[Anonymous]

[IanFromHKG]

I promised last year to do a review of a transatlantic trip on one of AA’s new B777-300ERs. Time, alas, did not permit, but now that I have just done another one, here is my overdue trip report – AA51 from LHR T3 to DFW. As an introduction, let me say that my last transatlantic trip with AA on one of their new aircraft impressed me enough that I went out of my way to choose this routing in preference to a slightly more convenient routing on BA (I was on a oneworld RTW ticket so was able to choose any oneworld itinerary). I did wonder whether I would be as impressed this time round as last, or whether my previous experience was a flash-in-the-pan. To find out, read on…

CHECK-IN, IMMIGRATION AND SECURITY

I tried to check in online. Unfortunately our corporate travel agent is unable to insert spaces between given names on reservations, which means that my various attempts to check in online with AA (on this and previous trips) failed because, depending on whether I enter my multitudinous forenames (my parents grasped the idea of given names with considerable enthusiasm, giving my older brother four – fortunately thereafter they dropped this to a mere three, but even so I tend to run out of space on forms!) with spaces or without, their system says it doesn’t match the reservation, or doesn’t match my passport. Ho-hum.

I therefore checked in at the Flagship check-in – a separate area for premium passengers just outside the main terminal building. After getting the usual grilling from security staff on why I wished to enter the hallowed country, they determined I was sufficiently worthy and was allowed to progress to the check-in desk itself, where I was relieved of three rather heavy check-in bags and issued boarding passes for this and my onward flight, with appropriate warnings about having to retrieve the bags and re-check them at Dallas, given directions to the lounge, and in fact every helpful thing a check-in agent could do. Close to top marks so far.

Being in business class I was allowed fast-track, which for once lived up to its name. Since my last trek through T3, they seem to have revamped the scanners with everything being required to go in trays, rather like T5. Fortunately the terminal was relatively quiet this early on a Monday morning so it was vastly swifter than any trip I have made through LHR security before, with the staff all being most courteous. Again, pretty much top marks.

LOUNGE

Well, I admit here I cheated. I know from past experience that the AA lounge is dire, so skipped happily to the BA lounge for sausage and bacon. Suitably sated I moved on to the CX lounge. Both were quiet. I shall cease further comment since I didn’t sample AA’s own offering.

BOARDING AND SEATS

I was a little late arriving at the gate, and the layout was such that it was difficult to tell where the queue for premium boarding (called Priority AAccess) was located and where the queue for it started (as it turned out, there wasn’t one, but it was hard to tell!) and I had to push my way through the main boarding queue to get to it. However, after being gently and politely chided (“we called business class ten minutes ago”) for my tardiness, I was swiftly through. Economy passengers didn’t seem to be being allowed to filter through into the priority queue except at the front of the line so I didn’t have to wait any further. The main boarding queue, though, did seem to be a bit of a scrum – I am not sure that UK passengers really get this idea of boarding groups! So mixed marks overall.

On board I was directed to my seat. Bose headphones, slippers, duvet, pillow and amenity kit were all in place when I arrived, together with a menu. Champagne and juices were being poured in the galley area but there was no sign of them being passed around by the time I had settled myself and sorted my belongings, so I cheated and helped myself. Plastic glasses. Ugh.

Ten minutes or so later my coat was taken, and shortly afterwards the pre-take-off drinks round was made. I noted the very loud noise from the ventilation system and hoped that it was just while we were docked. It did die down after take-off but at intervals became very loud again during the flight – especially when someone used the toilets which were right behind my seat. I had chosen poorly – I was in 4J, at the back of the mini-cabin behind first class and ahead of the galley. However, the seats are offset so I was well behind the row 4 middle seats and particularly susceptible to noise from the galley. I would choose row 3 next time.

The seat is very familiar to me from CX although there are some slight differences. The Bose headphones are undoubtedly of higher quality, there are individual air vents in the overhead, the headrest is leather, and so forth. The touchscreen IFE works well, and there is also a remote – but unlike CX this does not feature a moving map on the display (shame). However, no complaints about the IFE content – a huge range of things to watch and I really struggled to choose.

In the interests of research, I connected my iPad to the inflight WiFi. Well, I tried, but initially it didn’t work, and whatever I tried to access resulted in a message saying the service wasn’t available. However, I tried again further into the flight and had no difficulty. I didn’t want to pay for access so was restricted to surfing the aa.com site, which worked without a hitch. Although loading speed wasn’t stellar, it seemed workable and I imagine that for email and “light” browsing it would be perfectly acceptable. However, I am not sure it would work well for downloading movies.

Altogether, supremely comfortable and well-equipped and, like the CX seat, masses of personal storage – a shoe locker, a large side table, a large oddments pocket by the side of the seat, and a little locker with vanity mirror. There is also a full AC power multisocket and a USB socket. Controls are handily placed. Overhead lockers are large. Top marks, and I must say that compared to BA Club World, this is a vastly superior place to be. Of course, in the minds of many, that takes second place to …

INFLIGHT SERVICE

First gripe. This isn’t really anything to do with the onboard crew, but dear God the taped inflight announcements are annoying. Condescending, overly cheerful, they sound as though they were narrated by someone from the cast of Dynasty. Horribly insincere. Booooo.

On to the real inflight service. It took a while before I got any interaction with the crew – although my overcoat was taken before takeoff it was done without a word. Delivery of pre-boarding drinks, as indicated above, was rather slow. However, things started to improve after wheels-up. About twenty minutes after take-off a flight attendant came to check meal orders – I had pre-ordered so she confirmed my order, noting with a smile that “I wish all passengers pre-ordered”. Very soon afterwards a drink run was made, together with AA’s signature hot nuts.

The starter was smoked salmon blinis, with a side salad (with a choice of dressing). Pretty safe option, and as you might expect no complaints there. I had chosen beef as my main course, and of course that is always a bit of a lottery on planes. However, I have to say that mine was just as I like it – a true medium rare, pink throughout and red in the middle, but still hot throughout. This was washed down with a very pleasant verdicchio – nothing special, but the only alternative white wine choice was (predictably) a heavily oaked chardonnay – anathema to my delicate palate!

Dessert was AA’s signature ice cream sundae, made to order, and absolutely (and fatteningly) delicious.

One more drinks run was made after dinner, after that it was occasional tours of the cabin by crew. Although the crew were very helpful when approached, I did feel I had to make the first move most of the time and the crew weren’t particularly proactive in anticipating or checking on passengers’ needs.

I must make special mention, however, of the walk-up snack bar. The entire width of the galley space was filled with snacks, sandwiches, mini-desserts, chocolates, cookies, cheese, fruit, canapés… Really VERY impressive. In fact if I had had these brought round on a trolley in first class I would have been hugely impressed by the selection. Come to that, I would have been fairly impressed in a decent restaurant. I had wondered if this would really be used, but on a later grazing trip I was slightly surprised to see that a lot had been taken, so it was clearly popular, and deservedly so.

Overall – food, a solid eight out of ten for the served meal, but the snack bar turned that into a nine. Verging on a ten. In-flight service – well, probably more of a six or seven. Absolutely no complaints, and absolutely acceptable and fit for purpose, just lacking sparkle.

ARRIVAL

As is usual when connecting in the US, I had to retrieve my bags, clear customs and immigration, recheck bags and then proceed onwards to my flight. This was surprisingly quick – I have had nightmares in DFW before but this was very fast indeed. I had to wait less than five minutes for bags to start coming through, my priority-tagged bags were among the first to appear, and the wait at customs and immigration was less than a minute in each case.

SUMMARY

Efficient and helpful check-in, a lounge I can’t comment on, and a boarding process that was a little chaotic (in fairness, partly due to the layout of the gate). A superb seat – best in class you might say – and really top-notch catering (again, must laud the beautifully cooked beef, and the snack bar – which was phenomenal) let down somewhat by a slightly ordinary crew. Had they lived up to everything else on board this would have been a truly outstanding flight. Even so, I believe that this beats the pants off the competition and I would definitely choose this option for future transatlantic flights.

[Tom Otley]

Superb review – thank you.
I’ve just returned from a US trip on the same aircraft in business, flying to New York in the larger of the two cabins and then back from LA in the smaller front cabin – where you sat. I was in 4A rather than 4J but you’re right about it being noisy in those seats.
Many thanks again, Tom Otley

[sparkyflier]

Another top notch review Ian, very informative, comparative and with context. Like the Dynasty analogy! look forward to any review of your connecting flight!

[IanFromHKG]

I wasn’t going to review the connecting flights, sorry, sparkyflyer. But I have reviewed the same aircraft before from previous trips and there wasn’t anything much different this time round!

[PatJordan]

Excellent review, Ian.

Interesting to note to chose to pass on the AA lounge. It ‘s amazing that in such a competitive marketplace, their lounge is so poor. Maybe the BA lounge critics might reconsider their negative views.

[Tom Otley]

Here’s the first of two reviews on the B777-300ER – this one from LHR to JFK

http://www.businesstraveller.com/tried-and-tested/airlines/american-airlines/100192/american-airlines-b777-300er-business-class

[IanFromHKG]

PatJordan, I agree, but then again it is a step up from domestic US lounges. Remember that for domestic passengers, lounge access isn’t a perk for premium passengers (except for a small number of transcontinental routes) but rather a paid benefit. Elite FFs get their main rewards as upgrades. Seen in that context, a passable lounge is probably seen as perfectly acceptable at an outstation (albeit a major one). And it is passable (yes, I know I used the word dire, but these things are all relative). And if it were somewhere else, I would have used it. But with the choice of the BA or CX lounges within 100 yards…!

[IanFromHKG]

Tom, thanks for the compliment. I enjoyed your review too. Did you try the snack bar on either flight?

[Tom Otley]

Hi Ian, I didn’t, but you’re right, I should have mentioned it. The meal portions were so huge I think I just overlooked it… I mention it in the next review (back from LAX to LHR).
(I also flew the A321T from JFK to LAX so that will appear in the next edition of Business Traveller)
Thanks again, Tom

[IanFromHKG]

I tried to squeeze the transcon into my itinerary, Tom, but timing didn’t allow. I look forward to the review!

[NNoah16]

Great review thank you.
My experience has been very similar on AA (new BC B777-300ER) albeit internet worked superb. I also used facetime for a full hour without a hitch.
On some flights they serve UNOs pizza which is great!

[IanFromHKG]

I hope that was only for IMs and not for voice! LOL

[canucklad]

Great review Ian
You’re totally right about crew engagement, it doesn’t matter how good the hard product is, it can be let down by the lack of “sparkle” by the humans involved.
Likewise, a poor hard product can be forgiven if the humans sparkle like champagne.
Maybe AA should just have cute puppies and kittens roaming the cabin to enhance the sparkle feeling!

Oh, slightly confused by your comment about letting you into their country?

[NNoah16]

Lol! Facetime only with a headset talking quietly!!

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