[Anonymous]

[Potakas]

Which one you like more and why? Also a ranking if anyone can give based in his/hers personal experience would be good.

I had only been on board BA,OA,A3.

A3 has the best J product on board but not good lounges at ATH.(3×3 seating as Y but the usual extra legroom)

BA had very nice product on board but no Cappuccino and some times dirty interior. (3×3 seating with most of the times converted seats and always extra legroom)
OA had the best seat but wasn’t good on the meal and drinks selection.
(2×2 Seating on a proper J seat)

I stick with BA, as it offers me the best price, best lounges, better schedule and because I have status with them.

All my experiences are for the ATH-LHR route, this route is a flagship route for A3/OA but not of course for BA.

Lowest prices that you can book,

BA £440 (£370 on sale)
A3 £504, they never have sale on J
OA, I paid £600 but know they do not fly to LHR

I would like to hear your opinions here, during this summer I will have some J trips with IB and MA.

Regards

[DisgustedofSwieqi]

Potakas

Little use to you, I fear, in terms of useful info.

My main airline is Air Malta, with frequent trips to LON, PAR, FRA, MUC, ZRH, GVA.

What you get is a Y seat in a row of 3, with the middle back folding down to form a tray for drinks. The seats stay the same width.

The first four rows normally have a few cms more pitch. I am normally pre-assigned a seat in row 1, which is better for computer use as the tray table is in the armrest. But if I book very late I may find myself in 2, 3 or 4.

Pre-flight, I’ll get a Times of Malta newspaper and a drink of orange juice or water.

After take off, the crew will usually manage the first cocktails after 15-30 minutes, depending on wha’s going down (last night was at the slower end, as the climb out passd through a sqall line and delayed the service.

The open bar has a very good range of drinks. The house champagne has changed a few times over the years, being Cordon Rouge, then Jacquart Mosaique and is at the moment something called Drappier, I am convinced a typo transposed the first letter one position forward in the alphabet, but then again it is free champagne, so there are worse things in life. The choice of champagne is the catering company’s, I believe.

Dinner is a choice of two hot meals on legs of 2.5 – 3 hours (or hot breakfast.)

I find the breakfasts fab, with omelette or scrambled eggs, sausage etc, fresh fruit, yoghurt, the dinners are not inspired, but solid, the beef is usually worth eating and is a pretty big portion. The trays are presented on a non woven table cloth and with stainless steel cutlery.

On shorter routes, the meal is invariably a decent salad or mediterranian mezzes, which I find more interesting than the hot meals.

The drinks service is regular and generous and I often find myself refusing a top up.

Hot towels are provided before and after dinner and as it is a small airline, I often know the crew and other passengers, giving it a club atmosphere which one cannot expect in a larger airline, but which I find very relaxing and enjoyable.

The lounge network varies, as a small airline has to make deals. KM uses the same Iberia lounge at ORY as BA or more accurately, this was true earlier in the year), LH lounges in Germany and LX lounges in Switzerland. The best lounge in the network I’ve experienced is the Etihad lounge in T4. And the Malta lounge is pretty good for a small airport. Less good are the Servisair offerings at LGW, I retain an Airport Angel pass and use the #1 lounge, instead.

All in all, Air Malta does what I need it do do.

I can’t compare prices, as I have a series of corporate rates, which I wil not disclose in public (we have a NDA) and which have very flexible terms and conditions.

The corporate rates are not meant to be very cheap, but to represent good value for money and I believe that they do.

[NTarrant]

Hi Panagiotis

I have used Air France a few times, the offering is a 3 x 3 rows with the centre seat blocked out with what looks like a child car bolster seat. Don’t recall alcohol being served but coffee and soft drinks. The food offering is not that good. Last time I used AF it was a roll the size of a golf ball and a cake, the latter being okay.Crew are very nice and friendly.

Price wise not alot between AF and BA, but even BA’s ceasar salad is far superior to AF’s offering.

[Senator]

Hi,

Here is my take on this. Keep in mind I fly out of ARN and most of my flights are + 2hrs, so I may get more service:

SK – normally good F&B with hot food. On the B737s and A320s family aircrafts the seating is 3-3, with middle seat blocked. Ample pillows and blankets supplied. Good choice of fizz and wine. Only issue is on MD80s, the seating is 2-3 and on the A-C side you may sit 2 abreast. Not uncommon on ARN-LHR

LH – nicely kept cabins, new and improved meal service. What I was served last time was very nice. No real fizz on order, but wine served restaurant style from large bottles. Normally addressed by name. 3-3 seats with special middle seat that can be pulled down as tray

LX – same 3-3 seating, normally a nice hot meal from ARN to ZRH. Addressed by name, and good selection of beverages including Fizz. Wine selection from large bottles is normally 2 white and 2 red, of which Swiss wines are represented.

OS – mixed fleet of A320s, B737, F70/100. Some aircrafts like the B737-800 which are exLauda are very tight. 3-3 or 2-3 seating with middle seat free. On the F70/100, the A or C seat is blocked so you fly solo. F&B normally outstanding.

TK – Mixed fleet between B737-800s and A320 family. I’ve had the exKingfisher A321 with 2-2, but most B737s and A320 now have 3-3 with middle free. Outstanding F&B.

KL – haven’t been back since the change to middle seat free. Stayed away for that reason alone

AF – only if it was the last alternative

BA – I am very happy with the CE product as it is for my need.

[samuel95]

Honestly, SU has the best intra-European J cabin. It’s basically 2-2 for all of their narrowbodies, and very nice recliners/lounge chairs. They also offer DigEPlayers. BA or AF don’t even come close. Catering is ok.

[SaveFLR]

BA Solid product, fares not so bad, excellent lounges in T5, medium level meals, 3 X 3 converted 2 X 2
LX Nice crews, good fares offers, good lounges in ZRH, good meals, same layout as BA
LH Cold crews, medium to high fares, crowded lounges in FRA and acceptable in MUC, good meals, layout as BA and LX

I use to fly from FLR and PSA to ARN HAM OSL and LHR/LGW, my favourite is LX, then BA and LH.

[NNoah16]

BA consistent product, good legroom not so for more that 3 hours though – Istanbul too far for this product.
LX also consistent, staff not bad, flew them extensively by connecting through Zurich. Very hectic connections, God help you if you miss that last flight home from Zurich on a snowy day! Customer service becoming like LH.
LH expensive fares to Germany, competitive for connecting. Staff indeed, ice cubes. Rubbish customer service.
AB surprisingly! Although not business class, Air Berlin is great! I Fly them weekly, great airline, extremely consistent, lovely staff and fantastic customer service. Hidden benefit for top Gold tier.. They keep the seat next to you free! Business? Why? Good prices also. (Happy to tier match).

Admittedly, fly too often that I don’t ever go to any lounges nor consume alcohol on European flights. Arrive last possible minute at the airport and use them like a bus..

[Author]

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