While domestic economy travel increasingly becomes an exercise in masochism, some international carriers have been piling on the pampering in first class. There are private suites, lie-flat beds, caviar courses, vintage Champagne (not that blended swill), on-board lounges, and entertainment systems that are a binge-watcher’s dream. At the forefront of many of these innovations is Emirates airline, which touts its services with clever promotions and those humorous Jennifer Aniston ads. And one perk that sets Emirates apart from the rest is the shower spa in its first class cabin on the massive A380. On a recent trip to Dubai, I decided to indulge.
Your first thought is probably the same as mine was: a shower at 38,000 feet and 575 miles per hour, WTF? How can that possibly feel right? And that’s a reasonable question. To allay some of those anxieties, a patient member of the cabin crew gave me a tour of the facilities. The bathroom is all blond wood, marble, and mirrors — and spotlessly clean. (I couldn’t even find any water marks in the shower stall itself.) He showed me where to sit down and hang on for dear life in the event of turbulence, as well as the panic button, which would summon a crew member to my side in seconds. (A point that was both reassuring and terrifying, as I immediately became filled with dread of pressing the button by mistake and being discovered butt naked, singing Katy Perry’s “Swish Swish” and trying to do that dance move the kid did on SNL with a towel on my head.)
The two shower spas are booked in 30 minute shifts, between which every surface is meticulously cleaned. When my slot arrived, I was escorted into the space and given a final rundown of how things worked. There was a big fluffy bath mat in front of the shower stall, and more soft white towels than I could possibly use. As I began tentatively to undress in front of a wall of mirrors in the brightly lit room, I realized that, for me at least, a more foreign experience than showering on a plane was seeing myself naked on a plane. Close up. Full length. Under those runway lights. Did my elbows really look like that from the back? If so, I need to wear long sleeves for the rest of my life. One very nice touch was the heated floor, which was somehow very comforting even though the room wasn’t chilly at all. I stepped into the shower with some relief — at least there were no mirrors in there. You may have a half-hour in this airborne spa, but the shower water is strictly limited to 5 minutes. It makes sense, considering the size of the tanks required to hold it, and, of course, the fact that water is heavy. A gauge near the controller shows exactly how much water time you have left. But you can stop and start the flow, so it’s possible to have a satisfactory shower without comically rushing.
I stepped out of the cubicle (actually a sphere) and only then began to appreciate that I had just taken a shower on a plane, about 7 miles over the Atlantic (though it could have been the Black Sea at that point). There was no turbulence, no need to press the panic button. It felt refreshing, if not exactly life-changing. I proceeded to go through the normal post-shower routine: moisturizing, hair drying, teeth brushing, etc. The first thing I noticed was that my skin was absorbing the Bvlgari body lotion in my amenities kit like Upsalite. I went through two small bottles. (There were also Voya skincare products available.) One tip would be to bring your own small containers of face and hair products in a carry-on. They’re never going to have the quality products that are perfect for your skin, and, beyond shampoo and conditioner, there was nothing on offer for hair. If you prefer fragrance-free options, as I do, think again. Also, I will never understand why sunscreen is not standard in every kit. Or why getting the plastic packaging off everything is such a struggle. It feels like it’s 1993 and you’re trying to open a dozen music CDs with mittens on.
Upon leaving the shower, I was offered a proprietary blend of tea or aloe vera water (I chose the latter, which was amazingly refreshing and not sweet). There was also a fruit platter waiting for me, and several very tempting offers of champagne. After slathering every square inch of my body with moisturizer, however, I still felt flaky. Water paradoxically can be very drying, as we all know, and combined with the effect of extremely low humidity in the cabin air, keeping skin hydrated isn’t easy. Then I remembered that Emirates had thought of this too. Among the contents of my swag bag was a pair of grey “hydra active” pajamas made of a microfiber that, according to the airline, has tiny capsules infused with naturally moisturizing sea kelp which is released onto the skin as you move (shown above). I was skeptical, as I usually am about miracle fabrics, and thought at best it would feel like sleeping in slightly damp sheets. But given the state of my skin, I decided to give them a try. First of all, they were very soft and comfortable — not damp or oily feeling at all. I settled in to watch a season of “Arrested Development,” which to me is perfect airplane content even though I had seen all of the episodes before. I inevitably nodded off and awoke about an hour before landing. Changing back into my day clothes, my skin felt smooth and much less lizard-like. They really worked! Maybe it was sea kelp, maybe it was suggestion, but I wore them for the rest of my (3 day) trip. The best thing is that when you take them home, the moisturizing properties last even after machine washing and drying.
Bottom line: the Emirates shower spa is a wonderful novelty. But I’m not sure if I found myself in first class on Emirates again I would actually repeat the experience. It’s a bit of a production, and let’s face it, you’re going to shower as soon as you get to your hotel anyway. But I’m keeping those pajamas.
A few more travel tips to keep in mind for your next flight:
- This Is Exactly What Happens to Your Skin on a Plane
- 4 Easy Ways to Brighten Your Skin on the Fly
- The Best Airline Amenity Kits Worth the Long Flight
5 Skin-Care Hacks Every Traveler Needs:
