Originally Posted by Sideshow Bob

The JFK terminal was the most disgusting, run down dump I have seen in my 25 years in avaition, and I've seen some major dumps. There was garbage littering the entire area, the carpet was severely stained and I actually stuck to it several times slogging around the obnoxious New Yorkers who looked and smelled about as bad as the carpet. There was the typical array of overpriced crap for sale and there was nowhere to actually sit and eat it. The WiFi was intermittant at best and the thermostat had to have been set to over 85 degrees to save money I suppose (I guess they didn't save enough on pilot salaries). The third worlders with attitude (isn't that a hip-hop band?) working the gates were surly and clearly not happy to be at work. It was severe clear and we were one hour late for no obvious reason, and it was oversold by 15 seats to boot. After shoe-horning myself into a window seat (which I was thankful for considering the Jabba the hut on the isle) we finally got under way. My particular miniscule TV was on the blink so I got to watch whatever the poor guy in the middle seat was watching the whole 6:30 leg (God those Yugos are slow). I mercifilly passed out until 1:20 into the flight when the first beverage service happened (I asked my seat mate if I had missed the first one...he laughed, "this is the first one". They only had two soft drink selections (catering problems at JFK) and they tossed out little box lunches with some junk food. Two and a half hours later they had the second and final beverage service on a flight longer than SFO-HNL, this time with only one beverage choice (there was no bottled water left) and one of the lavs began to overflow in the back...nice touch.

I managed to pass out for the remainder of the flight until awakened by one of the worst landings I have ever endured since being a flight instructor. Then one of the main tires failed on taxi onto the ramp. Fortunately they were close enough for us to deplane via roll up stairs...forty five minutes later.

While Emirates and Jet Blue are clearly (duh) different products, I can't imagine two more different overall experiences in getting from A to B.

So yeah dude, everybody else had better watch out. As for me, if I ever do that trip again, I'll suffer on one of those soon to be run out of business by Jet Blue wannabees.