Best Airline to fly to London?

[cruises42]

We will be flying from Wash. Dulles to London Heathrow and would appreciate any help on picking the best airline for economy. American and British Airlines are the same price. Aer Lingus (operated by British Air) is a little more expensive and Lufthansa (operated by United Airlines) a little more. Times for all flights are almost exactly the same. Are there any advantages picking one over the other (like service better on one airline, any perks)?

[Twickenham]

First, let's untangle the web of codeshares on display here.

 

Anytime you see a flight with a note 'operated by X airline', you will be flying on that airline's plane, regardless of who sold you the ticket. Airlines within a same alliance often sell codeshare tickets on each other's flights. And in fact, there's a good chance the American Airlines' flights you're seeing are actually on British Airways (I checked flights on a random day next month, and both AA flights listed were operated by BA). So, in fact, you're most likely looking at 2 flights: BA and United.

 

In terms of comfort, if you're flying economy, most major airlines are much the same. If you're flying business class, then you can start to differentiate.

[GeezerCouple]

1 hour ago, Twickenham said:

First, let's untangle the web of codeshares on display here.

 

Anytime you see a flight with a note 'operated by X airline', you will be flying on that airline's plane, regardless of who sold you the ticket. Airlines within a same alliance often sell codeshare tickets on each other's flights. And in fact, there's a good chance the American Airlines' flights you're seeing are actually on British Airways (I checked flights on a random day next month, and both AA flights listed were operated by BA). So, in fact, you're most likely looking at 2 flights: BA and United.

 

In terms of comfort, if you're flying economy, most major airlines are much the same. If you're flying business class, then you can start to differentiate.

 

Check the flights on 

https://matrix.itasoftware.com

 

and compare the timing, so you'll know if the flights are indeed the "same" physical flight, sold separately under two different airline "names".

 

And also check www.seatguru.com

for the seating arrangement and dimensions.

NOTE:  The equipment many have changed, or could change on short notice, but at least it's a place to start so you have an idea if it's likely to be x seats across or y, etc., as well as the seat widths and pitch.

Also look at comments there; sometimes there are people mentioning specific + or - about certain seats, separate from the color coding that may show up on the seating map.

You can't count on that all to be accurate, but it's a place to start.

 

So far, it's been accurate for us, and we've used it, plus the airline seating chart if available, to select seats.  However, we use awards and fly international on top international carriers in business or first.  We've also used these seating maps for domestic coach, and it's worked well.

 

RM

[FlyerTalker]

Check the seating vis a vis each carrier.

 

For example, on 777 equipment, AA and UA both have a 3-4-3 arrangement in coach, while BA has 3-3-3.

 

And yes, that can mean a lot.

 

Ditto with checking pitch and other hard-product differences.  Does the cabin have gaspers or not?  WiFi? Seatback video or streaming?

[rkacruiser]

21 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

Does the cabin have gaspers or not?  

 

What are gaspers?  I have not heard that term before.  

[cruises42]

6 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

What are gaspers?  I have not heard that term before.  

I haven't heard of them either.

[GeezerCouple]

I had to Google the term.
They seem to be the little individual airflow directors above each seat.

 

Probably would be really good these days, driving one's local airflow straight down...?

 

GC

[Zach1213]

11 hours ago, GeezerCouple said:

Probably would be really good these days, driving one's local airflow straight down...?

 

 

I'm not sure it would make much of a different when it comes to sanitation. It's really a comfort thing. I can't count the number of times I have been without a gasper and wish I had one because it got hot or stuffy. It sounds like a little thing, but it isn't when you're in the same seat for eight, 10, 15 hours. 

[rkacruiser]

5 hours ago, Zach1213 said:

It's really a comfort thing. I can't count the number of times I have been without a gasper and wish I had one because it got hot or stuffy. It sounds like a little thing, but it isn't when you're in the same seat for eight, 10, 15 hours. 

 

Rather than none of these devices, I more often find those that are so difficult to move the direction of air flow.  Even on a short flight, I can become quite uncomfortable if I don't have some air moving around me.  

[Fairgarth]

4 hours ago, Zach1213 said:

 

I'm not sure it would make much of a different when it comes to sanitation.

 

Actually, it makes a huge difference.  Early on in the pandemic, they borrowed two aircraft from United for experiments.  I read about it at the time and am now quoting from memory so go easy.  They set up a device in a seat to squirt out aerosols and then had several detectors in various seat places in front, at the side and behind.  They then moved the whole thing to other parts of the aircraft and tried again and again.  Then they took off and repeated the whole process at 35,000 feet.  Air comes in above your head and is extracted by vents on the floor so it goes straight down.  Their conclusion was that you were highly unlikely to get infected.  You might catch it in the airport, but not on the aircraft.

[wowzz]

In economy there is really very little difference between any most airlines,  and in any case, it's not exactly a long flight from Washington to London.

The OP has not mentioned Virgin. They would be my preference,  purely because, from my admittedly limited experience, the cabin crew are more personable.

[fbgd]

Economy, scheconomy...

 

In absence of any frequent flyer benefits I'd go for whichever one allows to upgrade to improved legroom seats (or even better a legit premium economy....BA call it World Traveller Plus and United call it Premium Plus) for the cheapest cost. 

 

I used to fly between IAD and LHR every couple of months or so for about 10yrs (2003-2014) and British Airways was my choice about 90% of the time. Admittedly I was flying business class/first class the vast majority of the time but ignoring the class of travel aspects I just find BA to be a superior airline compared to United which gets the job done. I was paying my own way and just preferred the overall BA experience and other ancillary aspects to the journey (frequent flyer program etc.) so my pounds and dollars went BA's direction more often than not.

 

As noted initially choosing between airlines in economy has very little variables... 

 

 

[Ashland]

Gasper's...I usually can't reach them...luckily DH can.

[rkacruiser]

12 hours ago, Ashland said:

Gasper's...I usually can't reach them...luckily DH can.

 

That is frequently my problem as well.  And then when I do, if the nozzle seems to be "frozen" in place and I can't get it directed to where I prefer it......it's irritating!  

 

23 hours ago, Fairgarth said:

Air comes in above your head and is extracted by vents on the floor so it goes straight down.  Their conclusion was that you were highly unlikely to get infected.  You might catch it in the airport, but not on the aircraft.

 

An interesting report; thank you for posting what you remember of the tests.  

[nini]

I can share that in October of 2018, we (DH, Aunt, and myself), flew to Europe for the very first time. We flew from Seattle to London, then to Rome.

The flight from Seattle to London was on British Airways and we were in Economy. All three of us were very pleasantly surprised with the excellent service in Economy. Understand that we did not have anything to compare this to as this was the first International flight for all of us. We received as much food and alcohol as we could have possibly wanted. The only negative was how the tight seating. We are looking forward to flying BA again next year, but will be trying Premium Economy.