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About six weeks ago I had a flight on AA EZE-DFW in business and I thought a few quick thoughts might be helpful for those of us like me who fly mainly BA but occasionally like to or have to see how the other half lives.

This was an overnight flight of 11 hours. I am unsure whether or not the route would be considered one of AA’s really important or flagship ones.

Lounge. Pleasant though rather crowded. Free alcohol for all, which surprised me after my experiences in AA lounges in the US. I am not absolutely sure but I do not think champagne was on offer. Wines were acceptable and Californian or Argentinean (not a real surprise, that). Lounge crowded but not more crowded than say the old T4 Club lounge before a string of evening flights to APac.

Boarding. They did it properly. First people with children and other encumbrances, then business class pax (there was no F). And it was enforced as I watched a fair number of Y pax being held back.

Greetings. A little disappointing – there was no-one to greet us at the door and as I found my own way to my seat (not difficult and not complaining really) I noticed two flight attendants in the galley munching sandwiches and chatting. One surprise is that for me at least ( I saw some checking later) there was no BP check at the door. Not sure whether this is usual.

Seating. This was a 767-300 and the Business seating was 2-2-2. I was travelling alone and had one seat of a middle pair. The plane was completely full in J. Not sure of Y. The overall feel was (for me) very claustrophobic. I was about 6” away from the person in the seat next to me and could hear every word of her argument with someone as to whether he was going to pick her up from the airport or not This has convinced me of the merit of being level with the feet rather than the head or mouth of the person sitting next to you! There was in general a cramped feel to the seats and to the cabin generally.

Kitchen sinks are clearly acceptable hand baggage on US airlines.

General. The FAs were far less visible in the cabin as we boarded. That was true throughout the flight and was in hindsight one the things I really missed from BA. I am not saying that they didn’t come when you pressed the call bell or didn’t serve in a friendly and respectful manner – it is just that they weren’t visible, whereas BA cabin crew (I nearly wrote “FAs”) seem to be much more around and, while wholly professional in their demeanour, more keen to pass the time of day with their passengers. The amenity kits had already been placed in the seat pockets. Amenity kits not fundamentally different though they did include pens which seeing as I always forgetting to take one or board was useful. My other pet requirement, a comb, was absent from them as it is from the BA equivalent.

Food. Good on paper. Less so in practice. I had smoked salmon tartare then beef tenderloin. Smoked salmon is, well, smoked salmon. Large portion though. The beef while again in large portion was to my taste dryer and less flavo(u)rful then the equivalent on BA would have been.

Wine. The champagne (for those many of you who find this information of vital importance) was Heidsieck Monopole Brut. Not sure of the right BA comparator as (I’ll probably get expelled from the BA board for this) I’m not a great champagne connoisseur. Marimar Torres Sonoma Chardonnay (good well balanced Chardonnay for 35k’) and a very drinkable Malbec – Altos Las Hermosas – which I much enjoyed.

Sleep. Was not a fun experience. I felt too close to my neighbour (though that may be just my general British-ness). I kept sliding down the non-flat “bed” and kept waking up as my feet took the pressure. What has been called a dormitory experience.

Arrival. It should be reported that the flight left and arrived on time and that the DFW immigration queue (there was also a tannoy announcement for “the Columbian passport checker”!)was slow only because of the large number of non-visa waiver nationals. As has been mentioned before I do wish that the DHS would consider separate lines for visa waiver nationals. And the immigration officer was courteous and polite, asking me if I wanted the remaining bit of the green form stapled in my passport or not.

So: was it as good an experience as an 11 hour flight in BA CW? No, definitely. Was it a bad experience? No. Are the two airlines very different in their general ambience? Yes, and I that is why in my humble opinion the ethos of both should be maintained very clearly separately in any closer collaboration that develops.

Hope this is of interest.

And my apologies to Sir Cecil Spring-Rice.