I flew on the most controversial Emirates flight in the world - here's what it was like

• The introduction of Emirates' Newark-Athens-Dubai flight was met with protests from United Airlines employees and members of Congress in 2017.
• While memorable, the protests were but a single chapter in the feud between US legacy airlines and their Middle Eastern rivals.
• I had the chance to experience the flights on the way home from a business trip in Dubai last month.

Last month, at the end of a business trip to Dubai, I decided to fly Emirates to Newark, New Jersey with a stopover in Athens, Greece instead of a quicker non-stop affair to JFK International in New York.

In many respects, Emirates' Newark service by way of Athens is the most controversial flight in the world.

This is because Newark Liberty International isn't just any airport, it's the New York-area hub for United Airlines. It's also the only other airline to offer any kind of non-stop flight between Newark and Athens.

The Newark-Athens flight is what people in the airline industry call a fifth-freedom flight. It involves an airline operating flights between its home country and a foreign country with a stopover in a second foreign country. This effectively allows an airline to operate international flights between two foreign nations. It also tends to rub airlines in these foreign countries the wrong way because it feels like Emirates is muscling in on their turf.

So when Emirates launched its non-stop daily service between Newark, New Jersey and Athens, Greece in March 2017, the inaugural flight was greeted by hundreds of protestors organized by United Airlines. Several members of the US Congress were also present at the protest advocating for the job security of their constituents.

The protests were but a single chapter in the long-running feud between America's three major legacy carriers (American, Delta, and United) and the Middle East's trio of mega-airlines (Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar Airways).

So without further ado, here's my experience in economy class onboard Emirates Flight EK209 from Dubai to Newark with a stopover in Athens. AKA, the most controversial flight in the world.