After First Class boarding was called for our flight, they actually sent a group of us upstairs in an elevator back to the area near the lounge. From there, I walked down the upper deck jetway and turned left into First Class.

EK372 A380 DXB-BKK
Scheduled 9:40-19:25
Actual: 9:46-19:18

I was in seat 3A on the left side of the cabin. There are 14 seats arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration with two extra window seats in row 4. After being in the spacious Gamechanger suite, this one felt small, even though it was really quite large.

Just like in the Gamechanger, I was able to store my bags under the console in front of the seat. As you can see, there’s a pop-up mini-bar containing waters and some snacks.

There’s also a snack basket that is on the console when you arrive which gets taken away for takeoff and brought back later. There’s a large 32″ screen, although the resolution is not as good as the Gamechanger, and an extra amenity kit where the mirror pops up.

Interestingly, although the flight attendant came around with pajamas and a tote bag, she did not bring the full amenity kit. It’s possible that they are available on demand, but I forgot to ask about it and I already had snagged two on the last flight anyway.

The lovely flight attendant also offered me some Dom Perignon – 2015 this time.

I explored the suite a bit and everything seemed to work, although it was definitely tighter than the Gamechanger suite.

This tablet controlled the seat and lighting in the suite plus could act as a remote control and open/close the door. Note the air vent just below the tablet. There was also one over my shoulder near the reading light.

Arabic coffee and dates were offered as boarding was finishing up.

We pushed back a few minutes late. The cabin was almost full. I think 12/14 seats were occupied.

I was having a bit of an internal debate about when to shower on this flight. Conventional wisdom would say to shower towards the end of the flight so you’re refreshed on landing. However, the weather near Dubai was great, and the closer we would get to Bangkok, the weather looked a bit iffy, with rain showers and storms around. A friend told me that he had showers canceled on Emirates due to turbulence toward the end of flights, so I decided to book the first shower. I waited to change into my pajamas after the shower and then have lunch.

I grabbed a few pictures as we taxied out and took off. It’s harder to get good pictures on the upper deck of the A380 as the windows curve with the fuselage.

After we reached our cruising altitude, the flight attendant came and took my lunch order prior to my shower. The menu was again in a keepsake brochure. Here’s the food on offer:

Here is all the wine available on the flight:

Now, it was time to finally shower on a plane after hearing about it for years. The flight attendant escorted me to the bathroom where there was a separate bathroom attendant who showed me the basics on how the shower operated and explained that I would have five minutes of water to use. The bathrooms are absolutely massive on the Emirates A380. The shower itself is quite small and also has a bench just in case there’s rough air while you’re in there. There are lots of toiletries and a fluffy towel available as well.

It was kind of surreal to shower on a plane at 35,000 feet. Thankfully, we had smooth air while I was in there. I managed to use up the full five minutes of water, because why not?

After my shower, I changed into my new pajamas and returned to my suite where some fresh fruit was waiting for me.

I was offered another glass of Dom and some warm nuts.

Now it was showtime for lunch. My table was set and I started with the caviar.

I switched to the Louis Jadot Chassagne-Montrachet 2015 which I enjoyed, although as I’ve admitted, I know very little about wine.

Now it was finally time to enjoy the famous Emirates Arabic mezze. It was a massive amount of food. The whole thing didn’t even fit on my tray table. Note that part of it is in front on the console.

While I enjoyed my lunch, I watched Dune 2 as I had just watched the first movie on the last flight. I enjoyed it, and it was the perfect length for a leisurely First Class lunch.

For my main course, I tried the lamb machbous and it was very tasty.

I sampled one of the red wines with my main course.

For dessert, I tried the warm chocolate fondant and it was delicious, although very rich.

I tried the 43 year old port on offer with my dessert.

After the movie ended, I had a choice to make. I could take a well-earned nap or I could check out the bar towards the rear of the upper deck behind business class. I decided on the bar. I had the flight attendant send the bottle of Hennessy Paradis back to the bar to accompany me. This is not the best picture of me, but I was pretty jolly by this point.

There was an interesting crowd at the bar, a mix of some families letting their kids run around a bit, some Emirati businessmen, and some tourists like me. I got to chatting with a few people and lost track of time. By the time I made my way back to my seat, there was only an hour or so left in the flight.

I never actually got my bed made up on this flight so I guess this isn’t the most comprehensive review of Emirates A380 First Class. You can certainly find many pictures of the bed mode online. We landed a few minutes early and I was back in Thailand for the first time in seven years.

I really enjoyed my daytime flight on the Emirates A380. I think in comparison to Gamechanger, the shower and the bar makes this a more fun experience for a flight where you plan to be awake. For an overnight, its hard to beat Gamechanger for the comfy bed and absolute privacy.

Up Next: Grand Hyatt Bangkok Review

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