AFF Decides: Best airlines by cabin class

[Mattg]

Following on from some comments here where quite a few AFFers disagreed with a certain airline rankings list, I thought we could start our own poll.

Place your vote in this thread for your choice of the world's best airline product in each of the four cabin classes: First, Business, Premium Economy and Economy. (Alternatively feel free to cast a vote for just one or two classes of travel.) It will be interesting to see which airlines come out on top.

 

[Mattg]

I'll start:

First class - Etihad
Business class - Singapore Airlines
Premium economy - Air New Zealand (for the space seat)
Economy - Qantas (the A380 product is pretty good)

 

[OATEK]

First class - Still waiting to find out
Business class - Cathay Pacific
Premium economy - QANTAS
Economy - Singapore (the A380 upstairs cabin if it still exists)

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I think business class is a very difficult product to rank. Easy to compare carriers against each other, but hard to prioritise which is 'better'.

They all have their pros and cons, and I'm not sure there's any clear 'winner'. Discounting airlines that don't offer full flat horizontal beds, between the others you might find yourself weighing up better food (QF) vs fast service allowing you to maximise sleep (CX). Or trading exceptional service (SQ) against a longer, better bed for sleeping (CX). Privacy in a business suite (JAL skysuite) against being able to chat comfortably with your companion (QF).

For first class my vote goes to Lufthansa (but then their IFE is pretty abysmal). I haven't tried the new Air France suites. They're supposed to be pretty sweet!

 

[JohnK]

Economy - Qantas

Don't do enough flying in other cabins to rate them.

 

[Cynicor]

I think business class is a very difficult product to rank. Easy to compare carriers against each other, but hard to prioritise which is 'better'.

They all have their pros and cons, and I'm not sure there's any clear 'winner'. Discounting airlines that don't offer full flat horizontal beds, between the others you might find yourself weighing up better food (QF) vs fast service allowing you to maximise sleep (CX). Or trading exceptional service (SQ) against a longer, better bed for sleeping (CX). Privacy in a business suite (JAL skysuite) against being able to chat comfortably with your companion (QF).

For first class my vote goes to Lufthansa. Although I haven't tried the new Air France suites. They're supposed to be pretty sweet!

Have to agree with Mel_Traveller (don't worry, I'll disagree elsewhere for balance )
Business is hard to rank, too many competing priorities. I haven't flown enough F to rank them, but do you include the ground service form their home port, or is it just the air product. Because I'm posting from TG First lounge in BKK post massage. Right now they are pretty good, plus they give extra caviar on the plane

Not really a fan of EKs 777 F product, and I have to say MH A380 (is it still flying) was actually quite decent. Personally I reckon it's easiest to rank PE and Y. Everything else is way too differentiated. It may be easier to rank those that aren't top 8 or something though...

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Economy - Qantas

Don't do enough flying in other cabins to rate them.

This raises another potential issue - is your ranking for Qantas based on economy 'as a platinum' (bulkhead seats, possible shadows, plus other benefits on board benefits), or based equally on whether you were sitting in the 'bronze' section of the plane, having paid $35 to select a seat, and with no status to get you first crack at meal choice?

 

[henleybeach]

I'll give mine
F~ yet to find out !
J~ Etihad
PE~ Qantas
Y~ Oman air (a330) Qantas

 

[GuiltyBoomerang]

Based on my (lack of) experience:

F~ Will find out one day!
J~ Emirates
PE~ Cathay
Y~ Qantas/Singapore Airlines

 

[JohnK]

This raises another potential issue - is your ranking for Qantas based on economy 'as a platinum' (bulkhead seats, possible shadows, plus other benefits on board benefits), or based equally on whether you were sitting in the 'bronze' section of the plane, having paid $35 to select a seat, and with no status to get you first crack at meal choice?

Good question.

It is probably based on sheer number of flights and having very good experiences. Yes status helps. Yes bulkhead helps. Crew friendliness helps and generally Qantas international crew are very good.

Now in saying that I had some pretty good medium-haul flights on SQ recently. One particular flight the female FA was really good. She kept asking if I wanted more beer. When I went back to the galley waiting for the toilet she gave me 2 packs of cards as souvenirs. From memory it was A380 upper deck and I could have been the only white person in that section. Very good service.

The few flights I have had on Thai in economy have been quite good as well. Finnair tag flights in economy were very good. Cathay in economy is so-so and I cannot fault British airways either as I like the friendliness of the crew.

But Qantas wins hands down for product and service.

 

[RooFlyer]

I'll go with Mattg !


First class - Etihad
Business class - Singapore Airlines
Premium economy - never done it
Economy - Haven't done it international long haul for yonks. Finnair was probably the best of the short haul internationals.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

My list:

First: Etihad (assumed, never tried). Best I've tried is EK.
Business: JL new suites
Prem Econ: Air NZ
Econ: MH - only because I always get a spare seat or an op-up.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

My list:

First: Etihad - on the A380 EY F kicks everything else out of the park, but on other aircraft it is still excellent.
Business: Yet to find a standout. EY is good but service can vary. EK is too impersonal. I want to try the JL and CX hard products. VA international soft product was surprisingly good.
Prem. Econ: Air NZ for the space seat even though it was't on the aircraft I flew on. Only flown PE on NZ & VA. Not a cabin I'd choose for long haul, not good value.
Economy: Etihad for the new seat.

 

[bryanjones]

First - Thai (only F I've tried)
Business - Cathay
PE - Qantas
Economy - Swiss

 

[yohy?!]

F - ey
j - cx
w - qf
y - sq

 

[Alanslegal]

Yes, it is very hard to judge as the experience starts from the moment you book until the moment you leave the plane (and sometimes after that).

However from a purely on-board experience:

First - Singapore Airlines
Business - Cathay Pacific
Premium Economy - Air NZ
Economy - Qantas

Now, best lounges

First - Lufthansa FCT
Business - Turkish Airlines IST


Now, I would expect the following:-

Etihad Residences to smash everything on offer

Qatar Airlines Business Class Lounge as the best J lounge in the world.

 

[exceladdict]

F - only tried AS, AA and US domestic - so let's not count that but for the record, AS
J - QR (over Cx, QF and AY imo, particularly when travelling as a couple. Beds 'feel' larger in and as I normally travel with Mrs Excel, it's better for conversation. On demand meals are fantastic too)
PE- not tried, unless you count main cabin extra on AA
Y: QF

 

[AviationNZ]

First - EY
Business - CX
Premium Economy - NZ
Economy - SQ

 

[MEL_Traveller]

To determine 'the best' I'd have to answer it this way: if you asked to fly tomorrow from Australia to Europe, and if all respective fares were in the same ball-park, who would I recommend?

The answer would be:

F: SQ to SIN connecting to either LH or AF
J: CX (guaranteed full flat bed with no droop, good IFE, no staff attitude), or if departing from SYD, JL (only on 777 with skysuite)
PE: SQ (if offered), otherwise QF
Y: SQ (cheap exit row seats, great service, good coughtail list!)

 

[Dr Ralph]

Place your vote in this thread for your choice of the world's best airline product in each of the four cabin classes: First, Business, Premium Economy and Economy.

A vote is invalid without some criteria. EG. Price.