Oneworld Business Class
Apr 5, 2012 | 2:57 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: London, UK & Irvine, CA
Programs: BA Gold, SPG Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 138
Oneworld Business Class
I'm looking into either getting a DONE4 or something similar (AA's RTW, Circle Pacific, etc.) and one question I keep having is which airline to pick for various segments... e.g which airline has the better business class product. For some routes I think it's clear (take CX over BA on LHR-HKG) but others I'm not sure of. While I'm aware that it can depend on the route, what is the general ranking of business class products in the oneworld alliance?
Apr 7, 2012 | 12:26 am
#2
Original Member, Ambassador: OneWorld Alliance
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Austin, TX, USA
Programs: AA ExecPlat & 3MM; Marriott Titanium
Posts: 1,015
I'm looking into either getting a DONE4 or something similar (AA's RTW, Circle Pacific, etc.) and one question I keep having is which airline to pick for various segments... e.g which airline has the better business class product. For some routes I think it's clear (take CX over BA on LHR-HKG) but others I'm not sure of. While I'm aware that it can depend on the route, what is the general ranking of business class products in the oneworld alliance?
Apr 7, 2012 | 6:59 am
#4
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: QF Gold LTG (ow Saph), HHon Silver, Marriot Gold
Posts: 3,007
I think it also depends on aircraft type.
eg. for J
QF SkybedII (A380 and revamped 747) equivalent with the newnew CX J but QF imho wins on food wine.
But the oldnewCX J is better than the QF SkybedI (sloping) which is also better than the CX Regional J
eg. for J
QF SkybedII (A380 and revamped 747) equivalent with the newnew CX J but QF imho wins on food wine.
But the oldnewCX J is better than the QF SkybedI (sloping) which is also better than the CX Regional J
Apr 10, 2012 | 5:08 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: SYD BXG
Programs: QF WP/LTG | UA P
Posts: 13,664
Old CX J herringbone shaped coffins are quite good in flat out sleep mode (in fact, very good), but cramped and horrid in day mode sitting. Oh, and if you like to look out the window with these seats, make sure your head can rotate 120 degrees comfortably 
Apr 10, 2012 | 5:20 am
#6
Join Date: Jul 2007
Programs: QFF
Posts: 5,304
It very much depends on the aircraft and just what you compare each seat to. It isn't really fair to compare the AY or BA European offering to the JL or QF long haul offering.
It might be better to have two rankings. One for Long Haul (eg, QF 388, 744, 332, CX 77W, BA 744, 777, AA 777, 763 etc) and one for Domestic/Regional.
It might be better to have two rankings. One for Long Haul (eg, QF 388, 744, 332, CX 77W, BA 744, 777, AA 777, 763 etc) and one for Domestic/Regional.
Apr 10, 2012 | 3:49 pm
#7
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: Rio de Janeiro, BRAZIL
Programs: AA 4MM EXP; Starwood Lifetime Plt
Posts: 2,498
I always try to avoid BA because: 1) the seats are uncomfortable and the food is lousy (just opinions, of course); 2) the tax on J and F flights out of the UK; the fuel surcharge added on BA segments, in addition to the price of the ticket itself. I always favor AY, LA, IB, CX, RJ for long-haul business class. When I have to choose between BA and AA, I take AA because of the fuel surcharge, the food, and the crazy lay out of seats backwards and forwards on BA. Nonetheless, AA seats are less comfortable for sleeping and BA has better wines. For short-haul it really doesn't make too much difference, but I find BA more cramped than the others.
Apr 15, 2012 | 7:55 am
#8
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: usually somewhere between 30000 and 40000 feet...but actually the English countryside
Programs: BA GGL/Lifetime Gold, EK Gold, Lowly M&M, Marriott tit, Hhonors Diamond, numerous others
Posts: 1,156
Got to disagree on this point, the herring bone coffin is dreadful especially if you are more than 6' and bigger (wider) than average. The tapered end of the seat where the feet go is especially awful. Luckily the AVOD is quite good negating the need to look out of the windows much!
Apr 16, 2012 | 4:35 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Melbourne
Programs: ►QFWP/LTG►VA WP►HyattDisc.►HiltonGold►ALL Plat.
Posts: 22,326
Got to disagree on this point, the herring bone coffin is dreadful especially if you are more than 6' and bigger (wider) than average. The tapered end of the seat where the feet go is especially awful. Luckily the AVOD is quite good negating the need to look out of the windows much!
Apr 17, 2012 | 6:14 pm
#10
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Miami 7-Million Miler EXP
Posts: 829
Opinions Vary
I see how much depends upon your build, height, etc. I like the CX herringbone seats very much. But I'm 5'10" 170# & fit. Although I like some things about the overall BA seat, it is NOT truly flat -- the head is at a slight angle. And for someone like me who at times sleeps like a turtle (face down), it is almost impossible to lay flat face down in the BA seat -- but not the AA J seat.
Apr 18, 2012 | 12:56 am
#11
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: HKG
Posts: 1,397
Apr 28, 2012 | 8:03 pm
#12
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)
Posts: 9,122
I'm looking into either getting a DONE4 or something similar (AA's RTW, Circle Pacific, etc.) and one question I keep having is which airline to pick for various segments... e.g which airline has the better business class product. For some routes I think it's clear (take CX over BA on LHR-HKG) but others I'm not sure of. While I'm aware that it can depend on the route, what is the general ranking of business class products in the oneworld alliance?
I wouldn't put QF above BA! QF has side-by-side J seats (including 2-3-2 on some aircraft) and wedgie seats on some aircraft.