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Delta BE Is Perfectly Fine
Quote:
Originally Posted by brenig
Choose KLM WBC !!! Delta BE sucks. Have had only bad experiences on Delta and only good experience on KLM.
I've had two outstanding roundtrips in BE this year, to LHR and back to PSA and back. The planes were clean, my seat worked, AVOD worked, the power port worked, the food tasted good, there was plenty of bracing booze, the service was personable and the flights were on time. What more could you want?
Think that DL BE is usually ok but DL has (as many other American Carriers) the policy of asking you 2 sets of stupid security questions (frist at the checkin, then at the gate).
I would avoid these questions by simply switching to KLM. Not because I think it is hard to answer for the 100th time that I packed my bag by myself but simply because usually there is the one stupid tourist ahead in the line that doesn't know the game, gets seriously uncertain about the question and holds up the line for 10 minutes.
Other than that, I found the DL service on board amazingly good. Sure it is a huge difference to Singapore Airlines but it is actually not too bad at all and I like the food in BE better than most of the stuff I get in BC on British Airways.
If you're flying in a premium cabin, the choice is always very easy - select the foreign carrier (see note below) over the US carrier. I can't think of a trans-oceanic route which offers better J service on a US carrier than a foreign competitor.
Note: This statement applies to leading global airlines (KLM, Air France, Qantas, Cathay, etc), not small carriers domiciled in more economically underdeveloped countries.
I've had two outstanding roundtrips in BE this year, to LHR and back to PSA and back. The planes were clean, my seat worked, AVOD worked, the power port worked, the food tasted good, there was plenty of bracing booze, the service was personable and the flights were on time. What more could you want?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NYBanker
What foreign carriers have you flown?
AF, BA, KL and FI for TATL routes; AF, KL and Ryanair for intra-Europe routes. Within continental Europe, I try to take the train whenever I can.
I had a chance to sample J on both AF and DL within a 3 week period earlier this year. I thought the food was a little bit better and the portions were a bit bigger on DL than on AF this summer. In the main, I had excellent experiences on both carriers.
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We do prefer the KL WBC seats to those on the DL 763. I will agree that the service is a bit better on DL and the food generally much better but as far as we are concerned, it is all about the seats.
I've been doing this too long to care much about the quality of the airline food.
KLM - better service, smiling FAs, better IFE compared to DL's older config 763s. Delta's food and wine selections are superior in my opinion. The food on my last two flights on WBC was inedible.
What happened airliners.net breakdown for the day?
NYBanker, take a look at the last 2000 posts on FT comparing AF and DL Biz TA, You'll find that while AF may have a strong point or two, that DL wins in about 90% of posts and DL in 10% of posts. And I am speaking as a plat for at least a decade on both AF/KL AND DL, not to mention a Gold BAEC member for most years since the programme started and an LH Senator for the last 7 years. Citing Qantas or Cathay in your post means little as each competes on a grand total of one route with Delta, one through a tag-on flight through NRT which was not a Delta flight a year ago, and the other which Delta just started five minutes ago.
I've had two outstanding roundtrips in BE this year, to LHR and back to PSA and back. The planes were clean, my seat worked, AVOD worked, the power port worked, the food tasted good, there was plenty of bracing booze, the service was personable and the flights were on time. What more could you want?
A plane that is not close to 20 years old (767-300...)
Then its really good that youa re not referrring to Delta as the 763ER fleet which is what we are speaking about averages only 13.1 years old, a twenty year old average as you stated would be in fact 50% older than they really are.
In any case what a junior bush league non-FF mistake to make. What is important is how well the a/c is maintained and what the interior is like. I can name quite a lot of brand new a/c and configurations that absolutely stink, and I can name quite a few "classic" airframes and modern products which beat anything new in the sky.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ND76
...What more could you want?
A little Dutch house filled with gin.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sebastian_R
Think that DL BE is usually ok but DL has (as many other American Carriers) the policy of asking you 2 sets of stupid security questions (frist at the checkin, then at the gate).
Those security questions asked at check-in stopped years ago. At the time, it wasn't many American carriers it was all American carriers. They were stupid but only if you think they questions were posed to catch terrorists. They were actually posed in order to uncover ignorant people that would unknowingly transport hazardous materials, explosives, or drugs for someone else.
Departing the U.S. I have not been asked those questions for several years. However returning to the U.S. from Europe I have been asked once in my last three trips: at CDG but not PRG or FRA.
Quote:
Originally Posted by hfly
What happened airliners.net breakdown for the day?
NYBanker, take a look at the last 2000 posts on FT comparing AF and DL Biz TA, You'll find that while AF may have a strong point or two, that DL wins in about 90% of posts and DL in 10% of posts. And I am speaking as a plat for at least a decade on both AF/KL AND DL, not to mention a Gold BAEC member for most years since the programme started and an LH Senator for the last 7 years. Citing Qantas or Cathay in your post means little as each competes on a grand total of one route with Delta, one through a tag-on flight through NRT which was not a Delta flight a year ago, and the other which Delta just started five minutes ago.
Did you mean DL wins 90% and AF 10%?
Based on this thread I might consider KLM biz class in the future over the pond. My only KLM flight was AMS > Stockholm in first. It was horrible. 3-3 in 1st class !?! I sat in the middle. Ouch. Seats were no different than the seats in coach just slightly more pitch - and I do mean slightly. The food was bad, the service was bad... all in all it left a sour taste in my mouth for KLM.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Evan!
Based on this thread I might consider KLM biz class in the future over the pond.
I wouldn't actively seek them out myself. KL WBC is okay, but nothing special. The seats are definitely, YMMV. Myself, I think the new-ish seats on the 747 and 772 are pretty bad considering how new they are. The seats on the 763 aren't any better, but if I was avoiding DL because I didn't like the 763 seats, I would be looking for a bigger step up (BA, AF, etc) than the KL seat.
Aside from the seat, I think they are pretty comparable. The DL service is friendlier, but the KL service is usually pretty good, just more reserved. I think the food on DL is better, as is the booze, but KL seems to put a bit more effort into the wines. The ground service is almost certainly a wash, as I suspect they largely use the same facilities and staff in a lot of locations.
In the case of the OP, I would choose on departure time and airport preference.
FWIW, there ain't much gin in the houses - maybe a shot or so. I have a few kicking around the house, but they are basically just clutter. Unless you are the type that collects hummels, I can't see how this tips the balance at all.
