TA Airlines Recommended or Avoid at all costs?

[Bobby Dee]

I've booked a Greek Isles cruise for next year. I've never flown overseas. I'm looking for comments about the various airlines (Delta, United, Continental, Air France, Alitalia, British Airlines, and Air Canada) which seem to fit my scheduled trip. Any comments about your experiences before I book my airlines for my cruise?

[Despegue]

Hello,

 

Avoid all US Airlines at all costs if flying Economy. Business-Class is acceptable with them, especially on AA and CO/UA. Delta has my vote for worst airline I've flown.

 

The best quality is usually on AF (Air France), and BA (British Airways) is also not too bad.

I have never flown AC (Air Canada), but did hear good things about them.

 

Note that I do not work for any of the mentioned Airlines.

[wg6530]

I've booked a Greek Isles cruise for next year. I've never flown overseas. I'm looking for comments about the various airlines (Delta, United, Continental, Air France, Alitalia, British Airlines, and Air Canada) which seem to fit my scheduled trip. Any comments about your experiences before I book my airlines for my cruise?

 

I have flown United, Continetal and Air France on TA with no major troubles. coach is always cramped, but all treated me fine. Same for Lufthansa and American.

Canadians sometimes make negative comments about Air Canada, but I have not flown them. I would be willing to give Air Canada a try. OTOH, I have heard enough negative comments about Alitalia that I would avoid them.

[greeneg]

Lufthansa to Europe from the States is a good option if that's available to you, particularly if you are going to have to connect anyway, Munich is a very user friendly airport and preferable to Frankfort. The aircraft have reasonable leg room and the food and service are nice even in Coach class.

[nordski]

Last spring we had two very good Air Canada flights to Rome and back; my impression is they're trying to raise their game.

 

We've also flown Air France and Lufthansa and I would say they're comparable. British Air has had some long-running labour problems and I don't know the status of same. Realistically, those issues should be well out of the way by next year.

 

Only have heard bad things about Alitalia and they really tried to gouge us in April as we attempted to work around the Iceland volcano.

 

The one European airport we really dislike for connections is Frankfurt. We try to avoid it.

 

There is a section on this board where those far more knowledgable than I will provide lots of information. I would also mention that recently Celebrity's flight costs seem far more reasonable and flexible. Worth investigating.

[gotcha3]

Alitalia is the worst.

[mrbbb]

I no longer fly any US carriers to Europe. The service and food have fallen to new lows, also no complimentary alcohol on US carriers. ;) I fly Lufthansa, Swiss, etc. because of my elite status with Continental. But I also liked Air France. I would avoid Alitalia, high percentage of lost luggage and bad reviews however with the new owners maybe things are improving there. I have recently used Choice air with Celebrity and RCL and found the prices unbeatable.

[iancal]

We avoid US airlines and Alitalia. If we do take a US based carrier, our preference is Continental or American. We avoid changing planes in London Heathrow whenever possible...even if it means a longer elapsed time or a higher fare.

[agabbymama]

I have flown Lufthansa, British Airways, Air France, Swiss Air and Air Tahiti Nui from Los Angeles to Europe. Lufthansa connected in Franfurt. British Airways connected in London, Air France connected in Paris, Swiss Air connected in Zurich and Air Tahiti Nui connected in Paris.

 

I prefer foreign carriers for the International flights. Just seems to be better service and a little more leg room. The best flight was Air Tahiti Nui with only two seats on the window side, we didn't have to worry about other passengers and seemed to give us just few inches more room. And their flight attendants seem to really care if you are having a good flight.

 

Swiss Air isn't a bad 2nd choice. My first flight with them was scary, as it was in 2001 when they filed for bankruptcy protection just after 9/11. Wasn't sure I was going to make it home, but everything went okay. Then my second flight in 2005, everything went smooth as silk. Didn't see much of Zurich, just the airport. I was going to make an overnight stop there, until I priced hotels, then decided to just continue on to Vienna and Budapest.

 

British Airways is good, but they do connect through London (a big pain in the pituti).

 

Have a great trip!

[Dick in Falls Church]

Another vote to attempt to avoid US flagged lines. Sometimes there isn't much option (especially if you are using frequent flyer miles).

 

Have been quite satisfied with Lufthansa and KLM. Mixed reviews on Air France. Came west last year, very cramped, uncomfortable. Service was fine. Came back west this summer from Moscow-Paris-Dulles, and the TA was much better. Different plane, a little more room.

 

It's better in front!

[Eloise4Ever]

I suggest you check out Aer Lingus, the Irish National airline. When flying with Aer Lingus from Dublin to Venice for a cruise in October I noticed that there were a lot of Americans on the flight who were also joining cruises in Venice. Apparently flying into Dublin from the States and connecting to mainland Europe from there is becoming very popular. I notice you are from Orlando and Aer Lingus do fly direct from there to Dublin and then onwards to many European destinations. I agree with other posters that connecting in London is to be avoided if at all possible, it's just manic there. In fact, we have just booked a cruise from Miami and are considering flying Dublin to Orlando just to avoid a connecting flight which we will have to take if we fly to Miami.

[emileg]

Lufthansa to Europe from the States is a good option if that's available to you, particularly if you are going to have to connect anyway, Munich is a very user friendly airport and preferable to Frankfort. The aircraft have reasonable leg room and the food and service are nice even in Coach class.

I have a funny experience to share about Lufthansa. My wife was flying first class on business and I was back in coach. My wife knows my hands get very dry on airplanes and she got up to bring me the complimentary hand lotion that first class passengers receive in these little bags the airlines give them. The flight attendant asked my wife what she was doing. When my wife told her, the flight attendant said what is distributed in first class stays in first class and that my wife was not permitted to share it with me. About 15 minutes later, the aisle passenger in front of me secretly hands me a bottle of hand lotion, saying that it was being passed back to me row by row all the way from my wife in first class. At least a dozen aisle passengers participated in this little conspiracy. :)

 

In all fairness to Lufthansa, on the return flight, I asked the flight attendant if I could visit my wife in first class and she said, "Of course." - Emile

[eventing4life]

Air Canada's seats don't recline as far back as British airways do. (in coach)

[zoncom]

From FL I vote Luftansa with Swiss a second choice. Swiss legroom tighter than Luftansa. You want a foreign line that has lots of connects in various airports. I was in Italy during the Iceland volcano thing this Spring. People on these smaller lines were camped out; LH rerouted us and off we went. Also Star Alliance miles valuable.

[nijh]

British Airways industrial dispute seems never ending. We've used them 3 times in the past 3 years and each time some kind of walk out has been threatened or occurred - not the kind of stress you want when looking forward to a holiday. That, coupled with having to go through Heathrow, has turned us off BA except as a VERY last resort - we're going Air France out and KLM back when we visit the US next year. Lufthansa have some good routes and timings too, worth looking at as others have mentioned.

 

If you're travelling at Easter, or just as the schools finish for summer, you may want to avoid Air France - French air traffic controllers have an annoying habit of going on strike just at these times. Other airlines can fly round the French airpsace, AF hub through Paris so will have to land.

 

Don't forget that some airlines code share - so you may think you've booked with Lufthansa but may end up on a Continental plane. Always check who the actual operator is - easy enough information to find, but only if you're looking for it.

[giraffelt]

Traveling across the Atlantic many many times for business and vacation over the years from Canada my preferred carriers are Air Canada, Lufthansa, Air France and KLM. Of equal importance to the carrier is which airport you are connecting through. My preferences are Frankfurt or Munich, hence Air Canada and/or Luthansa. Both airports are well maintained and have a lot of services, restaurants and shops if you have an extended time between flights. Also, I have never had a luggage transfer problem going through those airports even when the connections were tight. Paris and Rome have poor reputations in regards to luggage being lost or delayed.

 

If your issue is leg room, pitch of seat, etc use the website Seatguru.com. you can check the configuration of every plane flown by each carrier.

 

larry

[Bobby Dee]

Thanks to all who have replied.

It looks like I need to avoid Alitalia at all cost. I should avoid most of the US carriers and my first choice should be Luftansa or Air France

Did I get this right? I think so. And I really appreciate the responses.

[Chicago Boy]

I've booked a Greek Isles cruise for next year. I've never flown overseas. I'm looking for comments about the various airlines (Delta, United, Continental, Air France, Alitalia, British Airlines, and Air Canada) which seem to fit my scheduled trip. Any comments about your experiences before I book my airlines for my cruise?

 

 

We flew Chicago to Rome last month, to pick up or Trans Atlantic on the Equinox. We have also used United and Continental. The experieces have always been fine. I would suggest that you have your TA book your air through Celebrity. We have always found the air fares to be lower doing it that way. The other thing is, if on the outside chance, Celebrity should cancel the cruise and you have booked your own air you are stuck and it unlikely your travel insurance will reimburse you for your plane tickets. Just sayin:)

[hcat]

we have taken DELTA twice--RT Rome, RT Barcelona

 

worked well both times, the flights left timely from JFK & overseas,,, they gave us non-stop food & snacks, good movies & there are some good seats right behind business class in a small area that is very comfy!

 

we are flying British Virgin next time--only due to price issues . I hear their seats are small.....

[highgrovers]

If you are flying from Orlando I would recommend Virgin Atlantic they provide a great service and No I don't think the seats are small.

But then you would have to organise onward flights to greece.

Just my opinion but I do fly to Orlando on Virgin at least 3 times a year and have always found them very good , I agree with op about BA they are constantly having disputes so would be a little weary of using them.

[Sabbycat]

I've booked a Greek Isles cruise for next year. I've never flown overseas. I'm looking for comments about the various airlines (Delta, United, Continental, Air France, Alitalia, British Airlines, and Air Canada) which seem to fit my scheduled trip. Any comments about your experiences before I book my airlines for my cruise?

 

Air Canada is GREAT for international flights, however they alway seem to be the most expensive. Yrs ago, AC was awful, however the last few years they have really improved. We only fly w/ them, or other Star Alliance members. (However I find AC the best of the SA) (and free alcohol! Since some have mentioned this)

 

Also Luftansa does not have in-seat entertainment, nor the seat pitch that AC does.

[ceemacon]

I've flow transatlantic business class in Delta, Continental and Air France. Continental was clearly the best, and Delta was slightly worse than Air France. In coach, I've only flown Delta. It's fine; pretty much exactly the same as their domestic service. Once my wife and I bought a third seat to have a whole row to ourselves; it's a lot cheaper than business class, and makes the whole trip feel a lot less cramped.

 

For what it's worth, first class in Air France's three class cabins was awesome. My wife flew that while I was in business class and I visited her, sitting on the guest couch at her table for a while. But the AF flight attendants didn't like having riffraff like me visiting their four passenger first class cabin.

 

I'm going to echo an earlier post that connecting airports may be a more important consideration than airline. JFK and CDG in Paris are both horrible for connections (and JFK's customs and immigration are also awful). I prefer to fly Delta transatlantic simply because I prefer connecting through Atlanta for international flights. They fly direct from there to Athens, which I would prefer (and did prefer, when I flew back to the US from Athens last year).

 

Since you're in Orlando, flying directly to a decent European airport to connect to Greece is also a good idea. I'd avoid CDG and all London airports for sure.

 

Finally, be careful about flying European airlines in coach if you've got much luggage at all. They can be really rigid about weight limits. For example, you may be limited to a much smaller and lighter carry-on than any typical rolling suitcase, and as little as a single 20kg (44lb) checked bag. If you check in on a US airline and connect to a European one without having to recheck your bags, you'll be fine. But if you check in with a European line you may have big trouble.

[sasset]

Connecting through Dublin is often times a real bargain fare, but Aer Lingus is absolutely the worst airline I have ever flown. OK, Ryan Air was the worst, Aer Lingus was right behind. They also charged for everything. Coffee, newspaper, etc.

[TeaBag]

Yes, the European short flights do charge for everything and they watch the carry-on weight. RyanAir did try to put a charge on the toilets but there was such an outrage that they had to stop that. We always go United now as we get premium economy free as well as extra baggage allowance because of DH's status. The best meal I ever had in the sky was on United Bus class, years ago. Too bad everything has gone downhill.

[Eloise4Ever]

Connecting through Dublin is often times a real bargain fare, but Aer Lingus is absolutely the worst airline I have ever flown. OK, Ryan Air was the worst, Aer Lingus was right behind. They also charged for everything. Coffee, newspaper, etc.

 

Sorry to hear you had a bad experience with Aer Lingus. I have flown with them many times and never had any issues. The service onboard is always good. In common with most airlines these days, Aer Lingus do charge for refreshments on short haul routes.