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Drip, Dry on the Fly

Emirates debuts its high-end, flying colossus

By RON DONOHO
Drip, Dry on the Fly

I’M STANDING INSIDE THE SHOWER SPA AREA with six other . . . passengers. We’re getting a preview tour of Emirates Airline’s new Airbus A380. There are two showers on the upper deck in the first-class cabin. Each spa area contains a glass-doored shower stall, toilet, full sink and Timeless Shower spa products. The shower is only for first-class passengers, who must reserve a time to lather up.

There are 14 first-class seats, with tickets costing $18,000 each. Besides shower privileges, that price gets you an electronically operated seat/bed that can convert to any position between upright and flat. There’s also a 23-inch LCD screen linked to 1,100 channels of in-flight entertainment. I checked out the movie What Happens in Vegas, a TV episode of The Office and played a couple of hands of blackjack. There are more than 190 movies to choose from, including offerings in Spanish, Italian and Cantonese.

Business-class seats are not as spacious, nor as stocked with amenities, but the seats also fully recline. On the upper deck, at the back of business class, is a lounge/bar, loaded with premium brands, like Bombay Sapphire gin. A full-time bartender stands at the ready. Hot and cold canapés and snacks are served. There are two sofas and a 42-inch LCD screen.

The A380 has 489 seats, including the 399-seat economy-class cabin on the lower deck. It’s not too shabby down there——each seat also has a smaller-screen version of the entertainment system.

Emirates was scheduled to premier its nonstop Los Angeles–to–Dubai (United Arab Emirates) flight October 26. The new flight runs a distance of 8,339 miles and takes roughly 16 hours. The A380 will be used for New York–Dubai flights. A similar Boeing 777-200 LongRange will fly from L.A. to Dubai.

The two-hour August preview flight——we left LAX and circled over the Pacific——was staffed by 27 flight attendants (representing 15 nationalities). Female members of the smiling staff wear red, pillbox-style hats attached to sweeping scarves that resemble Middle Eastern–type veils. Passengers applauded the smooth and quiet takeoff and landing of the world’s only twin-deck, four-aisle commercial airliner. But the talk of the air was those showers. Note to those who might like to linger: You’re only allowed five minutes of water time before the showerhead shuts off.