SYD FC on UA or Air New Zealand Business
Sep 15, 2011, 9:37 pm
#31
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: San Francisco
Programs: 1K 2.2MM
Posts: 2,352
Air New Zealand wins by a mile!
Wasn't even close. Here's my quick summary on a 100 point scale with 40 for seat and AV, 40 for service food and bev, and 20 for ground and lounges...
UA FIRST -Seat and AV- seat was great - as you know. I made the mistake of taking 1A so you have somebody kind of across from you, and in this case someone annoying, but it was a nice bed, pillow and cover. I watched 2 movies i was looking forward to seeing. 38/40
NZ Business Premier - Herringbone seat, was actually slightly more private feeling to me when reclined than 1A. The seat flips to the bed. FA does this for you and put a blanket down for padding. Pillow and duvet very nice, I slept well and really liked it. Movies a disappointment, and small screen. 35/40 mostly due to AV.
Food and wine
UA - I am generally a fan of UA food. Like it usually. This was not the case this time. Very good salad, lousy creamed soup (Campbells is better), fish very dry and i could not eat it. White roll for dinner, the usual lousy croissant with breakfast. Ice cream was Breyers I think. Vanilla with chocolate sauce. i asked for the cheese plate and pursar said - "we don't have this on this flight." I said - "why's it on the menu?" She said "let me look." 20 minutes later she brings me a cheese plate - no fork, knife or napkin and said "thanks for telling me! I looked again and found it." I noticed she did not offer to any other passengers, then it was all in the galley for crew meals. It was actually quite good - best part of meal. As for wine - the FA said, "Sir, I am very sorry to have to serve you this." Nuff said. She was the one good crew member, but the crew goes on break towards the end of the meal, then all service dissolves into plates hanging around, no offer of tea coffee etc. Breakfast was underripe fruit plate and the soggy croissant the NEW Smisek coffee. 10/40
NZ - great crew - some senior but maternal, on it, and upbeat. i don't mind a Mom in the air when they take care of you! Salad good, fish decent, ice cream AND cheese both excellent - Ice cream was small patch 2 flavors with a cookie. Wines - one was better than the next. Breakfast - very tasty warm eggs with chives for breakfast. Always a great bread/pastry selection - multiple bread offerings, hot muffins, sweet rolls , etc 35/40
Ground - US check in at SYD - the 2 first class agents were too busy talking to each other to help me - only one in line - so a business class agent had to call me over tot eh desk. They use the NZ lounge in SYD anyway with is fine, and muuch better than UA FCL in SFO. 5/20
NZ lounge in Auckland - coffee bar - staffed with barrista! Nice shower room, excellent connection facility. Hot breakfast. 15/20
Point summary:
UA 53/100
NZ 85/100
....but my bottom line - I got off the ANZ plane feeling nice and taken care of.
I got off UA feeling tee'd off and a little used.
Your results might vary......
UA FIRST -Seat and AV- seat was great - as you know. I made the mistake of taking 1A so you have somebody kind of across from you, and in this case someone annoying, but it was a nice bed, pillow and cover. I watched 2 movies i was looking forward to seeing. 38/40
NZ Business Premier - Herringbone seat, was actually slightly more private feeling to me when reclined than 1A. The seat flips to the bed. FA does this for you and put a blanket down for padding. Pillow and duvet very nice, I slept well and really liked it. Movies a disappointment, and small screen. 35/40 mostly due to AV.
Food and wine
UA - I am generally a fan of UA food. Like it usually. This was not the case this time. Very good salad, lousy creamed soup (Campbells is better), fish very dry and i could not eat it. White roll for dinner, the usual lousy croissant with breakfast. Ice cream was Breyers I think. Vanilla with chocolate sauce. i asked for the cheese plate and pursar said - "we don't have this on this flight." I said - "why's it on the menu?" She said "let me look." 20 minutes later she brings me a cheese plate - no fork, knife or napkin and said "thanks for telling me! I looked again and found it." I noticed she did not offer to any other passengers, then it was all in the galley for crew meals. It was actually quite good - best part of meal. As for wine - the FA said, "Sir, I am very sorry to have to serve you this." Nuff said. She was the one good crew member, but the crew goes on break towards the end of the meal, then all service dissolves into plates hanging around, no offer of tea coffee etc. Breakfast was underripe fruit plate and the soggy croissant the NEW Smisek coffee. 10/40
NZ - great crew - some senior but maternal, on it, and upbeat. i don't mind a Mom in the air when they take care of you! Salad good, fish decent, ice cream AND cheese both excellent - Ice cream was small patch 2 flavors with a cookie. Wines - one was better than the next. Breakfast - very tasty warm eggs with chives for breakfast. Always a great bread/pastry selection - multiple bread offerings, hot muffins, sweet rolls , etc 35/40
Ground - US check in at SYD - the 2 first class agents were too busy talking to each other to help me - only one in line - so a business class agent had to call me over tot eh desk. They use the NZ lounge in SYD anyway with is fine, and muuch better than UA FCL in SFO. 5/20
NZ lounge in Auckland - coffee bar - staffed with barrista! Nice shower room, excellent connection facility. Hot breakfast. 15/20
Point summary:
UA 53/100
NZ 85/100
....but my bottom line - I got off the ANZ plane feeling nice and taken care of.
I got off UA feeling tee'd off and a little used.
Your results might vary......
Sep 19, 2011, 8:44 am
#32
Join Date: May 2003
Location: RDU, NC, USA
Programs: UA 1K/MM, Hilton something
Posts: 844
This is an exceptionally good summary. I can, have, and will continue to pay B fares on NZ so I can use UA miles to upgrade, rather than book UA and upgrade there.
Sep 19, 2011, 9:03 am
#33
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Seattle
Programs: United 1K, Alaska MVP 75K, HH Diamond
Posts: 638
1k all the way, great comparison. Having been in the 'new' UA f and AZ business premier I would have to say for me AZ wins hands down on all fronts.
Last edited by rajsbasi; Sep 19, 2011 at 9:03 am Reason: typo
Sep 19, 2011, 1:48 pm
#34
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: MSP
Programs: DL Silver, UA Silver, AMX Plat, Carlson Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 188
Coffin seats
NZ business class required you to get up and flip the seat over to make a fully flat bed as of a year ago. I think they may have come out with a new seat but not sure if it is rolled out across the entire fleet yet. I would take UA simply because on this flight you'll want to sleep as much as possible and UA will have a quieter cabin and wider flat bed thanks to it being a true first class seat. If you were flying the other direction I'd choose NZ for better service, food and entertainment. NZ's biz seat is one of the best in the sky but UA's first still tops it as far as comfort.
The UA first seat is much wider and more comfortable IMHO. There are newer seats in the ANZ fleet now, they might be better.
Sep 19, 2011, 4:07 pm
#35
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM SK EBG LATAM BL
Posts: 23,328
Sep 19, 2011, 10:39 pm
#37
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: 1P, AA EXP, SPG Gold
Posts: 1,491
Nov 20, 2011, 5:32 pm
#38
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA GS 2MM
Posts: 947
On NZ, my meal came out cold - twice (it was lamb) and I didn't like the attitude I caught from the FA at all. I'd take UA - the seat is miles better.
Nov 20, 2011, 6:08 pm
#39
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: somewhere
Programs: their are many of them
Posts: 1,614
without a doubt Air New Zealand business any day and everyday ^