For service I don't like any US airline when compared to major foreign carriers. I hate flying to overseas on a US carrier and only do it for the cost and convenience. The best service I've had was on Emirates, personal video screens even in coach. Singapore Airlines is great also and so is Japan Airlines. Unfortunately since I live in MN I gotta fly Northworst a lot, their service is crappy and they've got a stranglehold on the Twin Cities market that's keeping Southwest or Jet Blue from flying here. I've had a lot of bad airline experiences but one of the most unusual ones was flying Eva Air from Hong Kong to SF. My flight from Hong Kong got into Taipei at about 8AM and the flight to SF wasn't leaving until 6PM so I was locked into Eva Air's "transit lounge" for 10 hours. This lounge was about a 30' x 30' room with no windows, bare walls and flourescent lighting. They fed us once but otherwise didn't even open the snack bar in the lounge. Couldn't leave the lounge except to go to the bathroom and on top of that they had the AC cranked up keep it about 55 degrees the whole time.
I think that's standard on all 777s no matter what the airline. Maybe even on some of the larger 767s.
Those Airbus planes where you get your own suite/room are pretty awesome (like a train) I think Emirates has a couple of those
No way, Det!! BA has the most annoying service I've ever been thru. The hostesses are all snooty, trifling, uptight Spice Girls rejects who come and check that your seatbelt is fastened about 18 times during the flight. And their attitudes are just ridiculous. Unless you are Sean frickin Connery or maybe the Duke of Yorkshirepudding they will give you the bare minimum service. That goes for their lounges too. And did I mention the food tastes like play-doh!? The food in Lufthansa coach is better than BA first. World's Favourite Airline my ass!!! IMO, Virgin is world's better. The same flat beds and in-flight massages
I guarantee different results if Continental were an option... how can you not list Continental when their hub is in Houston?? I would say I travel Continental over 75% of my flying life... otherwise, I would pick Jet blue... you guys are flying the ancient skies if you aint down with the Blue!!
Absolutely! I flew on it twice and it was f***ing unbelievable! It's the 'Rolls Royce' of international carriers. Another cheaper, but excellent one, is Lufthansa. They are very, very good because they are ALWAYS on time and the wait-over in the airport when I travel to/from the Middle East is by far the shortest (between 1.5-4 hours at most). So for all-purpose international travel, I have had the best experience with Lufthansa, Emirates, and the old Gulf Airlines (I don't know if they still exist anymore). Others I have tried are Saudi Airlines (only because my family had to use it since the Saudi government paid for it), Egyptian airlines (a couple of times only from NYC to Cairo), KLM (never liked 'em), and the now defunct TWA (they were by FAR the worst ever!) For local travel in America, I always prefer Southwest: simple, effecient, on-time, hassle-free. Hope this helps.
I love how people have flown on an airline once or twice and are ready to proclaim that all their flight attendants are rude or that the entire airline sucks and has poor service.
Alaska Airlines....unlimited free upgrades for elites, and their regional subsidiary Horizon Air has free beer and wine on all flights. Their inflight service isn't as good as it used to be (but whose is?) but their customer service is still the best out of any airline I've experienced. Second place for me is Continental. Hawaiian is also excellent. All the airlines I've flown off the top of my head: Alaska Horizon Continental Era Aviation PenAir Northwest Delta American Frontier America West Scandinavian SAS KLM United US Air Hawaiian Aloha Mexicana
The Emirates plane I was on was an Airbus. I flew on on a 777 last year and don't remember a personal video screen.
I don't understand why Southwest has so many votes. I flew on Southwest and it was cramped and the refreshments was just soda and peanuts. Then again, that was the only airline I've ever been on. Are the other airlines really worse than Southwest? I can't imagine how that can be.
Swiss Air and Virgin Atlantic have both been excellent for me. Most likely because I've only flown on their 777's or Airbus equivalents. Getting an aisle seat on those in coach is as comfortable as business class on some other flights.
I enjoy the first-come first-served seating arrangements. When I went to NYC last month, we printed out our boarding passes so we could be in the first group, but we didn't have to get there until right when they were boarding.
Hey, what about Skywest Airlines, the #1 on-time mainland airline? Sorry, I work for Skywest, I have to say that... But I love working for a regional airline. The planes are small, yes, and sometimes somewhat noisy, but I love the atmosphere of a small airline (not to mention the fact that we're one of the few making money). But since our contract with Continental just died a couple of months ago, I doubt you see much of Skywest down there... All of that being said, my father worked for Delta for 28 years, and he said that it was one of the worst companies he'd ever SEEN, let alone worked for. My personal preference over the years has been British Airways, but here in the states I have to say that I quite enjoy United. I never thought Delta was AS bad as some of you have said, but I understand a lot of the gripes. Thought you guys might enjoy these airline acronyms: Alitalia: Airplane Landed In Tokyo And Luggage In Atlanta Alitalia: Always Late In Take-off Always Late In Arrival American: Airline Meals Eaten Regularly Induces Cramps and Nausea BOAC: Better On A Camel Delta: Don't Ever Leave The Airport Delta: Don't Expect Luggage To Arrive El Al: Every Landing Always Late Olympic: Onassis Likes Your Money Paid In Cash PIA: Perhaps I'll Arrive Sabena: Such A Bad Experience - Never Again SAS: Sex After Service TAP: Take Another Plane TWA: That Was Awful TWA: Try With Another TWA-Tiny Wings A-flappin TWA-Terrorists Welcome Aboard TWA-Try Walking Across DELTA-Damaged Engines Limit Take-off Ability DELTA-Departs Even Later Than American DELTA-Delivers Everyones Luggage to Atlanta TACA-Take A Chance Airline DELTA - Destroy Every Living Tree Around PIA. Please inform Allah BA. Bad attitude MESA = Make Everyone Suffer Airline TWA = The Wrong Airport SWA = Sit Where Available I can't believe my longest post is in a "Favorite Airline" thread...
Actually, Continental reported a loss in 2004 - $363 million. Southwest reported a profit of $313 million, exceeding 2003 profits. Jetblue and a couple others were the only other airlines that profited in 2004.
