BA B767 or AA B777 (business class)

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  • Anonymous
    Guest

    Swissdiver
    Participant

    Hesitating between a BA B767 business class direct flight from LHR to the Caribbean (a product I know well) and a AA B777 (-200 or -300) but with a change in the horrendous MIA airport. The fact is I haven’t flown AA long haul for a while. It seems the B777-200 is an OK product, but the B777-300 is a great one.
    Any comment? Thanks.


    canucklad
    Participant

    Wouldn’t even entertain encouraging ” homeland security ” Swiss diver and the quicker I could get to an idyllic Carrie island the better even if you have to slum it ?


    SergeantMajor
    Participant

    I’d always go for the direct option (I assume to Nassau or Grand Cayman).

    Note Grand Cayman is currently a snip at £1355rtn in Club World for Jan 2015, if that’s a regular destination.

    BA’s longhaul 767s have been spruced up inside:

    <a target="blank" href="http://cdn-http://www.airliners.net/uf/131560/middle/phpkuCyqO.jpeg“>http://cdn-http://www.airliners.net/uf/131560/middle/phpkuCyqO.jpeg

    MIA is not worth engaging with unless you absolutely have to; unfortunately, I have to.

    I’m unsure which interior AA is currently using on the MIA route; if there’s any danger of its old, wedgy seats then you should avoid until the new cabin is guaranteed.


    Senator
    Participant

    I have done MIA quite a few times in the last 18 months in and out of the Caribbean. It has improved tremendously (US CBP), I find the AA baggage handling a much bigger issue than Immigration.

    As I love South Beach I would always take advantage of a 23:59min transit unless stopover is permitted on the fare. My current favourite restaurant in the world is the rather posh and hectic Prime 112 which in itself is almost worth the detour.

    I have done the AA B77W in Business which is miles ahead of anything BA has to offer in Club World in terms of comfort, entertainment, privacy and even food.

    I don’t know how the B777-200 stack up I am afraid, but I am under the impression that LHR-MIA is now B777-300ER (B77W).


    Swissdiver
    Participant

    Thanks all.

    Coming frrom the Caymans to MIA spares you from US immigration. Right?


    Senator
    Participant

    I am afraid not @SwissDiver

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_border_preclearance

    Canada (most airports)
    Bermuda
    The Bahamas
    Aruba
    Dublin & Shannon
    Abu Dhabi


    sparkyflier
    Participant

    Hi Swissdiver.

    I have been on the Nassau/Grand Cayman flight a number of times, albeit not for a while, and always had a pleasant flight. I am sure this is the far more stress free and pleasant way of getting to GCM. I know some of the 767s are pretty battered, but you might get one of the refurbished ones.

    Besides in all seats in J on a 767 are window or aisle, no middle seat nonsense/malarkey. And in Y or Y+ still decent seating.

    Let us know your findings with a trip report/flight review . .


    SimonS1
    Participant

    From SM’s picture, coffin class doesn’t look as bad on a 2-2-2 configuration.


    Tirana1
    Participant

    NB, not all BA long haul 767’s have been refurbished – some of them are in a truly horrid state internally.


    Swissdiver
    Participant

    I’ve taken several time the flight to Nassau. Even in non-refurbished business class, it is all right. But I have to say I am curious about the AA B777-300…


    Tim2soza
    Participant

    AA business product – New business class – excellent. Old – forget it. You need to be sure that you are on the 777-300, and equipment does get changed at short notice.


    rferguson
    Participant

    If it was a choice between AA’s 777-300 and BA’s 767 I must admit I would be tempted to go via MIA (only because I haven’t experience the -300 but heard great things about it) but if it was between the -200 and BA 767 i’d go for the 767.

    I know BA’s 767 Club cabins get (not undeservedly) a bad wrap on many forums but imho it’s actually one of my favourite J class cabins at BA. The cabin is small, the crew to passenger ratio is the best of any of BA’s J cabins and it has a more intimate feel about it being only four rows of 2x2x2 versus the huge J cabins on other aircraft types that can make it feel a lot less ‘special’. There is no First class in front of you so you will be off first and apart from the window seats at rows 1/2/3 all the others have direct aisle access. It’s an especially good aircraft to travel on in J if you are travelling with a partner.

    The downside – the non refurbished ones can look tatty (though saying that so did AA’s 777-200 that I recently flew). If you are travelling solo and like your privacy it’s the old fan set up as the divider on both the refurbished and non-refurbished variants. And if PC power is important to you inflight it’s one of those old complicated adaptors of 8 billion different leads and plugs (although at least we don’t expect people paying good money for a seat to have to cough up another £50 and buy the adaptor from Duty Free like we used to have to).


    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    With my new TT status I am quite looking forward to entering the States next week at JFK for a connecting flight…


    pheighdough
    Participant

    I would prefer the BA B767 as it does miss the delightful immigration in MIA. Only word of caution, which as been reiterated many times above, the aircraft are old and tired and are prone to breaking.

    Last year I was travelling to YUL and after the doors were shut and a very long wait we were required to be deplaned and waited for 3 hours whilst they found a suitable replacement. This involved the catering to be moved, but not all of it.

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