Business Class flight to Australia.

EssexExile

Saying what you get for the money is difficult because all airlines are different & most aren't as good as they used to be. I'll list a few things I like but all airlines are different.

Dedicated phone line with better customer service.
Free car to the airport.
When you turn up at the airport with the wrong paperwork, instead of sending you away to sort it they tell you to sit down while they sort it for you.
Access to better lounges.
No queues at....well anywhere really.
Board when you like, first, last, whenever.
Have a drink while you're waiting to take off.
Better service on the plane.
Better food & drink.
Better seats or beds.
More space to wander about, a bar to sit at & chat.
First off the plane.
Your bags arrive first so first through customs & first out of the airport.

Everything added together means that, for me, it is worth it. I wholeheartedly accept that for others it isn't.

silvercar

Excellent list EssexExile.

I'll add to that the spaciousness of the seating arrangements, it is a long time to spend close up with so many people.
Less germs spreading round the recycled air.
Improved toilet/ passenger ratio.
Better trained crew.
Improved quality & screen size in-flight entertainment.

IMHO it crosses the line between something that is endured to start your holiday to something that becomes an enjoyable part of your holiday.

I see the suggestion of a transit hotel, but that doesn't take away the actual flight in less than ideal surroundings. I consider flying on a night flight as saving money on a hotel at destination.

zagfles

EssexExile wrote: »

Saying what you get for the money is difficult because all airlines are different & most aren't as good as they used to be. I'll list a few things I like but all airlines are different.

Dedicated phone line with better customer service.
Free car to the airport.
When you turn up at the airport with the wrong paperwork, instead of sending you away to sort it they tell you to sit down while they sort it for you.
Access to better lounges.
No queues at....well anywhere really.
Board when you like, first, last, whenever.
Have a drink while you're waiting to take off.
Better service on the plane.
Better food & drink.
Better seats or beds.
More space to wander about, a bar to sit at & chat.
First off the plane.
Your bags arrive first so first through customs & first out of the airport.

Everything added together means that, for me, it is worth it. I wholeheartedly accept that for others it isn't.

Thank you - very useful list. Personally I struggle to see how all the above is worth more than a couple of hundred or so - but you've at least explained the sort of thing you get for the extra money, and others can put their own price on what they think it's worth.

Once again apologies if I've come across as critical. Happy travels all!

blindman

EssexExile wrote: »

Saying what you get for the money is difficult because all airlines are different & most aren't as good as they used to be. I'll list a few things I like but all airlines are different.

Dedicated phone line with better customer service.
BA services sucks regardless of status TBHO
Free car to the airport.
If you live inside the M25 corridor-not all of us do :0

When you turn up at the airport with the wrong paperwork, instead of sending you away to sort it they tell you to sit down while they sort it for you.
In that case you should not be flying
Access to better lounges.
Others can be paid for with discounts
No queues at....well anywhere really.
So long as I get on the plane...
Board when you like, first, last, whenever.
So long as I get on the plane...
Have a drink while you're waiting to take off.
Ok-you "Hic" got me there :0
Better service on the plane.
Ok-you "Hic" got me there :0
Better food & drink.
Ok-you "Hic" got me there :0
Better seats or beds.
N\A on Day flights.
Never had a good sleep on board
More space to wander about, a bar to sit at & chat.
I think even ins steerage they do not manacle you to the seat
First off the plane.
Can be a bonus
Your bags arrive first so first through customs & first out of the airport.
Not guaranteed though

Everything added together means that, for me, it is worth it. I wholeheartedly accept that for others it isn't.

As I said not all Airlines are equal and to pay X 4 times economy one has to weigh up the pros and cons.

dickydonkin

zagfles wrote: »

Not again!! Let me take this slowly for you.

The OP is asking if it's worth spending £2k extra to fly BC.

Most people are saying "yes" but not giving much in the way of reasoning. That is not really very useful to the OP, or indeed others who may be thinking the same.

It's not about people justifying how they spend their money, there's no intended criticism of people who choose to spend their money in this way, I even apologised in an earlier post if it sounded like that. It's about providing a useful answer to a good question. I tried to make that clear above. If people don't want to give the OP a useful answer, why bother posting to this thread?

We've already discussed the "bed" - the only really useful part of this thread - I suggested a private room with private facilities at a tiny fraction of the cost - a cheaper and IMO better solution, particularly if privacy is important to you, time allowing of course. Others pointed out that some people are "time poor" eg they only had 7 days off, so that's not an option. All useful discussion. But there's more to BC than a dorm bed surely.

A friend of mine regularly dines in Michelin star restaurants paying £200+ per head. I asked him whether it's really worth it. He spent ages raving about how good the food and wine and service is giving lots of detail. Detail that was useful to me in deciding whether to try it myself or not. He didn't just say "yes" and then get all huffy when asked why.

I really don't get what your issues are with me.

Everything I post you you disagree with -

You are obsessed with the 'dorm' concept. Have you actually flown in J?

I would prefer sleeping in a 'dorm' paying sometimes little more than economy than having a reclining seat shoved in my face, being fed inedible 'food', kids kicking the back of my seat, people of size encroaching into my seat, fellow passengers using your headrest as a handrail etc etc.....

But as I mentioned earlier.......each to their own.

PeacefulWaters

My last transatlantic business class flight earned enough Avios for three return flights from uk to Europe, including hold luggage.

At the time of booking it was £200 more than economy.

No brainer?

blindman

PeacefulWaters wrote: »

My last transatlantic business class flight earned enough Avios for three return flights from uk to Europe, including hold luggage.

So there was no cash element, No YQ\APD\make it up\ fees then?

At the time of booking it was £200 more than economy.

No brainer?

Depends how much BA were ripping you off on the fare compared to other airlines?

zagfles

blindman wrote: »

Originally Posted by EssexExile
Saying what you get for the money is difficult because all airlines are different & most aren't as good as they used to be. I'll list a few things I like but all airlines are different.

Dedicated phone line with better customer service.
BA services sucks regardless of status TBHO
Free car to the airport.
If you live inside the M25 corridor-not all of us do :0

When you turn up at the airport with the wrong paperwork, instead of sending you away to sort it they tell you to sit down while they sort it for you.
In that case you should not be flying

Also I think it would be a bit hard to sort out an expired passport or lack of a required VISA

Access to better lounges.
Others can be paid for with discounts
No queues at....well anywhere really.
So long as I get on the plane...
Board when you like, first, last, whenever.
So long as I get on the plane...
Have a drink while you're waiting to take off.
Ok-you "Hic" got me there :0

Have had this in economy several times. Not always, but often.

Better service on the plane.
Ok-you "Hic" got me there :0
Better food & drink.
Ok-you "Hic" got me there :0
Better seats or beds.
N\A on Day flights.
Never had a good sleep on board
More space to wander about, a bar to sit at & chat.
I think even ins steerage they do not manacle you to the seat

I'm always moving about. 747's and A380's have enough room to stand around for a bit at the back, I don't like sitting for long periods, or the galley for a chat with the staff.

First off the plane.
Can be a bonus
Your bags arrive first so first through customs & first out of the airport.
Not guaranteed though

Everything added together means that, for me, it is worth it. I wholeheartedly accept that for others it isn't.

As I said not all Airlines are equal and to pay X 4 times economy one has to weigh up the pros and cons.

Indeed.

zagfles

PeacefulWaters wrote: »

My last transatlantic business class flight earned enough Avios for three return flights from uk to Europe, including hold luggage.

At the time of booking it was £200 more than economy.

No brainer?

That's more like it! I might even travel BC for that! But £2k? No way!

PeacefulWaters

blindman wrote: »

Depends how much BA were ripping you off on the fare compared to other airlines?

I flew AA.

Prices pretty much the same elsewhere.