Air New Zealand Air Points - LAX-LHR in C: United, Virgin or Air New Zealand? (merged threads)

Could anyone with experience help me decide which one to pick for me and my partner? What distinctions set them apart? Thank you very much.

Hi,

Alaska do not fly LAX-LHR on thier own metal so it must be a codeshare - it could be AA or BA.

Irrespective , If the prices are the same I would choose NZ C ( Business Premier as it has the fully flat bed ( converted from a seat) in the same style as Virgin Atlantic's upper class suite.

I suppose it would also depend on the OP's frequent flyer airline of choice

Regards

TBS

Could anyone with experience help me decide which one to pick for me and my partner? What distinctions set them apart? Thank you very much.

You like brown&Grey or Red?

What are you after miles? Massages, Limos NZ wines.....?

Also do you need to be flexible, I believe VS have more frequency.

tht

VS has drive in check-in at LHR T3, the arrivals lounge (called Revivals) and the famous LHR Clubhouse where you can pre-book a treatment at the Cowshed by going online.

I would probably do VS.

You like brown&Grey or Red?

What are you after miles? Massages, Limos NZ wines.....?

Also do you need to be flexible, I believe VS have more frequency.

tht

Limo ride on VS is only for full-fare J class.

i'm pretty sure Virgin only has 2 cabins. I assume you mean their upper class?

You will probably not be doing yourself any favors going with UA C unless you want/need the (bonus) EQMs, cost matters and UA is substantially less expensive, or you purchase C with the intent to upgrade to F.

I am surprised that they are all completely the same price. If that's the case, then Virgin for their Upper Class.

I liked VS C or J much more than UA's F. You won't regret going with VS in Upper Class.

Assuming we are taking ONLY about the product without a doubt not UA. NZ and VS are both excellent, so you can't go wrong with either, IMO.

VS and NZ have identical seats. But VS ground handling is far superior in LHR. I also like VS service in the air more than NZ.

The UA seat and service are not as refined, but as said, if you want the EQM's, stick with UA. As this is a discounted ticket (Z fare, I believe), you most likely won't be able to upgrade to F.

As this is a discounted ticket (Z fare, I believe), you most likely won't be able to upgrade to F.

Good point.

And the OP also said that each was about the same price. I guess it comes down to wanting the (bonus) EQMs into MP or not? Service and seat should out outweigh that, IMO.

The NZ seat is substantially the same seat as the VS seat.

zrs70 gives good advice about VS ground handling in LHR which is an awful excuse for an airport.

If I needed *A miles, I would take NZ. Otherwise, I would take VS. I would not take UA under any circumstances.

Is BA C not avail at the same price? If so, I'd go for that or VS. NZ a good backup.... wouldn't go with UA unless i needed the EQMs or didn't have a choice (sometimes they are way lower in price and then I'm forced to take them)

I guess it comes down to wanting the EQMs into MP or not?

You can get UA EQM's on NZ though not the 50% bonus EQM's . . .

You can get UA EQM's on NZ though not the 50% bonus EQM's . . .

Thank you. I was thinking bonus, and edited my posts to make them clearer.

Virgin, without a doubt. Have you seen how hot the Virgin FA's are??? :D

I think that is across the board with Virgin :D Virgin Blue got in trouble in Australia because they were only hiring attractive young females.

A good friend of my wife's is a Virgin Blue FA =]

I think that is across the board with Virgin :D Virgin Blue got in trouble in Australia because they were only hiring attractive young females.

A good friend of my wife's is a Virgin Blue FA =]

Richard Branson is a genius and I'm sure your friend is one luck man! :D

If you want to check out the VS FS's book yourself into the Sheraton in Pasadena. They overnight there and are always hanging around the pool :D and the restaurant/bar at the top of the escalator opposite PF Chang's. Incidentally the NZ flight crews stay there also. The Cathay FA's are down the street at the Hilton...

Virgin's whole Upper Class experience is vastly superior to anything UA has to offer in C (can't comment on NZ, having never flown). The lounge at LHR is gorgeous and you can even get a free haircut at the Bumble and bumble salon located inside. Once onboard, the beds are good, food is good, and if you're in the mood, the massage is good. I'd love to fly VS more often....they just don't go where I need to go most of the time.

Tim

For LAX-LHR I'd go NZ. For LHR-LAX I'd go VS (for the very nice clubhouse in LHR).

I LOVE the VS UC experience. Never been on NZ but I hear that's pretty nice too. UA's C doesn't compare to either.

Virgin's whole Upper Class experience is vastly superior to anything UA has to offer in C (can't comment on NZ, having never flown). The lounge at LHR is gorgeous and you can even get a free haircut at the Bumble and bumble salon located inside. Once onboard, the beds are good, food is good, and if you're in the mood, the massage is good. I'd love to fly VS more often....they just don't go where I need to go most of the time.
Mmmm, Bumble & Bumble haircare products...The haircut alone might tip the balance between Virgin and NZ for me. ;)

I agree with the others. If you're flying this particular route, there's no reason why you should stick with United.

Mmmm, Bumble & Bumble haircare products...The haircut alone might tip the balance between Virgin and NZ for me. ;)

Yeah but that is only departing LHR. For LAX-LHR VS uses the NZ lounge (but with inferior food out!)

For LAX-LHR I'd go NZ. For LHR-LAX I'd go VS (for the very nice clubhouse in LHR).

Exactly what all this great advice has me thinking.. NZ LAXLHR then VS back ... went to book the Z fare on this way and it prices much higher when combining VS & NZ.. any thoughts on a site good for booking both at a combined Z fare rate?

Thank you very much.

NZ C for sure. NZ C food & vino far superior to VS C. NZ C earns minimum 200% EQM/RDMs into bmi diamond club and up to 425% for many elites.

NZ C will get you into the LHR SQ lounge or the SK lounge. Both are nice.

The VS lounge is fun I suppose, though not enough to make up for the bangers'n mash and other crap food on board VS.

The VS flight suit is nice enough for the flight. Not nice enough to make it worthwhile to keep beyond the flight.

If you want to check out the VS FS's book yourself into the Sheraton in Pasadena. They overnight there and are always hanging around the pool :D and the restaurant/bar at the top of the escalator opposite PF Chang's. Incidentally the NZ flight crews stay there also. The Cathay FA's are down the street at the Hilton...

Is this a fact? My Calif. office is a few minutes from the hotel. I will have to "take a walk" over there during my lunchbreak when I get back to CA in Jan. Thanks for the tip.

I thought my VX flight was just an exception...

NZ C for sure. NZ C food & vino far superior to VS C. NZ C earns minimum 200% EQM/RDMs into bmi diamond club and up to 425% for many elites.

NZ C will get you into the LHR SQ lounge or the SK lounge. Both are nice.

The VS lounge is fun I suppose, though not enough to make up for the bangers'n mash and other crap food on board VS.

The VS flight suit is nice enough for the flight. Not nice enough to make it worthwhile to keep beyond the flight.

That did it. NZ C booked. Thank you.

The VS lounge is fun I suppose, though not enough to make up for the bangers'n mash and other crap food on board VS.


I totally agree VS is amazingly overrated imo... food is mediocre and the service is often crap. :p

Colin,

You are/were soooo right. NZ service LAX to LHR is best in-flight experience to date having flown SQ First & Raffles, LH F & J/C, UA Intl F. (NZ2 on 29Dec)

You were right about the extraordinary and extensive wines, food is amazing, the cleanest (consistently) lavs.. i noticed the well thought out processes in service that made all the difference in the world... but it was the inflight service from 4 different NZ crew servicing our cabin to our seats at 4A & 5A that was over the top attentive. Wow... Best ever.

Now, only if Claridge's in London could learn from NZ. Although.. great property and experience as well!

Thank you!


That did it. NZ C booked. Thank you.

I totally agree VS is amazingly overrated imo... food is mediocre and the service is often crap. :p

Agreed. VS has some poriferal perks (the massage, limo service), but NZ's onboard service (food and wines) puts VS to shame. I would describe NZ's Business Premier as casual yet refined.

Don't know when you're planning travel, but think there is some VS cabin-crew labour action being proposed for January.

Agree with cyber1k..every crew surpassed my every expectation. They were amazing.

now i if I could only figure out how to do a better lounge experience than the NZ/UA shared one. Any thoughts?

At LAX NZ uses terminal T2, UA T6/7/8. Thus no shared lounge. The NZ lounge is great - far, far better than any of UA's lounges (anywhere). Enjoy the NZ lounge.

At LHR NZ defaults to UA lounge in T3. However if flying business class or have *G status you can use any of the *A lounges in T3 - which includes SQ and AC/SK. Both these lounges are much, much better than the UA lounge.

If flying VS, then at LAX uses NZ lounge. At LHR they have their own lounge - which is probably the best lounge in UK of any airline.

The LAX-LHR on United is extremely unlikely to see the New Business Class offering any time soon, as the B767s are being retrofitted first & B777s last LAX-LHR sees B777s year round

Virgin Atlantic & Air New Zealand do share the same hard product, but Virgin have a couple of little extras. The Clubhouse (fantastic, especially at LHR), Revivals (arrivals lounge in London - not sure if NZ have any arrival lounge facilities. Maybe UAs), Onboard Bar, In flight Beauty Therapist...

Also, on LHR based B747s, the middle section of seats in the B zone can be configured as a double bed sort of thing. Just phone the folks at Virgin. I'm not sure if they use B747s to LAX anymore, or if it's just double daily A340-600s.

However, the NZ/VS seat has a flaw. It's angle can often be uncomfortable, & it's near impossible to look out of the window. The seat walls are very high. Some like it, some don't...

As others have meantioned already, BA offer an excellent J product & 3 daily B747 all fitted with New Club World. I would highly recommend the late night flight ex-LAX. It allow you to arrive London in the early evening, get a proper nights sleep & enjoy the next day with little or no jetlag.

I would also suggest Maxjet but they've gone bust...:D

Still, Silverjet have announced an intention to serve LAX & they would be worth looking at if they firm anything up.

My recommendation: BA New Club World BA268

The UA new business class is being applied to all 3 a/c type simultaneously. It is BA new business class that is being applied one a/c type at a time.

Personally I dislike BA business class. The seats are narrow (8 across!) and have few spots to put stuff.

The UA new business class is being applied to all 3 a/c type simultaneously. It is BA new business class that is being applied one a/c type at a time.

Personally I dislike BA business class. The seats are narrow (8 across!) and have few spots to put stuff.

Yes, it's being applied 3 at a time, but still B767s first, B747s second, B777s last. BA can only do one at a time because they need to keep some lanes open at the maintenence base in Cardiff.

Yes, the seats are narrow, on the old Club World. The New Club Worlds armrests fold down giving 23" seat width which is more than most other business classes. United have used this feature as well since both are made by B/E Aerospace. The New Club World features plenty more storage spaces, including discreet drawers & pockets.

Yes, it's being applied 3 at a time, but still B767s first, B747s second, B777s last.

Nope. 767, 777 and 747 will be done simultaneously (once they get production rolling).

Yes, the seats are narrow, on the old Club World. The New Club Worlds armrests fold down giving 23" seat width which is more than most other business classes. United have used this feature as well since both are made by B/E Aerospace. The New Club World features plenty more storage spaces, including discreet drawers & pockets.

NCW is also narrow. BA uses a different measurement than most other airlines that inflates their width. Think about it - it cannot be wider with 8 across than other airlines with 6 or 7 across in the same a/c type.

Nope. 767, 777 and 747 will be done simultaneously (once they get production rolling).



NCW is also narrow. BA uses a different measurement than most other airlines that inflates their width. Think about it - it cannot be wider with 8 across than other airlines with 6 or 7 across in the same a/c type.

And there's the genious behind it!! It can fit 8 across comfortably... the seats alternate for a reason. The seat is widened around the shoulders & elbows, & then around the legs, it becomes narrower (since you don't need nor notice the reduced room around your feet) & the space is used by the neighbouring occupents shoulders & elbows. The difference is only around 2 or 3 inches but it prevents the bed becoming around 20" wide which IS narrow.

My bad about the United refits thing...the UA website suggests otherwise:rolleyes:

I know how the BA beds work - I've flown on them more than I'd like to.

As for UA website - there is a reason it is called dot bomb on FT.

Nope. 767, 777 and 747 will be done simultaneously (once they get production rolling).



Yes correct there, once they get production rolling, as yet still only one 767 done, and a suggested start date in Late Jan or Early Feb for a 744 from memory ?

UA has had some problems with the first a/c. Who knows when they will restart the refit?

UA has had some problems with the first a/c. Who knows when they will restart the refit?

As others have said by the time they finish the refit their seats will start to be out of date again.

I would love to fly UA as their route network is great, but their planes and interiors really let them down.

As a child I grew up flying on UA with over 50 flights, of which 20 were Melbourne/Sydney to Los Angeles. I remember I was proud to fly UA as they were a great airline.

Now however...

Now UA is rubbish. Check out my report on UA F LAX-SYD (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?p=8996905).

Now UA is rubbish. Check out my report on UA F LAX-SYD (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?p=8996905).

Yep so glad I have booked my Mum's next trip on NZ in J again instead of UA.

She was insisting on flying UA as she has flown them for many many years until 2001 when Dad got sick and she stopped travelling.

After her recent J flight on NZ MEL-AKL she cannot stop talking about them and how good the service, food, seats and lounge was.

I do feel sorry for the 600+ people that fly UA every day to the USA from SYD !

As others have said by the time they finish the refit their seats will start to be out of date again.

I would love to fly UA as their route network is great, but their planes and interiors really let them down.

As a child I grew up flying on UA with over 50 flights, of which 20 were Melbourne/Sydney to Los Angeles. I remember I was proud to fly UA as they were a great airline.

Now however...

I did the same in my younger days flying up front SYD/MEL/AKL/LAX and I think NRT/LAX many times, and they were a great airline. Lets hope the upgrade program and the customer service improvement program starts to have some impact.

How would you compare UA F LAX-LHR vs the Air New Zealand and VS. C? My concern is primarily with the seat not the food or service.

Thanks.

The United first suite, both new & current are both more open plan. The major complaints with with the Contour Premium Seat adopted by Virgin & Air New Zealand is that it can be very claustrophobic due to the high walls etc. Also, the window seats are next to impossible to look out of, the angle will result in a V sore neck. CX pax have highlighted this issue with their new business class which adopts the same herringbone layout. However, the bed space on both is pretty much the same.

How would you compare UA F LAX-LHR vs the Air New Zealand and VS. C? My concern is primarily with the seat not the food or service.

Thanks.

I haven't flown VS C. But I'd put NZ C ahead of UA F.

Seat longer, similar width (more enclosed on NZ - some don't like it while others like the privacy).

Much much better IFE.

Better food and drink.

Much much much better service.

LAX lounge much much better.

The trade-off comparison between flying UA or NZ versus VS is that VS offers a real bar and the beauty therapy in upper class. If you don't fancy looking out the window while in the VS herringbone layout, these amenities may be something to be considered, which sets VS apart from the rest. I believe you can also have a drink at the bar during boarding.

Also, I don't know if UA or NZ does this but VS FAs hand deliver your meals from the galley in uc. It is not served from a cart.

Also, I don't know if UA or NZ does this but VS FAs hand deliver your meals from the galley in uc. It is not served from a cart.This also happens on NZ as the aisles are not wide enough for carts.