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best routing in C for SFO-Mumbai

best routing in C for SFO-Mumbai

Old Aug 20, 2015, 8:46 pm
  #1  
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best routing in C for SFO-Mumbai

Hi! For a possible work trip, with client paying C flight, what is best flight route and experience for:

SFO - Mumbai
Hyderabad - SFO

I assume EK via dxb is best, but I need guidance and suggestions. Flight is C (not F). Lounge isn't a big deal but lie-flat wide seat is needed for good slumber.

I'm guessing that Ual SFO-FRA and LH FRA-India is not good.

Thanks!
Michael
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Old Aug 21, 2015, 2:43 am
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i did sfo-hkg-del on cx last year & the experience was great....

will also be doing del-cdg-sfo later this year so can update this thread with my experience then....
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Old Aug 21, 2015, 11:00 am
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best routing in C for SFO-Mumbai

CX - another great idea! Thanks!

how did you get back from India to SFO?
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Old Aug 22, 2015, 10:46 am
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Originally Posted by gaobest
CX - another great idea! Thanks!

how did you get back from India to SFO?
i flew del-nyc on af & then flew back to india from sfo on cx....both award tickets....
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Old Aug 31, 2015, 4:45 am
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EK's 777 which ply on DXB-BOM and HYD-DXB sectors do not have lie-flat seats. Only 1 frequency to BOM has them on A380.
Not long sectors, but good to know if that matters to you.

CX will have flat beds all the way down to BOM and up from HYD.
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Old Aug 31, 2015, 9:43 am
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Take a look at TK through IST. One of the better C products out there, and the timings are actually somewhat humane. Once you stop doing 2AM arrivals, it's tough to go back.
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Old Sep 1, 2015, 4:11 pm
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I just did this research as well for BOM, technically from BOI, but I ended up choosing EY from SFO, but in F. As previously mentioned, I'd suggest skipping EK, as their F is amazing, but J is underwhelming. I've tried to order these based on my personal preference, but really they'd all be good experiences I'd think:

-SQ could be a fun choice, complete with A380 time. J on SQ is really nice on both the 77W and A380. Drawback is that SFO-SIN has a stop (either in HKG or ICN) and then a connection in SIN.

-CX is great and unless there's an aircraft sub on the HKG-BOM, you'll have the new all-aisle access reverse herringbone lie flat on both flights.

-TK is a great choice also, but not all-aisle access.

-KE flies a few days a week to BOM; both legs have lie flats in J. Not all-aisle access.

-VS could be nice, but it is a Jet Airways codeshare from LHR-BOM; all-aisle access herringbone style on both flights.

-BA will offer you all-aisle access J, but some don't prefer the density of their J product; this comes with the benefit/option of upper deck 747 time, which many prefer.

If you wanted to do UA/LH, I'd suggest an extra connection. For the best experience, you want either a 747-8 (74H) or an A333/346 into MUC. The MUC-BOM flight is on an A330 with the new fully flat business seats. So, one choice would be UA to FRA, with a connection to MUC and on to BOM. Another option is a domestic UA flight to a city that flies to MUC early enough to make the connection in MUC (or take the SFO-MUC flight and overnight in Munich for beer and sausage). If you didn't want to do the MUC overnight, the best bet is probably UA to ORD/IAH, UA to MUC and then LH to BOM.

For the return from HYD, CX flies HYD-HKG a few days a week, so that's an option if the timing works. EY flies from HYD-AUH to connect with the SFO flight, but that's on an A320, so regional product. SQ subsidiary SilkAir flies HYD-SIN on an A320 - again, a regional product. Other than that, you'd have to consider backtracking to BOM or making your way to another gateway.

**Final note, the only products I don't have personal experience with are the VS/9W and the KE, so those I know about only from other trip reports.
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