Welcome aboard!!

My first experience (hopefully not the last one) with Emirates was truly an amazing affair. I took a Mumbai-Dubai-London Heathrow flight and was all excited since I heard many rave reviews from people who have flown by the same.

What made my journey more enjoyable was not only the service and food the airline had to offer but my fellow passengers were entertaining than any channels shown on their TV screens. Mostly everyone slept from the journey from Mumbai to Dubai since it was early in the morning and all looked like zombies straight out of a horror show except for the crew who are either used to such odd hour flights or on a heavy dosage of anti-sleeping pills.

The real fun started from Dubai-London where I was sandwiched between an old man (a first timer) and an old lady (talk about youthful company!). The hot napkins given to cleanse our faces were neatly decorated by the irregular patterns of mucous which the oldie (the man) was blowing his nose into and digging till he found gold?

My view: Nice napkin service apart from other airlines which offer you packages tissues accompanied with a smile!!

The flight took off with the oldie mumbling to himself?whether he was praying or casting a spell still remains a mystery since we experienced heavy turbulence and he seemed to enjoy it or was faking it?anyways, back to the main line?Breakfast service! was indeed very nice and the food was absolutely fresh. The sandwiches and eggs didn?t smell and didn?t cause any problems post-landing. The oldie loved the omelet so much he was desperate for one more?and the flight stewardess finally offered him with a smile! Again it was the omelet which he liked or he fancied her still remains a mystery!

My view: Good breakfast menu and fresh fruits with a smile (again!) as an accompaniment. 2 points so far?

After repeated attempts of finding a perfect entertainment channel, the omelet cum air hostess lover gave up and slept with his mouth open wide enough to display his prized golden tooth (which I discovered after a brief glimpse). Though peace was finally settling over me, the oldie (this time the lady) shot off a question asking where I was going to (since I was well informed that Emirates was stopping only at Heathrow) ?London!?, I replied and she smiled back with a nod. Strange, eh? Sensing the tone of my answer, she assumed that I would be friendly and started a conversation where I was presented with a family history and geography?and I was wondering whether this was one of the packages that came with ?customer-friendly? flights.

Lunch was finally served and the oldies were excited at their veg menus and gave me the ?oh-you-don?t-look-as-if-you-drink? look as soon as the word Budweiser had come out of my mouth when asked for the preference of drinks.

My view: Lots of Budweiser?s delivered to me with delicious choice of non-veg menu accompanied with wider smiles (each time I said Budweiser!).

After lunch, the omelet lover suddenly realized that he had to visit the loo and was struggling to get out from his seat?I had an amazing butt-on-ur-face experience this time and was imagining what king of a pattern he must have drawn with his pee as the plane underwent turbulence. I immediately concluded that the work of art wasn?t as expected from the look of his face and I was subjected to a rougher butt-on-ur-face brush as if all that frustration were vented on me.

My view: Seats and leg space should be more in the economy class and introduction of turbulence-resisting loos can save other people?s faces (by now u know in what context I mean!)

Finally after more series of regular face rubs due to the omelet lover?s unfaithful bladder bursts, I could see that we were about to land in some time and he was kind enough this time to offer me the window seat for the last 15 minutes (coz this time I think he was successful in his artwork in the loo) and I could see the different views on the screen since the aircraft has high tech cameras placed in order to get the feel of a cockpit area and flaps area.

My view: Amazing views of the world outside from different cameras strategically installed in the aircraft to give ?multiple-window-experience?.

The omelette lover?s spells and prayers (whichever you may choose) began again on a higher pitch whilst landing and halted instantly to coincide with the aircraft?s brakes.

I was relieved that the long journey finally ended and to my surprise the omelette lover said. ?It was nice meeting you and hope to see you again.? Which took me aback since I thought he was rehearsing these lines to say them without fumbling to the air hostess (whom he fancied and put me in the role as if I were her) but actually that line was really meant for me which currently has been my topic of research as to how can a person say something like this even without having a conversation throughout the flight? Makes you wonder too, eh?

My final view: Friendlier crew but even strangely friendlier passengers!

So fly Emirates whenever you can since it truly deserves each airline of the year award for the following reasons

Always on time
Friendly and smiling ground staff and airline crew members
Selection of food over a menu available also in economy class
World class service and not to forget
Lots of Budweiser?s (hehe?) for the flightaholics

And an important note: If any one of you even come close to sitting with this omelette lover, get your seats changed!!

No. of times flown on this Airlines:	Between 1 - 3
Class flown most frequently:	Business Class