frankvb

I also read the same thing on either the website or in the inflight magazine. It is an absolute shame as the amount of seats in J will actually decrease due to the middle seat blocking. I can't understand why they won't keep convertible seats up to say row 12 or 14 (on the A321), and after that space-saver seats.

Dave Noble

I'm travelling AY LHR-HEL-MAN tomorrow and was wondering where does AY have its checkin desks? Does it share with BA in Zone R for business or is their checkin located in the main complex?

Dave

gms

Yes, you can check in at Zone R for Finnair flights. I think BA still have some dedicated desks for Finnair flights in the main terminal for Y/non-status passengers.

virtualtroy

the catering strike didn't inform my decision... merely choice... but have to second everything stated by FlyerBeek. AY on this route is what short haul should be about:

- A good choice of food
- Attentive service
- Hassle free

I've flown this route on about 6 r/trips and while there have been good experiences with BA crews on about half of these, the combination of inconsistencies with the latter (why should I feel apologetic if crew are having a bad day unless the circumstances are overwhelming?) and poor inflight food / drink on BA have made me switch in favour of the AY op service, wherever possible, yet stick with the BA flight number, for obvious reasons.

G-BOAC

I will add my gibbering to this. I flew LHR-HEL on Sunday on the BA794 and HEL-LHR today on the BA6035 (AY835), 1C both ways.

On the 794 I got a 'slap and run service with flashes of inspiration' in a J cabin back to row 7 which was about half full. Hot towels on the ground then 3 crew tending to us in J. The meal service began right away and one of the crew followed up serving drinks from the galley individually. This left me deeply scared and confused, so terrified of what to make of this unusual service I considered a plea for compensation On the one hand, it was warm and attentive with nice little touches like a napkin wrapped around the Monopole bottle. On the other hand, it's a 2:30+ flight and far from rushed - I like a relaxing drinks run first before the meal Such a dilemma Anyway, the food choice was beef salad or chicken curry (I opted for the latter) and they were served with Lily O'Brien chocs (a la CW) and a cheese plate, with a jumbled bread basket after the tray was plonked. Plenty of top-ups offered after the meal and a Purser who was a nice laugh with a good bit of banter (e.g. telling me I may like to get out more when I asked about my CIV and explained what it was to her, then thereafter referring to me as 'Mr. 37' [yes, it's gone down again one after a few quiet weeks, pop pickers! Even so I was the Most Valuable Person On The Flight Aren't I Special(TM) apparently] ). Catering was good by BA standards, but not exactly wonderful that's for sure. Bog Invaders were left to, err, ablute (it’s a word, I just decided) unchallenged

Today's AY835 (J back to behind row 6 and full) saw a newspaper run on the ground then hot towel run right away after the seatbelt light went out. This was swiftly followed by a drinks run (with Joseph Perrier not Monopole) before the meal - with printed menus - which was excellent (though as usual, no different choices apart from pre-ordered special meals). Today we got 'Salmon Archipelago style with dill and mustard sauce' (superb), Beef Stroganoff with creamy mash and a great chocolate + orange dessert. Whilst not exactly a cheese plate, they still give you cheese as well. The main portion was substantial - AY seem to have upped their catering of late ^ This was interspersed with multiple bread runs (from a basket containing extensive bread types), followed by coffee/tea and liqueurs on a tray (with multiple passes through the cabin thereafter too), including Port (try getting that in CE ever these days ). And more champagne. And more. I think I've yet to leave an AY flight sober to be honest Plus you can throw in working IFE and live take-off/landing cameras. The sanctity of the hallowed J crapper was maintained properly. The downside today? Welcome to stand 144, busses and no less than 3 attempts to drive the stairs to the plane Oh, wait, that's BA's fault not AY’s anyway*

I had a huff with AY over their crappy new seats and went back to CE instead on this route. Now they block the middle, however, you get more room and with the AY service it's a no-brainer again IMHO provided I can get 1C or 1D (or even 1A/1F as a backup). Lovely jubbly. (As an aside, I say the equivalent comparison rationale applies to Y if you can get an exit row aisle or window, and regardless the soft product is much better than BA’s).

BA have an inferior product and more basic service standards - what is the norm on AY I’d consider excellent from a CE crew in terms of service delivery. What is amazing - and as usual a testament to the wonderful cabin crew BA employ in the main - is that I can leave the equivalent CE flight happy and relaxed and impressed...it's not down to the product vs. the AY flight I could have been on, that's for sure, but rather what the crew make of what they’re lumbered with.

Oh, and I can't believe Smirnoff hasn't said it...the leather gloves on AY! Today one of my crew looked like a much more attractive Kirsten Dunst. When she put those gloves on I figured I'd at the very least move to Rovaniemi in winter with my wishlist for Santa, let alone fly AY forever

In short: CE to HEL is one of the better routes for it, but AY has won my vote back ^ And that’s even considering (a) flying BA metal would boost my embarrassing CIV, and (b) flying BA metal would earn us OB points and as the account administrator and primary traveller in our office, I’d be the one likely to benefit most from those anyway.

What a load or rambling. Thank God for word processors and spell check. Bed is long overdue.

* to be fair, this 'only' turned a nice early arrival in to a 'just late' arrival There were 3 busses there when the steps finally connected - at the front - and they dropped us off right near passport control ^ Thanks to Iris (and a sprint - i.e. no thanks to the utter retards incapable of using it and thus causing a queue - seriously, if I can use it with glasses on and p!ssed, how f'ing STUPID must you be to bugger it up MULTIPLE times in a row? ) I caught the 21:03 HEX. Happy Bunny here.

mosburger

I guess it has to do with the many oneclass flights AY is now offering to European leisure destinations for Asian tourist groups. More sardines stuffed into the same tin equals higher revenue when the whole plane is sold as economy to say, Cracow or Florence.

The 319's will be converted, e.g downgraded last, so a little bit of respite there before uniform misery sets in.

gms

Without wanting to take this thread too far away from its original direction ... as someone who has to endure Y travel on this route on a regular basis, I have to express a different opinion regarding the AY experience in Y. Although BA's sandwich service is not the most exciting meal option I actually eat these, whereas I now nearly always refuse AY's hot meal option. BA's sandwiches actually have some taste, whereas with AY's hot meal you are never quite sure what you are eating, particularly with their chicken dishes in some bland sauce! The only good bit on AY's meal tray is the chocolate.

Also on AY you have to pay for spirits! When travelling on a £500 Y ticket(due to company travel policy) that's ridiculous. Given that their Y wine is pretty foul, I end up resorting to a nice can of Lapin Kulta (that's Finnish lager for anyone not familiar!).

So when I have the choice I go with BA on this route.

G-BOAC

I disagree on the food front - the hot meal AY give you on that flight is an important part of the service IMHO and not bad at all (it's all relative, it's no J meal that's for sure) - but this is a good point for people to be aware of. However, I find AY compensate for this by doing so many cabin runs for the free wine/beer that I don't care by the end of the flight This compares to BA's single drinks run on nearly all my ET trips (on any route). That said, it is awful they charge for spirits IMHO. I'd die if I couldn't get a G&T on my ET flights

simongr

Hmm - thanks for shared infomaiton guys . On my way to the UK in July I am traveling SYD-HKG-FRA-HEL-LHR (yes I know I could have flown SYD-HKG-LHR). The reason is part experiemntal and party stretching mileage earned.

I have never flown on AY or been to that part of the world - so a trip to the airport will be interesting. Reading through some comments regarding seats I am now quite concerned. I am quite relieved about teh service and food - so that great. However being 6' 2" I am now extremely concerned about leg room

I am on AY822 and then shortly after AY8333 - I dont know what seats as yet - I cant check that info anywhere at the moment - I will call and see tomorrow....

Slightly nervous now

Smirnoff

If you have the dates, it can easily be checked which plane is operating and which seats are free.

Can you not see the seat map on checkmytrip.com for example?

If you have long dangley legs, then seat 1D of 1F on the newly confured gives loads of legroom.

simongr

CHeckmytrip no longer shows seat allocation. I can check the config on expertflyer. per my itinerary the second flight is an A321 and teh first flight is an Airbus Special Jet...

In the below O (avail) X (booked) - (no seat)

AY822

ABCDEF
1 O-OOOO
2 O-XXOO
3 O-XXOO

AY833

ABCDEF
1 O-OOOO
2 X-OXOO
3 O-OXXO
4 O-OOOO
5 O-OOOO

Looks like a call tomorrow

frankvb

Looks like the old convertible seats - otherwise the E seat would have been '-' as well. Note that the equipment sometimes changes (from 'old' to 'space-saver' or the other way around) a few days before the flight.

Smirnoff

Yes it does. Press the +View Details button after the flights.
Then click on the flight, and there's the seat map.

Assuming it's 2-3 seating, then it's the old convertible seats. So, any seat on the AC side is good.

But watch out for a change in equipment to the charter-style 320.

simongr

Thanks for that - its been foxing me for a while

2C and 2D look allocated so I will call today to see if I can change to 1C each flight.

Cheers

S

globalste

seconded