It’s really quite difficult when you’ve travelled in business class to then return to economy for a long haul flight (or any flight for that matter), so when I learned I was to travel in Royal Laurel Class on a recent trip to Bangkok, EVA Air’s discerning business class cabin, I was over the moon.
An outgoing flight of over 11 hours from London Heathrow to Thailand’s bountiful capital city and a 13-hour return flight a week later were made all that more joyous with the promise of a lie-flat bed with quilt and pillow, plenty of space to store my many belongings both in the ample locker above and also around my seat, entertainment galore and, of course, gourmet dining and drinking to sweeten the palate.
It was my first time travelling in the Taiwanese airline’s business class offering and having travelled in a number of other major airlines’ business class cabins before, I can safely say that this is now up there with the best. One of the main elements that made EVA Air’s offering so likeable for me were the ever-such friendly personnel, from the friendly faces at Heathrow’s dedicated check-in desk to the cabin crew who made every effort to ensure that the journey was comfortable and passengers were well catered to throughout.
At the airport
I was a little early to the airport and check-in wasn’t yet open, so I grabbed a coffee and made use of the time to do a little remote working. When the desk was open and I’d checked in, I whizzed through security swiftly (a great bonus that comes with having a business ticket is to be able to use the priority lanes) and made my way to the lounge.
On this occasion, EVA Air’s business class travellers could head to the United Airlines Club Lounge at Heathrow Airport lounge to relax before their flight. Here, I found a decent food and drink selection, including hot meals, a selection of salads and sandwiches, sweet bites and an assortment of soft, hot and alcoholic drinks, which were available from the capacious bar. A range of comfortable seating – whether lounging, dining or working – was available and it was a pleasant space to while away a few hours before the flight. Lufthansa’s Senator Lounge and Air Canada’s Maple Leaf Lounge are also available for EVA Air’s business class passengers.
On my return flight from Bangkok, I spent some very relaxing hours in EVA Air’s dedicated VIP lounge, where the modern décor, plentiful seating and tasty foods (including a great selection of ice creams) kept me more than comfortable and satiated while I awaited my flight home.
Royal Laurel Class
My flight direct to Bangkok, which then continued on to Taipei, was on a Boeing 777-300ER, which differs slightly when it comes to the look of the newly-designed Boeing 787 Dreamliner’s Royal Laurel Class.
My cabin was dressed in green and beige tones and, with the seats configured in a reverse herringbone layout, I felt I had plenty of space to recline, relax and ready myself for the journey ahead. The latest design cabins on the Dreamliner boast forward facing cubicles dressed in greys and deep browns.
I loved the little touches such as the welcome Valrhona chocolate and poem, which is written by differing crew members with each flight, while a welcome drink will always be well received!
Leaving at 9.20pm and arriving at around 3pm local time the next day, it was apparent that some sleep was required if I wanted to arrive and enjoy my first evening in Bangkok in a good state. Luckily, Royal Laurel Class seats are those that lie completely flat, reaching almost two metres-long. This, coupled with the extra surrounding space (including features like a shoe cabinet and a retractable armrest) has to be the best part of upgrading from economy to business class, especially when you have a long flight ahead of you.
Cabin crew will set your bed up for you and you can cosy up with a quilted sheet, thick duvet and pillow, ready for some quality shut-eye. What’s more, you’ll have your own set of premium toiletries and pyjamas to change into to fully set the mood. The amenities kit by Georgio Armani included a super soft eye mask, earplugs, hairbrush, hand and body lotion, face mist, and lip balm, while toothbrushes and toothpaste could be found in the restroom. These welcome extras, coupled with some noise-cancelling headphones, helped me to have a solid four-and-a-half hour sleep, which is good going when you know there’s more exciting things like movies to watch and food to eat to pass the time!
Food and drink
The main meal is served within the first hour or so of take-off and there’s good sized menu to peruse with plenty of drinks to accompany your meal and the rest of your journey, too. Take note that EVA Air’s in-flight wine selections won the gold medal for the Best Business Class Wine Cellar at Business Traveller’s Cellars in the Sky Award in 2015 and 2016, and I have to agree that the wines I sipped on were delectable indeed.
On my outgoing flight I enjoyed a lemon prawn and Spanish chorizo balsamic onion puff with a selection of breads, followed by a salmon gateau with red quinoa, sundried tomato and vegetable salad. There were three main courses to choose from and I opted for the stew beef brisket with soy sauce served with egg fried rice and assorted vegetables. Dessert consisted of a cheese board, fruit and a plum tart, but I had no room for that, it was time to finish up my glass of French red wine, watch the end of my movie and focus on sleep.
A range of drinks are, of course, available throughout the flight and here you can choose from a selection of wines, champagne, cocktails, mocktails, spirits, beers, liqueurs, soft drinks, juices, coffees and teas. Snacks you can tuck into throughout include a crepe with beef bresola, stuffed chicken wing, deep fried crab meat stuffed with mince chicken in a crab shell, and hot chocolate and cookies.
Breakfast, which was served towards the end of the flight, offered up two options – Chinese style or Western style (smoked trout with cream cheese and fruity salad, afternoon tea type bites or scrambled eggs with sausage and potato with yogurt, cereal, bread, fruit). I opted for Chinese style and was so glad I did! Chinese plain congee (savoury rice porridge) was served up with a mixed vegetable egg roll, prawn stuffed bean curd, traditional side dishes, and followed by fruit. It was a hefty portion and I was full up after devouring this.
Service throughout mealtimes especially was top-notch – menu choices were taken with great efficiency, meals were served swiftly, and drinks topped up whenever needed. It makes a noticeable difference when you have such friendly and helpful service.
Passing the time
Whether it’s listening to your favourite artist’s music, catching up on the new release films or discovering the classics, or playing some games, 15.4″ HD touchscreens that you can angle to get the very best view, coupled with noise cancelling headphones and your own handheld device to control everything, make for the perfect accompaniments to pass those waking hours.
One of my favourite things to do when tucked up in business class is to put my seat out (there are so many adjustable seat options, from bed to dining to take off, landing, lumbar support adjustment and anything in between), snuggle under the duvet with a hot drink and watch a number of films. Ensconced in my own little world, it’s a real guilty pleasure and even when the turbulence hits (as it did for quite an extended period on my return flight) you barely notice it when tucked up with the lights down and the stars on the ceiling of the cabin making for an atmospheric journey through the skies.
In a nutshell
You’ve travelled in business class once you’ve done them all right? Wrong! EVA Air takes it up a notch with its sumptuous bedding and amenities, super friendly service, welcoming lounges and dining and delectable drinking that could fool you into thinking you’ve reserved a table at a fine dining bistro.
Factbox
EVA Air flies non-stop daily from London Heathrow to Bangkok onwards to Taipei, offering passengers a choice of three classes of cabin service: Royal Laurel Class (business class) with almost two-metre-long flat beds and 82’ seat pitch, award-winning premium economy class and economy class. Personal seat-back, state-of-the-art touch screen audio/video on demand entertainment systems are installed in all three cabin classes.
Fares start from £728 from London Heathrow to Bangkok. To book visit www.evaair.com.
If Bangkok doesn’t float your boat then EVA Air operates flights from London Heathrow to Brisbane, Phuket, Koh Samui, Taipei, Chiang Mai, Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh City, Krabi, and Hanoi. EVA Air also has a global network serving over 60 destinations throughout Asia, America, Europe and Australia.
See snippets of my travels on Instagram @tashheard_food_travel
Imagery provided by EVA Air unless otherwise stated
