Emirates Economy Class, A380. EK18 Manchester- Dubai - EK 352 Dubai -Singapore. 2026

 A Slow Journey from Manchester to Singapore

21 January 2026

This will be my first time flying with Emirates and aboard my favourite aircraft; the A380, since 2019. My last trip was before the pandemic, so it will be interesting to see the changes that have taken place since then.

I’ll be flying economy class on EK 18 from Manchester to Dubai, followed by EK 352 from Dubai to Singapore. However, it won’t be a back-to-back journey. I’ve opted for a long layover in Dubai, allowing me to travel both legs during the day and avoid a night flight.

I arrived at Manchester Airport the night before my flight and checked into the Radisson Manchester Airport. I was pleased with the quick and friendly check-in service. The room is spacious, very clean, and warm — much appreciated on this cold, damp evening in Manchester.

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22 January 2026

Emirates now operates from Terminal 2 at Manchester Airport. Having checked in online, I headed straight to the bag drop, only to be directed back to the self-service kiosks to print out luggage tags and attach them to my bags. While Emirates staff were present, they seemed hurried and didn’t listen to passengers, rushing us through the process.

After dropping my bags, I passed through security — the new machines made the process much smoother.

I enjoyed a delicious brunch at the Giraffe restaurant and watched the A380 arrive (30 minutes late) before settling down to wait for boarding.

EK 18 is a four class A380, with premium economy added since my last Emirates flight.  

Manchester Airport, Terminal 2. 

Boarding was efficient, and the standard economy seats are towards the back of the aircraft but were  comfortable for the 6.5-hour flight, arranged in a 3-4-3 configuration. the flight was not full and I had the row to myself, as did my partner.

Emirates A380 EK18 MAN -DXB

A blanket, small pillow, and headphones were provided. 

However, safety procedures felt a bit too relaxed. The safety briefing was displayed silently on the seatback screen, and I didn’t even notice it until about halfway through the recording. There were no pre-take-off safety checks either, which made the experience feel quite laid-back.

The ICE entertainment system, as always, was outstanding. I played a few games, and my husband watched a couple of movies.

In-flight service was not what it used to be. Gone were the hot towels, and there wasn’t even a cold wet wipe offered. The first drink service was delayed, and there was a long wait before the meal was served.

The hot meal — I opted for the chicken — was nice, though drinks service was a bit disorganized. All drinks, except spirits like gin and vodka, were served from large bottles: one red wine, one white, and a large bottle of flat Coke or Fanta. Thankfully, a small bottle of water was provided with the meal.

EK 18 Menu

EK 18 Economy Meal

EK 18 Economy Meal

The crew then disappeared until the second service near the top of descent, which consisted of a cup of water and a tub of ice cream.

Upon arrival at Terminal B in Dubai, we were greeted by a "meet and greet" representative from the Dubai International Hotel.

The hotel, located within the terminal, was clean, comfortable, and we were upgraded to a suite! The suite featured a massage chair — an interesting experience as it pummelled me, but it must have worked because I slept very well.

Dubai International Hotel in Terminal B

Dubai International Hotel in Terminal B

27 January 2026

We walked from the hotel in Terminal B to Terminal C and made our way to gate C17 for our next flight.

EK 352 is a three class A380; so no Premium Economy. this meant we could sit at the front of the aircraft in our economy seats. Again, the aircarft was not full; in fact it was almost empty in economy, so we had room to stretch out. 

The crew on this flight were very proactive and the service was prompt and efficient. 

Menu on EK 352

For the first service I had Thai Pepper Beef, it was delicious. 

The second service snack was the turkey sandwich, it was also very nice. 

Having had two good day flights with Emirates we landed into Singapore on time. 

I had filled in the Singapore entry cards a few days before as requested and we could use the e-gates. Such a bonus, so we arrived at the baggage carousel before our bags. 

 Bags collected, we got a taxi to our hotel; Holiday Inn Clarke Quay. It had been a good journey.