Flying with Air Emirates.

Recently I had the pleasure to fly with Air Emirates from Buenos Aires to Bangkok. This is the second time that I have flown with this prestigious company and 7 years later I am pleased to announce that their service is just getting better.

The first thing I did when I received my e-ticket was to register on-line for their Skywards Program. Please read my blog for more information about this program. From the on-line dashboard I could book my seats for the inbound and outbound flights and meals. I also had the opportunity to view information about the airplane,in flight entertainment and in flight technology.

A big help was the online check-in procedure. This saves a lot of time when you need to check-in. Ground personnel were friendly and efficient.

Most of these things are standard for most airlines. What makes Air Emirates stand out from the rest?

I had a couple of International flights with long layovers. When I checked in on-line I noticed that I qualified for a free night`s accommodation and Visa in Dubai. I had my doubts if this was really for free but it turned to be correct! I had vouchers waiting for me at the check-in counter in Buenos Aires. There were four vouchers in total. One was for the accommodation in the Capitol Hotel in Dubai, dinner and breakfast at the hotel,transport to and from the airport and a free Visa.

How did the Air Emirates Visa work?

After I arrived at the Dubai International Airport, I had to pass through immigration. First of all you need to go to a small office close to Immigration Control where they stamp your voucher. This is very important because without the stamp, they will not let you through and you need to stand in the queue again. They issue the visa immediately at the immigration counter and then you are officially in the United Arab Emirates.

Hotel accommodation courtesy of Air Emirates.

From there I had to transfer by train to the hotel counter. You give them the voucher and they organize for the hotel bus to transfer you. At the hotel you follow normal check-in procedures with your vouchers. Please note that the meals have a limit but it was enough to cover for a decent meal and something to drink.

The flights were very comfortable. I pre-ordered my meals and they never made a mistake. I always received my meals before other passengers. Night staff would frequently offer drinks to the passengers and despite of long flights, they were always friendly.

Nowadays technology play such a big part in our lives. People travel with notebooks,iPods,Ipads and e-readers. Very often we need to connect to a power outlet. This was available on the flights. You cannot imagine what a big help it was!

In flight-entertainment was excellent and I watched most of the latest movies. They have a huge variety. I had in total more than 48 hours in the air so this was great. I could also send an sms (not for free) and make calls (not for free). This comes in handy for people who need to communicate with loved ones.

Seats in the economy class were very comfortable and I managed to get some sleep.

No doubt in my mind, I would definitely fly with Air Emirates again.

When: March 2013