubai. I was only in Dubai for a quick 3-hour transit or layover. If you want to know how my Barcelona Airport check-in process went, feel free to check out my previous flight report about EK 256 flight from Barcelona to Dubai.

DUBAI TRANSIT & MARHABA LOUNGE EXPERIENCE

Upon disembarkation from my Barcelona to Dubai flight, I immediately went to the Connections Area, went through security check, took the airport train to Terminal 3 Concourse C and located the assigned boarding gate for this Emirates flight to Manila.

After checking out the gate, I went to the Concourse C Marhaba Lounge to get some rest and have some snack. My newly-acquired (that time) Security Bank Platinum Credit Card (not sponsored) came with 2 complimentary airport lounge access per year at any LoungeKey-affiliated lounge around the world. This is on top of the unlimited Marhaba Lounge access I have in NAIA Terminals 1 and 3 here in the Philippines. I used the 1^st complimentary access during my Dubai Layover on the way to Paris; I used the 2^nd free access during this layover on the way back to Manila.

Terminal 3 Concourse C’s Marhaba Lounge has almost the same size as that of Concourse A’s. The lounge was packed with people when I arrived a few minutes after midnight. Most of the lounge guests left after 2:00 am. The lounge served a wide range of food options; they have salad, bread, mains, desserts and fruits. They also have coffee, tea, juices, beers and some cocktails free of charge. The lounge had clean and well-maintained amenities. I left the Marhaba Lounge full, relaxed and ready for my 7.5-hour flight back home.

PRE-DEPARTURE

While at the lounge, Emirates notified me via the mobile application of the assigned boarding gate for my flight to Manila. The notification also included what time boarding will start and what time the doors will close. After about an hour, I got another notification advising that boarding is about to commence at our assigned gate. I finished my food, packed my stuff, left the lounge and walked to Gate C5.

Upon arrival at Gate C5, I saw a big bunch of people waiting to go inside the pre-departure area. Apparently, our flight was assigned to a smaller boarding gate which could barely accommodate a full Boeing 777 flight. I stayed outside the boarding gate and waited for our turn to board.

BOARDING

Boarding commenced at 3:10am. First class, business class and Skywards status holders boarded the plane first. Economy class passengers flocked the boarding area and started lining up even if their boarding class and zone has not been called.

Economy class passengers seated at the rear part of the plane boarded the plane next. They were followed by those seated in the middle economy section. Our boarding group, seated in the front economy section, boarded the plane last. The cabin crew gave out masks and hand sanitizers to all passengers once everyone was seated. The aircraft doors closed at 3:54am – 4 minutes behind schedule.

The boarding process was chaotic and disorganized. The ground staff were not able to control the influx of passengers wanting to enter the pre-departure area and wanting to board the plane first.

INFLIGHT HARD & SOFT PRODUCT

SEAT FEATURES

This Dubai to Manila Emirates flight was operated by 3-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. The first class section has 8 seats in fully-enclosed suites. According to SeatMaps, the first class seats on this plane has a seat pitch of 86 inches, a seat width of 23 inches and a 180 degree recline. The business class section has 42 lie-flat seats with 60 inches of seat pitch and 20.5 inches of seat width. The economy class has 310 seats on 3 (front, middle and rear) cabins. Each economy class seat has a pitch of 32 to 33 inches, a width of 17 inches and recline of 6 inches.

Economy class seats feature a touch-screen personal entertainment screen, a big tray table, a cup holder, a coat hook, a USB charging port, a seat pocket with Duty Free magazines and aircraft safety card, shared universal power outlets (2 in a row of 3 seats), a pillow, a blanket, a pair of headphones and an adjustable headrest. Every economy class passenger also has access to spacious overhead cabins, individual reading lights and air vents.

I got aisle seat 18C in the front economy class cabin for this 7.5-hour journey to Manila, Philippines. I found the seat features to be complete and comfortable for a long-haul flight like this.

INFLIGHT MEALS

Emirates provides complimentary meals on all their flights. Passengers can access the inflight menu from the airline’s website as early as a week before the flight. They also have the option for passengers to request for or book special meals up to 24 hours before the scheduled flight. The airline does not provide physical menus; instead, they ask passengers to access and browse the menus through their on-board portal.

The crew served a breakfast meal and a light meal on this 7.5-hour flight. 40 minutes after leaving Dubai, they started the breakfast service. They offered 2 breakfast options – scrambled eggs with creamed spinach, turkey rashers and rosti and dori yakisoba with vegetables and soy sauce. The meal came with fresh fruits, croissant with butter and jam, a granola bar and coconut mouse for dessert. It also came with a small glass of water and a drink of choice – coffee, tea, juice, soda, wine or alcoholic beverage. I went for the dori yakisoba and paired it with a glass of apple juice. After meal service, the crew went around for another round of drinks.

2 hours and 20 minutes before landing, the crew went around to distribute the light meals. They only had one option for the meal – chicken adobo with vegetables and rice. It came with a chocolate mousse for dessert, a small glass of water and a drink of choice – same options as above. The crew went for another round of coffee and tea after all meals were served.

Emirates made sure that passengers are well-fed on this 7.5-hour flight. In my opinion, both meals were underwhelming. The food portions were great but the food taste was not to my liking. I found the dory yakisoba too salty and the coconut mousse too sweet. The chicken adobo was alright but it was nothing compared to the superb breakfast tapa served in my Manila to Dubai Emirates flight. The meals on this flight were the least favorite ones of all the meals I took on 4 flights to and from Europe.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

Emirates is known for its excellent inflight entertainment system called ICE. The entertainment system offers thousands of options ranging from movies, television shows and series, documentaries, songs and even games which you can play together with your seat neighbor. It even has region-specific movies and television shows. ICE also offers live television coverage of news channels like BBC World News, CNN International, Sports 24 and Sky News Arabia.

ICE also offers access to 2 aircraft cameras installed in the front of and under this Boeing aircraft. It also shows the complete flight and aircraft details and even has 2 kinds of moving flight maps. The airline indeed offers the best entertainment system in the skies – a system every airline in the world should copy.

The entertainment system on seat 16C worked well throughout the flight. I slept most of the flight and was not able to use it apart from the flight map shown in the screen. I noticed that the entertainment system on this aircraft was modern compared to the ones on my Manila to Dubai and Barcelona to Dubai flights but a bit outdated compared to the Airbus A380 inflight system on my Dubai to Paris flight.

INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY

Emirates offers paid inflight wi-fi connectivity on their flights. Rates range from $2.99 – $19.99 depending on the type of use the passengers need. The cheapest onboard internet plan costs $3.99 & is only limited to messaging applications such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, etc.

I did not try this service during this flight; I did not use it because I was mostly asleep in the flight. I think it would be nice if the airline offered complimentary but limited connectivity / data allowance at least for Emirates Skywards members like how Singapore Airlines offers to their Krisflyer members.

LAVATORY

The middle section lavatories on this flight were alright; they were not dirty but also not super clean. The lavatories had the right size; it also had the usual moisturizing lotion, perfume and loads of toilet paper. I did not find dental kits inside; I believe it would have been nicer if they provided some.

Cabin Crew Service

The cabin crew service on this flight felt normal and relaxed. The crew did not rush in distributing meals and giving away the second drink service. They catered to the needs of the passengers, helped them during boarding and served the passengers with their best smiles.

Disembarkation & Baggage Claim

Disembarkation was quick and organized. The first class and business class passengers left the plane first. Economy class passengers followed. I was seated in the forward economy section so I was one of the first economy class passengers to leave the plane.

I passed by immigration quickly and headed to the baggage claim area. I waited for an hour before I got my luggage. I do not know what happened but I heard that Emirates conducted an additional security check before releasing all the checked bags to the passengers.

Flight Experience

This pretty much sums up my flight with Emirates on their Boeing 777-300ER service from Dubai to Manila. It was not the excellent and ideal Emirates economy class flight experience but it was still a good one.

Some details of the flight stood out to me. First, the cost of this return flight to and from Europe is incomparable. This pandemic ticket, which had the best pandemic flexibility terms, only cost me HK$ 4,039 or ₱27,072.73 for all 4 sectors. It included a generous 25-kilogram baggage allowance, inflight meals and entertainment. This ticket was definitely a steal. It will take some time before we see Europe-bound tickets go low as this one.

Second, Emirates knows how to spoil their passengers. The seats onboard their planes are clean and comfortable. They have everything a passenger needs in a long-haul flight. The entertainment system is modern and has thousands of options to choose from. It is surely one of the best in the world right now. Third, the airline provides real-time flight updates through their mobile application. They notify passengers once the bags are checked in for flights, once boarding gates are assigned and every time boarding starts for flights.

Fourth, the cabin crew service on this flight was warmer and more relaxed. The service did not feel rushed like my experience on the outward flight to Dubai on EK 335. Lastly, Emirates hard and soft product is consistent even with different aircraft types. The seats types, entertainment system, lavatories and even onboard offerings are almost the same in all the aircraft types I flew with them – Boeing 777-300ER, Boeing 777-200LR and the Airbus A380-800.

Moving to the flight disappointments, this Emirates flight was probably the least favorite all 4 I took with them last year. First, the boarding process was chaotic. The ground staff announced boarding by class and groups but they were unable to control the crowd of passengers in the pre-boarding gate. The waiting area was hot, suffocating and was a mess. Everything came back to normal after most of the passengers have boarded the plane.

Second, the meals served on this flight were underwhelming. The meal portions were great but the taste was not to my liking. The dory yakisoba was salty, the coconut mousse was too sweet while the chicken adobo was alright. A friend who flew with Emirates to Manila weeks before my flight agreed with the underwhelming meals on the DXB to MNL flights.

Third, Emirates did not offer complimentary Wi-Fi access to their passengers. Maybe the airline can offer limited access to Skywards members like how Singapore Airlines offered it to their Krisflyer members. Just a few months ago, Singapore Airlines started offering unlimited complimentary internet access to all Krisflyer members onboard their flights. I hope Emirates provide the same perk in the future.

Despite all of these let downs, I still had a good flight with Emirates on their EK 332 service from Dubai to Manila. Will I fly them again? For sure! I will grab every opportunity to fly with them in the next few years. I cannot wait for the next one!

Allow me to share with you some details of this flight:

Airline: Emirates
Flight Date: 8 December 2022
Flight Number: EK 332
Route: Dubai, United Arab Emirates (DXB) to Manila, Philippines (MNL)
Duration: 7 hours & 30 minutes
Seat Numebr: 18C (aisle seat)
Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER
Aircraft Registration: A6-EGP
Engines: 2 x GE GE90-115B Engines
Age (at the time of the flight): 10.6 years old
Delivered: May 2012

And that’s 4 out of 4 flights with Emirates in 2022. Have you flown Emirates in the past? How was your experience? Will you fly Emirates soon & or by any chance have questions about anything mentioned above? Feel free to share your experiences or post your questions in the comments section below. You may also send them via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thank you for joining me in today’s Emirates flight report. In case you missed it, I also flew with Emirates on their Manila to Dubai, Dubai to Paris CDG and Barcelona to Dubai routes. I hope you can also check out these flight reports as well as my previous flight reports with Singapore Airlines, Vietnam Airlines and Air France. All other previous flight reports can be found under the Flight Reports category. Feel free to check them out. Please look forward to more flight reports in the future.

Before you go, I hope you can like and follow my social media pages – Facebook and Instagram. This will help me increase my reach; it will also keep you up-to-date with the latest blog posts and flight reports on this website. Thank you and see you in the next flight report!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Flight Report: EMIRATES EK 256 – Barcelona to Dubai – Impressive Intercontinental Flight on a Rare Long-Range Aircraft [December 2022]

After spending 3.5 weeks around France, Italy and Spain, my time in Europe came to an end. I eventually left the continent and flew back to my home country – the Philippines. My journey back to Manila started at Barcelona El Prat (BCN) Airport, Spain where I took an Emirates flight to Dubai, United Arab Emirates – Flight EK 256.

This BCN to DXB flight is the subject of today’s flight report. Join me as I share with you the details of this impressive intercontinental Emirates flight on a rare long-range aircraft.

Emirates

Do you want to know the difference between a full-service & a low-cost airline? Check out my previous post detailing the differences of these 2 types of airlines.

AIRFARE

I booked this Emirates ticket back in January 2020 with an original departure from Hong Kong to Munich, Germany and back to Hong Kong from Budapest, Hungary. The pandemic happened and it has restricted me from using this ticket on its initial schedule. This ticket from and back to Hong Kong back then cost me HK$ 4,039 or ₱27,072.73 in Philippine peso.

Luckily, Emirates offered the most flexible options for passengers who booked their tickets in 2020. The airline offered a ‘keep the ticket’ option, extended the validity of the ticket to 3 years from the time of booking (in my case up to 3 February 2023) and offered a ‘book when ready’ scheme where the passenger can just call the airline when he/she is ready to use the ticket and fly. On top of that, the airline also allowed passengers to change the airports of origin and destination as long as both airports are within the same region – in my case, Far East Region and Europe. All these options were offered free of charge – no additional cancellation, fare difference and change fees charged.

Fast forward to 2022, my college friends and I planned to fly to Europe for 3.5 weeks. Borders have been opened and pandemic-related requirements have been removed; traveling to another country was easier compared to how it was in 2020 and early 2021. After getting my visa from the Italian Embassy through VIA Italy, I called the Emirates hotline and requested for my ticket to be issued. I changed the airport of origin from Hong Kong to Manila (both in the Far East) and the airport of destination from Munich to Paris (both in Europe). My return flights were changed from Budapest to Barcelona (both in Europe) and then back to Manila. The ticket got issued in less than 2 minutes after the Emirates agent confirmed my preferred flight schedules and details. It even included a 20-25 kilograms check-in baggage allowance from previously 15 kilograms.

A massive thank you to Emirates for providing such generous options for pre-pandemic booked tickets. I never imagined I could fly to Europe and back to Manila for such an affordable flight ticket. I do not think that will ever happen again in the foreseeable future.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

At the time of the flight, it was only the Philippines that required pandemic-related requirements upon entry into the country. The E-travel QR code was required for all incoming passengers. At that time, the E-travel page still asked for the passenger’s vaccination status. This pandemic-specific requirement has recently been removed. The E-travel QR code is still required but only with the usual details. Additionally, my transit country, United Arab Emirates, did not require anything during this flight to Manila via Dubai DXB.

Before The Flight

Aircraft & Flight Information

This Barcelona to Dubai Emirates flight was operated by a 13.9-year-old rare Boeing 777-200LR (long range) aircraft. The aircraft, delivered to Emirates in January 2009, has 2 cabin classes. The business class section has 38 lie-flat seats on a 2-2-2 configuration while the economy class section has 264 regular seats on a 3-4-3 arrangement.

The flight took off from Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport at 3:24pm local time. It travelled 3,333 miles and cruised an altitude of 39,000 feet to Dubai. The flight touched down at Dubai International Airport 12:10am local time ahead of the 12:40am schedule. The flight only took 5 hours and 46 minutes.

This daily Emirates service EK 256 flight originates from Mexico City (MEX) on the same flight number. The flight leaves Mexico (MEX) at night, takes a 12-hour flight to Barcelona (BCN), makes a 1 hour and 45 minute-stop to refuel, unload and pick-up passengers and continues another 6-hour flight to its destination – Dubai (DXB). Its counterpart EK 255 departs Dubai daily, lands in Barcelona to refuel, unload and pick-up passengers and takes another 12-hour flight to Mexico City. The long flight duration is one of the reasons why Emirates always assigns its Boeing 777-200LR aircraft on this route.

Ground & Airport Experience

Emirates flights depart from Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport Terminal 1.

CHECK-IN

Emirates check-in counters are in the far-left section of the terminal. Its check-in counters are classified according to flight classes. First class, business class and Skywards status passengers have dedicated check-in lanes while economy class passengers are divided into 3 check-in lanes – regular check-in, online check-in and those needing special assistance. Economy class passengers who have completed online check-in have a separate and faster queue.

I arrived in the airport exactly 3 hours before the flight and went straight to check-in. The check-in counters did not have people checking in – no queues! I completed online check-in before going to the airport and went to the online check-in counter. The ground staff, who happened to be a Filipina, checked my E-Travel QR code and vaccination details and checked me in for the flight. The whole process took less than 5 minutes.

PRE-DEPARTURE

After check-in, I passed by final security check and immigration. I also dropped by Duty Free and spent all my remaining Euro cash before leaving Spain. I walked to our assigned gate – Gate 18 – and waited for the boarding announcement.

BOARDING

Boarding by groups commenced at 2:39pm. Business class passengers and Skywards status holders were asked to board the plane first. Passengers with special assistance boarded the plane next. Economy class passengers boarded the plane by group. Our group, the forward economy class passengers, boarded the plane last.

The whole boarding process only took 23 minutes; the aircraft doors closed at 3:02pm. The aircraft pushed back after 7 minutes at 3:09pm.

Inflight Hard & Soft Product

SEAT FEATURES

This Barcelona to Dubai Emirates flight was operated by a rare 2-class Boeing 777-200LR aircraft. The aircraft has 38 lie-flat business class seats arranged in a 2-2-2 configuration and 264 regular economy class seats in a 3-4-3 configuration. According to SeatMaps, each business class seat has a seat pitch of 72 inches and a seat width of 22.5 inches. The seat can be converted into a lie flat bed during cruising altitude. On the other hand, each economy class seat has a seat pitch of 32 to 33 inches and a seat width of 17 inches.

Economy class seats on this aircraft feature a touch-screen personal entertainment screen with remote, a foldable table, a cup holder, a coat hook, a USB charging port, a seat pocket with Duty Free magazines and aircraft safety card, a universal power outlet, a pillow, a blanket, a pair of headphones and an adjustable headrest. Every economy class passenger also has access to spacious overhead cabins, individual reading lights and air vents. The seats are almost identical with the Boeing 777-300ER we flew to Dubai from Manila last November 2022.

This Emirates economy class seat is very comfortable for a mid to long-haul route. The airline knows what the passengers want and need for such flights.

INFLIGHT MEALS

Emirates offered 2 meals on this 6-hour flight to Barcelona. The lunch service started an hour after take-off. The lunch meal had 2 choices – beef meatballs with roasted potatoes and chicken and mushroom pasta. The mains came with quinoa salad as appetizer, chocolate mousse as dessert, cheese and cracker, bread roll with butter, chocolate chip cookie and a small chocolate bar. It also came with water and a drink of choice. I went for the beef option and got orange juice as my drink. After the meal service, the crew went around for a second round of drink service.

1 hour and 45 minutes before landing, the crew handed out warm gouda pastry, a slice of lemon cake and a drink of choice for snack. The crew also offered another round of drinks after giving out the snacks. Emirates made sure that passengers are well-fed and satisfied meals-wise on this intercontinental journey.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

No doubt, Emirates’ entertainment system is one of the best in the world. Passengers will never get bored and will never run out of choices during the flight. I encountered a minor issue with the entertainment system in Seat 16A. I found it too slow to load and unresponsive at times. I will give it a pass considering how old the aircraft is.

INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY

Emirates offers paid inflight wi-fi connectivity on their flights. Rates range from $2.99 – $19.99 depending on the type of use the passengers need. The cheapest onboard internet plan costs $4.99 & is only limited to messaging applications such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, etc.

I didn’t try this service during this flight; I don’t need to use the internet during this overnight flight. I think it would be nice if the airline offered complimentary but limited connectivity / data allowance at least for Emirates Skywards members like how Singapore Airlines offers to their Krisflyer members.

LAVATORY

The middle lavatories in the economy class section were kept clean and tidy throughout the flight. It had amenities such as moisturizing hand lotion, perfume and tissues in it. I expected the lavatories to have toothbrush and toothpaste but I did not find any. It would have been nice to have them for flights like this.

CABIN CREW SERVICE

The cabin crew assigned on this flight was great. They catered to the needs of the passengers, served them with their best smiles and made sure everyone had a pleasant flying experience. They made sure announcements were played in English, Arabic and Spanish.

Disembarkation & Baggage Claim

Our landing gate was changed from Gate C1 to Gate B24 upon arrival at Dubai International Airport. Business class passengers deplaned first. Forward economy class passengers, including myself, came next and those seated at the rear section followed.

I did not claim my baggage in Dubai because I had a connecting flight to Manila on the same day. I went through the Connections area and immediately checked the assigned gate of my Manila flight.

Flight Experience

I had an impressive intercontinental flight with Emirates on this Barcelona (BCN) to Dubai (DXB) flight – EK 256. I am on my 3^rd flight with them and I am delighted to see the consistency in their product in the Boeing and Airbus aircraft.

Allow me to share with you the positive points of this flight. First, I got an affordable and rare deal with these tickets to Europe. I only paid ₱27,072.73 for an all-inclusive return ticket from Manila to Europe. I do not think we will get this price level in a long while so I would like to thank Emirates for the most flexible Covid-19 ticket options.

Second, the catering on this flight was superb. The food quality and huge serving sizes made me full on this 6-hour flight. The airline even offered a light snack before landing – something other airlines do not provide. Third, the ICE (Emirates’ entertainment system) content spread and choices are the best in the world. They have thousands of entertainment options to choose from.

Fourth, the aircraft seat amenities are comfortable and complete. The aircraft may be a bit old but the seat features are still at par with the current industry standards. Fifth, the lavatory was kept clean and tidy throughout the flight. It even had extra amenities such as hand lotion and perfume. Sixth, the airline is provided real-time flight updates (boarding gate information, boarding details, etc.) in the flight’s mobile application.

Seventh, Emirates’ inflight hard and soft products are consistent across various aircraft types. I have flown their Boeing 777-300ER, Airbus A380-800 and now their Boeing 777-200LR and I noticed that the quality of product offering is almost the same in all these aircraft types. Kudos to Emirates for providing an excellent product quality regardless of aircraft type.

This flight is not all praises; it also has some areas where Emirates can further improve. First, it would be nice if the airline will provide a limited complimentary Wi-Fi access to its Skywards Members. It does not have to be the whole flight; even complimentary 30 minutes to 1 hour will make a big difference. Second, the entertainment system hardware in Seat 16A is starting to show its age. It is unresponsive at times and it even took some time to load.

Nevertheless, it was still a great experience flying Emirates from Barcelona, Spain to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. I will grab every opportunity to fly the airline in the future – specially their flagship Airbus A380 aircraft. Thank you, Emirates, for this memorable flight!

Allow me to share with you the geeky details of this flight:

Airline: Emirates
Flight Date: 7 December 2022
Flight Number: EK 256
Route: Barcelona, Spain (BCN) to Dubai, United Arab Emirates (DXB)
Duration: 5 hours & 46 minutes
Seat Numebr: 16A (window seat)
Aircraft: Boeing 777-200LR (Long Range)
Aircraft Registration: A6-EWI
Engines: 2 x GE GE90-110B1L Engines
Age (at the time of the flight): 13.9 years old
Delivered: January 2009

This practically sums up my Emirates experience on EK 256 from Barcelona, Spain to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Have you flown Emirates in the past? How was your experience? Will you fly Emirates soon & have questions? Feel free to share your experiences or post your questions in the comments section below. You may also send them via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thank you for joining me in today’s Emirates flight report. I hope you can also check out my previous flight reports with Singapore Airlines, Vietnam Airlines and Air France. All previous flight reports can be found under the Flight Reports category. Feel free to check them out. Please look forward to more flight reports in the future.

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Flight Report: EMIRATES EK 073 – Dubai to Paris CDG – Excellent Airbus A380 Superjumbo Flight to the Famous French Capital [November 2022]

A few weeks ago, I shared with you my first ever flight experience with Emirates on their Manila to Dubai sector. I had a nice & smooth flight even though I didn’t sleep well on that overnight long-haul flight. Today, I will share with you my connecting Emirates flight from Dubai (DXB) to Paris (CDG) Charles de Gaulle on the Airbus A380 superjumbo. Join me in today’s flight report as we go into details on why this flight was an excellent one.

EMIRATES

Do you want to know the difference between a full-service & a low-cost airline? Check out my previous post detailing the differences of these 2 types of airlines.

Airfare

Fast forward to 2022, my friends & I decided to fly to Europe for a 3.5-week holiday. After getting my tourist visa from the Embassy of Italy, I called the Emirates hotline & requested for my ticket to be issued. I changed the airport of origin from Hong Kong to Manila (both in the Far East) & the airport of destination from Munich to Paris (both in Europe). My return flights were also changed from Budapest to Barcelona (both in Europe) & then back to Manila. I got my new ticket in less than 2 minutes after the Emirates agent confirmed my preferred flight schedules & details. The best thing was this new ticket didn’t cost me anything – no additional fees, change fees or airport taxes or whatever. It even included a 20-25 kilograms check-in baggage allowance from previously 15 kilograms.

Travel Requirements

Last August 2022, France removed all pandemic-related restrictions & Covid-19-related entry requirements. This means that visitors only need to provide the usual entry requirements such as passport & visa (if needed).

Before the Flight

Emirates sent an e-mail & mobile application check-in reminder 48 hours before my scheduled flight to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The airline offers free standard seat selection during web or mobile check-in.

I already had my seats pre-booked at the time of booking this ticket so I didn’t bother checking or changing them during web check-in. I checked in for the flights to Paris immediately I received the check-in reminder. Take note that you will need your passport information & other necessary details to complete this early check-in.

Aircraft & Flight Information

This Dubai to Paris Emirates flight was operated by a 1-year-old (at the time of the flight) Airbus A380-800 aircraft. The aircraft, delivered to Emirates in December 2021, is equipped with 14 First Class seats on a 1-2-1 configuration, 76 Business Class seats on a 1-2-1 layout, 56 Premium Economy Class seats on a 2-4-2 configuration & 338 Economy Class seats on a 3-4-3 layout. The First & Business Class sections are located in the A380 upper deck, while the Premium Economy & Economy Class sections are found in the A380 lower deck.

This EK 073 flight to Paris departed Dubai International Airport on-time & landed at CDG Airport 15 minutes ahead of schedule. This smooth & non-turbulent flight only took 6 hours & 42 minutes.

Ground & Airport Experience

I already checked-in for my flight in Manila so I was at Dubai International Airport only for a good 3-hour layover.

DUBAI TRANSIT

Transiting in Dubai is easy. The airport is full of signs pointing passengers to where they should head next. After getting off the plane, I immediately went to the Connections area & looked for my next boarding gate. I cleared security & took the train from Terminal Concourse C to Terminal 3 Concourse A, where my flight to Paris will depart from.

DXB TERMINAL 3 CONCOURSE A MARHABA LOUNGE EXPERIENCE

My recently-acquired Security Bank Platinum Mastercard credit card (not sponsored) comes with 2 complimentary airport lounge access per year at any LoungeKey-affiliated lounge around the world. This is on top of the unlimited Marhaba Lounge access I have in NAIA Terminals 1 & 3 here in the Philippines. I used a complimentary pass & checked out the Marhaba Lounge at DXB Terminal 3 Concourse A.

Terminal 3 Concourse A’s Marhaba Lounge has plenty of seating & has complete food options – salads, sandwiches, breads, desserts & even fruits. Guests can also have coffee, tea, milk, juice & basic alcoholic drinks. The lounge toilets were clean & well-maintained. I arrived at the lounge during off peak hours so I enjoyed some quiet & relaxing time in it.

PRE-DEPARTURE

While at the lounge, Emirates notified me via the mobile application of the assigned boarding gate for my flight to Paris. The notification also included what time boarding will start & what time the doors will close. A few minutes, I got another notification advising that boarding was about to commence soon at our assigned gate. I finished my food, packed my stuff, left the lounge & walked to Gate A16.

The friendly Emirates ground staff welcomed me to the gate, even poked a joke that the flight I am about to take is going back to the Philippines & not France. They advised me to wait for our boarding group to be called & wished me a pleasant journey to Paris.

BOARDING

Boarding process commenced on time at 7:10am. First Class, Business Class & Skywards status holders were asked to board at their own convenience. Premium Economy Class passengers were asked to board the A380 lower deck first. Economy class passengers seated at the back went in the plane next. Passengers assigned at the front economy cabin boarded the plane last.

The boarding process took about 40 minutes & finished exactly at the flight’s scheduled departure time of 7:50am. The flight was almost full, so I won’t blame Emirates if the whole process took some time.

Inflight Hard & Soft Product

SEAT FEATURES

This flight from Dubai to Paris was operated by Emirates’ flagship Airbus A380-800 aircraft. This plane has 4 passenger classes – First Class, Business Class, Premium Economy Class & Economy Class. First class passengers have access to their own enclosed suite with a wide seat convertible to a lie-flat bed. According to SeatGuru, first class seats on Emirates have a seat pitch of 86 inches & a seat width of 23 inches. Business class passengers are seated in the upper deck business class cabin. Each business class seat can be converted into a lie-flat bed. This seat has a seat pitch of 48 inches & a seat width of 18.5 inches. All first & business class seats on the Airbus A380 have a 1-2-1 configuration; with all seats having aisle access.

Premium economy seats on the Emirates Airbus A380 have a 2-4-2 industry standard layout. Each seat has 40 inches of legroom & 19.5 inches (an inch bigger) of seat width. The premium economy seats also offer a generous recline. These premium economy seats are found in the forward lower deck cabin. Economy class passengers on the A380 have access to a spacious 32 to 34 inches of legroom & a seat width of 18 inches. Economy seats have a 3-4-3 configuration & are located in the middle to rear part of the lower deck.

Economy class seats feature a touch-screen personal entertainment screen, a big tray table, a cup holder, a coat hook, a USB charging port, a seat pocket with Duty Free magazines & aircraft safety card, a shared universal power outlet (2 in a row of 3 seats), a pillow, a blanket, a pair of headphones & an adjustable headrest. Every economy class passenger also has access to spacious overhead cabins, individual reading lights & air vents.

I got window seat 57K for this flight; I was seated in the forward economy class cabin. The economy seats on the Emirates A380 are by far the most comfortable economy seat I’ve experienced in my years of flying. It offers spacious leg space & a comfortable seating experience.

ONBOARD BAR & SHOWER SPA

Emirates first class & business class passengers have access to an onboard bar & lounge area found at the rear upper deck of the plane. Here, the passengers can enjoy a glass of their premium drink of choice while having some canapes & chatting with their co-passengers or crew.

First class passengers also have access to an onboard shower spa. They can freshen up or even take a shower before they arrive at their destination. Please note that these facilities are only available to passengers flying in the premium classes & only on the Airbus A380 aircraft.

INFLIGHT MEALS

Emirates provides complimentary meals on all their flights. Passengers can access the inflight menu from the airline’s website as early as a week before the flight. They also have the option for passengers to request for or book special meals up to 24 hours before the scheduled flight. The airline doesn’t provide physical menus; instead, they ask passengers to access & browse the menus through their on-board portal.

Emirates offered 2 meals for this flight. 40 minutes after take-off, the crew went around & gave away continental breakfast to all passengers. They first served passengers who requested special meals, then distributed breakfast meals to the rest of the cabin. The continental breakfast meal has a fruit yoghurt, a breakfast cupcake, a cup of water & a choice between a blueberry Danish pastry or egg & cheese sandwich. It also comes with a drink of choice. Drink choices include fruit juices, tea, soda, wine, coffee or water.

Throughout the flight, the crew went around the cabin a few times to offer pretzels as snacks & water or juice as refreshments. Passengers can also request a snack or drink at any time.

2 hours before landing, the crew commenced lunch service. They distributed the special meals first, then followed by the regular meals. They offered 2 options for lunch – chicken in creamy mushroom sauce pasta & beef goulash. These meal options come with a roasted beetroot & couscous salad served with humous, an apple crumble with vanilla sauce for dessert, a bread roll, cheese & crackers, a cup of water, a granola bar & an Emirates-branded chocolate. It also came with a drink of choice – juice, tea, coffee, soda, beer, wine & other alcoholic drinks.

The meal offerings on this flight to Paris were tasty & of good quality. Also, the portions were big enough to fill the passengers’ tummies. These meals were one of the many highlights of this excellent flight.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

Emirates’ personal entertainment system, ICE, offers a wide selection of options to choose from. It has thousands of options to choose from; it has movies, television shows, documentaries, music albums & even games which you can play together with your seat neighbor. It even has region-specific movies & television shows. ICE also offers live television coverage of news channels like BBC World News, CNN International, Sports 24 & Sky News Arabia.

ICE also offers access to 3 aircraft cameras installed in the front, under & on the tail of the superjumbo aircraft. It also shows the complete flight & aircraft details & even has 2 kinds of moving flight maps. The airline indeed offers the best entertainment system in the skies – a system every airline in the world should copy.

The entertainment system on this A380 aircraft is probably Emirates’ latest. The entertainment screens are also equipped with Bluetooth connectivity. Passengers with Bluetooth headsets & earphones can connect their audio to the screens & listen from their own devices.

The entertainment screen on seat 57K was fast & responsive. I also noticed that the ICE on this plane offered more options compared to their 777 one I rode with to Dubai.

INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY

Emirates offers paid inflight wi-fi connectivity on their flights. Rates range from $4.99 – $16.99 depending on the type of use the passengers need. The cheapest onboard internet plan costs $3.99 & is only limited to messaging applications such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, etc.

LAVATORY

The lavatories on the Emirates A380 were probably the most spacious I’ve seen in my years of flying. The lavatories had the usual amenities like tissue, hand lotion & perfume. The lavatory in the middle economy class section were kept clean & tidy throughout the flight.

CABIN CREW SERVICE

The cabin crew service on this flight was exceptional. The crew greeted me with their best smile upon entering the flight. One even helped me put my bag in the overhead compartment even if I didn’t need the help. The crew were friendly during the breakfast & lunch service; they also attended to the passengers needs one after the other. They also continuously offered snacks & drinks throughout the flight. Before deplaning, the same crew who welcomed me said thanks, bid goodbye & wished me a pleasant stay in Paris.

Disembarkation & Baggage Claim

The disembarkation process at Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport was quick, in order & efficient. Premium economy passengers deplaned first. Economy class passengers disembarked next. Immigration queues were fast.

Baggage claim took 20-30 minutes after I cleared immigration. This was due to the big volume of passengers & luggage onboard this superjumbo flight. On top of that, we arrived at the same time as another large Qatar Airways flight.

Final Thoughts

As the title says, it was an excellent flight with Emirates on their flagship Airbus A380 aircraft. Everything fell into place for this flight – from the time I entered the boarding gate, to the time I stepped into the aircraft & until disembarkation. I said this on my Manila to Dubai flight & I will say it again here. Emirates flight experience in economy class is worth the hype.

I have a long list of ‘likes’ for this flight. First, the ticket price was out of this world. Imagine flying 4 sectors to the other side of the world with baggage, meals & entertainment system included & in a modern & comfortable economy class cabin for only a little over ₱27,000 – it was definitely a steal! Second, the airline made sure that passengers in Dubai were informed of the real-time updates of the flight. They sent mobile application notifications where the assigned boarding gate is & when the flight is about to start boarding.

Third, Emirates offered world-class & modern economy class cabin on this Airbus A380 aircraft. The cabin was well-designed & even included wooden finishes from the lavatories to the tray tables. The seats were spacious & comfortable; it provided enough legroom & generous recline even with the 4-3-4 configuration. Fourth, the Airbus A380’s entertainment system had plenty of options to choose from. It was modern & very responsive; it even had Bluetooth technology for those who wanted to use their own audio pieces.

Fifth, the quality of food onboard this Emirates flight to Paris was exceptional. I know I raved about the beef tapa offered on my Manila to Dubai flight, but I seriously think the beef goulash & houmous served on this flight was on another level. The meals on this flight, particularly the lunch service, were delicious & full of flavors. The food portions were also bigger than the usual airplane food servings. So far, Emirates’ onboard food is worth raving about. Also, the meal service pace was just right – not too rushed & not too slow.

Sixth, the lavatories were clean & well-maintained throughout this 6-ish hour flight. The wooden finishes add to the class & premium feel of these lavatories. Seventh, the Emirates ground & cabin crew made a difference in my passenger experience from the time I arrived at the boarding gate up to the time I left the plane. They were all friendly, hospitable & very customer-oriented. Hats off to the crew on this EK 073 flight to Paris last 16 November 2022!

I know I’ve described this as an excellent flight, but I think Emirates still can improve on some aspects. First, I don’t know if it was just me, but my seat kept on going back to the normal upright position every time I moved towards the screen. I didn’t know how to keep it reclined for a long time. Second, it would’ve been nicer if the lavatories had additional amenities like toothbrush & toothpaste. Lastly, I hope the airline provides limited Wi-Fi access at least to Skywards members. The limited access could be something like 1 hour of free messaging or a consumable complimentary data allocation which passengers can use.

Overall, it was a fun first flight with Emirates’ Airbus A380 aircraft. I don’t mind flying the A380 every time; I hope that’s even possible. Thank you, Emirates, for this memorable flight! I already miss it & I can’t wait to fly with the airline again in the future.

Allow me to share the technical details of this flight to you:

Airline: Emirates
Flight Date: 16 November 2022
Flight Number: EK 073
Route: Dubai, United Arab Emirates (DXB) to Paris, France (CDG)
Duration: 6 hours & 42 minutes
Seat Number: 57K (window)
Aircraft: Airbus A380-800
Aircraft Registration: A6-EVR
Engines: 4 x Rolls Royce Trent 972
Age (at the time of the flight): 1 year old
Delivered: December 2021

Have you ever flown with Emirates on their Airbus A380 aircraft? How was your experience? I enjoyed my first ever flight with the superjumbo but I also want to hear about your experiences. Feel free to share them in the comments section below. Do you have any questions about this flight or the experience? You may also send your questions via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thank you for joining me in today’s Emirates flight report from Dubai, United Arab Emirates to Paris, France. I hope you had an excellent time reading just like the flying experience I had with the global airline. This is just the start of our journey around Europe. Watch out for the upcoming posts regarding France, Italy & Spain. Before you go, can you visit my social media channels –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you & see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Flight Report: EMIRATES EK 335 – Manila to Dubai – Overnight Long-Haul Flight with the Middle Eastern Global Carrier [November 2022]

Late last year, my friends & I flew to Europe for a 3.5-week holiday. I shared in my 2022 Recap post that we went to France, Italy & Spain. Before I share the details of our visit to each city, allow me to share with you the first leg of my trip to Europe. I took Emirates on their long-haul service from Manila, Philippines (MNL) to Dubai, United Arab Emirates (DXB) on their flight EK 335. This long-haul flight will be the subject of today’s flight report. Join me as I run you through this overnight flight to the Middle East.

Emirates

Do you want to know the difference between a full-service & a low-cost airline? Check out my previous post detailing the differences of these 2 types of airlines.

Airfare

I shared in my No Travel 2020 recap that I booked a ticket to Europe with Emirates back in January 2020. My previous Emirates ticket had flights from Hong Kong to Munich, Germany via Dubai & back to Hong Kong from Budapest, Hungary via Dubai. Because of the pandemic & the closed borders back in 2020, Emirates gave us the option to keep our ticket & made it valid for 3 years. Also, they allowed us to change destinations as long as the new destination is within the same Emirates region for free. This ticket can be booked anytime as long as there are seats available & as long as the trip is finished before the ticket expiry – in my case, before 3 February 2023. This was probably the best possible airline ticket option in the whole world. Emirates’ competitors didn’t have this flexible ticket option.

Fast forward to 2022, my college friends & I planned to fly to Europe for 3.5 weeks. Borders have been opened & pandemic-related requirements have been removed; traveling to another country has become easier compared to how it was in 2020 & early 2021. After getting my visa from the Italian Embassy, I called the Emirates hotline & requested for my ticket to be issued. I changed the airport of origin from Hong Kong to Manila (both in the Far East) & the airport of destination from Munich to Paris (both in Europe). My return flights were changed from Budapest to Barcelona (both in Europe) & then back to Manila. The ticket got issued in less than 2 minutes after the Emirates agent confirmed my preferred flight schedules & details. The best thing was this new ticket didn’t cost me anything – no additional fees, change fees or airport taxes or whatever. It even included a 20-25 kilograms check-in baggage allowance from previously 15 kilograms.

You will not believe me when I tell you how much this ticket cost me back in 2020. Believe it or not, this ticket only cost me HK$4,039 or ₱27,072.73. Cheap-o, right? This ticket was definitely a steal. Thank you, Emirates, for this once-in-a-lifetime deal back in January 2020!

Travel Requirements

All pandemic-related entry / travel requirements to both France (my final destination) & United Arab Emirates (transit airport) have been removed. France removed these restrictions back in August 2022 while United Arab Emirates phased these out last November 2022.

Please take note that these entry protocols may change anytime. Best to always check with the airline you’re flying to days before your flight.

Before The Flight

Aircraft & Flight Information

This Manila to Dubai Emirates flight was operated by a 12-year-old (at the time of the flight) Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. The aircraft, delivered to Emirates back in 2010, has 2 cabin classes. The business class section has 42 angle lie-flat seats in a 2-3-2 configuration. The economy class section has 386 standard seats in a 3-4-3 configuration.

This EK 335 flight departed Ninoy Aquino International Airport a few minutes before 12 midnight & arrived Dubai International Airport at 4:17am local time. The flight only took 8 hours & 29 minutes in contrast to its 9 hours & 15 minutes flying schedule.

Ground & Airport Experience

All Emirates flights depart from & arrive at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.

CHECK-IN

Emirates check-in counters in Manila Airport open at least 4 hours before the scheduled flight. I arrived at the check-in area at 7:52 & noticed 8-10 queues. First class & business class passengers have 2 dedicated counters. Passengers traveling with kids, senior citizens & persons with disabilities have 1 dedicated check-in counter. Passengers who have already checked in online have 2 counters while the rest of the passengers have access to 3 check-in counters. Those traveling in groups have a dedicated group check-in counter.

I already checked in online so I proceeded to the mobile / web check-in queue. The ground staff allowed some passengers (including myself) to check-in using the first & business class check-in counters. The queue took some time, but the counter check-in process took less than 5 minutes. The whole process only took me 20 minutes.

Tip: Check-in online before the flight to have a faster check-in experience. I heard the regular check-in line took almost an hour to finish.

PRE-DEPARTURE EXPERIENCE AT MARHABA LOUNGE

My newly-acquired Security Bank Platinum Mastercard credit card (not sponsored) gives me unlimited complimentary access to the Marhaba Lounge in NAIA Terminals 1 & 3. After passing through immigration & security, I immediately went to the Marhaba Lounge in Terminal 3.

The lounge is separated into 2 sections – one section is reserved for Emirates passengers flying First Class & Business Class & the other section that’s open to everyone. The small lounge has plenty of seats. The food options were limited but tasty. They also have an extensive drink option – they also offer alcoholic beverages at no extra charge. The lounge also has a fast Wi-Fi connection.

I stayed in the lounge for 3 hours & noticed that it got busier past 10:00pm. Around 10:44pm, the lounge staff announced that boarding was about to commence for our Emirates flight to Dubai. Please note that they only make this announcement for Emirates-operated flights.

BOARDING

Upon hearing the announcement, I left the lounge & went to the crowded Gate 111. Boarding commenced at 10:54pm. First class, business class & Emirates Skywards status holders boarded the plane first. Economy class passengers boarded the plane by zone / row. Those seated at the back went in first, while those seated in the forward economy section (including myself) boarded the plane last.

The boarding process only took 30 minutes for such a big 400-seater full plane. The crew closed the cabin doors exactly at 11:25pm.

Inflight Hard & Soft Product

SEAT FEATURES

This Manila to Dubai Emirates flight was operated by a 2-class Boeing 777-300ER. It has 42 business class seats & 386 economy class seats. According to SeatGuru, each business class seat has a seat pitch of 60 inches & a seat width of 20.5 inches. On the other hand, every economy class seat has a seat pitch of 33 to 34 inches & a standard seat width of 17 inches.

Economy class seats feature a touch-screen personal entertainment screen with remote, a foldable table, a cup holder, a coat hook, a USB charging port, a seat pocket with Duty Free magazines & aircraft safety card, a shared universal power outlet (2 in a row of 3 seats), a pillow, a blanket, a pair of headphones & an adjustable headrest. Every economy class passenger also has access to spacious overhead cabins, individual reading lights & air vents.

Emirates provides everything a passenger needs for a long-haul flight like this.

INFLIGHT MEALS

Emirates provides complimentary meals on all their flights. Passengers can access the inflight menu from the airline’s website as early as a week before the flight. They also have the option for passengers to request for or book special meals up to 24 hours before the scheduled flight. The airline doesn’t provide physical menus; instead, they ask passengers to access & browse the menus through their on-board portal.

Emirates offered 2 meals on this flight from Manila to Dubai. The light meal was served 30 minutes after take-off. This meal service only had 1 option – braised rice noodles with stir-fried chicken & vegetables. It came with chocolate mousse as dessert, a cup of water & a drink of choice. I went for whiskey & cola to help me sleep on this overnight flight.

3 hours before landing, the cabin crew started distributing the breakfast meal. They served the special meals first & then gave out meals to the rest of the economy class cabin. Passengers had 2 options for breakfast – scrambled eggs with chicken chipolatas, baked beans & creamy spinach & beef tapa with garlic fried rice & scrambled eggs. These options come with fresh fruit slices, yoghurt, bread roll, a fruit muffin, an energy bar, a cup of water & drink of choice. This time, I opted for the apple juice.

Both meals were tasty & filling. Personally, I enjoyed the breakfast service more than the light meal. The beef tapa was really good.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

Emirates is known for its excellent inflight entertainment system called ICE. The entertainment system offers thousands of options ranging from movies, television shows & series, documentaries, songs & even games which you can play together with your seat neighbor. It even has region-specific movies & television shows. ICE also offers live television coverage of news channels like BBC World News, CNN International, Sports 24 & Sky News Arabia.

ICE also offers access to 2 aircraft cameras installed in the front of & under this Boeing aircraft. It also shows the complete flight & aircraft details & even has 2 kinds of moving flight maps. The airline indeed offers the best entertainment system in the skies – a system every airline in the world should copy.

I encountered a minor issue with the personal entertainment screen at Seat 18H. I found the screen not that responsive, but I will give the airline a pass considering how old the aircraft is.

INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY

LAVATORY

The lavatory on the middle economy class section was kept clean throughout the flight. It has hand lotion & perfume available for use. I didn’t see any toothbrush or toothpaste kept in the drawers – it would be nice to have them for such a long-haul flight. I like the wooden interiors added by the airline in their lavatories.

Cabin Crew Service

The cabin crew service on this flight was alright; it’s not something you will remember. They made sure all passengers had an enjoyable flight. The crew assigned to our area was helpful & friendly. She helped passengers put bags in the overhead cabin, answered questions by the passengers & engaged in small chitchats during the meal service.

Disembarkation

Upon arrival at Dubai International Airport, our aircraft taxied to Gate F25 for disembarkation. Business class passengers deplaned first. Forward economy class passengers, including myself, came next & those seated at the rear section followed.

I went to the Connections area & immediately checked the gate for my next flight to Paris, France.

Final Thoughts

This Emirates EK 335 flight from Manila to Dubai was definitely one for the books. It was my first ever flight with Emirates & I can definitely say that their product is worth raving about. I won’t say it’s a perfect flight, but I say it’s still a good flight.

Let’s talk about the great things about this flight. First, the fare was the best part of the experience. Imagine flying to & from Europe for around ₱27,000 – it’s a no-brainer. Second, Emirates is known for serving good food onboard & they delivered. The meals had sizable potions. The beef tapa was the best! Third, their inflight entertainment system, ICE, is just excellent. It has thousands of options from movies, to television shows, music, games & even life news shows. There’s no way that passengers with get bored given the available options. The access to the plane cameras also made the system exciting for aviation geeks like myself.

Fourth, the lavatories were kept clean & tidy throughout the flight. I also liked the wooden finishes used in the lavatory interiors. These details added class to the lavatories. Lastly, the seats have everything a passenger needs for a long-haul flight like this.

The flight also had some misses. First, the personal entertainment screen is no longer that responsive. It worked well using the remote but not while using the touch screen option. The screen is already outdated. Second, the lavatory had incomplete amenities. It only had hand lotion & perfume. I wish it also had toothbrush & toothpaste for passengers to use. Lastly, both meal service on this flight felt rushed. After giving out meals, to all passengers, the crew started to collect meal trays from those they gave out first.

Overall, it was still an enjoyable & memorable first flight with Emirates. I hope they offer the same deal I got for this flight so I can fly with them again in the future. Thank you, Emirates, for such a wonderful flight!

Allow me to share with you the geeky details of this flight:

Airline: Emirates
Flight Date: 15 November 2022
Flight Number: EK 335
Route: Manila, Philippines (MNL) to Dubai, United Arab Emirates (DXB)
Duration: 8 hours & 29 minutes
Seat Number: 18H (aisle)
Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER
Aircraft Registration: A6-ECY
Engines: 2 x GE GE90-115B
Age (at the time of the flight): 12 years old
Delivered: January 2010

This ends my flight report on Emirates’ EK 335 service from Manila to Dubai last 15 November 2022. Have you flown Emirates in the past? How was your experience? Will you fly Emirates soon & have questions? Feel free to share your experiences or post your questions in the comments section below. You may also send them via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thanks for joining me in today’s flight report. I hope I gave you some insights on how it is to fly with Emirates. Make sure to catch the next flight report on another Emirates flight, but this time to Paris, France! Before you go, can you visit my social media channels –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you & see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.