There are already a few outfits that rank airline performance so why are yours different?

I use a proprietary model that assigns numbers to 20 different factors of airline experience. These numbers make up a total score.

Planereality’s rankings compare apples to apples by using categories: i.e. comparing international business class to international business class. Comparing Delta domestic coach class to Singapore Airlines International Business class will tell you very little.

The person ranking the airlines, me, has experienced the airlines first-hand. These rankings are not a combination of tens of thousands traveler opinions

Only airlines I have flown are included in these rankings.

TOTAL SCORES: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS CLASS
total possible score: 100
name of each airline links to its location on Planereality.com

1. Qatar Airways 92
2. Singapore Airlines 87
2. Emirates 87
3. All Nippon Airways 84
4. Cathay Pacific 83
4. Asiana 83
5. Malaysia Airlines 81
6. Swiss Airlines 78
6. Lufthansa 78
6. Delta Airlines 78
7. Korean Air 77
8. Virgin Atlantic 76
9. Thai 75
10. Air France 72
11. American 71
12. United 69

20 factors that make up score (last 3 are purely quantitative)
leg room
food quality
food quantity
service
schedule
value
frequent flyer program
reservation ease
check-in ease
entertainment
seat comfort
privacy
lounge
clean aircraft
beverage selection
boarding
amenity kit
average age of fleet
load- lighter the loads, better the score. based on 2009 & 2010 average
safety- based on number of fatal accidents

The contrast between flying a few foreign airlines and then returning to the United States to take 1 more flight to get home is always amusing. In this case, I bestowed the “last flight” honor on United Airlines. I received a complimentary upgrade which I was quite appreciative of. Was it a terrible experience? Absolutely not, but (no news here) not in the same league as many foreign airlines.

I knew where I was as soon as I was seated. The lead FA was shouting through the PA system telling boarding passengers to hurry up and sit down so we could leave on time. All the while UA deliberately delayed boarding because 1 crew member was M.I.A.

The meal was decent, but have had better on United. The sausage had the consistency of steak, but tasted like dinner sausage (?)
The indecipherable over-head monitor and bat phone are not disappointing, more comical than anything. The pilot was in the First Class cabin during boarding. I asked him if he would be broadcasting Channel 9. He replied that he would be happy to. To be fair, I took these pictures with my blackberry as opposed to my “good” camera.

the blue dot is our location at LAX; courtesy of the ipad

pre-departure beverage

breakfast

CHECK-IN
Air New Zealand provides a separate check-in area for premium passengers at the Auckland Airport. A friendly gal named Robyn checked me in for the 11hr 40min flight to LAX. Robyn asked if I enjoyed my stay in New Zealand. I replied that I indeed had… all 8 hours of it. Once you check in, there is no need to go back into the main check-in area as there is a dedicated elevator that takes premium class passengers to a dedicated customs and security screening area. I waited less than 1 minute to complete this process. The customs official also asked me how I had enjoyed my stay. Air New Zealand does have a 7 kilogram maximum weight for carryon luggage.

SEATS
Shortly after I arrived in the Air New Zealand Lounge, I was surprised to hear an announcement made by our in flight concierge. He had come into the lounge to greet passengers and answer any possible questions or concerns those passengers on flight #2 may have. This was a first for me.
As mentioned in the previous post, the Spaceseat is very unique looking and noticeably better than other Premium Economy offerings. The seat provides plenty of privacy and features a fixed back shell so nobody reclines into your space. A beanbag foot rest, oversized pillow, fleece blanket and bottle of water were at each Premium Economy seat. Full seat report here.

SERVICE/CREW
The flight attendant who would be dedicated to my area came by and introduced herself. The flight service manager then introduced himself and gave me a customs card. For those keeping track, the Business Class cabin was full, there were 2 open seats in Premium Economy and 15 open seats in Economy Class. I found all of the crew members I interacted with extremely friendly with a refreshing sense of humor and none took themselves too seriously. Yet at the same time they were very professional. Air New Zealand takes a very unique, effective approach in their cabin service. In addition to flight attendants serving passengers, 2 other flight crew members simply roam around the cabin to ensure all passengers have what they need.

FOOD
As soon as were cursing over the Pacific, drinks and an appetizer of seared tuna were served. After several days of eating noodles, I chose to have the burger with beetroot & horopito chutney for dinner. There were 3 other choices: beef fillet with cabernet jus, madras chicken and potato curry and hot smoked salmon with salad greens. How good can a burger be? Would you expect to have one of the best on an airline? This was one of the best I have ever tasted, in the air or on the ground. The roll had a fresh out of the oven texture and the meat was moist, tender and perfectly seasoned. I have never heard of putting chutney on a hamburger but this purple tinted goodness was outstanding and a slight onion bite.

After dinner, I explored the entertainment system which I also felt was above average. Instead of having 1 or 2 episodes of a TV program, a whole season or 2 of a particular show was available. After flipping through some programming, I visited the galley where an FA was ready to serve snacks and drinks.

It seems that everything Air New Zealand did on this flight was a little different and enhanced the experience. From the service before and during the flight, to the wallpaper and music in the bathrooms.
This flight was so enjoyable I was hoping it wouldn’t end. Air New Zealand has re-invented the Premium Economy product.
Many thanks to Aaron N. and the rest of the flight crew for a very memorable experience!
**Disclaimer: This flight was provided to me by Air New Zealand.

premium economy cabin

safety video w/ richard simmons

foot space and bean bag for feet

armrest & storage

plenty of wine choices

flight “schedule”

bathroom

galley

approaching lax

business class after arrival

bar

ZK-OKN

This is the first part of a flight from Auckland to Los Angeles. This 777-300ER (ZK-DKN) featured Air New Zealand’s innovative Space Bed and Sky Couch Seats. I have heard people say that this Delta cabin resembles a spaceship, and maybe it does, however, compared to Air New Zealand’s interior, Delta’s looks very normal.

The Premium Economy Spaceseats look quite futuristic and combined with the mood lighting and overabundance of white/cream hues, they were unlike anything I had ever seen. When I first took my seat (24D), I thought: “where the hell are my legs going to go for 12 hours?”
Then I realized there is space under the seat in front of you to stretch your legs. No, not as much space a Business Class seat, but that is not what this is. Air New Zealand also provided a fluffy beanbag to rest your feet on.

The black divider between the two seats is actually two separate pieces that lift up several inches to become an armrest. The top also flips open and there is a storage area inside. If the seat next to you is vacant, as mine was, one can easily lay down flat on your side for a snooze. If the seat next to you is occupied, not to fear. The whole seat is in a large shell and you will be able to rest your head to the side (see photos)
Air New Zealand will be removing a row of Premium Economy Seats, giving passengers in this cabin an additional 6″ of pitch.

The seat has 2 levers, one to recline the seat and one to tilt the entire seat backward. I included a few pictures of the Sky Couch and Business Class seats below. In the next post I will share the actual flight experience where it will become evident that Air New Zealand has re-invented the Premium Economy Class concept.
**Disclaimer: This flight was provided to me by Air New Zealand

23 a&b

23 d&e

24 d&e

32 d&e

premium economy cabin

looking down into seat area

across the aisle 23 a&b

meal tray

seat guide

economy cabin

sky couch-all 3 seats feature extension

seats 34 a&b

business class

Once you pass through customs, the lounge is directly to your right and up an escalator. I was cheerfully greeted, given a power adapter and was offered any further assistance. There is plenty to explore in this lounge as it is much more than just a square box. The are many twists and turns, corners, spaces, high tables, giant work tables and quiet areas.

I found myself wondering around looking for coffee and was approached by a lounge staff member who asked if I needed assistance. This is a small detail yes, but does not happen often enough in many airline lounges. Usually there is someone to assist you at the main desk and the rest of staff simply pick up discarded items.

There is staffed coffee bar, and plenty of salads and snacks. There was a pleasant aroma which I finally identified as shepherds pie, which was delicious, although I did it no justice in presentation. An inordinate selection of beer and wine is a factor worth noting.
Complimentary massages are available for business class and Koru gold passengers. All other passengers can get a message for 10NZD for 15 minutes.

rear section of lounge

quiet area

service desk

coffee bar

shepherds pie

giant common table with power outlets

adjacent (closed) lounges

Ok. Enough travelling for the moment. Let’s take a break and look at some airfares. Without which we won’t be able to plan another trip. This is another installment of “Where The Good Fares Are”

I search for international airfares using a random set of dates and somewhat random city pairings. I see relative value in these fares. They may be good for mileage runs, checking out different airlines, positioning or hell… even leisurely travel. Not an all inclusive list. I found all the fares today on Orbitz (where Planereality has an affiliate agreement) using January 11, 2012 through January 18, 2012. I used the “search 1 day before/after” function in Orbitz.  Fare listed include  fees and taxes.  You may want to do the same.  Labor Day Weekend fast approaching.  No hurricanes please.

ECONOMY CLASS

JFK-Dublin $540 Delta – search for fare

JFK-Berlin $647 Air Berlin – search for fare

EWR-Oslo $708 SAS – search for fare

IAD-CDG $699 Air France & Continental search for fare

LAX-Madrid $781 Iberia – search for fare

SFO-Beijing $939 Air China – search for fare

BUSINESS CLASS

LAX-Shanghai $3453 Air Canada – search for fare

Boston-LHR $2858 Virgin – search for fare

JFK-Madrid $2721 Air Europa – search for fare

It’s pretty well known and/or accepted, that Singapore Airlines has one of the best business class products in the industry. Some would argue the best. But what about Singapore’s Economy Class product? Is there anything to be said for it? Or is it just run of the mill?
I decided to find out on SQ 285 from SIN-AKL. Of course I would have rather sat up front for this flight. I’d rather sit up front on any flight, but I was eager to see what it was like in Singapore Coach.

Boarding was quite chaotic considering I was boarding and deplaning outside the US. Boarding planes in the US is always more chaotic than abroad. Boarding on this flight, SQ285, was frantic, crowded and fast-paced, yet somehow under control. The gate agent called for boarding by the normal pecking order, but no one was verifying boarding passes. In theory, you could have boarded whenever you wanted. This may have had something to do with furor.

Ten minutes into the flight, I was already impressed. Hot towels were passed out, followed by headphones, dinner menus and a small amenity kit. And get this; the economy class menu included a drink menu! Shortly after reaching cruise altitude, packaged nuts and cocktails were offered.

It’s worth noting that in exit row 31, the door does not protrude into your leg room, even if you are seated in the window seat. Also, there are no bathrooms in front of row 31, jut a curtain that leads to Business Class, so passengers do not congregate in front of you seat. Despite row 31 being the very first row of economy, the flight attendant do alternated where they start meal service.

I chose the curry chicken for dinner and while it was tasty, it wasn’t exactly boneless, skinless chicken. Well, it may have been but there was plenty of fatty inedible pieces. An appetizer of duck came with dinner. I took one bite, but I am simply not much of a fan of duck. Liquor was not kept on the catering carts on this flight. This is consistent with all flights I have taken on international airlines. They are happy to fix you a drink, but it takes quite some time as they wait until they finish serving the cabin. This is 1 thing that US Carriers are much better at than international carriers- they always keep booze on the cart.

An hour after dinner service, flight attendants offered water and juice. An hour after that they offered apples despite 90% of the cabin being asleep. Two hours before landing, a second hot towel service was offered, just before breakfast was served. Breakfast was pretty standard airline fare including soggy hashbrowns.

Despite some food shortcomings, this was one of my favorite flights in economy class. The other being Etihad Economy Class I didn’t want this flight to end, at least for the first 6 or 7 hours. I would not hesitate to fly Singapore Economy Class regardless of flight length.

I have some pictures of the First Class Cabin on this aircraft which I will post next.

31 A,B,C

view into business class

amenity kit: socks and toothbrush

cheese, crackers, bread, chcolate, duck, curry chicken

personal tv’s in ext rows

amenities in coach bathrooms

breakfast (item on right is cereal)

9V-SWS

This is the lounge you will have access to if you are flying economy class and hold Star Gold Status or Elite Status with Singapore Airlines. Of course, I would have loved to see the Business Class class lounge, but this space offered everything you would expect of a top of the line business class lounge.

The space is divided into 3 or 4 sections one of which houses the main event: food an drinks. There were finger sandwiches, mixed nuts, snack mixes, chicken wings, fried rice, vegetables, cheese, salads and arguably most importantly, a wide selection of booze. One dish available which I have never heard of: chicken thighs Milanese. Didn’t taste it, but looked interesting.
There were also a few Apple desktops and televisions. Only about a dozen passengers occupied the lounge during my evening visit.

*** it’s a minor miracle that I got this post up with power that only became available last night and no Internet connection. Are you impressed yet?
Singapore Airlines economy class coming up as soon as possible.

Entrance to Silverkris lounge

If I am not mistaken, only routes flown by certain types of Singapore Airlines aircraft are eligible for upgrades using United Mileage Plus Miles. Of course, the newest of new business class seats, like the ones on the A380 and 777 are not eligible, but that is OK, I have experienced them previously. The A330′s and 747′s are eligible for upgrades (assuming there is space and you buy the correct fare class).

In my opinion, using miles to upgrade is the best utilization of frequent flyer miles. One of the best bangs I ever got for my buck (miles) was upgrading LAX-BKK flight on Thai with United miles. A very long flight and a relatively inexpensive “full fare” economy class ticket.

Today’s flight was on a Singapore Airlines A330-300 (9V-STKE) and so I used United Miles to upgrade to Business Class for the 5hr and 40min flight from Seoul to Singapore. Once I found my seat, 11K, I was offered various global newspapers, magazines, orange juice, tomato juice and water. There was no champagne offered, but the flight attendant gladly obliged when I requested it and I was happy to see I was not the only one partaking. Just before pushback, hot towels were distributed.
Once airborne, slipper/socks, eye shades and (oddly) the same pre-poured drinks were again offered.

Seats
They are short. They look short and they are. Meaning, when I was seated, the seat back only came up to my shoulder blades. When I reclined the seat to “lounge” position, the seat provided very little support without a pillow. Even with a pillow, there is not really anywhere for the pillow to rest. The seats are angled lie flat, but were very comfortable when fully reclined.
These A330 seats have a lot of outlets, including power, S-Video, 2 USB ports and audio/video jacks.

Food
Never had a bad meal on Singapore. Not even a disappointing meal. I was shown a menu with 4 main course choices: eel, Cantonese dumplings, a vegetarian dish and a beef dish. A salmon appetizer was offered as an appetizer. Singapore serves better salmon than I can buy on the ground. I think the menus may have been in the seat pocket, but I didn’t grab one. The Cantonese dumplings were outstanding, chock-full of fresh shrimp. After the delicious sesame ice cream a cheese plate was offered. After all of this, chocolate was offered, but I had already tapped out.

An hour after lunch, water was offered and hot towel service shortly before landing. Flying Singapore Airlines is always a treat. The service, food and comfort, of any of their Business Class cabins, are tip-top of the heap. But how is their economy product?

First things first: There was very little food at this lounge, but I was there from 5:30 am until roughly 6:45am. I may have been the first passenger of the day, but none-the-less, the two desk agents both jumped up to greet me. A Business Class ticket on Singapore Airlines allowed me access, but Star Alliance Gold members also have access. The Lounge is located on the 2nd floor of Terminal A (not the main terminal that Korean Air flies out of).
The entire space is rather dark and there are no windows. It sort of feels like you are in someone’s basement, albeit a very nicely appointed basement.

As mentioned, the food was sparse, but there were a few chefs scurrying around, about to prepare something. There were some instant noodles, bread and a small salad bar set-up. Come to think of it, there were some signs that said hot food would be available shortly.
The shower room looked great, as it was stocked with toiletries. There was also a large business center and rooms to rest and sleep. My experinece at the Cathay Pacific Lounge, opposite this Asiana Lounge, was much better, but again, I was there at a different time of day.
Here are a few pictures of the Asiana Lounge in the main terminal.

i can only assume this plays itself

dining area

A few observations on the interior of the Korean Air A380. Below are a few interior photos of the aircraft. I cannot speak to business and first class because I did not sit there or look, at length, at the seats. In economy the seat that stood out the most was 47D. It is in the center section but there is no seat in front of it. It is an aisle seat and again, not an exit row. The bulkhead seats look pretty good and will provide some extra space, but, of course, there is nowhere to stretch your legs straight out. The exit rows look fantastic, but remember there are no personal video screens during taxi, takeoff and landing to view the flight cameras. I learned my lesson on the Lufthansa A380.

The economy class is divided into 3 sections. The exit rows are “42″ in the 2nd 3rd and “52$” in the 3rd section of economy. Please note: Rows 28 (port & starboard) is NOT an exit row. The middle of that same first row is 30 and it is standard bulkhead. Have a look at the pictures and I am happy to field any questions.
I am not sure how many bathrooms this plane has relative to other A380 operators, but there was a constant line for the bathroom. This made me think that the duty free shop occupied the space that normally would have been dedicated to lavatories. Lack of bathrooms due to duty free? Cheers!

3A

2 D&E 1st class

2D first class

1st class bar

3D

forward stairs

20 A & B

celestial bar

52 H,J,K

aft stairs

aft galley 2nd floor

duty free