Best TATL *A Business Class Choice [ARCHIVE]
Dec 14, 2015, 10:30 am
#76
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: None - previously UA
Posts: 4,863
Dec 14, 2015, 10:31 am
#77
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA 1K since 1998 & 3 Million Miler & ex-GS; DL Diamond 2015-2022; BAEC Silver; Bonvoy LT Titanium
Posts: 1,018
I would take LH for the good seat, service and the fact that they will get you to your destination. With UA all of those points are a gamble.
I believe LH's business class lie-flat seat installation is fully complete.
I believe LH's business class lie-flat seat installation is fully complete.
Dec 14, 2015, 10:39 am
#78
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: ANP
Programs: UA 1k, Marriott Plat, HH gold, Avis/Hertz Pres
Posts: 1,408
Dec 14, 2015, 11:36 am
#79
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: DEN
Programs: UA 1P-1MM, Marriott LT Titanium
Posts: 3,930
As tealeaf99 and enviroian noted, the retrofit is complete and LH is all lie-flats
See this thread in the LH forum for more info.
The 744 has been updated to remove F and is now J on the upper deck.
To enviroian's question, I would do PHX-DEN-FRA using the extra miles to be on LH. The 2 hour connection is a bit tight, but not terrible in DEN. Yes, there is a chance of weather, but the LH flight is an out/back from FRA, so it tends to go, even if it's late. You can always try to get an earlier PHX-DEN flight if it looks like weather is coming.
See this thread in the LH forum for more info.
The 744 has been updated to remove F and is now J on the upper deck.
To enviroian's question, I would do PHX-DEN-FRA using the extra miles to be on LH. The 2 hour connection is a bit tight, but not terrible in DEN. Yes, there is a chance of weather, but the LH flight is an out/back from FRA, so it tends to go, even if it's late. You can always try to get an earlier PHX-DEN flight if it looks like weather is coming.
Last edited by tods27; Dec 14, 2015 at 11:43 am
Dec 14, 2015, 3:48 pm
#80
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: between SFO & SJC
Programs: UA 1MM (and no longer flying much)
Posts: 777
I'd fly UA via IAH. The soft product is worse but I like the UA hard product better than LH J (even with the new flatbed seats).
Also, LH is very prone to going on strike.
To me the strongest argument in favor of LH would be the 2 hour layover instead of 4 hours.
Also, LH is very prone to going on strike.
To me the strongest argument in favor of LH would be the 2 hour layover instead of 4 hours.
Dec 14, 2015, 5:12 pm
#81
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: HKG • Ex SFO, NYC
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP; Marriott Amb; Hyatt Globalist; Shangri-la Diamond; IHG SpireAmb; Hilton D; Accor G
Posts: 3,319
If you're headed to LHR why not find a way to do this with one stop only instead of two? UA flies to LHR from most their major hubs (e.g. IAH / IAD / SFO / LAX / ORD / EWR)
I've flown UA J LHR - SFO and it was plenty comfortable.
I've flown UA J LHR - SFO and it was plenty comfortable.
Dec 14, 2015, 5:47 pm
#82
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 30,004
Zero saver award availability in business from any of these hubs on my dep date of 12/22.
Trust me I tried, no dice.
ETA: a phx-iah-lhr flight popped up in saver J. However the later phx-iah flight only allows 45 minutes to connect (no way am I trusting UA) and the next earlier flight still puts me at iah for over 4 hours.
There is a 380 iah-fra saver J in LH on the 388 available. If you had a choice to fly that or the 744 what would you choose? I assume both J products are the same on the 744 and 388?
Trust me I tried, no dice.
ETA: a phx-iah-lhr flight popped up in saver J. However the later phx-iah flight only allows 45 minutes to connect (no way am I trusting UA) and the next earlier flight still puts me at iah for over 4 hours.
There is a 380 iah-fra saver J in LH on the 388 available. If you had a choice to fly that or the 744 what would you choose? I assume both J products are the same on the 744 and 388?
Last edited by enviroian; Dec 14, 2015 at 6:21 pm
Dec 14, 2015, 7:27 pm
#83
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: IAH
Programs: Marriott Plat, Hyatt Globalist, DL Plat, UA Silver
Posts: 4,043
Zero saver award availability in business from any of these hubs on my dep date of 12/22.
Trust me I tried, no dice.
ETA: a phx-iah-lhr flight popped up in saver J. However the later phx-iah flight only allows 45 minutes to connect (no way am I trusting UA) and the next earlier flight still puts me at iah for over 4 hours.
There is a 380 iah-fra saver J in LH on the 388 available. If you had a choice to fly that or the 744 what would you choose? I assume both J products are the same on the 744 and 388?
Trust me I tried, no dice.
ETA: a phx-iah-lhr flight popped up in saver J. However the later phx-iah flight only allows 45 minutes to connect (no way am I trusting UA) and the next earlier flight still puts me at iah for over 4 hours.
There is a 380 iah-fra saver J in LH on the 388 available. If you had a choice to fly that or the 744 what would you choose? I assume both J products are the same on the 744 and 388?
She could have gone PHX-IAH-MUC
Dec 14, 2015, 7:42 pm
#84
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: between SFO & SJC
Programs: UA 1MM (and no longer flying much)
Posts: 777
ETA: a phx-iah-lhr flight popped up in saver J. However the later phx-iah flight only allows 45 minutes to connect (no way am I trusting UA) and the next earlier flight still puts me at iah for over 4 hours.
There is a 380 iah-fra saver J in LH on the 388 available. If you had a choice to fly that or the 744 what would you choose? I assume both J products are the same on the 744 and 388?
1. I'd do the earlier phx-iah-lhr with the 4 hour layover. I really hate extra stops on long haul flights.
2. I'd choose LH744 upper deck over the A380. To me the A380 upper deck is quite unappealing...it's big & full of people (and potential noise from them). The only reason to fly it is if you want an A380 just to have flown that plane.
The one downside of the LH744 upper deck, in comparison, is that their overhead bins are tiny and can't accommodate typical rollaboards (and unlike the UA 744 upper deck they don't have a closet to store them). I may be mistaking it for their 748i upper deck, though.
Dec 14, 2015, 7:45 pm
#85
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 30,004
Two thoughts.
1. I'd do the earlier phx-iah-lhr with the 4 hour layover. I really hate extra stops on long haul flights.
2. I'd choose LH744 upper deck over the A380. To me the A380 upper deck is quite unappealing...it's big & full of people (and potential noise from them). The only reason to fly it is if you want an A380 just to have flown that plane.
The one downside of the LH744 upper deck, in comparison, is that their overhead bins are tiny and can't accommodate typical rollaboards (and unlike the UA 744 upper deck they don't have a closet to store them). I may be mistaking it for their 748i upper deck, though.
1. I'd do the earlier phx-iah-lhr with the 4 hour layover. I really hate extra stops on long haul flights.
2. I'd choose LH744 upper deck over the A380. To me the A380 upper deck is quite unappealing...it's big & full of people (and potential noise from them). The only reason to fly it is if you want an A380 just to have flown that plane.
The one downside of the LH744 upper deck, in comparison, is that their overhead bins are tiny and can't accommodate typical rollaboards (and unlike the UA 744 upper deck they don't have a closet to store them). I may be mistaking it for their 748i upper deck, though.
1. I don't mind the extra layover. I would rather hang out at FRA at the lounge where I can shower and relax than get into LHR early in the morning and face jet lag sitting at my mom's house at noon rather than 5 PM. Of course YMMV.
2. Point noted. I have never flown the 380 and what comes to mind is a boat load of people on the upper deck. The upper deck on the 744 was quite quiet.
3. I'm checking in my rollerboard and only have a backpack so n/a to the bin.
4. Is the hard product on the 388 the same as the 744?]
ETA: all those choices have vanished from two hours ago
Last edited by enviroian; Dec 14, 2015 at 7:52 pm
Jan 13, 2016, 10:25 pm
#86
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Bay Area
Programs: DL SM, UA MP.
Posts: 12,729
UA BF, LX Business or LH Business
Looking at a business fare.
The outbound TATL is EWR-ATH on a 767, UA124, which Seatguru lists as having 2-2-2 in BF.
Alternatively, there is an SFO-MUC on LH459, an A340. Seatguru says angled lie flat. I thought LH would have converted their whole fleet by now?
There's also SFO-ZRH on LX37, another A340. Seatguru shows 2-2-1 configuration lie flats.
The return TATLs are on LX36, LH458 or UA927. The LX and LH planes are again A340s and the UA is 747. It's 2-4-2 in the main floor (bleach) but 2-2 in the upper deck.
I would think the 747 is the best if I could get a seat in the upper deck.
Any thoughts on the LX and LH 340s? Especially vs. the UA 767?
Currently prices out to about the same for latter half of July travel.
The outbound TATL is EWR-ATH on a 767, UA124, which Seatguru lists as having 2-2-2 in BF.
Alternatively, there is an SFO-MUC on LH459, an A340. Seatguru says angled lie flat. I thought LH would have converted their whole fleet by now?
There's also SFO-ZRH on LX37, another A340. Seatguru shows 2-2-1 configuration lie flats.
The return TATLs are on LX36, LH458 or UA927. The LX and LH planes are again A340s and the UA is 747. It's 2-4-2 in the main floor (bleach) but 2-2 in the upper deck.
I would think the 747 is the best if I could get a seat in the upper deck.
Any thoughts on the LX and LH 340s? Especially vs. the UA 767?
Currently prices out to about the same for latter half of July travel.