Peppep

When searching for opinions about the best F class, I just found a thread for business class: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onewo......-seats.html.

So - how would you rank the (intl) F classes within oneworld, considering hard product, soft product, lounges, ground service, consistency etc. Regarding ground service, is anyone even close to LH/AF/TG?

Unterwegs

My personal ranking

1. Cathay. Great seat (only 3 across on the 777, very wide, 3 people could have dinner in one seat, 2 on the seat and one on the footrest). Lounges in HKG are very good. Food is good to ok, service is very good most of the time

2. JAL. Good seat, great service, food good if you like japanese, western choices only average. Lounge in NRT a bit disappointing compared to the flagship lounges of other airlines

3. British: Small seats (14 in the nose of a 747 where 8 to 9 is today's standard), more like a glorified business class, service often with an attitude. Lounge in LHR disappointing (concorde room) and not up to standards of other real F lounges

4. American (no experience with the new F yet). Service usually a miss, seats small (4 across but diagonally, pitch is only about 3 windows where 4 is standard now). No privacy, not enough protection from people walking in the aisle when you try to sleep. Food is business class food. Lounges are substandard.

No experience with the QF in the last few years.

Compared to other airlines:
LH in general has better ground services in MUC and FRA than any oneworld airline, but unfortunately they never drive you to the FCL/FCT in FRA, only from and only when you pick the correct lounge. In MUC they drive you only when your flight does not dock on a finger. The lounges itself are superior to even what Cathay offers. Great food.
TG has the massage and the buggy or escort top/from the FCL, but only when you fly with them. Food is disappointing.
AF drives you from/to the plane in CDG, their lounge also is extremely good.


I would take CX any time, JL also, but would avoid AA and take BA only when there is no better alternative.
This is my personal ranking, others will have differing opinions.

jozdemir

I flew QF A388 F SYD-DXB the other week and was genuinely impressed. Top notch food, service and obviously lounge in SYD.

I tried out QF, QR, BA and EK F all in the one trip, QF was the standout for me out of those as an overall product. Obviously I know EK isn't part of OW but I wanted to put it up there for comparison.

I always enjoy BA F but compared to QF, the 744 seats are showing their age slightly however the service and afternoon tea was absolutely impeccable.

QR F was on an A346 and somewhat disappointing, but their Krug onboard and hot tub in the DOH F lounge made up for that a little. Oh and the BMW chauffeur out to the plane too.

echino

I am in the middle of A* trip which includes LH F and TG F, and I love it, especially caviar. Is there a complete list of oneworld airlines which serve caviar in international F? I know CX does, who else?

Steve M

I'll take an air-conditioned terminal and jetway over a BMW drive across the tarmac any day, thank you very much.

lazard

Cathay hands down best F in OW.

jozdemir

Haha I'm with you there! The premium terminal is air conditioned though, but I agree on the jetway point

fotographer

I have done AA, BA and CX in first over the last year.
CX (747) 10 out of 10
AA (777) 7 out of 10
BA (777) 7 out of 10

CX, had the best service/atmosphere/food well it probably helped that there were only 3 of us in F

AA, the 777 is showing its wear, the IEF is pretty weak, FA are happy to be there, the food, well...... its a matter of taste, but the kit bag is nice

BA, its ... ok.. about the same as AA, but the kit bag leaves a lot to be desired,

dutchyankee

In my opinion, as follows, best to worst:

Cathay
Qatar (soon to only be on their A380)
JAL
BA (Service not seat, seat second to last)
Qantas
Malaysia
LAN
AA

skunker

AA loses to an airline that doesn't have F?

lazard

you have CX F...and then there's everyone else.

flatlander

I would put QF (A380) at either 1.5 or 2.5 on your list. Very nice seat, service good or very good, food good, my favourite Champagne (Taittinger Comtes de Champagne). The Sydney F lounge is very fine. Overall not quite as good as Cathay and certainly significantly better than BA or AA.

Otherwise I agree with your ranking.

In my personal view the best OW F is CX 1A or 1K on the 747. It's almost extinct

Blumie

Feel free to put your hands down, but I prefer QF over CX in F. It really is a matter of personal style, though; I find CX too obsequious for my taste, and instead prefer the more chummy QF style.

PresRDC

QF is my personal favorite, assuming we're talking the QF A380.

CX is a close second.

In terms of meal service, the best I've experienced on Oneworld was LAN First Class, circa early 2000s. Truly an exceptional meal service, but the seats were average, even for the time.

oneworld82

1. CX
2. QR
3. JL/QF
4. MH
5. BA
6. AA

The distance between CX F and BA F is not significant IMHO.