Why you should Fly Emirates Business class to go to the Maldives

I flew from Male to Rome in September 2021 in Emirates Business class, and here is my review of the trip and a few tips to avoid the chaos at Male airport. I give you 7 reasons why you should fly Emirates in Business class if you travel to the Maldives.

Read my review of Emirates Business class flight to the Maldives!

1) Flying Business class allows you to avoid part of the chaos at Male Airport in the Maldives

Male airport is the most chaotic airport I have ever seen. The queue to enter the airport was absolute madness, with everyone pushing and shoving to get ahead. I got hit by a few carts, and my ankles were bruised… It is impossible to practice social distancing, and the whole situation made me very uncomfortable.

Tip: Bring water with you as it is hot, and you might  be queuing for a few hours

I was on the 11 pm flight, which is the busiest time at Male airport as many flights depart at the end of the day. I got to the airport super early, but you are not allowed to enter the airport before 19:30. Therefore, I waited in the food court area and started to queue at 19:00. It took me two hours to get inside the airport.

Tip: Emirates offers four flights a day from Male to Dubai. This allows you to choose the most convenient flight time. I suggest a mid-afternoon departure time to avoid the evening chaos at the airport while still being able to enjoy the morning in your Maldives resort.

Once inside the airport, I was happy to be flying business class, as the check-in counter only had a few people queueing. The queue for checking into economy was again very long. There is no priority line for passport control or security, so we were back to queuing… People looked exhausted, and many were afraid of missing their flight. Fortunately, they delayed the departure time to accommodate all the people who could not check in on time due to the queues.

How to avoid Chaos at Male airport?

If I were ever to create a list of the worst airports in the world, Male Velana airport would probably be on it.

After all this, I learned that it is possible to book a priority service for 100-200 USD and skip the line. It is probably worse it if you have a late evening flight. ( it took me three hours to get from the airport entrance to the lounge)

The staff from the Monima lounge located landside can assist you with that service. You can also find more information about the VIP services here:  https://macl.aero/passengers/information/airportfacilities/lounge

2) Get access to the Lounge at Male Velana airport

Once airside, there is no dedicated Emirates lounge. Emirates, however, has a partnership with the Leeli lounge, the only lounge airside the airport.

It is large with plenty of seats, charging plugs and internet access. The food selection is limited. However, soft drinks, tea, and coffee are available. They serve no alcohol, as it is not allowed in the Maldives. (but I was surprised to see that they do sell alcohol in the duty-free shops). Despite the airport being super bizy, the Male airport lounge was relatively quiet so it was a good place to relax.

They do call for flights in the lounge, so even if your flight is delayed, they will inform you when to board.

3) Board the plane faster

The dedicated business class line had almost no queue, therefore I was through in a few minutes. The economy line was again very long…

We were put on a bus that was overcrowded with no social distancing possible. Needless to say, I was very happy to finally get on the plane.

I was greeted by name by the friendly staff and offered a cold drink. Champagne is not available as it is not allowed in Male but I was happy with a glass of orange juice. Relaxation could start…

Due to the chaos in Male airport, the plane departed almost one hour late, but this is not Emirates’ fault, and it was the same for the other late-night flights.

4) Enjoy a comfortable seat in Emirates business class, especially for tall people.

My first flight was from Male to Dubai on a Boeing B777-300. It was an older version of the plane, yet the seat was super comfortable.

The business class cabin is purely luxurious, has wood paneling, and is embellished with gold and beige tones. The entertainment system is the old version, and it is starting to show. The TV is large but is not touch screen and still used the button remote control. The number of films and TV shows available is impressive. They even offer live channels if you want to follow the news or sport.

There are no USB charging plugs, but there is a UK-style plug in the seat.

Tip: bring a UK plug adaptor if you want to charge anything during the flight. The air hostess was super nice and lent me one for the duration of the flight.

The business class seat is large and comfortable. It is one of the best business class seats I have experienced for tall people. I am 1.87 meters, and I could lie down comfortably. The design of the seat is clever as the seat comes down when you get into sleep position, using the space under the seat in front of you.

There are plenty of adjustment options possible so that you can make yourself comfortable. For tall people, this seat is more comfortable and wider than the newer versions of the business class cabins.

There is a privacy screen that you can bring up if you don’t want to see your neighbor.

Tip: If you want privacy, get a window seat near the front of the cabin.

My second flight from Dubai to Rome was also a Boeing B 777-300, but it had the newest seat and entertainment system.

While the entertainment system was touch screen and easier to use, the seat was more narrow. However, it is long, it lies flat and is a great seat for tall people. One more exciting feature of these seats is that they can be fully reclined into a bed. You also get to have a thick pillow to make a bed and the coziest blanket.

The cabin was super clean, and as usual with Emirates, the crew was outstanding. The cabin crew of Emirates business class is probably one of the most professional airline staff you will ever come across. The cabin crew is multilingual, friendly, and really swift in all their services. They addressed me by name as soon as I boarded and were very proactive in anticipating my needs.

5) Taste delicious food and a large drink menu

While many airlines have reduced their food and beverage offerings due to Covid, Emirates has not.

Emirates is well-known for its tasty cuisine, and I was looking forward to trying it.

On the first flight from Male to Dubai, a three-course dinner was served. It is only a four-hour flight, so it is the only meal provided.

As the flight was late, I was keen to eat quickly and then catch a few hours of sleep. The flight attendant took my order before takeoff, and my food was served shortly after takeoff.

You can also see the drinks menu below.

On the second flight from Dubai to Rome, they serve lunch, and you can see the menu below.

Don’t miss the Arabic Mezze if you fly on Emirates. They are always delicious.

A wide range of alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks are offered.

6) Enjoy The Emirates business class  lounge in Dubai

Waiting at airports can be exhausting. However, when you are at the Dubai International Airport, you don’t need to worry if you are waiting for your next flight.

Many lounges are currently closed due to Covid. At Dubai airport, the open lounge was in concourse B. As my flights arrived and took off from concourse C, it was a bit of a walk. It took me almost 20 minutes, so make sure you factor that in so you get to the gate on time.

Tip: The lounge has a secret entrance. The stairs in front of Bath and Bodywork are not marked, but they will lead you to the smoking section of the lounge and save you a 5-minute walk over the main entrance.

The food was quite limited. I think due to covid they have reduced their buffet offering and employees are now serving all the food.

I was horrified by the amount of plastic packaging on display. I don’t think plastic is a solution to Covid hygiene protocol. Every slice of bread was single wrapped in plastic…  I think there is a huge opportunity for airlines to cut costs and reduce single-use plastic here.

The seating options

Lounge Concourse B is enormously spacious and has a seating capacity for about 1,500 passengers. They have a scattered seating design. There are chairs, sofas with side tables.

There were a few sleeping corners, but they were all full when I arrived, so I had to settle for a normal lounge chair.

The further you go from the main entrance, the quieter the lounge becomes. I found a quiet place near the champagne bar.

The Bathroom & Shower Facilities

The bathroom and shower facilities at Lounge Concourse B are easily available. You can use the private shower stalls, which are located in the bathroom area. The bathrooms are equipped with toiletries from Voya. There is no reservation system, and there were no lines during my visit.

The Champagne Bar

One of the best features of this lounge is the Moët and Chandon champagne bar. Here, you can enjoy world-class champagnes. The bar has a gold interior design that appeals to the customers with a luxurious ambiance.

7) Use Emirates chauffeurs to get to your destination

One of the benefits of flying Emirates is that at most destinations, they will offer a chauffeur car to drive you to and from the airport.

Check on their website to see if your airport is included.

In conclusion of my review of my Emirates Business class flight to the Maldives.

Emirates is currently the airline with the most flight options to the Maldives. With four flights per day, you can choose the most convenient flight time. Emirates Business class distinguished itself with its great cuisine, service, and convenient chauffeur service to get to and from the airport. I enjoyed my flights with Emirates and look forward to flying with them again.

To book your next Emirates flight, check their website here.