QF vs BA long haul

[Cougar]

Can anyone confirm the seat pitch in QF economy B744 vs BA economy (not world Traveller, just cattle class).

I have heard QF is 33' and BA 30'?? Do BA have personal entertainment sets in economy?

Any advice on whether to fly QF or BA to LHR?

Cheers in advance

[DirtyPierre]

Cougar,

I've flown BA to LHR in cattle class, and the seats are reasonable for someone like me, ie. 6'3'' or 190cm, though I always try and get an exit aisle. BA have the personal entertainment screens in the back of the seat infront.

Not sure what the pitch is in QFA but believe it is pretty similar.

In both cases, if you are tall, get an exit aisle. This may mean turning up at the airport up to 4-6 hours before your flight to get it, but it is worth it.

Also, if you plan to do much travelling, join Qantas Club. Much better than waiting in the common departure lounge, and you can get a shower between flights if needed. The BA lounges at LHR are very good, and in some ways better than the Qantas lounge in Oz.

Hope this is helpful.

Safe landings.

[Sheep Guts]

BA and QF Ive flown both. You need to get an aisle seat or a emergency exit row or galley row.

Quite frankly Im sick of both BA AND QF on this run.

Why not try Malasian or Emirates. Slightly longer stops for fuel some by only an hour, but much better service. Im hoping a much bigger baggage allowance. BA and QF in Cattle class alow a 1 x piece at 20-23kgs perperson which is rediculous really considering how far your going. If your travellling for work purposes its lunacy.

Oh and dont think. Ill just pay excess baggage because QANTAS Charge $30.00/kg :(

To and from the Americas you are allowed 2 x 32kg pieces, can someone please tell me the difference? Alas I thought not. Its just silly European or British rules compared to reasonable American rules.

I just hope Virgin Atlantic get their Aussie rights. Man we need a change on this route.
Hey I bet youll find much cheaper airfares with Malaysian and Emirates aswell.


Sheep

[Anti Skid On]

Agree totally with Sheep Guts - would not choose the OneWorld lines at all.

Malaysia (especially the 772's) are very comfortable, heard the Emirates seats aren't so comfy. Also heard CX have gone downhill. All these have decent inflight entertainment services too.

Pitch on Malaysian Y class is 34" (there is a website that lists these)

[Taildragger67]

Right - my two cents' (pence?) worth as an Aussie based in London:

BA - very solid product across all classes. Invented the biz class flat bed and it's the only one whose J/C beds are actually FLAT (ie. not at a 3-5' angle).

BA economy seats are very comfortable. I'm 6'2" and yes my knees just scrape the seat pocket ahead when I've put my water bottle in it. But I find the seats themselves very comfortable. As for IFE, well BA had individual screens waaaaaaay before QF and it's still a good system - 13 channels of video in Y/C.

World Traveller Plus is well worth the extra - 7" extra legroom & slightly wider seat but standard economy food.

And you can do an online check-in from 24 hours ahead of departure for BA-operated flights.

Qantas - well, I'm an Aussie & love seeing the Red Rat tail at LHR but I'll always steer clear of a QF flight number (unless it's in the three-hundreds into/ex-LHR... ). Last flight on QF was in J/C and the gap between that & other J/Cs was so yawning that I have shied away from even sampling the Rat's Y/C for a couple of years. Pity really and it's not the crew's fault - more what they're given to work with (and I don't mean the airframes).

Anyway - EK economy - not all it's cracked up to be. Good if you save a good bit of dosh.

CX - pretty good, actually.

SQ - OK, but can't see why people rave about them so much. Food's decent. People seem to like the F/As. Get it straight, fellas - you'll NEVER get the leg over one of them, but you may need to rely on them to get you out of a burner.

As for VS - Virtual Sardines - I have NEVER had a good flight with these guys and will always look for an alternative. Really good if you like rock stars chucking wobblies & then getting free tix off the boss to come back & do it all again. You'll be packed in tighter than a gnat's & get served ordinary grub by luvvies who clearly think that they belong poolside in Beverly Hills rather than working for a living pushing carts.

Well at least that's my experience!!

[blueloo]

Flew Cathay recently, economy was dreadful. Stuffed in the middle, I am a short bloke and even my knees banged on the seat in front. Service very average - no better than QF (normally).

Flew QF recently too - 737 international service from Perth - all economy - domestic Perth "boy'sss" club cabin crew - service on this occasion was terrible and so was the food. I wasnt sure if we had any Cabin crew onboard - they all vanished. If one has to fly economy i do like the QF slim line seats. Comfortable armrests - not the old bulky 80's style which dig into your thighs. Pity about the lack of inflight entertainment though.

Never flown BA's flat business bed - but apparently because the bed is flat (when the aircraft is level on the ground - and the aeroplane flies on average say 2 to 3 degrees nose up in cruise) people facing the wrong way tend to slide off - supposedly quite uncomfortable.

[iss7002]

For mine, travel regularly to and from UK.

Seat pitch is the same, QF seat for me is slightly more comfortable but BA have a footrest which is brilliant.

On a BA flight No. you can alter seat allocation 24 hours prior to departure online.

Service with both is average. QF provide water and a goodies bag, BA have an extra drinks service prior to meals. But for both you can always press the button.

IFE is similar but QF include games.

The footrest usually sways me I love it.

[1013]

Just done a round-the-world tour with my wife and we flew on QF/CX/BA.

Guys, its horses for courses.
Flew on CX first class MEL-HKG.
Great service as usual and I never had reason to complain.
CX HKG-BKK business and the same.

BKK-LHR with QF business class and found it a treat.Friendly staff with great seating.Service was generally good and my wife really appreciated the way the F/A's knew when to bother you and when not.She slept through the meal service and as soon as she woke was given a bottle of mineral water (again!) and her meal followed shortly therafter.

BA LHR-Chicago economy.
It was ok and as I'm 6'1" had no drama.
The TV screens in the back of seats help pass the time but service although slow was satisfactory.
My only gripe were the BA hosties paxing behind us whinging about BA and their crap rosters (not to mention being in economy).

AA Chicago to LAX.
Now there's an experience.
Good seat pitch but was lucky to get a dry roll/juice and a cuppa.
Service was lousy and was politely told (by a woman I estimate to be my age or older) to sit after trying to stretch my lanky legs near the toilets (woops).

QF LAX-MEL economy.
Seat pitch ok, no real whine and spent most of the night asleep or channel surfing on the seat back video screens.
Service was good and the meals timely.Staff were very accomodating knowing we were ex CX staff but apologised that an upgrade wasnt available due every seat being filled.

Thats it in a nutshell so in my humble opinion unless its sardine city (as in the European charter airlines) there is little to gripe about.
Dont like the seat pitch?
Then how about paying a few extra hundred dollars per ticket for an extra 2 inches of seat pitch or flying with somebody else?

[High Altitude]

QF - BC SYD - JOBERG - VERY GOOD. Food great, entertainment great, information about the arctic cirlcle very informative, cabin crew great.....

[Buster Hyman]

Well, I did BA LHR-KUL a few years back...:eek: ...never again! I'm 6'4" and I reckon it was set up for the regions average height! NO WAY, BA!:}

[Hippolite]

Mrs Hippolite and I do round the world J Class every year using AA from Dalas to LAX, QF from LAX to MEL-PER-SIN-LHR and then BA from LHR to HOU.

AA...on the poor side, dirty seats, dirty aircraft and generally a slapdash attitude.

Being expat Oz, we like to support QF. No problems with seats or food etc but the FAs are arrogant (we've had one good flight in several years) and can make the trip unpleasant.

Although it is the end of our vacation, the best leg always seems to be LHR to HOU. BA's "raid the larder" is great and the FAs are the most friendly of any airline. Flat beds also good.

Although not One World, I have found Continental to be good. Gordon Bethune's "work hard fly right" campaign is a good one and their satff always seem happier than some other carriers.

Hippolite:cool:

[Groaner]

Having done SYD-LHR over and over again in the last few years, QF crews generally (some exceptions) friendlier than the alternatives, but the new J-class bed is a bit of a hard beast to find - only 4 AC so far equipped (and I believe only the BKK transits). Comfortable, but strange arrangement, and wierd stowage around the ears. Good food. Once they install the rest of the beds they'll probably be unbeatable, until then, best to avoid.

BA bed is flat, but many of my colleagues also complain like me that it is peculiarly uncomfortable - too narrow, lumpy, the stool thingy that forms the end of the bed most people don't know it can be raised. And then the BA crew - very variable, appalling uniforms. Food fair to bad.

SQ bed OK, but despite the advertising not on all their AC (some 777s don't have em). Food good (best selection), service ok although pretty rigid, crew not teribly friendy.

Malaysian looking a bit tired in the food, seat categories. Crew variable, need some serious investment in the hardware.

CX, EK haven't flown for the last year, so someone else can comment, tired of typing... in the end they all get you there usually, just takes a loooong time.

[Sheep Guts]

Guys guys guys. OFCOURSE FIRST CLASS AND CLUB CLASS is going to be good :rolleyes:

I still cant understand the baggage restrictions from Eurpean destinations to Oz compared from US destinations. If someone can answer that then I ll shut up but until then its the most redicluous restriction 1x 20kg piece to London from Sydney or vice versa why?

STUPID STUPID STUPID.


Sheep