BA, AA or Virgin Economy

kittykarate

Vikki_74 wrote: »

I have to say though, I'm really surprised that either BA or Virgin are the same price as AA or any of the other US carriers - especially this year, and especially to the west coast I've found prices for both BA and Virgin pretty extortionate. What kind of prices have you got for your various options? And are you absolutely sure that the BA flight is actually with BA and not a codeshare on an AA flight which I've seen come up a few times when searching recently?

I'm not saying that there weren't cheaper options, but on the 14-15 hour duration routes all of them were about £700 to £800 per person. Longer durations were cheaper, but also often included another stop.

Absolutely certain it's not a codeshare, checked on the BA website and it says 'operated by British Airways'.

I actively avoid flying with Air France after complete lack of care when I flew with them to Hong Kong and Tokyo. I won't go into details, but it was just one annoyance after another, all met with a gallic shrug.

My main thing against flying via a hub airport in America is that you still have a long flight ahead of you, and you are on a USA domestic flight where everything is generally charged, and they seat pitch is pretty miserly.

richardw

delwynshd wrote: »

Im not too sure I dont think so Richard

Del

richardw wrote: »

Is that available as a through ticket MAN-LAS-SFO?

Looks like you may be able to http://www.virginamerica.com/travel/virgin-partners.html

lovebargainshatewaste

I'd go with BA. You can check in online (for both MAN-LHR and LHR-SFO), your bags will be checked through, you'll land at T5 and leave from T5, free food and drinks (including top-ups of drinks) and the best bit: BA crew won't go on strike again in the forseeable future (a few years at least). I won't go into the details here, but the strikes didn't work last time, and a deal has been made. Virgin pilots are on the verge of balloting for strike action though...

I've been through ORD quite a few times, changing terminals onto domestic flights, and it is a pain in the behind. I have to say though, that ATL (Atlanta) is the worst though. Whoever designed and built that airport should be put in solitary confinement

Vikki_74

kittykarate wrote: »

I'm not saying that there weren't cheaper options, but on the 14-15 hour duration routes all of them were about £700 to £800 per person. Longer durations were cheaper, but also often included another stop.

Absolutely certain it's not a codeshare, checked on the BA website and it says 'operated by British Airways'.

I actively avoid flying with Air France after complete lack of care when I flew with them to Hong Kong and Tokyo. I won't go into details, but it was just one annoyance after another, all met with a gallic shrug.

My main thing against flying via a hub airport in America is that you still have a long flight ahead of you, and you are on a USA domestic flight where everything is generally charged, and they seat pitch is pretty miserly.

Fair enough, was only trying to help.

wdyw

kittykarate wrote: »

I'm off to San Francisco in September, and am struggling to decide who to fly with.

My choice is AA (via Chicago) or BA or Virgin (Via Heathrow)

They are currently a similar price and within an hour or so duration. Any thought who is better and why?

I'd go AA from Manchester - just to avoid LHR! Though we would opt for the JFK transfer. IIRC the earliest arrival in SFO was around 8:00pm which is a bit late for my liking - the direct flights from LHR will arrive a lot earlier in the day. Always used to hate driving down to London and never wanted to fly down, so now, for us, its the night before in one of the airport hotels at Man and head west from there, either direct or via a USA transfer.

Virgin have just finished their July sale for USA flights (prices have gone back up over 200 quid today) so I'd sign up to Kayak, stick in your preferred dates and keep an eye on prices and hopeully one (or more) of them will start a sale for Sep flights.

Doshwaster

Personally, I would want to spend as long as possible on an international service. Domestic flights in the US aren't a pleasant experience.

I don't get the hate that so many people have for LHR. OK, T3 is a bit of a dump but T4 has had a recent facelift and T5 is a fantastic facility.

Flying BA from MAN via LHR would mean no terminal change and your bags would be checked all of the way through.

Tippytoes

I think all airlines are cutting back to maximise profits. I personally think Virgin has gone down the pan. In their early days, the service was up among the best. Last three flights I've taken with Virgin have been dire and I will try to avoid them in the future. BA? Not a lot of difference. I know you're talking San Fran, but if you ever happen to fly into LA, choose Air NewZealand. A little more expensive, but the difference between chalk and cheese.

blueideas

I've gone with Virgin to USA and Barbados, both times they were very good.

duchy

neilbond007 wrote: »

Personally I'd do the latter. It's 10 - 11 hours from LHR to SFO. Any time spent in LHR is better than time spent in a craphole of a US airport.
I've done both and last Christmas flew BA from ORD - LHR - MAN. LHR might not be the best airport but the BA left and arrived from same terminal so it was a piece of cake (well, it was several bacon butties from the BA lounge!!)

There's a world of difference between sitting in the lounge (which presumably the OP doesn't have access to so I'm unsure why you mentioned it) and the rather grim T5. At least if the OP flies AA he skips Heathrow -and can use the AA lounges on a one day lounge pass if he wants that. I'd rather spend time at Chicago than at Heathrow-more room to walk, airer and lighter-if you have time you aren't trapped in the sterile area but can get outside (I've even popped into downtown Chicago for lunch on a planned long layover-if you've got to change planes you may as well make it a benefit not a curse-I've done the same to add a day in NYC onto a west coast trip too)

Giddytimes

In my opinion AA are completely hopeless, I would avoid them at all costs.

The last 3 times I have flown with them they managed to lose my luggage. Once on the Man-Chicago flight (final destination Miami-don't ask somehow it was cheaper to do it that way!).

On my flight back after Christmas they lost it for 6 days, finally found it, told me it would be back with me the next day and then sent it to Caracas instead!!! It took 2 weeks for me to finally get it back.

The complaints department is also completely useless. I am still waiting for the pathetic compensation I was promised for the above lost bag episode.

In my experience their planes are also dated and have no TV screens in the back of the headrests.

The only reason I would ever chose AA is if they were at least 1/3 cheaper than BA or Virgin.

I also agree with the baove comments, it's more hassle to change in US airports and go through immigration, collect your bag etc.
Also if you have long periods in US airports you'll likely be bored, there seem to be no shops other than food shops. I tried to do some Xmas shopping in Chicago airport and couldn't find any decent shops, I did however count 5 McDonalds in one terminal!