Dubai-based flagship carrier Emirates has long been recognised as having one of the finest and most efficient First Class experiences in the aviation industry, with plenty of considerably polished bells and whistles to help make up the value. The signature caviar service is one such distinctive perk Emirates First Class passengers have been enjoying for years, and it’s about to be upgraded itself with the airline now promising unlimited caviar to all First Class flyers as part of a new US$2 billion (~AU$2.8 billion) investment.
The expensive enhancements and swift overhaul to the Emirates passenger experience will extend to all cabins, although First Class is obviously getting the most impressive updates. This includes a new ‘Cinema in the Sky’ snack menu with lobster rolls, sliders, edamame and unlimited popcorn. Here is where the unlimited caviar service comes into play, one-upping the traditional caviar service which is often limited to just a few small pops of the salty delicacy.
The wider Emirates First Class menu has been updated with a strong attention to detail, even making use of sustainably-grown greens from Bustanica – known as the world’s largest vertical farm – and dishes like roasted duck breast with orange thyme jus and pan-fried salmon trout with moqueca sauce and creole rice.
As reported by Point Hacks, Business and Economy Class also get a menu refresh, including a new vegan menu so those with the dietary requirement need not settle for less.
Emirates have invested a considerable amount in an attempt to improve in-flight dining options for all passengers, but of course it seems First Class flyers get the most substantial changes. Typically, when you’re ordering caviar service at a restaurant – already an expensive choice – you’d only get a small amount of the fish eggs and the entire thing would be over in a matter of minutes. Theoretically, you could sit in your First Class suite and use the ‘room service’ phone to order caviar service throughout the entire flight.
There’s no doubt at least one First Class passenger will be taking the piss each flight, so you’d think Emirates would be well-prepared with more than a few large tins of caviar.
The move follows Emirates finally make its Premium Economy product available on selected flights leaving from Sydney. This is something the UAE carrier will also be focusing on more heavily moving forward, with the new Premium Economy cabin being retrofitted onto more than 120 aircraft to scale-up while so many other airlines around the world scale-down.
Each aircraft set to be retrofitted with Premium Economy will also see small changes made to all the other cabins as well, from reupholstered seats to new panelling and flooring. At a time when airlines are looking to cut costs, it’s interesting to see Emirates throw more money at making the entire onboard experience much more attractive for passengers at every level.
