The Best Service in the Sky
Mar 10, 1999 | 1:47 pm
#16
Commander Catcop
Join Date: May 1998
Posts: 10,259
I thought Spotted *&^* was a beer?
Something like a Bishops Finger (which was very good... although nothing yet can compare to Sam Adams!)
Remember: a preferred airline is a matter of taste. Personally, I would give B-A the edge (not because Merry is my friend... just I only flew Singapore once years ago and my memory is fading!)
Like those of us who like COCA COLA and the true and wiser Cola Conseisseur who knows that PEPSI is TOPS!
------------------
CATMAN
Something like a Bishops Finger (which was very good... although nothing yet can compare to Sam Adams!)
Remember: a preferred airline is a matter of taste. Personally, I would give B-A the edge (not because Merry is my friend... just I only flew Singapore once years ago and my memory is fading!)
Like those of us who like COCA COLA and the true and wiser Cola Conseisseur who knows that PEPSI is TOPS!
------------------
CATMAN
Mar 10, 1999 | 2:59 pm
#17
Join Date: Jan 1999
Posts: 3,065
Rudi: I'm affaid it would have to be the university of life.
But may I suggest you invest in "A dictionary of slang - an alphabetical history of colloquial, unorthodox, underground and vulgar English" by J.S. Farmer & W.E. Henley, published by Worsdsworth (ISBN: 1-85326-904-2). A bargain. Two volumes of fun and merriment for all the family and a bible for the scholar of the English language.
As a teaser I looked up a suitably apt entry, viz:
Swiss Admiral (naval) A pretender to naval rank. Fr. amiral suisse = a navel officer soley employed on shore, or who has never been to sea.
You won't find that in Collin's or the Oxford!
Nick
PS: Catman, whatever you do don't ever go into a pub and ask for "a pint of spotted dick"!! But thank-you, I haven't laughed so much for years. Simone and I are both in tears of laughter.
But may I suggest you invest in "A dictionary of slang - an alphabetical history of colloquial, unorthodox, underground and vulgar English" by J.S. Farmer & W.E. Henley, published by Worsdsworth (ISBN: 1-85326-904-2). A bargain. Two volumes of fun and merriment for all the family and a bible for the scholar of the English language.
As a teaser I looked up a suitably apt entry, viz:
Swiss Admiral (naval) A pretender to naval rank. Fr. amiral suisse = a navel officer soley employed on shore, or who has never been to sea.
You won't find that in Collin's or the Oxford!
Nick
PS: Catman, whatever you do don't ever go into a pub and ask for "a pint of spotted dick"!! But thank-you, I haven't laughed so much for years. Simone and I are both in tears of laughter.
Mar 10, 1999 | 3:08 pm
#18
Commander Catcop
Join Date: May 1998
Posts: 10,259
I am glad that I can be the comic relief of Flyertalk!
OMNI: You see I have not had ANY alcohol until I was 23 and it's only in the past few years that I have had more than half a glass of wine.
SO alcohol is a new area for me. Maybe I'm safer to stick with PEPSI instead of Spotted anything!
------------------
CATMAN
OMNI: You see I have not had ANY alcohol until I was 23 and it's only in the past few years that I have had more than half a glass of wine.
SO alcohol is a new area for me. Maybe I'm safer to stick with PEPSI instead of Spotted anything!
------------------
CATMAN
Mar 10, 1999 | 3:26 pm
#20
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Pasadena, CA. USA
Posts: 1,438
I was overcame by curiousity and had to dro what I was doing to find these terms!
Pork scratchings is what I thought it was - one bar game describes the person who can find the hairest one in the bad gets his/her drinks paid for, for the night.
Now knowing what spotted dick is, I can see why asking for a "pint of spotted dick" at a bar would be quite amusing, even if one's not in England!
Pork scratchings is what I thought it was - one bar game describes the person who can find the hairest one in the bad gets his/her drinks paid for, for the night.
Now knowing what spotted dick is, I can see why asking for a "pint of spotted dick" at a bar would be quite amusing, even if one's not in England!
Mar 10, 1999 | 7:25 pm
#21
Original Poster
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Hong Kong soon to be London
Posts: 208
One of the many valuable legacies the British left our colony is a taste for spotted dick.
Merry:
I posted the comparison only because I had flown the two business classes back to back. You are, of course, correct that there can be no objective conclusion about something as subjective as the "best" airline any more than there can be an objective conclusion about the "best" composer in the piano repertoire (Liszt, by the way). De gustibus non disputante as I always say.
In answer to your question, no, I have not heard about new BA First seats. I cannot imagine how they could be much nicer than the existing version. And that delightful mood lighting...
HKF
Merry:
I posted the comparison only because I had flown the two business classes back to back. You are, of course, correct that there can be no objective conclusion about something as subjective as the "best" airline any more than there can be an objective conclusion about the "best" composer in the piano repertoire (Liszt, by the way). De gustibus non disputante as I always say.
In answer to your question, no, I have not heard about new BA First seats. I cannot imagine how they could be much nicer than the existing version. And that delightful mood lighting...
HKF
Mar 12, 1999 | 5:06 pm
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,337
Have any of you tried the new Lufthansa 1st class? Their seats are much larger than BA's, but not quite as much privacy and no partner seats. But if you just want to sleep for 8 hours, Lufthansa seems the best to me for now.
Mar 26, 1999 | 7:45 pm
#23
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: Half the World & More and then some.
Programs: BA, SQ, AA, QF, CX, VS
Posts: 1,202
Okay, time to get my two cents worth in here.
Service without class references is very vague, so I thought I'd compilea list of the top three of which I've had the pleasure of flying in the past year.
SERVICE : Economy
1. Cathay Pacific
2. Singapore Airlines
3. Swissair
SERVICE : Business
1. Ansett Australia International
(No one can beat AN for their food - not even first class below)
2. Cathay Pacific
3. Singapore Airlines
SERVICE : First
1. Cathay Pacific
2. Singapore Airlines
3. British Airways
=====================
SEATS : Economy
1. Ansett International (35" pitch all seats)
2. Swissair (34" all seats)
3. Thai (34" all seats)
SEATS : Business
1. Air Canada 57"
2. Ansett International 55"
3. Cathay Pacific 50"
(But CX reserves bulkhead seats for their Marco Polo members. 1st row upper bulkhead - you can stick you feel on the side lockers and you get a full bed (your feet may slide off though!) )
SEATS : FIRST
1. British Airways
2. Singapore Airlines (new ones)
3. Lufthansa (old ones)
3a Swissair (the old old ones - way back in 1986. They used to tilt all the way back. Miss 'em!)
Of course we can all go on and on...maybe we can continue somewhere else on flight experiences....?
Service without class references is very vague, so I thought I'd compilea list of the top three of which I've had the pleasure of flying in the past year.
SERVICE : Economy
1. Cathay Pacific
2. Singapore Airlines
3. Swissair
SERVICE : Business
1. Ansett Australia International
(No one can beat AN for their food - not even first class below)
2. Cathay Pacific
3. Singapore Airlines
SERVICE : First
1. Cathay Pacific
2. Singapore Airlines
3. British Airways
=====================
SEATS : Economy
1. Ansett International (35" pitch all seats)
2. Swissair (34" all seats)
3. Thai (34" all seats)
SEATS : Business
1. Air Canada 57"
2. Ansett International 55"
3. Cathay Pacific 50"
(But CX reserves bulkhead seats for their Marco Polo members. 1st row upper bulkhead - you can stick you feel on the side lockers and you get a full bed (your feet may slide off though!) )
SEATS : FIRST
1. British Airways
2. Singapore Airlines (new ones)
3. Lufthansa (old ones)
3a Swissair (the old old ones - way back in 1986. They used to tilt all the way back. Miss 'em!)
Of course we can all go on and on...maybe we can continue somewhere else on flight experiences....?
Mar 27, 1999 | 10:24 am
#24
Original Poster
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Hong Kong soon to be London
Posts: 208
Cathay is my flag carrier so they deserve my unquestioning loyalty. However, in good conscience, I have to say I cannot agree with your assertion that Cathay rivals Singapore Airlines or British Airways (or even Thai) for economy, business or first class service.
Cathay service is better than any domestic US airline service, but so is a sharp stick in the eye.
HKF
Cathay service is better than any domestic US airline service, but so is a sharp stick in the eye.
HKF
Mar 28, 1999 | 8:23 am
#27
Join Date: Jan 1999
Posts: 3,065
HKF: It was a novel experience to see the words "domestic US airline" and "service" in the same sentence. 
Of course I will not comment on Celestar's attraction to Cathay, as they are both members of OneWorld and majority owned by the British Swire Group
Nick
[This message has been edited by Merry (edited 03-28-99).]
Of course I will not comment on Celestar's attraction to Cathay, as they are both members of OneWorld and majority owned by the British Swire Group
Nick
[This message has been edited by Merry (edited 03-28-99).]