International F service on AA
Jun 1, 2022, 8:30 pm
#106
Join Date: May 2004
Programs: LX Senator; AF Platinum and Club 2000; AA Platinum for life (former EXP)
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There was a time when AA had a very good international F product and actually carried that over onto JFK transcons. Caviar, salads with lobster, and interesting main courses including rack of lamb, lobster fajitas, and the elaborate ice cream sundaes. Breakfasts featured fresh cooked on board eggs (for a while they even did that on the non-stop Boston-SJC flight). The "coffin" seats were very good...much better than the wooly mammoths. The coffins were fully lie flat horizontal seats. One more thing: AA was working to establish SJC as a hub with non stops to France and Tokyo. Those days are but a distant memory.
Jun 1, 2022, 9:24 pm
#107
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: SoCal to the rest of the world...
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Posts: 6,698
There was a time when AA had a very good international F product and actually carried that over onto JFK transcons. Caviar, salads with lobster, and interesting main courses including rack of lamb, lobster fajitas, and the elaborate ice cream sundaes. Breakfasts featured fresh cooked on board eggs (for a while they even did that on the non-stop Boston-SJC flight). The "coffin" seats were very good...much better than the wooly mammoths. The coffins were fully lie flat horizontal seats. One more thing: AA was working to establish SJC as a hub with non stops to France and Tokyo. Those days are but a distant memory.
Jun 1, 2022, 10:46 pm
#109
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Jun 2, 2022, 6:55 am
#110
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Jun 2, 2022, 11:57 am
#111
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Jun 2, 2022, 2:43 pm
#113
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Jun 3, 2022, 5:07 am
#114
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
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Around this time (shortly pre-9/11) I did both AA F and JL F on the JFK-GRU route, and to be honest, JL wasn't significantly better. Yes, the style of service from the FAs was different, with all the bowing, but catering wasn't so different. I don't remember the booze (I wasn't as knowledgeable about champagne back then), though I know I have the hard copy of the JL menu somewhere...
The JL drinks menu is also on an entirely different level.
Last edited by orbitmic; Jun 3, 2022 at 5:12 am
Jun 3, 2022, 5:11 am
#115
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Can you elaborate why you consider AY J superior to BA F? I'm quite critical of BA F for many reasons, but I really can't imagine in what parallel universe it would be deemed worse than AY J on any front (seat, footprint, food, drinks, lounges, amenities, service, etc). I'm not questioning your right to think so but would really like to understand why you feel that way
Jun 3, 2022, 9:38 am
#116
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Can you elaborate why you consider AY J superior to BA F? I'm quite critical of BA F for many reasons, but I really can't imagine in what parallel universe it would be deemed worse than AY J on any front (seat, footprint, food, drinks, lounges, amenities, service, etc). I'm not questioning your right to think so but would really like to understand why you feel that way
Jun 3, 2022, 11:19 am
#117
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Join Date: Oct 2014
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I have no idea about JFK-GRU which sounds like just a "leg" on JL, but I can assure you that on normal flights, there is more difference between JL F catering and AA F catering than between AA F and Y caterings! JL F catering is probably the very best there is in the air (in my view, even better than AF P, which is a better product overall and has a vastly superior lounge).
The JL drinks menu is also on an entirely different level.
The JL drinks menu is also on an entirely different level.
As far as the JL drinks menu, I mostly drink the iced tea. It's amazingly good. I've been to the store that sells the stuff too; it's not cheap.
Jun 3, 2022, 1:33 pm
#118
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I agree it is very good but I do find the three figure pricing is indeed totally ridiculous.To my knowledge, JL is the only airline to have regularly served Salon in F, several Bordeaux first flush over the years, and some of the Japanese whiskies people can't find any more. But to be honest, for me with JL it is not even the high end stuff (they also do wagyu, caviar, etc) but mostly the refinement of it all, and in food terms, both the Western and Japanese options are simply outstanding. Now if AA really wanted to take inspiration from them before my next few AA F trips later this year!
Jun 3, 2022, 2:01 pm
#119
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: AA LT Gold
Posts: 3,644
It is said that BA First is a very good business class product. I agree.
I concur with most here about AA international F service. On the few occasions I have tried it, service ranged from sufficient to dreadful (including eyerolling FAs).
I got excellent service once on a MIA-LAX flight in business. Very USA (American) service: upbeat, cheerful, friendly and at the same time courteous.
I concur with most here about AA international F service. On the few occasions I have tried it, service ranged from sufficient to dreadful (including eyerolling FAs).
I got excellent service once on a MIA-LAX flight in business. Very USA (American) service: upbeat, cheerful, friendly and at the same time courteous.
Jun 3, 2022, 7:55 pm
#120
Join Date: May 2004
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Posts: 3,209
Can you elaborate why you consider AY J superior to BA F? I'm quite critical of BA F for many reasons, but I really can't imagine in what parallel universe it would be deemed worse than AY J on any front (seat, footprint, food, drinks, lounges, amenities, service, etc). I'm not questioning your right to think so but would really like to understand why you feel that way
It is said that BA First is a very good business class product. I agree.
I concur with most here about AA international F service. On the few occasions I have tried it, service ranged from sufficient to dreadful (including eyerolling FAs).
I got excellent service once on a MIA-LAX flight in business. Very USA (American) service: upbeat, cheerful, friendly and at the same time courteous.
I concur with most here about AA international F service. On the few occasions I have tried it, service ranged from sufficient to dreadful (including eyerolling FAs).
I got excellent service once on a MIA-LAX flight in business. Very USA (American) service: upbeat, cheerful, friendly and at the same time courteous.
I haver never been a big fan of BA, either on the ground or in the air.
It’s my money now that I’m retired. And if it makes me feel better NOT subjecting myself to rapacious redemption “Fuel Surcharges “, totally work to rule ground staff, LHR, mostly indifferent flight crew, and more costly airfares on competitive routes, I will. And I do.
It makes me feel good NOT to be on BA (or AA)..
As I said-YMMV. Fly safely.
