How Is EK448/449 Doing?

rb211524g · Sun May 08, 2016 4:50 pm

Hi All,
It's been a few months now since the nonstop Dubai to Auckland flight began. Does anyone know how it has been fairing? Or is it still a little too early to tell? Anybody on here taken the flight/s? Would be curious to know their thoughts on it. Am tempted to fly across the ditch from Melbourne to take this flight for something to do!!!!

Cheers,
Alan (RB211524G)

kiwiandrew · Sun May 08, 2016 5:11 pm

My flatmate actually came home from Scotland yesterday usi g this flight. Arrived around an hour early. He was in first ( used miles to upgrade from paid business). He said 6 out of 8 first class were occupied, considering New Zealand is not really a first class market I was surprised.... of course, I have no way of knowing whether any of them were paid or all upgrades. He said he would definitely consider it again in order to avoid the miseries of the Australian transit stop. I'm not sure whether he had any idea of the loads in the back, I'll try to remember to ask him.

[Edited 2016-05-08 10:12:20]

pa747sp · Mon May 09, 2016 12:21 am

From what I have heard it is doing better than they expected.

77west · Mon May 09, 2016 6:15 am

Quoting pa747sp (Reply 2):
From what I have heard it is doing better than they expected.

So how long before that goes to an A380! I think some of the newer 77W might be able to make it as well.

directorguy · Mon May 09, 2016 6:40 am

Surprised it took EK that long to do DXB-NZ nonstop.
Don't forget many nationalities require a visa to transit Australia, even if it's a 90-minute fuel stop on the same flight in MEL or SYD, and not a proper 'connection.'

Goodbye · Mon May 09, 2016 7:00 am

It sometimes flies over my house on the east coast of Australia. I feel sorry for those down the back who have already been flying for 3 hours yet have another 15 to go

afterburner33 · Mon May 09, 2016 7:38 am

I am a candidate for this flight. If I were a few years younger and less 'burdened' by a young family, I would definitely try it at least once - if only for the novelty of it, and to get a flight on a relatively rare airliner.

However these days with kids, etc, I'd much rather take the A380 via Australia to get home, and suffer the hit of the extra stop and longer journey time. Sitting in the front of the A380 is so much more comfortable than down the back of a noisy 777 with 10 abreast seating.

Having said that, it's great that the option is there, so I hope it does well.

[Edited 2016-05-09 00:39:00]

NZ107 · Mon May 09, 2016 7:41 am

My friend flew it a few weeks ago. It was full and she got a seat which couldn't recline. FAs couldn't do anything about it. Not very good if you ask me..

321neo · Mon May 09, 2016 8:38 am

Quoting NZ107 (Reply 7):
My friend flew it a few weeks ago. It was full and she got a seat which couldn't recline. FAs couldn't do anything about it. Not very good if you ask me..

Seats can be chosen before departure. Here's a seat map for EK's 77L: http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/Emi...lines_Boeing_777-200_LR_3class.php

NZ107 · Mon May 09, 2016 8:40 am

Quoting 321neo (Reply 8):

And if it's a broken seat?

321neo · Mon May 09, 2016 8:57 am

Quoting NZ107 (Reply 9):
And if it's a broken seat?

Ah I thought you meant it was one of the seats with limited recline (as indicated on the seat map above). If the seat was broken then that's of course something entirely different!

euroflyer · Mon May 09, 2016 9:18 am

Quoting NZ107 (Reply 7):
My friend flew it a few weeks ago. It was full and she got a seat which couldn't recline. FAs couldn't do anything about it. Not very good if you ask me..

That's a pity for her, and little bit of bad luck as well, but this can happen on any flight. So you cannot rely on a single personal experience to get a general opinion.

Most of the time FA would find a new seat when one is broken, Y must have been 100% that day then...

Farzan · Mon May 09, 2016 10:12 am

Just made a dummy booking on the route.

Full in Y on my selected dates. What was interesting is the fact that Business super flex was more expensive than First flex? I know what I would choose. 17H20m 10 abreast in Y will never ever be an option for me. Never.

aerorobnz · Mon May 09, 2016 10:39 am

Loads are fairly consistently in the 220-260 bracket according to AKL flight information.

I know a few people who spent the trip in Y class. They were affected by major jetlag on the return leg, and one said they wouldn't bother again.. EK were also contacting those with onward flights from DXB with free transfer to the direct flight from the Australian flights for a while to build up the loads.

Quoting afterburner33 (Reply 6):
I would definitely try it at least once - if only for the novelty of it

Which is exactly what is filling it right now. Once the novelty factor of being the longest flight goes (in feb to QR) it may drop off a bit.

DiscoverCSG · Mon May 09, 2016 11:04 am

Quoting aerorobnz (Reply 13):
I know a few people who spent the trip in Y class. They were affected by major jetlag on the return leg, and one said they wouldn't bother again..

"I flew halfway around the world and got jet lag, so I'm never going to fly halfway around the world again."

Okay. More seats for the rest of us.

euroflyer · Mon May 09, 2016 11:53 am

Quoting aerorobnz (Reply 13):
Which is exactly what is filling it right now. Once the novelty factor of being the longest flight goes (in feb to QR) it may drop off a bit.

I don't think that affect the load that much. I guess less than 5% of pax are taking this route for the unique reason of being the world longest.

rb211524g · Mon May 09, 2016 12:02 pm

Slightly off topic. My parents are flying from MEL to the UK in August. Given their age, (they are both in their 70s) they are going to do the flights in business class with EK. I was toying with going with them with the view of hiring a car & driving them around everywhere, but they convinced me that they would be fine. I was delighted to learn that a chauffeur will drop them off at the airport, deliver them to their hotel in Nottingham from MAN, & take them back again as well as drop them off back home when they return!!! This a huge weight off my mind, knowing that they will be well looked after!!

With EK448/449, is this the older business class seat? The one that doesn't fully recline to a flatbed? I can imagine that a 17+ hour flight in these would be barely tolerable. Y would be pretty damn uncomfortable at 10 abreast seating.....

aerorobnz · Mon May 09, 2016 1:39 pm

Quoting DiscoverCSG (Reply 14):
"I flew halfway around the world and got jet lag, so I'm never going to fly halfway around the world again."

Well no - that's just flippant and childish. These are , like myself, seasoned long-haul travellers who have had a life of flying (including some as cabin crew) stated this flight really hit them harder than any other flight they had taken thus far. Sure the information is anecdotal, but it is relevant to any discussion of ULH.

Quoting euroflyer (Reply 15):
I don't think that affect the load that much. I guess less than 5% of pax are taking this route for the unique reason of being the world longest.

I live in NZ and there is much talk of it around here, and the advertising for it emphasises this aspect. Once the advertising of the gimmick fades I would expect it to drop back to the lower figure you have suggested.

euroflyer · Mon May 09, 2016 2:33 pm

Quoting aerorobnz (Reply 17):
I live in NZ and there is much talk of it around here, and the advertising for it emphasises this aspect. Once the advertising of the gimmick fades I would expect it to drop back to the lower figure you have suggested.

From your POV, what is the current "novelty" factor in term of load %age ?

How Is EK448/449 Doing?

How Is EK448/449 Doing?

RE: How Is EK448/449 Doing?

RE: How Is EK448/449 Doing?

RE: How Is EK448/449 Doing?

RE: How Is EK448/449 Doing?

RE: How Is EK448/449 Doing?

RE: How Is EK448/449 Doing?

RE: How Is EK448/449 Doing?

RE: How Is EK448/449 Doing?

RE: How Is EK448/449 Doing?

RE: How Is EK448/449 Doing?

RE: How Is EK448/449 Doing?

RE: How Is EK448/449 Doing?

RE: How Is EK448/449 Doing?

RE: How Is EK448/449 Doing?

RE: How Is EK448/449 Doing?

RE: How Is EK448/449 Doing?

RE: How Is EK448/449 Doing?

RE: How Is EK448/449 Doing?

Who is online

Popular Searches On Airliners.net