Vienna to Istanbul via Tokyo: Austrian Business Class Vienna to Tokyo Narita

If I'm not mistaken, I saw an extremely small clothes pin on the tray in one of your pictures. If so, I'm glad to see that Austrian still provides the micro pin to use to pin your napkin to your shirt. Much nicer than the button hole, IMO.

What a fantastic sounding flight, definitely will want to give them a try. I love that as business class is becoming the new norm for premium cabin flights for most people, the product continues to trend towards a more first class like experience. Thanks Lucky.

@ Michael T -- You're not mistaken, they did indeed!

@ Jason -- It was indeed, thanks!

I do not like the front wall paper of the cabin. It's like a children play room!

The food look amazing.... just like my experiences on Austrian in J.

at least they give out the slippers now, they didn't do that last year. it's good to hear their food is still good... it's really much better than any business class food out there.

i guess the airport you're trying to identify is Bratislava? it seems like it's on the way...

Lucky-that's a trick question, yes? That appears to be Vienna International Airport from which you just departed. The tell is the Fanta bottles adjacent to the terminal. 🙂

I think it's Porcini mushrooms - typo on the menü.

Lucky, what kind of award availability are you seeing on Austrian in business? I remember checking last year and there was zilch. Is it much better now or did you luck out with the new route?

@ Michael T -- Award availability on Austrian is EXCELLENT at the moment.

@lucky - typo as I think you meant "Red" uniforms
"change their bright read uniforms"

Very nice J product, the food looked better than the LX food I had (although hardware is very similar, or the same?)

Now I wonder if I can route YYZ-VIE-NRT-Asia on Aeroplan, but crazy YQ may hit me first 🙁

@ Jerry H -- Whoops, thanks. Fixed! Yeah, the YQ on Austrian is a killer through Aeroplan, which is why I left them out as one of the best redemption options.

Do they only release from a certain time out, or does United's tool just suck? I'm looking for year-end availability and not seeing anything VIE-NRT.

Nice to see them serving "procini". Normally all you get are the anticini.

@ Max -- I should have mentioned they suck at releasing award space far in advance, they seem to release a lot more space in the short to medium term.

OK, so if you want to book a US Airways Europe or N Asia award far in advance, you'll incur the change fee to switch to Austrian once it comes available, right?

@ Max -- Right, if you wanted to book far in advance. That being said, if you're looking to go to Europe and North Asia in winter I doubt you'll have any trouble finding space closer to departure (I booked my trip only a few weeks out as well).

Wow, that is amazing. I have flown Austrian in Europe only ( Brussels to Vienna and Bucharest) and was blown away by their service.

Will keep them in mind now that LH is getting more difficult to book. And that business class is of first class quality.

How would you say this compares to Singapore business in the 380/777? Both in terms of hard product and soft product/food?

Thanks!

@ Cdiddy -- I'd say on Singapore the seat and entertainment are still a bit better, but I found the food to be better on Austrian and service comparable (though it can be tough to compare service on a European and Asian airline given how different the styles are).

Lucky, what would you say is the ideal pair of seats for a couple? The middle pairs look to have more space but window pairs look more private. I'm flying BKK-VIE in August.

@ Seegs -- I'd probably go for any window pair. As you note they're a bit more private and one person gets a window view. Seems worth it to me.

Is the food and coffee options on all OS longhaul? Or just departing VIE?

@ David -- I believe it's on all longhaul flights.

Great TR, Lucky - looks like a really brilliant flight. Glad to hear footwell space better in the non-Captain Kirk seats, will definitely bear in mind. Definitely keen to give them a go sometime!

Did you happen to notice what foot space is like for the bulkhead seats?

@ Ed -- It was actually excellent, probably the best in the cabin. The cutout looked very big.

In your photos it looks like there is a single "throne" seat at A and K at the very back which are not on the seat map. Is there an extra row or are these crew seats?

@ stephan -- Those are seats 7A and 7K. Rows 8-10 are in the rear mini-cabin. 🙂

Your airport image is of Vienna airport. Did you take off to the east and double back and get mixed up? It is not Bratislava.

Sorry, that should have said: ...take off to the west...?

If you're such a coffee fanatic, why do you hang out at Starbucks? Besides having that fancy metal card you mentioned awhile back =)

@ Diana W -- I far prefer other coffee places, but Starbucks is convenient and a nice place to kill a couple of hours a day on laptop when you otherwise work from home.

@Stephan

You're right, it's way too big to be Bratislava and its definitely not Budapest so it must be Vienna.... Not sure if Lucky was trying to confuse us with his question...
😉

You really need to try out Swiss's staggered BC, just to compare the seats and overall service. Good to know you'd place Austrian ahead of Brussels in terms of overall experience.

Got y'all! :p

@ wwk5d -- Hope to try them very soon.

Think the person who drafted the English version of the breakfast menu must have been Canadian. "Beeries."

Hi Lucky,
I'm in a situation where I'm earning points for both my wife and me. The problem is I'm close to enough points for a ticket in USAir and in United. Do you think it's possible to get an award ticket on the same flight using two diff programs? Thank you.

@ Danny -- Absolutely, I do it all the time, and it should be quite easy. US Airways freely allows holds so I'd suggest holding one ticket through US Airways, then booking the United ticket, and then going back to purchase the US Airways ticket.

Hi,

We are booked on Austrian in Jun to DEL. Hopefully it will be new config 777 and 767 by then. Great report.

I must disagree with your assessment about the red uniforms. The red is tasteful and in stark contrast to the usual tired uniforms flight attendants have to wear.

Your cabin pictures are always so nice. Do you ask to board early or leave the lounge early so you can be among the first to board and snap some pictures of the empty-ish cabins?

Marvellous report. As I am flying in Biz on OS VIE-BKK next month I must say my anticipation level is much higher after reading this.

One request though... When reporting on the lounges.. could you include whether or not they have showers??

@ David -- Will be sure to do that in the future. Thanks!

This is a great review, and answered everything I wanted to know about OS's new C! Thanks!

My wife and I are returning from Europe in July and we'll have the new C on an OS 767 (VIE-ORD). I'm really stoked for this. She will be too, especially after going over on UA. 😀

booked the second week of service ORD-VIE, 90K aeroplan points
Hope the retrofit is complete as promised.
the food looks typically germanic, hopefully there are some lighter options.
Previously flew YUL-ZUR Swiss first..amazing product, no longer offered on points thru aeroplan

Will this flight be the same as the Tyrolean Airlines? I booked OS87 and OS88 this coming summer to Vienna and wanted to know if I will be able to enjoy this nice business class. Thanks.

@ anon -- Yep, Tyrolean is Austrian's operating name.

Are those touch-screen seat controls?

The tray table problem is the main issue of the Thompson Vantage business class seat. Many passengers and cabin crew have also complained about how complicated it is to deploy and stow. That is why in Swiss 777 business class, the airline opted to install the tray table on the side storage compartment, to be deployed by pulling it then turning it down. In Japan Airlines 767 'SkySuite II' business class, also Thompson Vantage, the tray table is deployed from the bottom of the IFE screen in front of you.