Just arrived back stateside last evening. 4 of us flew business class to JNB from MIA via Dubai. Every single meal was either lukewarm or room temp on both legs outbound but better on return. If you hit the flight attendant button you were VERY lucky if someone showed up in 15-20 minutes. Usually you had to hit the button 3-4 times. We got the usual BC amenities kit on both legs outbound. On return, you got nothing from JNB to DBX.Service on all legs was poor. I’ve flown QA and Emirates many times in the last 25 years. We flew Emirates this time because the connections/total time were better on Emirates and the tickets were $1500 a piece cheaper. As an aside, we bought our tickets direct from Emirates and had a “legal” connection in DXB of an hour and five minutes. We had no checked luggage. Had we all not purchased the Marhaba meet and greet expedited transfer service In Dubai there is absolutely no way we would have made our onward flight to JNB much less had any luggage transferred. Why would an airline sell you a ticket with connections that are impossible? Lesson learned, caveat emptor. Next time it will be Qatar.

Mr. Dollar,

you have flown enough to know that you need to check the time for connections. Just not taking the travel agent times given to you.

I know that some airports 2 hours is enough while 4 hours at another is cutting it close.

I know that some times you need to take an earlier flight with sit around time to make your next connection.

This was not booked via a travel agent. This was booked directly through Emirates. I knew this was a tight connection but I thought( wrongly) that an airline would know their own home airport……

Airlines, and travel agents, will tell you 1 hour layover is good enough for a connecting flight.

I refuse to do it.

Depending on route, I would prefer a minimum of 3 hours.