BA first, QR biz or SQ biz
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 61
BA first, QR biz or SQ biz
Hi guys, I am trying to book a flight from JNB to JFK. I narrowed down to 3 airlines, BA first class, Qatar business class or Singapore Airlines business class. How would you pick based on the experience you had, especially BA first vs QR biz. I enjoy flying, so long flight time on SQ is not a problem for me.
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: SE1, London
Posts: 23,683
Would all come down to flight timings. On the JFK-JNB you are likely to have a long long stopover in LHR. I’d be keen to avoid that and keep moving.
BA F will largely offer the most space and catering comparable to SQ and QR J.
BA F will largely offer the most space and catering comparable to SQ and QR J.
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,795
I’d “de-narrow” and fly ua j nonstop to ewr.
#7
Join Date: Oct 2014
Programs: BA GGL, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond
Posts: 843
#8
Join Date: Oct 2014
Programs: BA GGL, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond
Posts: 843
And yes BA F for me. Either way you’re going be spending quite a bit of your time horizontal and both QR and SQ J are narrower and your feet end up in a cubby hole. With BA F it’s a proper open suite with none of that cubby hole nonsense.
I sometimes do miss old CW after these short TATLs…
I sometimes do miss old CW after these short TATLs…
Last edited by Foofighter69; Oct 28, 2023 at 4:40 am
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G, LTG), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 22,028
I'd look at duration first. The route via Singapore is about 50% longer than via Heathrow, and still about 4000 miles longer than via Doha. I could see the avgeek interest in the SIN JFK flight, but I'd not be partial to that much of a detour.
Doha and London as stop over are about 1000 miles different, so connection time gets to be thing that probably gets important. Connection experience would also count for me, and connecting in Heathrow is certainly not amongst my favourites.
Price is also a factor.
So in short I'd rule out SQ pretty quickly, and then need far more details to choose between BA and QR. But service and experience wise, QR does come in with a head start in the race.
Doha and London as stop over are about 1000 miles different, so connection time gets to be thing that probably gets important. Connection experience would also count for me, and connecting in Heathrow is certainly not amongst my favourites.
Price is also a factor.
So in short I'd rule out SQ pretty quickly, and then need far more details to choose between BA and QR. But service and experience wise, QR does come in with a head start in the race.
#11
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: SYD, GOT
Programs: BA GGL; SK EBG; QF LTG; Hilton Diamond, A-Club Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 2,845
Recently the weights have shifted back to BA F. 8 seat cabin, improved service, improved food. If you were not looking for avios etc and just on experience if BA F was similar miles/money, Avios etc I wuld take that and enjoy it
#12
Join Date: Jun 2023
Location: UK, South Korea, Singapore
Programs: BAEC GGL, KrisFlyer Gold, Delta Platinum, Marriott Ambassador, Blah ~ Blah.. something more
Posts: 166
If the price is similar, Singapore is not worth considering.
I like the q suite, but I don't think it's worth the same level as the first-class If there's no difference in price, I recommend the first class
I like the q suite, but I don't think it's worth the same level as the first-class If there's no difference in price, I recommend the first class
#13
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: SYD
Programs: QF P1, BA GGL, AS GMVP
Posts: 516
From a service perspective, I would take QR. I recently flew LHR-JFK in F on BA and thought it was subpar. Whilst food quality on BA seems a bit better, crew has much to be desired compared to QR. However, with BA, you'll get access Chelsea and CCR so that could be worth something to you.
SQ is definitely out of the question given how much more time is required.
SQ is definitely out of the question given how much more time is required.
#14
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: near Heathrow
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL (OWE), SA LifePlat (*G), BD Gold to the end, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,957
BA daylight flight from JFK, couple of hours in the Concorde Room at Heathrow, overnight flight to Jo’burg. No brainier for me.
#15
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: London (mostly) & Wernstein am Inn
Programs: BAEC Gold, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 2,444