ffay005

I would say AY longhaul J is for the airline industry what Scandic Hotels are for the hotel industry. They offer you the very bare minimum that is needed and that they get away with to be able to call the product business class.

The seat is OK but far inferior to BA or the new AA seat. The reduced meal is OK but again inferior to their OW competition. Their amenity kit is practically nonexistent. The mid-flight snacks mostly consist of cheap potato crisps and a Fazer bag of candy, all opened and poured into minimal-size glasses. It's like someone told them, you guys need to offer a mid-flight snack since everybody else does, and then they sit down and ponder how to be able to do it without paying anything for it. The cabin crew is usually friendly but not used to offering pampering or anything luxurious and not very good at dealing with demanding passengers. That said, they do get you to your destination relatively reliably.

So if you just need to get reasonably comfortably from A to B, pick AY if the price is right (and if you want to avoid transfering at a big European hub). If you need pampering or want to experience something that hints towards luxury, pick another carrier.