Help! Flying to London - Need Airline Recommendations

[NashVegas]

Hi All -

I'm finally getting that dream vacation, and need to choose an airline.

For my budget, I'm looking at Northwest and Virgin Atlantic. Anyone here experienced their int'l routes? Impressions?

If anyone had an easy trip on another air line, please pipe up!

thanks.


(woo-hoo!)

[northzax]

1. virgin is my preference

although their 747 seats are a little narrow for my tastes. but the service is impeccable. and the drinks are strong.

[NashVegas]

2. drinks aren't an issue

I dehydrate in the air, so no booze for me :(

Seating comfort may be an issue, though.

[northzax]

13. '47s just have narrower seats

BA flies 777s which are real nice. United as well, but not usually from the East coast to England.

oh, and Virgin has the best inflight entertainment, for my money.

[Jon8503]

3. Hey, be sure and check back in when you get lined up on one

heading there in October. So, if you don't mind. Just starting to check out some airlines now.

Read in Mens Health, the best time to get your lowest airfare is at 1:00 AM on Wednesday because guess that is when they change them or something.

[Sympleesmshn]

4. Don't go delta

The best I have had is untied. You should try British Airways if it is in your range, I think they would be your best bets...

[tjdee]

5. My Brit friends like Virgin and British Airways.

That's all I know about it, as I've never been there--have a good trip!

[Catchawave]

6. My friend took Virgin to London....

and loved it. She just rebooked on that airline for her next trip!

Have fun:bounce:

Best Advice: Ask the Bobbies for pub recommendations.:toast:

[Shananigans]

7. Northwest, hands down!

They are a great airline to fly. Not to mention a very community/union friendly corporation!

I have flown them for all three of my overseas flights and have found the service to be impeccable!

[NashVegas]

12. Northwest Has Been Good to Me

I haven't flown NW since prior to 9/11, though.

[Missy Vixen]

8. SAS

Seats are roomy and they break things up a bit by offering something to eat at least once an hour. They also have an animated screen showing everyone where the plane is, how fast it's traveling, etcetera.

I've flown both BA and SAS, and even as a white-knuckle flier, I'd go SAS again in a heartbeat.

Julie

[NashVegas]

10. I Feel Stupid

SAS?

[northzax]

14. Scandanavian

www.scandanavian.com

as I recall, SES went under and was reconfigured as Scandanavian.

[NashVegas]

15. found it

thanks

ow.

their prices are way out of my league. thanks for the recommend, though

[candy]

9. I love BA's 777 which I take in the morning from Boston----

arriving in the evening,which I like.

Be careful crossing those streets in London!!!!!!!!!!

[democrat in Tallahassee]

11. flew KLM (northwest) to london last summer and have flown to

europe with the twice before--dependable and on time but they lost my luggage last year and took me a week to get it.
they usually have good fares
am flying virgin this year; their rates were better

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

16. Where are you departing from?

If you can bag a ticket on one of Northwest's new A-330s you'll have a really nice ride, especially in first class -- fully reclining seats and entertainment systems, very cool.

[NashVegas]

17. Nashville

I'm an economy sort, alas.

[Us vs Them]

18. I've had fairly good service with BA.

They are now my first choice.

[NashVegas]

19. It Is Done

Northwest DC-10

Whenever I think of DC-10s, I think of famous plane crashes. Gulp.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

20. Don't worry.

The DC-10s had some problems a number of years ago but these have all been taken care of per FAA directives. They are good airplanes.

[donheld]

24. DC-10s have been faithful workhorses of the Airline industry

I'd get on one in a heart beat. Most are retired now. Alas

[Lydia Leftcoast]

21. Which airline has the best leg room to Europe?

Tall people want to know! :-)

[mcscajun]

22. Virgin, absolutely!

They still know how to treat their passengers.

Nicest flight I've had crossing the Atlantic.

And I still have their sleep mask and slipper socks. :)

[FM Arouet666]

23. USAir.....

Yes, I know they are bankrupt, but they should be flying until June when they are supposed to come out of bankruptcy. Anyway, I prefer them over most other U.S. based carriers when flying to Europe because you have in-seat entertainment in coach and a power plug for a lap top. As far I as know, only Airbus planes offers this, Boeing offers something similar in the 777, but with far less flexibility. For England, you land at Gattwick, instead of Heathrow, which is a bit farther away from London, but much less hassle.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

25. NWA's A-330s are about the nicest airplanes out there.

They are brand new, have fully reclining seats in FC, plug-ins, all kinds of bells and whistles, and they go to LGW as well. And the company isn't in bankruptcy, either. BTW, one excellent place to check for good/bad seats on all airlines is http://www.seatguru.com.

[FM Arouet666]

26. Thanks, I will have to check out NWA again.

I quit flying them after getting stuck on the tarmac in Canada for five hours one winter. But, I can forgive them now that they have Airbus planes. :evilgrin:

[northzax]

29. I have taken at least 7 round trips

over the pacific or atlantic since 1992, and I have not had one single plane that didn't have in seat entertainment. It's the standard now, I think

Though the plug is a nice touch from the newer planes.

[tjwmason]

27. Welcome to England - in advance

:hi:

I'm afraid I've never crossed the pond (though once you get rid of Bush I would like to see a few parts of the U.S.) and so cannot recommend an air-line.

Hope that you have a wonderful trip, and see loads of the cool stuff which we have over here.

[NashVegas]

32. Thanks TJ!

This is my first trip out of this country! I'm pretty psyched.

1/2 the trip is going to be spent in Cornwall, the rest probably in London.

[tjwmason]

33. Cornwall will make an interesting contrast with London

London has been the major city here for 2000 years and is very much the centre of British life (to the great chagrin of those living elsewhere). Absolutely anything you would want will be there in some form or other.

Cornwall is a beautiful place with much to see (though of course it's not really part of England) and much history too. It's also got the best weather in Britain - a definite plus point. It is far more calm than London.

[muriel_volestrangler]

28. Virgin are fine once you're in the air

but they're the most disorganised check-in I've ever seen. At Chicago, they tried to process an entire 747 through 2 check-in desks, and wondered why people were having to queue for 2 hours, and the plane was delayed (I heard them whinge "we opened the desks 3 hours before the plane was meant to take off - why weren't people turning up then?") At JFK, the plane was delayed - so they cut the check-in down to one desk - so again, we queued for well over an hour before we were told what was going on. Being an evening flight, by the time I was checked in, all the eating places in the airport had closed down - and the plane didn't take off until after 1am.

[radwriter0555]

30. check into Gate 1 Travel. I've gone all over the planet with them and

they are FANTASTIC.

http://www.gate1travel.com/europe-travel

Their hotels are great, airline service is standard, and it just WORKS. Love em. The deals can't be beat. Went to china for $499 RT including hotel and air.

[joeybee12]

31. My advice--go with the foreign-based airline...

...I haven't flown Virgin Atlantic, but all American airlines have drastically cut back on their service overseas--no more free drinks, not even wine with the meal, no choice of movies (only one), you'll get one meal--used to get two, the jet they use will be smaller. Flying over should be an experience in itself, but now it's just a hassle, like domestic flying is.

Anyway, have a great trip. I'm leaving for Prague in exactly one week, so I know how excited you are!