Business Class Question

My comments are regarding Regent booked flights. No free seats booked here as I said unless you have the BA status.

We pay a 20% deposit when booked in U.K. And balance is 90 days pre sail date. Likewise the paperwork has the flight locator number and you can check your booking. Jean.

curiously I was given my Airline reference numbers today for both my United Airlines out leg and my BA return from Iceland. This was passed on by my TA.

cruise is in June.

I stand corrected. We are in a 2-2-2 configuration to Europe but in a few weeks return in a 2-1-2 configuration in Polaris.

In terms of the recommendation to use Seatguru and entire your flight number, the plane is often wrong so the seat map doesn't match up. I usually look up the aircraft type to get the correct info.

curiously I was given my Airline reference numbers today for both my United Airlines out leg and my BA return from Iceland. This was passed on by my TA.

 

cruise is in June.

Great! Were you able to go in and view/change seats?

Keep in mind that the aircraft type and/or times could change - particularly on your United Airlines leg so check it ever so often!

Www.seatguru.com might help to give you more details and pros/cons of specific seats.

Greetings, Kwai girl. Just a caveat about SeatGuru. I always check out our seats, as I did before this March's Explorer TA, Miami/Barcelona. We were scheduled on American Airlines nonstop flight, 11:15am from Barcelona. I checked our BC seats, and they were listed as not renovated. They were convertible to beds, so we felt they wouldn't be that bad. Because I really didn't like the info about the seats, I called AAdvantage to see if SeatGuru was accurate. Answer, yes.

The reality turned out to be that the plane had been renovated. We had really comfortable pods, with storage for everything. The TV remote acted as another screen, so I had constant access to The Air Show on it. The food was excellent, as was the service. This was the only time SeatGuru was wrong, in our experience. Have a great trip.

Mary

Yes - BA is not as good as it used to be but I still like their seats. IMO, one of the worst airlines is United. It seems that United changes their itineraries every month and sometimes the change causes hours of waiting. We received our second flight change from United yesterday and they warn that there could be more to come (only booked them because it didn't cost any money - only credit card points). If you are on BA's 747-400, Regent will book the seats for you but you can immediately go into the website and change them to the ones you desire (at no cost).

 

In terms of comparing a Coach seat to a Business Class seat, I would pay double 300 GBP per person to sit in a comfortable seat with better food and service. Regardless of the airline you select, I bet that you wife will be as happy as one can be when you don't like flying. Based on the airlines we have flown, I would rate their Business Class seats as follows:

 

1. Cathay Pacific

2. Singapore Airlines

3. Qantas

4. British Airways

5. Air Canada

6. Lufthansa

7. American

8. KLM

9, United

You should try Emirates sometime on the A-380 with a bar shared with business and first. They are rated number 1. BA has gone downhill in the last few months with all their cost cutting. Cathay and Singapore are also our favorites.

You should try Emirates sometime on the A-380 with a bar shared with business and first. They are rated number 1. BA has gone downhill in the last few months with all their cost cutting. Cathay and Singapore are also our favorites.

Wish that Emirates and Qatar (2nd highest rated) flew out of our home airport. We would book them in a minute!

Great! Were you able to go in and view/change seats?

 

Keep in mind that the aircraft type and/or times could change - particularly on your United Airlines leg so check it ever so often!

yes - I booked my seats on the united flight - not looked at the BA return yet though. BA I expect will charge if more than 24 hours out.

yes - I booked my seats on the united flight - not looked at the BA return yet though. BA I expect will charge if more than 24 hours out.

It won't cost to go into their website and check. If you do, please post and let us know if you were able to book seats. Thanks!

curiously I was given my Airline reference numbers today for both my United Airlines out leg and my BA return from Iceland. This was passed on by my TA.

cruise is in June.

Although Regent have issued your flight locator numbers, you will probably find that the flight has not yet been ticketed and therefore you may not be able to reserve/change seating on the BA website.

As liptastic/Jean correctly reported for BA flights booked by Regent UK (unless things have changed very recently):

1. If you are not BA Silver or Gold it is unlikely that you will be able to reserve seats until after final cruise payment (after final payment the flight will be ticketed)
   
2. Even when the flight has been ticketed you will still have to pay BA to reserve your seats unless you leave it till check-in, 24 hours prior to flight. Seat selection 7 days prior to flight if you are BA Bronze.
   

I do not know what the procedure is for the United Airline flight.

Although Regent have issued your flight locator numbers, you will probably find that the flight has not yet been ticketed and therefore you may not be able to reserve/change seating on the BA website.

 

 

As liptastic/Jean correctly reported for BA flights booked by Regent UK (unless things have changed very recently):

 

1. 
    
   
2. If you are not BA Silver or Gold it is unlikely that you will be able to reserve seats until after final cruise payment (after final payment the flight will be ticketed)
    
   
3. Even when the flight has been ticketed you will still have to pay BA to reserve your seats unless you leave it till check-in, 24 hours prior to flight. Seat selection 7 days prior to flight if you are BA Bronze.
    
   

 

I do not know what the procedure is for the United Airline flight.

Once booked united give you full access to your seat assignments st no additional cost. Do not have to wait for united flights to be ticketed.

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It won't cost to go into their website and check. If you do, please post and let us know if you were able to book seats. Thanks!

I already knew the answer to this but as you asked me - here is what it said- Seat choices are only available at check-in. (check in being 24 hours before departure)

I already knew the answer to this but as you asked me - here is what it said- Seat choices are only available at check-in. (check in being 24 hours before departure)

Thanks so much for checking. It amazes me that a British company would allow people in the U.S. and Canada to book months in advance with no cost (if you book through Regent).

Thanks so much for checking. It amazes me that a British company would allow people in the U.S. and Canada to book months in advance with no cost (if you book through Regent).

This may have nothing to do with BA. Could it be part of the agreement Regent US have with BA?

How it has been explained here in detail is exactly what is shown on the BA website re bookings through another party and not directly with BA.

I already knew the answer to this but as you asked me - here is what it said- Seat choices are only available at check-in. (check in being 24 hours before departure)

Check again a few weeks after final payment and you will find that you will be able to make seat selections (at a price!)

Thanks so much for checking. It amazes me that a British company would allow people in the U.S. and Canada to book months in advance with no cost (if you book through Regent).

Different contracts; different rules

I've flown United Business class in the 2-2-2 configuration with the forward and backward seat. Unless you are at the bulkhead, you'll end up making stray eye contact with folks diagonally to you across the aisle. However, its tolerable.

The old 777 configuration 2-4-2 is awful, and I would happily pay 300 a person to avoid it. I few it with my husband, and even with the wider seats, I found myself leaning towards my husband most of the flight to avoid making contact with my neighbor.

I've flown United Business class in the 2-2-2 configuration with the forward and backward seat. Unless you are at the bulkhead, you'll end up making stray eye contact with folks diagonally to you across the aisle. However, its tolerable.

 

The old 777 configuration 2-4-2 is awful, and I would happily pay 300 a person to avoid it. I few it with my husband, and even with the wider seats, I found myself leaning towards my husband most of the flight to avoid making contact with my neighbor.

as previously state I'm on the 2-1-2 configuration. I'm eagerly awaiting feedback from LynnRuns after her flight. Just a pity these flights haven't been converted to the new Polaris yet.

as previously state I'm on the 2-1-2 configuration. I'm eagerly awaiting feedback from LynnRuns after her flight. Just a pity these flights haven't been converted to the new Polaris yet.

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You will get the new linen and food options, which have been well reviewed. If you fly through an airport that has the new polaris lounge, that is awesome. Completely open bar, good food, nice seating.

 

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http://loungeindex.com/Europe/UK/LHR/United%20Airlines%20Unitedclub/index.htm

it does look awesome - trouble is this review says it is a long walk which with my history worries me.

I hope I haven't broken any forum rules posting that link.

Oh, that's not even the new polaris lounge concept. Supposably heathrow will get it at the end of 2017, but there's nothing confirmed I found. Here's a review of the one in Chicago ORD:

http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2017/02/19/united-polaris-lounge-review/

as previously state I'm on the 2-1-2 configuration. I'm eagerly awaiting feedback from LynnRuns after her flight. Just a pity these flights haven't been converted to the new Polaris yet.

Keep in mind that, IOO (in our opinion), there is no U.S. airline that can compete with most non-U.S. airlines. An old saying that they use in the states may apply, "if you dress up a pig, it is still a pig" (not meaning any offense to pigs). Unless or until U.S. air carriers change their attitude, learn what good customer service is and teach it to their flight attendants and ground staff, they will always been in the position that they are in today (forgot food -- on one U.S. based airline, when flying within the U.S. First Class, you can be served a dry hamburger which costs about $6 in Coach).

Based on our experience, a bad flight on BA is better than a good flight on an U.S. based airline (obviously, there are exceptions to all of this).

;)

http://loungeindex.com/Europe/UK/LHR/United%20Airlines%20Unitedclub/index.htm

it does look awesome - trouble is this review says it is a long walk which with my history worries me.

 

I hope I haven't broken any forum rules posting that link.

Gary you can pre book assisted passage for your journey throughout LHR and on arrival to your destination airport. You can book this as a return service, where they will transport you and your wife in the wee kind of golf buggy cart if there is a long walk to lounge and departure gate, or often they would take you in a wheelchair. Ask your TA for assistance in booking this, if it is something that you feel would help you and make your journey easier.

Jean.

Gary, my husband has a disability and we always pay for meet and greet services. Most of the time they will meet you plane side and assist you through customs and immigration if flying international. We arrange this through our TA that uses a very good company worldwide. Yes, it costs more but you will have no worries.

I agree, all US carriers cannot hold a candle to the international carriers either inflight or ground services.

I wasn't crazy. When I booked our flight, we did have a 2-1-2 configuration but it changed to a 2-2-2. It's tight.

I can concur that it is the Polaris soft product but not the new Polaris seats. Quite frankly it seems like the old Business First. Cabin was pretty empty.

On the return in a couple of weeks, we will be in a 2-1-2 configuration.

The champs is tasty and I'm not huge champagne lover.

Gary, will report back on the flip side.

It is a non-stop flight. The configuration is 2-1-2. I have been studying Seat Guru for information as I normally do. I haven't seen anywhere on the web pictures of the new polaris BC. The pictures I have seen appear to be from 2013 which I'm guessing aren't up to date.

 

My wife hates flying and I only sold her on this cruise saying the business class will be so much better. So the question is is it worth paying the extra for British Airways?

I haven't flown on United, just BA and Emirates. BA has fewer bells and whistles than Emirates (detachable ipad size screen for their entertainment system in addition to the main screen, a few outdoor cameras that can be monitored and individual drink shelves), but I prefer BA and my husband does too. The seats may be older (although I understand they are gradually upgrading their fleet), but we find them more comfortable. The service is also great so an individual drink shelf isn't needed.

So in summary, I can recommend BA, but can't comment on United.