We joined KLM to take an InsideLook at the Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner with KLM’s brand new Premium Comfort cabin. This new cabin class will eventually be rolled out on every aircraft type in the intercontinental fleet, except for the Airbus A330s. 

You could say KLM is late to the party introducing Premium Comfort Class, as many of the established airlines already have a Premium Economy offering. However, this was part of the KLM strategy. The Dutch national carrier was waiting to see how such a product fared with other airlines, although the pandemic delayed the introduction even more.

So what is KLM now offering its Premium Comfort passengers?

The airline now offers three cabins, covering four different travel products. Economy, and Economy Comfort (with its slightly increased recline and seat pitch), are in the Economy Class cabin. Premium Comfort is the new Premium Economy Class product. World Business Class remains KLM’s most prestigious offering.

Did you know InsideFlyer also has a YouTube channel? Every week we post new travel related content. Subscribe to our channel and don’t miss out. Here you can find a video impression of this InsideLook about the KLM Premium Comfort on the Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner.

KLM Premium Comfort Press event

InsideFlyer was invited by KLM to join the Premium Comfort Press event. Both Dutch and international media all assembled at Schiphol’s Departure Hall 2. Despite the chaos that the summer holidays can bring, check-in and security looked a breeze that day. After some free time airside, we were welcomed at KLM’s flagship Crown Lounge 52. The long closed restaurant ‘Blue’ was even exclusively opened for the occasion.

Many of the airline’s top executives joined the event, kicked-off by Marjan Rintel, KLM’s new CEO. Rintel expressed how proud she is that KLM and its co-workers were able to survive the pandemic as a company (with government support). She also emphasized how the airline worked in partnership with Schiphol Airport in the interest of the Dutch aviation industry. While we enjoyed a delicious lunch, Rintel and her team explained how Premium Comfort came to be.

Premium Comfort cabin on the Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner

Configuration

The new KLM Premium Comfort cabin will be installed on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner (both the -10 and -9) and 777 (both -300 and -200). In this InsideLook we will show you the first Dreamliner with the new product, which is the 787-10 with registration PH-BKA (named Orange Blossom). This aircraft is also the first 787-10 that KLM received in 2019.

The 787-10 now has 28 Premium Comfort seats, in a four-row 2-3-2 configuration. All the seats have a comfortable pitch of 38 inches (97cm),  with an 8 inch (20cm) recline. They are styled in the trademark KLM livery blue colour. The wider seat and leg and foot rest all contribute to a more pleasurable flying experience.

Seat

The first row seats have an inflight entertainment system (IFE) that is stored in the arm rest. All other seats have the IFE built in the seat in front. The highly responsive 13.3 inch touchscreen has a special anti reflective coating for increased viewing comfort. The screen is very clear and sharp and you can adjust its position slightly. You can use the touch screen to navigate but there’s no separate remote control like in World Business Class.

The middle arm rest is also equipped with a small panel that can be used to adjust the seat settings and leg rest. There is a handy space to store your personal items and a special nook for a water bottle.

Noise-cancelling headphones, a blanket and a comfortable pillow are provided and usb -C and -A ports are available for charging as well as a power point.

Power outlet between the seats.

The front row seats have a separate panel for the reading light and crew button. Other seats have these in the armrest.

Each seat is equipped with a flexible head rest which can be moved in four directions. The individual reading light is easy to adjust. There is also a coat hook provided at each seat.

Storage and table

The back of the seat in front of you has a pocket with the standard safety info, waste bag and inflight magazine.The bulkhead seats have a similar seat pocket attached to the cabin divider with the same offerings.

There’s a further pocket just below the IFE screen which can fit your amenity kit, passport or phone.

A foldable ample-sized table is neatly tucked away in the arm rest which can be opened by a small latch on the side.

It easily fits a laptop and snacks. 

The table also has a special stand for a tablet or phone.

Food and beverage service on board

With the new Premium Comfort class, KLM is also introducing a new special menu – with a choice of hot or cold dishes (vegetarian, fish or meat).

Depending on the length of the flight, you get either one or two hot meals. Our flight served one hot dish, as well as salad and cheese. After the meal, there is a coffee and tea service (add a shot of Baileys if you want). And don’t forget the lovely ‘stroopwafel’ ice cream!

Between meals there is a drinks service. Choose the new Espresso Martini which KLM has exclusively created using the Dutch gin brand Bols. If you’re still peckish there are always snacks available in the Economy galley.

A cold meal was served just before landing. I chose a green salad with beetroot and smoked almonds, and a Pastel de Nata pastry.

All meals are served in reusable plastic containers, with a distinctive design inspired by the Dutch landscape. Passengers traveling in Premium Comfort dine with similar cutlery as World Business Class and real glassware is used for most drinks.

Premium Comfort amenity kit

Upon boarding you’ll receive a useful and eye-catching amenity kit made from up-cycled ocean plastics. Sustainability is at the forefront, with a bamboo toothbrush, as well as the usual eye mask, earplugs and a pen. 

Cabin retrofit

In order to fit in the new Premium Comfort product, KLM needs to retrofit a large section of its Boeing 777 and 787 cabins.

KLM carries out the retrofitting process at its own Engineering & Maintenance department at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. It takes about eight days to install the new Premium Comfort product.

When an aircraft is finished it will go directly into service. By the end of this year, all Boeing 787-10s and 787-9s will be furnished with the new  cabin. At the beginning of next year the Boeing 777-300s and later the -200s will also be retrofitted.

The Boeing 777s  will also get a renewed World Business Class cabin. This cabin will change from a 2-2-2 configuration to 1-2-1 offering direct aisle access to all Business Class passengers. The seats will also get a sliding door for increased privacy.

Although the first Dreamliner is now fitted with Premium Comfort, it will take some time before the complete long haul fleet is retrofitted. As the Airbus A330 is being be phased out, KLM has decided not to install Premium Comfort on this aircraft.

Paul Terstegge, the Executive Vice President of KLM Inflight Services said:

“We’d like customers to walk away with a ‘wow’ experience, where it is really something different. We hope our Premium Comfort product stands out from premium products from our competitors—and most importantly, that the value for money is worth the extra investment in terms of what you get back in luxury comfort and a memorable experience.”

Conclusion

It is good news that KLM has finally introduced a Premium Comfort cabin. It’s a real step up from Economy (and Economy Comfort) and we think it could be a great success for KLM and its passengers.

The post InsideLook: KLM Presents New Premium Comfort Cabin On Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner appeared first on InsideFlyer.

Thailand has become a very popular holiday destination for Europeans, even if it is an 11-hour flight away from almost anywhere in Europe. Until now it hasn’t been a priority for me but needing an escape from snow and freezing temperatures, I decided it was about time.

I was able to secure a business class reward ticket with Thai Airways from Brussels, which wasn’t easy during Christmas holiday. The return trip set me back 82,500 SAS EuroBonus points and an American Express Companion Ticket.

Since I had plenty of time on the ground in Brussels, I had the chance to visit both The Loft and The Suite lounges before departure

• Lounge review: The Loft by Brussels Airlines and Lexus
• Lounge review: The Suite at Brussels Airport

Boarding

I arrive at the gate a few minutes ahead of scheduled boarding time. The line for priority boarding seems to equal the amount of business class seats on the Airbus A350. This isn’t surprising, since it’s Christmas Holiday for most of Europe and probably not many business travelers.

I boarded through the front door where I was greeted by two friendly flight attendants who point my to my seat 19K.

Cabin and seat

Thai Airways Airbus A350-900 business class cabin has eight rows in staggered 1-2-1 configuration with a total of 32 seats.

If you’re traveling solo, I would recommend the window seats and the rows where the seat is closer to the window. These seats offer the best view out the window and the most privacy. Similarly, for couples my choice would be the center section “honeymoon” rows where you are close to you travel companion while retaining privacy. The other rows are preferable if you’re traveling solo and unable to get a window seat or just want some space between you and your travel companion. These seats are however close to aisle and offer less privacy.

Already waiting in my seat was the bedding and a basic Lacoste amenity kit. The slippers are a bit of a tight fit. The seats are very comfortable while seated, but slightly cramped for my 6’2” when converted to a bed.

My Airbus A350-900 is just over two years old. As a result, the interior is fresh and modern, and I like the bright purple colors of the cabin.

The entertainment system TV screen is crisp and clear, and the remote and seat controls are responsive and easy to use. The electrical outlet is near the floor in front of you, while the USB outlets is under the TV. WiFi is on the expensive side with $35 for 500MB and $60 for unlimited data. Buying smaller packages doesn’t really make sense as background services or apps on your laptop or smartphone with consume your data in no time.

Food and beverage

As soon as everyone is seated, I was offered a glass of Champagne. I was even offered a refill when the flight attendant came back to take my food order.

As soon as the fasten seatbelt sign is switched off after take-off, I was served another glass of Piper-Heidsieck Essentiel along with some nuts. The crew immediately starts to prepare the meal service and a few minutes later, my starter was served. The first course consists of Parma Ham, Creame Cheese and Roasted Scallops. It’s very good, although maybe not spectacular. The wine I have chosen, Chateau Tour Prignac 2016, is also very good and I stick to it throughout the meal.

For the main course I have chosen the Samrab Thai with green curry beef, deep-fried crab meat, soup, rice and stir-fried pickled turnip with eggs. I really enjoyed the dish and it was definitely the culinary highlight of the trip.

I was then offered a cheese plate which wasn’t on the menu before I had chocolate cream for dessert. Neither cheese plate nor the dessert was bad, but not very exciting either. I had a Glenmorangie The Lasanta 12YO single malt scotch whisky with the desert.

For breakfast I go with smoked salmon, scrambled eggs, bread, fruits and yoghurt. A solid, wholesome breakfast.

Thai Airways delivers a perfectly fine business class meal, although there is room for improvement. The cheese plate and desert are uninspiring, the presentation is simple, and everything is served on trays. The service is extremely efficient, perhaps a bit too much as it feels a bit robotic and impersonal. The crew is however, always smiling, friendly and helpful.

Thai Airways Business Class

Thai Airways delivered in line with my expectations. It’s not quite on the same level as Singapore Airlines or Qatar Airways, but not at all bad. The Airbus A350 is a fantastic aircraft and I like the cabin and seats, although a bit cramped. The food and service are good, but not spectacular. Entertainment system and Wifi were good as well, but a bit expensive.

All in all, I’m happy with my flight and I would gladly fly Thai Airways business class again.

The post Thai Airways Airbus A350 Business Class from Brussels to Bangkok appeared first on InsideFlyer.

To be honest, Air China wasn’t at the top of my list, but finding any kind of last-minute reward availability from Europe to Thailand during Christmas is an almost impossible task. At this point I was happy with not flying economy class. It’s no secret that Air China doesn’t have the best reputation, but I’ve also seen some good reviews in the past. So I decide to take one for the team and take the journey with an open mind.

The return trip set me back 112,500 SAS EuroBonus Points and an SAS American Express Companion Ticket.

Boarding

My expectations weren’t high to begin with. The underwhelming Air China First Class Lounge didn’t make them any higher. After a ground experience where time seemed to stand still, I’m eager to board my flight. I know my flight is delayed, but I still arrive at the gate early to make sure I have time to take photos of the cabin.

When I get to the gate, I find myself at the end of an already long line for priority boarding. There is no separate line for first class boarding, and I have to wait in line with elite members and business class passengers. This may sound like a mere trifle, but the Boeing 747-8 is a huge aircraft.

Once the boarding process starts, it’s quite effective and a few minutes later I’m finally onboard. I’m greeted by a smiling flight attendant who shows me the way to my seat.

Cabin and seat

The cabin layout of Air China’s Boeing 747-8 is different from what you find in the same aircraft from Lufthansa. Lufthansa has their first class in the nose of the aircraft, while Air China has five rows of business class in the front of the aircraft. It would probably be hard to fit the huge Air first class seats in the nose of the aircraft. Air China’s decision makes sense and it doesn’t really bother me. As an upside you avoid the noise from the nose gear during take-off and landing. It’s also nice to be reminded of what the wing of an aircraft looks like from inside the plane.

I must admit I’m an Airbus guy at heart, but I still know how to appreciate the latest version of Queen of the Skies.

There are three rows of first class in a 1-2-1 configuration, for a total of 12 seats. The cabin itself feels nice and spacious. The color palette is neutral with a bit of accent from the orange pillows and headrests.

The seats are huge with five windows per seat row. The seats are very comfortable and feel a bit more private than Lufthansa First Class. It’s a bit surprising that Air China didn’t choose to install closable doors, but it doesn’t bother me. Apart from the overhead bins, the seat also offers some storage compartments and a small closet. The middle seats have a retractable divider, so you retain your privacy if you’re travelling solo.

Pre-departure

After settling in and stowing my carry-on, another smiling and friendly flight attendant came by to offer me slippers, pajamas, menus and newspapers. I don’t usually read newspapers, but I decide to make an exception for a chance to browse through China Daily. Waiting by my seat is also a L’Occitane amenity kit, noise cancelling headphones with a small flower decoration and personal hand-written greeting card from the crew. I love the small details like the flowers and the hand-written greeting card. It makes product feel more exclusive and the service more personal.

I’m also offered a hot towel and a choice of water and orange juice to drink. Boldly requesting a glass of champagne instead, I was told that I would have to wait another 5 to 10 minutes. I was never offered an explanation as to why, but as soon as the last passenger was on board, the flight attendant came back with my pre-departure champagne. I was even offered a refill before pushing back.

The inflight entertainment system is modern and responsive, with a crisp 26-inch TV and user-friendly remote. Given the distance from the seat to the TV, the screen could have been even larger. I usually bring my own entertainment, but the IFE seem to have decent selection of Hollywood movies and international content.

Food and beverage

As soon as the seatbelt sign is switched the crew starts preparing for the first meal service. Air China offers dine on demand, but it seems all five passengers have opted to have their meal right away. This is probably where I had the lowest expectations of Air China. A friend of mine who have traveled with Air China before even said “seats are great but bring a sandwich” before my flight. I’m happy to say I disagree with him.

My table is set, and the dishes are served one by one. It seems like it will never end. I though I was supposed to choose from the menu, but I’m apparently only supposed to choose the main course. Apart from the main couse, the entire menu is served. You will certainly not starve in Air China First Class.

The food doesn’t quite reach first class standards, but it’s well above your average business class meal. I’ve selected the crispy duck as the main course which together with the caviar and the desert are the culinary highlights of my flight. The same goes for the wine selection. It would be great for business class, but in first class it leaves some room for improvement.

After the huge meal I’m ready to get some sleep and I go to the restroom to change to my pajamas. When the leaving the restroom the flight attendant is waiting to take my clothes and tuck them neatly away in my personal closet.

It’s nice to see the cabin crew restock and clean the surfaces of the restroom before and after every visit.

While I was changing, the flight attendant had already made up my bed. Both the bedding and the bed itself is comfortable and spacious enough for my 6’2” body.

Lunch time

After a good five hours of sleep, I wake up just in time for the second meal. I’m not really hungry yet but for the sake of doing a complete review I decided to have a go at it.

The lunch meal is good, but still not first class.

Air China First Class

I really enjoyed my Air China First Class experience and I cannot understand why the airline has such an abysmal reputation. I wouldn’t hesitate to fly with them again. The seats are comfortable and spacious, and the service was great. The food and beverage have room for improvement, but with some minor adjustments Air China would have highly competitive first class product. The most disappointing part was undoubtedly the ground experience. Priority boarding for first class passengers would be nice and the lounge leaves much to be desired.

The post Pleasent surprise – Air China First Class Boeing 747-8 from Beijing to Frankfurt appeared first on InsideFlyer.

I rarely hear good things about short-haul Intra-European business class flights. One exception is TravelUpdate’s own Flight Detective who finds himself flying short hops throughout Europe in the forward cabin. Until recently, I couldn’t comment on intra-European business class, as I hadn’t experienced the product myself.

Finally, last month, I took my first flight in business class on European airline solely within Europe. From what I’ve heard from other bloggers and frequent flyers, I was to expect poor service, awful legroom, and little to no onboard amenities. However, my two-hour flight from London to Berlin was a pleasant surprise that ran completely contrary to what I’ve heard about intra-European business class.

Here’s what it was like to fly in British Airways Club Europe from London-Heathrow to Berlin-Tegel.

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On-Ground Service

Lately, I’ve been pushing the limit of how close to departure time one can show up and still make their flight. That being said, I arrived at Terminal 5 at London-Heathrow just 40 minutes prior to departure.

Unfortunately, that meant I wouldn’t have the opportunity to check out any lounges at the airport. As a passenger booked in Club Europe, I had access to the Galleries lounges as well as a few Oneworld partner lounges in other terminals. I did get to use the Fast-Track line at London-Heathrow which might have been the only reason I wasn’t the last passenger to board my flight.

Related: London Heathrow Galleries First Review

Fast-Track security screening is located adjacent to the premium check-in area. The terminal was quite busy and the line at security reflected that. Still, I managed to pass through security in just 10 minutes. With boarding set to begin in minutes, I made a quick stop at a newsstand for a bottle of water and then made a b-line to my departure gate.

Boarding

To my surprise, boarding had already begun. US-airlines rarely enforce designated priority boarding lanes so I assumed I’d be waiting in a long line of economy class passengers waiting to board.

This wasn’t the case and there were two British Airways gate agents holding passengers aside while Club Europe and elite frequent flyers boarded. I showed one of the agents my boarding pass and was welcome on-board. Boarding my flight to Berlin was easily one of the smoothest and most efficient boarding processes I’ve ever experienced.

On-Board Service

Pre-departure beverages were not offered, however, this is the norm for most US carriers on shorter domestic flights. That said, the lack of pre-departure beverages was not a deal-breaker. Once the flight leveled out, the Club Europe flight attendant came by to take drink orders and distribute hot towels.

For my first beverage, I ordered the champagne. The champagne was served with a glass with the crew serving the entire mini-bottle, something US airlines never do. While not the best champagne I’ve ever had, it was certainly more than sufficient for the short flight to Berlin.

Once passengers had settled in and enjoyed their first round of beverages, the flight attendant came through the aisle to take meal orders. There were two options: afternoon tea service with finger sandwiches and a meat and cheese plate.

Unfortunately, meal orders were taken from front to back which meant by the time the flight attendant had reached my row, only the meat and cheese plate was available. It wasn’t a huge deal as I only somewhat preferred the sandwiches over the meat and cheese plate.

Again, this flight was relatively short. Still, the on-board service was quite extensive. The meat and cheese plate was extremely tasty and filling. The flight attendant later came by to offer a selection of bread and jams. I went with a biscuit and some strawberry jam. The biscuit was unbelievably fresh and tasty. It reminded me of the biscuits previously offered by American Airlines in first class a few years back.

After the meal service wrapped up, the flight crew came by to assist passengers hoping to buy items from the seatback duty-free catalog. Normally, this service wouldn’t interest me, however, I decided to buy two jars of the limited edition British Airways-branded Marmite. Though I find Marmite to be horrid, I knew I’d kick myself if I passed up the opportunity to add a jar to my collection of aviation memorabilia.

Once the duty-free service wrapped up, the flight crew made their way through the Club Europe aisle every so often to refill drinks. After three mini-bottles of sparkling wine, I decided to try the limited-edition Speedbird 100 IPA. Though I’m not usually a fan of IPAs, the Speedbird 100 IPA may very well be one of my favorite beers. It was one of the less bitter IPAs I’ve had yet, it was still quite flavorful.

After two of the Speedbird 100 IPAs, the crew came through the aisle to collect any remaining service items as we began our descent into Berlin.

British Airways Club Europe Seat

This may come as a surprise but I found the seat to be pretty comfortable. Albeit, the flight was just under two hours. I can’t imagine this seat being worth the price of a business class ticket for a four or five-hour flight. Still, for this flight, I found the seat and legroom quite comfortable.

Like many European airlines, British Airways simply blocks the middle seat in a row of economy class seats and brands it as business class. On some aircraft, Club Europe does feature additional legroom. The Airbus A319 operating my flight from London to Berlin was one of these aircraft.

I selected seat 4F. Seat 4A was the only other seat in row 4 that ended up occupied which meant I ended up having an entire row on the right side of the aircraft to myself. On this particular aircraft, row 4 featured both additional legroom and slightly wider seats than other Club Europe seats.

For what it’s worth, I’m 5′ 10” (~178 cm) and found the legroom to be sufficient for the short-hop to Berlin. The legroom was around 31” inches (~78 cm) for my seat. The recline is probably my only complaint. Though I’m not one to recline my seat in economy, I usually kick back when in a premium cabin. The recline in Club Europe was about the same as what’s offered in domestic economy class in the US, so, not that great. As for seat padding, I couldn’t tell a difference between my seat in Club Europe and a seat in business or first class seats in the US.

Finally, in terms of in-seat amenities, there weren’t any. British Airways is in the process of retrofitting a few of its intra-European fleet with in-seat power and in-flight WiFi. Unfortunately, my flight had not yet received either upgrade. Again, it wasn’t a huge deal as I had charged my device before the flight and didn’t urgently need to access the internet.

The Bottom Line, My First Time Flying Intra-European Business Class

After my flight from London to Berlin, I understand some of the complaints flyers have about intra-European business class. However, I’m beginning to think many of these complaints are blown out of proportion.

While the hard product (seat, in-flight entertainment) is a step down from what’s offered by US and other North American carriers, the soft product (food and beverage, in-flight service) was a step up. I thoroughly enjoyed my afternoon snack and found the service provided by the crew to be somewhat of an improvement compared to what I’m used to in the US.

Ultimately, in deciding whether or not I would fly intra-European business class again, it would come down to the flight time and price difference compared to economy. One thing travelers should not overlook is the upgraded experience on the ground when flying intra-European business class. If it had not been for Fast Track security, I might not have made my flight.

OTHER POSTS FROM THE UNACCOMPANIED FLYER:

• This Card Got Me 15% Off My Meal and Free Champagne in NYC
• Review: What It’s Like to Fly Aboard Russia’s Newest Passenger Jet
• Testing Out The Benefits of the American Express Platinum Concierge
• Review: Swimming at The Airport – Punta Cana VIP Lounge with Swimming Pool

The post Intra-European Business Class Gets a Bad Rap appeared first on InsideFlyer.

But there is enough to differentiate between carriers as well. A little service can go a long way in the industry, and some carriers have made a better impression on me than others. I know everyone has both their favorite carrier(s) and the ones they avoid at all costs. My list takes into account both my own experiences over the past few years.

U.S. Airlines Ranked Best to Worst

Delta

I am not shy about proclaiming my love of Delta. My initial feeling for the carrier grew was one of indifference, primarily due to what I consider a fairly weak mileage currency as well as little experience with them. But how things changed when I started flying them regularly. They are proactive about service, have better staff than the other majors, and a better on time performance than United, my other most-flown carrier.

I’m now a Delta regular, primarily for my work travel. They won me over. I never intended to be a fanboy. It sort of just happened.

Alaska

Being based on the West Coast, I can’t really help but fly Alaska now and then. They are often the best option when heading to southern California or up to Portland or Seattle. All of my experiences with Alaska have been good, even the couple bad ones. That might not make sense, but the airline has rescued every potentially frustrating situation admirably.

Alaska’s commitment to customer service has impressed me over the years. My only delayed flight with them resulted in a free lunch at John Wayne airport and $100 voucher for each of the five of us. All of this was done proactively. It really took the sting out of a 3-hour mechanical delay. I was more than satisfied with how their staff handled the situation.

Southwest

Southwest used to be my favorite airline. I only list them third because I don’t have any truly amazing experiences under my belt with them. I know what I’m getting every time I book a Southwest ticket. They’re different, but they do their thing well. I’ll happily fly the country’s largest domestic carrier anytime.

JetBlue

My one experience with JetBlue was hellish. We spent hours stuffed in a hot terminal with hundreds of other passengers waiting for a storm front to blow past. It wasn’t fun, but I still can’t fault JetBlue. I plan to give them another shot in the future, preferably in their Mint product.

Frontier

The “whole different animal” wasn’t a whole lot different for me. My wife and I only flew them on one trip, a total of two segments. Besides the charge-you-for-everything-extra model (which I was entirely aware of), the flights were fine. Seat pitch is narrow, but entirely manageable for a guy a hair over 5’10”. I’d definitely book with them again, as long as the cost made it worth it.

But there is also a nagging fear that things could go disastrously wrong. There is one problem the carrier does not handle well.

United

Ah, United. Now we get to the first depressing one. I’m captive to the carrier at our tiny regional airport. The fact that I generally drive 4.5 hours to fly Delta should tell you something. United has come through for me on a handful of occasions, but generally, they disappoint.

Spirit

Spirit is an unknown animal to me. At least…it is unknown besides all the time I’ve spent going over their site, doing my best to understand their baggage policy, their added fees, and all the other a la carte services they offer in their ultra low cost carrier model. It’s enough to make me avoid them unless flying solo with nothing but a daypack. But hey, when is that gonna happen? The only reasonable hop I can make is Oakland to Vegas, and who wants to go to Vegas? Not I.

But there are some other “hacks” you can perform with Spirit to ensure you get dirt cheap airfare. The main one I know of is purchasing your tickets at the airport to shave off fees. But beware. This could easily backfire.

Still, I know some who have an odd love affair with Spirit due to their amazingly low fares. I never expect to.

American

While my own experiences with AA have been fine, there is nothing about the airline that has caused me to love them. Between inept phone agents, stone-faced business class service, and so many reports of AAwful delays this summer, I plan to steer clear of them for a while. At least until I get wooed into burning my miles for one of their reduced mileage awards.

Allegiant

I don’t think I have anything good to say about Allegiant. I’ve flown them once, and that was enough. Plus, they like to enter markets, run a number of ill-timed and inconvenient flights, and only stay committed until the dollars run out, after which they pull out if they aren’t making anything. It’s a terrible model for generating any sort of long-term business.

The Oddballs, Ranked

Hawaiian Airlines

They fly to Hawaii. That I know. Instead of doing so with them, I transferred all my miles to Hilton points, which seemed the wiser choice at the time.

Sun Country

I’ve never flown Sun Country. I didn’t even know Sun Country existed until like 3 years ago, when I saw them advertised at Sonoma County airport. This MSP-based leisure airline doesn’t fly a whole lot of places.

Boutique

I’ve flown this airline once, and it was a blast. We made a 90-mile hop from Oakland to Merced in a Pilatus PC-12, and the experience in the tiny prop plane was unforgettable.

They specialize in flying tiny planes on heavily subsidized essential air service routes, which makes them a unique carrier. But they also do not have a lot of support when things go wrong.

Silver Airways

I know nothing about them, other than that they operate out of Florida and Puerto Rico and fly to lovely islands.

Conclusion

I’m sure I’ll get contrarians to my list, but hey, that’s half of why I wrote this post. Tell me all about how United and American make your world go round.

Which are your favorite and least favorite U.S. carriers, and why?

The post U.S Airlines Ranked as Told By Family Flys Free appeared first on InsideFlyer.

When searching for a flight from Paris to Barcelona, I hoped to find the cheapest option. Vueling Airlines popped up at under $50 each so I snagged them up! My friend from Barcelona had previously flown with them and she said they were decent so I took her advice!

Vueling Airlines Delay:

Sadly, we were notified that our flight was delayed about 1 hour before our scheduled departure of 1:35 PM. It said the flight would be delayed 2.5 hours!

Thankfully, I had access to the Premium Traveller Lounge, which was an amazing escape from the hustle and bustle of the terminal. It made the delay much easier to deal with.

Vueling did a good job keeping us notified on the delay through their app. They posted updates every 30 minutes.

Sadly, no agent was to be found after security to provide food vouchers. The agent of the airport itself said Vueling doesn’t have any help desks past security + gate agents can’t give out the vouchers. Pretty sucky am I right?!

On the website it says if your flight is delayed by more than 2 hours, our ground staff will offer you the following, free of charge:

“Tickets for meals and beverages according to the length of the delay.”

Which we got none…. laaaaame. Good thing I had finger food in the lounge.

Seating:

You can check into your Vueling Airlines flight 7 days before departure and they can “randomly assign” your seats for free if your booked under their lowest (Basic) fare. So, I checked in just a couple hours after check in opened and got row 28EF (middle + window) out of 32 which are part of the cheapest seats in which you can pre-reserve them for $4.99. I think that possibly checking in later can get you closer to the front, as long as the seat map still shows some available seats. Before I checked in, the plane was essentially empty with most seats still available/not assigned yet.

Boarding:

Boarding was uneventful, minus the positive that I found overhead space only 7 rows ahead of me.

Legroom was better than I anticipated for me being 5-9. In my opinion, it was roomier in terms of legroom than easyjet. For my friend who’s 6-3, after 20 minutes of flying he complained of his legs hurting. His knees were touching the tray in front but they were not overall squished. 

The plane was pretty clean, which was surprising to me since the plane just arrived from elsewhere and they did a 30 minutes turnaround.

We pushed back at 4:45 PM, and since our scheduled departure was 1:35 PM we ended up leaving over 3 hours late. The captain told us the flight would take 1.5 hours.

About 30 minutes after takeoff, the on flight service commenced. Nothing was complimentary and drinks averaged around 2.6 euros each. They had an array of snacks and meals.

After a rough patch of turbulence, we started our descent about an hour after takeoff. Finally, the plane touched ground at 6:18 pm, 3 hours and 3 minutes late. We arrived at the satellite gate at 6:25 and took a bus to the terminal.

After the flight, I filed a EU 261 compensation form online on their website and within 2 days Vueling responded saying that it was due to a reason beyond their control (ie. weather). In contrast, the app said it was a “maintenance” issue which is not beyond their control… maybe it is time to use a third party! I’ll keep you all posted.

The Verdict:

Overall, Vueling Airlines isn’t a horrible way to fly a short hop. Just be prepared for very lackluster customer service of a delay arises on their end as it’s a “no frills” low cost carrier.

Have you flown on Vueling before? Comment below!

Happy travels,

Ty

Have any questions? Comment below or email me at takeofftotravel@gmail.com. You can also view all my other posts here! Thanks for stopping by!

The post Vueling Airlines: A No Frill, Low Cost Option appeared first on InsideFlyer.

Qatar Airways is one of the best airlines in terms of quality and luxury. Most of their planes are new with beautiful interiors, excellent entertainment units, and comfortable seats. For those reasons, Qatar is usually my first choice for rewards redemptions if I have enough miles.  For this flight, I flew Qatar Airways business class on their A380 plane from Frankfurt to Doha using my American Airlines miles.

Booking

Qatar Airways is member of the OneWorld alliance which means that Qatar Airways award flights can be booked using OneWorld partners such as British Airways or American Airlines.  For the longest time it was not possible to book Qatar Airways award flights at AA.com, but as of a few months ago, you can now book online.

In most cases, the redemption rates for Qatar Airways is less on American Airlines than on British Airways for longer distance flights.  This is due to British Airways having a distance based award chart instead of a regional chart like American Airlines.  However, also keep in mind British Airways passes on more surcharges than American Airlines.

The amount of American Airlines miles required for my flight route of FRA-DOH-MLE was 42,500 miles.  This is a great mileage redemption rate considering the quality of the business class on Qatar Airways along with the total travel time being almost 13 hours.

If you are hoping to book an itinerary with the new Qsuites, keep in mind Qatar often will change aircraft types, even on the day of departure.

When I originally booked this itinerary, the FRA-DOH leg was an A350 with Qsuites and the DOH-MLE was also the A350 with Qsuites.   A few months before departure, the FRA-DOH leg was changed to an A380 and the DOH-MLE route changed on the day of departure to an A350 with the old business class seat configuration.

Flight

Qatar Airways 68
Frankfurt (FRA) to Doha (DOH)
Cabin: Business Class
Seat:  19E
Aircraft: A380
Flight Time: 6h

Plane Atmosphere (5/5)

As with most A380s, the business class cabin was huge with 48 seats in a 1-2-1 configuration.  First and business class cabins are located on the upper deck along with about 56 economy seats in the back.

The A380 is incredibly comfortable due to improvements to cabin pressure and humidity control.  Additionally, even though this aircraft has four engines, they barely could be heard throughout the flight.

Qatar also invested in the advanced lighting package which changes colors during takeoff, cruising, and landing operations.  This helps passengers with jet lag as the lighting transitions from day to night time configurations.

In-Flight Lounge (5/5)

While Emirates and Etihad also have lounges on their A380s, Qatar Airways has the best lounge in the skies.  The decor is incredibly beautiful along with a well designed layout that feels a lot more spacious.

One thing I really didn’t like about the lounge on Etihad was it was right next to the galley, so you pretty much had flight attendants running back and forth through the lounge delivering food to passengers. On Qatar, this is not the case. For most of the flight it’s just you, the friendly bartender, and a few other passengers.  There are also plenty of free snacks and fruit in the lounge!

Seat (4/5)

When it comes to TV screens and aesthetics, the business class seats are top notch.  The entertainment screen is large with high-resolution along with a touch screen remote. Also, the purple seat colors and wood accents feel very classy.

The only negatives about the seat is the lack of privacy (no walls) and the small foot well feeling a bit cramped.  I assume the Qsuites solves these issues, but I wouldn’t know because they changed the aircraft at the last moment.  While the seat was a bit narrow, I was still able to sleep on this flight.

In an ideal world, business class would have the privacy of Japan Airlines Business Class, with the seat size of Singapore Airlines Business Class.

Qatar Airway

Food (5/5)

In terms of flavor and variety, Qatar Airways has one of the best business class food offerings.  The sweet corn saffron soup was interesting and the steak was delicious considering is was served on an airplane. Furthermore, the fake candle was a nice touch along with the fanciest silverware I’ve seen on a plane.

Food Qatar Airways

Service (5/5)

I’ve flown with Qatar Airways on several occasions and the service has always been consistently exceptional.   The staff is well trained, courteous, friendly, and helpful.  Even though the business class cabin was full with 48 passengers, the food was delivered efficiently and staff was always available.

One thing I don’t normally notice, but I did on this flight was that all the staff looked well groomed with professional looking haircuts.  I wonder if Qatar Airways hires a professional hair stylist for the crew.

Also new for this flight was the BRIC’s amenity kits given to business class passengers.  I’m not familiar with the brand. But the quality of the leather was the best I’ve ever seen for an amenity kit.  I might actually use this one for more travels in the future.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Qatar Airways is one of the best airlines for not only Oneworld award redemptions but even for paid fares. The planes are new, food delicious, and staff professional with flights connecting in one of the best airports in the world at Doha. If you have an abundance of American Airlines miles, there aren’t many award redemption options that surpass flying on Qatar Airways.

If you like my photos, follow me on Instagram: @BLTraveler

The post A Full Review of Qatar Airways Business Class appeared first on InsideFlyer.

Lounge

A Premium Class seat on Norwegian includes Fast Track and much-loved lounge access at most airports, and the Escape Lounge located in Terminal 1 near Gate 9 at Oakland Int’l Airport quite frankly, blew me away.

Being used to meager and paltry offerings in abysmally full lounges as is often the case with other carriers in the US (*cough* American and United), I wasn’t expecting to find a quiet environment with ample seating and fantastic food in the lounge offered with my Norwegian flight, but I did.

Comfy chairs for seating à deux were in one room, tastefully separated from the food area by magazine shelves. The lounge wasn’t huge, but there wasn’t a problem finding a seat. Another area beyond the expansive buffet offered upscale cafeteria style seating with booths, chairs, and bar stools. Outlets for charging were well-distributed through the lounge, and the free Wifi was fast.

The hearty locally-inspired food selection was akin to that of an Amex Centurion Lounge. The Escape lounge is also the same one that British Airways offers to their premium passengers departing out of Oakland.

There was a mouth-watering array of meats & cheeses, hot selections such as individual dutch ovens of mac & cheese, and refreshing salad items like mozzarella & tomato, and lentils with goat cheese. Crunchy avocado toast topped with goat cheese sat next to simple poached eggs, and sandwiches and croissants nestled up to walnut bread and honey. A dedicated area offered cookies and parfait style desserts such as chocolate mousse, and there was a coffee and tea station. Everything I tried was delicious. A bar at the back of the lounge offered complimentary alcohol.

Boarding

Boarding for the Oakland to London Gatwick flight was out of Gate 3, and walking up I heard the announcement in progress about the different boarding groups. The gate agent informed that boarding group 1 would be families with small children and those needing extra time to board, including those in wheelchairs. Boarding group 2 was for premium passengers. Economy passengers would board as group 3, which went by row number starting at the back of the plane.

The posted boarding time came and went with no announcement, but 10 minutes later the gate agents sprung into action and boarding commenced.

Premium Cabin Seating

Once onboard I was offered orange juice, water, or apple juice. I declined, having just enjoyed the offerings in the lounge.

There were just 24 of 35 recliner seats taken in the premium cabin of the 787-9 (Economy holds 309 passengers). Seats in Premium were arranged in a 2-3-2 configuration with 19 inch width and 46 inch pitch, and I had chosen seat 4F. The entire middle section of row 3 (seats D,E and F) was empty for my flight. At a super roomy 46 inches, legroom in Premium on Norwegian’s 787 is more than Premium Economy options on any other carriers, comparable only to BA’s OpenSkies flights from New York to Paris.

A blanket had been placed on each seat, and I took mine out of the package and held it up. Soft and lightweight, each side was a different tone, edged by the bright Norwegian red.

The captain made an announcement that he was expecting an on time arrival at London Gatwick at 10:58am, and we were shortly on our way with wheels up at 5:50pm.

The lights were dimmed for the initial climb, and then the cabin was lit again though with a softer shade. Headsets were distributed, and an announcement was made that the meal service would be following soon.

One armrest held the tray table, and the other had the personal video player. It was labeled Lift, and I did gingerly but nothing happened. Pulling harder the unit sprang to life and opened up to reveal a USB port. Each seat has not only a USB port, but also a standard charging outlet. Each seat in Premium has a footrest that can be raised and adjusted.

Drinks were served next, and my still water and wine were delivered by a cheerful cabin crew member from the trolley that came down the aisle.

Entertainment

I checked out the selection on the AVOD. There were 10 new release movies, about 30 classics, and an assortment of TV shows.

Apart from movies, you can also order food and drinks (champagne, too!) throughout the flight via the handy touchscreen.

There are two lavatories in the Premium section of Norwegian’s 787-9, and each has the extra features of automatic faucets and motion-activated toilets.

Dinner

10 minutes later the trolley returned with dinner. There were no paper menus distributed, but the crew patiently explained the choices. The evening’s choices were beef filet in a horseradish sauce with vegetables, chicken breast, or blackened shrimp and grits.

I chose the shrimp and grits, and was offered bread to accompany it.

The meal smelled great, and was hot. It came in a box with plastic utensils rather than on a hard tray with metal items. The grits were creamy with a cheesy sauce and sun dried tomatoes, and before I’d even finished the first bread the attendant was back again with the basket in case I wanted more.

The crew was very attentive, going up and down the aisles simultaneously asking if anyone wanted more wine, more water, etc.

I polished off the shrimp and grits, and gingerly ate a few bites of the sweet potato/bean/corn salad. The chocolate cake looked good, but was overly sweet and tasted of coffee.

Flight attendants came around offering cognac and small bottles of Baileys next.

A sign on the bottom of the meal box as I handed it back made me smile, which said an empty box = a full tummy.

Meal service in the cabin was completed for the most part at 10 minutes past 7, and all trash was removed swiftly by the crew.

It suddenly struck me that the cabin was wonderfully quiet. I removed my QC-35’s for a minute in case it had been dampening some sounds, but I had been right. The brand-new 787 Dreamliner lends itself to a quiet ride for passengers. In addition, no one was talking loudly, there were no clanging noises coming from the galley, no fussing babies, or noisy passengers opening/closing bins. I reveled in the quiet and relaxed.

Breakfast

10 minutes before 9am, the lights came up a bit and the breakfast trolley came down the aisle.

Tea, coffee, or juice were offered, and a breakfast box. Rather than a stale muffin or lukewarm omelet, the breakfast box contained all the fixings for me to make a fresh open-faced sandwich with cream cheese, salmon, capers, and tomato. Bonne Maman berry preserves on buttered bread made for a sweet finish to the breakfast.

The energetic flight attendants came around again to round up trash and blankets, and offered a last round of drinks. The aircraft has LED mood lighting, and a special sequence cycled through a colorful and cheery series before starting the descent.

Summary

I was impressed by Norwegian’s Premium Class product. The lounge was stellar, the seat was roomy and comfortable with good recline (and footrest!) and the meals were tasty. As far as Premium Economy products go, this is at the top end, offering far more legroom and extras for an extremely reasonable cost. I was delighted by the service provided by the crew as well, and would definitely take another flight in Norwegian Premium. I look forward to seeing Norwegian continue to grow, and add more routes so more people can experience their product.

The post Inside Norwegian Premium Class From Oakland to London Gatwick appeared first on InsideFlyer.

The JetBlue “Shuttle”

Few routes have suffered as much from airline service cuts as the shuttle, particularly the Boston-New York route. In the “good ol’ days,” the shuttles were the pride and joy of airlines. Above average service to business customers, who could simply walk up and board the next plane. Fill up one? They’ll roll out another. The shuttle was so prestigious, in fact, that some saw it as a stepping stone to the presidency. As airlines and their customers cut back, though, the carriers reduced amenities. Sure, you may get a bagel onboard now, but you could also find yourself on a claustrophobic regional jet.

The JetBlue shuttle (my term, not theirs), is the shuttle bus for the rest of us. They may not have the same amenities, but they are at least offering a few tokens to say, hey business travelers, we appreciate you:

Granted, almost every JetBlue flight offers the free Fly-Fi, but craft beer in the morning? Where else can you get that? And for those of you who wonder what a simit is:

Once onboard, other than the free alcohol, you won’t notice any differences. But for a 45-minute flight, what do you need?

Now, here’s the best part: JetBlue has introductory fares as low as $34 one-way. And because JetBlue is doing it, all the cool kids have to, as well. In fact, American has fares as low as $61 round-trip. The days of the mileage run may be done, but if you need a few segments or elite qualifying miles, this is your run.

The Downside

There’s only one negative to the trip, and that’s on the New York end. The flight arrives in (or departs from, depending on where you are going) the A Concourse of the B Terminal at La Guardia. You could be forgiven for not even knowing that there was such a concourse, given how desolate it is. When Au Bon Pain qualifies as fine dining, you know you need a gut renovation.

But if the terminal is the worst thing you can say about a flight, you’re not doing too badly. Enjoy your cheap trip to New York on the new JetBlue Shuttle.

The post JetBlue “Shuttle” Flight Review: BOS-LGA appeared first on InsideFlyer.

Once you do earn the miles, though, it’s a lot of fun to look for that dream flight. And there are worse ways to spend a couple of hundred thousand miles than first class on Cathay Pacific. I recently flew from Honk Kong to JFK in Cathay F. It left Hong Kong in the late afternoon and arrived at JFK 16 hours later.

Booking The Flight on Cathay Pacific

After a massive AA devaluation, the roundtrip flight will run you 220,000 miles, up from the previous level of 135,000. Ouch. You’ll also need to call to book. I’d look for space before calling by poking around on the British Airways or Qantas site. Cathay often holds F award space until the last minute, so you may be able to get that seat right before the flight. Otherwise, business is still a great alternative and usually has plenty of availability.

The Lounges

After checking in at your exclusive area, you’ll head straight through security and to the lounge. If you have time, I’d bypass “The Wing” at Gate 2 and take the ten minute walk to Gate 63 for the new lounge, “The Pier.” You’ll have access to massages, day rooms and other amenities. There is a sit-down restaurant, although the business class lounge at Gate 65 has more food options.. The Pier is definitely the place to go to relax, however.

The Seat

I had barely made it to my seat before my flight attendant came over to introduce herself. She stopped by later with a drink and snacks. One thing I noticed immediately: In the business section, there is no room at your feet to store a back for takeoff and landing. It has to go above. First class didn’t have such problems.

The seats were large and comfortable, with about three feet of width and an eight foot pitch. There were lights over both shoulders and above your head, with plenty of storage space for reading materials. The seat was a bit fussy when it came to adjustments, but the flight attendant got it working. My seat was 1K, which was close to the galley, but the noise never bothered me. I received a nice Aesop amenity kit, comforter and pretty much anything else I asked for.

Food And Amenities

As is normally the case in long-haul F, they never stopped bringing food. Having eaten dinner in the lounge, I was not particularly hungry on the flight. I hadn’t chosen my meal ahead of time, so my flight attendant offered to let me pick something and she would set it aside for me, but I never did have dinner. Breakfast consisted of yogurt, fruit, eggs, rolls and other goodies. The food was good for a flight, which means that it would have been adequate in a restaurant. They also delivered personal snack baskets to our seats. I’m always in favor of some mid-flight Toblerone. Needless to say, the choices of alcohol were top-notch.

I guess I can’t blame Cathay for their lousy movie options, since the past few months have not had a lot of great ones. There were selections of both new and classic movies in English and Chinese, as well as TV shows, music and plenty of kids’ shows. Each seat had a TV with what appeared to be a 13″ screen and an intuitive remote. Still, there were over 100 movies, so it’s hard to say that there was nothing to watch, as I faded in and out of “Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire.*”

Service

This is the area where Cathay shines. The word “no” was not in the flight attendants’ vocabulary and they couldn’t seem to do enough to help. Unlike some airlines, they actually responded to the flight attendant call button and wanted you to use it if you needed anything. Their service seemed effortless.

Overall

For many people, a first class flight on an premium airline is a once in a lifetime occurrence. Hopefully, you will accumulate the miles that will allow you to repeat such a trip.

*Harry Potter book four spoiler: While most of the students and teachers mocked Divination and Professor Trelawney, the subject proved to be more useful than we gave it credit for. At the beginning of The Goblet Of Fire, when Harry and Ron were goofing off in Divination, they fabricated predictions, including that Harry was in danger of burns, would lose a treasured possession, would be betrayed by a friend and come off worse in a fight.

First Triwizard task: Fight the dragon.
Second Triwizard task: Rescue Ron after he is taken
Third Triwizard task: Get sucked off to the graveyard after Mad Eye Moody turns out to be someone other than who they thought he was
At the graveyard: Harry survives his battle with Voldemort, but just barely.

Sound familiar?

Cover Photo: Creative Commons

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