Business Class Long Haul Flights- Europe- Asia

[muffingsluts]

One of my travelling companions has just called me to ask about his best and least expensive options for fluying business class from the UK/France to BKK.

We are all over 50, have worked hard and generally have some extra pennies and as we all have a penchant for slim, stretch mark free, willing young ladies under 25 so we often end up in SE Asia.

Sadly, we all have to trave a long distance so for us its usually business, but we have also tried premium economy from time to time and indeed first. Economy is almost impossible for me, but my close freind has recently tried a couple of airlines in economy from London to BKK so I will comment on those too here.

I am going to quote prices too but just bear in mind I have compared 1 week in mid March 2024 as a time slot and obviously this changes as  do the seasons! These are my prefferences and reccomendations. There will be dozens of options of course, but I want to be comfortable, well fed and I dont want to spend 26 hours in Delhi waiting for my next flight....

Hopefully some may find this helpful.

Economy- London -BKK

Air China  6/10

Air China is basic, but its cheap and will get you there. Dont expect thrills, or great food.

Seats are like this

 

Not Stewed Spaniel....honest 🙂

Economy Luxury

Quatar Airways 9/10

Almost as good as it gets in economy. Nice food, great planes, great safety record.

Seats look like this 8.5/10

 

Premium Economy

The place before business class. Dont befooled its no business class, but I have flown it and survived. You can get some direct flights

KLM is pretty basic but functional. Expensive in Premium IMHO, but there it is 7.5/10

 

Seats look like this

Premium Economy Best

 

Comfy safe and direct. 8.5/10

Seats are like this

Business Class

Low price

Its comfy and its cheap. You get a bed, loads of room and a short stopover. Its no bells aor whistles but it adequate, no doubt. 7/10

Seats are like this

Business Class Quality

Seats are fab 9.5/10

Food and service outstanding, theres a really nice bar on the A380 too.

First Class

You will need deep pockets, but expect to be looked after for half a day.... but still 9.9/10

So, just a few examples and prices. I reccomend Buiness class as its affordable, if you just want room and comfort the Premium economy works well on most airlines, and if you can do it, give first a try, its a short life afterall!

I am a bit if a flying nerd, but some may find this enlightening.

Edited January 10 by muffingsluts
spelling

[david_vr]

Thanks for the comparison and taking the time to post all the pictures. Its a long ass trip to asia form east cost of canada and i am way too tall to be comfortable in economy for 15.5 + 3.5 hours (TAI/BKK) so have pay out for the upgrade for the leg room. 

Last trip was on EVA business and was pretty decent but prices seem to have gone up making it way less value for the money (also they do love their hello kitty branding..).

 

[muffingsluts]

15 hours ago, david_vr said:

Thanks for the comparison and taking the time to post all the pictures. Its a long ass trip to asia form east cost of canada and i am way too tall to be comfortable in economy for 15.5 + 3.5 hours (TAI/BKK) so have pay out for the upgrade for the leg room. 

Last trip was on EVA business and was pretty decent but prices seem to have gone up making it way less value for the money (also they do love their hello kitty branding..).

 

Its strange how the pricing has gone. Although its always been quite unfathomable.

A few years ago you could get Qatar in buisness from london to bangkok for less that £2000. Now its about £4000. Go figure. Premium on Cthay is ok, so is Eva, but get bulk head seats if you are tall.

My current favourite is Ethihad as the ticket London-Abudhabi-Bangkok is about £2200 in business and its more tha adequate espcially on an A380 or A 3550. The 777's are less good but still fine. Few examples below.

Thats the etihad onboard lounge/bar which is nice but not Qatar at all.

Basic Lunch of Curry

Arabic Mezze starter which is surprisingly good

And of course, a full English brekky! 🙂

[Essexman1961]

Thanks for this.My idea of luxury is paying the extra £70 for an extra leg room in Economy on the return flight from Bangkok , which always seems to really drag for obvious reasons .. I appreciate the effort you have put into this .The most impressive economy seat I have experienced was on a one stop Etihad flight to KL back in 2015 which saved me £400 on the direct flight price back then.On the return leg I chatted to a stewardess and she said the plane had been in service for just one month.I said just once I would like to turn left when boarding and she replied this was one of two routes where the top class ticket was for The residence, a private family room with your own personal butler outside 😇

[muffingsluts]

22 hours ago, Essexman1961 said:

I said just once I would like to turn left when boarding and she replied this was one of two routes where the top class ticket was for The residence, a private family room with your own personal butler outside 😇

I recommend the Residence, but boy oh boy its expensive and I am a firm believer in spending on luxury!!!

Its like this- Dining and seating, a bedroom and full bathroom with shower. You get your own butler and Chauffer.

 

Maybe one day!

[muffingsluts]

I thought these were interesting too.... less commercial, a bit more 'real', not in order I am afraid, but all of  'The Residence'. Etihad Airways.

 

$20,000 one way.....Ravin Bargain and you can fit in an LBFM too.

 

[ICanand IWill]

Great report and photos.

I have been very fortunate to have flown in the 'suites' on Singapore Airlines to London. Managed 3 return trips before Covid, once with my wife utilising the double bed suite in rows 1 & 2. Made excellent use of it, joining 'another' club whilst lying in a double bed 😀

The food and service was also excellent.

[neandertal13]

Last time I have the chance to fly business with Qatar Airways to Bangkok but unfortunately not in Qsuite and with Thai Airways. 

I had also the chance to fly Business with Air France,Ethiopian and Aeroflot. 

Qatar is the best in terms of services except business lounge Air France is the best. Air France almost as good and after Aeroflot, Ethiopian and Thai Airways. 
 

with Thai Airways you see that the company has a difficult economical situation. 
 

Flying Business class with Qatar is really different from the others but for me the only important thing is to have a priority check in and the seat convertible in bed.  
 

Really if I could pay just for the seat I will definitely do it. On a plane I do not really care to eat magic things or drink incredible wines. If I could pay 50 % more than economy just for the seat I will take business more often I think for long haul. 

[fatboy21]

On 13/01/2024 at 01:23, neandertal13 said:

Qatar is the best in terms of services except business lounge Air France is the best. Air France almost as good and after Aeroflot, Ethiopian and Thai Airways. 

If we are talking business class, I would agree with you about Qatar Airways but I would also add Singapore Airlines as an equal. Have never flown Aeroflot (and don't intend to) but imho Ethiopian and Thai are well down the list. Emirates, Eva and Oman Air would certainly rate above them. Cathay Pacific also used to be good although have not flown them post covid.

Edited January 16 by fatboy21

[gruntfox]

My go to airline for business to SE Asia is Etihad, right now prices are around £2k for mid march.  I fing the lounges very good, flight crew are always very accommodating, topped with their use of the A380 between London and Abu Dhabi where you can sit at the bar for a drink is spot on.  

I'm heading to Colombia in a few weeks flying Air France (business of course) I'm looking forward to trying that one.  

[hammerman]

I am like a few on here, getting older and with the joints not holding up so well I struggle in a 3hrs European hop let alone 12hrs in economy, and as other have done I moved up to EVA and BA premium economy for a few years. Hence, now I have made the trip London to Bangkok a fair few times in Business class. I will list the ones I remember in order of my preference but will add that they were all good, by comparison to Prem Eco. 

I will not travel via the Asian Sub continent or China, nor suffer more than a few hours stopover anywhere regardless of cost.

I live near to Heathrow and a short easy drive to Gatwick so only London Airports.

In order of least Favourite 1st.

China Airlines via Amsterdam, long time ago, top deck on a Jumbo and sloped lie flat seats. Less than £1000 return. KLM lounge in Schipol was good, first ever business class, remember thinking this is the dogs bollocks. Did this trip hand luggage only and booked a cheap return to Amsterdam.

Then flew a few other destinations with Virgin and BA and realised what I was missing.

BA, direct in the old 8 across back to front business, lie flat seat and services OK, cabin felt cramped, Terminal 5 B lounge was great. Think I may have got help from BA employee with cost.

Austrian, Was originally Swiss but booked prior to Covid in a sale and the cancellations allowed us to choose from the Lufthansa Group almost 2 years later for same cost, Nothing Wrong, short hop to Vienna, Vienna Airport and Lounge not up to much seats and service as expected, Booked in sale £1100 per person for 2 or more in a sale. The short European trip is less favourable than the Middle East 6/7 hours each leg. 

Gulf Air, another sale booking at Approx. £1200. Prior to covid. short stopover on way out, missed return flight to London due to technical issue on Runway in Bangkok. We were put on the next flight and spent 8 hrs in the lounge in Bahrain.  In flight chefs and sommeliers, Food was excellent and great service on board, lie flat seats, great value for money. 

Last year, BA/QATAR booked trip via BA with BA to and from Doha in there new business suites and Qatar to BKK in Q suite and return on A380 non Q suite. Everything about this trip was quality. Term 5 at Heathrow and the B lounge makes everything run smoothly, the new BA business suite and service has finally dragged their product in to todays world, the stopovers were short enough for me to barely scout my way around the impressive Qatar lounge in Doha, the Q suite deserves its tag as the best business class product and the seat on their A380 was only slightly less impressive, throw the in-flight bar into it and the 5* lounge at Bangkok it comes out very well, BUT at a cost, £3200, softened the blow with Avios.  

Emirates, Chauffeur pick up to and from Gatwick, top deck of A380 all four sections, Lounges, especially the Emirates business lounge in Dubai, I showered both ways and with its own gate for each flight and an elevator down to the plane, in flight bar, service and seat top notch about K1.9.

I travel with pals of the same mindset now, so our next trip may well be the best deal one of us finds in the next few months for our November trip.

The Emirates trip sticks with me as the best, just because it seemed more opulent from the Chauffered Merc pick up, the non-stop cocktails on the plane both in seat and at the bar. Sadly there prices are now among the most expensive and they have dropped the chauffeur on cheaper ticket.

I have BA status and Avios, so I would be leaning towards the BA/QATAR for future trips if a deal cannot be found elsewhere. Etihad is one of the airlines that often have promotions to keep an eye on.  

 

 

[Chrisrs]

7 hours ago, hammerman said:

I am like a few on here, getting older and with the joints not holding up so well I struggle in a 3hrs European hop let alone 12hrs in economy, and as other have done I moved up to EVA and BA premium economy for a few years. Hence, now I have made the trip London to Bangkok a fair few times in Business class. I will list the ones I remember in order of my preference but will add that they were all good, by comparison to Prem Eco. 

I will not travel via the Asian Sub continent or China, nor suffer more than a few hours stopover anywhere regardless of cost.

I live near to Heathrow and a short easy drive to Gatwick so only London Airports.

In order of least Favourite 1st.

China Airlines via Amsterdam, long time ago, top deck on a Jumbo and sloped lie flat seats. Less than £1000 return. KLM lounge in Schipol was good, first ever business class, remember thinking this is the dogs bollocks. Did this trip hand luggage only and booked a cheap return to Amsterdam.

Then flew a few other destinations with Virgin and BA and realised what I was missing.

BA, direct in the old 8 across back to front business, lie flat seat and services OK, cabin felt cramped, Terminal 5 B lounge was great. Think I may have got help from BA employee with cost.

Austrian, Was originally Swiss but booked prior to Covid in a sale and the cancellations allowed us to choose from the Lufthansa Group almost 2 years later for same cost, Nothing Wrong, short hop to Vienna, Vienna Airport and Lounge not up to much seats and service as expected, Booked in sale £1100 per person for 2 or more in a sale. The short European trip is less favourable than the Middle East 6/7 hours each leg. 

Gulf Air, another sale booking at Approx. £1200. Prior to covid. short stopover on way out, missed return flight to London due to technical issue on Runway in Bangkok. We were put on the next flight and spent 8 hrs in the lounge in Bahrain.  In flight chefs and sommeliers, Food was excellent and great service on board, lie flat seats, great value for money. 

Last year, BA/QATAR booked trip via BA with BA to and from Doha in there new business suites and Qatar to BKK in Q suite and return on A380 non Q suite. Everything about this trip was quality. Term 5 at Heathrow and the B lounge makes everything run smoothly, the new BA business suite and service has finally dragged their product in to todays world, the stopovers were short enough for me to barely scout my way around the impressive Qatar lounge in Doha, the Q suite deserves its tag as the best business class product and the seat on their A380 was only slightly less impressive, throw the in-flight bar into it and the 5* lounge at Bangkok it comes out very well, BUT at a cost, £3200, softened the blow with Avios.  

Emirates, Chauffeur pick up to and from Gatwick, top deck of A380 all four sections, Lounges, especially the Emirates business lounge in Dubai, I showered both ways and with its own gate for each flight and an elevator down to the plane, in flight bar, service and seat top notch about K1.9.

I travel with pals of the same mindset now, so our next trip may well be the best deal one of us finds in the next few months for our November trip.

The Emirates trip sticks with me as the best, just because it seemed more opulent from the Chauffered Merc pick up, the non-stop cocktails on the plane both in seat and at the bar. Sadly there prices are now among the most expensive and they have dropped the chauffeur on cheaper ticket.

I have BA status and Avios, so I would be leaning towards the BA/QATAR for future trips if a deal cannot be found elsewhere. Etihad is one of the airlines that often have promotions to keep an eye on.  

 

 

No one mentioning Turkish via Istanbul; lots of regional flights from Uk, I go out of Birmingham. Less than 4 hours for first leg and then Just under 10 hours IST to BKK with flat bed, food is great with onboard chef etc. Great lounge in Istanbul as well for stopover. Flying again ex BHX in March for £2400, decent deal when I booked it although I see prices have all softened a bit now..