BA vs AA in Y
Jun 24, 2019, 1:25 pm
#16
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: AMS
Programs: BAEC Silver, Flying Blue Gold, TK M&S Nobody
Posts: 2,481
You point stands, though - unless OP is returning before Saturday or need flexibility then Avios is a poor way to go.
Jun 24, 2019, 2:35 pm
#17
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Aberdeenshire
Programs: BA
Posts: 1,008
Thanks for all these replies, and some extra review and challenge - love FT 
. I was originally looking at LAS and that was about £1000 for the dates I was looking at, hence I thgiuyght about Avios...then we switched to LAX and I continued looking at Avios, forgetting that LAX is somewhat more competitive.
For the dates I'm looking at - Thurs 5th-Sun 8th Sept - ABZ-LHR-LAX-LHR-ABZ prices up at £635 if I maximise my time in LA (the mid-afternoon departure shaves £200 off the price but I'm maximising time with friends), so £300 more than the cheap return price as I cannot stay 7 days. And for anyone who thinks going all this way his crazy for a few days, there are three of us meeting from Aberdeen, Brisbane and Calgary respectively for a much needed catch up, so had to pick somewhere we could all reach with minimum fuss
Excellent points about there crew @:-) - had forgotten to factor that in
. That probably clinches it for BA, plus T5 to T5 makes the connection back to ABZ easier.
. I was originally looking at LAS and that was about £1000 for the dates I was looking at, hence I thgiuyght about Avios...then we switched to LAX and I continued looking at Avios, forgetting that LAX is somewhat more competitive.For the dates I'm looking at - Thurs 5th-Sun 8th Sept - ABZ-LHR-LAX-LHR-ABZ prices up at £635 if I maximise my time in LA (the mid-afternoon departure shaves £200 off the price but I'm maximising time with friends), so £300 more than the cheap return price as I cannot stay 7 days. And for anyone who thinks going all this way his crazy for a few days, there are three of us meeting from Aberdeen, Brisbane and Calgary respectively for a much needed catch up, so had to pick somewhere we could all reach with minimum fuss
Excellent points about there crew @:-) - had forgotten to factor that in
. That probably clinches it for BA, plus T5 to T5 makes the connection back to ABZ easier.Last edited by expatboy; Jun 24, 2019 at 2:49 pm
Jun 24, 2019, 2:37 pm
#18
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Flatland
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold 1MM, BA Gold, UA Peon
Posts: 6,111
The A380 is a greatly superior experience to any other aircraft in Economy - best seat, best cabin pressure, etc - so take BA. You can make up for any other deficiencies with items you bring on board - entertainment, food, pillows, etc.
Jun 24, 2019, 3:15 pm
#19
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: PHX, SEA
Programs: Avis President's Club, Global Entry, Hilton/Marriott Gold. No more DL/AA status.
Posts: 4,422
BA will also have EU-261 protection the whole way, something to keep in mind. And yeah, I second mikem's note about 10-across in AA's 777, that's about as miserable as 9-across in any 787 (including BA's).
Never. The cash price is all the fees and surcharges, plus the fare... The Avios are in lieu of the fare - the point with Y long haul is that the fare is often in the tens (or less) so paying ~20k Avios is generally terrible value assuming you have the option to do something else.
You point stands, though - unless OP is returning before Saturday or need flexibility then Avios is a poor way to go.
I didn't think "YQ" shows up on cash fares and those can be infamously significant on award tickets. The APD and all those legitimate taxes would, though.
Never. The cash price is all the fees and surcharges, plus the fare... The Avios are in lieu of the fare - the point with Y long haul is that the fare is often in the tens (or less) so paying ~20k Avios is generally terrible value assuming you have the option to do something else.
You point stands, though - unless OP is returning before Saturday or need flexibility then Avios is a poor way to go.
Jun 24, 2019, 3:20 pm
#20
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Boston, MA
Programs: AA EXP, B6 Mosaic, UA Plat, Bonvoy Plat, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 1,777
AA service is surly and unpleasant: cabin crew are there “primarily for your safety”. Note this thread I posted recently and specifically this post by someone else.
BA cabin crew are courteous, hard working, often come round with extra drinks, never complain if you go to the galley to ask for something specific, and are unfailingly polite.
BA cabin crew are courteous, hard working, often come round with extra drinks, never complain if you go to the galley to ask for something specific, and are unfailingly polite.
Jun 24, 2019, 3:38 pm
#21
Join Date: May 2005
Programs: BA Gold, AA PLT PRO, AGR, Strawberry (Nordic Choice), Marriott Bonvoy
Posts: 4,248
I disagree on these points. Both are extremely variable; I have had surly crews and great crews on both. This is over hundreds of flights covering several years; I would consider the two equivalent for in-flight service (more bad than good), with neither being consistent in any way.
Jun 24, 2019, 6:47 pm
#22
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: US/UK - and elsewhere
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 2,559
If it were me, it would be BA over AA - and certainly if you get a 'nice' aircraft. As others have noted, the AA crews let it down (even in PE) - first it is difficult to know who they are (!) and really are surly! In addition, I find the AA food poor - difficult to describe what they are aiming at, but not good quality (I've even had it when they have come around an hour or so later to say they had forgotten to give out the main...!).
Jun 24, 2019, 11:47 pm
#23
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: SAN
Programs: AS MVPG100K, UA Gold, IHG Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, National Exec
Posts: 320
I’ve taken both AA’s 777-300ER and BA’s A380 LAX-LHR-LAX in the past year, and BA wins hands down. To echo what others have said, the food is far better on BA (I found the food on AA nearly inedible) and their crews were far friendlier.
Jun 25, 2019, 12:41 am
#24
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Ipswich
Posts: 7,543
I fly AA TATL several times a year and for me the clincher (most other things being equal in my book) is that on daytime flights AA always dim the cabin lights for several hours encouraging people to sleep, while BA sometimes do.
I deal well with jetlag if I am able to stay in the zone of wherever I am at that moment. But darken the cabin and I will sleep, throwing me off for a day or so. If there's a decent chance I can spend the whole of a daytime flight in daylight I'd grab it - over food choices, drinks, IFE etc.
I deal well with jetlag if I am able to stay in the zone of wherever I am at that moment. But darken the cabin and I will sleep, throwing me off for a day or so. If there's a decent chance I can spend the whole of a daytime flight in daylight I'd grab it - over food choices, drinks, IFE etc.
Jun 25, 2019, 1:41 am
#25
Join Date: May 2005
Programs: BA Gold, AA PLT PRO, AGR, Strawberry (Nordic Choice), Marriott Bonvoy
Posts: 4,248
I fly AA TATL several times a year and for me the clincher (most other things being equal in my book) is that on daytime flights AA always dim the cabin lights for several hours encouraging people to sleep, while BA sometimes do.
I deal well with jetlag if I am able to stay in the zone of wherever I am at that moment. But darken the cabin and I will sleep, throwing me off for a day or so. If there's a decent chance I can spend the whole of a daytime flight in daylight I'd grab it - over food choices, drinks, IFE etc.
I deal well with jetlag if I am able to stay in the zone of wherever I am at that moment. But darken the cabin and I will sleep, throwing me off for a day or so. If there's a decent chance I can spend the whole of a daytime flight in daylight I'd grab it - over food choices, drinks, IFE etc.
they insisted the shades be lowered even though it was a day flight.
I've discussed that issue on FT in another thread, but my hunch now is that they do that to encourage passengers to sleep so they have to work less hard. I say that because I also often find AA transatlantic flight attendants chatting on their own in the galley, curtain closed, practically bristling when “disturbed” by a passenger for a request.
This all adds up to a feeling that on AA the priority is flight attendant convenience not serving passengers.
I've discussed that issue on FT in another thread, but my hunch now is that they do that to encourage passengers to sleep so they have to work less hard. I say that because I also often find AA transatlantic flight attendants chatting on their own in the galley, curtain closed, practically bristling when “disturbed” by a passenger for a request.
This all adds up to a feeling that on AA the priority is flight attendant convenience not serving passengers.
Jun 25, 2019, 1:51 am
#26
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: AMS
Programs: BAEC Silver, Flying Blue Gold, TK M&S Nobody
Posts: 2,481
Jun 25, 2019, 4:16 am
#27
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: BA - Blue > Bronze > Silver > Bronze > Blue
Posts: 6,812
Disagree — meals and drinks are infinitely better on BA. I just had an Asian Vegetarian meal on BA which rivaled a really decent restaurant Indian meal: a small chapati, Rice, lentil and spinach dal and a cauliflower and vegetable curry. It was pleasantly spicy and served with a delicious lime pickle and raita.
On a recent flight they even served FeverTree tonic water (which is better than Schweppes) with my G&T
Jun 25, 2019, 4:29 am
#28
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: London
Programs: BA Silver, ZSL Silver
Posts: 2,552
If you can get 80A/B/J/K (A/K if poss) on the A380 I think it would be ideal. Row 70 is similar, but the very back is an even smaller cabin. I did 80K back from HKG a couple of years ago and there was loads of room to put my carryon bag as a foot rest. I have a back problem so would hope to avoid LH Y again for a work trip, but otherwise it would have been fine. It was quiet, and I had a great crew, too.
Jun 25, 2019, 5:50 am
#29
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 2,339
I also like to add a few pennies from my side
My experience is about 25 flights from the UK to the US last year:
- I had on both AA and BA flights excellent crews, and awful ones
- e.g. my last flight with AA was the first time where I met the well-known 'AA dragon'
- I think the Premium Y seating of AA is superior to BA given the foot rest
- I also like the IFE of AA slightly more, I think the screens are better on most AA aircraft
- given that I am OWS I am blocked from selecting bulkheads at BA, but often got nice MCE seats at AA
- I never ran out of alcohol with either crews
- A380 is a good choice if you can sit upstairs, or pay for a Y seat upstairs in the back
- the FS lounge is IMHO the best one you can get at LAX, but I wouldn't depend on BA/ AA anyway
- I don't see any difference in food (ok, the BA ice cream run is good
- BA flights tend to be slightly more busy, but that's maybe just my idea
- Comp in case of irrops is a joke with AA (they only refunded me a part of my hotel and no food expenses for a 22hr delay)
So if we talk about Y, I would probably go with the A380, but otherwise based on timings/ schedule/ price. I think both provide roughly the same service so difficult to distinguish between them.
My experience is about 25 flights from the UK to the US last year:
- I had on both AA and BA flights excellent crews, and awful ones
- e.g. my last flight with AA was the first time where I met the well-known 'AA dragon'
- I think the Premium Y seating of AA is superior to BA given the foot rest
- I also like the IFE of AA slightly more, I think the screens are better on most AA aircraft
- given that I am OWS I am blocked from selecting bulkheads at BA, but often got nice MCE seats at AA
- I never ran out of alcohol with either crews
- A380 is a good choice if you can sit upstairs, or pay for a Y seat upstairs in the back
- the FS lounge is IMHO the best one you can get at LAX, but I wouldn't depend on BA/ AA anyway
- I don't see any difference in food (ok, the BA ice cream run is good
- BA flights tend to be slightly more busy, but that's maybe just my idea
- Comp in case of irrops is a joke with AA (they only refunded me a part of my hotel and no food expenses for a 22hr delay)
So if we talk about Y, I would probably go with the A380, but otherwise based on timings/ schedule/ price. I think both provide roughly the same service so difficult to distinguish between them.