A night in flydubai's 'throne', the emirate airline's top seat: review of Bergamo-Dubai in Business
Bergamo Orio al Serio Airport is the least glamorous of the three airports that reference Milan as far as [...]
Flydubai
DXB
United Arab Emirates
The airport of Bergamo Orio al Serio is the least glamorous of the three stopovers that refer to Milan as a metropolitan area. Of course, in recent years it has freshened up with nice stores and bars, expanded considerably from what it was in the early 2000s, and Will grow again in the years to come. However, it remains 'the low-cost airport'. And, for mysterious reasons, it has long been home to a 'colony' of homeless people who use the sidewalks outside the air terminal as a dormitory at night.
Why Dubai from Bergamo
In this article:
- Specifications
- Aircraft:
- B737max
- Class:
- Business
- Treat:
- BGY - DXB
- Price:
- press trip
- Book
However, For a little more than a year now, 'Caravaggio International Airport' has landed at the flydubai, the airline that 16 years ago began as the 'low-cost' airline of Emirates, but that now offers Business Class equipped with lie-flat seats and high standards of comfort and amenities in Economy as well. In addition, it connects Milan/Bergamo Orio al Serio with one of the world's most glamorous destinations: Dubai.
I flights are daily, with the Bergamo-Dubai taking off in the early afternoon and arriving in Dubai late in the evening. But Until early May there were also three weekly nightly frequencies, with a flight from Orio late in the evening landing in the Emirates the next morning. From August 1, flights will become two per day: one daytime and one nighttime.
The Flight Club had the opportunity to test both classes of travel thanks to a ticket paid for by the company, which invited us to the Middle East's most important tourism exposition, theArabian Travel Market, which was held as every year in Dubai in early May.
At the airport
There were two flights available on the day of departure from Bergamo, but To really test flydubai's Business and its lie-flat seats, I chose the evening one, which has a scheduled departure time of 11:20 p.m. In a few years a train will reach the Bergamo airport, but for now the only existing alternative to get there from Milan is between the bus leaving from the Central Station or the private car. Taking a look at the cost of parking at the airport, I chose the car, reaching Orio about two hours before flight departure.
Past the homeless encampment that encircles much of the terminal at that hour, I entered an almost deserted departure lounge. As deserted were the three flydubai check-in desks, two dedicated to Economy and one to Business. I still presented myself to the latter, however, and in less than a minute my suitcase was on its way to the hold of the plane and the boarding pass in my hands.
The company had reserved for me one of the two best seats on board: the 2E (the other is 2A), flydubai's version of the classic 'throne', the single seat that offers plenty of personal space and maximum privacy.
Passed in a flash the Fast Track at security checkpoints, I lingered a bit in the (almost) new duty free shop, having seen from the screens that the flight would leave 20 minutes late.
The lounge flop
So, I introduced myself to the HelloSky Lounge shortly before 10:30 p.m., to find that the attendants had already cleared out the entire food and wine offerings, leaving soft drinks, beers, and water (to be taken self-service from the refrigerators) and breadsticks available for guests.
Something absolutely incomprehensible, given that flydubai's is by far the most 'prestigious' (and business class) flight among those departing from Orio. Something, if you will, also not very Bergamascan, given the dedication to work that people have in these parts. But so be it: Half an hour before the scheduled closing time of 11 p.m., the lounge, with its beautiful chairs and lights, had been reduced, food & beverage-wise, to a soda kiosk.
Aboard fly
Twenty minutes from the 'original' takeoff time, I went through immigration and I reached gate B4. Embarkation began shortly thereafter. A dedicated line for Business passengers was not there, but only one marked 'Priority', reasoning that I was faced with families with children (also allowed in the line) and the queue lasted a few minutes.
At Orio, planes are parked nose forward a few dozen meters from the terminal and flydubai's Boeing 737 MAX 8 was right in front of gate B4. Thus, instead of by bus, I reached the MAX on foot. Bergamo airport for a number of years, Has been equipped with some jet bridges, but I have never seen them in use and it seems that even a 'premium' flight like flydubai's is no exception.
Aboard flydubai
As I climbed the front ladder, the feeling of narrowness that grips me every time I board a 737 gripped me again this time, relieved, however, in this case by the sight of a small but very cool business class cabin. Three rows only, with the first and third in a 2-2 configuration and the second, precisely, with the two 'thrones,' for a total of just ten seats.
To be clear, the cabin and seats (the Thompson Vantage) are the same ones chosen by the American company JetBlue For its Mint Class, the first class dedicated to domestic flights..
The business class seat on flydubai's 737
The most striking thing about flydubai's 'throne' is. The amount of countertops and compartments in which to store items.
There are Two large consoles on either side of the seat, a compartment for storing shoes bottom-side window, another compartment perfect for your smartphone, an Ipad or a book At shoulder height on the opposite side And an actual locker in which to store bulkier items always in the upper part of the left console, on which are also placed Buttons to change the seat position and a reading light.
Behind the back is a USB-C socket great for charging the smartphone while it is stored in the compartment a short distance away, and A niche with a bottle of mineral water.
A universal power outlet is placed on the lower front side of the console itself.
Inside the 'shell' that joins the two seats in front is embedded A 15-inch inflight entertainment screen, which can be controlled by touch or by a remote control inserted next to the buttons with which the seat moves.
The seat is wide but not very wide, while the pitch (i.e., distance to the front row of seats) is considerable, as is the space devoted to legs and feet.
On the seat I found a gray plastic bag (really unattractive) with inside IFE's headphones and a pillow, but not a blanket or comforter or even an amenity kit. The pillow was not protected by cellophane wrap.
Service on board flydubai
On-board service began with an offer of water or juice. But I asked for champagne, which was brought to me along with a glass of water.
After the doors close, pushback, engines start and a very quick taxi, we took off that it was fifteen minutes before midnight and with the section of the IFE devoted to the moving map that indicated 6 hours and 15 minutes flight time (from the cockpit, apart from the 'welcome onboard' no message had come in about route, weather and flight time).
A few minutes later, the two flight attendants dedicated to the small Business cabin reappeared handing out a warm, fragrant washcloth, a comforter (this yes wrapped in a cellophane bag) and Two small menus, one for food and one for drinks.
I asked the cabin manager if there was an amenity kit and he said no. Surprised, I asked if at least there were eye masks, but he shook his head and explained that the company does not provide them. Soon after, he returned with (meager consolation) a cellophane bag containing a pair of slippers.
Out of eight we were in the Business cabin, only two of us had dinner (The others preferred to sleep immediately after takeoff). And so the service was practically individual, with repeated offers of bread, water and wine (the latter declined by me after the first glass having already swallowed two glasses of champagne earlier).
Food & Beverage
For dinner, the menu offered a garden salad to start, followed by three options: chicken served with a tomato and basil sauce, grilled vegetables and potato gratin; paella with seafood; and spinach lasagna. For dessert a 'red velvet cake,' which I later found out was a chocolate and cream cake.
I chose the Paella (There was garlic in the chicken, which I can't stand), accompanied by a French Sauvignon Blanc (The only other alternative, among the wines, was an Australian Shiraz). For the aperitif I asked Of the other champagne (Pommery Brut Royal), which this time was poured for me from the bottle, accompanied by A bag of mixed salted nuts and a packet of chips (no bowls or saucers).
Pulled out the small table from the console table on the corridor side and spread a white cotton tablecloth, the cabin steward brought me a tray on which there was everything: the salad, paella and dessert. So, in order not to let the rice cool, I started with the latter, moving on to the salad and finally to the dessert.
I must say that the rice was a bit undercooked (better, however, than tooth-cracking hard), but there was a generous portion of four shrimp, several fish bites, and a scallop in the portion. The dessert was not bad, but a little too 'creamy' for my taste (and for that time of night).
The cabin steward, seeing me awake, asked me if I wanted anything before landing, explaining, however, that flydubai does not serve a real breakfast at the end of its overnight flights, only a hot drink accompanied by a snack. I asked for tea, which was brought to me with milk, a gianduiotto, and a chicken wrap (at 7 a.m. also no thank you...).
As the skyscrapers of Dubai appeared on the horizon shrouded in a haze due to the heat (upon arrival at 7:15 a.m. local time it was already 31 degrees), the cabin was prepared for landing and belts fastened. And after a wide right turn, we touched down and then taxiing at length to the northernmost apron of the airport.
IFE
On tray collection, the lights were turned down in night mode, and I set out to explore the IFE. To my surprise, since the longest route flown by flydubai does not exceed seven hours, I found a truly remarkable entertainment systeme, although not as much as the famous Ice of 'big sister Emirates': Approximately 400 films, 350 of which are Western, with 24 premieres, twelve of which are also dubbed in Italian; a section audio with 150 pop and rock albums, plus others of classical, jazz, and Arabic music; a children's section with about fifty cartoons; and two dozen games.
With just a little more than four hours to land in Dubai, I left movies and music and for the (daytime) flight home, stretching out my bed in an almost horizontal position and devoting myself to reading a book, then drifting off to sleep.
Three and a half hours later I was awakened by the dazzling light coming in through the windows (which none of the passengers-including me-or the crew had bothered to roll down). I must say. the bed-mode of the Thompson Vantage proved satisfactory in length, legroom and freedom of movement, less so in width.
Dubai Airport, better at T3 than T2
Flydubai has its own terminal in Dubai, T2, which is on the opposite side of Emirates from the runways. But it is now 'saturated' and so a portion of its flights, including all those from Italy, use Emirates Terminal 3.
What Is a big advantage for two reasons: those who need to continue on an Emirates flight (with which flydubai has codeshare on all its flights and vice versa) to their final destination doesn't have to change terminals to catch a connecting flight. E Business passengers have access to the Emirates lounge at T3 which, with all due respect to flyDubai's lounge at T2, is a whole other thing in terms of space, food and drink offerings, and amenities.
The only drawback is the long bus transfer from the remote parking lot to T3 arrivals. But if you do comfortably seated in the seats aboard the reserved bus that flydubai provides for its business passengers, looking closely at the wonder of Emirates' A380s, even that ends up being more of a pleasure than an inconvenience.
Why choose flydubai and not Emirates
- It may be because of the price, If you pay for the flight out of your own pocket and in big money (not miles): one-way Milan-Dubai with flydubai starts at 1,822 euros, compared to the 2,652 euros Emirates charges, i.e. 830 euros less.
- Having said that, it can be added that Bergamo is a more easily and quickly 'navigable' airport than Malpensa
- The operations of embarking and disembarking on a 737 MAX are much faster than those on an A380 and that, therefore, net of what is experienced on board, the overall travel experience is less stressful.
- It can also be added that a 10-seat cabin is definitely more intimate than a 70-seat and passes. And the in-flight service, with two flight attendants taking care of up to ten passengers, also gains in attention to detail.
In conclusion
The flying experience in flydubai's business class is not comparable to what you experience in the same class at Emirates flying between Milan and Dubai. Lounge, wide fuselage, seat, food and beverage menu options, food and beverage quality, entertainment system are all factors in favor of Emirates. But flydubai may be a viable alternative, with a more 'relaxed' flight experience.
Pro
- The chair
- Service
Against
- No amenity kit
- No breakfast
