Originally Posted by
tobikosan
I am trying to buy a IAH to MXP business class tickets for two and cannot quite figure out which business class product on AA or BA to choose. I'd rather have shorter layover and would like to maximize credit to AS. Can anyone help with what airline and product to choose or consider?
I'd like to book on BA for the AARP discount but fly either AA or BA metal. It seems the BA upstairs 747 is well liked. What about AA metal?
BA has one of the worst international business class hard products out there. Forward/backward seating where you have to climb over your neighbor to get out unless you're in an aisle, in which case your neighbor is climbing over you. There are a few window seats on the upper deck of the 747 that offer good privacy and unobstructed access, which is why it's generally preferred to other BA options. However, even in paid business class, without oneworld Sapphire status you still have to pay for seat assignments in advance. So unless you pay more for seats you run the risk of being stuck in a backwards facing middle seat.
AA's international business class hard product, on the other hand, will be all aisle access in a 1-2-1 config.
For soft product, service, meals, etc., they both have their nuances however I find it's largely a wash between AA and BA. I wouldn't pick one over the other in this area, both can be good and both can be bad.