BA Club World vs. AA Business Long Haul

[littl_flier]

Hi Guys,

I've had a look here and on FT (but the search function doesn't like using BA or AA ) and can't find any direct advice.

Given the choice of either AA or BA on DFW-LGW (both on 777's) in Business, what is the best option? It will be credited to QF so the transpacific rules with AA are not an issue. They are both overnight flights.

Would you have a different answer if it was an AA 763 that had been converted?

Thanks in advance.

littl_flier

 

[serfty]

I'd go for the BA aircraft; if nothing else the BA in-flight product should be of a higher standard; if not the service level.

I've spent a 4 hours flight on a NGBC AA 763 ; I'd like to try these beds out on a sleeper flight.

FWIW, I have little trouble sleeping on a BA J seat as I tend to sleep on my side.

 

[Dave Noble]

For an overnight flight I would go with BA since BA has the flat beds whilst AA has seats akin to ( and imo a bit better than ) QF Dreamtime seats.

If it was a daytime flight , then I might well go for AA since I did find the meal service on the MAN-ORD run better than offered by BA in J . Based on my recent Trans Atlantic experiences, I wouldn't really agree that the service level is higher on BA; AA's overall service impressed me this trip ( which I did find surprising )

As far as searching , I would suggest using Google rather than the vBulletin inbuilt search tool

To search FT, use

searchcriteria site:flyertalk.com

and to search AFF use

searchcriteria site:frequentflyer.com.au

This will , imo, perform a much better search

Dave

 

[NM]

If there are no FF earning issues at play, then I would choose BA for the overnight flight due to the flat bed. Even when AA have their new J seats installed on the 777 aircraft, I would still choose the BA option as I found the AA J seats made the cabin feel cluttered (on a 767).

Food and beverages are probably similar and service will depend on the crew you get on the day.

 

[Mal]

BA have an arrivals lounge at LGW (In the Sofitel Hotel). This is shared with some other carriers - but not AA.

I'm not sure that AA has an arrivals lounge at LGW (They do at Heathrow though)

While Arrival's lounges aren't everything, it is a good chance to relax at your destination and get breakfast and shower after the journey. That would be one advantage of BA over AA for this trip.

 

[littl_flier]

Thanks for all the advice guys. Much appreciate it.

As far as searching , I would suggest using Google rather than the vBulletin inbuilt search tool

To search FT, use
searchcriteria site:flyertalk.com

and to search AFF use
searchcriteria site:frequentflyer.com.au

Thanks for the tip Dave, I must remember this for future.

FWIW, I have little trouble sleeping on a BA J seat as I tend to sleep on my side.

Thanks Serfty. I notice you and a few others have mentioned about being to tall for Club World. I am only 173cms so I guess I might be lucky there. Budget permitting, I'll hopefully do a sidetrip YUPP fare from BWI-HNL similar to you so I should score a refurbished 763 by then and save my backwards experience for the DFW-LGW flight.

BA have an arrivals lounge at LGW (In the Sofitel Hotel). This is shared with some other carriers - but not AA. While Arrival's lounges aren't everything, it is a good chance to relax at your destination and get breakfast and shower after the journey. That would be one advantage of BA over AA for this trip.

Thanks Mal, I'm definitely keen to try out one of these lounges. I didn't realise that it was in a hotel though. I presume there is no Molton Travel Spa then?

If there are no FF earning issues at play, then I would choose BA for the overnight flight due to the flat bed.

Thanks NM, I take it that AA's new gen seats are similar to skybed in that they're 180 degrees but not flat?

 

[dot]

Having flown LGW-RTP and LGW-DFW on AA and many other sectors on BA, I woudl go straight for the BA J product any day or night. While the AA J seats have a HUGE amount of legroom, they are (on my flights anyway) like leather poofy versions of the old QF J seat. While both my flights were daytime flights, I still prefer the BA Skybeds for comfort and privacy.

Where I have the option of BA trans atlantic, I will always choose that over an AA option.

The other thing I found that discourages me from AA trans-Atlantic was the third degree AA put you through prior to checkin when travelling to the USA - the BA process (On LGW-DFW) was much smoother and less stressful.

 

[NM]

Thanks NM, I take it that AA's new gen seats are similar to skybed in that they're 180 degrees but not flat?

That is about the only similarity. They are very different in design and implementation to the QF Skybed.

 

[Alan in CBR]

Thanks NM, I take it that AA's new gen seats are similar to skybed in that they're 180 degrees but not flat?

They are flat, they just aren't horizontal.

I'm with the others, for an overnight flight it's no contest - BA is clearly better.