The UA business class seats are much better than KLM business class seats.

I've flown IAD-LHR in GF and SFO-LHR in BF in the last month, and I found both offerings more than acceptable. The GF experience was quite good, and the BF "hard" product (seats, etc) was just fine. The BF service ranged from good to just average. The ground accommodations ranged from excellent (the GF Arrivals Lunge at LHR) to average (the BF UC in International at SFO) to mediocre (the UC at IAD). I find United's service to be substantially superior to BA in a similar class of service.

Domestically, UA F is another matter.

If these are the herringbone seats in Biz on BA, then I respectfully disagree. I hated those seats, and find the UA BF seats to be much superior. It's a matter of opinion, of course. I have not flown Delta Intl on these "new" seats, however.

BA's business class (Club World) is in a totally different configuration that is neither a herringbone or reverse herringbone layout.

BusinessFirst INTL hard product is pretty decent IMO. Domestic UA is another story and depending on a person's usual destination if not a hub and mean a lot of RJ flying. INTL UA I give them an A. Domestic I give UA a B- and if non-hub UA gets a C.

IMO where UA falls flat is the IT/website chronic issues. It's one thing to have glitches an patches behind the scenes but when the interface bugs are readily apparent to users they have issues. I give UA a solid D for their website and IT. If they fixed the IT I'd hardly ever have to call in to the UA number but instead have to always fix something that is really a software/IT issue.

Now the last area, front line employees. The union really should work to get fresh blood into the INTL cabins. Many of the FA have hostility just under the skin at the slightest complaint or issue of passenger has. Post 9/11 the FAs have not only a union to hide behind but they can veil power trips behind the "safety" curtain when everyone else knows it's malarky. Obviously not all FAs are like this but for UA I give the INTL cabins a C- because of fairly poor attitudes and treatment of passengers including myself.

?? No matter how bad the crew, and most are fine, there will be water.

Not all will always be making the rounds ;)

And they drop off a big bottle at the end of dinner service, or one can take the short walk to the galley...

That's what the flight attendant call button is for.

True. If it's an sCo crew, you may never see them again after the meal service.

+1 UA has lie-flat seats in BF which are far superior to the AF and KLM products. Personally I find the service to be excellent but then again I don't expect the FAs to kiss my *** or provide a foot massage. The food is edible but nothing special. However I do appreciate the fast service which permits more time to sleep. ^

It's not SQ but then the price is about 50% less.

UA BF seats are also superior to the Virgin Atlantic Upper Class seat, both the new and old configurations. I'm trying BA Club World (using up BA FF miles) in a couple weeks and will report.

The UA seniority systems tends to put the older (and occasionally crabby) FA's in BF and GF on the more popular routes (to London, Paris, Honolulu etc), but even that has been better lately especially, for some reason, with the male FA's out of SFO who are excellent.

Didn't think of that but in general, I do find the male FA's far less uptight and less likely to go into a power trip.

Mrs. B really enjoyed BA CW - I think the food is consistently a bit better though the FAs are a bit stiff (more typically British, I think, rather than stale like some of UAs). I do like the floor level storage drawer which is handy for things like phones, glasses, etc. when you are ready to sleep but don't want to put overhead. The major minus with BA is arrival at LHR T5 which can be hit or miss at HM customs (never had to wait at LHR T1 where UA docks though its a bit of a hike departing).

It is total luck of the draw and I don't find any correlation to either gender. Wish I could say that about age but I haven't had any <50 to compare. :D

I've been on the long haul business class of AF, LH, and SQ, and UA is no better or worse than those.

Every business class product is in the race to the bottom in the soft product because airlines are in an arms race when it comes to the seat itself. All aisle access is the new thing. You can ensure aisle access without someone climbing over you by booking a UA 767, 787, or a premerger CO 777.

TATL? Yes, but hopefully about 37,000ft below you.