drakborg

I am looking to redeem my SAS Eurobonus miles on *A return flight from Stockholm to Sydney, Melbourne or Cairns. The trip is for me and my mother. It is important that we have business class seats that become fully reclined beds. We would enjoy a high quality lounge to use during stops. Because of my mother's bad back we are very happy to have more than one leg, in order to ensure the very best conditions on-board and at the airports in question. We have no route preference..

(1) Which *A airlines have the best business class seats? (And which should be avoided).

(2) Which *A airline has the best lounges on our route?

(3).We want to be seated next to each other. Are there any particular aircraft and seats that provide greater comfort and ease of conversation?

Many thanks for your help!

Susanne

vroom

The answers to the questionsandare very different.

Jimgotkp

Good luck finding an itinerary from ARN-Australia on one leg

The best business class product from ARN-Australia would be Singapore but you will not find any award availability if you're not redeeming Krisflyer (Singapore's FF program) miles.

The best business class product that you could find space is Thai to BKK then SYD but they don't have full-flat C products except on their 77W. I believe Thai only flies the 744 to SYD from BKK which means it's not a full-flat bed so you would have to hope for a 77W from the EU to BKK. If Swiss has space from ZRH-BKK then I would do that instead of Thai Business the whole way..

Too bad NZ doesn't open up C space on their LHR-HKG-AKL route that often...

trooper

Ur.. that's probably cos they don't fly to SIN... (It's through HKG...)

Second the idea to try for LX ZRH-BKK... from BKK-SYD... not so sure...

Sudden thought... I recently flew PEK-SYD on CA's new C product (seemed identical to TK's new product to me!) .. Totally flat, very comfortable.. Soft product was'nt great but the seat was!

Don't know what the options are ARN-PEK....

ACflyerDE

NZ actually flies from LHR via HKG, not SIN, to AKL.

Jimgotkp

Oops my bad. Been reading too many OW material that I was probably thinking of QF

SKRan

Best option would be SQ's 77W/388 C to SYD. 1-2-1, big space, decent food and service. Reward - poor.

Second choice is TG's 77W FRA-BKK, lot of spaces!
CA's 332 has a flat business class bed - it's OK hardware wise. Avoid 744 from FRA. easy to find.

OZ - fly on a wednesday from LON and use their Smartium class - great.

NZ's 772 is ok, a bit narrow. LX's 343 is flat but also a bit narrow. good food. NZ releases nearly 0 seat for reward tho.

LH - avoid avoid avoid. you will be slipping down to the floor all the times.

Try TK but make sure it's the flat version on 77W.

thomwithanh

Unless you're on a 747-8I with the "new" C (fully flat suites, 1-2-1 configuration, and direct aisle access.) I think the 748 is only flying between FRA and IAD for the time being though, until more come into the fleet over the next few years.

Jimgotkp

Business Class on the 748i is actually 2-2-2 then 2-2 on the upper cabin so no direct aisle access. Personally, I would avoid LH in general unless you redeem extra miles and go First.

ACflyerDE

Fully agree.

SKRan

Fully agree, but if you're paying F, why not go for TG for via BKK on 777-300ER. it's a proper suite with doors. LH F is open space, and you might get an old seat on 744. LX F is fantastic but older generation of seats.

Jimgotkp

If I were paying F I would go with SQ or QF....

ACflyerDE

But QF only on their A380.

Jimgotkp

Obviously from LHR-SIN-SYD..

tmeyer

If you are willing to play TGs aircraft lottery and get a 744 out of CPH or ARN you end up in nice F seats - even their old F seats sold as C are a pretty good product (on 747 all series).
From BKK it's usually TGs angled lie flat - not my favourite seat, but given the mix I would still go for that route.