Should've booked British Airways to London
May 12, 2009, 2:57 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: PHL
Programs: HH Diamond, USAir Silver, National Exec Elite
Posts: 84
Should've booked British Airways to London
For those of you that want info on USAir long haul flights I just completed a trip from PHL to Heathrow and it was a horrible experience. I was in coach, the food was yuck, the airline staff were testy and rude. I've flown British Airways for this flight before and upgraded to world traveller plus where I had individual flight entertainment, frequent drinks, and decent service. USAir charges for everything even the head phones for the silly movies that were shown, one was for kids and the other was a chick flick on weddings. I woke up in the early a.m and they were showing a program on horse vets, some guys arm was up a horses' butt. After that, they showed some other random program that comes on ABC. First class seats looked comfy but there was no IFE and it did not seem worth it for me to upgrade 1,000 for a roundtrip. I couldn't use points to upgrade because the flight was less than $1400 (or something like that). There is just no rhyme or reason for how USAir does business. I have stopped flying as much for business and I wanted to get more points but next time I will skip the points for comfort.
May 12, 2009, 3:33 pm
#2
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Charleston, SC
Programs: UA 1P, CO Plat, MR Plat, SPG Plat, US Dirt
Posts: 1,506
May 12, 2009, 3:45 pm
#3
Moderator: American AAdvantage & Marriott Bonvoy
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: PHX
Programs: American ExPlat; Marriott/SPG Lifetime Plat; Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 8,116
If I were not a very frequent business traveler, based in a US hub city, who uses his miles for high value international F & J award tickets on top-tier Star Alliance partners, there is no way I would fly US internationally in a situation where BA is an option -- for all the reasons you cited.
So I think you're right -- 'should've.'
Live and learn.
So I think you're right -- 'should've.'
Live and learn.
May 12, 2009, 3:47 pm
#4
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Programs: DL Silver, UA Silver, Marriott Lifetime Silver, IHG Plat, Hilton Silver
Posts: 5,695
May 12, 2009, 4:27 pm
#6
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 290
great. :\ now i know what i have to look forward to. last time i flew US TATL i had a whole middle row to myself and slept all the way from PHL to MXP.
going CLT-LGW next month on a 330 so at least i'll have PTV IFE, but i'm not looking forward to the return CDG-CLT on a 767 -- not to mention how i'm going to survive the SFO-CLT (and back) without IFE! :S
(in case you're wondering, i'm going with a friend who's never been to europe before and wanted me to go along with her, and US was the cheapest that had us meeting up in the same city stateside before the TATL segment)
going CLT-LGW next month on a 330 so at least i'll have PTV IFE, but i'm not looking forward to the return CDG-CLT on a 767 -- not to mention how i'm going to survive the SFO-CLT (and back) without IFE! :S
(in case you're wondering, i'm going with a friend who's never been to europe before and wanted me to go along with her, and US was the cheapest that had us meeting up in the same city stateside before the TATL segment)
Last edited by jonk; May 13, 2009 at 11:33 pm Reason: LGW, not LHR -- thanks perseus11
May 12, 2009, 4:42 pm
#7
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Wild Wiltshire
Programs: Demoted to gold, Cats protection
Posts: 3,455
hate to break it to you but they have IFE in economy on BA, the only difference between world traveller and plus is the seat size, a real glass instead of plastic and a pen in the amenity kit, so you can safely fly economy and get most of the same experience.
I flew US TATL once before I started collecting BA miles and the experience was quite different, but then so was the price. its still my second alternative route home in an emergency, the first alternative being drive to EWR and take the BA flight from there
May 12, 2009, 5:51 pm
#8
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Washington DC
Programs: AA Plat
Posts: 1,304
FYI, not that it necessarily makes it worthwhile, but Envoy on the 767 does have personal AVOD IFE. The units are distributed and then collected at the end of the flight.
May 12, 2009, 7:25 pm
#10
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: DCA
Programs: AA Executive Platinum
Posts: 2,085
May 13, 2009, 2:29 pm
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: PHL
Programs: HH Diamond, USAir Silver, National Exec Elite
Posts: 84
Hate to break it to me...umm that's good news. I travelled for years without the benefit of this site which. Now I know. I try to check this site before booking any trips.
May 13, 2009, 3:30 pm
#12
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: The views I express here are not necessarily supported by any airline or codeshare partners, nor do I represent their views and/or opinions. They are my own OPINIONS dont like them dont read them.....
Posts: 1,615
For those of you that want info on USAir long haul flights I just completed a trip from PHL to Heathrow and it was a horrible experience. I was in coach, the food was yuck,
SUBJECTIVE
the airline staff were testy and rude.
WE ALL KNOW NO OTHER AIRLINE HAS TESTY AND RUDE CSA'S
I've flown British Airways for this flight before and upgraded to world traveller plus
UNLESS YOU ARE A FF OF US AIRWAYS, YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO AN UPGRADE
where I had individual flight entertainment, frequent drinks, and decent service
ECONOMY OR ENVOY? SINCE YOU WERE NOT IN ENVOY, HOW DO YOU KNOW?? ENVOY HAS ALL THE THINGS YOU "CLAIM" THEY DO NOT. A FAT LIE ON YOUR PART!!
USAir
WHO??
charges for everything even the head phones for the silly movies that were shown, one was for kids and the other was a chick flick on weddings.
I PROMISE YOUR TICKET WAS PROBABLY INSANELY CHEAP <EXPECTING TYPICAL LIE REPLY>
I woke up in the early a.m and they were showing a program on horse vets, some guys arm was up a horses' butt. After that, they showed some other random program that comes on ABC.
IF YOU ARE SLEEPING, WHAT THE HELL DO YOU CARE?!
First class
US AIRWAYS DOESN'T OFFER FC, only BC!
seats looked comfy but there was no IFE and it did not seem worth it for me to upgrade 1,000 for a roundtrip.
WRONG!
I couldn't use points to upgrade because the flight was less than $1400 (or something like that).
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT!
There is just no rhyme or reason for how USAir does business.
THERE IS NO RHYME OR REASON TO YOUR TOTAL LACK OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT US AIRWAYS!
I have stopped flying as much for business and I wanted to get more points but next time I will skip the points for comfort.
PLEASE DO!
Another whiny thread with more holes than a donut!
SUBJECTIVE
the airline staff were testy and rude.
WE ALL KNOW NO OTHER AIRLINE HAS TESTY AND RUDE CSA'S
I've flown British Airways for this flight before and upgraded to world traveller plus
UNLESS YOU ARE A FF OF US AIRWAYS, YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO AN UPGRADE
where I had individual flight entertainment, frequent drinks, and decent service
ECONOMY OR ENVOY? SINCE YOU WERE NOT IN ENVOY, HOW DO YOU KNOW?? ENVOY HAS ALL THE THINGS YOU "CLAIM" THEY DO NOT. A FAT LIE ON YOUR PART!!
USAir
WHO??
charges for everything even the head phones for the silly movies that were shown, one was for kids and the other was a chick flick on weddings.
I PROMISE YOUR TICKET WAS PROBABLY INSANELY CHEAP <EXPECTING TYPICAL LIE REPLY>
I woke up in the early a.m and they were showing a program on horse vets, some guys arm was up a horses' butt. After that, they showed some other random program that comes on ABC.
IF YOU ARE SLEEPING, WHAT THE HELL DO YOU CARE?!
First class
US AIRWAYS DOESN'T OFFER FC, only BC!
seats looked comfy but there was no IFE and it did not seem worth it for me to upgrade 1,000 for a roundtrip.
WRONG!
I couldn't use points to upgrade because the flight was less than $1400 (or something like that).
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT!
There is just no rhyme or reason for how USAir does business.
THERE IS NO RHYME OR REASON TO YOUR TOTAL LACK OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT US AIRWAYS!
I have stopped flying as much for business and I wanted to get more points but next time I will skip the points for comfort.
PLEASE DO!
Another whiny thread with more holes than a donut!
May 13, 2009, 3:35 pm
#13
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: The views I express here are not necessarily supported by any airline or codeshare partners, nor do I represent their views and/or opinions. They are my own OPINIONS dont like them dont read them.....
Posts: 1,615
[QUOTE=pinkcat;11738194]
I flew US TATL once before I started collecting BA miles and the experience was quite different, but then so was the price. /QUOTE]
People need to do homework!! They want cheap and want the world! You pay for what you get! We are a cheap ... airline. If you don't want that, go elsewhere. How many similar threads must go on and on about this. truth be told, the OP ticket was probably under $250...a price MANY on TA flight love to proudly announce to the flight crews.
I flew US TATL once before I started collecting BA miles and the experience was quite different, but then so was the price. /QUOTE]
People need to do homework!! They want cheap and want the world! You pay for what you get! We are a cheap ... airline. If you don't want that, go elsewhere. How many similar threads must go on and on about this. truth be told, the OP ticket was probably under $250...a price MANY on TA flight love to proudly announce to the flight crews.
May 13, 2009, 4:16 pm
#14
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: YYZ/YHM/BUF
Programs: AA Plat, HH Gold, MR Plat
Posts: 4,212
Why should the price of the ticket excuse a crew's nasty behaviour? It's not like BA never has a "cheap" seat sale.
I once flew WT+ between LAX-LHR and it was perfectly comfortable on the 747-400. What I appreciated the most (in spite of it being "coach" service), was that the F/As were super friendly. Whenever someone hit the call button in the middle of the flight to ask for a glass of water or something, they would come right away and ask "What could I do for you sir/m'am?" You don't get that kind of "coach" treatment on any US carrier.
I once flew WT+ between LAX-LHR and it was perfectly comfortable on the 747-400. What I appreciated the most (in spite of it being "coach" service), was that the F/As were super friendly. Whenever someone hit the call button in the middle of the flight to ask for a glass of water or something, they would come right away and ask "What could I do for you sir/m'am?" You don't get that kind of "coach" treatment on any US carrier.
May 13, 2009, 4:43 pm
#15
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: PIT
Posts: 759
great. :\ now i know what i have to look forward to. last time i flew US TATL i had a whole middle row to myself and slept all the way from PHL to MXP.
going CLT-LHR next month on a 330 so at least i'll have PTV IFE, but i'm not looking forward to the return CDG-CLT on a 767 -- not to mention how i'm going to survive the SFO-CLT (and back) without IFE! :S
(in case you're wondering, i'm going with a friend who's never been to europe before and wanted me to go along with her, and US was the cheapest that had us meeting up in the same city stateside before the TATL segment)
going CLT-LHR next month on a 330 so at least i'll have PTV IFE, but i'm not looking forward to the return CDG-CLT on a 767 -- not to mention how i'm going to survive the SFO-CLT (and back) without IFE! :S
(in case you're wondering, i'm going with a friend who's never been to europe before and wanted me to go along with her, and US was the cheapest that had us meeting up in the same city stateside before the TATL segment)