TRIP REPORT: Emirates/Flydubai, Melbourne - Ljubljana via Dubai

TRIP REPORT

Written by Matjaž Nose

The following trip report presents my return flight to Ljubljana from the country down under, after a three-week journey across this faraway continent.

I was able to book my tickets months in advance and secured a very good price. After comparing various options, I opted for Emirates flights, with the A380 being one of the main reasons for choosing them this time. My outbound journey included a Flydubai flight from Ljubljana to Dubai, an Emirates A380 flight to Singapore, and a final sector on a Qantas A332 from Singapore to Brisbane. The return trip, which is the focus of this report, consisted of two flights: an Emirates A380 service from Melbourne to Dubai and a Flydubai B737 MAX 8 service from Dubai to Ljubljana. The total fare was €1,550 for an economy class ticket, including 30 kg of checked baggage.

My MEL–DXB EK407 flight departed on 15 August 2025 at 21:15. After checking out of my hotel near the Yarra River at 11:00, I had enough time to stretch my legs with a walk to the Shrine of Remembrance, about half an hour away. It was a cloudy winter’s day with temperatures around 15°C. This iconic Melbourne landmark is dedicated to Australians who served in wartime. The exhibitions are very informative, and the view from the top of the Shrine is fabulous. Admission, as with many museums in Australia, is free. My next stop was the nearby Royal Botanic Gardens (also free), followed by a drink and sweeping views of Victoria’s capital from the Eureka Tower Skydeck, almost 300 metres (88 floors) above the city.

Later, the super-fast Eureka Tower lift dropped me back at ground level, and after a few minutes’ walk I was at the hotel again to collect my luggage before heading to Melbourne Tullamarine Airport (there is also a second airport, Avalon (AVV), closer to Geelong, used mainly by low-cost carrier Jetstar). The SkyBus is a convenient way to travel between Melbourne’s CBD and the airport, operating double-deckers between MEL’s terminals and the SkyBus Coach Terminal on Spencer Street. The journey takes around half an hour, with return tickets costing about AUD 41 (€23). As the weather was grey and rainy, I decided to arrive early - three and a half hours before departure.

Skybus between Melbourne Airport and CBD

Arrivals area at Tullamarine Airport

My flight departed from Terminal 2, dedicated to international services. Being early, I cleared check-in, security and immigration very quickly and was soon airside. To avoid being stuck in a middle seat, I pre-paid for an aisle seat on the Melbourne - Dubai leg at a cost of €26, selecting seat 75D. This proved a good decision, as all aisle seats were taken by the time I checked in online. The flight was almost completely full. Some renovation work was under way at the airport, but overall I had a pleasant experience. Facilities ranged from restaurants with varied cuisine to shops selling overpriced souvenirs. Floors were mostly tiled and spotless, while boarding areas featured brown-and-beige carpet, adding a cosy touch to the otherwise concrete-and-tile terminal. Free Wi-Fi, advertised on the departure boards, worked well.

Our flight was operated by an Emirates A380 (A6-EOD) in a special NBA livery, painted almost entirely dark blue. The aircraft had arrived that morning as EK406 at 05:30 and had been parked all day until the evening departure.

Boarding at Gate 9 began at about 20:15, using two jet bridges. Cabin crew in their distinctive red and beige uniforms welcomed passengers and directed us to our seats. The A380 economy class is laid out in a 3-4-3 configuration. The cabin felt very spacious, and I found the seats quite comfortable, allowing me to get some genuine sleep on the way to Dubai. The flight was nearly full, but the seat next to me remained empty - a lucky outcome of my seating strategy.

Waiting at the seat were a pillow, blanket, and headphones, though no amenity kit was provided - surprising for such a long flight. We departed at 21:45 local time. 

Before dinner, crew members went through the cabin with instant cameras, taking souvenir photos for passengers. Dinner was served at 23:00: I chose the beef massaman curry, while the alternative was chicken and mushroom casserole. It was an average meal, neither impressive nor disappointing.

Wi-Fi offered free text-only chat for messaging apps, with full-flight access available for USD 21.99. Since it was a night flight, I opted to sleep, and the comfortable seat along with the dimmed cabin lighting made it easy. Breakfast, served two hours before landing, consisted of scrambled eggs with chives, fried potatoes, sautéed mushrooms, roasted tomato, fresh fruit, and a croissant - a tasty and satisfying meal.

Dinner

Breakfast

We landed at 05:30 Dubai time (11:30 Melbourne), after 13 hours and 45 minutes in the air. As my home is a bit north of Dubai, I had to take another flight. Since A380 is probably not the optimal aircraft to serve Ljubljana, I had no other option than Flydubai's B737 MAX 8 to reach my final destination. Departure was scheduled for 09:15, giving me ample time for some cardamom coffee and people-watching in DXB.

Boarding for flight FZ at Gate B4 was by bus. Under the 40°C heat, we boarded via both front and rear stairs. I entered through the rear door as my seat was 29D. Our aircraft, A6-FMQ, had arrived from St Petersburg. Boarding was completed on time, but we were delayed nearly an hour due to airspace congestion, eventually departing at 10:10. The flight was almost full.

The route took us over Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, along Iraq’s border, then into Syrian airspace, continuing north over Cyprus, Turkey and Greece before entering ex-YU airspace. Flydubai operates as a hybrid carrier - inflight entertainment includes a free flight map, but movies and TV require payment. A basic package (142 TV shows and 26 games) costs AED 20 (€4.70), while the premium package (adding 310 movies) costs AED 40.

Despite being booked on economy, I received a complimentary hot meal of a plain omelette with chicken sausage and spinach, plus water. Snacks and drinks were available for purchase - for example, a 355ml beer or 200ml wine cost about €8.20 each, while cup noodles and light snacks were around €2.50.

The flight was uneventful, and we landed in Ljubljana at 13:35 local time, after 5 hours and 25 minutes. Passport control and baggage claim were swift, and soon I was travelling home by land.

Both flights met expectations. The highlight was the A380, which remains an exceptionally comfortable aircraft. Emirates is a solid airline, though nothing extraordinary in economy class.

As for my three-week Australian trip, I visited Brisbane and Moreton Island, Uluru, Kings Canyon and Alice Springs in the Red Centre, enjoyed swag camping under the southern sky, explored Adelaide and Barossa Valley, and marvelled at Kangaroo Island’s wildlife. Sydney and the Blue Mountains followed, then Melbourne with its vibrant coffee culture and day trips to the Great Ocean Road and Phillip Island.

I took four domestic flights on Virgin Australia, Qantas, and QantasLink. Highlights included Virgin’s Brisbane - Uluru flight (almost 4 hours), QantasLink’s Alice Springs–Adelaide service on an E190 (the most expensive at €170 for a 2-hour flight), and two Qantas 737-800 flights between Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne. Qantas offers free meals and Wi-Fi even on domestic routes, which was impressive.

Out of curiosity, I also looked at Emirates’ Dubai - Australia services. On the same day I flew, there were three A380 flights to Sydney, two A380s and one 777-300ER to Melbourne, two A380s to Brisbane, one A380 to Perth, and one 777-200LR to Adelaide - an amazing level of capacity.

Enjoy your summer holidays, and I’ll see you again with another (hopefully interesting) trip report.

Brisbane, Queensland

Moreton Island, Queensland

Uluru, Northern Territory

Kings Canyon, Northern Territory

Barossa Valley, Victoria

Seals on Kangaroo Island, South Australia

Sydney, New South Wales

Blue Mountains, New South Wales

Melbourne, Victoria

The Great Ocean Road, Victoria

Koala

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