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View Full Version : BA 747 or Lingus A330


hixton
16th Mar 2006, 13:04
Id like some advice on which to choose on a trip to LAX.
BA 747 or an Aerlingus A330.
Im looking for the one with the most comfort and leg room, still in the the economy im afraid!
Any advice or past experiences?

apaddyinuk
16th Mar 2006, 13:41
Well having worked for both carriers I think I can give an unbiased opinion.
EI only have one A330 (EI-DAA) which has personal IFE in the seat backs and even then the choice is limiting. However the seats are generally an inch or two more spacious where legroom is considered even on the Airbuses without PTV's. Also you get more in terms of food on EI than you do with BA BUT you have to pay for your booze.

BA have a pretty good IFE yet its not of the AVOD style. The seats only have 31" pitch which I personally find bone crunching (Im 6'1") but if you arrive nice and early at the desk (in LHR not whatever other airport you may be connecting from) you can try and get a bulkhead/exit row seat of which there are about 20 or 30 depending on the aircraft config! You also have a free bar throughout the flight (yet somepeople will try and tell you otherwise because these people are too shy to ask for drinks midflight as they expect the crew to do a bar round every 30 minutes!!!)

I personally would go with BA but if its a quick and direct flight I would chose EI!!!

anotherglassofwine
16th Mar 2006, 14:10
I've taken this trip a few times with Aer Lingus and haven't had great experiences to be honest. In my opinion the service was very poor and it seemed as if I was almost offending the cabin crew when I pressed the call button for another drink or a snack. As for the IFE, I thought it was quite poor with a real lack of choice. On two occasions my TV was not working for the entire flight. I found the legroom to be quite good though.
On my last 2 trips to NY and LA I flew with BA and must admit, I was delighted with the service. The cabin crew were very friendly, helpful and on several occasions asked whether I needed anything. The connection through heathrow is always a bit of hassle, but I personally feel it is worth it.
I suppose it depends on your own requirements. I always like to relax on longer flights, watch some movies and have a couple of wines - so with this in mind I prefer BA. However, If you're the type of person who sleeps for most of the flight, then it's probably worth going with Lingus as it's direct.
my 2 cent :)

hixton
16th Mar 2006, 14:30
Thanks for the advice guys, Im not too fussed on the service really, just a comfy seat and leg room as Im 6`3.
I`ll be flying from MAN so theres a connection either in LHR or DUB.

Crusty Ol Cap'n
16th Mar 2006, 14:39
Don't forget the pre-departure clearance of US Immigration when travelling with EI!!:cool:

phnuff
17th Mar 2006, 10:36
I found this site by accident - it shows for some airlines (not air Lingus sadly), seat/cabin layouts and seat sizes,

http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/Virgin_Atlantic_Airways/Virgin_Atlantic_Airways_Boeing_747-400_B.php