Anyone flown Emirates ex Adelaide ?

[Anne B]

Has anyone flown on the new Emirates service out of Adelaide recently? Were the flights full or empty? Also has anyone had a stopover in Dubai? How easy is it to get around, are the hotels good, is it cheap or expensive there etc?

 

Have flown with all the other carriers out of Adelaide and am thinking of giving Emirates a go. All opinions gratefully received. Thanks.

[foxychick]

visitors came with them at Christmas, liked them, planes were pretty empty, but is was boxing day.

 

They didn't have a stopover

[Guest swanseajacks]

Flew with Emirates in Feb flight out of Adelaide and Dubai was empty flight back was full. Emirates were one of the best I've flown with food was great and staff helpful. Only stayed in Dubai for 5 hours, massive airport.

[Guest Watkinsfamily]

Hi,

We are doing the opposite - we are flying from Dubai (having lived here for past 5 years) to Adelaide with Emirates in July to begin our new lives in Australia.

I know the airline is good.

As far as Dubai goes it is as expensive or as cheap as you want to make it - in terms of hotels, activities, shopping and eating.

Lots to do on a stop over - must see Dubai Mall and the world's tallest building, the Palm with the Atlantis hotel and water park, a desert safari and dune bashing, the big bus tour of Dubai, the old town with the gold and spice souks etc etc. I actually live in Abu Dhabi which is 45 minutes drive from Dubai but we go to Dubai at least once a month and still love it.

If you need any further info please ask, there are many things that are frustrating living here but as a visitor it is a good place to stop over.

We are ready to make the move now and are counting down the weeks to July. XX

[Guest Guest5035]

Why fly anyone else, they are quicker as no melb or sydney and flight times in align with body clock.

 

stevo

[Guest adelaideinjuly]

I found it faster than singapore airlines but less comfortable , you have to have enough transfer time as bus from plane to airport can take 15 minutes alone and distance to gate can take another 30 minutes

3 out of 4 planes were one hour late in departure , i had to run and arrived in final call when i had 1.5 hours transfer time

[Diane]

My parents have just arrived from London flying Emirates - their flight from London was late and the missed the connection to Dubai (which actually left early anyway!) - so they were then re-routed via Melbourne - then their flight to Melbourne was also delayed and they missed their onward connection to Adelaide.... so in fact it took them something like three days to get here, and despite booking Emirates so they would fly straight into Adelaide, they still had to fly via Melbourne in the end. They had to walk miles around the various airports, and they are in their 80s. This is their 10th visit, and they have never had such a bad trip before! I don't think Emirates are allowing enough connection times, personally!

[Guest guest8040]

This may be a stupid question but am not a regular long haul traveller - we fly Newcastle-Dubai, Dubai-Adelaide in 4 weeks, will our luggage be transported through or will we have to collect and transfer through ourselves?

[Guest Jedd]

If you need any further info please ask...

 

Hi, how you going to send your cat from Dubai?

Are you using any agent?

[sueoc]

I went with Emirates in November,and am using them again in late April.The reason is because it is a fast trip to the UK(AND BACK)23 ish Hrs.We have always used Singapore before,and their service is better,in fact Superb!The only thing is the long stopovers we have had at Singapore(one was 15 hrs):wacko:Then another short stop in Munich!Nah!:nah:can't be doing with that again.23 hrs V 30-40 hrs,i know which i'll have,even if the service ain't as good!

[Guest Watkinsfamily]

Hi,

Yes using the British Vets in Abu Dhabi to transport my cat - she will fly Emirates to Melbourne. Have got the import permit and quarentine sorted already and she is fully up to date with her vaccinations. Has cost me a fortune but she is part of the family X

[Anne B]

This may be a stupid question but am not a regular long haul traveller - we fly Newcastle-Dubai, Dubai-Adelaide in 4 weeks, will our luggage be transported through or will we have to collect and transfer through ourselves?

 

Assuming you are not having a stopover, your luggage will go straight through, so hopefully you say goodbye to it in Newcastle and won't see it again until you get to Adelaide.

[Anne B]

Thanks everyone for the replies, it's all interesting. I would love to visit Dubai (have had a refuelling stop at the airport before but that's all). Is it easy to get around - is public transport OK or is it best to stick to organised tours? We tend to go with Singapore Airlines and have a stopover or a sleep in the transit hotel (highly recommended) and I must admit it is tempting to stick with what you are familiar and comfortable with, especially when you are travelling with children. The Singapore stopover deals are really good value too, I've done a little bit of research on hotels in Dubai and they seem quite expensive (at least the ones near the beach are). The flights themselves are pretty much the same price-wise...

[Anne B]

My parents have just arrived from London flying Emirates - their flight from London was late and the missed the connection to Dubai (which actually left early anyway!) - so they were then re-routed via Melbourne - then their flight to Melbourne was also delayed and they missed their onward connection to Adelaide.... so in fact it took them something like three days to get here, and despite booking Emirates so they would fly straight into Adelaide, they still had to fly via Melbourne in the end. They had to walk miles around the various airports, and they are in their 80s. This is their 10th visit, and they have never had such a bad trip before! I don't think Emirates are allowing enough connection times, personally!

 

Oh no, that sounds like a nightmare. A short gap between flights is good but not when the first one is delayed, it must have been so stressful for them!

[Toni]

Has anyone flown on the new Emirates service out of Adelaide recently? Were the flights full or empty? Also has anyone had a stopover in Dubai? How easy is it to get around, are the hotels good, is it cheap or expensive there etc?

 

Have flown with all the other carriers out of Adelaide and am thinking of giving Emirates a go. All opinions gratefully received. Thanks.

 

I've never flown with them but just noticed this advert come up on this site - it says something about triple emirates awards & discount off rooms

 

http://www.atlantisthepalm.com/specialoffers

[Diane]

23 hrs V 30-40 hrs,i know which i'll have,even if the service ain't as good!

 

I think their 23 hours is deceptive though and obviously designed to draw people in, without a great hope of being achievable - the slightest delay in the first leg of your flight and your 23 hours turns into nearer to 40 hours! My parents are not the only ones I have heard of who have had this problem - luckily they were flying business class so could use the lounges (when they were eventually able to find them) but a friend who flew economy with them earlier in the year had exactly the same thing, and Dubai airport was absolutely packed with fed up people, nowhere to sit, having to wait for ages because their "quick" connection was overambitious. I will certainly think twice before booking with Emirates, and would only go with them over Singapore Airlines, or Malaysian, if they are incredibly cheap! At the moment Malaysia have much better deals....

 

As I say, this is my parents 10th visit and it is the longest it has ever taken them to get here - they were travelling from about 9 am in the UK on Monday morning, till midday on Wednesday here in Adelaide - they were supposed to have arrived on Tuesday evening, around 8pm - not Wednesday lunchtime!

[monty9110]

I might be wrong, but Ive been looking for flights myself.

 

One flight had a 22 hour gap between flights in Dubai & it said that emirates put you up in a hotel, pay for meals & a visa for while youre there..

Maybe I read it wrong, but I quite liked the sound of it..

[Jimjustin]

Sounds like they are having a few teething problems with making the connections. I'm sure they will sort it out in time. We have flown long haul with Emirates 7 or 8 times (admittedly not out of Adelaide yet) and have never had any problems whatsoever. They have been really good. We have flown many of the Airlines back to the UK - Malaysia, Singapore, Qantas (never again) and my wife has flown virgin too. We have always been happy with Emirates. The flight times and route (if they can make them work) are great - very direct route, and shorter than any other.

 

My wifes parents were flying Emirates when the volcanic ash problem hit the worlds flights a few years ago and ended up stuck in Dubai for a week. All the other airlines left people to fend for themselves as it was a "natural act". The inlaws were put up in a nice hotel for the week and taken on free tours around Dubai, courtesy of Emirates. Very good service given the circumstances.

 

I hope the service out of Adelaide does well because the more there are, the cheaper they'll get.

[stanley246]

Fly Emirates ADL/DXB often good new planes, good entertainment, food and service. Could imagine connection times to be an issue when a delay arises on traveling to Europe as terminal 3 DXB. is a rather large airport to navigate in a hurry.....possibly an equal issue arises here in Adelaide due to the Airport curfew (backward bloody town lol) whereas on two of the occasions I’ve flown the late arrival from DXB meant the aircraft couldn’t depart due to airport closure (with the pending daylight savings this issue will be slighty improved for the Winter months) (Adelaide if you want an International Airport on your doorstep don’t think you can force it to shut shop @ 23:00 hrs. and re-open @ 06:00 or there a bouts) Flight capacity on my experiences are either 1/3 full to overbooked (Check in staff @ Adelaide did mention that the period from 5th Dec thru to end Dec was over-booked( guess that's understandable)..... but my honest opinion is its up there with SQ.

Dubai is a must to see pure fantasy.....fake city (bit like Disney) ,what you won't see is the poverty and living conditions of the immigration workers who have built it ,cos you'll be on the other side of the facade....... but hey that’s anotherstory.

[Anne B]

I've never flown with them but just noticed this advert come up on this site - it says something about triple emirates awards & discount off rooms

 

http://www.atlantisthepalm.com/specialoffers

 

Looks like a lovely place to stay but I think we will have to win the lottery first!!

[Selah]

We flew Adelaide/Dubai Dubai/New York and back in January and February. According to an insider - flights are not as full as Singapore Airline at the moment. Ours were quite full on way over but quieter on way back. Emirates has a rule that if you have a certain layover (6 hours??? - can't remember) they put you up in a transit hotel and feed you. We had 17 hour layover on way back and best decision we made. Transferred immediately to 5 star hotel with meal vouchers for Breakfast, lunch and dinner and two rooms/5 bed for 5 of us. Breakfast served 7-10, lunch 12-4 and dinner 6-midnight so meets all your jetlag needs. Having said all of we found the crews to be rude and service poor during this trip. Both flights 15 hours and barely got anything to drink-so dehydrated. Flight attendant shouting at people to sit down and move (had to do with curfew but handled badly.) I'm in Sinagpore on business as we speak and flew Singapore Air this time and have done two UK trips via Cathay Pacific and I found customer service on Asian Airlines second to none.

[Toni]

Looks like a lovely place to stay but I think we will have to win the lottery first!!

 

Sorry, I didn't look at the accommodation, just the "triple awards"

[Anne B]

Sorry, I didn't look at the accommodation, just the "triple awards"

 

The Underwater suites look awesome. http://www.atlantisthepalm.com/rooms/supersuites/underwater.aspx

[Guest patsmb]

This may be a stupid question but am not a regular long haul traveller - we fly Newcastle-Dubai, Dubai-Adelaide in 4 weeks, will our luggage be transported through or will we have to collect and transfer through ourselves?

When you check in at Newcastle tell them you want it through to Adelaide as long as you have everything booked on one ticket they will do that

[Guest Watkinsfamily]

Hi,

Don't waste your money staying at the Atlantis! Nice to visit and water park is quite good but over priced and more like a hotel in Benidorm! Dreadful wait to check in and out, 30 minute wait to get a table at breakfast, can't get to hotel pool for sunbeds being wedged top to tail etc. Lots of other better hotels at equal or lower prices. Easy to get around in Dubai - taxi's are cheap and everywhere. Hotels vary in price and quality but there is an Ibis next to one of the main malls, an Easy Hotel (not sure what it is like) or if you go to www.booking.com you will be able to find lots of good deals. It is definately a place to visit for a stop over and as I said before you can make it as expensive or as cheap as you like. Looking forward to our flight with Emirates in July, been here 5 years and never flown out of or into Dubai always do Abu Dhabi.