Business or baggage class

[Rick]

Well guys and gals,
Having flown my first true long haul business class fare with Ziggy I have to say this.

If you can beg steal or borrow the cash then go business. Economy is the total shit method of travelling after experiencing the upper half.

Anybody who says save the money and spend it on your arrival is a knob. The flights were amazing, I totally fucking dread flying baggage class with work now I realise how much better it can really be.
Roll on our next posh holiday.

Views peeps ?

[jollyjoiner]

I've only ever flown economy but one day will have to give business a try.

[Kingy]

My opinion - It's not worth the extra cost.

I've flown business / club class on BA a lot.
Perk of being married to cabin crew.

When we fly to USA we usually get bumped to club with the layflat beds etc. Flying to Tampa the club ticket costs about £3000. By comparison a standard ticket will be about £700. As nice as the club seats are I personally would not pay £2,300 more for a bit more space. Only a knob would (Or someone affluent enough to think nothing of paying £3k every flight, or whos business is footing the bill).

Bear in mind there are four of us flying so the cost of club for a family is imho excessive and I'd much prefer to spend it on other elements of the holiday.
I'm quite happy in economy as I plug myself into a film, read my Nook or play games with the kids. USA flights back are always night flights too, so you sleep and it would p*ss me off thinking I've payed an extra £2,300 to sleep. The flights really aren't a problem for me.

.... But will always take the free bump ups we get.

[Rick]

I've slummed it too often in baggage class. The daft thing is if my company had bought the ticket earlier there isn't a huge price difference.

BA are bloody expensive. I rarely fly them. Plus there are better connections through Schipol etc. I hate Heathrow and rarely fly out of there.

To me it's not just the bed, if you include the chauffer service. Lounge in Manchester, better service and food on the flight it all just all adds up.
Just my opinion mind.

[Kingy]

BA are cheapest around for me!

(12-07-2014, 09:17 PM)Rick Wrote: To me it's not just the bed, if you include the chauffer service. Lounge in Manchester, better service and food on the flight it all just all adds up.
Just my opinion mind.

To me, it's just the inflight differences that count.

We don't need or want the chauffeur service. Nice gimmick, but I much prefer the convenience of my own transport.

We only use the (Manchester) lounge when we fly out to footie events with the lads so we can get a beer. It's too chavvy now for anything else, since there are loads of 'deals' to get in there free through banks, customer rewards etc. We will be using it in Jan when four of us fly over to Dusseldorf for a lads weekend. We are in through my brother Jasons bank card as he booked it specifically so we get free lounge/ free beer.

We fly from Heathrow as we always fly BA so it's T5 or Gatwick depending on our destination. No choice as BA haven't flown out of Manchester for years. Yaz used to be Manchester based, but was offered Heathrow or redundancy when they moved to T5.

The food and service is better in club/ business, but in essence it is (or should) only be better food and service if you discount the beds/ extra room. You don't pay for anything on BA flights in economy - but you don't get it served on 'real plates with real cutlery' and need to be patient with the crew as they have four or so serving from the back so the crew to passenger ratio is lower than club.

As you say, its just opinions. I know the first time I flew club (business) I was very giddily impressed. I still think it is the best way to fly. You arrive fresh and ready to go regardless. Not worth the additional cost (imho) though - unless you earn enough to pay that every time you fly and not think twice about it or want to save up and spend on it as you want that to be part of your holiday experience.
It's a nice treat if you go in there. No doubt about that - and it makes our flights if/when we get bumped up for nowt. Doesn't bother me if we don't though as I've 'done it' and am happy wherever I am. Plus, I was spoilt pre-9/11 as I used to get to spend the flights in the cockpit. Take off and landing, wandering out for food mid flight. Even got to report the weather over the comms on one flight. Now that was something a bit special!

[RogerC]

Having been fortunate....or otherwise(there comes a point when the very sight of yet another airport makes you feel positively ill)........... to have had a career in aviation I've had the pleasure? of experiencing flying from many different approaches and differing positions, crew and passenger alike on both passenger and cargo flights. I first flew in a Chipmunk in 1969 and was promptly airsick, my next was a Nimrod sub hunter at 250 feet over the ocean and amongst others on a Hastings, at night and you could see through the joins in the skin to the glowing red hot engine exhausts. My last flight in my working life was on a DC10/MD11. In between I have had experience of flying on cargo aircraft, primarily C130, Antonov 12, Antonov 124, Antonov 225, MD11, DC10, Ilyushin 72, a few different types of helicopters and a whole host of civilian passenger jets. Rating the experiences of those flights/aircraft I would honestly say that I would, given the option, fly on a cargo carrying C130 Hercules anyday than strap myself to the cattle class, limited space interior of any of the 'low cost' airlines. As for 'cattle class' Emirates used to be pretty good as did Gulf Air. Virgin tended to be OK. Continental was apallingly bad. Business class for most airlines these days is much of a muchness and a lot depends on the route you are flying. For example on one business class trip to Delhi there were so many unruly kids in there running riot it was awful. I arrived feeling more knackered than when I left Heathrow. However in the main business class is pretty good. BA, on one occasion managed to lose my luggage on a business class flight from Toronto to Heathrow one 23 December and delivered it back to me on Christmas day. Thats service. Now we come to the one we all want.........First class. I have been fortunate enough to experience Upper class with Virgin on the Heathrow-New York-Heathow and Heathrow to Tokyo routes and can honestly say the experience is fantastic. The Heathrow lounge is amazing, ordering on board meals, pre flight canapes, drinks etc all genuinely 1st class. Onboard service, greeted by name without recourse to boarding card, champagne in hand within seconds of your bum hitting the seat, in flight massage bookable (not full body you pervs...haha).......really comfortable sleepers on both pre and post upgrades of aircraft (I flew before and after Virgin went for their mega new 'pod' orientated Upper class).

So the bottom line is yes Business class is good as long as it is on the right route, First or Upper is amazing whichever airline or wherever the route and finally...........................
given the option of flying bucket and spade class or in the back of a C130 packed with cargo I would choose the C130 every time.

[Kingy]

When we went to Vegas we did the light aircraft flight in the outer rim of the Grand Canyon. You fly out to Grand Canyon Village, land, eat, have a mooch and then fly back.
Weather was 'choppy' on the way out and it was like a ride at Alton Towers on speed. One by one people threw up, but I (just) managed to maintain my composure until we landed.

(12-14-2014, 05:16 PM)RogerC Wrote: yes Business class is good as long as it is on the right route, First or Upper is amazing whichever airline or wherever the route

With BA its down to the size of the plane what is available. Crew are trained for first Class, but it's classed as 'Club' in most cases. Very nice it is too. Like I said, I'll happily fly economy though. When it's gone pear shaped I've flown combination of 'jump seat' and crew rest seat (when available - Ie Crew not resting) long haul and not been in the slightest bit bothered.