Seat Choices in a 747 Business Class

[traquer]

KLM is my new fav airline. Lufthansa biz class was also excellent last year.

Also, Swiss and Lufthansa are great because they don't fly to most of the shithole countries that Air France and British Airways do, so much less chance your neighbor will be a smelly cretin on his first trip abroad.

 

[JDKRXW]

Reportedly Joe Sutter, who was the manager of the 747 design team, would sit in the 1st or 2nd row in the main cabin. Those used to be the best seats in the house.

You can see slightly forward / ahead in those seats because the fuselage tapers inwards towards the nose.
I've been there

 

[JDKRXW]

Ha

Most flights to Europe are not American Airlines, but they code share. Don’t get stuck on Turkish Air.

Haha - you obviously haven't riden with Pegasus; they treat people like cattle ... because they have to.

 

[Orange Juice]

If you want full access to the aircraft, I'd assume the upper deck would do that.

 

[boatpi]

Haven’t flown central to Europe so far my best item is luftansia

 

[Markus]

KLM is my new fav airline. Lufthansa biz class was also excellent last year.

KLM’s lounge in Amsterdam is pretty poor. Not a good place for a long wait for a connection. Lufthansa in Frankfurt and Munich is nicer.

 

[Markus]

I would be flying out of Houston, but Lufthansa also flies out of Dallas and Austin and both could work for me. I can't fly from here on a 747, only New York/Frankfurt. So, I have to go to New York JFK and then to Frankfurt for a 747. Kind of a PITA, but I could live with it.

Inconvenient routing is typically reflected in the price you pay. So some Lufthansa/United code share to Italy via New York and Frankfurt will be competitively priced on dates when they need to fill seats on that 747.

 

[Willie B]

… Just remembered flying from from Sacramento to Burbank just after 9/11… felt like putting my hands in the air saying I give up..really heavily armed Army…everywhere… I was not dressed like the other passengers… I had a short sleeve shirt on, Levis and my arms were hamburger from chainsawing Madrone hardwood branches that were blocking my driveway at lake Oroville… nobody spoke to each other while waiting… And nobody spoke to each other during the flight…Sad Sad deal…

 

[shunter2005]

Inconvenient routing is typically reflected in the price you pay. So some Lufthansa/United code share to Italy via New York and Frankfurt will be competitively priced on dates when they need to fill seats on that 747.

Exactly. It's about $700 more to fly from here. So, to catch a ride in the 747 I have to fly to NY JFK on United or American, etc. It's actually a little cheaper to go that way, rather than fly from here. I just hate flying United or American!!! Delta isn't much better, IMO.... but I may have to grin and bear it for 3+ hrs.

Wish I could fly Southwest, but they don't fly into JFK, only LaGuardia. Funny, those airports are 12 miles apart and it costs $70-$175 to travel between the two. I ain't ridin' no NY bus or subway on the cheap. I'm no cheapskate, but it just pisses me off they charge that much to transfer between the two airports and then having to go thru security a second time.

 

[Nordie]

Exactly. It's about $700 more to fly from here. So, to catch a ride in the 747 I have to fly to NY JFK on United or American, etc. It's actually a little cheaper to go that way, rather than fly from here. I just hate flying United or American!!! Delta isn't much better, IMO.... but I may have to grin and bear it for 3+ hrs.

Wish I could fly Southwest, but they don't fly into JFK, only LaGuardia. Funny, those airports are 12 miles apart and it costs $70-$175 to travel between the two. I ain't ridin' no NY bus or subway on the cheap. I'm no cheapskate, but it just pisses me off they charge that much to transfer between the two airports and then having to go thru security a second time.

Jet Blue ain't too bad and I know they fly into JFK, not sure from Houston though. Delta is probably the best domestically.

 

[traquer]

KLM’s lounge in Amsterdam is pretty poor. Not a good place for a long wait for a connection. Lufthansa in Frankfurt and Munich is nicer.

That is very true actually... I was just in the KLM lounge 52 or whatever the international lounge is called in Amsterdam, and the bartender lady barely gave me any whiskey!! lol in most lounges you just pour it yourself. But they did have showers and sleeping rooms for a fee. Was pretty spacious inside.

I try not to have more than 4 or 5 hours between flights, so the lounge isn't as big a deal to me. I just need coffee, quiet atmosphere and good wifi honestly and I'm good

Lufthansa lounge in Frankfurt is amazing though, even has a private cigar room. Can't imagine their first class lounge.

 

[shunter2005]

Jet Blue ain't too bad and I know they fly into JFK, not sure from Houston though. Delta is probably the best domestically.

They do fly from Houston to NY, however their flight times would almost require an overnight in NY before leaving to Rome. Been checking on times from NY to see if I can coordinate it. I am kinda surprised, as there aren't many nonstop flights to NY from any airline. Most take over 6 hrs due to stops and layovers.

 

[Nordie]

They do fly from Houston to NY, however their flight times would almost require an overnight in NY before leaving to Rome. Been checking on times from NY to see if I can coordinate it. I am kinda surprised, as there aren't many nonstop flights to NY from any airline. Most take over 6 hrs due to stops and layovers.

I will say I was pretty young, but I have been on a 747-400 flying to England as a young kid. I flew Virgin airlines and as a young kid it was an awesome experience.

I admire your tenacity to make this happen!

 

[Markus]

Exactly. It's about $700 more to fly from here. So, to catch a ride in the 747 I have to fly to NY JFK on United or American, etc. It's actually a little cheaper to go that way, rather than fly from here. I just hate flying United or American!!! Delta isn't much better, IMO.... but I may have to grin and bear it for 3+ hrs.

If you are flying Lufthansa out of JFK or EWR, it would have to be United into JFK or EWR for it to be a single ticket at a reasonable price. Unless Lufthansa code shares with JetBlue. They took an ownership stake many years ago, but I don’t know what happened to that.

If you are on separate tickets, you are on your own in case of delays.

 

[Markus]

I flew Virgin airlines and as a young kid it was an awesome experience.

I admire your tenacity to make this happen!

Virgin Atlantic is very good, but the 747s have been retired:

https://flywith.virginatlantic.com/eu/en/meet-our-fleet.html

 

[shunter2005]

If you are flying Lufthansa out of JFK or EWR, it would have to be United into JFK or EWR for it to be a single ticket at a reasonable price. Unless Lufthansa code shares with JetBlue. They took an ownership stake many years ago, but I don’t know what happened to that.

If you are on separate tickets, you are on your own in case of delays.

Yeah, that is a valid point. With all the delays they are having now, it would be difficult enough even if I pony up the extra money to fly Lufthansa from Houston to Rome and back. Guess I should stop trying to find a deal and just book the entire flight in one whack.