INSPIRATION HAS ARRIVEDFor <strong>the</strong> movers and shakers and rainmakers. For <strong>the</strong> ones who makeit happen on <strong>the</strong> go and on <strong>the</strong> ground. Who ac<strong>com</strong>plish great thingswithout losing sight of <strong>the</strong> important things.For you, we’re Marriott.marriott.<strong>com</strong>
ReviewIn <strong>the</strong> airJoin <strong>the</strong> clubThe BusinessClass cabin ofEmirates’ A380is like a privatemembers’ clubin <strong>the</strong> sky, saysJoe MortimerThe feeling that you areabout to embark onan o<strong>the</strong>rworldly flyingexperience begins from<strong>the</strong> moment you step onboardflight EK 204 from JFK to Dubaiand make your way up <strong>the</strong> grandstaircase that leads to <strong>the</strong> upperdeck — home of <strong>the</strong> Airbus A380’sfirst- and business-class cabins.My seat, 16K, is like a private<strong>com</strong>partment, with a well-plannedliving space surrounding <strong>the</strong> seat.There are three large storage<strong>com</strong>partments between <strong>the</strong> seatand <strong>the</strong> window, each large enoughto fit a laptop bag, as well as a shoestorage area under <strong>the</strong> footrest.Next to <strong>the</strong> seat is a side desk withits own minibar stocked withsparking water, soda, fruit juice andposh Voss water. The large brownBvlgari branded in-flight <strong>com</strong><strong>for</strong>tkit on my seat contains a box ofBvlgari amenities (body lotion,aftershave emulsion and cologne),as well as high-quality shavingrazor, Gillette shaving foam andRexona antiperspirant. There’s alsotoothpaste and a brush, tissuesand a <strong>com</strong>b.There is no better way to startthis experience than enjoying<strong>the</strong> Veuve Clicquot Gold Label2004, which is offered as soon asI’m seated. As well as <strong>the</strong> bubbly,<strong>the</strong> in-flight wine list includeswhites from Galicia and Napa, redsfrom Médoc and Mendoza and a20-year-old Tawny Port.There are three food servicesduring <strong>the</strong> flight; lunch, afternoonsnack and breakfast. The timedifference between New York andDubai and <strong>the</strong> direction of <strong>the</strong>flight means that <strong>the</strong> sun disappearsbehind you shortly after take-offand night falls fast, effectivelyturning lunch into dinner.One drawback of having 76 Business Class seats in <strong>the</strong> upper deckis <strong>the</strong> time it takes to serve meals. It’s well over an hour after <strong>the</strong>impeccably pressed white tablecloths are laid that <strong>the</strong>y are cleared awayat <strong>the</strong> end of <strong>the</strong> meal. Fortunately <strong>the</strong>re is plenty to keep you occupiedduring that time. Much has been said about Emirates’ ICE in-flightentertainment system, which was awarded <strong>the</strong> number-one spot <strong>for</strong>‘World’s Best Inflight Entertainment’ in <strong>the</strong> Skytrax World AirlineAwards this year. You can navigate <strong>the</strong> 1,500 channels of entertainmentvia a wireless control unit that slots nicely into <strong>the</strong> desk area, or via <strong>the</strong>in-seat controls.The movie selection is current and vast, but it is <strong>the</strong> encyclopaedicmusic selection that really impresses me. There is no betterac<strong>com</strong>paniment to those moments of reflection when you take a breakfrom work or movie-watching to gaze out of <strong>the</strong> window than one of<strong>the</strong> catalogue of albums available, which span <strong>the</strong> 1950s until today.When <strong>the</strong> nostalgia gets too much, <strong>the</strong> Onboard Lounge providessuitable di<strong>version</strong>. As well as <strong>the</strong> novelty of being able to spend time at areal bar during your 12-and-a-half-hour flight, <strong>the</strong> selection of premiumwines and spirits and gourmet snacks makes it a real luxury treat. Ifyou’re not sat next to your travelling <strong>com</strong>panion, it’s great fun to arrangeto meet up in <strong>the</strong> lounge at a certain point during <strong>the</strong> flight, and if you’retravelling alone, o<strong>the</strong>r passengers or a smiling crew-member are alwaysaround to chat with.All in all, <strong>the</strong> experience is similar to being part of a private members’club; you feel at home in your own private space when you’re sat down,but you can also mingle and network with o<strong>the</strong>r passengers when youwant to. The onboard WiFi (from US $7.50 <strong>for</strong> tablets and laptops) meansyou’re never far from <strong>the</strong> office, and <strong>the</strong>re was a wel<strong>com</strong>e absence ofcrying children in <strong>the</strong> upper deck during this flight.I always think that <strong>the</strong> sign of a good flight is when you feel a pangof disappointment when you wake up and <strong>the</strong> captain announces thatyou have started your descent. This was definitely <strong>the</strong> case on this flight.Fortunately a good cup of coffee was enough to rouse me from mymelancholy and I arrived in Dubai right on time, well-rested and ready<strong>for</strong> a day in <strong>the</strong> office, but immediately looking <strong>for</strong>ward to mynext Emirates Business Class flight. nFlight in<strong>for</strong>mationAirline: EmiratesFlight: EK 204Seat: 16KAircraft: Airbus A380-800From: New York (JFK)To: Dubai (DXB)Departs: 11.20*Arrives: 07.50**Total flight time:12hrs 30 minsCost: from AED 24,405(US $6,644) return*Times shown are those in<strong>the</strong> respective destination.**Next day.dotwnews.<strong>com</strong> <strong>September</strong> <strong>2013</strong> 113
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