Can ayone say anything nice to me about longhaul on American Airlines...ppppllleeaasee??

[snackattack]

We are travelling to LA in two weeks' time with our two dc's. I am ABSOLUTELY DREADING the journey as EVERY review I hear that AA are appalling, that the planes are old and tatty, the service is dreadful, the seats uncomfortable, the food inedible and so on and so on. It's got to the point that I'm seriously considering cancelling our trip!! We are travelling on a Boeing 777 and I really thought when booking that AA would have more leg room and be more comfortable than BA but I think I've made a HUGE mistake. I've even been told not to eat the food and to bring separate food for the kids and I'm such a bad flyer that I am really starting to panic. Has anyone been on this route?? Can anyone offer any more encouraging reports?
Thank you

We have flown Virgin the last three years and the children have always had their meals before the adults.

I can honestly say we have not had a bad flight with Virgin and would choose them every time. In fact we are using them again next month.

My friend has flown AA quite a few times (if there was anything to complain about, she would!) and has never had a bad word to say about them.

Have flown BA, AA and Virgin transatlantic.

I have rude staff and good staff from all of them. I have had new planes/ old planes from all of them. I have had good food/ inedible food from all of them. At one time or another they have all lost my luggage and they were uniformly bad at keeping me informed/ compensating me.

It is pot luck what you get on the day, on balance I have had more good trips than bad from all of them.

Good luck.

bellavita... what are the Virgin childrens meals like ?? I think I read they do childrens 'favourites' ie fries and nuggets (but cant figure how they would reheat fies). Would be a bonus for us as DS is dairy intolerant

AA stewards walked my baby aroud the airplane for 40mins whilst the other passengers slept. chicago-safraacisco 2007.

Glad to see that people have had good experiences with BA - I get fed up with all the BA-bashing in the press as I never have a bad time with them. I fly with them a lot, although only from London to Scotland and to Europe generally (though in 2005 flew twice to San Francisco). Have never flown AA, so can't be helpful to OP.

I have flown Virgin once (also to SFO) - they were brilliant and I would recommend them but that was also in 2005. Their economy was as good as BA's premium economy.

Am flying BA to Singapore tomorrow and I hope I won't change my mind about them! We are flying premium economy though, so it should be ok.

My dad (now age 65, so admittedly not with small children) always flies with AA, due to their frequent flier / Air miles programme, so obviously is pretty satisfied.

The only one I tend to avoid is Continental (shudder).

Message withdrawn

Just to say that if you are flying to Aus or Singapore etc I thoroughly recommend Qantas, especially if you can travel on the Airbus A380. It was great.

Been a while since I've been over to the USA, but on the course of 5 years flew with AA, BA, KLM, and Virgin (twice). Some flights were to LAX, others to SFO.

With AA (first trip to USA) I went from Manchester to Chicago, and stayed there a few days (since I didn't want to just go direct to California and have no site of anywhere else).

Trans-Atlantic flight was fine, service and staff fine. Across USA from Chicago to LA was another story - nearly 4 hour flight with no on board entertainment at all. Not much to do once you've digested the airline magazine (lady next to me from Fresno had been on a course in Chicago, and as it was November, had caught flu, so talk was minimal!)

For KLM I went via Amsterdam, and facilities were better than BA, but only a few big screens to watch films, compared to individual screens on Virgin.

Trips with VA and BA were from Heathrow, Virgin had individual entertainment, hence second trip with them, even though they were about 50 quid more costly than BA, as I preferred the options.

Will be interested to read of other travellers comments over next couple of years, as the financial situation may cause a shake up of services.

Meant to add - for internal flights, United do have options to listen to music etc, even on their shuttles up and down the Californian coast (San Diego / LA / San Francisco / Portland) and they put air traffic control on, so if there's a delay everyone can listen in.

One time at LA there were maybe a dozen planes delayed as there was some problem for an Air New Zealand plane, and it had to be towed. I suppose it is much easier to let passengers hear what's up than have them pestering crew every 5 minutes.

I've flown them to Florida and to Canada. Both times they were fine. I always, no matter which airline I fly, take some food on the plane with me for my kids just incase they don't like what's on offer on the plane meal. I usually buy some sandwiches, crisps etc after going through security.

I'm sure you'll be fine.

"I really thought when booking that AA would have more leg room and be more comfortable than BA"

I am sure American Airlines are just fine and have no personal experience, but for future reference, if you travel with BA and book Premium Economy rather than Economy (I think they call it 'World Traveller Plus' rather than 'World Traveller') there is ample space for not a lot more money. So for instance the cabin comprises 8 seats transverse rather than 10 seats which makes quite a but of difference.

We have had two experience of flying transatlantically with dc's - last year when they were 4 and 6 and this year (5 & 7). The children's meals also went down well.

I hope your flight goes well - I am sure it will...but remember, BA next time!

Badly worded - I meant no personal experience of AA, I do have personal experience of BA!