Review: Austrian Business Class Vienna to Tokyo Narita

Lucky - if I'm not mistaken you sat in the forward cabin for both your flights. Is there any particular reason you pick the front cabin rather than the mini rear cabin?

@ polandspringuy -- Both cabins seem good, though my slight preference for the forward cabin is because they board through door 2L, so if you're in the rear mini-cabin then all the passengers walk past you during boarding.

Just recently flew Brussels Airlines C, which is in the same group as Miles&More. Seats are identical, but the quality of food isn't as good (although presentation also first class(no trays for dinner)).

Did the seat controls get in your way? Because I found myself to be constantly moving my seat when in reclined position or putting my arm on the center console.

@ Alexei -- Wasn't a huge issue for me, but do remember that being the case for me as well.

When I was in college I used to fly OS plenty (my trip "home" was a long transatlantic affair). It was coach for me, of course, and I still loved it, especially since at the time the flight times forced an overnight in VIE and OS sprung for a hotel (yes, in coach)! 🙂 Then came a period of decline and I wouldn't fly them -- not even in J now that I could afford it (on points, I mean). 😉 Now, it looks like they've upped their game and I'm looking forward to trying them again.

Do&Co really know what they're doing. The TK lounge at IST is fully catered by them and it's all delicious and the presentation is fantastic. Kudos to OS for serving from the trolley in J!

Do you ever go for the ethnic option? I wonder how well Austrian does Japanese meals...

FDW

That's an awesome Diet Coke can!

Get the non-western meal sometimes! Depending on the airline sometimes the quality varies greatly for western vs non-western meals ( for better and for worse).

Wu, no, you can never expect to see any pictures of food that does not suit the average American palette on his TRs.

This is definitely on my list of airlines to try in the future, perhaps on the way to/from eastern Europe.

How comfortable is the seat for sitting and sleeping? Can you compare it to BA First, Club World, and Lufthansa First (the only three premium cabins I'm familiar with as of now).

those pappardelle are totally wrongly done.
i really wonder the italian cuisine is all the time mocked in these ways

"Austrian’s service really is first class in every way, given that they don’t use trays but instead set up the meal directly on your tray table."

It does seem that quite a few (not all) airlines with no first class product seem to have better meals and service in their business class than the business class of other airlines that offer both first and business class.

Great report. I think I will be using Austrian business class for my next trip to Asia.

I love the retro-livery Austrian A320!

Lucky- which award program did you use to book your OS mileage tickets?

Which program is best to use to book OS buisness class awards?

@ FlyingDoctorWu -- The answer is yes. Stay tuned for my two next segments on EVA Air. 😀

@ Jeremy -- Tough to say. This is definitely a comfortable configuration, though I do prefer reverse herringbone business class seats.

I find the seat to not be all that comfortable for just lounging, but for sleeping it's quite good if you stay away from the "throne" seat.

I'd say Lufthansa first class and British Airways first class are a bit better (British Airways first class is little more than a reverse herringbone business class seat), and I'd say it's probably on par with British Airways Club World.

@ AF -- If you see the intro post it explains how I booked it, which is using 90,000 US Airways miles for the trip between the US and Asia via Europe.

If you just want to go via the US and Europe both United and US Airways charge 100,000 miles for business class. Best value is probably going from the US to North Asia via Europe for 90,000 US Airways miles, like I did.

Just flew OS C from Vienna to JFK and it was phenomenal despite a completely packed flight. Had a long conversation with the purser and he had some very interesting stories to tell including some new possible routes of Austrian and other Star Alliance members into VIE.

I just did the same flight in reverse, from Tokyo (my home base) to Vienna to attend one of the balls (long story). I really enjoyed the flight itself overall, and both the the hard and soft products were truly very good. I was a little underwhelmed by the Do&Co. food, but it wasn't bad necessarily. The coffee menu was indeed amazing. But one thing really annoyed me the entire flight : the remote control for the AVOD. It was not a touch screen monitor (which is so counter-intuitive). Rather, the tiny remote itself WAS touch screen. WHY?! That would have been Ok if the thing a.) actually worked more than 50% of the time and b.) did not have its L-R axis controls reversed...so to move the cursor to the left on the screen, I had to swipe the control to the right. The Up-Down axis was intuitive and normal however (I initially thought I was holding the remote upside down). Hasn't anyone else noticed this? Or am I just a Luddite who can't work technology???

Austrian J is great, but I would prefer a quicker service as this is Business Class and people would normally want to work or sleep. IMO, I think J class should live up to its name, as not many people want to spend ages eating if they need to prepare for a meeting.
Then again, QR doesn't use trays.But they have a really flexible dine on demand menu.
Did Austrian offer any sort of express meal tray if you just wanted to work or sleep(i do understand that this was a daytime flight but still...)?
P.S. Great TR!