Favorite airlines for Business and First Class service

[TrojanSkyCop1]

DISCLAIMER: Not even gonna discuss Economy/Coach Class here, as "cattle class" is definitely NOT a Bon Vivant's way to fly. :nono:

Domestic:
Thus far I've flown with American and Delta. I'd rate their in-flight service roughly equal...but I give Delta a slight nod overall because you get to use their SkyClub automatically when you purchase a First Class ticket, while American still requires you to pay extra $$ to use the Admirals' club. Ergo, more bang for your buck with Delta.

International:

Thus far I've used Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways (official carrier of the UAE) Business Class service (the latter calls it "Pearl Business Class" while they use the word "Diamond" for their First Class service). I would give Etihad the slight edge for in-flight amenities, from the Nile River Perch to the individual pod seat that had a massage chair function and folds into a freakin' bed(:cool:!!!):

27360 27361
Moreover, Etihad gives you chauffeur service to the airport, and upon arrival at the First & Business Class terminal at Abu Dhabi, they send out a freakin' hotel-style bellhop to collect your baggage!
:drooling:

But I'd have to say Qatar's lounge at Doha International Airport beats Etihad's in Abu Dhabi when it comes to decor, ambience, spaciousness, and variety of food selections.

Hopefully when I take my first leave next Fall I'll be able to expand my list of airlines to evaluate (perhaps British Airways, Aer Lingus, and/or Virgin Atlantic). Okay, y'all's turn....

P.S. As unpatriotic as this may sound, I'd also have to say international carriers completely blow away domestic airlines in all facets of service and amenities.....

[bae]

I vote for Netjets.

[LawDog]

I've never gotten to fly them, but I've heard only good things about Singapore Air. Virgin also gets high marks. But I'm with bae on Netjets. I'll fly an old prop with springs bursting from the upholstery if I can avoid the TSA.

[TrojanSkyCop1]

I vote for Netjets.

Who or what the heck is NetJets?

[bae]

Who or what the heck is NetJets?

It's a fractional-ownership/aircraft management company owned by Berkshire Hathaway. You can buy a part of their fleet, or simply buy cards that give you so many hours of flight. They operate all over the place, and you can pick up a telephone and have a jet just appear magically at your local small field and whisk you off to...wherever.

[Pokeguyjai]

I've never gotten to fly them, but I've heard only good things about Singapore Air. Virgin also gets high marks. But I'm with bae on Netjets. I'll fly an old prop with springs bursting from the upholstery if I can avoid the TSA.

Cathay Pacific is also good if you're flying in Asia. They used to have very good food too but it's alright now. Too bad Business is so expensive if you're not using points :sad:

[LMarshall73]

I can only chime in on domestic. When I traveled for a living I was just shy of Platinum status on Delta. Never had any issues with them. I met some interesting folks in First Class. One flight i talked at length with an Air Force 3 Star (Yeah. An Air Force General flying commercial...). On another flight I sat with Molly Hatchet.

As for access to the executive clubs, A platinum AmEx used to get you in any club as long as you were flying with that airline. That played a key role in choosing which airline to fly on which route.

[TrojanSkyCop1]

It's a fractional-ownership/aircraft management company owned by Berkshire Hathaway. You can buy a part of their fleet, or simply buy cards that give you so many hours of flight. They operate all over the place, and you can pick up a telephone and have a jet just appear magically at your local small field and whisk you off to...wherever.

What're their prices?



Cathay Pacific is also good if you're flying in Asia. They used to have very good food too but it's alright now. Too bad Business is so expensive if you're not using points :sad:

Luckily....

(1) I've got a sh*tload of points accumulated with Etihad, American, and Delta.

(2) Moreover, since my current employer reimburses a significant chunk of my vacation flight, paying the extra bucks for the Biz Class upgrade isn't so bank-breaking.

[Ratt]

Air China's business class is quite nice if your headed for the Far East, where I spend a lot of time. China Eastern is about equal. Hainan is fine for domestic flights in China and to other areas such as Vietnam and India.

[ReconScout]

Lufthansa, Airfrance, KLM.

[CaptBeach]

Domestically I and the wife fly Delta almost exclusively...we are Platinum and Silver Medallion...going west its def Quantas or Air New Zealand, going to Europe its still Delta or Air France...

[Pokeguyjai]

Internationally I've flown Business/First Class on Delta, United, Continental, Lufthansa, Air Italia, Air France, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Northwest, Korean Air and a few others I can't think of at the moment. IMO the best value was Delta, but the best service and amenities would be a toss up between Emirates, Continental(now owned by United) and Cathay Pacific. I don't fly as much now as I used to, but who knows maybe that will change.

There are direct flights to Hong Kong with Continental but ever since United took over they have been sucking.

I flew First Class for the first time ever with United from LA -> NY and it was awesome. Of course used points haha. Food was great, service was unpretentious and great. But of course I have had extremely bad experiences with United in the pats as well.

[Mayflower]

I needed to get to San Antonio (Lackland) at the last minute, was limited to flying on American, and the flights I wanted had only first class available... since it was just my wife and I flying I told her to go ahead and book the first class seats. Very glad I did.

My overall impression of American's first class service is very favorable. The aircraft for all 4 flights I took was the aging Super 80, which has a limited first class compartment, but I was fortunate enough to get row 6 seats E and F, which in my opinion are the best seats on the plane... You get a wall at your back, a few extra inches of leg room, and two windows to look out of. I very much liked being able to be the first one to get on the plane, and to get off the plane. The flight crews I had treated us like royalty. I will admit to being surprised how good the food was, the endless supply of drinks, fresh baked cookies right out of the oven, and time to chat with the crew if we felt like it. My last flight was with a San Fran crew who were a little wild and crazy, but great fun to fly with. A stewardess knowing I had a long drive after landing, cooked a couple dozen extra cookies for me to eat on the way home, and gave me a whole 6 pack of Coke.

I don't fly very often, and am not a rich man, but I'm inclined to treat myself to first class from now on.

[Crusader8207]

Executive Platinum with American Airlines. I only fly domestic and I only fly American, they have treated me very well for the last 15 years and don't plan on straying. I did fly Southwest to Phoenix once and decided the difference in price was not worth not being upgraded. I do admit it sucks having to purchase membership to the Admirals Club but I just use points so its just seat time for me.

[TrojanSkyCop1]

Yea, I've had mixed luck with United both CONUS and OCONUS.
Northwest; I won't even fly them for free after an customer service incident in 98.


I've heard quite a few horror stories about United lately.

So, do I dare ask the details about this Northwest incident?

[TrojanSkyCop1]

I never flew Bangladesh Airways, but did fly Pakistani International Airlines and Yemenia Airways, Yemenia Airways was the first time I had ever seen a cockroach on an airline. :yikes:
A real cockroach, not the two legged version that inhabits most of Yemen.

Ugh, thanks for the warning!


The worst airline i have ever seen was early 90's Bangladesh Air using a DC-9 ( if i have that right? )



Guess that shouldn't surprise me, seeing what a miserably impoverished country Bangladesh is.

[Crusader8207]

Upgraded on Southwest?

Well, what I meant was there was no First Class option with Southwest (cattle car) air lines.

[JPourciau]

I feel the same way about Delta as Don feels about Northwest. Never again will I willingly set foot on a Delta aircraft, I don't care which airline or which airport is required to avoid Delta. I hope for their complete and total failure as a business entity.

[TrojanSkyCop1]

I feel the same way about Delta as Don feels about Northwest. Never again will I willingly set foot on a Delta aircraft, I don't care which airline or which airport is required to avoid Delta. I hope for their complete and total failure as a business entity.

Did Delta destroy a valuable piece of your property like Northwest did with Don?!?!?

[ZMB HNTR]

Best -

British Airways and Virgin

Worst -

Lufthansa

[ss58]

I feel the same way about Delta as Don feels about Northwest. Never again will I willingly set foot on a Delta aircraft, I don't care which airline or which airport is required to avoid Delta. I hope for their complete and total failure as a business entity.

I feel the same way. I was taking my son to the airport a few years ago to report to Sam Houston for basic. He was in ACU's and the skycap said 25.00 for the 2nd bag...his duffle. I almost threw the guy off the top tier at LGA. I understand it may have changed but the fact that they had no problem doing it still makes me hope for their demise. Rat bastards...

[fmfdoc-58]

For 1st class: (in no order)
Iceland Air
Singapore
Qatar
Korean

[bae]

What're their prices?


Last time I looked, it was ~$120k for 25 hours on their entry-level jets, which is ~$5k/hour, plus the inevitable additional charges. You can get 7 people on one of those though, which brings your cost to ~$1k/person/hour.

Now I mostly charter these, which are vastly cheaper :-)

http://www.kenmoreair.com/File.ashx?cid=5030

The best trick is to know a fair number of people who have their own jets, or shares of Netjets planes, and bum rides with them, there are almost always empty seats in one direction or another, and if you aren't too particular about your schedule or destination, life is good.

The same approach works well for large yachts crossing oceans - the best yacht to do that in is someone else's :-) I'm thinking my next career is going to be "chef/engineer for big yacht".

[bae]

Did you ever pursue your private pilot rating?

A beaver would be your ultimate possession in the part of the country in which you reside. No brainer. Beaver, get some! :wink:

I'm working on it, I got diverted from the plan when I seized control of the local airport, but soon, oh yes. And along the lines of my "use someone else's plane", I've found several guys here with Really Nice Planes who, get this, like to loan them out to other people to fly, because they aren't getting enough use... One of them is a Beaver on floats.

[TrojanSkyCop1]

Best -

British Airways and Virgin

Worst -

Lufthansa

Wow, this is the first time I've seen/hard any complaints about Lufthansa.

[ss58]

Speed, all legit points. Doesn't change the story and I have given many a first class seat to a soldier.

You clearly are in that industry. I sell Walmart, no picnic and have a plant in central MS to keep my costs down. I do what I have to do to make it work. I fly for business because I have to. When I take an exotic vacation I buy my first class tickets and go. If the airlines can't figure it out...maybe someone will bail them out. Every business has incredible challenges, thats the way it is. Suck it up, we are all paying for high fuel prices, everyone of us. The airlines will get no sympathy from me.

Respectfully,

Sam

[TrojanSkyCop1]

On my way back from Prescott Monday there were two ladies in front of me all pissed off throwing a fit because they were going to miss their connection. We were 5 minutes late, but they only had a 20 minute connection time in ATL to begin with; it didn't dawn on them until we were taxiing in and the local time was announced, then they wanted to chew on the flight attendant because we were 5 minutes late and it was the airline's fault they were going to miss their connection. As if they could deplane and make it 3 terminals over in 20 minutes.


No one in their right mind books flights with a measly 20-minute connection.

That said, when I worked for the Federal gubbermint, my travel office, in order to save a few bucks, would always book me on flights with razor-thin connection time margins. Surprise,surpise, a good 50% of the time, I'd miss my connection.

More recently, my current (private-sector) employer, booked me on a flight to Indy with a 40-minute connection in ATL--still to close for comfort, IMHO. Fortunately, the connection was in the same terminal, and moreover I coughed up the extra $140, which meant my ass and my bags were among the first off the initial flight...which just re-affirmed my decision to avoid Cattle, er, Economy Class as much as possible.

[Winchester67]

I have to admit, I hate to fly. Used to fly a lot for work, and hated the hassles with firearms. But you know what I hated the most? People. Used to be flying was a big deal. People dressed up and kids were on their best behavior. These days? I think the airline industry is the micro study of everything that is wrong with the country. No manners, no class, no pride. So if I fly, you bet your sweet bippy (that might date me) it is first class. At least in first class there is a CHANCE that we will be around people I won't want to stab within thirty seconds of contact.

[TrojanSkyCop1]

I have to admit, I hate to fly. Used to fly a lot for work, and hated the hassles with firearms. But you know what I hated the most? People. Used to be flying was a big deal. People dressed up and kids were on their best behavior. These days? I think the airline industry is the micro study of everything that is wrong with the country. No manners, no class, no pride. So if I fly, you bet your sweet bippy (that might date me) it is first class. At least in first class there is a CHANCE that we will be around people I won't want to stab within thirty seconds of contact.

Well-said, bro. Gosh,what a bunch of elitist 1-percenters we are! :tongue:

Moreover, I have chiropractic motivations for flying Business/First Class: being stuck in cramped Coach seating with some smelly lardass(es) doesn't help my neck & back issues any (not to mention my disposition).

[TrojanSkyCop1]

Best -

British Airways and Virgin

Worst -

Lufthansa

I myself gotta give props to British Airways after experiencing their Club World service from London Heathrow to DFW:

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[Charlie Barham]

Looks like a little cubicle and not very wide, but the privacy would be very nice. Does the seat lean back?

[TrojanSkyCop1]

Looks like a little cubicle and not very wide, but the privacy would be very nice. Does the seat lean back?

Not only does it lean back, it folds back into a freakin' bed! And it's VERY comfy.

[wstuga]

I've just completed a trip overseas. I asked everyone I knew which airline had the best business class as I would be in the air over 15 hrs. Many people told me Delta. They had the best price, so I booked it. I flew Delta to Paris, and them changed to Air France onward to Dubai. The service on Delta was hands down better. Air Frances's seats were a little wider, and a little more comfortable for watching TV, but I liked the lie flat feature on Delta for sleeping. Air France was not as comfortable to me lying down. My wife liked lying down on Air France better.

We flew Delta home from Israel, and it was a exceptional. I doubt I would book 1st class domestic as it's mainly a slightly wider seat than coach (exception flying back from Hawaii I will totally book 1st with lie flats), but I will never travel over the oceans again in coach.

Billy

[Sammy]

I have to admit, I hate to fly. Used to fly a lot for work, and hated the hassles with firearms. But you know what I hated the most? People. Used to be flying was a big deal. People dressed up and kids were on their best behavior. These days? I think the airline industry is the micro study of everything that is wrong with the country. No manners, no class, no pride. So if I fly, you bet your sweet bippy (that might date me) it is first class. At least in first class there is a CHANCE that we will be around people I won't want to stab within thirty seconds of contact.

100% agree.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk

[TrojanSkyCop1]

Updating this thread to add that now that I have flown International Business Class with both US-owned and foreign-owned carriers....while the service and comfort on my American Airlines flight from Frankfurt to DFW was plenty good, it still didn't measure up to the foreign carriers in terms of variety of food, beverages (esp. tea), movies, music.....or hawtness of stewardesses, er, um, I mean female flight attendants.

I'd been thinking maybe AA reserved its better-looking attendants for the global flights.....but naah, they're equally average-looking as their domestic-assigned colleagues.

[JeffC]

Malaysia Air and Singapore Airlines are two really good bets for excellence in the forward cabins.

On a MA flight to Thailand we literally had 5 attendants for 7 of us in first. I actually had to ask them not to bring me any more food. We had a cappuccino machine and really fine dining. Did I mention the beautiful women?

-jeff

[TrojanSkyCop1]

Okay, I must say I'm a tad underwhelmed with US Airways' so-called "First Class service....

With EVERY other airline with whom I've flown First or Business Class, I was served a beverage (water, juice, or champagne) before the plane even took off. Well, with this flight, I was in my seat a solid 35 mins before takeoff, but the flight attendants did not offer a drink at any point while we were still on the ground.

Once I finally was served beverages in-flight, the tea was served in cheap-ass Styrofoam (as opposed to the china used on other flights). And the edibles were mere snacks, i.e. chips, pretzels, etc; granted, that first leg from DFW into PHX was only 2.5 hours, but still, every other foreign and domestic carrier I've been with for flights of that duration have given me at least a halfway decent meal for my Business/First Class dollars.


Meanwhile, as for the lounge service here at PHX...neither the printer nor the paper shredder are working properly, and the tea/coffemaker is ridiculously complicated (the polar opposite of the K.I.S.S. principle).


Hopefully the merger with American Airlines helps improve things soon.....

[USMC2112]

Delta international business class get very high marks with me. You know your flight will be a good one when they greet you by name and hand you a glass of wine!

[TrojanSkyCop1]

Delta international business class get very high marks with me. You know your flight will be a good one when they greet you by name and hand you a glass of wine!

....or champagne! :finger:


I have to admit, I hate to fly. Used to fly a lot for work, and hated the hassles with firearms. But you know what I hated the most? People. Used to be flying was a big deal. People dressed up and kids were on their best behavior. These days? I think the airline industry is the micro study of everything that is wrong with the country. No manners, no class, no pride. So if I fly, you bet your sweet bippy (that might date me) it is first class. At least in first class there is a CHANCE that we will be around people I won't want to stab within thirty seconds of contact.

Bro, I can't tell you how much I LOVE this post of yours; it's an all-time classic that I've saved on my Notes app on my iPhone and shared with several friends (including my girlfriend)!!

[TrojanSkyCop1]

Turkish Airlines short-haul Business Class and long-haul Premium Economy (AKA Economy Comfort) Class are both darn good--in fact I'd say the latter actually beats out so-called First Class on the US-owned carriers!

[SmokinHole]

I think the Asian and Middle Eastern carriers, in general, have the service thing nailed. Then again, the entire service industry in Asia and the Middle East have the service thing nailed.

Last week I rode Korean (first class) from Incheon to Hong Kong. During the 1:35 flight I was greated during boarding by three attractive female flight attendants in their early 20's, wearing very classy uniforms with no ID's showing. One put away my small carry on, another offered me drinks, and the third my choice of newspaper. A very nice brunch was served on china and at the gate in HKG two of them posted themselves in a manner that blocked those pesky economy dwellers from interfering with my departure.

Contrast that to UniteAmeriDeltaWest, where a raspy-voiced skynosaur wearing a cheap polyester uniform that's approaching structual failure, barks to us about how she is there primarily for our safety, while her lanyard, complete with ID, union card, trip schedule, and soda can opener swings from her neck like a bolas waiting to be unleashed on the first unfortunate sap who dares ask for anything.

Carriers that I've had great service on:

Emirates
Cathay
Qatar
Korean
China Eastern

KLM was decent and Lufthansa wasn't bad, just very...German.

I can't wait for a chance to ride the Emirates A380 with it's bar/lounge/showers on the upper deck.:thumbup:

[TrojanSkyCop1]

I think the Asian and Middle Eastern carriers, in general, have the service thing nailed. Then again, the entire service industry in Asia and the Middle East have the service thing nailed.

Last week I rode Korean (first class) from Incheon to Hong Kong. During the 1:35 flight I was greated during boarding by three attractive female flight attendants in their early 20's, wearing very classy uniforms with no ID's showing. One put away my small carry on, another offered me drinks, and the third my choice of newspaper. A very nice brunch was served on china and at the gate in HKG two of them posted themselves in a manner that blocked those pesky economy dwellers from interfering with my departure.

Contrast that to UniteAmeriDeltaWest, where a raspy-voiced skynosaur wearing a cheap polyester uniform that's approaching structual failure, barks to us about how she is there primarily for our safety, while her lanyard, complete with ID, union card, trip schedule, and soda can opener swings from her neck like a bolas waiting to be unleashed on the first unfortunate sap who dares ask for anything.

Carriers that I've had great service on:

Emirates
Cathay
Qatar
Korean
China Eastern

KLM was decent and Lufthansa wasn't bad, just very...German.

I can't wait for a chance to ride the Emirates A380 with it's bar/lounge/showers on the upper deck.:thumbup:

Spot-on comment about the US-owned carriers and their fat old heifers.

I experienced the Airbus A380 via British Airways Club World. It was niiiiiiiiiice.

[FinnMac]

Gentlemen,

After flying to 5 continents and 30+ international destinations over the last 30 years. I'm happy to share the truly #1 business class experience in the world bar none. Singapore Airlines (voted #1 23 years in a row). A short 18 hour flight from LA to Singapore feels like a mini-vacation: http://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/flying-with-us/business-listing/newbusiness/

[TrojanSkyCop1]

Today was the first US Airways flight I've taken since the completion of the merger with American Airlines, and I can already see an improvement in the quality of service, at least in the First Class cabin....


When I flew the DFW-PHX leg last year (same takeoff time no less) , I wasn't offered a beverage 'til maybe 15 minutes after takeoff, and moreover the senior flight attendant had a pretty sullen attitude. I thought to myself at the time, "They call THIS First Class service?!?!" (Okay, I admit, I've been spoiled a bit by Business Class on foreign-owned carriers, as y'all probably already figured out from my other posts in this thread.)


This time, I was offered my beverage within 2 minutes of taking my seat, and the service was much friendlier too. Hell, they even served my tea in a porcelain mug as opposed to a cheap-ass Styrofoam cup.


Most significantly, while this may or may not be due to the merger....this flight definitely had the cutest female flight attendants of ANY domestic (i.e. within the CONUS) flight I've taken in a LONG time. Giggity-giggity. :grin:

[TrojanSkyCop1]

Dear United Airlines and so-called Partnership for Open & Fair Skies: Cry me a freakin' river, you whiny-ass bunch of bitches......


http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/12/10/united-drops-dc-dubai-route-accuses-us-government-subsidizing-gulf-rival.html?intcmp=hplnws



"“Even though we successfully operated the Washington-Dubai route for the past seven years, the entry of subsidized carriers such as Emirates Airline and Etihad Airways into the Washington, D.C. market has created an imbalance between supply and demand to the United Arab Emirates,”
Gee, maybe it has something do with the fact that airlines like Emirates and Etihad Airways (https://www.facebook.com/etihad.airways/) actually take good care of their passengers and treat them like REAL CUSTOMERS--even in Economy Class--while US-owned carriers like United treat their Economy Class pax like friggin' cattle!!!