Cuchulainn

Hi - looking at flying IAD-HKG r/t later this fall, business class and am looking for other Star Alliance carrier recommendations. Thanks..

ual744777sta

The product on TK is very good.

gradsflyer

On that routing if you don't want to fly UA your best bet would definitely be NH with one stop via NRT. Definitely an excellent product all around, since you'll be in C definitely better than UA in soft product and at least the same in hard product. TK doesn't really make all that much sense to me on this routing.

ORDnHKG

Why not ? going east or going west is the same distance for IAD to HKG.

I would avoid NH unless OP can get the routing thru JFK or LAX or SFO, as since IAD-NRT on NH is still using old configured non horizontal flat seat in C in 2-3-2 layout (no it is NOT the same hard product as despite UA is 2-4-2 in C, at least they are horizontal flat with more choices for AVOD, NH's AVOD is good only if you can understand Japanese) Only JFK/LAX/SFO has Business staggered. Not to mention the seat for NRT-HKG on NH's 763 will be subpar no mattter what (either ClubANA Asia or Business cradle, both are non-flat hard to sleep)

TK is an option, but I would suggest LX as well, as LX has horizontal flat bed in C for both their 333 and 343 in 1-2-1 config.

vroom

No, it's not. IAD-IST-HKG is 25% longer distance than IAD-PEK-HKG.

http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=iad-pek-hkg,+iad-ist-hkg

I_Can_Fly_US_Airways

Is if I can book a widow or isle seat on the sides. I HATE the 4 seats in the middle configuration!!!

huhuhusky

My suggestion would be:

IAD to SFO (UA) then SFO to HKG (SQ)

IluvSQ

Why not AC IAD-YYZ- HKG?
Their J is better than UA or NH.

mapleg

Seems to me to be the best choice...relatively short flight IAD (or even from DCA-YYZ) and then non-stop to HKG in a pod.

Transpacificflyer

Although UA typically has the lowest fares in J, one option might be to use AC. Often the AC flight out of the US is significantly cheaper. I find the AC J class on the B777 superior to the UA product. It is not as claustrophobic. It is unacceptable that on UA B747 J class is 4 abreast and on the B777 3 abreast.
At least on AC you have a private single seat and no one to climb over.

ORDnHKG

From the map it is, but not for the flight time. Have you ever done EWR-HKG going east AND going west ?


In case you are not familiar with SQ's award inventury on 380 and 77W, it is slim to none.


I think you are out of your mind, AC maybe better than UA, but certainly not NH. NH's service and food are far superior than AC. Have you seriously flown NH long haul to the US ?


So does NH on the business staggered 77W, and NH's service and food are far superior than AC.

I guess you don't even know what is business staggered on NH, perhaps I suggest you take a look on their website first ?

djjaguar64

Maybe better than UA's but not better than NH!!

huhuhusky

The OP only indicated suggestion for "other Star Alliance carrier recommendations" in business class from IAD to HKG roundtrip. OP didn't indicate this is going to be an award booking.

Transpacificflyer

In respect to your comments, the OP had asked for suggestions. This is what was given by the respondents.


Did you bother to look at the flight schedules before you had your hissy fit? The staggered seating is on the B777-300. That means connecting to JFK, SFO or LAX. The current IAD service to HKG goes IAD-NRT-HKG and it uses either a code share on United or Air Japan equipment. The side routing to get to a hub where the B777-300ER is used will incur an additional cost and time.

The answers that were given provided suggestions in response to the OP. Issues of culinary satisfaction, comfort, or the personalities of FAs are another matter. Price is also an issue, as there can be a cost difference between AC and NH.

I am familiar with the NH product within asia as I have recently taken a few flights between NRT and BKK in J. I am also aware of the staggered seats on the B777-300ER series. They are indeed praiseworthy. However, I am also keenly aware that one is also just as likely to be put on the B777-200 series which has a 2-3-2 config depending upon the selected routing particularly since I checked out the config used for a a few random flights in October.

Have you ever experienced the joys of Air Japan? United isn't so bad in comparison and United's seats are more comfortable.

NH is a wonderful airline, but I haven't found the service in the BKK-NRT and NRT-HKG corridor much to get excited about. To be blunt, the service on United when I take the early morning flight out of BKK to connect in NRT isn't a deal breaker. Appreciably, this is about IAD- HKG. If he B777-300ER was easily available, it would indeed be a winner, but it all depends if the OP wants to spend the money and make the connections to get to the airport where the equipment is available. That's up to him to sort through the suggestions.

ORDnHKG

I am more familiar than you think, been plowing ORD-HKG since 1998 with all sorts of combinations and carriers. (westbound: JL/NH/UA/AA/CX/OZ/SQ, eastbound: CO/LX/LH/TG)

Well with AC you still have to go thru either YYZ or YVR, but the product is still much inferior to NH. AC is better than the US carriers, but NOT any asian carriers especially to NH.

The side routing do NOT incur additional cost because of US-Japan open skies agreement. Additional time for connection is minimum especially in NRT, the travel time with AC is just the same. If you are talking about the most direct routing, it would be IAD-EWR-HKG on UA.

Well, did you price out the cost difference between AC and NH ? If no then it is a moot point.

Moot point again, since OP is going to HKG not BKK. NRT-HKG is either 763 or 77W depends on the day, not 772. 763 is business cradle, it is sufficient for a 4 hours flight, whereas 772 intra-asia is still using ClubANA Asia. Also, NRT-HKG is much shorter than NRT-BKK.



Well, if OP do AC, OP still have to encounter the IAD-YYZ (RJ only) or YVR portion. THe more important thing is the longer TPAC leg which NH provide far superior service, food, and seat than AC.

I think anyone will go out of the way especially flying F or C when there is better carrier out there like SQ and NH. And that is what OP was asking about.