Flying to the US - which airline?

[Airbus Girl]

After some up to date info on best airline to fly from UK to west coast US. American, BA, Virgin, United, etc. etc.?
Who has the best seats?
Best attitude?
Best food?

I haven't been for a while and heard varying reports in last couple of years.

Thanks!

[ETOPS]

Without doubt British Airways. Check the latest deals here BA Website (www.ba.com)

The longhaul experience with BA is very good (I would say that, wouldn't I?) but ask around. Two flights a day to both LAX &SFO gives plenty of choice as well.....

[Globaliser]

On the assumption that you're going economy, I would definitely pick BA or VS over anything hailing from the other side of the Atlantic.

As between BA and VS, it's mostly a matter of taste. BA (in my view) is consistently good overall, but it's more restrained/refined/sophisticated (take your pick) than VS and some people find it a bit cold and stand-offish. BA a/c have virtually all now got personal seatback TV screens, thus nullifying one of VS' main selling points for most pax. (I hardly ever watch anything on an a/c so this has never been an issue for me.)

VS also sounds like it's been suffering a bit from cuts, so some of the goodies have gone. My main problem personally with the VS product itself is that the entire cabin service is geared to the inclusive tour market, and it can be intrusive and annoying if all you really want is to be left alone to your own devices unless and until you want some service. There are also some reports that the cabin service on return flights to the UK is less good than on the outbound flights because the crew is, er, less fresh and rested. Nevertheless, I have friends who fly both BA and VS who would pick VS every time because they have more fun.

To LAX, you would also have the choice of flying on Air New Zealand. It used to be really good, but what I have heard lately is that service levels there have suffered a bit too. Must still be better than the AA/UA bus services that masquerade as airlines.

[PAXboy]

As always it depends upon your idea of 'service' and what you consider to be 'good food' and 'attitude'?

For example, I reckon that being left alone for most of the time is good and that any food containing spice or pasta means that I will spend the flight asking for spare bread rolls!! Food that is simple and hot and a reasonable quantity of meat and veg that I can identify is good!

Not to mention that you have not mentioned which cabin you can afford to travel in?

I am biased also, VS has been my first choice in long haul for the 17 years that I have been using them and I would make them my first choice - irrespective of which cabin I was travelling in. (I've done them all on long haul. :} )

That said - I think that the two are neck and neck and only nit-picking between them. You will aways find someone who has had a bad experience on a carrier and for everyone who says, They Are Great another says, Don't Touch Them.

For money - my guess is that BA will be offering good prices as they are in the middle of an extensive campaign.

Let us know your choice and experience!

[GlueBall]

BRITISH AIRWAYS

(I'm not a Brit nor do I work for BA,....but I have travelled a great deal). :cool:

[homesick rae]

I'm in the industry, British and living in the US. I travel across the pond on several occasions, full fare and I always book on Virgin if it is my choice. I have had one awful flight with them, but that's it! BA on the other hand...inconsistent. Very much, we are here to serve then that's it until the second service!

Virgin have a personal touch. I was flying out when my daughter was born and was buying a bottle of Champers. I only had large notes. After trying hard to sort out some change the Flight Attendant took my bottle back and returned with another, compliments of Virgin...There was no need, but what a nice touch!

That's beyond the call of duty...

I generally find the VS crew friendly, always having a laugh and enjoying their job. BA on the otherhand, well it's hit and miss. I have had some lovely flights with them, but not since I have been living over here!

Incidentally, I had a fabulous flight with US Air to LGW earlier this year, but I would stick with VS...or BA if you are that way inclined.

[surely not]

No axe to grind, but I choose Virgin every time as I like the more friendly atmosphere that they encourage.

[BrightonGirl]

Just wanted to mention that American advertises "more room in coach" -- and you may want to consider that. I haven't flown them across the Atlantic, but it's a long flight to the west coast, and those extra inches of pitch might please you.

[V1 Rotate]

American Airlines are the best in my opinion.

V1 Rotate
:cool: :cool: :cool:

[Jinkster]

Airbus Girl,

I am flying Virgin Atlantic from LHR to LAX on 4th November and returning two weeks later.

I will let you know how I get on?

Jinkster

[pilotwolf]

Virgin EVERY time... consistantly overall better service. Nothing personal against BA but the whole Virgin package has always been more user friendly and customer service orientated.

[Boss Raptor]

Only US carrier I would consider are Continental, was clean, smart and good food...rest of them are awful with miserable (ignorant!) cabin service...US Airways for example 'you last 100 passengers have got no choice you'll have to have pasta as that's all we've got left'...

VS is ok but certainly not the glitsy, go that extra mile airline that it used to be 10 years ago...BA haven't used since that moron Ayling took over...might have to give them another try as they do seem to consistantly get the vote on here.

[Mooney]

We used American Airlines for the first time last year and they where fantastic. The best part is the e x t r a legroom in economy. Its so much better than BA/Virgin. If you show your ID card they will probably upgrade you as well, we sat in business on the return.

If I could fly with AA long haul any where I would. Much much better than BA with all that room!

[newswatcher]

Airbus Girl, I would also offer my support for AA, not onlyfor the leg room (I am 6'2") but also for their in-flight service. You may not be aware that ANZ do this route non-stop as well. I am sure someone can tell you whether they are worthy of consideration.

Don't know when you are travelling but, taking Jinkster's travel plans, returns(inc) to LAX from London are showing as around £260 for Virgin, £270 for AA, but nothing under £300 for BA.

Hope you have a great time

[BAe 146-100]

Hi,

I would personally go for Virgin Atlantic (http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/home.view.do?flash=true). They are a 4**** rated airline on Skytrax (http://www.airlinequality.com/Airlines/VS.htm), they also have very reasonable fares.

BAe 146-100

[PeetD]

it does depend on your priorities. i'm 6'4" and the ONLY thing that matters to me is seat pitch. the diff between 34" with AA and 31" with BA and VS is everything. we went to MCO with AA in april and thought they were so good that we're using them to LAS next week. i'm a real fan of BA WT+ too and BA in general, but long haul in a 31" pitch is not funny.

[Mooney]

PeetD

have to agree with you, I am roughly the same height- and those seats in AA made it for me! I dont care what the food etc was like as long as the seat was OK! To my surprise the food/ movies were great.

Wont be going across the atlantic again unless i'm on AA.

[Crepello]

I'll throw my vote into the VS hat, only crossed the pond with them once but was mightily impressed. Great crew, excellent food (chicken tikka massala :ok: ), and they don't censor the movies like certain other airlines.

BA: Again, only one transatlantic and my most memorable ever, but sadly not an option after Oct. 24th :(

Honourable mention to UA, cos if you don't like the inflight entertainment, you can tune in to the cockpit radio.

[Pax Vobiscum]

I agree with Crepello about United's "inflight entertainment" - why don't more carriers offer this? I don't suppose it will be too interesting on a hop across the pond, though - much more fun inside the US!

I'd be quite happy going VS or BA in economy - if you can afford (or otherwise blag) an upgrade, then I doubt you'll be disappointed whover you fly with.

Final thought, the most important criterion for me is a non-stop (or at least direct) flight to my destination. Changing planes at O'Hare (or wherever) wastes time and greatly dimishes the chances that your luggage will be waiting for you at your destination.

[Momo]

I agree with the general sentiment, which is "It depends". What's important depends on you individually. Me, I am in the "more room is more important than food or entertainment (providing theprice is the same)" brigade, which pushes me towards AA, unless it is more expensive.

Back to the orginal poser of the question: What are your selection criteria, in what sequence?

- Food.
- Entertainment
- Price
- On-time record
- "Must be the same flag as on my passport"
- "I'm loyal to BA (or whatever) and am really only asking the question to have people make me feel good about that"
- Safety record
- Room
- FF credits (Where BA will probably score lowest)
- "Ability to use my exisitng miles to upgrade for the overnight leg"
- Attractive flight attendants
- etc.

[Coconuts]

Well I'm hardly very experienced cause I've only flown over the pond once, I'm just back from the west coast & I chose United but it was purely based on price since I booked fairly late.

How did I find them?

Weii I agree with other posters for someone whos an aviation enthusiast being able to track the flight etc on my seat monitor & listen into the cockpit transmissions courtesy of more than obliging pilots was a big plus. Plenty of movies/music stations if you're not into that kind of thing but personally I never bothered with them

The pilots I met were lovely, customer orientated, very helpful & down to earth.

Leg room in 'coach' as they call it 'economy' I call it was a bit limited & I don't have long legs.

Food OK

Staff in general great though one FA spat 'door' at me when I left the loo door open in haste to leave the aircraft after we landed. Thought it was a bit rude but considering they let me board my connection flight to the west coast 15minutes before it was due to leave due to idiot here losing my passport in O'Hare airport & they endeavouring to calm me down while I was having palpitations I think that can be overlooked.

Also they do a collection for charity with pax left over foreign coins at the end of the flight to Europe. Thought it was nice, some good to combat the evil of 9/11.

Question

Are all international flights met with 5 gun toting police officers as we were in O'Hare?

[radeng]

If you don't want to pay $5 for a beer or wine in Economy, DON'T TOUCH American! The last couple of times I've flown transatlantic on American, the service has been poor at best. Probably understandable when you consider the way the crews have been screwed, but still............

I flew BA Economy last week to the US, and OK, could have managed with a bit more leg room, but it wasn't bad. Fortunately the middle seat was empty both ways - about the only one that was. Was that, I wonder because I have a Gold card? Bit disappointed that full as it was, there wasn't an upgrade. Did get, for once, a decent cup of tea, and a free bot. of champagne.

I know KLM now doesn't have free booze in Economy on European flights - have they applied that to transatlantic, does anyone know?

[BAe 146-100]

Hi,

I know KLM now doesn't have free booze in Economy on European flights - have they applied that to transatlantic, does anyone know?

Flew KLM AMS-CPT-AMS in February of this year and there was free booze in Economy.

BAe 146-100 :)

[SLF3]

Economy, AA for the legroom. Club, BA, because I've never tried VS.

[maxman]

Just returned on VS from LAX, fortunate for me, up at the pointy end:ok: . Good flight, superb staff, and a shiny new "movies on demand" tv system. Only flown economy to Miami with them, the only drawback being some of the other passengers,rude, tracksuit wearing types. (Always want to sit in front of me, and test the seat recline while eating:* , but thats another thread).

[Self Loading Freight]

I tend to fly VS to the US. The last trip about a month ago to San Francisco was typical - not much room in the back, splendid entertainment system on the way over (forty plus movies on demand, big screen) but a much older one coming back, great service, not-so-great food, and packed to the gunnels. I agree with those who've said that BA can be very good and can be much worse; I've had one truly awful flight on Virgin, but the average is better than BA.

The few times I've flown Upper Class, it has been truly exceptional... but then anyone who can habitually flit across in the posh seats can afford to make their own decisions!

The very best flight I've had was, curiously, with Continental. Nothing to do with anything the airline did, and everything to do with getting a row of seats to myself, being able to fold the armrests back, get properly horizontal and just sleep for seven hours. I sometimes wonder about hammocks...

R

[Frankfurt_Cowboy]

I've always found US to be very good, nice people, nice planes, top IFE and PHL is a nice airport to transit through. Unfortunately the MAN return flight is no longer the last european departure of the day so the chances of volunteering to be bumped for the night, the tour and the cash are now much slimmer.

[BRUpax]

I can't comment on British carriers not having made any recent atlantic crossings with them. I have however just today returned from the USA having gone out BRU-EWR with CO and returned EWR-AMS with NW, both in Business Class. Mrs BRUpax and I found both carriers passed the BRUpax quality audit! NW perhaps just pipped CO to the post because of the cabin crew on the day. In fact this is what it really comes down to. The cabin crew are the airlines' front line and they can make all the difference on how pax perceive a "good experience" flight. It's down to individuals and their mood on the day.

[Ranger One]

1. Whichever carrier goes non-stop, or to a convenient airport. El Al isn't my idea of a 'fun' flight, if you're not Jewish they give you the frigging Spanish Inquisition, but years ago they had a direct service STN-JFK, which I used a lot. I lived 20 minutes from STN at the time...

2. BA or VS; not much to choose in economy. But if you get lucky and get upgraded... BA Club is better than many carriers First...

3. If you have to choose a US carrier, CO are about the best in my experience.

I've been practically commuting EWR-GLA for the last year, and CO have been just fine. Even if they weren't I'd still have to fly them as no-one else flies that route... non-stop is what matters!

R 1