Sydney to LAX - Which carrier for Economy

[MelbourneBoy]

Hi all,

My wife, daughter and I have just returned from 3-4 weeks in Europe and need to book our next trip in to keep our sanity!

We're considering a trip to LA next year in economy.

There are several carriers flying from Syd to LAX including Qantas, AA, Fiji and AirNZ.

Would anyone have a view on which they preferred? I'm mainly looking at which aircraft is the most comfortable for 13+ hours in economy.

We recently flew QF2 back from Singapore on a very tired A380 and would like to avoid this.

Thanks in advance
Michael

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

I'd suggest Fiji is your best bet if you're trying to avoid QF's 380. The legroom and pitch on Fiji's A350 are a touch more generous than the 777/787s that both NZ and AA fly. NZ catering likely a bit better, but if it's about the seat and QF is out, then I'd go with FJ.

Delta also flies this route nonstop on a 350.

 

[anyonebutqantas]

Fiji.

 

[daft009]

You could also perhaps break up the trip in Nadi for a night or 2 to reduce the Y pain

 

[jrfsp]

in Y the A350 is hard to beat, particularly if you get extra legroom seats which the US carriers dont seem to charge too much extra for.

See how much Delta is charging for comfort +

 

[Dr Ralph]

We recently flew QF2 back from Singapore on a very tired A380 and would like to avoid this.

Avoid the A380?????????????

My favourite plane. QF on that basis.

 

[MELso]

The carriers that fly SYD-LAX with one stop or fewer without big deviations are: American, Delta, Qantas, United (all nonstop) Hawaiian, AirNZ and Fiji (one stop).

Personally, it'd be Delta's A350 for me. Fiji's rather nice A350 or Hawaiian if you're prepared to/want a stopover.

 

[Brissy1]

Don't fly AA.
Did syd-lax in May in Y, dreadful surly cabin staff, narrow seats. lax-syd following week J, same dreadful attitude from cabin staff, warm champagne in plastic cups (actually plastic everything), dried out food.

 

[harvyk]

It's funny, I would have suggested the A380 in Y, simply because they don't quite squeeze people into the A380 in quite the same way as a 787 in Y, plus there feels to be better padding on seats. I am talking QF here.

Can't comment on other airlines though.

 

[Forg]

Have the US airlines stopped being the worst you can get in Y?

 

[elanshin]

If you get the unrefubished a380, you could get Y in the upper deck!

The newer ones shouldn't be too different and chances are you'll get the refurbished ones on SYD <> LAX. If you're talking about the refurbished ones then I guess even the 787s won't be that good on QF and might as well look beyond QF at FJ.

 

[WilsonM]

Feel like it depends on what is more comfortable - do you need more legroom, or do you want a slightly wider seat? Do you want a less crowded cabin, more modern cabins etc.

Delta's A350s have 31 inch seat pitch and 17.4 inch wide seats, while QF's 787s have 32 inches seat pitch and 17.2 inch seat width. QF A380s are probably the best in regards to the seat pitch and width metric, at 32inch/17.7inches, but they are older than FJ's A350s.

Also worth noting that UA, Delta and FJ all operate an Economy+ cabin with a 34inch seat pitch, so also an option there.

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

Have the US airlines stopped being the worst you can get in Y?

Not for the options from Australia to/from
North America, though I do think there’s been improvement at United (hard as it is to admit and believe), and I’ve sadly found DL to be going in the wrong direction post-pandemic. I still avoid AA religiously.

 

[MelbourneBoy]

I'd suggest Fiji is your best bet if you're trying to avoid QF's 380. The legroom and pitch on Fiji's A350 are a touch more generous than the 777/787s that both NZ and AA fly. NZ catering likely a bit better, but if it's about the seat and QF is out, then I'd go with FJ.

Delta also flies this route nonstop on a 350.

ok. thank you

Avoid the A380?????????????

My favourite plane. QF on that basis.

I might have been jadded by the staff. The aircraft itself was fine (actually the legroom was good reflecting on our seats and it had the new qantas leather which was comfortable) although the entertainment looks so battered and the staff were rude. For example we had a single mother with two children in the row with us. the flight attendant told the customer twice to put the children's things in the overhead. Clearly the easiest solution would have been to offered to help put the bags away but instead the attendant kept huffing and puffing.

 

[kookaburra75]

ok. thank you

I might have been jadded by the staff. The aircraft itself was fine (actually the legroom was good reflecting on our seats and it had the new qantas leather which was comfortable) although the entertainment looks so battered and the staff were rude. For example we had a single mother with two children in the row with us. the flight attendant told the customer twice to put the children's things in the overhead. Clearly the easiest solution would have been to offered to help put the bags away but instead the attendant kept huffing and puffing.

Our experiences are made up of the hard + soft elements of the service, and it certainly seems the soft bit failed for you on your flight.

I'm a fan of the A380 Y seats, both old and new - more from the quietness and comfort of the aircraft as much as the seat. If you can score a A380 with the old fit out, try and snag a seat upstairs - rows 32-36. Seat 35J&K or 36J&K are good seats.

 

[tdimdad]

Where are ANA and JAL in this discussion? Y on JAL 78x is one of the most comfy hard products and the service is usually very courteous. I'd assume ANA is a similarly good choice.

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

Where are ANA and JAL in this discussion? Y on JAL 78x is one of the most comfy hard products and the service is usually very courteous. I'd assume ANA is a similarly good choice.

Both fantastic experiences in Y (I find Korean to be excellent as well especially on their 777), but to connect to North America that's potentially doubling the trip length compared to nonstop options. Is a trip 2x as long in a bit more comfortable seat in Y worth the added time and cost?

 

[Quickstatus]

Is a trip 2x as long in a bit more comfortable seat in Y worth the added time and cost?

A Japan Stopover is always enticing especially when travelling in whY

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

A Japan Stopover is always enticing especially when travelling in whY

If you've the time and money, of course. Everyone needs more Japan in their life.

 

[daft009]

If you've the time and money, of course. Everyone needs more Japan in their life.

As a matter of fact we're on our way there now