Based on recent customer reviews, Emirates is drawing heavy criticism from South African travellers for post-flight service recovery rather than the flying itself. Complaints centre on refunds and damage claims left unresolved for months, unreturned call-centre callbacks, damaged luggage and strollers, disputed boarding pass and visa rulings, denied Dubai Connect hotel stays, and long unplanned Dubai layovers after cancellations. Meal quality, bassinet provision and assistance for elderly or epileptic passengers also disappoint. A minority praise smooth Cape Town and OR Tambo check-in, attentive cabin crew and good entertainment.
TrustIndex
2.3
NPS Score
-56
Recommended: Unlikely
Nov '25 - Oct '26
Frequently Asked Questions About Emirates
What do customers say about Emirates?
Based on recent customer reviews, Emirates is drawing heavy criticism from South African travellers for post-flight service recovery rather than the flying itself. Complaints centre on refunds and damage claims left unresolved for months, unreturned call-centre callbacks, damaged luggage and strollers, disputed boarding pass and visa rulings, denied Dubai Connect hotel stays, and long unplanned Dubai layovers after cancellations. Meal quality, bassinet provision and assistance for elderly or epileptic passengers also disappoint. A minority praise smooth Cape Town and OR Tambo check-in, attentive cabin crew and good entertainment.
Is Emirates trustworthy?
Emirates has a TrustIndex of 2.3 out of 10 on Hellopeter, based on 22 reviews in the last 12 months. Hellopeter has tracked Emirates across 471 total reviews. How is the TrustIndex calculated? →
Recent reviews (22)
Used this business recently? Share your experience to help others decide.
Used this business recently? Share your experience to help others decide.
Share Your Experience1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
Luggage damage Complain
I lodged a complain online about my damaged luggage from Hongkong on the 29 September 2026. I send all documents required and got a reminder that they will come back to me. Till too date no response. Im so frustrated cause I can't use the same luggage anymore and I dont get any help
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
Luggage damage Complain
I lodged a complain online about my damaged luggage from Hongkong on the 29 September 2026. I send all documents required and got a reminder that they will come back to me. Till too date no response. Im so frustrated cause I can't use the same luggage anymore and I dont get any help
1 reviews | Active since Dec 2024
URGENT COMPLAINT – EMIRATES HAS LOST MY BAGGAGE AND FAILED TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE ASSISTANCE
URGENT COMPLAINT – EMIRATES HAS LOST MY BAGGAGE AND FAILED TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE ASSISTANCE I am urgently seeking assistance from HelloPeter regarding a very serious and distressing situation with Emirates. I travelled with Emirates from Heathrow, and my baggage was lost. My bag contains valuable personal belongings as well as essential work-related items, and I urgently need these items returned to me. What has made this situation even more unacceptable is the way Emirates has handled my complaint. I have contacted them repeatedly seeking assistance and an update on my baggage, but I have not received the support or communication I should reasonably expect from an airline of this size. I have specifically asked to speak to a manager or senior member of staff, as I have been unable to get the matter resolved through the normal channels. However, I have not been allowed to speak to a manager. Instead, I have repeatedly been told that someone would call me back. They have promised to call me back, but they have failed to do so. I have been left chasing Emirates for updates about my own belongings, with no clear explanation as to where my bag is, when it will be returned, or what is actually being done to locate it. This is extremely frustrating and unacceptable. I entrusted Emirates with my baggage, and I expect the airline to take responsibility when that baggage goes missing. I should not have to repeatedly contact them simply to obtain basic information or to ask someone to take ownership of the situation. The matter is particularly urgent because my bag contains valuable items and work equipment/documents that I need for my professional responsibilities. The continued delay is causing me significant inconvenience and is now affecting me personally and professionally. I have remained patient and cooperative, but I feel that my concerns are not being taken seriously. I am therefore turning to HelloPeter in the hope that you can assist me in getting this matter properly escalated to Emirates management. I am asking HelloPeter to please assist by bringing this complaint to the attention of Emirates and requesting that: My baggage case is immediately escalated to a manager or senior representative. Emirates provides me with a clear and accurate update on the location and status of my missing bag. Emirates explains what steps have been taken to locate and recover my baggage. Emirates explains why I have repeatedly been promised call-backs that never happened. A senior representative takes ownership of my case and contacts me directly. My baggage is located and returned to me as a matter of urgency. Emirates addresses the inconvenience, distress and potential losses caused by the mishandling of this matter. I am extremely disappointed with the level of customer service I have received so far. Losing a passenger's baggage is already a serious matter; failing to communicate, refusing to provide access to a manager and repeatedly failing to honour promised call-backs makes the situation considerably worse. I am pleading for HelloPeter's assistance because I have exhausted the normal channels with Emirates and I need someone to take this matter seriously. I need my bag back urgently. It contains valuable belongings and important work items, and I cannot continue waiting without proper communication or accountability. I sincerely hope HelloPeter can assist me in getting this matter escalated and resolved urgently.
1 reviews | Active since Dec 2024
URGENT COMPLAINT – EMIRATES HAS LOST MY BAGGAGE AND FAILED TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE ASSISTANCE
URGENT COMPLAINT – EMIRATES HAS LOST MY BAGGAGE AND FAILED TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE ASSISTANCE I am urgently seeking assistance from HelloPeter regarding a very serious and distressing situation with Emirates. I travelled with Emirates from Heathrow, and my baggage was lost. My bag contains valuable personal belongings as well as essential work-related items, and I urgently need these items returned to me. What has made this situation even more unacceptable is the way Emirates has handled my complaint. I have contacted them repeatedly seeking assistance and an update on my baggage, but I have not received the support or communication I should reasonably expect from an airline of this size. I have specifically asked to speak to a manager or senior member of staff, as I have been unable to get the matter resolved through the normal channels. However, I have not been allowed to speak to a manager. Instead, I have repeatedly been told that someone would call me back. They have promised to call me back, but they have failed to do so. I have been left chasing Emirates for updates about my own belongings, with no clear explanation as to where my bag is, when it will be returned, or what is actually being done to locate it. This is extremely frustrating and unacceptable. I entrusted Emirates with my baggage, and I expect the airline to take responsibility when that baggage goes missing. I should not have to repeatedly contact them simply to obtain basic information or to ask someone to take ownership of the situation. The matter is particularly urgent because my bag contains valuable items and work equipment/documents that I need for my professional responsibilities. The continued delay is causing me significant inconvenience and is now affecting me personally and professionally. I have remained patient and cooperative, but I feel that my concerns are not being taken seriously. I am therefore turning to HelloPeter in the hope that you can assist me in getting this matter properly escalated to Emirates management. I am asking HelloPeter to please assist by bringing this complaint to the attention of Emirates and requesting that: My baggage case is immediately escalated to a manager or senior representative. Emirates provides me with a clear and accurate update on the location and status of my missing bag. Emirates explains what steps have been taken to locate and recover my baggage. Emirates explains why I have repeatedly been promised call-backs that never happened. A senior representative takes ownership of my case and contacts me directly. My baggage is located and returned to me as a matter of urgency. Emirates addresses the inconvenience, distress and potential losses caused by the mishandling of this matter. I am extremely disappointed with the level of customer service I have received so far. Losing a passenger's baggage is already a serious matter; failing to communicate, refusing to provide access to a manager and repeatedly failing to honour promised call-backs makes the situation considerably worse. I am pleading for HelloPeter's assistance because I have exhausted the normal channels with Emirates and I need someone to take this matter seriously. I need my bag back urgently. It contains valuable belongings and important work items, and I cannot continue waiting without proper communication or accountability. I sincerely hope HelloPeter can assist me in getting this matter escalated and resolved urgently.
1 reviews | Active since Sept 2026
Very disappointing e...
Very disappointing experience with Emirates – valuable items missing from my luggage
1 reviews | Active since Sept 2026
Very disappointing e...
Very disappointing experience with Emirates – valuable items missing from my luggage
1 reviews | Active since Aug 2026
Poor service
Lack of accountability It's over 2 months now being trying to resolve a simple claim and being ignored by the tea m on both calls and emails. The cost and amount of inconvenience made by the airline on my trip was truly unacceptable . I attempts all resort and they will simply reply with one line and no directions. reference: DXB/X/OV/***. I have submitted my invoices and its over 2 months with no response.
1 reviews | Active since Aug 2026
Poor service
Lack of accountability It's over 2 months now being trying to resolve a simple claim and being ignored by the tea m on both calls and emails. The cost and amount of inconvenience made by the airline on my trip was truly unacceptable . I attempts all resort and they will simply reply with one line and no directions. reference: DXB/X/OV/***. I have submitted my invoices and its over 2 months with no response.
1 reviews | Active since Nov 2019
Damaged stroller no feedback JNBD***
At this point Emirates deserves a zero star exactly a month ago 18th July I returned from Bangkok to Johannesburg and during the process my baby stroller got damaged I reported the damage at the airport before I left the airport, 2 days later the company came to collect the stroller and they brought it back the following day saying that the the stroller is beyond repairs and they advise that I will get compensated however ever since ever since that day I have been getting a run around I keep on calling and every consultant that I get tells me that they will give me a call back and they never call I am travelling in exactly a week from today and I don’t have a baby strength the reason why I have a business because of a spinal cord problem and I can’t carry my baby and I have to travel with him I can’t travel without a baby stroller and Emirates is making this very difficult. If I don’t get any feedback I will have to post this on my social media platform with over 100,000 followers so I can warn them never to use Emirates because I’ve been for patient with Emirates and it’s and it’s really tiring and stressful
1 reviews | Active since Nov 2019
Damaged stroller no feedback JNBD***
At this point Emirates deserves a zero star exactly a month ago 18th July I returned from Bangkok to Johannesburg and during the process my baby stroller got damaged I reported the damage at the airport before I left the airport, 2 days later the company came to collect the stroller and they brought it back the following day saying that the the stroller is beyond repairs and they advise that I will get compensated however ever since ever since that day I have been getting a run around I keep on calling and every consultant that I get tells me that they will give me a call back and they never call I am travelling in exactly a week from today and I don’t have a baby strength the reason why I have a business because of a spinal cord problem and I can’t carry my baby and I have to travel with him I can’t travel without a baby stroller and Emirates is making this very difficult. If I don’t get any feedback I will have to post this on my social media platform with over 100,000 followers so I can warn them never to use Emirates because I’ve been for patient with Emirates and it’s and it’s really tiring and stressful
1 reviews | Active since Oct 2018
DONT FLY EMIRATES
please don't ever trust your elderly parents with Emirates assistance. absolutely useless we ended up walking the huge Dubai airport as they pushed her up a ramp then we walked from there. She cannot walk far. Cape Town assistance was great, but non existent in Dubai ,and when we arrived in the UK it was about a 2 hour wait for someone to actually bring us to passport control, after 19 hours in transit. The food on Emirates was absolutely disgusting, i cannot believe they serve that to people, i was sick for 5 days after arriving in UK, like almost hospital sick, couldn't even drink water and off that emirates flight. i always thought emirates was the best but really it is not. now my elderly mother has to go back home alone, and my return flight has been cancelled three times, i now have a 9 hour stop in Dubai when i paid for a 2 hour stop. the whole emirates experience was just terrible. i also want to take an extra bag, and they are charging me R4068 for one case. ONE. I want to cancel the flight home for my mom, and book her on a direct flight as i just cant trust emirates with my mother alone. SHOCKING
1 reviews | Active since Oct 2018
DONT FLY EMIRATES
please don't ever trust your elderly parents with Emirates assistance. absolutely useless we ended up walking the huge Dubai airport as they pushed her up a ramp then we walked from there. She cannot walk far. Cape Town assistance was great, but non existent in Dubai ,and when we arrived in the UK it was about a 2 hour wait for someone to actually bring us to passport control, after 19 hours in transit. The food on Emirates was absolutely disgusting, i cannot believe they serve that to people, i was sick for 5 days after arriving in UK, like almost hospital sick, couldn't even drink water and off that emirates flight. i always thought emirates was the best but really it is not. now my elderly mother has to go back home alone, and my return flight has been cancelled three times, i now have a 9 hour stop in Dubai when i paid for a 2 hour stop. the whole emirates experience was just terrible. i also want to take an extra bag, and they are charging me R4068 for one case. ONE. I want to cancel the flight home for my mom, and book her on a direct flight as i just cant trust emirates with my mother alone. SHOCKING
1 reviews | Active since Jun 2026
BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE
i wish to complain about the front desk check in counter. My boarding pass for my connecting flight to Durban was not issued on the self check in counter. So I went to a check in counter at Dubai airport on the 13 May 2026 for the same to be issued. To my great astonishment, the check in lady there refused to provide me with my boarding pass. For your information, I have a Mauritian passport. I am married to a South African for the past 3 years and I have a valid spousal visa on my passport. I am staying in South Africa with my husband for over 3 years now. The check in lady and the supervisors at the counter demanded that I have a return ticket to Mauritius. Only then they would issue me my boarding pass . This was unacceptable Despite showing them my valid spousal visa which is only expiring in 2028, they refused to issue my boarding pass. I had no choice and was under immense pressure to book an air ticket to Mauritius. Otherwise, the boarding gates were going to close and I would have been stranded in Dubai. The Air Mauritius ticket costed me around 14 000 rand. This was out of my financial budget as I was not planning to go to Mauritius in the next 6 months. And now, if I have to change to a date when I want to go to Mauritius I have to pay another 3000 Rand to do that. On the Emirates website under the return/onward ticket information, it is clearly mentioned that passengers do not need a return ticket if they have a visa longer than 12 months and without an endor*****t on the visa to have a ticket. I have attached my spousal visa as well. Please see that I have a valid visa and without any endor*****t on it to have a return air ticket. Now based on this negative experience with emirates airlines and emirates personnel, I have come to the realisation that Emirates airline is a ruthless, unfair and heartless airline. Emirates airline does not truly care about the well being and happiness of their passengers and they unfairly withhold a passenger boarding pass to achieve their own selfish goals. I have realised that Emirates falsely and cunningly projects themselves as a caring and good airline. However, this is not true.
1 reviews | Active since Jun 2026
BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE
i wish to complain about the front desk check in counter. My boarding pass for my connecting flight to Durban was not issued on the self check in counter. So I went to a check in counter at Dubai airport on the 13 May 2026 for the same to be issued. To my great astonishment, the check in lady there refused to provide me with my boarding pass. For your information, I have a Mauritian passport. I am married to a South African for the past 3 years and I have a valid spousal visa on my passport. I am staying in South Africa with my husband for over 3 years now. The check in lady and the supervisors at the counter demanded that I have a return ticket to Mauritius. Only then they would issue me my boarding pass . This was unacceptable Despite showing them my valid spousal visa which is only expiring in 2028, they refused to issue my boarding pass. I had no choice and was under immense pressure to book an air ticket to Mauritius. Otherwise, the boarding gates were going to close and I would have been stranded in Dubai. The Air Mauritius ticket costed me around 14 000 rand. This was out of my financial budget as I was not planning to go to Mauritius in the next 6 months. And now, if I have to change to a date when I want to go to Mauritius I have to pay another 3000 Rand to do that. On the Emirates website under the return/onward ticket information, it is clearly mentioned that passengers do not need a return ticket if they have a visa longer than 12 months and without an endor*****t on the visa to have a ticket. I have attached my spousal visa as well. Please see that I have a valid visa and without any endor*****t on it to have a return air ticket. Now based on this negative experience with emirates airlines and emirates personnel, I have come to the realisation that Emirates airline is a ruthless, unfair and heartless airline. Emirates airline does not truly care about the well being and happiness of their passengers and they unfairly withhold a passenger boarding pass to achieve their own selfish goals. I have realised that Emirates falsely and cunningly projects themselves as a caring and good airline. However, this is not true.