p46-50 ttg_lux_feature_air Wint09 27/11/09 14:22 Page 50
EMIRATES
BUSINESS CLASS
Male-Dubai-London
The facts: Five daily flights from
Heathrow to Dubai, connecting to a
twice-daily service to Male, from
£2,233 return in business class.
Tel: 0844 800 2777, emirates.com/uk
Style & substance: Traditional, but you
can’t fault it for all-round quality, brand
consistency and its admirable philosophy
of always seeming to want to be the best.
Top notch Could try harder
Feeling: The Emirates lounge at T3 is
impressive, grand and spacious. It
includes a Timeless Spa with
reasonably priced treatments.
VIP One of the masses
fleet will be refurbished by March. premium economy product on the
Clockwise from top: Etihad
Cathay Pacific now guarantees flatbed Heathrow fleet, but not yet fitted the plush
lounge; Oman Air new first-
And so to bed: The first leg from Male to
business-class seats on all four of its daily leather seats on Gatwick aircraft.
class suite; and Cathay
Dubai left at 02:35 so the flatbed was
Pacific’s first-class cabin
Heathrow flights (see review, p59). Sales BMI has perhaps the best premium welcome and we were soon into night
manager Eric Odone says the airline economy cabin in the skies, but only if you mode with ambient lighting. The cabin is
remains “cautious”: “There have been are travelling to Tel Aviv or Cairo. These a 2-3-2 configuration, seats have 72in
recent positive signs in front-end figures routes are served by aircraft which once pitch and 20.5in width. The stewardess
that have given reason for mild optimism.” operated BMI’s US and Caribbean routes helped me convert the bed which makes
and the cabins have armchair-style former all the difference but please, the
Economy drive business-class seats with a 50in pitch. blankets have to go. Keep the amenity
During the recession, premium economy Catch it while you can – BMI’s new owner kit though, including Bulgari treats.
seems an area that has flourished as some Lufthansa may think this is too extravagant. Comfortable cocoon Cabin fever
travellers downgraded, with rates usually
25-50% cheaper than business class. On the menu: A breakfast menu into
“Clients who’ve been used to travelling Dubai contained masala omelette,
business class are choosing premium seafood quiche or chicken curry – I
economy, particularly if they have stuck with fruit and then gorged myself
families,” said Western & Oriental’s David
Kevan. “But some are still travelling in
Up close
in the lounge at Terminal 3 which has
so much choice of fresh food at its
business class and putting their children in Oman Air multiple buffet stations. I then opted for
economy – you can do that if they are nine According to Oman Air chief executive Peter Hill, the Arabic mezze for lunch to London and
years or older and on the same booking.” demise of premium air travel is exaggerated. Shrugging baked tilapia fish, all very edible.
Air France is the latest to introduce off the “doom and gloom” warnings, the government- A fine feast Eat before boarding
premium economy, debuting its shell seat backed national carrier has launched its eye-catching
on the Paris-New York and Tokyo routes new first and business-class cabins on the London- High-tech v low-tech: What can I say?
and now appearing on some other services. Muscat route, onboard new A330-300s, with flatbed Everyone knows Emirates has one of the
Premium Voyageur cabins are being fitted business seats and first-class Mini Suites. best IFE systems in the world: if I wasn’t
in all Air France’s long-haul aircraft except “It’s all about the space – in all three cabins,” Hill said. so exhausted I would have stayed up all
Boeing 747s. The first three of 12 Airbus “You can never have too much space.” night trying to work my way through 600
A380s to enter the fleet do not have the He refuted fears about investing in premium air channels on the 19in seatback TV.
cabin, but will be retrofitted by 2011. product: “Compare the investment in the airline with the Switched on Switched off
Qantas introduced premium economy extensive investment in infrastructure that you see today
in March 2008, revealing it on the Airbus in Muscat. Oman is looking to the medium to long term.” Who’s it for: Old-school travellers in
A380 in January 2009. It is on all A380 and The carrier’s new European routes were “exceeding pursuit of leisurely luxury holidays;
Boeing 747 flights except Sydney-Hong expectations” according to Hill, who said conservative Middle Eastern jetsetters and royals.
Kong, where not all aircraft have the cabin. economic policy in the Sultanate meant it hadn’t seen as
Virgin Atlantic, sharp a downturn as some UAE neighbours. “Despite the If it were a famous person… Michelle
which now offers doom and gloom, we’re seeing strong and growing Yeoh. Like this high-kicking action
the only direct UK demand from Omanis and Europeans,” he said. actress, the airline is understated;
flights to Puerto enviably talented and always changing.
Rico, has completed by Paul Revel
50
the upgrade of its by April Hutchinson
featurepremiumair
winter 09 ttgluxury.com
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