Well, here's an article that tells of the rubbish CC have to put up with. I know this kind of thing has been posted before but I think the article is good:
Diva demands and peeing on seats: Why flight attendants hate working in business class more than economy | The Independent

best airline was good old Palmair from Bournemouth nice crew hot meal comfy seat no hand baggage or excess bag charges nonsense - just plain old courtesy and smiles old fashioned style

rog747: reminds me flying a return trip from YEG to YZF with Canadian North a few years back (on a B737-200) and being very surprised to be served a hot meal both ways. They were only sectors of 1 hour and 25 minutes! The F/A was brilliant too. She was a real character.

I really don't think I've ever uttered a "diva demand"..................

The Range
For me it would be EK/SQ/LH/SWISS. I have never had an issue so far with these carriers and on the first two I think I must have bought a good chunk of one of their A/C over the years in fares. LH/Swiss just do what they say they do, with no big fan fair, but do go the extra mile with customer service when it has gone wrong in my personnel experience.


With regards the cabin crew debate I treat everyone as I would like to be treated myself, and having that attitude I have never yet come across any issues with cabin crew on any airline I have flown since I was a small unaccompanied child flying 1/2 way round the world for school. There have been times, notably with US carriers where I have had my patience and attitude tested, but have yet to snap. BA also seem to have taken on some of the cousins ways I have noted of late on my very infrequent trips with them.
The role of cabin crew is both safety and service, and for all the decrying of none western CC the girls and boys of the EK 777, which would no doubt be mixed crew from many nations, did a sterling job getting everyone out at DXB recently, so I do not think that is a valid point either.

Thanks, Mac

I almost always use SQ, economy for short haul and business for long haul. The service and professionalism of the crews is always impressive, despite some of the garbage behaviour displayed by some pax, particularly up the pointy end.

I have used EK, KLM, BA, CX, TG, MAS and GIA - GIA used to be bit of a joke in my Jakarta days but now it is pretty decent. KLM & BA I am sorry to say just were not as good on service or seat etc.

To the point about Asians being timid and subservient, that poster may not ever have been in a hawker centre in Singapore, or HK...

Just an observation on a couple of EK flights where it was the western crew who had to intervene and be the ones to assert authority. Anecdotal maybe but it's what I found.
I never went to a Hawker Centre when I was last in Singapore but, as luck would have it, I'm off there tomorrow (on Holiday) and several other Asian Cities so I will be sure to take a look. Thanks for the tip.

I recommend the Newton Circus Hawker Centre. If you are in a small group often a hawker will approach you to find a table and get your food. All for a small fee, of course, but that way it's closer to a real restaurant.

Pity the Satay Club is no longer but, apparently, Lau Pa Sat is a good alternative. I haven't been there myself though.

It’s only a personal opinion, of course, but I’ve found Newton Circus to be overpriced and the vendors rather over assertive. Possibly because it’s popular with tourists?

As an alternative, consider Holland Village. It’s actually a few years since I was last there, but I found it a bit more relaxed. Or try Hong Lim Food Centre in Chinatown.

Asian cultural issues often appear on Pprune and it is true that while many appear meek and subservient thats not always the case -Chinese women or 'overseas' Chinese ie from SIN Malaysia etc are far from it when angered or no doubt if things get difficult.

And as mostly they fly in Asia thats fine-in Europe they might not cope too well with a late MAN-Ibiza but there are not too many trips like that in their backyard. best leave those to sharp tongued quick witted scouse women or the 'Yes I know I am attractive but I could break both your arms if needed' east Europeans on Ryan.

As to the roiginal question , I have not flown them for a while, but always really enjoyed MAS as they and the Thais seem to have more of a UK type sense of humour than on some carriers and as has been pointed out EK is a complete league of nations.

I really wonder if BA ,even with the super efficient 787 will mange to keep the smaller eatern routes going as they have basically already cut back to just major buisiness centres when Premium pax and their devotion to BA Avios makes up for alot

As a side.... apart from the Northern Brit crew wanting to get home to see loved ones, DXB-MAN is hated amongst EK crew.... and presumably QR and EY too.

Wandering off topic onto Singapore hawker centres: the locals tend to leave Newton Circus to the tourists and go to Amoy Street or indeed Lau Pa Sat. Satay Street is now alongside LPS, they shut down Boon Tat St every evening at 6pm and set up tables and benches.

Never tried Holland Village so I cannot comment on that.

Easyflyer 83
The comment about Man route being hated by EK crew seems a little strong, and at odds with my all too regular discussion with them. I do agree with you it is popular with northern based crew coming back to see family and friends. The one comment I do here is 1. Constantly running out of Tonic water ! 2. Flights usually quite full so work load higher than some routes.

Just anecdotal comments from EK crew/ex EK crew I know. MAN flights, on all carriers, are generally very demanding. That is why MAN is generally top for charter/LCC's when it comes to onboard sales. MAN pax like a good drink and when it's comp then they particularly go mad for it. I was GB Airways crew at MAN carrying pax who, in the main, weren't typical BA pax and especially when they found out the drinks were comp, we didn't stop all the way down to the canaries and deep Med. Aswell as a lot of VFR, EK carry a lot of holiday makers and blue collar business travellers (oil riggers etc) ex MAN who I'm sure will keep the crew very busy.

Cheers for the Hawker tips. Sat in one as we speak.

I still think BA are a top class airline. Flew back Business from Calgary a few years back and it was exceptional. Regularly used to fly back BA PE from YYC when I was dipping into my own pocket and enjoyed that service too. American Business was not a patch on BA I found, but their customer service was second to none. I used to like BMI Mainline too for short trips. The only airline I actively avoid is Air Canada, not because of anything other than the seats in Economy- I just don't find them comfortable when flying LH (the seats in AC Business are much better though, as you would expect)!

Service is such a subjective thing there is no real answer. My father was no stranger to First Class, he was a regular flyer to the US, South Africa and the Far East. The thing he wanted was a big seat and to be left well alone. Every now and again he changed his mind. With BA & Virgin the CA's appeared to know what he wanted without him telling them so. But with some other carriers, mainly US ones, he was regularly bothered by people offering him things he didn't want. With Far Eastern carriers he felt constantly bothered to point of (kindly) asking them to leave him alone. No clues for guessing who he mainly flew with. He also used to tell me about the precious crud (my words) he used to share cabin space with. He was full of admiration for the CA's because these passengers are not nice. They are full of themselves and believe they are so important you must do everything they ask, no matter how perverse. Yet the CA's still remained calm and polite where a normal person would have removed their teeth.

Overall, it depends on what you call service. I'm like my father. I want a comfortable seat, the occasional meal and drink on a safe flight running on time. Simple really.

Rarely fly long haul but did use Singapore Airlines to CHC via Singapore and was very impressed in economy. Think its cruel you have to pass through Business to get to Economy though!
I regularly fly to LHR from Germany so essentially its either LH or BA for me.
If I had to chose a the best one for me it would easily be LH. BA do too many things that niggle me but maybe I expect too much from them.:)

I use Singapore for long haul, UK to Oz and can't fault them. Mostly economy but if we're feeling a bit flush we'll go business, which is excellent. Whichever way you look at it it's a long time sitting in (two) aluminium tubes but the CC are super and go out of their way for you every time.

It's been a few years since I flew SQ, but I was really impressed by the visibility of the Cabin Crew in economy. Throughout a 13 hour flight, they regularly (but discretely) patrolled the cabin to make sure everything and everyone was OK.

Do they stall have the snack bar in the galley for economy passengers?