Not sure which flight to choose

[mrtupperware]

Would like to get your thoughts on the two below flights:

SQ Business on A350 connecting to A380 total trip duration about 24 hours
Air China 777 First class connecting to A330 business (only 2 hours though) total trip duration 17 hours

Which one will you choose and why?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Would like to get your thoughts on the two below flights:

SQ Business on A350 connecting to A380 total trip duration about 24 hours
Air China 777 First class connecting to A330 business (only 2 hours though) total trip duration 17 hours

Which one will you choose and why?

Air China F is better than SQ J. Now, not necessarily the food or the beverage selection, but the seat, bed, amenities, PJs and everything else. The service on Chinese carries is also pretty darn good, although they have a limited soft product to work with. While the crew's English may be far from fluent, the 'service' element is without question.

Air China operates two configurations for their A330. The majority have full flats, but there is a small sub-fleet with angled flat beds. But the flight is only 2 hours. Those seats (both full flat and angled) lack privacy, but the trade-off is that there are no cubby holes or tubes or cut-outs for your legs and feet while sleeping. In terms of sleep comfort, they are hard to beat.

Yes SQ has great crew, better than average food, and a reasonable drink selection. But once your meal has finished you have another 10 hours of comfort and snoozing to think of. A proper F seat/suite in a small and quiet cabin with dedicated crew and toilets, and service that revolves around your schedule rather than the cabin as a whole, is what will count.

And you save 7 hours!

 

[mrtupperware]

Air China F is better than SQ J. Now, not necessarily the food or the beverage selection, but the seat, bed, amenities, PJs and everything else. The service on Chinese carries is also pretty darn good, although they have a limited soft product to work with. While the crew's English may be far from fluent, the 'service' element is without question.

Air China operates two configurations for their A330. The majority have full flats, but there is a small sub-fleet with angled flat beds. But the flight is only 2 hours. Those seats (both full flat and angled) lack privacy, but the trade-off is that there are no cubby holes or tubes or cut-outs for your legs and feet while sleeping. In terms of sleep comfort, they are hard to beat.

Yes SQ has great crew, better than average food, and a reasonable drink selection. But once your meal has finished you have another 10 hours of comfort and snoozing to think of. A proper F seat/suite in a small and quiet cabin with dedicated crew and toilets, and service that revolves around your schedule rather than the cabin as a whole, is what will count.

And you save 7 hours!

Thanks, I think thats what I am leaning towards, especially this being a 1am flight, and im only planning on sleeping so food is not really a consideration.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks, I think thats what I am leaning towards, especially this being a 1am flight, and im only planning on sleeping so food is not really a consideration.

I had two friends fly Air China F last month. One Chinese, one European. They both said it was good. Here's a couple of reviews: Review: Air China First Class, Los Angeles to Beijing and Flight Review: Air China (777-300) First Class - Beijing to Los Angeles - PointsWise

The first link (travelcodex) sums it up in the last 'final thoughts' section. Great crew, great seat, great bed. Poor catering.

 

[mrtupperware]

Thanks @MEL_Traveller, where / to did they fly from?

Yes read the reviews. I also arrive to my final destination earlier so happy with that. Pretty good value 140k KF miles from the US to Asia first class...

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Oh, well. Using KF miles you’d obviously shoot for SQ F if possible. Perhaps confirm Air China but waitlist SQ F? (or other way around, waitlist the F first - no miles are deducted - then confirm and pay for Air China F.)

They flew LAX-PEK and PEK-JFK. They used Lifemiles, and one of the segments was on discount. It was something like 160k return (USD2152 per person plus a hundred or so in taxes).

 

[mrtupperware]

SQ F is good but they fly the 777 from lax and it stops at ICN, and then SIN so doesn’t really saves time

 

[MEL_Traveller]

SQ F is good but they fly the 777 from lax and it stops at ICN, and then SIN so doesn’t really saves time

agree. But SQ F is like a 5x step up from SQ J or CA F.

 

[mrtupperware]

Agree on the a380, but on the 777 IMO is more like 50% better than J

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Agree on the a380, but on the 777 IMO is more like 50% better than J

Only in terms of overall space and privacy. The bed is still much bigger in F than J on the 777. The service and soft product is otherwise identical.