BA F Endorsed to AA F, not great experience
Apr 15, 2017, 11:07 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Manchester
Programs: BA Executive Club, QR Privilege Club, HH Gold
Posts: 63
AA/BA Schinigans
Not a moan as such, but just sharing my recent experience on AA and BA.
Flew MAN-LHR-ORD a while back. We had booked Biz going and 1st coming back. Outgoing was on 747 and were due to return on the same. However BA plane was hugely delayed, so we were automatically transferred onto AA 777 leaving at similar time.
It was my first time in F and AA didn't seem all that great. The crew, food and ambiance were about equal to that of Biz on BA going out.
Did I miss out by having to fly AA instead of BA, or would the experience have been similar?
NB, AA lounge in ORD was pretty poor.
Flew MAN-LHR-ORD a while back. We had booked Biz going and 1st coming back. Outgoing was on 747 and were due to return on the same. However BA plane was hugely delayed, so we were automatically transferred onto AA 777 leaving at similar time.
It was my first time in F and AA didn't seem all that great. The crew, food and ambiance were about equal to that of Biz on BA going out.
Did I miss out by having to fly AA instead of BA, or would the experience have been similar?
NB, AA lounge in ORD was pretty poor.
Last edited by JDiver; Jul 15, 2017 at 3:11 pm Reason: Restore original post title
Apr 15, 2017, 11:13 am
#2
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 5,270
Assuming you meant LHR-ORD (Chicago), it must have been quite a while back -- as far as I know AA doesn't offer First class on that route anymore.
You can't really draw general conclusions based on a single flight, but from other threads it sounds like AA and BA indeed have comparable average service levels (though with plenty of variation).
You can't really draw general conclusions based on a single flight, but from other threads it sounds like AA and BA indeed have comparable average service levels (though with plenty of variation).
Apr 15, 2017, 11:16 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Manchester
Programs: BA Executive Club, QR Privilege Club, HH Gold
Posts: 63
Thanks - yes was a while back in 2016.
I was thinking It would be useful to have another flight to compare with if I can get the opportunity in the near future.
I was thinking It would be useful to have another flight to compare with if I can get the opportunity in the near future.
Apr 15, 2017, 12:00 pm
#4
Join Date: Apr 2009
Programs: American EXP; British Airways Gold
Posts: 1,896
You were able to get back to the USA on a 777 in a premium cabin. I'd be content. Things happen when you travel. Being flexible is the key to enjoying the journey.
Apr 15, 2017, 12:07 pm
#5
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: MSN
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Apr 15, 2017, 1:21 pm
#7
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
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Posts: 62,948
I'm not sure why you think being endorsed to AA was a shenanigan; the option was overnighting in LHR.
But you apparently were put ona 777, which has an obsolete F suite that will soon be eliminated as the 777-200s are refurbished to a hard Business product that is far superior to BA Club World. You were fortunate to be put in F on that old bird, as J is an angled flat 2-3-2 product not looked upon fondly here.
IME, cabin crew and food are crap shoots on both. Mostly okay, some awful and some stellar. (That generally applies to BA F, as well.)
But you apparently were put ona 777, which has an obsolete F suite that will soon be eliminated as the 777-200s are refurbished to a hard Business product that is far superior to BA Club World. You were fortunate to be put in F on that old bird, as J is an angled flat 2-3-2 product not looked upon fondly here.
IME, cabin crew and food are crap shoots on both. Mostly okay, some awful and some stellar. (That generally applies to BA F, as well.)
Apr 15, 2017, 1:36 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2010
Programs: AA
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BA F doesn't get that great of reviews these days either http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...lly-first.html
Apr 15, 2017, 6:17 pm
#10
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Apr 15, 2017, 6:29 pm
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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OP, you are very lucky and definitely got an upgrade, you should be thanking AA or BA for this. I had the exact same problem, going LHR-ORD on a flat CW bed with BA, but the BA connecting flight was late and they rebooked me to an angle-flat J seat on the old AA 777. I complained about the downgrade (flat to angle-flat bed) and asked to be put in F and the snarky BA desk agent told me to ask AA if they will pay for it. And I was on a BA ticket I think, and delayed because of BA. But I think I was only OW Sapphire at the time (not that the cheapos at BA would have cared anyway).
Apr 15, 2017, 6:51 pm
#12
Join Date: Mar 2005
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The AA soft product isn't that great, but I strongly prefer the AA F hard product over BA F any day of the week and twice on Sunday. Even the old style F with the DC adapters. IMO, the AA F seat compares favorably to just about everything out there, short of the ME apartments.
Apr 15, 2017, 6:54 pm
#13
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Apr 15, 2017, 7:18 pm
#15
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Austin, TX
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But we digress. In the OP's case, I don't see AA F being a downgrade from BA J.