[Anonymous]

[Haggis73]

Hi All,

Was wondering if I could get your thoughts in the following flight options from DUB – DFW in July for two adults for a family wedding, ideally on the Delta business side of things as I’ve been unable to find much info about it.

Cost wise there are really pennies between the two so cost not an issue.

Got it narrowed down to two options.

1/ Delta A330-200 DL177 DUB-ATL-DFW

By looks of things the business seating is older reclining business not newer lie-flat,
the advantage of pre-clearance at DUB sounds good.

This option appeals as my good lady has Gold Flying Blue with KLM and unfortunately could do with the flight legs to help her maintain it this year, and we are more likely to use the Flying Blue miles in future than any Avios.

2/ BA B747 BA193 DUB-LHR-DFW

The BA business lie flat product looks better but my other half is concerned that the centre ‘couple’ seats are to claustrophobic and you need to step over someones feet/legs to get out if required
And the window/aisle seats mean that as a couple it becomes unfeasible to have a normal conversation together and if you are on the window side then yet again may feel claustrophobic not having aisle access.

My gut says go with BA as you know what you’ll get in general and more likely to be consistent in service, whereas with Delta being US carrier the potential extremes of service make them more of a gamble.

Thanks in Advance for any comments.

[VintageKrug]

The description “lie flat” is normally used to refer to products which are “flat” but nor horizontal to the floor of the aircraft.

The preferred term for seats such as BA’s Club World product is “fully flat”, horizontal to the floor, which avoids confusion.

http://www.britishairways.com/travel/club-world/public/en_gb

Club World is not at all claustrophobic, and while stepping over the footrest is a non-issue on a day flight, and easily accomplished by most able bodied people even if the footrest is “down” there are two seats together at the rear bulkhead which have direct aisle access and do not have footrests to negotiate.

If you are less mobile, having two aisle seats can also work well if travelling a deux.

Book before June 4 (sale ends then) and seek out my post on Taste of London or mbna discount codes.

[Californian]

I haven’t taken Delta internationally recently but as best I can tell Delta have not yet refurbished their A330s with fully flat seats. They’re almost flat but not quite. Colleagues who fly both Delta and BA tell me the food service will probably be better than BA’s on the long haul flight. BA is notoriously skimpy on the second meal across the Atlantic. But, if wine is important to you, I generally find the selection on BA superior to the US carriers. Taking DL, as you note, would allow all immigration and security to be done in Dublin. Having said that, I have had bad experience with weather delays changing planes at US airports and have been downgraded more than once on the domestic portion of my trip just to get to my destination. Also, the domestic flight ATL-DFW will be longer than the DUB-LHR flight. So you get a longer international business class flight on the BA routing.

So, the BA advantages are a flat bed and in my view a more assured connection so long as you leave enough time to connect at LHR. The cost is two trips through security (one at DUB and one at LHR). My own view is the BA lounges at LHR are still nicer than Delta’s SkyClubs in ATL.

If it were me, I would pick BA but largely because, for all the difficulties LHR presents, I personally have found BA’s connection at LHR better than changing in the US where wether delays and oversold flights make it hard to rebook in the case of delays. But, you probably can’t really go wrong either way.

[Str8Talking]

“The BA business lie flat product looks better but my other half is concerned that the centre ‘couple’ seats are to claustrophobic and you need to step over someones feet/legs to get out if required
And the window/aisle seats mean that as a couple it becomes unfeasible to have a normal conversation together and if you are on the window side then yet again may feel claustrophobic not having aisle access.”

I have travelled with my partner a number of times and seated in the window/aisle seats has never been an issue in terms of communication. With the screen down, you are looking directly at each other and I have always found it a pleasant way to fly. We have also flown in the middle two seats, and although I prefer the window/aisle option, the fact that the two seats are together, facing the same direction actually doubles up your space and makes it quite a spacious area. Regarding the climbing over, that just depends on whether the aisle passengers will sleep or not.

[Tallinnman]

Haggis – have a look at AA’s new business class ex LHR to DFW on the 777-300ER.

[MartynSinclair]

Use Delta so you arrive & avoid a potential delay Q’ing at immigration into the USA.

[VectorOne]

Definitely Delta – while their seats are not lie flat they are very comfortable, good room, smaller cabin and great service. Transiting at ATL is easy and the pre-clearance is a huge plus. Avoid the queueing and bussing hell that is LHR.

[Tom Otley]

I flew Delta’s BusinessElite last week – I was very impressed

http://www.businesstraveller.com/tried-and-tested/airlines/delta/delta-b767-400er-businesselite-3

If anything, the return flight (which I have not finished writing) was even better.

[MarcusUK]

Have you also considered options to fly KLM or Delta / Patrners from other EU gateways? This may also make a difference on cost. You can always book two separate flights to say for your EU and Med haul, and then have the Airline link them in, so baggage checks through. Skyteam partners will always enable this.

LHR is always so dismal to connect, worst rates for luggage missing of any EU airport. I have collected my own luggage and re-checked in many times to avoid previous bad experiences, and the time to queue and travel between terminals.
You may also save over £300 each on taxes, levies, and charges not made from somewhere like AMS?

[SimonS1]

SiteAdministrator – I thought the point already made was the seats on the A330 are completely different to the 767?

[FirstClassWannabe]

I would go with BA. I have flown Delta twice this year to the States, once on a 767-300 old style seats and once on a 757 (report pending). The service can be very good but the food not so. The seats are ok and I managed to sleep no problem. The pre clearance in DUB is not that brilliant. I was queuing for well over an hour and got called forward along with many others. The lounge in DUB is nothing to shout about either, very meagre offerings for breakfast i.e. no breakfast items apart from cereal! BA, you will get to use the fabulous lounge, fly on a 777 and generally receive a good, consistent service. I would go with Delta again if there was a big saving, in my case I went J for 1450,00 eur – a bargain, but if no difference in price, than BA.

[Tom Otley]

Hi SimonS1 – I don’t think I would class them as completely different, but if the decision is purely between lie-flat and fully-flat, and if the particular A330 has not been fitted with fully-flat… then yes, they aren’t fully-flat – all other aspects of the service are consistent, though (I believe).

[Tallinnman]

At the risk of sounding like VK (whose advice I appreciate) there are some cracking deals on ba.com right now. I’d connect over LHR outbound but chose the direct AA flight to DFW with their new business. I agree that pre clearance in Dublin is hard to beat but as you’re connecting you’ll have to muck around with security again and I feel it much better to have the longest flight finish in your destination.

For the return I’d be tempted to go the same way due to the quality of the new AA business product, although via ORD on AA direct into Dublin is what my head is telling. 6 across angled seats though in business.

Price was under £2k ex Dublin and not 1 flight on BA.

[Bullfrog]

Clearing US customs in Dublin would be my ‘game changer’, unless you’re an American citizen which I believe is quicker entering the US than ‘visitors’.

[Author]

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