I flew from Dubai to London in economy class on an Emirates A380. The service was exceptional, but the colossal plane felt outdated.

• I took a seven-and-a-half-hour flight from Dubai to London on an Emirates A380.
• The food was surprisingly good and the Emirates service was exceptional as usual.

I recently returned from a trip to Southeast Asia, where I was lucky enough to travel across both Vietnam and Cambodia.

On my return journey, I flew from Vietnam's chaotic but enchanting capital City, Hanoi, to Dubai, before taking a connecting flight back to London.

Still harboring a childhood fascination with aviation, I was thrilled to see an Emirates A380 dominating the gate where we were due to board.

As I shifted from vacation mode back into work mode, I thought it would be a good opportunity to review the "superjumbo."

The colossal Airbus A380 is one of the world's most iconic aircraft.

An Emirates Airbus A380. Image taken from a different flight.      Arnold Aaron/Shutterstock.com

It was as imposing as ever as we arrived at the gate to await our flight from Dubai back to London.

Nathan Rennolds/Insider

I traveled in Emirates' economy class, which I have been fortunate enough to have experienced a few times before — and I was hopeful of the same high standards.And with the flights costing around £510, or $630, each way, I was especially keen to get some return on investment.

An Emirates Airbus A380. Image taken from a different flight.      M101Studio/Shutterstock.com

At 6'3, flying can be an uncomfortable experience, but I found the Emirates A380 to offer plenty of legroom, and I was more than comfortable throughout the flight.

Nathan Rennolds/Insider

I nevertheless followed my usual tactic of bagging the aisle seat. I highly recommend this to anyone who struggles with leg cramps on long flights — or passengers who wants easy access to the toilets (or more drinks).

Nathan Rennolds/Insider

The service onboard the flight was exceptional, as I have come to expect from Emirates. The staff was extremely attentive, friendly, and professional.

Image taken from a different flight.      Shutterstock / Dmitry Birin

I was particularly impressed with the food Emirates offered to economy-class passengers. For breakfast, I had a delicious raspberry pastry, strawberry yogurt, a muffin, and a coffee.There was also an option of an egg and cheese sandwich.

Nathan Rennolds/Insider

For lunch, we had the choice of either chicken curry with rice or a beef stroganoff-like dish with potatoes and vegetables. I chose the latter, with a mixed salad, potato salad, cheese, crackers, a Nature Valley bar, and a lime sponge dessert. It was surprisingly tasty, especially compared with airplane food I'd had before.

Nathan Rennolds/Insider

I was slightly let down by the interior of the aircraft, however. It appeared faded, and something about the dull grey color felt somewhat worn. It seemed like it needed a refurb.

Nathan Rennolds/Insider

Emirates is sending 67 of its A380s to be refitted, and some refurbished planes started flying on routes to the US in early May.

Nathan Rennolds/Insider

Source: Insider

The aircraft had some extra touches that made a big difference on a long-haul flight, including complimentary eau de toilette and hand and body lotion from The White Company.

Nathan Rennolds/Insider

The airline provided each passenger with a set of headphones and a blanket. The blanket was handy as my travel companion was liberal with the air conditioning. There were also things like eye masks, toothbrushes, and toothpaste available on request.

Nathan Rennolds/Insider

The headphones weren't the sturdiest, but they worked perfectly and seemed to drown out most background noise while a film was playing.

Nathan Rennolds/Insider

One other disappointment was the touch screen. It was extremely laggy and inaccurate — when choosing a film, the touch screen would often pick a completely different one or exit the current screen altogether.

Nathan Rennolds/Insider

Due to this, I often reverted to using the remote control to navigate my way through the choice of entertainment. This worked, but it was awkward if I had food and drinks on the foldout table.

Nathan Rennolds/Insider

There was a solid film selection, which made the long journey far more manageable. It had recent releases like "Elvis" and classics like "The Bridge on the River Kwai." I opted for an eclectic mix of Alfred Hitchcock's "Vertigo" and the action thriller "The Bourne Identity."

Nathan Rennolds/Insider

But despite a few minor quibbles, I was once again a happy customer as I stepped back onto the tarmac at London's Gatwick Airport.

Emirates Airbus A380. Image taken from a different flight.      ZGPhotography/Shutterstock