United airlines
#31
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2010
Location: Temecula, CA
Posts: 4,759
Re: United airlines
I fly Club World a lot and quite like it. It's one of the best business class seats in the sky according to Business Traveler Magazine, but BA's service can be patchy (which can be said about most airlines I think, maybe apart from some Asia-based ones).
I frequent the BA forum on Flyertalk quite a bit, and I've never heard of reports of them running out of food. Do you mean running our of your first or second choices of main course, or totally out of any kind of food? (Bit of a horrifying thought).
I frequent the BA forum on Flyertalk quite a bit, and I've never heard of reports of them running out of food. Do you mean running our of your first or second choices of main course, or totally out of any kind of food? (Bit of a horrifying thought).
#32
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
Re: United airlines
EWR-LIM several years ago on CO, similar time actually. Only niggle was the trolley getting in the way, oh and the lack of IFE (at the time - might be different now).
Been there, done that. I've only been in BA business class a couple of times internationally and it was still rubbish. Ever heard of a business class running out of food? Or asking a steward for a drink because the snack bar is empty, and getting an "I'm busy, give me a few minutes"? Welcome to BA.
Been there, done that. I've only been in BA business class a couple of times internationally and it was still rubbish. Ever heard of a business class running out of food? Or asking a steward for a drink because the snack bar is empty, and getting an "I'm busy, give me a few minutes"? Welcome to BA.
#33
Re: United airlines
Some people can only afford to fly in pikey class
I like Deltas International 767-400s in economy simply because of the seat layout. 2-4-2 as opposed to the 3-4-3 of a BA 777. Since those are my only options LHR-ATL I go with not having to climb over 2 people to use a bathroom...
I like Deltas International 767-400s in economy simply because of the seat layout. 2-4-2 as opposed to the 3-4-3 of a BA 777. Since those are my only options LHR-ATL I go with not having to climb over 2 people to use a bathroom...
#34
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 67
Re: United airlines
I'm surprised to hear people slagging off BA -- I've flown economy IAD-LHR on pretty much every flight permutation possible, through every connection going, and I think (all things being equal) they're all much of a muchness. Any individual flight can be good or bad, but averaged out...
The decider for me is that departure times are better on BA.
And I'd always choose a direct flight over a connection no matter the carrier. It has to be a really significant saving to get me to stop on the way.
The decider for me is that departure times are better on BA.
And I'd always choose a direct flight over a connection no matter the carrier. It has to be a really significant saving to get me to stop on the way.
#35
Re: United airlines
I didn't even think the seats were that great. As for the food, the first meal was way overcooked, and the second meal was a choice of salad pre-doused in vinegar, or a slightly different salad pre-doused in vinegar. I don't like salad. Or vinegar. And the snack bar was empty before we even hit the US (LHR-LAX), apart from a couple of broken biscuits. They managed to rustle up some cans of coke from a trolley though. No offer of finding anything else on the plane so my first stop after landing was finding somewhere to eat. Even Philippine Airlines managed to serve better food in economy, though shit at everything else.
Not trying to be picky - your first statement that "they ran out of food" made it sound like there was nothing to eat on your flight, so wanted to clarify, as even during strikes I hadn't heard of that happening.
That said, some crew members can be shocking - BA of course included. Club World should have at-seat drink service throughout the flight, so nobody should be having to rustle up cans of Coke for you off a trolley. I hope you sent in a complaint.
#36
Re: United airlines
I'm sure that many people in business and first on any given flight can only afford to fly in pikey class! The trick is to fly business (or first) but pay less than you would have done to fly pikey.
#37
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2010
Location: Temecula, CA
Posts: 4,759
Re: United airlines
So they didn't run out of food as such - the Club Kitchen snack bar ran out of food, which was an issue for you as you didn't like the second meal. I'm picky with salads too - I flew Lufthansa First SEA-FRA recently and didn't like their salad. And they don't have a snack bar. And the First seat that's still fitted to the majority of the fleet is much worse than BA's business seat. (Still at least I got some caviar and expensive pyjamas out of it!).
Not trying to be picky - your first statement that "they ran out of food" made it sound like there was nothing to eat on your flight, so wanted to clarify, as even during strikes I hadn't heard of that happening.
Not trying to be picky - your first statement that "they ran out of food" made it sound like there was nothing to eat on your flight, so wanted to clarify, as even during strikes I hadn't heard of that happening.
I don't know with BA, they obviously can't always be that bad, but of 20+ flights over the last decade with them, they have consistently been mediocre to crap for me. I'm certainly glad I didn't "pay" for business class that time. I'll concede the seats and service - but not the food - is better than Gulf Air business class!
#38
Re: United airlines
Okay, so I exaggerated! But when you basically don't have any food for 9+ hours (since the first meal), you can see my frustration! Usually airlines have two very different meals so the chances are good if you don't like the first choice then the second may well fit the bill. A choice of two salads really doesn't give any choice.
I don't know with BA, they obviously can't always be that bad, but of 20+ flights over the last decade with them, they have consistently been mediocre to crap for me. I'm certainly glad I didn't "pay" for business class that time. I'll concede the seats and service - but not the food - is better than Gulf Air business class!
I don't know with BA, they obviously can't always be that bad, but of 20+ flights over the last decade with them, they have consistently been mediocre to crap for me. I'm certainly glad I didn't "pay" for business class that time. I'll concede the seats and service - but not the food - is better than Gulf Air business class!
#41
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2010
Location: Temecula, CA
Posts: 4,759
Re: United airlines
Ok - I fly them about 5-6 times a year - mixture of World Traveler Plus and Club. Never had a truly terrible experience, but then maybe I'm so used to them that I automatically overlook (or overcome) some of their foibles. (For example I always swipe something from the lounge - almost without thinking now - in case the Club Kitchen gets raided early on). Club Kitchen always empties faster on a 747 because it's right next to World Traveler Plus, and if there's one thing we know about that lot is they're a bunch of light-fingered bastards...
The impression I got was that Biz Class was just a more expensive version of economy - anybody pleb and his dog gets in (hey, maybe that includes the crew!). Whereas the few other airlines I've been in business in it's more of an "exclusive" experience.
#42
Re: United airlines
I thought you were wrong with the kitchen but now I'm wondering whether I came on a 777 instead... yes I do know the difference but it was such a bad flight that I guess I'm blotting it out from my memory!
The impression I got was that Biz Class was just a more expensive version of economy - anybody pleb and his dog gets in (hey, maybe that includes the crew!). Whereas the few other airlines I've been in business in it's more of an "exclusive" experience.
The impression I got was that Biz Class was just a more expensive version of economy - anybody pleb and his dog gets in (hey, maybe that includes the crew!). Whereas the few other airlines I've been in business in it's more of an "exclusive" experience.
#45
Re: United airlines
Neither do I, but SWMBO and I are flying business first on United for the cost of the pikey fare. (Well we are if they reinstate the Tuesday flight in January as per the timetable) Credit cards earn miles. If all the saver seats hadn't sold in business first it would have only been the cost of the taxes.