Turkish, Lufthansa or Avianca Business?
Oct 8, 2019, 12:02 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 32
Turkish, Lufthansa or Avianca Business?
What do you think?
We are going from Cancun to Stockholm. Have booked award in new Turkish 787 Business but got some cold feet after reading the bad reviews, especially about the chair.
How is Lufthansa C or Avianca C over the Atlantic compared to TK? Or some other creative proposal within Star A? Thanks 🙂
We are going from Cancun to Stockholm. Have booked award in new Turkish 787 Business but got some cold feet after reading the bad reviews, especially about the chair.
How is Lufthansa C or Avianca C over the Atlantic compared to TK? Or some other creative proposal within Star A? Thanks 🙂
Oct 8, 2019, 10:46 pm
#3
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: NRT / HND
Programs: AA EXP, NH Plat, Former UA 1K
Posts: 5,665
Though it would require using UA up to ORD (or EWR), I would also consider SK, they seem to be getting good reviews on the new biz seats. They have a direct ARN route from both ORD and EWR. As far as UA goes, their new seats are good as well, but you'll loose a bit in service with some crews. You'd need to go to LHR or FRA, etc. and change to an SK or LH flight from there.
Oct 10, 2019, 4:13 am
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denmark
Programs: TK Elite
Posts: 11,848
CUN to ARN via BOG (Avianca)? What a detour…not an option IMO.
You can't go wrong with TK (even with the new B789) and if you already booked the flights, I suggest you stick to it.
Although the direct SK flights to ARN are certainly nice and a good option, I would advice against transitting in the US - to complicated and time consuming.
You can't go wrong with TK (even with the new B789) and if you already booked the flights, I suggest you stick to it.
Although the direct SK flights to ARN are certainly nice and a good option, I would advice against transitting in the US - to complicated and time consuming.
Oct 10, 2019, 4:36 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 32
CUN to ARN via BOG (Avianca)? What a detour…not an option IMO.
You can't go wrong with TK (even with the new B789) and if you already booked the flights, I suggest you stick to it.
Although the direct SK flights to ARN are certainly nice and a good option, I would advice against transitting in the US - to complicated and time consuming.
You can't go wrong with TK (even with the new B789) and if you already booked the flights, I suggest you stick to it.
Although the direct SK flights to ARN are certainly nice and a good option, I would advice against transitting in the US - to complicated and time consuming.
Oct 10, 2019, 5:01 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denmark
Programs: TK Elite
Posts: 11,848
You do realise that often stop-overs are not allowed on award tickets? - e.g. with SAS Eurobonus stopovers are not allowed. For TK M&S and LH M&M 1 stopover is allowed for return tickets. Besides, South America may not be in the same award zone as Mexico (depends on your FFP) and then it becomes a much more expensive 3-region award.
Yes, Bogota is a very nice place to spend a few days (you will like the price levels compared to Sweden!) I was there/in CO for the first time in July - I want to go back!
Avianca: hard product is good on the B788 which are used for LHR, MUC, MAD (and BCN?) but the soft product/service is poor in my opinion (based on flying GRU-BOG-GRU in C in in July and domestic flights - it may be different for real longhaul flights).
I like the efficiency and often very good connections with LH. Hard product and soft product is decent/good, but nothing spectacular. Meals/food are much better on TK. You really can't go wrong with LH but watch out for taxes, surcharges, YQ that need to be paid for LH group flights when on award tickets.
Yes, Bogota is a very nice place to spend a few days (you will like the price levels compared to Sweden!) I was there/in CO for the first time in July - I want to go back!
Avianca: hard product is good on the B788 which are used for LHR, MUC, MAD (and BCN?) but the soft product/service is poor in my opinion (based on flying GRU-BOG-GRU in C in in July and domestic flights - it may be different for real longhaul flights).
I like the efficiency and often very good connections with LH. Hard product and soft product is decent/good, but nothing spectacular. Meals/food are much better on TK. You really can't go wrong with LH but watch out for taxes, surcharges, YQ that need to be paid for LH group flights when on award tickets.
Last edited by SK AAR; Oct 10, 2019 at 5:27 am
Oct 10, 2019, 8:51 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 32
You do realise that often stop-overs are not allowed on award tickets? - e.g. with SAS Eurobonus stopovers are not allowed. For TK M&S and LH M&M 1 stopover is allowed for return tickets. Besides, South America may not be in the same award zone as Mexico (depends on your FFP) and then it becomes a much more expensive 3-region award.
Yes, Bogota is a very nice place to spend a few days (you will like the price levels compared to Sweden!) I was there/in CO for the first time in July - I want to go back!
Avianca: hard product is good on the B788 which are used for LHR, MUC, MAD (and BCN?) but the soft product/service is poor in my opinion (based on flying GRU-BOG-GRU in C in in July and domestic flights - it may be different for real longhaul flights).
I like the efficiency and often very good connections with LH. Hard product and soft product is decent/good, but nothing spectacular. Meals/food are much better on TK. You really can't go wrong with LH but watch out for taxes, surcharges, YQ that need to be paid for LH group flights when on award tickets.
Yes, Bogota is a very nice place to spend a few days (you will like the price levels compared to Sweden!) I was there/in CO for the first time in July - I want to go back!
Avianca: hard product is good on the B788 which are used for LHR, MUC, MAD (and BCN?) but the soft product/service is poor in my opinion (based on flying GRU-BOG-GRU in C in in July and domestic flights - it may be different for real longhaul flights).
I like the efficiency and often very good connections with LH. Hard product and soft product is decent/good, but nothing spectacular. Meals/food are much better on TK. You really can't go wrong with LH but watch out for taxes, surcharges, YQ that need to be paid for LH group flights when on award tickets.
Are the taxes and fees more expensive on LH you mean than for TK? Many people dont like LH Business so I am a bit afraid. Right now Im choosing between Avianca and TK, you havent tried TK new business btw? The new chair is way more claustrofobic and narrow than the old one, reviews say.
So question for me is - Avianca or Turkish....
Oct 10, 2019, 9:41 am
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denmark
Programs: TK Elite
Posts: 11,848
If less than 24 hours it is not an stop-over; it is a connection.
Good luck in trying to convince an Eurobonus agent to allow you to criss-cross N A or S America to get from CUN to ARN. You will be allowed to transfer at MEX or a US gateway and in Europe if you can't get on a SK flight to ARN - and that is it. I doubt an agent will allow you to fly via BOG on AV if other more direct options are available - but by all means try it.
Yes, I believe the taxes and fuel charges are higher for LH flights.
Don't believe everything you read. Lufthansa is perfectly OK, in particular if you are afraid of narrow "coffin" like seats.
No, I have yet to try the new TK J seats, but I hardly can't imagine that I will not be pleased with TK (it is one of my favorite airlines; in particular in Y the service is way ahead of other carriers). I don't mind narrow seats (actually I prefer privacy than more open J seats).
Did you check availability? When searching for award tickets in business class it is often not a question of which airline you prefer, but which airline has seats available for redemption. If you believe that you be able to select from all * A carriers flying between CUN and ARN I'm afraid that you will be very disappointed when you actually try to book your award ticket - but I guess you will find out once you try to book. Most often it is a matter of taking the seats that is actually available in J, not which carrier to choose from.
Good luck in trying to convince an Eurobonus agent to allow you to criss-cross N A or S America to get from CUN to ARN. You will be allowed to transfer at MEX or a US gateway and in Europe if you can't get on a SK flight to ARN - and that is it. I doubt an agent will allow you to fly via BOG on AV if other more direct options are available - but by all means try it.
Yes, I believe the taxes and fuel charges are higher for LH flights.
Don't believe everything you read. Lufthansa is perfectly OK, in particular if you are afraid of narrow "coffin" like seats.
No, I have yet to try the new TK J seats, but I hardly can't imagine that I will not be pleased with TK (it is one of my favorite airlines; in particular in Y the service is way ahead of other carriers). I don't mind narrow seats (actually I prefer privacy than more open J seats).
Did you check availability? When searching for award tickets in business class it is often not a question of which airline you prefer, but which airline has seats available for redemption. If you believe that you be able to select from all * A carriers flying between CUN and ARN I'm afraid that you will be very disappointed when you actually try to book your award ticket - but I guess you will find out once you try to book. Most often it is a matter of taking the seats that is actually available in J, not which carrier to choose from.
Oct 10, 2019, 9:55 am
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 32
If less than 24 hours it is not an stop-over; it is a connection.
Good luck in trying to convince an Eurobonus agent to allow you to criss-cross N A or S America to get from CUN to ARN. You will be allowed to transfer at MEX or a US gateway and in Europe if you can't get on a SK flight to ARN - and that is it. I doubt an agent will allow you to fly via BOG on AV if other more direct options are available - but by all means try it.
Yes, I believe the taxes and fuel charges are higher for LH flights.
Don't believe everything you read. Lufthansa is perfectly OK, in particular if you are afraid of narrow "coffin" like seats.
No, I have yet to try the new TK J seats, but I hardly can't imagine that I will not be pleased with TK (it is one of my favorite airlines; in particular in Y the service is way ahead of other carriers). I don't mind narrow seats (actually I prefer privacy than more open J seats).
Did you check availability? When searching for award tickets in business class it is often not a question of which airline you prefer, but which airline has seats available for redemption. If you believe that you be able to select from all * A carriers flying between CUN and ARN I'm afraid that you will be very disappointed when you actually try to book your award ticket - but I guess you will find out once you try to book. Most often it is a matter of taking the seats that is actually available in J, not which carrier to choose from.
Good luck in trying to convince an Eurobonus agent to allow you to criss-cross N A or S America to get from CUN to ARN. You will be allowed to transfer at MEX or a US gateway and in Europe if you can't get on a SK flight to ARN - and that is it. I doubt an agent will allow you to fly via BOG on AV if other more direct options are available - but by all means try it.
Yes, I believe the taxes and fuel charges are higher for LH flights.
Don't believe everything you read. Lufthansa is perfectly OK, in particular if you are afraid of narrow "coffin" like seats.
No, I have yet to try the new TK J seats, but I hardly can't imagine that I will not be pleased with TK (it is one of my favorite airlines; in particular in Y the service is way ahead of other carriers). I don't mind narrow seats (actually I prefer privacy than more open J seats).
Did you check availability? When searching for award tickets in business class it is often not a question of which airline you prefer, but which airline has seats available for redemption. If you believe that you be able to select from all * A carriers flying between CUN and ARN I'm afraid that you will be very disappointed when you actually try to book your award ticket - but I guess you will find out once you try to book. Most often it is a matter of taking the seats that is actually available in J, not which carrier to choose from.
europe bog cun is valid routing, there are à lot of examples of that, as well as via north america. Thanks for your concern
Oct 11, 2019, 2:26 am
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 32
Otherwise there is always google Translatehttps://www.businessclass.se/forum/t...4r-2019.95404/