BA vs QF Business Class London=>Sydney

[oztinman]

I have only ever flown with Qantas long haul in business. What is BA business like - how does service/AV/food compare?? Anyone got some thoughts on this?

 

[simongr]

It all depends on what you want...

There are many many variables;

BA 747/777 new business class/old business class - both lie flat - 2-4-2 seating
QF 747/A380 not lie flat/lie flat - 2-3-2 seating

Key differences for me:

Ying/Yang seating on BA
I despise Neil Perry's food on QF
I find BA staff to be more consistent than QF
Qf can be upgraded to F
Mileage earning on BA is less for AAdvantage members

Nostalgia in both directions (BA because I am english but QF because I am generally on my way home when I am on QF).

 

[Keith009]

I find food and service to be generally of a higher quality and greater consistency on QF. QF food tends to have more flair and style. The brekky fry up on QF tends to be heaps better and more generous than the same on BA, as you're able to order as much as you want on QF off the 'room service style' brekky. The booze is also heaps better on QF, especially the wine list.

Lie flat beds on BA, same on QF A380 service. Angled lie flat if it's QF 744.

BA seats are more private/anti-social, QF seats are more social/lacks privacy - depending on your perspective.

YMMV at the end of the day. You really can't go wrong with either and in the absence of a QF service or availability on any given route, I'd readily fly BA.

 

[anat0l]

Given both options - they are good in each way, but here are a few thoughts:

• BA CW - would be nice if you get NGCW, high chance anyway given it's the Kangaroo route. Seats are narrower than Millennium seats, but often not a big deal.
• AVOD: can't comment on either, since I rarely watch it.
• I like BA's CW idea of a drawer - plenty of space to put your shoes or a small laptop. Very handy.
• BA CW you need to climb over someone if you want to get out of your seat or you need to be prepared for someone to climb over you if they want to get out unless you manage to get a seat without such a person in the way (or you in their way) or you get a seat near the front or rear of CW where this is impossible - and often these seats are blocked out for status pax, esp. BAEC members.
• BA CW meals seem a bit subdued and pedestrian when compared to offerings in QF J, although coming from LHR rather than from SYD I'm not sure whether you'll have a choice of the fresh market fish dish on board. The BA CW breakfast - as QF009 mentioned - can also be a soggy mess-up whereas QF J will be more consistent but either can still surprise you (in a good and/or bad way). And agreed with QF009 - the wine list is better on QF than BA .
• Service on BA is probably on par with QF - i.e. they are both inconsistent.
• If you were flying SYD-LHR, an incentive to fly with BA would be Arrivals lounges. Since you're going the other way around, no incentive on that part. Then again, you are flying from BA's natural home port - there might be something there.
• If you have status with either airline, the airline matching your FFP will probably give you more love.

If you're stuck for choice, give the "other" one a go, unless you have a better (e.g. political/patriotic/status ) reason to choose one.

 

[Keith009]

• BA CW - would be nice if you get NGCW, high chance anyway given it's the Kangaroo route.

That'd be BA9/10 via BKK.

 

[anat0l]

That'd be BA9/10 via BKK.

My mistake - I always used that casually for any route between AU and UK

 

[Rae]

I have a tendency to go Qantas but only because of the upgrade opportunities. In my experience BA is a better business class product long-haul. I think their service is better and the lie flat seats are guaranteed (vs Qantas only on the A380)

 

[adrian]

I'd fly BA just because the seats are flat. I generally prefer the food on QF though.

 

[N860CR]

I've booked both for my next J trip (BA over - QF back) just to give them both a go.

I believe that all the BA 747's have NCW and, given the 777 service is shortly to be cancelled, that gives a 100% probability of being seated in NCW.

I've only ever compared QF/BA Y and have always found BA to be better (always on the 747). The BA hard product looks to be far better than the QF (at least 747) offering, however as has been mentioned, I've heard inconsistant reports about the soft offerings.

 

[Aikicoops]

I know this is a little off topic, so please delete if the mods find this so.

I just just returned from LHR yesterday.
I flow WT+ there and back via BA. From SYD in 747 and back on 777.

I have to say that QF (my other trip was on A380 there and back in Feb 09) is so much superior to BA.

The way I see it is that QF PE is like business class with the same food and service as J class only with smaller seats.

Were as BA look at WT+ (PE) as WhY but with larger seating. Service was the same as economy except you get served before the other passengers. on the 777 flight you even had to use the same toilets as the Y pax. Massive queue to put up with.

I could not believe the difference in service and attitude that was giving by the FA on BA WT+ class. To them you are just another PAX who paid a little more to get a larger seat.

I for one will never be flying on BA long haul again.

Unless Oneworld have another service that fly's to LHR I will be sticking to QF.
Unfortunately company policies state no J fares unless upgrades at own expense only. so PE is the best I can manage.

Anyway that is just my 2 cents worth.

Cheers
Coops

 

[simongr]

Unless Oneworld have another service that fly's to LHR I will be sticking to QF.
Cheers
Coops

CX via HKG
JL via NRT

No PE on either.

I would expect BA WT+ to be substandard compared to QF Y+ given that QF Y+ is a newer product and is priced higher I believe.

 

[Aikicoops]

I would expect BA WT+ to be substandard compared to QF Y+ given that QF Y+ is a newer product and is priced higher I believe.

I don't pay out of my own pocket for PE flights so cost is not an option, quality of service is.

Cheers
Coops

 

[serfty]

... I would expect BA WT+ to be substandard compared to QF Y+ given that QF Y+ is a newer product and is priced higher I believe.

Y+ on Qantas would be a better product than BA WT+ even if the QF product was older.

Aikicoops has stated it correctly:

• On Qantas, Y+ is J- (Business catering with smaller seats)
  
• On BA, WT+ is Y+ (Economy catering with bigger seats)

 

[Spider]

I have not flown on QF 380 Y+, so cannot really comment on their comfort. Prices between LHR -SYD rt are about the same on both carriers but from BKK QF is 2.5 times more expensive than BA, so BA is for me.

 

[Aikicoops]

I have not flown on QF 380 Y+, so cannot really comment on their comfort.

I have and I have to say that the comfort is far better than BA WT+ seating.

I flew on the A380 to LHR back in Feb this year, and after just flying via BA to LHR and due to go back in October it will be QF PE for me.

Unless someone can reccomend me a J flight on oneworld carriers that give great service at a great price.

Cheers
Coops

 

[Spider]

Unless someone can reccomend me a J flight on oneworld carriers that give great service at a great price.

Well, there are always some anomalies in the system, so one can scoop up a rt J-fare ex-Europe from ~A$3000. Not a oneworld carrier but with impeccable service.

 

[Keith009]

You could try the AY business class fares, GBP2397 + tax and books into I with fare basis IFLEXEU. Fly AY to any of their Asian destinations via HEL, then pick up any flights operated by BA/QF/CX/JL to Asia. 4 free stopovers permitted, 2 in each direction. Never been on AY J myself but have heard good things about their product.

 

[Dave Noble]

If can get away from being tied to OW, there are some decent business class fares to UK. SAS has a business fare ( ex tax ) of $4560 and they also have options to fly to other airports in UK including LCY for doing London withou the need to endure LHR. Base fare is only $500 more than QF charges for Premium Economy

As far as BA service goes, Premium Economy *is* economy with bigger seats; it is more comfortable than economy but no reason to expect the service to be different to economy

Dave

 

[Spider]

AY and SK are both Scandinavian carriers with cold Scandinavian service. Seats on SK are not flat. On AY A-343 and MD-11 there are lie-flat seats but no beds. It would be cheaper to fly to BKK and get a cheap biz rt ticket from there. SK and AY will never compete with BA or QF.

 

[Dave Noble]

AY and SK are both Scandinavian carriers with cold Scandinavian service. Seats on SK are not flat. On AY A-343 and MD-11 there are lie-flat seats but no beds. It would be cheaper to fly to BKK and get a cheap biz rt ticket from there. SK and AY will never compete with BA or QF.

They are competing; their price is signitificantly better than BA/QFs business fare and the SK fare is not much more than QFs Premium Economy price. I know that I'd much rather have a slopey business bed to a PE seat

With the SK fare, the SYD-BKK sector is on TG connecting onto ARN and LHR/LCY on SK

Most QF services do not have a flat bed in business either

The seating http://www.flysas.com/en/uk/Travel_info/On_board/Intercont/?view=business_seats&vst=true looks quite decent

Dave