BA F vs LH F
Mar 5, 2013, 10:20 am
#16
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Berlin
Programs: LH/BA/DL
Posts: 832
I do like BA First and there is nothing wrong with it, it just plays in a different league. For the same price (or miles) go for LH. Choose the 747 through FRA, if possible.
Mar 5, 2013, 10:25 am
#17
Join Date: Jan 2007
Programs: BA Gold, Delta SM, Star Alliance Gold, Emirates Gold
Posts: 428
Mar 5, 2013, 10:29 am
#18
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: NYC
Programs: AS MVP Gold, BA Silver, AA Gold, Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 1,620
Mar 5, 2013, 10:47 am
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: MAN and LON
Programs: Mucci, BAEC LT Gold, HH Dia, MR LT Plat, IHG Diamond Amb, Amex Plat
Posts: 13,799
The New F product was clearly designed for the 777. It has been shoehorned into the 744 and it feels poky and claustrophobic. It is a MUCH better product on the 777. Old F was better on the 747 because it was designed for that aircraft almost 20 years ago now.
Mar 5, 2013, 11:31 am
#21
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Berlin
Programs: BA Gold; Accor Platinum; IHG Diamond-Amb.; Meli/HH/Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 5,488
+1. You'd be maximizing your wide-body time on the outbound trip, too. Connecting at FRA can be a pain, and under most other circumstances I try to avoid it, but it is usually a very pleasant experience if you're arriving on an international LH flight and continuing in LH F.
Mar 6, 2013, 11:17 am
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: EWR
Programs: UA 1k, AA EXP
Posts: 178
I understand that Cathay and LH F are probably better, but would BA first still wow me? That is what I'm curious about. I like flying new airlines and am usually excited by the silliest things in F. For example on LH F the a380 bathroom is really nice.
On ANA the food and drinks are incredible.
On the ground LH has a limo transfer.
Thai F check-in and the spa.
So the real question is does BA provide some wow factor... or is it just the funky windows they have for first class.
On ANA the food and drinks are incredible.
On the ground LH has a limo transfer.
Thai F check-in and the spa.
So the real question is does BA provide some wow factor... or is it just the funky windows they have for first class.
Mar 6, 2013, 11:30 am
#23
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Berlin
Programs: BA Gold; Accor Platinum; IHG Diamond-Amb.; Meli/HH/Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 5,488
That's impossible to know in advance, I'd say, because so much of it is down to the cabin crew. My best BA F flights have been very pleasant indeed, but it's never been because of the seat or the food or the lounge (and certainly not the lavatories). On a good day, you'll feel looked after in a way that most LH crews can't match. On a poor day, you'll wonder why you chose BA.
Mar 6, 2013, 11:47 am
#24
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: NYC and London
Programs: BA (LTG, GGL, CCR), LH (*G)
Posts: 334
I understand that Cathay and LH F are probably better, but would BA first still wow me? That is what I'm curious about. I like flying new airlines and am usually excited by the silliest things in F. For example on LH F the a380 bathroom is really nice.
On ANA the food and drinks are incredible.
On the ground LH has a limo transfer.
Thai F check-in and the spa.
So the real question is does BA provide some wow factor... or is it just the funky windows they have for first class.
On ANA the food and drinks are incredible.
On the ground LH has a limo transfer.
Thai F check-in and the spa.
So the real question is does BA provide some wow factor... or is it just the funky windows they have for first class.
I'm usually excited before flying LH/F, SQ/F, CX/F, QF/F on A380.
I'm afraid I'm never excited before flying BA/F. Some crews can be good, but the food is generally mediocre, the cabins are too hot, BA has no idea how to run overnight flights to maximize sleeping time, and the seat is both narrow to sleep on and not all that comfortable to sit on. I think of BA F as CW+ (CW being BA's biz product).
To provide context, I fly btw 175K and 275K actual miles a year. If connecting through Europe, LH at FRA is the obvious way to go.
NYLON Boy
Mar 6, 2013, 12:42 pm
#25
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: FLR
Programs: BA Gold, LH Sen, FB Gold
Posts: 504
Mar 6, 2013, 1:20 pm
#26
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: MUCCI
Posts: 1,932
BA F on the 777-300 is really nice - the seat was designed with the 777 n mind and there is just so much more space to put stuff. With even more floor space the A380 seat will be even better.
On the 747-400 it is so cramped - they should really have taken the seats down to 12 but some of the best routes can fill 14 seats in F in revenue so it had to be shoe-horned in.
The other thing I notice these days on the 747-400 is that the overhead locker space is so small compared to the 777's where there are decent size bins to chuck your hand luggage.
FD
On the 747-400 it is so cramped - they should really have taken the seats down to 12 but some of the best routes can fill 14 seats in F in revenue so it had to be shoe-horned in.
The other thing I notice these days on the 747-400 is that the overhead locker space is so small compared to the 777's where there are decent size bins to chuck your hand luggage.
FD
Mar 7, 2013, 4:13 am
#28
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: ORD
Programs: BA, AA, SQ, UA, AC, WS, MR TIT
Posts: 8,672
Mar 7, 2013, 10:52 am
#29
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: WA
Programs: AS , AA, Hilton, Hyatt, Kimpton, Hertz
Posts: 310
Hard to lose either way - enjoy your choice.
Mar 7, 2013, 9:59 pm
#30
Join Date: Oct 2009
Programs: BA Executive Club, AC Aroplan, Accor ALL
Posts: 475
I'm sorry, but there's no point dodging this. BA F food is terrible. Interestingly, I finally approached the matter in a very, very friendly way on a recent longhaul flight, and the crew actually told me to never order the beef on BA. Apparently, it is fully cooked (i.e. well done) TWICE. They said it's loaded fully cooked and they're obliged to fully recook it. This is not to mention the general mediocrity of the menus. On this particular flight, they even went on to say that none of the crew wished to eat ANY of the F meals themselves. 'Food for thought'... 