[Swissdiver]

@rferguson: thanks a lot for your insights! Very interesting and very much appreciated.

Actually my latest CW meal was interesting. Asian type crab cake with noodles (the dish name was a bit different but I can’t recall the wording) but with no crab cake… It seems the catering team in London forgot something. So I was proposed alternatives and ended up with a tailor made dish. The Asian noodles and sauce with the beef (that was an alternate choice). Quite good actually. That was possible precisely thanks to the sauce being put on the side. Now I better understand why it is an improvement to have the sauce on the side…

[stevescoots]

I just got off a Cathay flight LAX to HKG, I would say that the breakfast on Cathay business, whilst not gourmet was significantly better than the BA breakfast as was the serving experiance. Not sure what Cathay ovens are but none of the breakfast was dried out.

[FlyingChinaman]

The oven is one aspect BUT the care and attention by the crew on the best Asian airlines play an important role too. I often peep into the galleys and watch what they are doing in such a confined space with almost nothing to help the CA to present the dishes. Don;t mean to be nosy but I am an accomplished cook during my leisure time so interesting for me to see.

Happy dining!

I

[RichHI1]

I have been very impressed on numerous Asian carriers by the amount of fresh preparation and cooking in First. Not just Rice, Noodles and Eggs but some times some quite complicated menus. It is often much more than a reheat excercise.
Separate but linked I wish BA would bring back caviar as Asian One World carriers have done. (Even if domestic to stop Beluga endangered status)

[FlyingChinaman]

RichHI1: That’s why I peep into the galley as I was curious on how they can go such a good job in many top Asian airlines.

Never mind BA, even AF (a country with a culinary tradition) is not good!!

[RichHI1]

AF/KL merger – Dutch food and French reliability

[RichHI1]

Though for sake of balance Dragon Air did give me Salmonella poisoning once in FIrst on coneector PVG-HKG when they were owned but not integrated. CX denied everything but due to medical report and the fact that was only intake other than bottled evian fairly sure the Eight Treasures noodles or whatever had a hidden treasure. Nothig makes you more embarrassed than making everryone stay on the plane at LHR until the paramedics confirm not bird flu… nvere mind my conscience was cleared by the LHR one hour and a half waits for wheelchair support at gate and then at customs.

[Gareth1974]

Hi all – I am a complete newbie to this forum, but whilst doing some research for an upcoming flight, saw this forum and decided to give my two cents worth.

Two weeks ago, I flew LHR to SIN in Business Class booked by my company. I didn’t bother to get involved in choosing airlines or routing and flew as ticketed. Upstairs on QFA380 on outbound, and upstairs on BA 747 on return. I can’t even write down in words how different the experience was – BA was absolutely appaling. Aged cabin (and too hot as well as well reported here), seat uncomfortable, food inedible, staff rude, IFE screen of very poor quality. I know that it is probaly unfair to compare a 25 year old aircraft to a 2 year old one, but food, seat, IFE etc are not necessarily related to the age of the airframe.

I will never fly BA CW again in it’s current guise if I can avoid it.

I am returning to SIN next week, and have chosen to fly with Etihad via AUH (from DUB). I am hoping that this will be a good experience and until BA upgrades it’s aircraft, I think this could be my chosen airline. Naturally I looked at SQ as well, but the prices were too high for the budget!!!

Anyone got any feedback on Etihad Pearl Business?

[RichHI1]

Gareth if you post this in one of the Etihad forums you will get a better response.

[DisgustedofSwieqi]

Gareth

Take a look at Seatplans, I wrote a review recently and noticed one other from a different contributor.

http://seatplans.businesstraveller.com/airlines/Etihad

[continentalclub]

Interesting thought there, RichHI1, about bringing certain foods back to first class.

If it could be sourced sustainably/ethically, and served properly, are caviar, foie gras and other really premium offerings what we should be encouraging BA to reinstate and promote, or is the whole proposition of most Western carriers’ first class products something different now?

[FlyingChinaman]

RichHI1: That was one treasure not be to “treasured”!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BGIWorldTraveller]

Gareth1974

There are no 25 year old aircraft in British Airways’ fleet. The oldest aircraft in the current British Airways fleet is 747 G-BNLE which was introduced in 1989 and is now 21 years old. Furthermore, BA has about 23 747s which were delivered between 1997 and 1999 with the oldest of those now being 14 years. I’m not sure which 747-400 you flew on but I can assure you none of them were 25 years old.

We all have our own views on BA’s various cabins, but I for one think the Club World seat is absolutely remarkable!

Regards

[Gareth1974]

Thanks all for the feedback and info – I will look into the Etihad forums.

BGIWorldTraveller – my only seat comparison of recent travel is the QF lie flat A380 seat, which is streets ahead of the BA CW seat. I am tall and well built (ahem!!), so struggled with the higgledy piggledy set up of the CW seat. But I fully accept that I am very lucky to be able to fly CW, and that the seat is not the worst out there. Being based in Dublin, I do use Ryanair quite a bit, so I have definitely experienced the worst!!!

[RichHI1]

BGI as we know this is off topic. You are 100% correct on dates though as the launch customer for 744 Northwest took delivery on January 26, 1989 so no 744’s are over 22 yrs old but you get his point. You are right cabin views arevery personal so as a tall passenger I give good marks to F and NF and low marks to CW. Even though these are not new aircraft the 747’s of all series will always be special to me and I think currently give BA an edge over 380’s 773’s and 343/6’s. 787 looks good though. Sorry everyone off topic..

[Author]

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