Star Alliance - Best option for HKG-NYC in business: AC or OZ?

Have 2 options that seem about the same price for HKG-NYC in business class: via ICN on Asiana or via YYZ on AC.
Which has better seats, service, AVOD etc?

OZ seats are much nicer; they are lie-flat but have more padding. AC seats are flat but very hard. Between SFO and LAX to ICN, they now have full flat seats, which have gotten some good reviews. OZ also has much better catering, friendlier staff, and world class lounges. My dad has flies Asiana at least 2-3 times/year, and swears by either them or SQ for flying to Asia. Lounge wise we both find Maple Leaf lounges to be only slightly better than Red Capet Clubs.

OZ has angled lie flat seats to JFK while AC will have fully flat seats to YYZ. OZ is rolling out fully flat seats but it might be a while until JFK will get them unless you are in F of course.

In terms of service and food, OZ wins hands down. In terms of AVOD I would say AC is much better.

OZ is an airline for people who enjoy the soft product more so than the hard product.

I would defiantely go for OZ as you only need to go thru one custom vs on AC you have to go thru 2 customs.

Not to mention I hate going thru customs in Canada.

AC flat bed seats are far superior to OZ slanted C seats. If going through YYZ n/s to HKG, it would be a no-brainer for me. While I have no problem with AC service, OZ is better as long as you don't get any rookies. AC IFE is much better than OZ, and with more and better content. I don't get the love affair that folks have with OZ food, but then I never have the Korean fare (because when I am in Asia, I o/d on Asian food and I need a break.) OZ cabins tend to be very warm.


I would definitely go for OZ as you only need to go thru one custom vs on AC you have to go thru 2 customs.

Not to mention I hate going thru customs in Canada.

No need to go through customs at all on the outbound as long as your bags are checked all the way through. On the return, I have only gone through US customs in both YYZ and YVR, although YYZ bag delivery took well over an hour. There were passport checks at Canadian stations set up specifically for transfer pax, but these were quite cursory. You do have to fill out and submit Canadian customs forms however.

Keep in mind that NYC-YYZ-NYC will be on domestic aircrafts (not sure if that would put OP in F or Y, though), though they will be short flights. Like others mentioned, no customs on outbound and only 1 custom via YYZ on return. However, bags will need to be picked up twice on the return (once through custom and again in NYC). Can't speak for C on AC, but OZ is pretty good, though not full lie-flat as others have already mentioned.

LAX

How about CO's EWR-HKG service? Around 11 of their 772ERs have fully-flat beds with the project being completed by mid-2011 and all of them have AVOD. Personally, I would think that a nonstop service would be better than one with a transfer.