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I've just made it back to Paris after a 5 week trip that has taken me to Asia (4 times), Australia, and the US (2 times).
I flew a whole slew of airlines in longhaul first class and I thought I would rank them with short descriptions. My rankings are primarily based on seat comfort, service/food/wine, flight time/convenience (in that order). 10 is highest
SQ 77W in F class CDG-SIN. 10/10. New additional flights ex-cdg now depart at 11pm so the timing couldn't be more convenient. This 12 hour flight felt like 3 hours, so based on that, SQ is consistently doing something right. The 1999 Pichon-Longueville Paulliac doesn't hurt either.
SQ A380 in C class SIN-SYD. 7/10. Considering this is business class, this ranking is quite high due to full flat seat comfort and service. This seat and service is better than some other airlines' first class. Novelty of 380 helps too. I'll do a trip report with pics on my next trip to syd in March if I take the new first class suites. The 1998 Chateau Giscours Margaux is the best business class wine I've ever had and stood up great in my taste test vs. 2001 Cos d'Estournel St. Estephe they were serving in first.
SQ 744 in C class SYD-SIN. 4/10. The miserable spacebed. never again. not even for a short haul 3 hour flight from SIN to HKG. The only time I've flown in that seat and my last.
SQ 77W in F class from TPE-LAX. 10/10. Great bed in the new seats, food, and the flight left at 11pm so I slept the whole way minus an hour before landing.
Japan Airlines 744 in F class LAX-NRT. 7/10. Nice private config with JL's Marc Newsome designed while leather seats made by Poltrona Frau. Not spacious enough though. Service was good and they scored points by offering a Corton Charlemagne white burgundy (which is my fav white wine) and a down duvet. Pretty nice new first class lounge in Tokyo as well.
All Nippon Airlines 77W in F class NRT-SFO. 10/10. This was even better than SQ. The food menu was so extensive and there are about 20 different things you can eat. Highlights were the sashimi and a medium rare wagyu Japanese beef steak. The seat turned into a large flat bed, service was top notch and this was probably one of the best flights I've taken in years. NH is the only real competition to SQ in my book. The pjs or amenity kits they offer are not the best, but I had plenty with me anyway from previous flights and not an important criteria in my ranking.
SQ 744 in F class LAX-NRT. 8/10 The usual skysuite we all know by now. Although a little old, still very comfortable especially with all the different positions. Don't like the day flight as much as SQ 1 night flight to HKG though.
CX 744 in F class NRT-HKG. 9/10. New suites with a ton of space. they didn't have sheets and the duvet due to the regional route being relatively short which was a minus. But overall, it was very comfortable and I slept well after a huge Saturday night out in Tokyo. The food and wine list of CX has been cut back (no more Lynch Bages Paulliac
- perhaps to finance those new seats. Only 9 suites in the front of the plane with 4 individual suites along the windows and one in the back middle. No two seats remotely together except perhaps the first two so flying with someone is not ideal although it is possible to dine with someone sitting on the ottoman (as if anyone ever does that).
LH 744 in F class SIN-FRA. 6/10. Full with 16 passengers and every seat taken. LH's product compared pretty low especially after all the great Asian carriers. The fact that those seats are still in service has made LH really slip in terms of offering a competitive first class product. Even UA, who have spent a few years in Chapter 11 have found a way to upgrade their first class seats twice in the same period of time LH has had these in service. At least LH makes nice scrambled eggs onboard and they have those great first class lounges in Germany once you get out of that upstairs sardine can.
Despite some pretty comfortable travel conditions, I'm happy to stay put for at least 3 weeks and not get on any plane no matter how good the seats are!
Silvertoad
(aka CDG 1K from FT)
I flew a whole slew of airlines in longhaul first class and I thought I would rank them with short descriptions. My rankings are primarily based on seat comfort, service/food/wine, flight time/convenience (in that order). 10 is highest
SQ 77W in F class CDG-SIN. 10/10. New additional flights ex-cdg now depart at 11pm so the timing couldn't be more convenient. This 12 hour flight felt like 3 hours, so based on that, SQ is consistently doing something right. The 1999 Pichon-Longueville Paulliac doesn't hurt either.
SQ A380 in C class SIN-SYD. 7/10. Considering this is business class, this ranking is quite high due to full flat seat comfort and service. This seat and service is better than some other airlines' first class. Novelty of 380 helps too. I'll do a trip report with pics on my next trip to syd in March if I take the new first class suites. The 1998 Chateau Giscours Margaux is the best business class wine I've ever had and stood up great in my taste test vs. 2001 Cos d'Estournel St. Estephe they were serving in first.
SQ 744 in C class SYD-SIN. 4/10. The miserable spacebed. never again. not even for a short haul 3 hour flight from SIN to HKG. The only time I've flown in that seat and my last.
SQ 77W in F class from TPE-LAX. 10/10. Great bed in the new seats, food, and the flight left at 11pm so I slept the whole way minus an hour before landing.
Japan Airlines 744 in F class LAX-NRT. 7/10. Nice private config with JL's Marc Newsome designed while leather seats made by Poltrona Frau. Not spacious enough though. Service was good and they scored points by offering a Corton Charlemagne white burgundy (which is my fav white wine) and a down duvet. Pretty nice new first class lounge in Tokyo as well.
All Nippon Airlines 77W in F class NRT-SFO. 10/10. This was even better than SQ. The food menu was so extensive and there are about 20 different things you can eat. Highlights were the sashimi and a medium rare wagyu Japanese beef steak. The seat turned into a large flat bed, service was top notch and this was probably one of the best flights I've taken in years. NH is the only real competition to SQ in my book. The pjs or amenity kits they offer are not the best, but I had plenty with me anyway from previous flights and not an important criteria in my ranking.
SQ 744 in F class LAX-NRT. 8/10 The usual skysuite we all know by now. Although a little old, still very comfortable especially with all the different positions. Don't like the day flight as much as SQ 1 night flight to HKG though.
CX 744 in F class NRT-HKG. 9/10. New suites with a ton of space. they didn't have sheets and the duvet due to the regional route being relatively short which was a minus. But overall, it was very comfortable and I slept well after a huge Saturday night out in Tokyo. The food and wine list of CX has been cut back (no more Lynch Bages Paulliac
- perhaps to finance those new seats. Only 9 suites in the front of the plane with 4 individual suites along the windows and one in the back middle. No two seats remotely together except perhaps the first two so flying with someone is not ideal although it is possible to dine with someone sitting on the ottoman (as if anyone ever does that). LH 744 in F class SIN-FRA. 6/10. Full with 16 passengers and every seat taken. LH's product compared pretty low especially after all the great Asian carriers. The fact that those seats are still in service has made LH really slip in terms of offering a competitive first class product. Even UA, who have spent a few years in Chapter 11 have found a way to upgrade their first class seats twice in the same period of time LH has had these in service. At least LH makes nice scrambled eggs onboard and they have those great first class lounges in Germany once you get out of that upstairs sardine can.
Despite some pretty comfortable travel conditions, I'm happy to stay put for at least 3 weeks and not get on any plane no matter how good the seats are!
Silvertoad
(aka CDG 1K from FT)
I did that evening flight from CDG last month. Indeed, it was very good (except my bags did not make it to SIN... but that's a different story 
) Had an excellent rabbit stew. 
Welcome to SQTalk, Silvertoad. 
Home is where your heart is.
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