In those days, when it was not unheard of to travel for up to 20 hours, passengers sat around in comfortable lounges, dined on elaborately prepared meals at tables covered with white linen, then retired to the luxury of private sleeping cabins.

Then efficiencies of scale were introduced.

Airlines ordered every spare centimetre of space dedicated to seats for paying passengers. The era of scrunch and crunch was relieved only by the introduction of in-flight entertainment and at times too much alcohol. Eighty years on, Emirates decided that going backwards was the way forward.

The airline's president, Tim Clark, decided it would remove eight business-class seats in the Airbus A380 and replace them with a lounge bar that can easily accommodate 20 people who would rather socialise than watch yet another movie.

And at the pointy end of the aircraft there are two huge "shower spas", making these planes the only ones in the world where passengers can really freshen up after a long and exhausting haul.

This is after resting in individual suites that come with doors and screens, seats that recline into a full bed, a wardrobe, mini bar, the latest in in-flight entertainment and individual service.

The decision to prioritise space over squeeze was made in November 2001 when Emirates signed up for an additional 15 A380s.

"The notion of the shower, the notion of the bar were there," says Clark.

"I was playing around with the bar because it took eight business class seats. I had to make sure the economics were there in the short term.

"That bar can be replaced quite easily. There are still hat racks. You may find business class is full because of the bar. You take it away and bookings fall by 50 per cent."

But the showers became his passion: "We wanted a marker, a differentiator."

And he got it. Half the people who live in Sydney's walk-up flats should be so lucky.

For these people, the one room in the house where they should find comfort and pampering is barely bigger than a wardrobe, with basin, shower, toilet and maybe a bath squeezed in tofit as tightly as though they were part of a jigsaw puzzle.

For first class passengers on the A380, however, while cruising at 40,000ft there is much, much more room.

The shower spa comes with hot and cold water, the floors are heated, the vanities stretch along two walls, there is a full-length mirror, all the accessories and treatments you need, even the sounds of birds singing. And room enough to swing a cat. Truly.

Emirates recently introduced its first A380service across the Indian Ocean from Dubai to Sydney and Auckland, arriving every Monday, Thursday and Saturday.

The service will progress to a daily flight from May 1 this year.

The writer was a guest of Emirates.

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Fast Facts

Flights: Trans-Tasman fares from Sydney to Auckland: economy $390 plus $129 tax, business $1498 plus $129 tax, first-class $2028 plus $129 tax

More: Log onto: www.emirates.com