drdrew450

If you pick a city to start from that has lower taxes like LUX, AMS, BRU, CPH that connects in lhr you can try out the american airlines Boeing 777-300ER (77W) business class for a good price. Here is what I plan on booking with a layover in london and a stopover in new york, I will prob make the stop over in new york longer but this is as far out as I can book right now.

Is there a better business class product I can book for late may 2014? Luftansa business using united miles does not seem to open up till closer to departure but I am interested in the fra-mco direct business class. I was also thinking of flying the finnair business class AMS-HEL-NYC-MCO for 50K american miles but it does not seem to let me book two? anyone know why that is, can I book 2 back to back. Also thought of aer lingus business from dub-bos but have not seen availablility on united, have seen economy availability.

I already booked a economy direct flight on virgin from mco-london for 16500 miles + $97. So roundtrips are out for me.

BA 419
LUX - LHR
May 20, 2014 06:55 PM - 7:15 PM
Business
Plane Type : 319

AA 107
LHR - JFK
May 21, 2014 05:00 PM - 08:00 PM
Business
Plane Type : 77W

AA 1917
JFK - MCO
May 22, 2014 03:20 PM - 06:15 PM
First
Plane Type : 757


Flight Subtotal
50,000 miles + $136.60

45000 miles with citi aa cc(10% back)

http://thepointsguy.com/2013/04/flig...class-gru-jfk/

Gamecock

That is not hardly a new concept to cut the taxes. I have read about this same concept at least three times in past week.

But that being said, enjoy your flight. Oh, the lounge in LUX is a nice little lounge. Not great, but a good place to spend an hour or two.

lwildernorva

Before you get all crazy about Lufthansa business class, you might want to check out Lucky's post about a recent trip, which seems to indicate that his generally enthusiastic reviews about Lufthansa should be limited to what's in front of the first-class door: http://boardingarea.com/onemileatati...n-eight-seats/. But, his thoughts suggest a boost for your alternative plans to fly Aer Lingus.

An airline's performance in one area is not a guarantee of great performance across the board.

drdrew450

so if I am flying business class, I can visit the lounge in lux, london, and nyc for no extra charge? Is it just the lounge of the airplane I am flying? I have never flown international business, I have flown domestic first but hardly the same thing.

BlissWorld

There is absolutely NO NEED to read any bloggers' posts when all the resources are right here on FT, in the trip report forum (minus the ones who send you to their blogs )

augustus21

Wasn't that review of the old business class? I'm not crazy about the design of the new business class, but it is a step up from the old one.

JDiver

LH has a new Business class, iirc, but it's far from fully deployed. The LH Business class I flew in last month DFW-FRA in an A330 compared poorly with AA's NGBC, in terms of hard and soft product. Count me as among the very unenthused. (80d from BA 62A due to BA's late arrival and departure forcing me to miss my originally scheduled flight to VCE and the lack of available seats ex-LHR and LGW for two more days incited me to check available seats elsewhere and requesting reaccommodoation.)


Generally, if you are flying international Business class, you will be able to use the airline's (or alliance's) available Business lounges, in accordance with each airline's / alliance's rules. If BA or oneworld airline operates a lounge in LUX, you will be able to use it, and at LHR the Admirals Club (or BA, or CX lounges for that matter), and again at JFK the Admirals Club after you process formalities and go back landside. There is an extensive Help Desk thread that deals with AA-related lounge access, easily found from the FAQ. Threads detailing other ways of avoiding excessive taxes and fees, etc. are also quite common; some of the bloggers actually glean their information from Flyertalk.

3Cforme

By fare rules, that is not a layover in London, it is a connection in London, at less than 24 hours. That distinction is important in trying to avoid UK Air Passenger Duty, which, in Business LHR-JFK, would be significant.

That's a good way to enjoy the 77W but you haven't exactly discovered fire.

guv1976

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)

Well, an interruption of journey that lasts less than 24 hours is not a "stopover," which is what counts for APD purposes. But I think that the more general term "layover" can refer to an interruption of journey of any length, so it can mean either a connection or a stopover.

dmsdfw

To avoid APD when connecting through the UK the two flights must also be part of the same trip. The definition is not 100% clear, but if they are not actually on the same ticket number then you may have to show that this was because there was no option to do that and that the two flights were booked at essentially the same time.

Shareholder

I suppose not being hit by the UK passenger tax is better than being hit by BA's fuel surcharge on the inbound flight from the European city. As for LH's business, as noted the new seats are only on the new 748i and can't be found on its A380s nor much else of the widebody fleet, so we're stuck with the horrid old product. In my mind, it's the second or third worst business seat in the sky after either UA's sardine can back/front facing faux pas and those on US's 767 international planes.

Yes, LH's F is a fine product, on the ground and in the air. I've done it many times and enjoyed the limo rides out to the plane at FRA, very ego enhancing. But I'd rather endure LH in the back -- which unfortunately I have -- than spend the extra money or upgrade vouchers to endure the current business product.

United757

Actually, THERE IS. Lucky's trip reports are very well written, and he includes miniscule details often left out by casual TR writers here on Flyertalk. He also has a lot of experience with multiple airlines meaning he can provide readers fair product assessments. Somebody who has never flown international business class might say LH business class is fantastic, which as we know, isn't really true due to the uncompetitive nature of their seat (and in my opinion, the catering).

I don't know if you've seen his "encyclopedia of trip reports" but it's pretty amazing. The same goes for other bloggers like Gary (View from the Wing).

It's quite a thing to say that there's no need to read bloggers' posts, considering so many people do read the blogs and appreciate their content.

drdrew450

lots of talk about the lh product, I was interested in it mostly because It is one of the few direct flights from orlando to europe. Anyone know when the business class can be booked on united site, a few months out only?

-----------------

Would you take this united flight over the aa 77W in my original post? This is the 777-200 configuration with two classes, lie flat seats.

Pros: less cash needed, 1 less leg, could be next to my wife, 77W looks quite separated which would be better if I was flying alone
Cons: Houston is somewhat out of the way, no stopovers? 5000 more miles needed

Not sure how good this business product is compared to the 77W.


50,000 Miles and $59.60

10:10 a.m.
Wed., May. 28, 2014
Amsterdam, Netherlands (AMS)

1:50 p.m.
Wed., May. 28, 2014
Houston, TX (IAH - Intercontinental)
Flight: UA59
Aircraft: Boeing 777-200

Change Planes. Connect time in Houston, TX (IAH - Intercontinental) is 1 hour 50 minutes.


3:40 p.m.
Wed., May. 28, 2014
Houston, TX (IAH - Intercontinental)

7:05 p.m.
Wed., May. 28, 2014
Orlando, FL (MCO)

Travel Time:
14 hr 55 mn


There is also a 767-400ER flying BRU-EWR-MCO, Are these good united business seats?

mtkeller

Don't forget the (soon-to-be gone) barcaloungers on DL's 767-300ERs. Fortunately, by the start of next year, there shouldn't be any more flying around with those seats.

rwoman

Many threads on Air Passenger Duty:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...ckets-lhr.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/u-k-i...d-apd-lhr.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...pr-2013-a.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...iding-apd.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...avoid-apd.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...y-tax-apd.html