Best Business Class?

[Reggie]

Best to worst

EK A380 (Good - minibar, all have aisle access, service, bar at back, mattress, ammenity kit, HUGE TV screens. Bad - no pyjamas, no OW alliance)
SQ A380 (Good - very wide seats, all have aisle access, service, mattress. Bad - no pyjamas)
QF A380 (Good - side bins on window seat, pyjamas. Bad - inconsistent service, middle seat, IFE problems, small screens far from pax)
BA B747 (Good - service. Bad - reverse seat like a coffin, very narrow)
CX B747 (old version) (Good - service, Bad - seat was very short to lay down for 6'2"
AA all (Good - not in WHY, Bad - everything else)

 

[gumpy]

Best to worst

EK A380 (Good - minibar, all have aisle access, service, bar at back, mattress, ammenity kit, HUGE TV screens. Bad - no pyjamas, no OW alliance)
SQ A380 (Good - very wide seats, all have aisle access, service, mattress. Bad - no pyjamas)
QF A380 (Good - side bins on window seat, pyjamas. Bad - inconsistent service, middle seat, IFE problems, small screens far from pax)
BA B747 (Good - service. Bad - reverse seat like a coffin, very narrow)
CX B747 (old version) (Good - service, Bad - seat was very short to lay down for 6'2"
AA all (Good - not in WHY, Bad - everything else)

lol i like your take on AA

I really like the PJ's, I think my favourite would be QF 747 with Skybed 2 or AirNZ... I love AirNZ but like knowing I can points upgrade on QF to F. (not on the 747 unfortunately)

 

[MH_fan]

I've only experienced long-haul J (in recent years) on MH (744, 772), QF (744 Skybed 1), OS (772) and LA (343).
My rank:
1.MH (angled seats but everything else makes up for it)
2.OS (the best inflight catering in the sky)
3.LA (excellent flat-bed seats)
4.QF

I've also experienced long-haul F on MH (744) and UA (744). MH F was sublime. UA F, on the other hand, would rank at the same level as QF J (or even lower).

 

[RobJ]

I'd vote for CX, even though my trip in July was the old style seats - still good, great service, and unlike Qantas they are aware of the existence of Adelaide.

 

[Tim Warren]

Being a Qantas Platinum F/F,I used to use Qantas codeshares where possible. Flying back and forth from the Middle East they did a codeshare with Gulf Air, and the Business Class was superb. Then I flew Qantas themselves... WHAT A LETDOWN!! The food and wine was good, and entertainment also of a high standard... but the flightcrew were mostly ATROCIOUS!! They really did make me feel like I was inconveniencing them if I asked for a drink. So I discovered Cathay Pacific. Even though half the sector I regularly fly is serviced by older configuaration jets, the crew make up for it... Huge seats, great food, but most of all, the most friendly and attentive staff I have ever encountered!!

Someone else mentioned Qantas pricing... Another reason to fly Cathay is that if I were to book my flights with a QF prefix (the flight to Hong Kong would still be Cathay Pacific) the price was almost $2000 more than booking the same trip with Cathay!! So, to recap, that means $2000 more for exactly the same trip, but with a Red-Tail from Hong Kong to Sydney and coughpier service!! You still get Qantas points flying CX (albeit at a lower multiple) so I know where my money is staying!!

 

[rhjames]

I flew the new Cathay business class a few weeks ago and it was indeed excellent. The seat was very comfortable and easy to sleep in. The only thing that was annoying was no pajamas on a 15 hr flight!

Singapore Airlines also has an excellent business class seat, also with aisle access for every seat.

I haven't flown business class for a couple of years, but up to then, I flew a lot of business and first class. First class always supplied pajamas, but I've never seen them in Business class. Which airlines are doing this?

 

[ozflier]

Lufthansa J seats would come close the end of the list for comfort especially when you want to sleep.

My long distance flights on LH almost always end connecting from or to UA or SIA and the difference is so obvious.

The LH seats are supposedly flat but are not 180 degrees and there is a hump in the middle.

I am surprised that LH did not introduce decent flat seats in their A380s.It was a bit of a disappointment boarding that huge brand new aircraft and finding the same tired old business seats.

 

[Wainza 1]

I recently flew business class to Europe on Malaysian airways and felt it was a great product. The flights were SYD-KL on a 747-400, then KL to CDG on a 777-200, Then CDG -KL on a 777-200, Then KL - Kota Kinabalu ( Return ) on a A330-300 then KL - SYD on a 747-400. All in all a very comfy trip and great value for money.

 

[Tim Warren]

I haven't flown business class for a couple of years, but up to then, I flew a lot of business and first class. First class always supplied pajamas, but I've never seen them in Business class. Which airlines are doing this?

Qantas were providing pyjamas... grey soft cotton with a big Kangaroo on them!!

 

[toottifruitti]

Last time I flew was with Thai J class overnight flight from BNE-BKK. No PJs Great Service. Bed comfy. Hubby & I aren't the smallest of ppl so it was quite good.

 

[kaybee57]

In your opinion, what airline has the world's best Business class product?

I am a great fan of V-Australia and Etihad in that order. Both have comfortable beds - V-Australia even make them up for you and have a separate ladies toilet which I really like.
I also like the V-Australia bar behind the main seating area where you can relax with a drink or 2 and a chat with whoever is around at the time.

My bugbear as a Business class traveller is boarding gates where the priority lane has been 'taken over' by economy travellers.

 

[rhjames]

Qantas were providing pyjamas... grey soft cotton with a big Kangaroo on them!!

They must have been introduced fairly recently. I'm lifetime gold, and was platinum for many years doing longhaul QF Business class, and never say them - only the dark blue ones in First.

 

[simongr]

I think they came in on some services in 2007 and most services in 2008 and then were dropped on some services due to the GFC. Basically they are on all overnight flights - their definition of overnight can be a bit strange.

 

[barrieh]

Enjoy QF A380 in J and upstairs in a QF 747.

I am fortunate because my employer flies my in J if I have to travel OS *but* I have to pick the cheapest flight of the day. As a result, I recently flew UA to SFO (New 747 J).

I was really really impressed. The seat folds completely flat, it doesn't have that annoying bump in the middle like Qantas and the service was really excellent (I think QF J service is very very patchy).

 

[FirstClass]

Now we all know, I guess we'll just hafta pack our own jamies... the one's with the big roo on the front would work

 

[plrarm]

I flew the new Cathay business class a few weeks ago and it was indeed excellent. The seat was very comfortable and easy to sleep in. The only thing that was annoying was no pajamas on a 15 hr flight!

Singapore Airlines also has an excellent business class seat, also with aisle access for every seat.

With the new Cathay Business, is it still the "herringbone" layout or have they gone back to a conventional layout ? I flew Cathay with my partner and the seat layout was such that you could not see or speak to the other person without just about getting out of the seat. We did not like it at all.

We recently flew Qantas first and while the beds were better (because they actually make the seat/bed for you with woolly underlays) the rest was just like Qantas Business - so not worth the extra cost.

Flew Garuda (with fingers crossed!!) recently and Business was surprisingly good - very attentive service and modern aircraft.

Interesting to hear that Qantas are renovating their 747's. I'd rather fly upstairs on a 747 (hopefully renovated) than on the A380. The upstaris cabin on the Jumbo is small and 'private' whereas the A380 feels like you are in a picture theatre.

 

[kaybee57]

They must have been introduced fairly recently. I'm lifetime gold, and was platinum for many years doing longhaul QF Business class, and never say them - only the dark blue ones in First.

We were given jammies a few years back on QF and then 2 yrs ago also but i 'think' there was a gap in between with none.
Haven't had them on any other carriers though. Anyone else??

 

[sydunipete]

I'm a Star Alliance customer, so most (but not all) of my experience is with them.

I'd vote for:

Asiana's service, on the ground and in the air is beyond reproach
Singapore's bed / seat on the A380. So quiet and private with aisle access. It's hard to imagine a better night's sleep in the air than that (I'm 6'4".)
BA's bed is good for sleep, but more snug than SQ and the seating arrangements are far less private
Thai's lounge in BKK with free massages (a heavenly way to break up SYD - Europe)
SAS simply because Copenhagen is a hassle free transit hub, plus they represent great value for money
LH because of their connections and European network. Better if you can transit in Munich rather than Frankfurt, although the new Frankfurt A380 gates are great for J class - straight from the lounge to the cabin.

It really depends what is most important to you on each particular trip.

 

[christopherc]

I didn't try the new business class on Cathay but for me Singapore Airlines is the best one but there is also Virgin Atlantic with their massage on board who is very good.

 

[mockandco]

Virgin scrapped the on board massage about 3 years ago, but the flat bed and doona is good. Black pjs are standard issue and the hb layout is good for solo flying and you always have the option of chatting to people at the bar.
QF is hopeless unless you are on the flying brick, as with most of the fleet they still figure the key to a good nights sleep is to spend the night sliding down the seat to the footwell.
Etihad gets my vote hands down. Comfortable flat bed, good food and service, excellent club in Abu, free limo transfers at both ends (this includes a 170km transfer to the Cotswolds on my arrival and departure in UK)......absolute door to door business all the way!! They are always the best priced of the premium carriers. I have just booked a return fare LHR/SYD in Q for $4500 where QF is $6500 and VA and SQ $7000 (I am paying in pounds originating in LHR which is far cheaper than paying in AUD!!)