Bkk - Ny In June, Which Compfy Airline? Where To Stop Over?

[THAIPHUKET]

Will go to NY in June, flying business class. Want to have an easy flight, no stress. Which airline with flat bed seats? Where to have a pleasant 1-2 day stop over? Use Qatar to Europe, but I am not loyal.

[tolsti]

Emirates.... HKT-DXB then DXB-JFX Flat beds all the way.

[dddave]

I fly a lot as an air courier. While the UAE airlines (Quatar, Emirates, Etihad, Gulf) all have great service, they are almost always overloaded with family groups...lots of crying babies. While Business class has less, only 1st class is screamer free.

When flying to the USA. I prefer Korean Airlines above all others for service, comfort and FA's in their leather skirts. I can't say they never have screaming babies as well but there seem to be a lot fewer.

Normally I fly Economy but have enough miles that I often score an upgrade to B class and Koreans is great.

United has surprised me lately...much improved Business Class from 2 years ago.

[yermanee]

Turkish Airlines have a good reputation and are offering a 122.000 Baht fare

Have never been to Istanbul but would'nt mind spending a couple of days there. Lots of interesting thing to see.

Yermanee

[THAIPHUKET]

All wonderful suggestions, stop over in Dubai should be interesting for my wife, Skyscrapers, Turkish Air is good, price sounds very ok, Istanbul Souks may be of lesser interest to a Thai, Seoul, no opinion.

Another question, perhaps to DDDave, where is it least cumbersome to enter the US? Want this to a pleasant trip. Have not been back to the US in many years. JFK stories sound horrific, a friend enters via Canada.

[yermanee]

Istanbul Souks may be of lesser interest to a Thai.

Except the " GOLD " shops maybe ??

Yermanee

[Upnotover]

Istanbul Souks may be of lesser interest to a Thai.

Except the " GOLD " shops maybe ??

Yermanee

And she won't need a visa for Turkey.

[THAIPHUKET]

Upnotover, did´t think of that!!!Would hate to have to travel from Cm to BKK just to get a stop over visa! Guess the same applies to Canada too.

Narrowing the choices by elimination, perfect!

[el jefe]

Cathy Pacific is expensive but has great Business Class service. I've never flown business class for the short flight from BKK-HKG, but the 15 hours from HKG-JFK is great. In 10 flights on that route I've only once seen a child in biz class and never a baby. I'd prefer to break up the trip with a long and short flight and get a good night's sleep rather than do two 8-9 hour flights.

[THAIPHUKET]

el jefe, how can you say= 15 hours from HKG-JFK is great. and then= I like to break up trips :-)

I think, I would die on a 15 h flight, no matter how compfy , so where do you stop over? Very innocent about flying EAST-WEST, sorry.

[el jefe]

el jefe, how can you say= 15 hours from HKG-JFK is great. and then= I like to break up trips :-)

I think, I would die on a 15 h flight, no matter how compfy , so where do you stop over? Very innocent about flying EAST-WEST, sorry.

You're misquoting me. I never said "I like to break up trips".

I don't like to break up trips at all.

Thai Air used to do a 17 1/2 hour non-stop flight from BKK-JFK. That was great while it lasted.

Bangkok - NY is at least 18-19 hours no matter how you do it.

I'd prefer to do as much as possible in one continuous flight. Flying JFK-HKG gets most of the trip done in one segment.

HKG = Hong Kong.

If you can't handle 15 hours on one flight, choose one of the other suggestions above.

[GiantFan]

Quickest way for me last month from Phuket was Korean Air. Direct to Incheon. About 2+ hour layover and then direct to JFK. I'm sure the BKK route connects about the same time. Korean Air uses the A380 to JFK. Not sure about the seats? I fly Econ.

[THAIPHUKET]

@EL JEFE = I appologize

On Korean, this seat review from seatguru

-----------------------------------------

somewhat disappointed with my KE A380 experience. In terms of the business class seat, there is absolutely no
difference between 744 and 773ER business products, except for the duty free shopping mall, the celestial bar and the
DIY bar in the front. So if business class tickets command a premium price on the A380, one should really reconsider if
the seat is more important than anything. All transpacific business class seats are the same, so too is the IFE. Compared
to Singapore Airlines or Emirates A380 business products, Korean Air seats are satisfactory at best. Korean Air does not
even offer noise canceling headphones. Nor do the headphones appear indistinguishable from those offered in economy
below.

-----------------------------------------

Narrowing the selection !!! SEAT; SEAT ;SEAT is the only thing worth paying for, the rest can wait

[yermanee]

Here you go : Turkish Airlines business class seat

Yermanee

Edited April 14, 2013 by yermanee

[dddave]

All wonderful suggestions, stop over in Dubai should be interesting for my wife, Skyscrapers, Turkish Air is good, price sounds very ok, Istanbul Souks may be of lesser interest to a Thai, Seoul, no opinion.

Another question, perhaps to DDDave, where is it least cumbersome to enter the US? Want this to a pleasant trip. Have not been back to the US in many years. JFK stories sound horrific, a friend enters via Canada.

[/quote

I wouldn't characterize any one port of entry into the USA as better than another; it's totally situational. I've had 90 minute waits at JFK, LAX, ATL, and ORD and yet have breezed through all of the above on other occasions. It all depends on the luck of the arrivals schedule. Same true with the Immigration and Customs officers; sometimes pleasant: stamp-stamp, you're done. Sometimes less pleasant; just the luck of the draw. I believe you can accompany your wife in the non-US Citizen line and that should be helpful to her but do expect to wait longer as that line is always slower.

I have also flown Turkish Airlines Business Class and they are top notch. Also, the Turkish/Star Alliance lounge in the Istanbul Airport is to my mind, the most beautiful airline lounge anywhere...it looks like a movie set. Pray for a long layover so you can enjoy the myriad of teas served from tall brass samovars, thick Turkish coffee and dozens of cakes and pastries.

If the fare is right: bite!!

[dddave]

@EL JEFE = I appologize

On Korean, this seat review from seatguru

-----------------------------------------

somewhat disappointed with my KE A380 experience. In terms of the business class seat, there is absolutely no

difference between 744 and 773ER business products, except for the duty free shopping mall, the celestial bar and the

DIY bar in the front. So if business class tickets command a premium price on the A380, one should really reconsider if

the seat is more important than anything. All transpacific business class seats are the same, so too is the IFE. Compared

to Singapore Airlines or Emirates A380 business products, Korean Air seats are satisfactory at best. Korean Air does not

even offer noise canceling headphones. Nor do the headphones appear indistinguishable from those offered in economy

below.

-----------------------------------------

Narrowing the selection !!! SEAT; SEAT ;SEAT is the only thing worth paying for, the rest can wait

I've flown the 380 on long-haul flights 6 times now, twice Biz. class and the others coach. There is nothing special about the experience and I much prefer smaller aircraft, especially when offloading and not having to compete with 500 other passengers for an early spot in the immigration line. For coach passengers; it's just a bigger cattle car.

[yermanee]

Hello Thaiphuket,

Would like to know what you finally booked and at what price.

Might be useful info for some members.

Thanks

Yermanee

[GrantSmith]

If one is looking for a breeze through USCBP then JFK via SQ is the way to go...

Flight generally arrives mid morning and you're in and out within an hour (I say an hour as an average given YMMV)

SQ J will generally attract a premium and it is via FRA (SQ26/25) not sure how a stop over in FRA is as I go straight through SIN-FRA-JFK (if required) but an A380 all the way can't be that bad...

[THAIPHUKET]

I will take Turkish at 120.000THB, however firm booking is delayed, because of NY schedule changes.

Anyone who gave input and coming to or living in Chiang Mai, is welcome for a cup of coffee at the Ping River.

Thanks!