Since I was a child, I’ve been fascinated by traveling but also by all kind of planes. Whether it was a small jet or a huge Airbus. Airports were my favorite playground. At an airport you meet all kind of people with different mentalities, religions, stories and views. You just feel a great energy there – an international one. As a child, I loved to arrive at the airport hours before our flights, in order to have time for watching planes, observing people and dreaming of all the destinations that I wanted to visit in the future… Today the travel world has changed. It’s faster, people are rushing. Whether it’s for business or holiday: the arrival and check-in has to be quick and smooth, when you travel so much. What’s better than getting the extra service, wherever you go? Exactly!

Last month, I went on a six-day business trip with Emirates to Bangkok and Dubai, to test their new Business and First Class at the Airbus A380.

It started with the Emirates Limousine pick-up at home, straight off to Zurich Airport. A great welcome lunch awaited me at the Emirates Business Lounge at the Zurich International Airport. The Emirates Business Lounge is located close to the gate, where Emirates flights depart. The modern lounge offers a restaurant, bathrooms with showers, a cafe, work spaces including Wi-Fi and a relaxing area.

After Priority Boarding and seating I enjoyed a glass of ice-cold Veuve Clicquot, before the trip to Bangkok with a Stop-Over in Dubai began. Seats that turn into beds, so comfortable that you almost feel at home. For lunch you can choose 3 courses out of a Mediterranean menu and and a variety of the best wines and spirits.

Emirates has one of the largest Airline wine cellars located in France, with over 1.2 million bottles. The Emirates team told me, that it’s quite a challenge to find wines and champagnes that taste as good up in the air as on the ground, due to the high pressure. Now, that’s a statement for all wine lovers, who can be sure to enjoy only the best wines on a long flight up in the air with Emirates.

During the afternoon flight, I took the time to work on a concept and to do some emails, since the Wi-Fi on Board is better than any I have had on a plane before! Arrived for a 2 hour stop-over at the Emirates First Class Lounge of Dubai Airport, I met the Emirates Team for Dinner at their lounge before our departure to Bangkok.

Read more about that night flight from Dubai to Bangkok, my stay at the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, in part 2 of this journey, going live next week. In part 3 I will introduce you to the Emirates First Class and my 24h stop-over in Dubai – with some major news. Stay tuned!

Information for my Swiss readers: There are 4 Emirates flights per day from Switzerland to Dubai. 2 from Zurich, where there is the Emirates Business Lounge (the afternoon flight is operated with the Emirates Flagship Airbus A380) and two from Geneva.