AC340-541

Hi All,

Looking to book a flight to Gothenburg, Sweden from Hong Kong and unfortunately I can't use CX. Does anyone have some good comparison notes between the BA World Traveller Plus product (A380/777) vs. Finnair's A340 Comfort Plus? I have only flown BA short-haul and have not flown AY.

I'm concerned that I would get the ex-Air France A340s on the HKG-HEL route which from what I've seen online may be a rough ride, but on my travel dates they don't seem to be scheduled.

Prices are similar.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts or comments.

bhomburg

One cannot be sure which of the 343s will fly a certain route, and their configuration varies pretty wildly. I've flown AY to SIN, HKT and KBV in the last month and always had different equipment.

When it's primarily legroom you're after, AY's Eco comfort, especially the bulkhead seats, will provide enough of that to satisfy even the tallest flyer. I took some pics on one trip to SIN last month and posted them in this thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/24266343-post107.html

Personal opinion: I would only pay more for BA's WT+ if on the A380, 773 or one of few 772s with the refurbished WT+ cabin.
For the same or even less money, you could buy a cheap eco fare on AY and upgrade into business with their cash upgrade offer which seems to hover around 250 Euros one way for the HEL-HKG route. This is something of a gamble, though - but cash upgrades have been available on all ten AY flights I took this year (I even got the email on paid business fares...).
Also, check out their I fares. Buying business outright on AY may not be more than WT+ on BA...

Edit: I'm actually typing this from the AY premium lounge in Helsinki. Transiting through HEL is much much preferable to transiting in LHR. Security took all of two minutes with the priority lane, and that on a Friday afternoon....

IanFromHKG

Plus, IME, AY are prone to last-minute equipment changes so you can't be even remotely sure you will get what you expect. On our last flight (LHR-HEL-HKG), having already changed (at a cost of over GBP500) itineraries to avoid am equipment change to inferior seats, we checked in at LHR and specifically asked to check that we had the aircraft we had (re-)booked on. Yet on boarding the connecting aircraft, it had been changed. So we walked off. Rebooked onto next day's flight, me via Singapore, the Memsahib direct. Both flights had last-minute equipment changes.

Staff couldn't have been nicer or more helpful, but four long haul equipment changes- three at the last minute - means you cannot be even remotely confident you will get what you expect

FlyingOutTLV

AY Economy-Comfort is not comparable to BA WT+ in my opinion.

With AY you basically get a bit more legroom and a noise-cancelling headset. And if you have OWE status and can select bulkhead seats in advance (always available, in my experience) then you really only get the headset because bulkhead seats have just as much legroom if not more (row 21, the first row of Economy-Comfort, hasn't moved at all I suspect). The seats themselves are just the same as in Economy with the same configuration (2X4X2).

With BA you get better seats, more legroom, better recline, better configuration (8 across instead of 9) which makes the seats wider, better amenity kit then the one AY gives, better food catering, better service, etc. It's completely different from Economy, even if you can select the best seats in Economy.

Also,
I'd like to support the suggestion that was given by bhomburg to look for Business class fares or upgrades with AY.

1010101

I believe the 'newer' A340s are guaranteed on the HKG route, but that doesn't mean they cant be swapped out for operational reasons. Of the two, I'd take BA on the 380.

If its possible, I'd get on a QR 787 in J out of Oslo or Copenhagen and change in Doha. QR have a big sale on currently too so not too different to Y+ cost wise ^

Flyiboy

When will you arriving in my home town? I myself will be traveling to HKG from GOT via ARN and DOH on Qatar-

IanFromHKG

When do these offers come through? And how far ahead are they available?

They are only "guaranteed" on the winter schedule, and as noted above they chop and change with alarming frequency. They only have 7 A340s and 8 A330s - no other widebodies at all. It doesn't take much disruption to throw everything out of whack.

bhomburg

There's a thread over at the AY forum with data points. I did get "upgrade yourself to business class" solicitation emails on every occasion I bought a Y fare to Asia right after ticketing. I usually buy flights around three weeks out.


Exactly. Bottom line: you cannot be sure which aircraft will operate your flight with them. Never.

AC340-541

Mid June... thinking to go J on BA now. The sale fares on QR are gone for the dates I need otherwise that would have been an excellent option.

Thanks all for the input ^