Review: US Airways Business Class A330 Frankfurt To Philadelphia

I know Pepper 🙂 Former FA for Eastern, then Trump Shuttle, then USAirways Shuttle. Nice lady, a "seasoned" FA 🙂

did you ask for "pepper" with your meal? 😉

A very timely review for me as I have a US operated a330 next week. I would have appreciated more comments on the seat, though.

Was this a points or cash flight? If points: How many?

@ John -- See the intro post:
https://onemileatatime.com/the-long-way-from-abu-dhabi-to-doha-introduction/

I redeemed 50,000 AAdvantage miles.

@ travelista -- Check out my previous two US Airways business class reports, where I go into much more detail about the seats:
https://onemileatatime.com/us-airways-envoy-class-review/
https://onemileatatime.com/review-us-airways-business-class-a330-london-heathrow-to-charlotte/

When are the US operated flights going to get rid of that horrid bedding and switch over to the AA bedding? The US bedding is really pathetic for a transatlantic business class.

@ bert -- Very true. Hopefully soon!

As a long-time US business class flyer I've run into "Pepper" a few times too. Last week did US on a330, MAD-PHL and was pleasantly surprised by some merger-associated improvements. AA-style "concierge" at check-in at MAD with perfect English who helped with the luggage, communication with local personnel (IB staff) and gave detailed and accurate info regarding lounges, time to gate, status of passport control lines, etc. Primary meal definitely improved (edible salmon) but pre-arrival is still an embarrassment. Seat 2H is my favorite for daytime with its 3 windows and right-handed drink ledge. Thanks for reviewing a domestic C cabin.

Do & Co also does a fantastic mezze. I flew coach (horrors) back from Vienna on Austrian in December and ordered that as my a la carte meal. It was outstanding. I would definitely spend 15 euro for that again rather than get what they hand out for free.

Lucky, this is how the Big 3 American airlines plan on competing with the Big 3 Arab airlines...by offering a shitty version the Arabic mezze starter in business class! 😉

Lucky, I 'm always impressed how you can distinguish all these airplane varieties (A330 vs 777 for example) when you're in some cases hundreds of meters away. Any suggestions on how an interested novice like myself could train his/her eyes to tell planes apart. thanks!

Congratulations on finishing this report. With 29 installments, was this your biggest? (you should have made a conclusion section just to round the number to 30 🙂 )

A330 vs 777 for example

The engines on a 777 are enormous.

Francisco,

For example - the engines on a 777 are about the same diameter as the fuselage of a 737.

Ben, thank you for all of your posts...I love your blog. Your pictures are always so sharp. What camera do you use?

Funny about the "cringe-worthy" German. As someone who speaks German pretty decently, I also find that on United's flights the German-language announcements are just awful. But it seems like Germans generally take Lufthansa-operated flights despite the "metal-neutral" joint-venture with United. Also, I wonder if the very low load on this flight is a result of the end of US Airway's Star Alliance membership and partnership with Lufthansa? I imagine LH would have provided a lot of the feed for this flight.

Not even here long enough to grab a cheesesteak, ouch!

@ PsychoCrusher -- Thanks for the kind words! I just use a Canon S95:
https://onemileatatime.com/review-canon-powershot-s95/

@ Carlos -- Hah, instead I'll just start publishing the next trip report today. 🙂

@ Francisco C -- Fantastic question, I'll cover it in a separate post, if that's okay.

@ wwk5d -- LOL!

John and Lucky, thanks to both of u.

@Francisco C - thanks for the question regarding airplane types.

@Lucky - looking forward to your post!

@Francisco C - Also, the tail cone of a 777 has a unique fin/blade-like shape with exhaust on the left-side only.

Lucky, wasn't Virgin Atlantic the first to offer reverse herringbone seats? And yes, I know that the VS seats are not from the same seat manufacturer as those on CX/US/AA/DL/BR or QR/AC/VA

@ Ben S -- They have herringbone seats, not reverse herringbone seats.

@lucky whoops, you're right. Not sure what I was thinking there.

And for a little self-assurance, I checked and VS was the first to install herringbone seats.

just an observation, maybe you have covered this before, how come you mainly go for the seafood or vegetarian option in your meal choice?

@ Jim -- My first choice is usually fish, since it's healthiest. I find that beef is rarely well prepared on planes. So with if the fish dish doesn't sound good to me I usually go with the vegetarian option (which it's tougher to screw up).