Best can be a very relative term here. I can give you 10 reasons why I like Emirates whereas you might be able to write an essay on Singapore airlines being the best. So keeping that in mind, I’ll tell you why Emirates is the’Best’.
Emirates= luxury. The reason why Emirates, Qatar and Etihad trio is feared by most European and American carriers is because of this fact. They have successfully shifted the transit hubs from Europe to the middle east. There are better airlines that serve Asian routes better than Emirates, there is no doubt in that. Singapore and Cathay Pacific are all stepping up their game, Air New Zealand is attracting more economy and premium economy passengers because they have revamped that entire class and keep coming out with new offerings every now and then.
"So then what makes Emirates any different?"
A long time ago there was an airliner which redefined what flying meant. The legendary PAN AM. Being the first International US airline, they can be credited as the pioneers in early transcon flights or wait, credited with almost anything there is when it comes to flying. Glamour and luxury were integral to their culture. They pushed Boeing to its limits in the development of the early multi-engine aircraft. And most importantly, Pan Am represented America, the’glory days’.
Now, Emirates which commenced operations by the time Pan Am lost all their glory days, followed an almost similar growth model. In 1985, with the backing of the royal family, Dubai established its first airline with just 2 planes. Fast forward to 2016, it has a fleet of over 230 aircraft(with another 280 aircraft on order, also owns on of the youngest fleet in the world) flying to 140 destinations in 80 countries. All this in a span of 30 years, which has seen them achieve a truck load of milestones, achievements, awards etc.
Emirates Milestones 1985-2015
From introducing the world’s first aircraft with seat-back television screens, show take-off and landing videos, allow in-flight mobile phones, to being the first ones to start a non-stop flight between the middle east and North America; the list of accomplishments can keep going. Don’t even get me started on the number of records broken when it comes to the Emirates style of placing aircraft orders. Like Pan Am before them, Emirates is pushing Boeing and Airbus to maximize their output, tweaking their designs. It is now even trying to make Airbus roll out an A380 neo option which can improve their overall efficiency and improvements(perks of being the largest A380 and B777 customer). If you can make it, we will buy it.
Airbus A380 Production Could End, And Why Emirates Is Pissed - One Mile at a Time
I haven’t even started about the T-3.
All these are the on paper achievements. I’ll get to my customer experience.
I’ve been a very frequent traveler between the middle east and India, particularly between Kuwait-Trivandrum, Kuwait-Mumbai sectors. Had my fair share of experience on almost all the middle east airlines. Why do I prefer Emirates?(Coach experience, max flight duration: 4-6 hours)
Pre flight experience(Check-in and Baggage)
Nothing extra ordinary here. Strict baggage weight checks, be lucky if you can sneak in an extra 3-4 kgs. The staff at the counters are often very helpful(outsourced of course, but still). Also remember, the lines can be HUUUUGE! They operate the biggest jets in the industry, so don’t expect short queues at your check in counter, unless you are flying First class.
On board
Seats
10 abreast on the 777s and A 380s with a decent 17’ and 18’ seat width respectively. Their A330s and A340s feature 8 abreast seating. Never had to complain about their seat space or anything. Perks of being 5’6’, never had to recline my seat to stretch my legs on their B777s. A whole different story when it comes to the Kuwait airways or Etihad 777s.
Food
Dine like a king! Dine the Emirates way. I don’t have to show you any photos of their first class or business class menu, you’ll probably end up drooling all over the place. Economy doesn’t disappoint either. Portions are very good and the menu does include local dishes depending upon the departure country. The service happens smoothly and frequently. Never have I faced the issue where the non-veg food gets over by the time the service reaches the end. Believe me, I never in my dreams thought it would happen to me on Qatar Airways, but it did. Emirates never disappoints. Alcohol selection again in economy is decent but a whole different level compared to their first class offerings.
Flight attendants
Indian flights can be sad. Its like a depressing movie every time I board from Trivandrum or Mumbai. The passengers look all gloomy and tired, before the flight even begins. The Emirates flight attendants are one of the best when it comes to hospitality. Very cheerful and helpful. Their uniforms look elegant compared to the sarees you can spot on Air India. You can often indulge in small talks with them during their free time. Pretty open and lovely staff, must say.
Onboard entertainment
ICE is Emirates, Emirates is ICE! A whopping 1600+ channels on your screens to keep you glued on it for hours. You won’t get bored for sure. The new planes come with WiFi and charging ports which is added on the other fleet also.
Dubai Terminal 3
Dubai dubai dubai! The city that grew out of proportions into one of the world’s luxurious tourist hubs. The Dubai airport is the jewel on their crown. T3 which is exclusive for Emirates flights is on an aggressive expansion and has a building to park the 380s alone. My personal favorite transit hub. The crowd is wonderful and you can pretty much find a national of any country in the world. It overtook London Heathrow and is the busiest airport in the world right now. The duty free is pretty cheap and the airport has facilities to keep you occupied during a 5-6 hour transit. It is the best place to plane spot. All those A380s and B777s landing and taking off, is truly a sight you can’t take your eyes off. Its a heaven for planespotters and avgeek. Dnata does a pretty good job!
Your normal Emirates ticket is a package. It is not just your time on the plane. There are very few airlines in the world who can achieve what Emirates has done, it has set a benchmark for almost everything in modern air travel which others followed and some have mastered. I didn’t even write about the all new Maktoum International which is yet to open, part of the Dubai World Central. Tim Clark has proved that all you need is the will power to do anything and never say no if you want to go that extra mile. It is all about luxury if you are travelling in the First or Business and they do a great job when it comes to coach. Definitely like their campaign, ’Hello Tomorrow’, the Emirates story of achieving tomorrow’s travel capabilities today is a very rare sight in the aviation industry. Cheers!