What airlines do you prefer? (Long Haul Flights)

[AnythingCanHappen]

Recently used Virgin and it was fine for what you get in economy.

Didn't really enjoy their selection entertainment system that much. Wished they had more marvel films.

DP has experienced business class quite often for work though but I've not yet.

I'll go with virtually anyone I can get a good business class deal with. That's my main criteria. But, like a pp, would never go with China Eastern/Southern for the same reasons they said.

I'm not keen on BA anymore, they're bringing themselves down to the level of Easyjet, Ryanair etc the more time goes on. I wouldn't totally rule them out but they wouldn't be my first choice.

My best business flight was with Qatar, they had a great deal once. That was a really good experience.

I'm not hugely fussed about the food or entertainment. I mainly care about sleeping! So as long as I have a lie flat bed, I'm too bothered about anything else.

I think sometimes it just depends on the particular flight. We've had some good Tui flights and then one when there was a hurricane system in the area and we had to suddenly drop - and people were throwing up all over the place. I'd fly them again though as it was cheap and fine. Just circumstances.

BA is one of my least favourite, there have been all sorts of issues with pilots drinking. I was on flight to Turkey and one of the BA air stewardesses was completely slagging BA off with someone on the plane. Saying how much it had gone down hill etc.

I actually had a much better flight with Turkish Airlines and would definitely fly them again, but haven't been long haul, just to Turkey.

I'd never fly AA too many safety issues IMO.

Virgin is ok, not my favourite, I'll never get over getting on my flight Thailand to UK and having someone else's used blanket from Aus to Thailand. Ick.

Emirates is fine but they had one really good meal on the plane and one rubbish one and quickly ran out of the good one on both journeys so I ended up with horrible food.

Thai airways I've always found fine.

@TwoLeftSocksWithHoles 😂😂😂😂 if only lol

I avoid Virgin - I had an awful experience with them and any American carrier

Enjoyed Saudia to Thailand, Air France - to Ghana and Caribean, Air Canada to Vancouver West Jet to PHX, Aerlingus - to LA

The only one my daughter has complained about was Sri Lankan & BA, she likes Emirates, Qatar, Thai, Malaysian, and Quatas- she lived in Malaysia for a year - shes going with Turkish next year so will be interesting to here her feed back

I always tried to fly with BA but have noticed a real decline in service. Their website constantly crashes too.

We flew Air Lingus to NYC last year.
I thought they were great, only travelled economy and had no problems and plenty of room.
Good thing is they land in a different terminal in JFK than the other UK flights so the immigration queue was non existent and we were through in minutes. I'd go with them again for that reason alone.

Just flown to Thailand with Air France (premium economy). Never again. 13 hour flight and only 1 drink offered outside meal service. We were ignored pretty much the whole trip. They also lost our luggage.
KLM have lost our luggage as well and seem to switch out planes or oversell premium economy frequently so, even when you have paid to book seats, you can't be sure you will get the seat you want. The service on board has always been ok though.
I like Delta (part of the same group).
I like BA too.

I've fortunately never lost my luggage. What happens next? How do they find out where it went and return it to you?

Losing luggage is more likely to be the airport ground staff’s responsibility rather than the airline itself.

baggage handlers don’t work for airlines.

I’ll chime in here to give big big reps to United Airlines who were utterly fab when my luggage got lost between London and Reno via San Fran, despite it having a tracking tag which should allow them to trace it throughout the system. They couldn’t have been more kind and helpful - I explained it had all my Burning Man stuff in it and I’d be off grid in the desert for two weeks so it couldn’t be sent on to a forwarding address if located. Several staff went above and beyond to get on the phone to contact every single place where it could possibly have gotten stuck or diverted, and then when it was finally located, a member of staff came to find me in the airport bar to tell me in person that they’d made sure it was expedited to me personally by one of their air stewards - and it arrived in Reno with said air steward only two hours after I did.

Not sure if this is standard practice, and it probably did help that I had a little cry at their support desk!

I like Emirates best.

I will never fly with Qatar.

Business class I like Air France, Eva Air or Qatar. trying the new ba business suite next year
premium economy virgin or Air France.

I fly ultra long haul between Uk and NZ regularly. My recs are

Emirates
Singapore
Air New Zealand

Avoid American carriers, American, United, Delta etc. Just awful.

Singapore airline

Emirates

Flew Virgin and thought they were good. Never really use the entertainment as I take my iPad. TUI (if you get the Dreamliners) are good. Thai were good as well.

My brother flies with Emirates all the time. He sad the nicest planes go to Heathrow (the older ones go to Gatwick).

I forgot, that I have flown with Singapore air a few times and they are very good. The 1st long haul with them was in the mid 1980's when I was young. We saw the stewards bringing around trays, steam billowing from them and serving out rolled up, beige things. Mum said:
'Oh look, they are serving spring rolls, yum!'
I put my hand out for the spring roll, to see a hot, beige flannel unfurl in front of me! 😆

I used to love the hot flannels!

Reading with interest - DH is a long haul pilot for BA. It doesn’t surprise me that many people here feel it’s gone downhill.

When your DH wants to fly for his own personal holiday (outside) of work? Does he get BA Business class at a discount?

Turkish are great.

Singapore are a bit overrated imo - they forgot my special meal and instead of apologising they tried to claim that they don’t do special meals(!)

For me, I really rate Swiss - my best flight yet.

But BA, virgin, and tui are fine.

Yes. He can fly standby - just pay taxes. Me and the DC get that too. We also get bumped up if there’s space in business or first - they look after their own. I haven’t flown in years though - the DC are small. I miss it!

Long haul business : cathay and air New Zealand are vg, Lufthansa is okay and they serve decent amounts of alcohol, air Canada had a dire entertainment system when we flew with them in 2015, finn air also decent.
long haul economy - Singapore.
Have done many short hall flights with China Eastern, but no long haul.

I have flown a lot of the airlines both Economy and Business Class. Economy is much the same regardless. Get a non full flight and Economy can feel better.

Talking Biz Class - Emirates and Qatar definitely. BA are awful but have the slots and the routes. Cabin crew, scruffy, very young and really not polished.

Those who complain about alcohol service. You do know you can go up to the galley at any point and ask for what you want? Ask for multiples if you want. The cabin crew are sleeping/getting on with other stuff and prefer you do that over using the call bell (as then everyone decides they want a drink!)
CC are more than happy to oblige with the exception of the US carriers who get very judgey at the idea of having more than one g&t on a 14 hr flight and/or extra drinks are charged (the horror!) usually using an airline app you can only download on wifi and using a US credit card as I found out recently on a transpac flight to LAX.