London to Singapore business - Finnair or BA?

[karma mechanic]

Travelling early February for a couple of weeks. BA is direct. Finnair and others are one-stoppers. Has to be business class.

Other direct ones like Singapore Airlines are a lot more money.

BA would be A380 if they can keep them together, but looks like the older offering. Finnair would be A350.

Thoughts and guidance please, need to book soon.

[Scaleybrat]

Qatar via Doha

[number2]

One of the ME airlines will be your best bet if the times and price work.

I'd avoid BA at all costs - service is ste, planes are mostly ste. You'll know this of course

Finnair operate their new business class on short haul from Heathrow (not all flights mind you) which is much better than the standard config for short haul, BUT I wouldn't fancy it long haul - chairs don't recline, you do.

As above, use a ME airline.

[The Mad Monk]

Emirates?

[karma mechanic]

We've used Emirates pre-covid but too pricey now. The chauffeur part takes part of the sting out of it. Good info so far. Keep it coming...

[The Mad Monk]

How much are you expecting to pay?

[karma mechanic]

The Mad Monk said:

How much are you expecting to pay?

BA current about 5.5k for two. Yes, I know they are poor. SIA about 8k...

[The Mad Monk]

karma mechanic said:

The Mad Monk said:

How much are you expecting to pay?

BA current about 5.5k for two. Yes, I know they are poor. SIA about 8k...

I haven't got the Emirates price in front of me now, but I recall it was about £3,100 for one. Ergo £6,200 for two, not much more than the BA price. I know who I would rather use.

[number2]

The Mad Monk said:

karma mechanic said:

The Mad Monk said:

How much are you expecting to pay?

BA current about 5.5k for two. Yes, I know they are poor. SIA about 8k...

I haven't got the Emirates price in front of me now, but I recall it was about £3,100 for one. Ergo £6,200 for two, not much more than the BA price. I know who I would rather use.

Yup.

[2 GKC]

number2 said:

One of the ME airlines will be your best bet if the times and price work.

I'd avoid BA at all costs - service is ste, planes are mostly ste. You'll know this of course

Finnair operate their new business class on short haul from Heathrow (not all flights mind you) which is much better than the standard config for short haul, BUT I wouldn't fancy it long haul - chairs don't recline, you do.

As above, use a ME airline.

In what way are the planes mostly ste?
I’d always take the direct option

[number2]

2 GKC said:

In what way are the planes mostly ste?
I’d always take the direct option

Dated interiors - look well used and not very clean in my experience. Not a good business configuration although I understand that's changed for some routes.

I haven't flown BC long haul with BA since covid but if their short haul BC offering is dirty enough to make me not want to touch anything (which I have flown sadly on many occasions more recently) then I imagine long haul can't be much different. If recent exeriences of others differ on the whole then fair enough.

We've elected to fly easyjet next week and I'm looking forward to a clean plane, and staff that don't behave like they're doing you a favour .

I used to favour direct but as long as it's a sub 2 hour connection and times work, I'm not fussed anymore.

[parabolica]

Out of those two options I’d be keen to give the Finnair BC product a go; supposed to be one of the best/unique offerings outside of the ME carriers.

[TownIdiot]

I'd definitely go direct unless there was a massive saving, no matter who the carrier is.

Qatar is undoubtedly a great product but even an old seat on another carrier going non-stop would get my vote.

[karma mechanic]

Lots of opinions!

Emirates from LHR gives us the chauffeur service, plus free seat selection and their lounges. BA want over 100 quid to select seats per person per leg, so over 400. And we'd need a taxi to LHR and back. That closes the gap with Emirates considerably.

BA for our preferred dates is actually 5500 plus 400 seat selection plus around 300 taxi return, so about 6200 total (ish). But direct. Could leave the seat selection until it is free, but then no guarantee of sitting together.

Emirates for similar but ok dates is 7500, with chauffeur and free seat selection. Via Dubai.

Singapore 7500 for two direct, with seat selection but need to pay about 300 for taxis. But direct...

Leaning towards Singapore at the moment, must be the best balance of direct and quality.

[TownIdiot]

I suppose it depends what you'd do with with 1600 quid.

Emirates is a good product and some will say breaking the journey up is a good thing, but I'd definitely prefer direct.

I'd probably still go BA and feel like I'm getting the first few meals for "free" (that is how my internal calculator works)

Edited by TownIdiot on Saturday 17th August 15:39

[number2]

For a 1,600 saving I'd go BA too, even taking into account my view of them .

[karma mechanic]

I think the BA saving is worth it, until their legendary schedule reliability kicks in and they change it all at the last moment, or fly without meals due to broken fridges, or whatever.

We could go with Lufthansa and enjoy the 747 upper deck, I quite liked that a few months ago to Seoul. Unfortunately that involves going via Frankfurt, which was a very very stressful airport to transit through. I vowed never to go via Frankfurt again...

Need to decide by Sunday.

• *edited to add***

We'd paid a tenner each to reserve the BA flights, and if we chose them now they've gone up by several hundred. So we've paid the original 5500 for the ones we reserved. It's done!

Edited by karma mechanic on Saturday 17th August 16:09

[KPHs]

Just to widen the search before you push the button, you have more choice if you leave from another airport outside the UK. There is of course the trip to get to/from the airport but you may be able to roll it into your break. Below all business in February 2025 from Google flights.

From Paris:
Saudia £1,747 return (787) CDG-JED-SIN
Etihad £1,877 return (A380) CDG-AUH-SIN
Singapore £2,822 return (777) CDG-SIN

From Madrid:
Etihad £1,950 return (787 and A380) MAD-AUH-SIN
Qatar £2,130 return (777 and 777) MAD - DOH - SIN

Edited by KPHs on Saturday 17th August 18:19

[djc206]

number2 said:

One of the ME airlines will be your best bet if the times and price work.

I'd avoid BA at all costs - service is ste, planes are mostly ste. You'll know this of course

Finnair operate their new business class on short haul from Heathrow (not all flights mind you) which is much better than the standard config for short haul, BUT I wouldn't fancy it long haul - chairs don't recline, you do.

As above, use a ME airline.

The finnair seat is great long haul, you can sit however you like all the time rather than being penned in to a narrow seat. Helsinki airport is bloody brilliant and the lounge is very good too with great shower availability. I did Bangkok with them last year for an absolute steal and am doing the same again next month. The other advantage is tier points. 440 return to Asia. Slightly short of Qatar at 560 but you actually have a decent length flight on which to sleep which going via the ME ruins.

For all the stick BA get I don’t mind them. I’ve been let down by other airlines more often than I have BA.

[karma mechanic]

Next time!