This year's IATA Annual General Meeting was held in Dubai, and Flight-Report was able to testEmirates ' revamped ground experience for its premium customers departing from Paris Charles de Gaulle. The Emirati airline has been forced to relocate from Terminal 2C to Terminal 1 since the end of 2022, due to work to bring the baggage sorting system up to standard 3. Emirates also took the opportunity to renovate its lounge in the Terminal 2AC junction building. With a total investment of €864,000, the Emirates lounge at Charles de Gaulle is one of the airline's 32 lounges in a foreign stopover.
Flight-Report was able to discover it a few days after its reopening.
Flight routing
- 1EK076 - Affaires - Paris → Dubai - Airbus A380-800
- 2EK075 - Affaires - Dubai → Paris - Airbus A380-800
After a very comfortable journey thanks to the chauffeur service delegated to Sixt (included with the Business ticket), I was dropped off directly in front of Terminal 2C, where Emirates has been based since the end of May.
Check-in
There's no waiting at all, and several counters are dedicated to First, Business and Platinum, Gold and Silver members of the Skywards frequent flyer program.
Check-in formalities will be swift, both for emigration and for security, thanks in particular to Access Number 1.
Access to the Emirates lounge at Charles de Gaulle is via the duty-free area and the passageway to the elevators which take passengers to the mezzanine of the Terminal 2AC connecting building.
The entrance is on the left.
The Emirates Lounge in Paris
The lounge is accessible to Emirates customers in First or Business and Skywards Platinum and Gold members traveling in Economy.
A display of daily newspapers and magazines is available at the entrance.
Followed by various clocks.
The 925m² lounge is long and wide.
With a maximum capacity of 165 passengers, although in reality there are never more than passengers from a single flight.
A small bar is located near the window and in the Quiet Area.
The lounge also has a prayer room and its own sanitary facilities…
…including self-service showers with VOYA products.
The catering area features numerous tables.
A full bar with a wide selection of softs, spirits, wines and hot drinks.
The spirits are of a high standard, with Johnnie Walker Black Label Whisky, Bombay Sapphire Gin and Absolut Vodka. As for champagne, Emirates remains loyal to LVMH, and Moët & Chandon is on offer at the Paris show.
On one side, two refrigerated cabinets offer starters, cheeses and desserts.
Individual portions help to maintain a meticulous presentation.
Numerous mezzes.
On the other, a wide selection of hot dishes, including beef chateaubriand with Albuféra sauce, sea bass fillets with caper sauce and lemon butter.
Lamb chops with herbs or chicken fillets confit with lemon and olives.
My selection includes Muhammara with pita bread, salmon tartar and caesar salad with lobster.
Seafood pie.
Chocolate and praline millefeuille, apricot and pistachio tart.
Meanwhile, our Airbus A380-800 arrives from Dubai.
This is the A6-EOK, delivered in July 2015 and recently repainted in the airline's new livery.
Refuelling on the upper deck of an A380 is always impressive.
Boarding
Space is a little limited at the gate for an aircraft of this capacity.
But fortunately, the C80 gate is entirely dedicated to priority passengers.
With a separate gangway.
Before reaching the upper deck.
Emirates' Airbus A380s serving Paris are configured with 76 business class seats in a staggered configuration, guaranteeing aisle access for all customers.
The odd window seats are the closest and most private, like seat 11K, which I'll be occupying on this flight.
The cabin is fully equipped, with a pillow and comforter on the seat.
Headphones, comfort kit (mules and eye mask) and flight menu.
The seat settings screen and the second screen of the ice entertainment system.
The main screen is fixed.
An advantage of the A380 is the extra storage space provided by the side lockers, in which the mattress topper is stored.
Despite a full cabin, the welcome protocol is well established.
I opt for a glass of champagne.
This is followed by the distribution of a comfort kit, offered only on night flights.
From the Italian brand BVLGARI, it's very complete, with a dental kit, a pack of tissues, a brush/comb, a razor with shaving foam, deodorant…
…and the brand's cosmetics including eau de toilette, lip balm, aftershave balm and body lotion.
We leave our parking spot on time.
To save time, orders are taken on the ground. The crew are all equipped with smartphones which send the order directly to the aft galley.
We take off to the south from 26R. The cameras on the A380 are always appreciated, but the quality of their definition remains poor.
In flight
The flight from Paris to Dubai takes around 6:30.
Soon, we turn east with the last light of day.
The cabin is re-lit with mood lighting to allow those who wish to sleep to do so. The crew juggles between finishing taking dinner orders and installing mattress toppers.
As the bar attendant finishes setting up, I take my aperitif to enjoy the conviviality of this unique place.
Dinner
Let's discover the menu and wine list for this flight.
We're staying with LVMH for the champagne, but this time with the Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label. Emirates has worldwide air exclusivity on this champagne, as well as on the Dom Pérignon served in First.
For white wine, two French references with a Pessac-Léognan from Château Couhins, vintage 2019 and a Bourgogne Saint-Aubin 1er cru vintage 2018. For the reds, a French Haut-Médoc from Château Sociando-Mallet vintage 2009 and Australian Syrah-Grenache PHI Single Vineyard from 2021.
And finally a Warre's Colheita Port from 2005.
The menu details the bar's special offer of sandwiches, fresh fruit and mini-pastries.
Let's move on to the discovery of the dinner, on this late flight it's a "Late Night Dining".
There's a choice of 3 starters, including a soup.
A choice of 3 main courses (you can pre-book online to be sure of your preference).
Cheeses and desserts.
After a tablecloth has been laid out on the tabletop, a tray is placed on the table, including the starter and the selected hot dish.
A choice of warm breads is also available in the basket, including garlic bread.
Poached scallops with saffron
Served with sumac-spiced cottage cheese emulsion, Chioggia beetroots, Granny Smith apples and black sesame seeds
Excellent yet original.
Pan-fried salmon
Served with hollandaise, poached white asparagus and steamed potatoes with parsley
Correct with tender salmon, but I prefer it snacked with a little more color.
Wild berry and almond tart
Served with crème anglaise
Delicious dessert.
Entertainment system (IFE)
On this night flight, I wouldn't really take advantage of Emirates' ice entertainment system, but it's extremely comprehensive, with up to 6,500 channels of films, series and documentaries.
The noise-canceling headphones are of good quality, with active attenuation of ambient noise.
At ease
It's time to take advantage of this seat that converts into a flat bed, complete with mattress topper.
The light comforter is pleasantly warm.
Under the starry sky…
I wake up just outside Shiraz, Iran, with just over an hour to go on the flight.
Breakfast
An opportunity to try out the continental breakfast.
Everything is presented on a tray, along with an espresso and a generous plate of chocolates (the crew must have spotted my sweet tooth)!
Seasonal fruit
An assortment of fresh cut fruit
Bon
Cold plate
Sliced roast beef, smoked salmon, boiled quail egg, emmental and mimolette cheese, served with Kalamata olives, cucumber, cherry tomato and red chicory
Friendly cold plate.
Overall, a good continental breakfast, with the exception of the industrial fruit yoghurt, which is out of place in Business.
Approach and arrival
Emirates' new livery also brings a reminder of the drift inside the winglets.
Last turn for a southeast-facing landing.
Promotional videos of Dubai are shown on the screens.
The Burj Khalifa and Business Bay.
Short final for runway 12L.
As at the end of every Emirates flight, passengers are invited to rate it on 5 criteria.
Quick taxi to Terminal 3, Gate B.
With an impressive line-up of Airbus A380s.
Our neighbor is also wearing the new livery, the A6-EOE.
Disembarkation via 3 gangways.
Chauffeur service in Dubai
Fast-track through immigration formalities, then on to the chauffeur service, perfectly indicated after the baggage carousels.
Simply present yourself at the counter with your boarding pass, and you'll be given a ticket.
The wait is almost non-existent and I'm already invited to take the exit.
These BMW estate cars are used by Emirates Business passengers in Dubai.
Video
PRACTICE
Emirates offers 3 daily flights for a total of 21 weekly flights from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Dubai, all operated by Airbus A380.
The airline is also present in France in Nice with a daily flight by Airbus A380 and in Lyon with a daily flight by Boeing 777-300ER. From March 1, 2025, the capital of Gaules will be operated by Airbus A350-900.
Emirates ' Airbus A380-800s serving Paris are configured to accommodate 14 passengers in First, 76 passengers in Business and from 426 to 429 passengers in Economy.
The Emirates lounge at Paris Charles de Gaulle opens 4 hours before each flight. It is accessible to passengers travelling in First, Business and those with Gold or Platinum status (with one guest) inEmirates ' Skywards frequent flyer program, or Gold, Platinum or Platinum One status (with one guest) in Qantas' Frequent Flyer program.
From its hub in Dubai,Emirates offers a network of over 130 destinations to Asia, the Indian Ocean, the Middle East, Africa and Australasia.
Trip realized by Flavien for Flight-Report with the participation of Emirates and IATA.
