Business Class Fares & Offers

[mercmanrob]

I did look at Eva for late January/February and on Google flights it came in just shy of £2600, but I didn’t check the category 

[penboy]

I've just looked at prices with Emirates for several dates up to July next year. It looks like £3,800 is the current going rate from Manchester to BKK and that is with 3 A380 back on normal service each day. I'll be monitoring the situation as I do like the chauffer service but given the price difference with the likes of Lufthansa, Emirates won't be seeing me again unless they drop their prices.

[bullseye]

I got Etihad Paris to BKK for November in one of their sales for 1800. It's now about 4 grand! I booked it in April. 

[JohnSmith]

Still looking for decent biz airfare to BKK for my winter trip.  SIN is now avail for $3,600 originating from NYC. Not a great fare but quite decent. I would jump on that with both feet if were living nearby NYC.

Was looking at mid jan departure with a mid april return on google flights.

[Santino]

On 06/09/2022 at 10:48, JohnSmith said:

Still looking for decent biz airfare to BKK for my winter trip.  SIN is now avail for $3,600 originating from NYC. Not a great fare but quite decent. I would jump on that with both feet if were living nearby NYC.

Was looking at mid jan departure with a mid april return on google flights.

Not so great when you realize that I flew the same route on China Eastern in 2019 for less than half that.

[JohnSmith]

Agree. Paid $3,600 CAD for my last flight pre-covid on Qatar Airways from Montreal (all QSuites).  But now they want $5,600.

Outside of PAL which i won't fly there is nothing below $5K this winter from Montreal or Toronto.

[Eric Le Roi]

On 05/09/2022 at 09:43, penboy said:

I've just looked at prices with Emirates for several dates up to July next year. It looks like £3,800 is the current going rate from Manchester to BKK and that is with 3 A380 back on normal service each day. I'll be monitoring the situation as I do like the chauffer service but given the price difference with the likes of Lufthansa, Emirates won't be seeing me again unless they drop their prices.

Checked same route for late April 23, came up at £3,861, not willing to pay that.

Paid just over £2,100 for April 20 flight which was obviously cancelled so I just left it (no refund or voucher applied for) Re-activated the flight for next months trip without any problems. All 4 legs A380, chauffeur service and seats all booked.

[penboy]

1 hour ago, Eric Le Roi said:

Checked same route for late April 23, came up at £3,861, not willing to pay that.

Paid just over £2,100 for April 20 flight which was obviously cancelled so I just left it (no refund or voucher applied for) Re-activated the flight for next months trip without any problems. All 4 legs A380, chauffeur service and seats all booked.

I've booked with Lufthansa (no chauffer obviously) and the price was £1,550 with good flight times and transfers. A local taxi firm have quoted me £250 return from my house to Manchester airport. IMO Emirates will lose customers if they are so more expensive than other opportunities.

I seem to remember that there was mention of Lufthansa using A380s or the Dreamliner 787 at some point, but my flight is on A350. 

[Kandinski]

36 minutes ago, penboy said:

I've booked with Lufthansa (no chauffer obviously) and the price was £1,550 with good flight times and transfers. A local taxi firm have quoted me £250 return from my house to Manchester airport. IMO Emirates will lose customers if they are so more expensive than other opportunities.

I seem to remember that there was mention of Lufthansa using A380s or the Dreamliner 787 at some point, but my flight is on A350. 

I been flying the LH 350 biz, both config, several times andLH have chosen (the moneymaking) 2-2-2 config for the 350. Seats are OK for longhaul but personnaly I struggle with the German efficiency and total lack of coziness"

[penboy]

Just now, Kandinski said:

I been flying the LH 350 biz, both config, several times andLH have chosen (the moneymaking) 2-2-2 config for the 350. Seats are OK for longhaul but personnaly I struggle with the German efficiency and total lack of coziness"

I've selected the aisle seats in the middle 2. Both of the long-haul flights are at night-time, so I'll hopefully sleep.

[Kandinski]

1 hour ago, penboy said:

I've selected the aisle seats in the middle 2. Both of the long-haul flights are at night-time, so I'll hopefully sleep.

Yeah, the middle seat will give you a degree of privacy. Seats are quit comfy but unfortunately I'm a light sleeper and have to pop a Zopiclone to get 5-6 hours of sleep 

[Jake.houston]

On 07/09/2022 at 11:52, JohnSmith said:

Outside of PAL which i won't fly

Can you elaborate on why you won’t use PAL?

I know they are not top level, but would appreciate your fist hand experiences.

[Luv2Phuket]

2 hours ago, Jake.houston said:

Can you elaborate on why you won’t use PAL?

I know they are not top level, but would appreciate your fist hand experiences.

My "fear" of PAL is very simple - (perhaps outdated) reports from bloggers that their long haul business class was 2-2 seating. Judging from recent reports above, it is incorrect.

It's a big reason why I am very curious to hear your thoughts.

[Jake.houston]

My LAX to MNL is actually 2-3-2

MNL to BKK looks to be 1-2-1

That doesn’t really bother me though. I am not a roamer on flights and can normally survive with getting up once or twice even during a long haul flight.

At this point, it is paid for and I’ll take what I get next week.

[Luv2Phuket]

2-2-2 I can handle, but 2-3-2 is all but a dealbreaker for me.

Here's why:
I can't sleep for shit on flights, so I'll be awake when that fucker in the middle seat of the center section needs to piss, and he/she is gonna keep going out MY side of the row! 555

[Fire Bar Matt]

For Aussie BM’s - Singapore Airlines have just released early bird fares for flights 22nd January 2023 - 5th September 2023 if booked by 30th September 2022.

Some good deals available, I just booked SYD - BKK return with short layovers in Singapore for AUD $3,096 Business Class (Lite) for April 2023. 
 

Their Lite fares are a little restrictive for cancellation and such but if you know with certainty your dates then they’re a very good deal. 
 

Sydney to Singapore is on 777 and return is A380 so plenty of single window seats available. 

[Jake.houston]

2 hours ago, Luv2Phuket said:

2-2-2 I can handle, but 2-3-2 is all but a dealbreaker for me.

Here's why:
I can't sleep for shit on flights, so I'll be awake when that fucker in the middle seat of the center section needs to piss, and he/she is gonna keep going out MY side of the row! 555

I have window for all legs.

[JohnSmith]

12 hours ago, Jake.houston said:

Can you elaborate on why you won’t use PAL?

I know they are not top level, but would appreciate your fist hand experiences.

No first hand experience.  Based on online reviews, the seating on their 777 (2-3-2) and the bad reputation of Manila airport and its lounges.  My routing has a long layover in MNL in both directions so a good lounge experience is a must.

I also try to stick to Star Alliance if at all possible because Aerolan miles add up quickly on biz fares and I've had a lot of success redeeming for trips to BKK in biz and more recently in First.

They are now using the A350 which has new 1-2-1 seating on some days for the 16 hrs to Toronto so may reconsider eventually.  But it would help if they joined any alliance even if it is OneWorld as was rumoured some time ago.

If you are ok with the 2-3-2 config then you should be fine.  That is really the most important aspect of it.

[madmike]

13 hours ago, Luv2Phuket said:

2-2-2 I can handle, but 2-3-2 is all but a dealbreaker for me.

Here's why:
I can't sleep for shit on flights, so I'll be awake when that fucker in the middle seat of the center section needs to piss, and he/she is gonna keep going out MY side of the row! 555

Yeah I looked at PAL and it was a deal breaker for me too.  My requirements are simple.  Full lie flat.  No one climbs over anyone else to get up to piss. 

BTW for anyone looking at various charts of jets on seatguru.com don't be afraid of the JAL flights that are actually 2-3-2 in business class.  Every seat has full aisle access in a private pod.  Kinda narrow aisles and pods but it works.  And the center seat is actually really private weird as that sounds.

 

[carmex]

23 hours ago, madmike said:

Yeah I looked at PAL and it was a deal breaker for me too.  My requirements are simple.  Full lie flat.  No one climbs over anyone else to get up to piss. 

BTW for anyone looking at various charts of jets on seatguru.com don't be afraid of the JAL flights that are actually 2-3-2 in business class.  Every seat has full aisle access in a private pod.  Kinda narrow aisles and pods but it works.  And the center seat is actually really private weird as that sounds.

 

Same for some Qatar flights - seatguru was showing a 2-2-2 configuration, but when I booked it was in fact 1-2-1 

[JA01_]

JAL just cancelled my flight in to BKK.  Had to rebook the entire flight to BKK to avoid a 16 hour layover.  Anyone else experiencing JAL cancellations? 

Edited September 17, 2022 by JA01_

[fatboy21]

Business class with Swiss LHR-BKK via Zurich in January 2023 now around £2300. This is the best fare with a good carrier that I have seen for a long time. It was too good to miss so I booked.

[JA01_]

Has anyone gone through JAL lately? Trying to get an idea of overall how reliable they are in keeping flights active?  Preparing to have to go another route if they cancel my new flight as well. 

[HimBadMan]

19 minutes ago, JA01_ said:

Has anyone gone through JAL lately? Trying to get an idea of overall how reliable they are in keeping flights active?  Preparing to have to go another route if they cancel my new flight as well. 

flew them again, two weeks ago.  They are highly reliable.   Plus with Japan opening to tourist on Oct 11th, there should be more flights in and out.

[madmike]

46 minutes ago, JA01_ said:

Has anyone gone through JAL lately? Trying to get an idea of overall how reliable they are in keeping flights active?  Preparing to have to go another route if they cancel my new flight as well. 

I flew them early in the year on BIZ class.  BKK to LAX.  Zero problems.  And their BIZ class is fine with 2-3-2 seating you still never have to climb over anyone in any of the seats.  The middle seat is actually good.