[esselle]

Thanks FDOS

Haven’t experienced AF J class, but their F is miles better than anything I’ve ever experienced on J by a country mile.

[GeordieTraveller]

My top five would be:
1. Qatar
2. Finnair – I love their new J product
3. Qantas
4. Emirates (A380)
5. Singapore Airlines

I have my first flight with JAL in the new year which I am looking forward to trying!

[AJDC]

Business Class in this order:
Qatar Airways (QR)
Virgin Atlantic (VS)
Singapore Airlines (SQ)
All Nippon Airways (ANA)
Emirates (EK)

I don’t fly economy much
Economy
Jet Blue (JB)
Delta Airlines (DL)
American Airways (AA)

[MarcusGB]

1. Air France – the new Long haul 777 and A350 Business cabin suites, and service overall on board.
2. KLM for European Business / Economy flights, and 787 series long haul Business cabins. KLM Schiphol Ground services excellent.
3. Oman Air – Business is like many others First Class. Superb services, overall on board.
4. Etihad – Economy and Business long haul, used to be Best 1st class on the A380’s down to Australia.
5. Swiss – ex LCY on A2200’s,a dn 773ER’s Single “Throne” Business seats long haul.

I also used Garuda on the LHR-CGK flights, but upgraded to First Class. This was excellent pre-covid, before becoming unreliable and withdrawing.
They still do fly a few days a week from Amsterdam with F J Y.

[Abidjan]

Cathay Pacific, Singapore, Qatar, JAL, KLM

[AndrewinHK]

Cathay
BA
KLM
Qatar
EVA

[stevescoots]

I cannot name 5 as i do not think i have flown more than 5 carriers since Covid. but based on all round experience (they all have good and bad points)

1: CX: Service land and airside, hard product a bit dated on my routes
2: QR hard product, hit and miss on the ground but great DOH lounges. outside DOH service very poor
3: EK: hard product, good lounges
4: AY: hard product, HEL lounge unimpressive
5: nobody…have flown others out of necessity

[Woodpecker]

In no particular order:

Thai – the ground service has scope for improvement, but in the air they are top notch.
Vistara – same as above, in the air they go above & beyond.
Singapore Airlines – professional service all around.
Cathay Pacific – same as above, highly professional.
Garuda – if an airline were to judged exclusively on service in the skies, they would be at the top.

No European or North American airline in this list, they have plenty to catch up.

[Inquisitive]

Reviewing all the forum members’ choices, there is no surprise. Qatar featured in almost everyone’s list, so it can be generally accepted that Qatar can have the claim to the world best airline tag.

Interestingly no US airlines in the list except from one contributor – could be due to predominantly European and Asia Pacific forum contributors. I travelled a good number of times with the US airlines and may not choose any even if I prepare a top 10 list; although like United daytime flights in business class, mainly from airports where they have the Polaris lounge (for the great burger) and chatty crew members that keep one engaged.

One surprise for me is Oman Air that popped up twice – not heard anything about their business class. Maybe BT can do a feature?

[AlanOrton1]

@ Inquisitive
I did select a number of US carriers, as most of my travel takes me to the US. I only selected from airlines I’ve flown this year.
Had I flown SIA this year would I have selected it over DL? Quite probably! Though as it’s been 5 years since last I last flew them, I can’t be a good judge of that in ‘23.

What I would say as someone who has flown consistently transatlantic is I feel the US carriers have definitely upped their game and offering (on board comfort / lounges etc). Especially when I think back 10 years ago as to UA’s then J offering…
Back then, European carriers may well have been, quite fairly, seen as a more premium experience.
Now, perhaps with the exception of AF (based on comments here), I’m not sure there is much difference between a number of the legacy European carriers and US ones.

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Inquisitive

[LuganoPirate]

Mine would be:
Swiss
Lufthansa
Emirates
Qatar
Finnair

[AJDC]

I would have to agree with you about US carriers catching up. I flew AA and BA to and from LHR in J a week ago. There was little difference between either of them. There was certainly no wow factor. AA’s meal was inedible with chicken only fit for resoling one’s boots. On the other hand, by the time the FA got to me for my choice of meal on BA, there was none available. All that was left was a veg option and red meat option. I refused both of those and ended having to take an extra appetizer. I would rate both 6/10

[Echo3#5]

For me,
Singapore Airlines
Emirates Airlines
Qatar Airways
ANA Airways
Vistara Airlines

[Rferguson2]

I rate AA above BA.

Operationally, they are more reliable in my experience.

Secondly, the ground experience is better with AA. Has anyone visited the BA lounge at MIA or even worse, ORD? AA is absolute light years ahead with their Flagship Lounges which I even prefer over the BA First Lounge @ LHR.

Onboard, always a direct aisle access flat bed over the atlantic with AA. Just flew BA back from ORD, 380 with old seats.

I find their crew generally pleasant but most importantly very efficient. I like on a night flight they don’t mess about and have a full meal served quickly after take off.

I would choose AA over BA almost any day.

[esselle]

Is it just me that thinks it a shame that BA don’t really feature in anyone’s list? Not a surprise, perhaps, but a shame nonetheless.

Where did Sean Doyle go?

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ASK1945

[Author]

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