Premium Economy v Business?
Discussion
eein said:
Oh and the airline makes a big difference, the plane less so - most airlines have a very similar fit out in all their planes. You will also find that they put their best and more recent fit outs on key routes such as London and Singapore, and their worst on other routes such as India.
A bigger factor is the people and attidudes of fellow passengers. This is where regular international travel will make you feel like a huge racist. Without opening myself up to online abuse, lets just say a Finnair flight from Helsinki to Singapore is usally very nice as Singaporeans and Finns are both generally very well behaved and pleseant people.
The plane makes a big difference in economy. 10 abreast 777 in economy vs upstairs on the A380 = worlds apart.A bigger factor is the people and attidudes of fellow passengers. This is where regular international travel will make you feel like a huge racist. Without opening myself up to online abuse, lets just say a Finnair flight from Helsinki to Singapore is usally very nice as Singaporeans and Finns are both generally very well behaved and pleseant people.
BA use their shiny new 787’s on some India routes.
I'm presuming the OP hasn't flown business lately? It's like a drug. I used to have 2 or 3 trips to the US each year business and/or pleasure and was happy to put up with economy. Then I got an upgrade to premium on one flight and suddenly I had 'enough' space - my knees weren't pressing on the seat in front, if the guy in front reclined it didn't put his seat back right under my nose. And from that point on I never flew economy again, even when I was paying.
Then I got an upgrade to business. I never thought it was possible to sleep on a flight, but on a lie-flat bed you certainly can. Yes, the food is better, yes the service is better...but it's being able to sleep properly on a flat bed that makes a world of difference. So now on long haul I (and the wife) only fly business class; if we can't afford it, we don't go. From my perspective it gives you back. a day or two to any trip. In the days of premium economy we'd always expect 'lose' the arrival day of any vacation, and most of the next too since we'd be totally knackered and jet-lagged from the journey. On business we arrive well-rested and 'ready to go' - the holiday starts as soon as we get through arrivals! We're off to LA again next week, and we've all sorts planned for the day of arrival; if' we'd booked PE or economy all we'd be planning to do would be to check in to a hotel and sleep.
Even on business, I was working in South Africa for a while and the company offered PE. I refused, and in the end they agreed I could go Qatar on business, which was near as dammit the same cost - except a longer journey and transfer in Doha. The chap I was working with chose the direct PE option arriving on Sunday mornings and spend the whole day in bed recovering (even on the same time-zone as he'd had sod-all sleep). I arrived fit as the proverbial fiddle and ready to go, despite spending much longer in the air (and time in Doha) having ate well, drunk well, and had a good night's sleep.
It's not just the comfort in the flight you need to look at, but what state you're going to be in at the far end. Once you realise you can actually step off a long haul flight feeling just fine, it's difficult to contemplate the alternative of sitting primarily upright in a seat for 14 hours or whatever.
Then I got an upgrade to business. I never thought it was possible to sleep on a flight, but on a lie-flat bed you certainly can. Yes, the food is better, yes the service is better...but it's being able to sleep properly on a flat bed that makes a world of difference. So now on long haul I (and the wife) only fly business class; if we can't afford it, we don't go. From my perspective it gives you back. a day or two to any trip. In the days of premium economy we'd always expect 'lose' the arrival day of any vacation, and most of the next too since we'd be totally knackered and jet-lagged from the journey. On business we arrive well-rested and 'ready to go' - the holiday starts as soon as we get through arrivals! We're off to LA again next week, and we've all sorts planned for the day of arrival; if' we'd booked PE or economy all we'd be planning to do would be to check in to a hotel and sleep.
Even on business, I was working in South Africa for a while and the company offered PE. I refused, and in the end they agreed I could go Qatar on business, which was near as dammit the same cost - except a longer journey and transfer in Doha. The chap I was working with chose the direct PE option arriving on Sunday mornings and spend the whole day in bed recovering (even on the same time-zone as he'd had sod-all sleep). I arrived fit as the proverbial fiddle and ready to go, despite spending much longer in the air (and time in Doha) having ate well, drunk well, and had a good night's sleep.
It's not just the comfort in the flight you need to look at, but what state you're going to be in at the far end. Once you realise you can actually step off a long haul flight feeling just fine, it's difficult to contemplate the alternative of sitting primarily upright in a seat for 14 hours or whatever.
okgo said:
I've been on dreamliner and I didn't think it was all that much better in normal economy in whatever else I have been on for someone 6ft.
Its not. The 787 is a huge step backwards for the economy traveller.The plane is narrower but has 9 seats abreast, the window recesses are gone (that extra 2 inches of space those of us with shoulders 20" apart relied upon) and the lack of window shades floods the cabin with blue light... which is as useful as a kick in the balls when trying to get some rest.
hstewie said:We holiday in UAE at Christmas, usually Emirates, always in business, fantastic all the way from one end to the other.
Last year we left the booking late and had to fly BA business, wow... the person near the window had to climb over me to go for a slash and the stewardess had to climb over my legs to serve him.
What in the hell is that all about?! No wonder BA are in such a state.
Last year we left the booking late and had to fly BA business, wow... the person near the window had to climb over me to go for a slash and the stewardess had to climb over my legs to serve him.
What in the hell is that all about?! No wonder BA are in such a state.
- first world problems etc*
Coin Slot. said:
We holiday in UAE at Christmas, usually Emirates, always in business, fantastic all the way from one end to the other.
Last year we left the booking late and had to fly BA business, wow... the person near the window had to climb over me to go for a slash and the stewardess had to climb over my legs to serve him.
What in the hell is that all about?! No wonder BA are in such a state.
Yes, I got quite good at using the seat end to vault over the sleeping guys legs on the way to NY, as I had more to drink I think I may have kicked him by accident a couple of times. It was totally strange as a design.Last year we left the booking late and had to fly BA business, wow... the person near the window had to climb over me to go for a slash and the stewardess had to climb over my legs to serve him.
What in the hell is that all about?! No wonder BA are in such a state.
- first world problems etc*
Coin Slot. said:
We holiday in UAE at Christmas, usually Emirates, always in business, fantastic all the way from one end to the other.
Last year we left the booking late and had to fly BA business, wow... the person near the window had to climb over me to go for a slash and the stewardess had to climb over my legs to serve him.
What in the hell is that all about?! No wonder BA are in such a state.
When BA introduced that cabin, it was the FIRST lie flat bed business cabin in the world. So they let everyone else catchup, overtake, leave them in the gutter. They've finally created a new cabin, but it's only on new planes. They aren't hurrying to replace the tired old cabin you witnessed. Last year we left the booking late and had to fly BA business, wow... the person near the window had to climb over me to go for a slash and the stewardess had to climb over my legs to serve him.
What in the hell is that all about?! No wonder BA are in such a state.
- first world problems etc*
Been sleeping on their laurels for far, far, far too long. People still pick them for their reputation, not by checking reviews.
Puggit said:
When BA introduced that cabin, it was the FIRST lie flat bed business cabin in the world. So they let everyone else catchup, overtake, leave them in the gutter. They've finally created a new cabin, but it's only on new planes. They aren't hurrying to replace the tired old cabin you witnessed.
Been sleeping on their laurels for far, far, far too long. People still pick them for their reputation, not by checking reviews.
I suspect much of it will be down to folks using avios on BA amex cards? I've had a couple of biz class flights for almost nothing using companion vouchers and avios with BA amex card. A mate of mine said that Etihad business was better than BA first in every way, I've not done first so couldn't comment. But my mrs said similar of Etihads offering vs what we got to NY with BA. but it was £400 each to go with BA so wasn't too bad.Been sleeping on their laurels for far, far, far too long. People still pick them for their reputation, not by checking reviews.
okgo said:
Puggit said:
When BA introduced that cabin, it was the FIRST lie flat bed business cabin in the world. So they let everyone else catchup, overtake, leave them in the gutter. They've finally created a new cabin, but it's only on new planes. They aren't hurrying to replace the tired old cabin you witnessed.
Been sleeping on their laurels for far, far, far too long. People still pick them for their reputation, not by checking reviews.
I suspect much of it will be down to folks using avios on BA amex cards? I've had a couple of biz class flights for almost nothing using companion vouchers and avios with BA amex card. A mate of mine said that Etihad business was better than BA first in every way.Been sleeping on their laurels for far, far, far too long. People still pick them for their reputation, not by checking reviews.
Coin Slot. said:
We holiday in UAE at Christmas, usually Emirates, always in business, fantastic all the way from one end to the other.
Last year we left the booking late and had to fly BA business, wow... the person near the window had to climb over me to go for a slash and the stewardess had to climb over my legs to serve him.
What in the hell is that all about?! No wonder BA are in such a state.
BA started the whole flat bed business class thing, they’re getting a refresh from next year I believe and will be world leading once again Mr Cruz is promising, all seats with direct aisle access like other airlines.Last year we left the booking late and had to fly BA business, wow... the person near the window had to climb over me to go for a slash and the stewardess had to climb over my legs to serve him.
What in the hell is that all about?! No wonder BA are in such a state.
- first world problems etc*
you'll wish you hadn't as there's no turning back! 
That's interesting about the flat bed and BA being the pioneer of that style of seating, bloody awful as it is.
We flew to Antigua or Tobago about 10 years back, that was on a BA plane and the seating put you in a little pod where you could look straight across at the person sat opposite you, like some kind of ying yang seat?!
Then we discovered Emirates and never looked back until last years late booking.
Fair play to anybody that has to fly more than once a year, I hate it from beginning to end, not quite terrified but it's much like going to a dentist for a root filling..
We flew to Antigua or Tobago about 10 years back, that was on a BA plane and the seating put you in a little pod where you could look straight across at the person sat opposite you, like some kind of ying yang seat?!
Then we discovered Emirates and never looked back until last years late booking.
Fair play to anybody that has to fly more than once a year, I hate it from beginning to end, not quite terrified but it's much like going to a dentist for a root filling..
Coin Slot. said:
That's interesting about the flat bed and BA being the pioneer of that style of seating, bloody awful as it is.
We flew to Antigua or Tobago about 10 years back, that was on a BA plane and the seating put you in a little pod where you could look straight across at the person sat opposite you, like some kind of ying yang seat?!
Then we discovered Emirates and never looked back until last years late booking.
Fair play to anybody that has to fly more than once a year, I hate it from beginning to end, not quite terrified but it's much like going to a dentist for a root filling..
BA still have that but there is a divider that can be raised, it’s actually quite nice if you’re travelling with someone as you can have a drink/meal and hold a conversation, if you’re travelling alone it’s just weird so for business class (the clue being in the name) it was an odd choice.We flew to Antigua or Tobago about 10 years back, that was on a BA plane and the seating put you in a little pod where you could look straight across at the person sat opposite you, like some kind of ying yang seat?!
Then we discovered Emirates and never looked back until last years late booking.
Fair play to anybody that has to fly more than once a year, I hate it from beginning to end, not quite terrified but it's much like going to a dentist for a root filling..
It looks like I’ll be trying Etihad or Qatar for the first time in January, I’ve heard good things about both, ideally would like to give the Q suite a go!
Given its already booked by the OP wont go into detail but its night and day the difference. Used to fly to Asia a fair bit and the ability to recover and to work flying biz was much better. Along with all the extras such as lounge, refreshments on demand, good food, space, no kids going mad around you etc. PE is alright, I did that to Japan once with Virgin but it really is no where near close to biz as above.
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