For the final segment of the return journey of our trip to Geneva, we flew American Airlines’ Boeing 777-200ER business class on the nine hour flight from London (LHR) to Miami (MIA).
Continue reading: Review: American Airlines Business Class Boeing 777 (LHR-MIA)
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
@ Eli -- It's accessible by oneworld Emerald members (and I have Executive Platinum status).
Ice cream sundae and no whipped cream?! Has Ford lost his mind, ha ha! AA doesn't do much great, but they have the best whipped cream in the skies. I don't know how they do it because it's an easy food item to screw up even on the ground.
Lucky - you stated that you made your bed for a quick nap. On most all other carriers, it seems that you have the FA make your bed. Just curious, how do you decide if you make your own bed or if you have a FA make your bed?
Nice but when it comes to redeeming AAdvantage, I always weigh if spending 57.5k for US/Europe routing in J is worth it over US/India on products such as Qatar Qsuites or Etihad for 70k, just about 20% more miles and twice the distance!
What I find amusing on many of these posts is how so many people are quick to criticize regardless of whether it is warranted or not. iIf you want a more submissive style of service (like the Asian airlines offer) fly an Asian Airline.....you are not going to get that with an American Carrier because we do not live in that type of culture. FACT. Being married to a FA I can tell you they are quick to identify the Needy, The Complainer, The Constant Bitchers who are impossible to please, The Whinners, The Entitled so keep that in mind. Most FAs will go out of their way to deliver Great Service but much depends on the Flyer......You come onboard with a TUDE, they will meet you accordingly and I agree wholeheartedly. I have flown many different airlines around the World and have rarely encountered any of these so called Horror Stories that so many of you Bloggers or Bitchers like to fabricate. Like I said AMUSING.
Whispers: I prefer the American service. I don't want over the top. Serve the meal, be generally friendly and I am good to go. Rather be left alone lol.
Any flight that allows you to see a Concorde and a A380 out the window is a great flight !
The more and more reviews I've read in the past year, AA's service, soft and hard product and standing out against DL and UA. It seems to be much more consistant then post merger days and AA's 777/773 and Dreamliners are head and shoulders above DL 767 and older A330s and on par with UA 767 and 777 Polaris. We are flying to Spain and back from Italy on AA in a few months and this will be my first AA Transatlantic service (previously DL and BA - whom I LOVE), so hopefully our experience matches yours and other reviews of late. If AA flys to key global destinations and with solid OW partners and the service/ soft and hard offering works well, I will be a happy flyer.
Ben, is it possible that AA's catering is just better ex-LHR? It seems somewhat frequent that flights US-EU - on any airline - have lower food quality, compared to EU-US. Maybe something to do with food standards?
@ FMLAX -- For sure, the station doing the catering can definitely impact the quality of the food, so I imagine that factored into the positive food experience.
@ Luke -- In terms of the number of miles required, you're absolutely right that the Middle East or beyond on Etihad or Qatar would be a better value. However, actually finding that availability is incredibly challenging at the moment.
Etihad doesn't make premium award space available to partners more than 30 days out, and even then, business class is almost impossible to and from the United States. Meanwhile Qatar Airways only makes most premium space available via Avios nowadays.
@ JS -- Great question! I go based on what I know the carrier's policy to be. There's no US airline that provides turndown service, so I wouldn't bother asking. On foreign airlines in business class, they'll typically offered if it's a standard part of the service.
Lucky - that's kinda what I figured as I can't remember any time that I've proactively been offered bed turndown service on a US carrier. Thanks!
Agreed. I have flown many airlines from the "best" to the low-cost.
I always make sure to greet the crew with a smile and ask them how their day is going. I don't feel entitled and expect them to "serve" me. I thank them for service.
It serves me well and almost always have been treated properly in return.
BTW this works everywhere in life - not only on an airplane!
I'm glad you had a great experience, but I had the exact opposite experience on my AA 777 business class flight from LHR to LAX a week ago. Service was terrible (they ran out of 2 out of 4 dishes by the time they got to my seat -- and I was in row 1), seat was uncomfortable, product felt old, and the person next to me was in a backwards seat looking straight into my seat the entire flight. I was about to switch my loyalty from United to AA after this flight, but no longer.
I have had Arthur as an FA! He is fantastic at his job. In fact, IIRC, when my colleagues and I were AA loyalists, he was mentioned a few times among us as being a standout FA. That's really cool to see him highlighted here.
As an aside, I've found that flights to and from LHR on US carriers generally pull exceptional crews.
It almost shocking how many people cant appreciate how a little kindness can really go far. A few years ago we were in AA business class for the first time in a while and I was really impressed with the service, particularly as we often flew on the ME3 carriers and the experience was comparable. So I asked for the purser so I could share my positive feedback.
His response was surprising in its candor. He was profusely appreciative and then said "many passengers just don't want to event acknowledge our presence". Then shortly before the flignt landed, he came over and presented me with an unopened bottle of wine as a token of his appreciation".
Postscript - our more recent international AA business class flights between JFK and LHR, Barcelona, and Italy have all been quite good. So thumbs up to AA international business class.
I have flown AA thrice in J from JFK to Europe over the last three years. I have never had an edible main course. Perhaps it's because I have always ordered the chicken dish. Perhaps it's just my luck...
Don't get me started on rear facing configurations. OY!!! Hard pass for me.
I've been on a handful of AA long-haul fights recently, and it seems like the wine list has returned, including proper champagne. Since this flight was in March, you must have barely missed it.
What was in the little gift-card like pack on the plate with the pre-arrival meal?
Nice review, thanks!
How far (or near) from departure did you book.
I find AAs catering out of London much better than LAX.
I had a similar experience in January , MIA-EZE and EZE-JFK . Way better food than SQ Feb RT JFK-SIN and service as good as the Asians ..
I recently flew on an AA 777 from LHR to JFK. The seats and space was comfortable and the staff was pleasant. The food is another story. The only reason I had to eat on board was they were boarding the plane when I got to the gate from my inbound BA flight from Venice. AA food sucks, but I have not had good food on any US airlines international flight in ages. I use miles or buy business class seats so that I can get a flatbed period. And on my flight from JFK to Paris, it was an older 777 that was not nearly as comfortable.
The wine is barely worth the paper it’s printed on. $12 retail in 3 class F LAX-LHR, AA must pay less than $8 per bottle. (May 10, 2024)
I was very pleasantly surprised with the service on AA recently. Flew DFW-HNL with a 4 hour delay - food was ok, crew was just amazing.
I do not like the caliber of wines they serve though - on DFW-HNL it was the same swill they serve in domestic F. Do better! Especially given what they charge for J class in this market.
Most of us, reading this blog, are too old to party. You missed the glory days by about 20 years buddy.
Oh, I do have a question. What is a silent dance party?
Thanks for participating!
Are you sure the even rows are the ones closest together? AeroLOPA has the odd rows as closest together.
Genuinely curious because my wife, toddler, and I are flying AA 777-200 in the center seats in a few months and would prefer to be as close as possible if we have that configuration. We had chosen an odd numbered row.
https://www.aerolopa.com/aa-772-1
The only consistency at AA is how inconsistent it is. You may get great service on one flight, and terrible on the next one.
It's like there's nobody supervising employees and firing the ones that don't to their job.
I have flown AA business class across the Atlantic and the Pacific for work 7 times in the past 12 years. Every time food has been miles better than it used to be pre Covid. Wines is different, but that seems consistently a place where all airlines are cutting cost. Service has also been much better on average than it used to be. While before I would go out of my way to book a ticket on BA if possible, I do not feel that is any longer necessary. Good job to AA!
I really wish American and its flight attendants could reach an agreement on a new contract. I just can’t understand why they haven’t been able to come up with a deal that’s acceptable to both sides.
So pleased you had a good flight - I’m afraid that food looked dismal and it’s such a shame that the table cloth shrank in the wash - it looks really poor
Ben: Awhile ago you agreed to disclose how far are in advance of the flight you booked your trip with miles. You've stopped doing that. It would be informative if you disclosed that on a consistent basis.
The truth is Ben probably does a lot of close-in and speculative bookings that are not realistic to capitalize on for your average white collar person with a fixed working and vacation schedule. It's either that or calendar open bookings like everyone else. Given that this is his full-time profession, Ben is very privileged in that sense to be able to do this.
Howdy, yes, it would be helpful to have advice on advance booking award availability. I have been fortunate to have a very flexible work schedule for many years (and especially flexible during the COVID years, sigh:), and tended to book last minute always, as in a day in advance. I always found AA to have good last-minute availability in J, though of course you have to use common sense and not expect to go popular destinations in their respective High Seasons. LON in August? RIO for the Holidays? etc? Those would be pipe dreams. In more recent years have also started flying AF/KL, and find their availability to also be very good with last minute award bookings. AC wasn't that far behind in reasonable availability. MH good for intra-Asia J award bookings, and they have great service. Good luck and enjoy your trip planning!!!
You might want to look at this seat map, which seems the most clear of the various websites.
Indeed, it would seem like the odd number middle seats are closest with the Safron Concept D configuration. If it were me, I'd say Adult/Child in the middle, Adult on the aisle across from the toddler...because of the staggered layout you won't have direct view of the toddler, but it's also an easy stretch of the neck to see the little one.
I could be wrong—does AA not offer turndown service in international F? I certainly remember United used to offer it in Global First.
I too had a good AA flight to Paris from ORD but had to endure it being cancelled, rescheduled the next day and then had to disembark for four hours as they didn’t have a pilot. Great crew and best Chilean sea bass I have ever had. Found out this crew just graduated and was their first international flight. I’m sure they will be jaded soon. On my flight back to ORD from MCO yesterday, colleagues of mine who were in Economy said the flight attendants post on the mirror in the lavatory that they are ready to strike. Unfortunately, AA only cares about how much you spend on their credit card.
Yes. On the American 77-3 wherever it flies we offer on-demand turn down service in first class. Always have & will continue to do so until the first 77-3 goes in for retrofit this fourth quarter of 2024.
Granted that the catering companies will give the airlines what the pay for, but any possibility that Heathrow's catering is just better in general.
I worked for TWA back in the late 60's as a Purser flying from JFK to a variety of European cities. From the training day in Kansas City it was evidently clear that how nice, cute intelligent etc American women had absolutely no idea about food service in a restaurant let alone on an airplane. Fast forward to today. Same old old story. Give all the latest newest best equipment BUT when it comes service they are lost at sea. Take a flight on any Asian or Mid East airline any class and you'll see the difference. Cattle cars is the only aspect of the aviation industry the US airlines understand and win top honors.Er
I worked for TWA back in the late 60's as a Purser flying from JFK to a variety of European cities. From the training day in Kansas City it was evidently clear that how nice, cute intelligent etc American women had absolutely no idea about food service in a restaurant let alone on an airplane. Fast forward to today. Same old old story. Give all the latest newest best equipment BUT when it comes service they are lost at sea. Take a flight on any Asian or Mid East airline any class and you'll see the difference. Cattle cars is the only aspect of the aviation industry the US airlines understand and win top honors.
I worked for TWA back in the late 60's as a Purser flying from JFK to a variety of European cities. From the training day in Kansas City it was evidently clear that how nice, cute intelligent etc American women had absolutely no idea about food service in a restaurant let alone on an airplane. Fast forward to today. Same old old story. Give all the latest newest best equipment BUT when it comes service they are lost at sea. Take a flight on any Asian or Mid East airline any class and you'll see the difference. Cattle cars is the only aspect of the aviation industry the US airlines understand and win top honors.
I personally feel that American gets a bad rap when it comes to international business class. Count me as one of the few who’s also a disappointed fan of Flagship First. Sure, service may not always be polished, but I rarely find it inadequate or surly, as often reported. I always find my seat, bed, linens comfortable with good IFE and simple, tasty food on AA.
To me, where American really excels is premium ground services and exclusive dining (Five Star Service is great!), which no other US airline can quite match, even with ultra-elite invite status.
Hi Lucky. Love your blogs and reviews. Always reading them for my own travels. I have a request...... When I search for flight reviews, say, for example, American Airlines, the reviews don't come through in any logical chronological sort. If I'm wrong, please let me know.
This being a long flight of around 10 hours, are pyjamas not provided in American Airlines business class?