Reminded of how bad Club World is on BA / AA J vs other oneworld J
Dec 8, 2018, 3:41 pm
#46
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Kyiv, Ukraine
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Dec 8, 2018, 4:07 pm
#47
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: AMS
Programs: BAEC Silver, Flying Blue Gold, TK M&S Nobody
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Dec 8, 2018, 4:14 pm
#48
Join Date: Sep 2008
Programs: A3 *G, AA exePlat, AS MVP 75k Gold, JL sapphire, UA silver
Posts: 4,035
i only fly BA J class because I can earn bonus points.... there are actually a few seats that one could get out without climbing over others (or be climbed over)
but i think families do like this configuration (my sister does as it traps her daughter inside...
but i think families do like this configuration (my sister does as it traps her daughter inside...
Dec 8, 2018, 4:28 pm
#49
Join Date: Jul 2013
Programs: AA MM, AA EXP; OW Emerald, EK silver
Posts: 928
Unless I'm on the upper deck the seating on AA is preferable although the inflight service is better on BA. Yes, the food is awful on AA but I don't fly for the food and can always eat in the Cathay or Qantas lounge before my TATL flight. On BA the aisle seats are a disaster, feel very exposed and the FAs lean over you to serve the window seat. However, looking way back, how many people remember the 'cradle seats'?
Dec 9, 2018, 2:05 pm
#50
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
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Dec 9, 2018, 4:37 pm
#51
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: MIA, VIE and DPS
Programs: DL Plat 1MM, AA EXP 3MM, SQ Krisflyer Gold, UA Silver, Marriott LTT, HH Gold
Posts: 1,132
QR is definitely my favorite, and AA J is a very decent hard J product - service though is usually at the bottom of the list. This week I flew MIA-LHR in F and back the next day in J - same crew. We were west of Greenland when I asked if they were going to set up the little buffet since I was hoping to get one of those little banana cream thingies. The ladies were busy chatting about email stuff and told me "not yet" when the purser recognized me from the day before and said "hold on" and gave me two of those things. I haven't done Qantas J in quite a while, I had a pretty pleasant CX flight from JFK to HKG and HKG to LAX, the hard product is the same as AA - but service was a lot nicer and I am a sucker for the CX burger.
I only had one Finnair flight in J in the last 24 months and it was the best meal I had in a long time (including OS J) the seat was alright. But meal and service were great. I found BA food to be continuously improving, and while I am not a big fan of the CW seats, I do like that my feet don't go into a tight box. I usually take exit windows (like 62A on a 74) to get a little more room - and if find that rather comfortable - I'd take that over IB for example any day.
BA IFE is probably the worst - but then again I usually put some shows on my Ipad that I haven't been able to catch up on...
I only had one Finnair flight in J in the last 24 months and it was the best meal I had in a long time (including OS J) the seat was alright. But meal and service were great. I found BA food to be continuously improving, and while I am not a big fan of the CW seats, I do like that my feet don't go into a tight box. I usually take exit windows (like 62A on a 74) to get a little more room - and if find that rather comfortable - I'd take that over IB for example any day.
BA IFE is probably the worst - but then again I usually put some shows on my Ipad that I haven't been able to catch up on...
Dec 9, 2018, 5:02 pm
#52
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: SLC/HEL/Anywhere with a Beach
Programs: Marriott Ambassador; AA EXP 3MM; AS MVP, Hilton Gold, CH-47/UH-60/C-23/C-130 VET
Posts: 5,234
I had a nice LAX-SYD RT in AA J recently with two different crews. The 789 J seat is very nice particularly with the Casper bedding.
I was pleasantly surprised by the service levels on both directions. On a recent AA J Asia flight the crew rushed dinner and then disappeared for the rest of the flight. Not on this one, they brought dinner and different members of the crew continued to work the cabin throughout the flight since different people were on different sleep schedules. While I was awake, seemed like someone was always walking through the cabin checking on drinks and snacks. It wasn't QR level service, but very good on both legs.
And, of course, the 789 1-2-1 seating with direct aisle access is very nice.
I was pleasantly surprised by the service levels on both directions. On a recent AA J Asia flight the crew rushed dinner and then disappeared for the rest of the flight. Not on this one, they brought dinner and different members of the crew continued to work the cabin throughout the flight since different people were on different sleep schedules. While I was awake, seemed like someone was always walking through the cabin checking on drinks and snacks. It wasn't QR level service, but very good on both legs.
And, of course, the 789 1-2-1 seating with direct aisle access is very nice.
Dec 10, 2018, 6:25 am
#54
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 474
Smallest of the small niggling bits, but I prefer the 77Ws that have the open cupboard with bars across, rather than the little doors. I find the cable for the headphones often makes the door clip stick. I think the first delivered got the doors while later versions got the bars.
Dec 10, 2018, 6:53 am
#55
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: NYC LAX RDU
Programs: US-Plt;Concierge key; American AAirpass; Delta Silver;Starwood - Platinum; Amex Cent
Posts: 710
I'm happy to criticize AA when it's due, but out of LHR to the USA AA is far better than BA - or any other airline (except maybe Air New Zealand on LAX-LHR). Flagship on the US side, hard product, bedding, T3 @ LHR vs T5, etc are all better. I fly JFK-LHR monthly and I've spoken to dozens of BA Gold members who only use AA on this route for the reasons above. Food can be great, good or not good - but I find the same on any airline. Same with service. I can't think of a single flight this past year where the JFK-LHR service (I always take the am Eastbound) wan't very good.
Dec 10, 2018, 7:34 am
#56
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Travel Safety/Security & Texas, FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Location: AUS / GRK
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One benefit of BA is that they fly to so many more places in the US than AA...or pretty much anyone else. I can fly AUS-LHR nonstop on BA. For any domestic US carrier I'd have to first fly to a hub. There's something to be said about departing right from your home airport. And on the return, I have yet to experience a better customs & immigration experience than I have at AUS.
Outside of AA's RDU-LHR service, I'm not aware of any other non-hub service to LHR.
Outside of AA's RDU-LHR service, I'm not aware of any other non-hub service to LHR.
Dec 10, 2018, 8:05 am
#57
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Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
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Yes, I wouldn't add an unnecessary connection just to fly AA metal over BA metal. But if your final destination isn't London, and you have to connect somewhere anyway, that might tip it back in favor of AA via DFW/ORD/PHL/etc.
Dec 10, 2018, 2:23 pm
#58
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2003
Programs: Bonvoy Amb; AA EXP
Posts: 1,136
I'm happy to criticize AA when it's due, but out of LHR to the USA AA is far better than BA - or any other airline (except maybe Air New Zealand on LAX-LHR). Flagship on the US side, hard product, bedding, T3 @ LHR vs T5, etc are all better. I fly JFK-LHR monthly and I've spoken to dozens of BA Gold members who only use AA on this route for the reasons above. Food can be great, good or not good - but I find the same on any airline. Same with service. I can't think of a single flight this past year where the JFK-LHR service (I always take the am Eastbound) wan't very good.