HighlandPark

I'm planning a trip to the US that will probably involve flying back from Dallas. I'll be flying economy, and will have a choice between BA and AA flights on the return leg (outbound I'm pretty sure I'll fly BA). Normally I would choose BA both ways because I'm used to them, and with a gold card I'm pretty much guaranteed an exit row. But I'm considering AA for the return flight, as it's quite a bit cheaper and the flight times are more convenient.

My only previous experience of AA has been in domestic first class, which was fine. But is it a mistake to choose them over BA for a long haul flight in economy? I assume that (as with BA) I'll have a good chance of getting an exit row seat, and I'm not bothered about the lack of free alcoholic drinks. I realise that with AA I'll be on a 777 instead of a 747, but that's another thing I reckon I can live with. I'm more interested in comfort, reliability and so on.

Grateful for any views.

HighLife

I have always been treated wonderfully as a Oneworld Emerald in economy on US internal flights on AA... free drinks and snacks brought to me and engaged in conversation to the surprise of those around me but I have never ventured AA Y longhaul as a status flyer.

My last AA Y longhaul was LHR-MIA ten years ago and it has to rank as one of the worst flight memories of my life.

Friends recently flew AA Y from FCO-JFK and said never, ever, ever again.

That's something I never say after flying Y with BA as they pretty much always meet my expectations... so if it isn't that much more expensive I would always choose BA in Y.

EK029

Given the stark choices you face here I would opt for neither and elect to row across the pond instead.

dera

I would choose AA, just because you haven't tried it yet.

AA/BA can both be either 100% hit or 100% miss.

DFWsakp

+1

DaMadCroat

As HighLife mentioned, AA are very proactive about extending courtesy to other oneworld card holders.

With regards to the original question, the AA 777 is fine and I think you'll find they're no better or worse than the BA version. All of AA's current 777s are 2-5-2 down the back, which I prefer but others don't. I believe the new ones will be 3-3-3 just like BA's. I've found the food on AA Y to be more consistent (consistently just about edible) than on BA, which is either quite good or absolutely inedible IMHO.

I did AA RDU-LHR once on the 767 in Y and that is something I would not like to repeat. Entertainment was overhead monitors rather than PTV, and they stayed on the entire flight, casting a constant glow over the cabin. My mistake that day was not packing an eye mask (since I normally don't need one after the cabin lights have been dimmed). So much for getting a little bit of shut-eye.

If you're still on the fence, I think there is much to be said for "quite a bit cheaper and the times are more convenient".

MNManInKen

I have to say that I find 2-5-2 pretty grim for the ones in the middle segment. There is probably a good reason why the new layout will be 3-3-3

Hotelsforlife

I'm not sure why you would ever chose American over BA. In my opinion, they are one of the worst major airlines in the world.

DVT

There are now free alcoholic drinks (wine/beer is free), but no AVOD, you have to "wait for next showing", which is weird and not as good as BA.

Boarding at T3 is a farce compared to T5 (under capacity and overly cautious about security, there are several stages to dropping your bags and long queues). T5 has always been a queue behind max 1 person at bag drop, T3 was more like a 45 minute wait.

On-board is better if you get one of the 2's in the 2-5-2 config, especially if you are with someone, but otherwise the same uncomfortable cramped economy rubbish.

Seating is hard to get at last minute, since everyone can book a seat for free from the time they get their ticket, unless you pay (or use your gold card, I think?) to get into the "preferred seating" part of the main cabin, which is the first 10 rows or so.

DaMadCroat

Very valid point.

Preferred seating is open to all oneworld emerald and sapphires (not sure about ruby).

DaMadCroat

As a tall person, I like to get up and stretch my legs on long-haul flights in Y. I also like to lean on the fuselage to try and sleep. In a 2-5-2 configuration, the window are bearable because at most I'd only have to get past one person to get to the aisle. In a 3-3-3 configuration I'd potentially have to climb over two sleeping passengers. Of course the "middle-middle" in the block of 5 definitely got the worst in terms of value proposition. That said, I don't think anybody else in the cabin is worse off in the 2-5-2, and two people per row are better off.

To break it down a bit more mathematically...

...in each row of the 2-5-2 configuration:
*4 people have direct aisle access
*4 people have to climb over 1 person to get aisle access
*1 person has to climb over 2 people.

...in each row of the 3-3-3 configuration:
*4 people have direct aisle access
*3 people have to climb over 1 person to get aisle access
*2 people have to climb over 2 people to get aisle access (but of course these have the benefit of the window, which the middle-middle wouldn't).

I guess at the end of the day, as DVT said, it's all the

bernardd

I hate to be the harbinger of bad news but the majority of seats in their new 773's will be 3-4-3, and the 772's will eventually be converted to the same configuration. They will, however, have a few rows of extra legroom 3-3-3 between normal coach and business that will be sold and/or will be available to top tier card holders.

Keep your fingers crossed BA doesn't try the same once they discover AA's passengers will put up with it!

So having eliminated both BA and AA, the choice of TATL carriers is getting smaller every year.

trueblu

I find the Y seats on AA marginally more comfortable than BA. However, your chances of getting an exit row are smaller than on BA for reasons already mentioned. You can check the seatmap before booking however (although exit row will not show as available on that regardless, I believe). IFE is definitely much worse on AA than BA. Food looks worse than BA, but is sometimes tastier. Ground handling and 'elite recognition' is much, much better on AA.

I think some AA Y seats have power, whereas none of the BA ones do. In the end, schedule would trump it for me, along with price if the difference is not trivial.

tb

Happy

Should be available to Ruby as well because as AA LT GLD I can always select the preferred seat at booking.

Blueboys999

That sums it up for me. A TATL in Y isn't going to be luxury travel whatever name is painted on the outside.

You could always amuse yourself on the flight spotting the insignificant differences between the 2 of them.