sf7307

We have United miles -- plenty for 2 business class R/T tickets to Saigon. Flights are available when we want to go - some of the available flights are on United, some are on Asiana and some are on All Nippon. The schedules aren't all that different - should we pick based on airline, and if so, which has the best business class?

ekscrunchy

Asiana is fabulous. I flew them in coach from Korea to China RT three years ago and even that class offered superb service. I would not hesitate for one minute to fly with them in business class on a long flight. When KoreanAir gave me a difficult time due to the weight of my luggage in business class, Asiana did not blink an eye at the same luggage in coach.

Kathie

Isn't ANA in bankruptcy?

If you can get the new Biz seats on United, they are the most comfortable Biz seats I've ever expereinced.

Craig

We flew a combination of ANA, Asiana (and United domestic) to Hanoi in business class last year. At that time, the international aircraft were equipped with lie flat (170 degree tilt) seats. We flew United in business class to Bangkok in February. United's international aircraft had flat bed (no tilt) seats which were the most comfortable we've ever sat in. All of the above-mentioned aircraft were equipped with world-class AVOD. I'd give the edge to ANA and Asiana for food and service but not by much. United has worked hard to improve its product and it shows (economy class is just as bad as always though).

Bottom line, if sleeping is your most important criteria, choose United. Otherwise, go for either ANA or Asiana.

Craig

Kathie, it is JAL that is in bankruptcy. Meanwhile ANA is expanding...

Kathie

Oops! Thanks, Craig.

justshootme

Can't comment on Asiana I have never flown with them.
Had nothing but good flights with ANA, I would not hesitate to fly with them.

Since you are using miles, you can take two different airlines, maybe fly Asiana to Asia and ANA back, if you'd like to try the business class product of both airlines.

Another thing to consider is if you'd like to spend a few days in Seoul or Tokyo if you are allowed a stopover.

BigRuss

They fly planes.

That's all I know, but seatguru.com could give you more info about seats and amenities.

AskOksena

>>>Tell me about these airlines - ANA and Asiana<<<


(No complaints from me, but will still take Singapore Airlines 'business' in a heartbeat - personal/professional reasons, to be sure.)

Now, warm greetings fellow SFO Bay Area traveller (my current part-time home), and if so inclined, keep the faith trying to book two business class 'award' tix with SQ. It's not impossible; more tender hints via sqtalk - and will confess, SQ 1/2 J, 'for two', not too far back, most acceptable.

However you fly, savour your Asian rides.

macintosh (robert)


... Singapore Girl, You're a Great Way to Fly ...

lcuy

ANA has nice service and their food is wonderful. Much nicer that United on the same route.

Have heard great things about Asiana, but never flown them.

sf7307

Honestly, we don't much care about the food or the service. We care only about seat comfort -- so the bottom line for us is whether the flat-bed seats (180 deg. recline) on United are so much better than the "lie-flat" seats on ANA (168 deg. recline) and Asiana (170 deg. recline) that we should go on United on a less desirable date. Anyone have any thoughts on that? Seatguru seems to think the seats that are not completely flat are a little awkward for sleeping.

As for the stopover, we're going to stop over in Hong Kong on this trip. Wish we had more time, but we don't. Tokyo and Seoul will have to happen on another trip.

DonTopaz

Both Asiana and ANA are terrific, and both are in the process (maybe already complete) of upgrading their business class cabin. Asiana's lounge in Incheon is maybe a little nicer than ANA's in Narita.

I'd take whichever offers the better schedule.

Craig

You really need to follow on seatguru.com whether Asiana and ANA have upgraded or will upgrade on your particular routes. I would favor flat-bed seating if it is available on either Asiana or ANA over United but if it is only available on United, go with them. As you have noted in your initial post, the schedules are all pretty much the same - this is to accommodate for connections. We favor the ANA lounge in Narita over United's but did not use the Asiana lounge in Incheon.

sf7307

I thought I posted again on this thread last night, but I guess not.

I'm not sure I'm following you. I've been to seatguru.com. What they show is that on some Asiana and ANA long-distance flights the business class seats are "recliners" and on some, they are "lie-flat" seats. Are the lie-flat seats the upgraded seats to which you refer? If so, those are the ones that seatguru also says are not completely flat (they are 168 and 170 degrees, not 180 degrees).

Has anyone flown business class with seats that are not completely flat? Is it true sleeping is "awkward" as seatguru says?

Craig

There are 3 types of business class seats:
1. Recliners
2. Lie-flat (168-170 degrees)
3. Flat-bed

I have flown in all 3. Sleeping is most awkward in a recliner because, unlike the other two types, they do not lie flat. As far as I know, ANA is just beginning to upgrade to a flat-bed configuration on its international routes, starting with Narita-New York and Narita-Frankfort. I don't know what Asiana is doing.

On the long haul flights - from Washington Dulles and Chicago O'hare, ANA and Asiana have lie-flat seats in business class. When we flew Asiana from Narita to Seoul to Hanoi, the business class seats were also lie-flat.

Hope this helps.

Craig

One other note - seatguru is not always up-to-date. I found out the information on ANA's flat-bed seats on their website.

sf7307

Craig, when you flew from Narita to Seoul to Hanoi, you were in the lie-flat seats. I understand flat-bed is better, but were the lie-flat "close"? Comfortable for sleeping?

Craig

The lie-flat seat is a vast improvement over the recliner for sleeping. So yes, I would say that the lie-flat is "close" in comfort for sleeping to the flat-bed.

sf7307

Now we're getting somewhere! Thanks craig.

BigRuss

The 170 is not far off from a complete flat bed. Lie flats are pretty dang good -- the wife can't sleep on planes and conked out like an infant in the 170s we had on AA.