FlyerTalk Forums - A comparison of three front cabins

In the last 15 months or so, we've taken three transatlantics in F. Each trip was on a different airline, and each trip also included some Business class segments. I thought it might be useful to others to try and compare the different airlines and the experiences. Hopefully, because I'm not a habitual transatlantic junketer, the observations will have some relevance to others.

The Airlines

Sep. 2003 -- British Airways (BA)
Dec. 2003 -- US Airways (US)
Dec. 2004 -- Lufthansa (LH)

The Routes

BA -- YYZ-LHR-NQY NCE-LHR-YYZ
US -- PHL-LGW LGW-PHL
LH -- IAH-FRA-FCO FCO-FRA-SFO

The Aircraft

BA -- 747 both ways
US -- Airbus both ways
LH -- Airbus out, 747 back

The Lounges

BA

The BA lounge at YYZ is small (only one or two flights per day), but as a First Class passenger you are ushered into a closed-off area with a couple of tables and a booth. The window overlooks the tarmac, and the table setting and service are superb. Here you can eat a full meal before flight time, for those who want to sleep the whole way. The food is very good and served promptly. Everything is complementary and quite tasty.

At the other end, we landed at LHR but had to transfer to LGW. At LGW, we used the Terraces lounge. We got there by mistake, as we didn't know about the First lounge. No matter; general concensus is that the Terraces lounges are better anyhow. There are two Terraces lounges, one a floor above the other. We used the upper one, and it was a delight. Plenty of room, a good view, large cigar area, and a generous selction of snacks, light meals, soft drinks and juices, coffee, and beer and spirits. Several showers and an area with computers. Since I wasn't interested in computing at the time, I don't know what access they had (wired or wireless) or whether there is a charge. A very nice place to spend some time between flights.

On the return, we were flying out of LHR, so we were entitled to use to the Concorde lounge. This lounge is also super, and it appeared that the service and amenities were of an even higher caliber that the Terraces lounge. We were a little rushed for time, but what we saw was an absolutely smashing place to wait out a flight.

US

US has an Envoy lounge in PHL that is absolutely top-notch. It's located in Terminal A (the International terminal) and is a little hard to find. It's co-located with one of the USAir Clubs, so don't go to the wrong one.

Just a brief explanatory note: US used to have a First Class on their international flights, which were the first row (six seats) of its' Business class cabin (called Envoy class). They are separated from the other seats by a bulkhead. These seats are reseved for full-fare pax and Platinums (Chairman's Preferred).

Your Envoy boarding pass will give you access to this lounge. It's large, and has a very complete selection of food and drinks, including alcoholic ones. Comfy chairs and couches, a very quiet atmosphere, etc. If you've ever been to PHL, you know how important that can be!

Smoking is not allowed, though the Club next door has (had?) a smoking area.

If you're travelling overseas with US, this lounge is a must!

At LGW, there is an Arrivals (and Departures?) lounge -- as you exit customs, head straight for the elevator and down one floor. The Lounge is small and cozy, the staff very polite and helpful, and a nice selection of refreshments are available. There is even a shower or two for your use.

Freshen up and relax in the lounge, then return upstairs where the Gatwick Express counter is just a few steps away, as well as the Gatwick Village up the stairs and extending throughout the terminal. Gatwick is not the dump it used to be years ago!

LH

The LH lounge at IAH is one of several located in a stand-alone kiosk on the second floor of Terminal D. It's small and cozy, and is divided into two sections: on the right is the Business class section, and on the left it's for First Class and LH Gold. A very nice selection of munchies and sandwiches, along with soft drinks, juices, and coffee, and (it seemed to me) a fairly complete selection of beers, wines, and liquors. The lounge itself has three or four table/chair combos, and a sitting area with easy chairs, a couch, wide-screen TV, and plenty of reading material in English and German.

There is a small area with two computers, and the lounge is wired for high-speed internet access. I spoke with a gentleman who was obviously using wireless, and he laughed and said he was picking up the signal from the CO lounge nearby, so I guess it can be done. :)

At Frankfort, LH has just opened a brand new lounge, which is supposed to be the ne plus ultra in First Class lounges. Unfortunately, it's located in Terminal A, and we arrived in Terminal B. We wound up in another First lounge, but it wasn't nearly so large and plush as the new one. However, it was large enough and seemed to be pretty complete, so unless you absolutely have to be pampered to the nth degree, the "B" lounge will be quite agreeable.

There is no cigar area in the "B" lounge, unlike the brand new one. I found this a bit surprising, since it seems everyone smokes in Europe. However, there is a casino within about 50 feet, so that shouldn't be a problem if you're so inclined. A bit of a hassle to go back and forth through Security, though, since the lounge and the casino straddle that security area.

The Seats

BA

The First Class cabin on the BA 747 are located in the nose. There are 14 seats, arranged 1-1, 1-1, 1-1, 1-2-1, 1-2-1. We chose the center seats on the way over (night flight, nothing to see out the window), and window seats on the return. The seats are all forward-facing, and are nestled in a pod-like arrangement. The seat controls are a little complicated, but you quickly figure out how to work them. They will lie flat. A blanket is available, and when you spread it out over the seat it becomes a very comfortable bed. The whole pod is rounded at the ends, and the outer "case" is finished in nice English burled walnut at both ends. As you extend the seat, the place where you park your a$$ slides out, so it all moves and tilts until it's a bed. Very cozy

A privacy shield goes up and down if your seatmate is bothering you. The gooseneck lamp provides personal lighting, and the meal tray (more burled walnut) is stored in the closed side and slides out easily for eating. The seat pod also has a "buddy" seat at the foot, allowing conversation and eating as if you were in a restaurant at 35,000 feet. When extended flat they are very comfortable.

US

The First seats on the US Airbus are arranged 2-2-2 in an area forward of the Business (Envoy) Class cabin, and there is a bulkhead separating them. They are not as complicated as the BA seats, but turned out to be extremely comfortable. We were able to sleep on them, which is something we rarely are able to do. Also like the BA seats, the bottom slides forward as it extends, and the whole thing goes a full 180 degrees. Very nice.

As stated above, they are sold as Envoy class seats, and are held back for full fare pax and CPs. If you're not a CP, you can't reserve them in advance, but ask at the gate -- if they're not spoken for, you'll probably get upgraded. It's worth the chance.

LH

Our outbound leg was in an Airbus. LH arranges their First Class seating (in the nose) as 1-2-1 1-2-1. That's right, only 8 First Class seats. We got the 2 in the middle of the first row; again, since it was an overnight flight, not much to see out the windows. Since there were only 4 or 5 of us in F, it was easy to slide over to the window for a look at Frankfort as we approached.

The seats themselves are rather massive looking, sort of like living room chairs with very wide side arms and a rectangular space behind. The rectangular space is there because the seats just recline backwards; no sliding of the bottom, so the seat back has to have somewhere to go.

The rectangular area is closed off by what appears to be a couple of pieces of sheet metal. There is a storage drawer under the storage place, as well as drawers in the seats. Plenty of room to stow stuff if the overhead bin isn't big enough.

On the return leg, flew on a 747. For this equipment, LH puts its First Class section upstairs, which made me happy because I had never been on the upper deck before. I was a little disappointed that the stairs were a straight run; I was hoping for the old spiral staircase. ;)

The seats on the 747 are the same; there are 16 of them, arranged in four rows of 2-2. Between the second and third rows is a sort of exit row -- lots of foot room.

Frankly, I was a bit disappointed in the LH first seats. They just didn't seem as comfortable as those on BA or US. I think it was the fact that the seat bottom didn't slide out. It all seemed more massive than it needed to be; not an elegant design. Also, when folded flat, I could feel the seams, even with the blanket/duvet provided.

I'm not saying they're not comfortable -- it's just that the other seats seemed more so to me.

Amenities

BA

BA provides you with an amenities kit after you are led to your seat (along with a glass of champagne :) ). The kit bag is a zippered affair, with a sturdy cloth-like construction and a picture of an old flying boat. Inside the kit is the expected assortment of tooth paste and brush, various deodorants and colognes, a hairbrush, mouthwash, etc. All the chemicals are by Moulton-Brown. They also provide you with a set of pajamas (offered on the overnight leg, I asked for them on the daylight flight). The jimjams are a one size fits all, and they do. A greyish-beige in colour, with the BA First logo on them. Very comfortable. I slipped into mine immediately upon takeoff. You get a nice pair of socks and slippers, and an eyeshade, too. All very nice.

US

US does not provide an amenities kit. After all, it is just upgraded Business Class.

I put on my BA jammies for the flight -- got a few raised eyebrows from the FAs, but nobody really laughed out loud (except my wife) so what do I care?

LH

LH has at least three different styles of amenities kits. On the outbound (A340) leg, we were issued identical kits. These are a dark blue and made by Longchamps. On the return leg, the kits were identical as far as contents, but one was beige with a rainbow-striped side pocket and the other was a burnt orange with a double zipper arrangement. The contents were pretty much identical in all the kits, except the return kits were by L'Occitaine en Provence. All the standard stuff, including slippers and socks. The slippers were a wrap-around deal, and they kept slipping off. There was also a shoehorn -- a nice touch.

We were offered champagne, and a choice of pajamas or "sweater". I took the pj's, while my wife opted for the sweater. The jammies are big! The only size they had was XL, and I was really swimming in them! They are a dark blue, and have the Lufthansa First logo on them. They also seemed to be of a more sturdy material than the BA 'jams.

The "sweater" is actually a polo shirt, also dark blue. Strangely enough, it did not have the Lufthansa logo but instead the manufacturer's nameplate (Aigner). It's a well-made shirt.

In Flight Entertainment (IFE)

BA

The video monitor is always in an upright position; you can't hide it, but you can swing it out of the way. We were offered a choice of about two dozen movies, all in English, all pretty much current. The cartridge is slid into a recessed slot in the side of the seat; it's not obvious, and I had to ask where to put it. Getting it out was also a hassle, but we finally sorted it out.

In addition to the First Class choices, you can also watch the regular channels, which includes more movies, selection from Discovery and the History Channel, and various other entertainments. And, of course, the audio selections.

The headphones (complementary, of course) are detachable, and seemed a bit cheap for the class of service. They were serviceable, but a bit of external noise filtered through. Also, the frequency response was not "hi-fi"; I would sometimes have difficulty understanding the dialog. All in all, not bad, just not top grade.

US

I must confess my memory is a bit fuzzy here. I do recall the monitor could be hidden, and the movie selection was acceptable. Again, I'm not sure if we got cartridges or just made a menu selection; I think it was the latter. Anyhow, it was enjoyable and I recall that the selection was good and the sound quality was certainly no worse than on BA.

LH

On LH, the monitor folds up and can be slid into the seat, out of the way. The movie selection had films in both English and German (along with a number of other languages, depending on the movie). Some were in only one language. The player is inside the seat; pop open the arm rest and pull down the player. Both our cartridges had to be rewound. The control panel on the other armrest enabled you to select AUX, VIDEO, or AUDIO. You select AUX for the player. It all seemed a bit makeshift, but it all worked well.

Program (channel) selection was made on the keypad, and each selection had two positions; one for English and one for German. Watching a Scrooge McDuck cartoon in German is a hoot.

The headphones were by Sennheiser and (IMO) were of decidedly better quality than either BA or US.

Service

BA

BA service is very, very nice. World class. They knew our names, they seemed to always arrive at just the right moment whatever you wanted or needed, and whole atmosphere was one of elegant competence. Whatever you wanted, you just had to ask. At least two FAs on duty at all times; sometimes more. Very nice.

US

US's service was a good cut above pedestrian, just not as complete as BA's. No complaints. In fact, because they did not hover over you, I was able to sleep and relax quite pleasantly. Those who prefer constant pampering may be a bit put off, but I consider the service, overall, to be very good to excellent.

LH

Is it possible to have too much of a good thing? Maybe it was because we were in a lightly-loaded cabin, but it seemed to me that the FA's were trying a bit too hard to be accomodating. They just kept coming around with food, etc., and if I were in a poorer mood, it might have gotten on my nerves.

All in all, though, it's hard to fault them for trying. And it was very accomodating and of a decidedly first class (Teutonic-style) level. No serious complaints.

Food

BA

The BA food was, what can I say, superb. All the choices were explained, suggestions were made, drinks were provided, the menu was fairly extensive (if a bit effusive) and everything was done exactly as I would like it. Along with the service as described above, it was a most pleasant experience.

And, of course, the all-day English breakfast and coffee went down quite nicely after my nappies. :)

US

I do recall having one of the best pieces of beef in my life on the US flight. Even my wife commented on how delicious it was. Along with the various wines, spirits, etc. made available, it was all very enjoyable.

Breakfast was also a treat, and we arrived quite full and refreshed. No problems here; US has always had a bit of a reputation as providing excellent food and service on their transatlantics, and they lived up to it in fine style.

LH

Although the service was prompt and the food was well prepared, I was a bit put off by the selections. I wound up not eating part of the meal. A lot of things like lettuce and other greens, and not a lot of the main course. Almost nothing on the menu (except the delicious shrimp) was an item I would have ordered were I in a restaurant. Maybe it was because I was just a tad put off by the service issues mentioned above; but if you like what that offer, you'll find it well prepared and tasty. It was a selection issue, not a quality issue.

Breakfast was hot scrambled eggs and bacon. The bacon was a bit strange; each piece had what seemed to be a bit of bone in it. Not sure if this is a German/European thing or not. In any event, if you avoid eating that little bit the bacon was crisp, hot, and delicious.

And, of course, lots of breads, oceans of coffee, gallons of juice, etc. Brekkies was the best meal of the trip, IMO.

Bottom Line

I would rate the products as:

1. BA
2. Tie - US and LH

I would have no hesitation in flying F on LH again, but if price were a consideration, US would be my choice. I just think they provide more bang for the buck, especialy if you get row 1.

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Business Class

We flew Biz class (Club Europe) NCE-LHR on BA, FRA-FCO-FRA on LH, and, because I screwed up in checking in, LGW-PHL on US (i.e., we didn't get row 1 on the return leg.

BA

Club Europe (CE) was a treat. It's like domestic First Class used to be.

The a/c was a 767, and the seats were 2-2-2. The center section actually had three seats, but the middle one was sort of sawed-off, and a real person couldn't fit in it. They don't sell it anyhow.

The seats were quite comfortable for the flight's duration, and the meal and service was very good. I would have no hesitation about flying CE on BA intra-Europe, especially on a flight less than 3 or 4 hours.

US

Transatlantic Business Class is essentially the same as their First class, except the seat does not recline to a full 180 degrees; it stops at 160 degrees. Also, the IFE is slightly less complex.

Having said that, I found I could snooze just as well at 160 degrees as at 180, and the food and service are the same. So even though I felt a bit bummed because I didn't get row 1, it turns out the difference was not enough to make all that much difference. Still a very nice ride. Arriving at PHL however... :)

LH

The legs from FRA to FCO and back were on LH Business Class. The trip down was on a 737, and the other leg was on an A321. On both a/c, the business class seats seemed identical to the coach seats, and they were configured indentically, too. That is, 3-3. They just don't sell the middle seat. It's a compromise, and not a good one.

The meal service was strange. Both my wife and I agreed that there wasn't a single item on the tray on the outbound leg that we recognized. I think there was some liver thing on there, but I'm not sure. We wound up leaving most of it uneaten.

The return flight was a breakfast flight, and the food was decidedly better, though still not quite on a par with BA's English Breakfast! But, it was streets better than the flight down.

Overall

Admittedly, the comparisons aren't completely apples to apples, so take it for what it's worth:

1. BA - by a country mile (intra-Europe)
2. US - transatlantic only
3. LH - a poor third (intra-Europe)

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So that's my take. Feel free to lambaste me at your leisure, especially if I've stepped on your sacred cows. :