PHX-LHR - BA or AA for Economy Class
Jun 24, 2019, 5:27 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 30
PHX-LHR - BA or AA for Economy Class
With the new AA flight to LHR, which is the better option for economy class? I see the AA is a 777-200 vs the 747-400. I'll be in cattle class so which has a better seating option?
What's the best way to upgrade if possible?
I'm Gold on AA if that matters.
What's the best way to upgrade if possible?
I'm Gold on AA if that matters.
Jun 24, 2019, 5:42 pm
#2
Join Date: Mar 2007
Programs: United Mileage Plus Premier
Posts: 781
One thing to consider is AA still allows you to pick your seats in advance for free, BA does not. I made that mistake a few years ago and found out after booking that it would cost me an extra $250 per person to pick out seats from EWR to LHR to AMS. We were in biz class and opted to save the money since we knew the long haul seats would be lie flats and we mostly planned to sleep on the TA leg.
Jun 24, 2019, 6:11 pm
#4
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: AA LT Gold
Posts: 3,645
As AA GLD, your only chance to upgrade is for 25,000 miles + $350. As AA GLD, you will be at the bottom of the list for upgrades, and I'd say your chances are 0.1%
With BA you can choose seats up to 7 days in advance as OW Ruby.
BA can offer upgrades for cash at the airport. It will be to WTP+ (Premium Economy) probably $350 or more each way if offered.
With AA you will probably be able to pick a MCE seat at T-24, so that for me is the only advantage AA has over BA.
I'd go with AA just because of the possibility of getting an MCE seat.
Jun 24, 2019, 7:49 pm
#6
Join Date: May 2005
Programs: BA Gold, AA PLT PRO, AGR, Strawberry (Nordic Choice), Marriott Bonvoy
Posts: 4,248
This is being discussed here on the BA forum now.
I recommend BA rather than AA, and I say that as a flyer who consistently favored AA from the days of MRTC.
But since MCE 3-3-3 on AA’s 777 was replaced by PE 2-4-2 at a significantly higher ticket price, the comparison now rests on soft not hard product (except for the fact that BA hard product beats AA hard product because they still have 3-3-3 seating in economy on their 777s). BA’s cabin service far outstrips AA’s.
I recommend BA rather than AA, and I say that as a flyer who consistently favored AA from the days of MRTC.
But since MCE 3-3-3 on AA’s 777 was replaced by PE 2-4-2 at a significantly higher ticket price, the comparison now rests on soft not hard product (except for the fact that BA hard product beats AA hard product because they still have 3-3-3 seating in economy on their 777s). BA’s cabin service far outstrips AA’s.
Jun 24, 2019, 7:52 pm
#7
Join Date: May 2005
Programs: BA Gold, AA PLT PRO, AGR, Strawberry (Nordic Choice), Marriott Bonvoy
Posts: 4,248
Now that MCE isn’t its own 3-3-3 section, the seats are nothing special.
Jun 24, 2019, 8:02 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,584
Don't the MCE seats still offer 34" pitch? For those of us who are tall but not wide, that's a big deal!