Business Vs First Class - the Difference?

[Globaliser]

Yes, neither with flat beds. In fact last time I looked Qantas uses an antique 767 on this route, with the old "Dreamtime" seats (as if) in business class. ... Two generations of seats have appeared since then, so maybe one of these days they'll put some of the older Spacebeds on HNL - a distinct improvement but still out of date.

But the Dreamtime still looks like an improvement on what you'd get on HA: about 50" pitch and 20" width compared to 46" pitch and 18.5" pitch.

 

And IIRC Dreamtime is a cradle, but I'm not sure that HA's is.

 

I suspect the paucity of good premium cabin seats between Australia and Hawaii is simply down to the fact that this is predominantly a leisure route.

[em-sk]

Wow. I can't believe how many responses my question raised. Thanks so much for your thoughts and links etc. everyone.

 

Since you are in Canada and asking, I will provide a Canadian Answer.

 

Air Canada has:

- Economy

- Premium Economy (on a very limited number of international routes, including cruise destinations)

- Executive Class (in Canada Called Business Class what the Americans call Domestic First Class)

- Executive First (what the American airlines call International Business)

 

Premium Economy and Executive Class are very similar seats (and sometimes the same seats). Basically a larger seat with more recline and a hot meal with linen etc.

 

Some of the 767 aircraft that Air Canada has recently added and uses to cruise destinations are actually former Hawaiian airline aircraft. Air Canada markets the old Hawaiian First Class Seats as Premium Economy when flying overseas and called them Executive Class when operating within North America including Hawaii.

 

Executive First is a seat that opens up into a full flat bed. Multi-course meal with lots of service.

[cruising cockroach]

No jammies in any business class I have flown.

.

 

China Eastern is another though you have to ask for them.

[greatam]

China Eastern is another though you have to ask for them.

 

Wow-looks like I am going to have to go on a jammie run coming back from the Middle East in May. My stock is running low.

[greatam]

"Food" for thought? Pretty thin gruel since no details given. Blanket description of U.S. vs. "the better airlines," though no examples given (some foreign airlines can be as bad if not worse than U.S. airlines). Some people honestly feel that foreign carriers are always best. I don't, but to each their own.

 

 

Cathay, LAN, BA, Singapore, Qatar, Etihad, Emirates. With those airlines, I can get anyplace in the world I need to go.

[FlyerTalker]

Cathay, LAN, BA, Singapore, Qatar, Etihad, Emirates. With those airlines, I can get anyplace in the world I need to go.

PHX-STL??

 

But I completely agree with your premise....many great international options if you can get past the AA/UA/DL mindset.

[Jade13]

I will stay out of the First v. Biz arguments but OP, my advice is to make sure that whoever you fly has true lie flat seats. These are seats that when made flat are parallel to the floor. Some on some airlines, Business has angled lie flats which while better than economy are not nearly as condusive to sleeping - one tends to slide down in the seat.

 

We just flew Lufthansa Business class and so far the best seats we have ever been in and they were not totally flat.

[FreedomSeeker]

We just flew Lufthansa Business class and so far the best seats we have ever been in and they were not totally flat.

 

Lufthansa has a first class sale for the summer, North America to Europe. LAX to Barcelona is around $5,500 round trip, which is a lot, but not compared to the regular first class prices.

 

I want to try Air France first class on an A380 LAX-CDG, but I'm going to wait to do British Air LAX-LHR starting this October on their new A380s....somehow I need to fly the flag.

 

But first, I'm off on Delta BusinessElite (neither First nor Business but somewhere in between?)...it has lie flat beds, and all that stuff, but doesn't look (or cost) quite as sumptuous as true First. But hell, its all on points, so its free. There's nothing better than that.:D

[Jade13]

You do know that SAS is not a US carrier don't you? :rolleyes:

 

And yes, it was quite a few years ago when I flew SAS F.

 

We have been on approx 20 airlines in the past 5 years and SAS wins the award for the worst airline we have been on. It was not first class but within Norway and the flight attendants were the unfriendliest we have ever encountered. They would be the last airline we would ever fly again.

[Jade13]

As I said earlier, I think one of the main reasons some of the big carriers are limiting or eliminating international FC is that many (maybe the majority, especially on some runs) of the passengers in first class are people who have redeemed miles or upgraded from business class into FC, rather than paying the astronomical price needed to purchase seats outright. I know the only times I've ridden in the pointy end on such flights have been with award or upgrades, most recently on Cathay between YVR and JFK. A great use of 32,500 frequent flyer miles, but would I spend the $3500 needed to buy the same ticket? Dream on.

 

So you paid for business class and upgraded a one way ticket for only 32,500 miles?

 

We just flew around on multple carriers in busines class and most of the Airlines we were on did not have a first class such as Turkish Airlines. Actually the international flight we took on Ethiopian Airlines did not even have busines class. They managed to loose our luggage for over 48 hours even though there were about 10 people on our jumbo jet.

[Jade13]

Cathay, LAN, BA, Singapore, Qatar, Etihad, Emirates. With those airlines, I can get anyplace in the world I need to go.

 

Don't forget ANA. So far the best overseas carrier we have ever been on. But we will be checking out Emirates 380 this November, but only in economy.

[Zach1213]

Don't forget ANA. So far the best overseas carrier we have ever been on. But we will be checking out Emirates 380 this November, but only in economy.

 

IMHO, Emirates economy class isn't that great. They are known for their premium cabins, and that's where they put all of their eggs in to. Sure, their economy is nice compared to, say, United/American/BA, etc. However, they do pack them in. I wouldn't go out of my way to fly Emirates in economy. But, that's just me.

[Globaliser]

IMHO, Emirates economy class isn't that great. They are known for their premium cabins, and that's where they put all of their eggs in to. Sure, their economy is nice compared to, say, United/American/BA, etc. However, they do pack them in.

EK Y is OK on the 380. If you're going to fly Y, it's not a bad way to do it provided you're not on a route with, um, clientele problems.

 

What you have to watch out for is the EK 777s, which are 10-abreast in Y.