Best transatlantic business seat

[mos]

Having never been asked to turn left on an international flight, I was hoping for some advice on the best options for a transatlantic award flight in J (LHR-JFK). Options look to be BA 747-400 or 777-200, or AA 777-200 or 767-300. Any thoughts on which has the best seats and configuration (travelling with a partner)?

Cheers,
Michael

 

[winetraveller]

My preference would be for 747-400, on the top deck if you can get it. Less traffic always means less disturbance. In terms of the seats, as far as I can recall there isn't a huge amount of difference.

 

[opusman]

Airline Seating Charts, Best Airplane Seats - SeatGuru is useful for this sort of thing.

 

[NM]

LHR to JFK (west-bound) is generally a daytime flight. So that makes a difference to me, as I generally don't need to sleep on a daytime flight (I find it hard to sleep anyway), so a horizontal bed is less of a need for me on a daytime flight.

More important to me are sitting comfort, IFE, food/beverage, terminal and lounge convenience etc.

Today, I would take AA, but that is only because I have some EVIP upgrades to get me a confirmed first class seat. Without that, and if using QF FF program where points earning is the same for AA and BA, I would probably end up with BA for these reasons:

• I find the AA New Business Class cabin a little cluttered, but their old business class was great seating for daytime flights. BA 747 upper deck is least cluttered cabin.
• BA is slowly rolling out AVOD, so might get that. AA provide individual media player which although it gives AVOD means you have another "thing" to store around your set when not watching it.
• BA lounge facilities at LHR terminal 4 (and 5 when it opens) are superior to AA's in terminal 3. This is especially true if you have OneWorld Emerald status.
• Food I find to be similar on AA and BA
• BA has better scotch

Now if this was JFK-LHR then my reasons would include the BA seat is better for sleeping unless you are particularly long or wide. And BA has pre-flight dining and sleeper service on-board for minimal disruption and maximum sleep opportunity.

 

[mos]

Thanks for your replies. I should clarify that it will be a westbound daytime flight, award redemption via QFF points (so earning doesn't matter), and that, most importantly, my girlfriend drinks gin and not scotch .

 

[simongr]

The G&Ts are better on BA - more english style rather than the bucket of gin, mountain of ice and drop of tonic...

I would vote BA as you could then get (potentially) upper deck emergency exit on the 744 for you and GF.

Also by that time (I assume this is a year away given you are trying to book a J award to LHR) T5 at LHR should be fully operational and if you have status the whole airport experience should be a lot better than the frakhole that is T3.

 

[mos]

Thanks for the advice, sounds like BA will be the go, cheers.

 

[Evan]

I am going to vote BA (note i have no specific experience on this route only others) i think there F&B is better and the seats great when sitting if a little short when flat sleeping but i would still pick BA.

E