Different Flight Comparison. MOW-LHR
Feb 22, 2018, 4:35 am
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Different Flight Comparison. MOW-LHR
Thought I would do a quick flight comparison for the board compared to the usual QR/BA, CX/BA, AA/BA etc.
Travelling back from Moscow to London for a quick work trip. Company booked me on SU (Aeroflot) due to timings so traveled from SVO-LHR-SVO rather than my well visited DME.
Normal BA travels include: Advanced seat selection, Priority check in, Security, Lounge Access, Boarding and good hand luggage allowance. Downfall on this route is very poor catering in Y. IFE on all flights (except if last minute substitution to a short haul aircraft) and more often than not, Theoretical seating has worked in my case. Flights have on the whole, had quite a few spare seats on the ones I have been on.
I have found that that there have been differences in the comfort of Y seats on the mid-haul A321 aircraft, if I recall MEDG having quite uncomfortable seats.
Have found DME quite soulless but check in, Security and lounge have had no issues with. Haven’t had the pleasure of Group Boarding yet, that’s still a few weeks away, but generally, priority boarding enforced and haven’t seen what happens after that.
I generally pick the overnight from LHR (after connecting from GLA) and the early morning return when going back to the UK. They are fairly short flights so timings etc, I can live with.
SU experience:
Not a member of any Sky Team airlines so I went in as a novice Y passenger sans priority check in, Security, advance seat selection, lounge access or priority boarding. Another difference being that I was flying from SVO, an airport throughout all of my extensive travels over the years that I have never been to until the other day. I’ll list the experience below.
OLCI - opened 24 hours prior but I only managed to complete it T-19. Flight operated on A330-300. Lots of seats already taken so went for the last window seat in Y in the very last row
Baggage - Allowance was 23kg but would have really liked to have tried to go HBO. Hand luggage allowance on SU is only 10kg and needed clothing for different climates and work purposes so had to take checked baggage.
Airport - SVO Terminal D. Y pax can join the one queue for baggage drop if checked in online or another if starting from scratch but it is only those two queues for all flights. Was advised by colleagues to ensure arriving in plenty of time because of this and on arrival found the check in area to be extremely busy.
Check in/Baggage drop - A good morning from me, passport and self printed BP handed over. No conversation until asked about hand luggage. Instructed to put my half full, medium sized backpack into the sizer then cabin approved tag placed on said backpack. Handed back BP & passport with nothing further said.
Passport control/Security- Usual Russian experience. Passport scanned many times, lots of grimacing looks at me and passport before the heavenly sound of the passport stamp ‘thunk’. Through to security and a bit of a time warp where you only had to put your bag in a tray. No laptops/iPads or liquids separated (that was bliss).
Went straight to the gate and read my book whilst waiting for boarding to be commenced.
Boarding - One call for those requiring assistance then basically a free for all. No call for business or upper tier passengers although there were separate lines.
On board- Window seat in last row. No legroom. Poor width. Not too many smiles or feelings of happiness dished out by the crew. Menus handed out with a generic choice (flights between 05:00-10:00hrs you can have this. flights after 10:00hrs you can have this). Drinks run after take off which were soft drinks, water and possibly wine. Once completed rubbish cleared away then a hot meal served on a tray with starter, main, bread roll, metal cutlery and aforementioned drinks with addition of tea or coffee. Food was quite tasty even if there wasn’t a great deal of it. Able to purchase WiFi access if you wanted. Not too many newer movies on the IFE and mostly Russian documentaries and other TV choices. Seat was extremely uncomfortable and could wait to get off the flight.
Return flight to SVO on an A321overnight flight with similar timings to the BA one. OLCI completed T-24 and selected a mid cabin aisle seat. Check in at LHR T4 was smooth. Boarding gate announced at T-1. Passengers started queuing at the desks as soon as priority boarding was announced but strict enforcement carried out. A few passengers pulled aside and made to measure their hand baggage which delayed the process.
On board, seats looked remarkably similar to the pics I’ve seen of Ryanair ones but was pleasantly surprised when I parked myself. Felt comfortable and adequate legroom. Not many smiles or much happiness displayed by the crew again. No IFE on the A321 so got my iPad out to read my book. Menus handed out with the same format as before, drinks run, rubbish collection, meal service, lights out. Water or juice offered just as descent into SVO started.
Arrivals procedures smooth and got home about 1hr 20 minutes after landing.
So on the whole, what do I think? Well BA, your catering may be crap on this route but this is one customer that won’t be defecting to the other side. You sure miss all of the perks you are used to when flying with the competition. SU have obviously improved over the years in a lot of aspects of their operations and can see why price conscious travellers would pick them but I’ll stick with BA (if I can).Safe & Happy TravelsS
Travelling back from Moscow to London for a quick work trip. Company booked me on SU (Aeroflot) due to timings so traveled from SVO-LHR-SVO rather than my well visited DME.
Normal BA travels include: Advanced seat selection, Priority check in, Security, Lounge Access, Boarding and good hand luggage allowance. Downfall on this route is very poor catering in Y. IFE on all flights (except if last minute substitution to a short haul aircraft) and more often than not, Theoretical seating has worked in my case. Flights have on the whole, had quite a few spare seats on the ones I have been on.
I have found that that there have been differences in the comfort of Y seats on the mid-haul A321 aircraft, if I recall MEDG having quite uncomfortable seats.
Have found DME quite soulless but check in, Security and lounge have had no issues with. Haven’t had the pleasure of Group Boarding yet, that’s still a few weeks away, but generally, priority boarding enforced and haven’t seen what happens after that.
I generally pick the overnight from LHR (after connecting from GLA) and the early morning return when going back to the UK. They are fairly short flights so timings etc, I can live with.
SU experience:
Not a member of any Sky Team airlines so I went in as a novice Y passenger sans priority check in, Security, advance seat selection, lounge access or priority boarding. Another difference being that I was flying from SVO, an airport throughout all of my extensive travels over the years that I have never been to until the other day. I’ll list the experience below.
OLCI - opened 24 hours prior but I only managed to complete it T-19. Flight operated on A330-300. Lots of seats already taken so went for the last window seat in Y in the very last row
Baggage - Allowance was 23kg but would have really liked to have tried to go HBO. Hand luggage allowance on SU is only 10kg and needed clothing for different climates and work purposes so had to take checked baggage.
Airport - SVO Terminal D. Y pax can join the one queue for baggage drop if checked in online or another if starting from scratch but it is only those two queues for all flights. Was advised by colleagues to ensure arriving in plenty of time because of this and on arrival found the check in area to be extremely busy.
Check in/Baggage drop - A good morning from me, passport and self printed BP handed over. No conversation until asked about hand luggage. Instructed to put my half full, medium sized backpack into the sizer then cabin approved tag placed on said backpack. Handed back BP & passport with nothing further said.
Passport control/Security- Usual Russian experience. Passport scanned many times, lots of grimacing looks at me and passport before the heavenly sound of the passport stamp ‘thunk’. Through to security and a bit of a time warp where you only had to put your bag in a tray. No laptops/iPads or liquids separated (that was bliss).
Went straight to the gate and read my book whilst waiting for boarding to be commenced.
Boarding - One call for those requiring assistance then basically a free for all. No call for business or upper tier passengers although there were separate lines.
On board- Window seat in last row. No legroom. Poor width. Not too many smiles or feelings of happiness dished out by the crew. Menus handed out with a generic choice (flights between 05:00-10:00hrs you can have this. flights after 10:00hrs you can have this). Drinks run after take off which were soft drinks, water and possibly wine. Once completed rubbish cleared away then a hot meal served on a tray with starter, main, bread roll, metal cutlery and aforementioned drinks with addition of tea or coffee. Food was quite tasty even if there wasn’t a great deal of it. Able to purchase WiFi access if you wanted. Not too many newer movies on the IFE and mostly Russian documentaries and other TV choices. Seat was extremely uncomfortable and could wait to get off the flight.
Return flight to SVO on an A321overnight flight with similar timings to the BA one. OLCI completed T-24 and selected a mid cabin aisle seat. Check in at LHR T4 was smooth. Boarding gate announced at T-1. Passengers started queuing at the desks as soon as priority boarding was announced but strict enforcement carried out. A few passengers pulled aside and made to measure their hand baggage which delayed the process.
On board, seats looked remarkably similar to the pics I’ve seen of Ryanair ones but was pleasantly surprised when I parked myself. Felt comfortable and adequate legroom. Not many smiles or much happiness displayed by the crew again. No IFE on the A321 so got my iPad out to read my book. Menus handed out with the same format as before, drinks run, rubbish collection, meal service, lights out. Water or juice offered just as descent into SVO started.
Arrivals procedures smooth and got home about 1hr 20 minutes after landing.
So on the whole, what do I think? Well BA, your catering may be crap on this route but this is one customer that won’t be defecting to the other side. You sure miss all of the perks you are used to when flying with the competition. SU have obviously improved over the years in a lot of aspects of their operations and can see why price conscious travellers would pick them but I’ll stick with BA (if I can).Safe & Happy TravelsS
