Emirates Airlines A380. Photo / Getty Images
Wayne Barnes flies Emirates flight EK418 from Bangkok to Sydney.
The plane: An A380-300.
Class: Business.
Price: My return Business Class fare from Auckland to Bangkok via Sydney came in at $3620.
My seat: 16A. A port window seat that at first blush seems smaller than the usual offering but is very private and comfortable.
On time: Yes.
Fellow passengers: Primarily business folk and holidaying couples.
How full: This version has 76 Business Class seats and was about half full on this occasion.
Entertainment: A huge variety.
Service: As impeccable as ever.
Food and drink: A full bar service is provided with meals and, combined with your mini bar and the bar at the rear of the cabin, you are spoilt for choice. Meals are served in two separate tranches with rows 7 through 16 served first and 17 through 26 later. The advantage of the first service is that you can then get around seven hours sleep prior to breakfast should you so wish. I had an appetiser of harissa prawns followed by a pan-fried black cod with lobster sauce as main, accompanied by a delicious 2014 Medoc, and chocolate profiteroles for desert. This was topped off with the obligatory Hennessy X.O Cognac. Breakfast was standard continental, accompanied by Moet.
Toilets: Kept clean throughout the flight, and a handy BVLGARI travel pack was also provided to each business class guest.
Luggage: 40kg of luggage in the hold (primarily Christmas presents for family), two additional pieces of carry on hand luggage and a computer is more than enough, and there is plenty of personal stowage space for all of this on board.
Airport experience: Though Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport is a huge cavern, it is quite easy to navigate. I usually travel to the airport by the monorail which is very close to my preferred hotel. Once there it is a quick lift trip up to departures and then off to the Emirates lounge. I rank this as one of the finest lounges I've ever used, a tranquil oasis after the heat, hustle and clamour of Bangkok city. Superb food and an excellent drinks service, including cocktails on request. Emirates' usual muted colour scheme, and a calming view of the airport's beautiful green areas enhance the overall experience.
On this occasion I travelled to the airport two hours early as a major storm system was brewing, so arrived four hours before boarding. Emirates have a dedicated early check-in kiosk. Shortly after settling into the lounge the heavens opened as I sat smugly in the lounge imagining the chaos that would be occurring on the motorway to the airport outside.
Would I fly again: Without hesitation. I fly to Bangkok on a regular basis and this is my preferred class and route.
The father of two said crew called him an 'idiot' then said he couldn't fly with them.