[Rossi]

I tried searching for it since there are so people who are traveling here as which airlines are the best?

I've tried almost all airlines from United States (Delta, AA, United, JetBlue, Southwest etc.) but for some reason, I wasn't really happy with them. I don't know why but planes are very old, they only allowed 1 luggage for free and for some reason, +55 years old flight attendants who can barely walk.

Alitalia is also not good. Planes are old, they often lose bags.

Air France, Lufthansa and British Airways are decent.

I really like Norwegian Airlines, cheap, good places and there were wifi on board for free of charge.

But my favorite is, Turkish Airlines. It allows you to have 2 luggages for free, wifi on board (free), great food selection (seafood, pasta, chicken, red meat. You can pre-select for free), every seat has its own screen you can watch any movie you want.

If you are coming from USA, it's relatively cheap for European destination if you want lay over. For example, round trip from New York to Rome was around $830.

I booked it from Turkish Airlines with Istanbul layover (2 hours), I was able to book it for $490. I highly recommend it. According to their commercials, they also won the "Best Airlines Reward" in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

Which airlines would you recommend?

[DiogoFC]

Glad to hear that.

My background is pretty different: Brazillian, short budget (that is, rarely take into account anything other than price when choosing), never flown with big ones like Delta or AA, but my favorite is also Turkish Airlines. They really got me with the freshly squeezed orange juice.

(02-08-2017 02:53 PM)Rossi Wrote:  

I tried searching for it since there are so people who are traveling here as which airlines are the best?

I've tried almost all airlines from United States (Delta, AA, United, JetBlue, Southwest etc.) but for some reason, I wasn't really happy with them. I don't know why but planes are very old, they only allowed 1 luggage for free and for some reason, +55 years old flight attendants who can barely walk.

Alitalia is also not good. Planes are old, they often lose bags.

Air France, Lufthansa and British Airways are decent.

I really like Norwegian Airlines, cheap, good places and there were wifi on board for free of charge.

But my favorite is, Turkish Airlines. It allows you to have 2 luggages for free, wifi on board (free), great food selection (seafood, pasta, chicken, red meat. You can pre-select for free), every seat has its own screen you can watch any movie you want.

If you are coming from USA, it's relatively cheap for European destination if you want lay over. For example, round trip from New York to Rome was around $830.

I booked it from Turkish Airlines with Istanbul layover (2 hours), I was able to book it for $490. I highly recommend it. According to their commercials, they also won the "Best Airlines Reward" in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

Which airlines would you recommend?

[FlyHigher123]

Air New Zealand, Qantas, EVA Air, China Airlines, ANA, JAL, Avianca, LATAM, Korean Air, Qatar, Etihad, Asiana, Finnair and SAS. Try to get frequent flier status so you can reserve exit row seats, lounge access and additional baggage for free.

[John Michael Kane]

Asiana has very professional flight attendants. Those ladies are on point. Mostly Korean staff. Here in the United States, the best service I've received has consistently been from Virgin America, Southwest and Alaska. Delta, United and American all suck in comparison.

[yankeetravels]

I've only been on a handful of airlines but the top one I'd recommend by far is Eva Airways of the ones I've been on. Coming from the US, they provide free shuttles to the airport, two free checked bags, about three meals on long-term flights, as well as free movies and games to pass the time. Honestly blew JetBlue and Continental/United right out of the water in my experiences.

[Rossi]

(02-08-2017 04:40 PM)John Michael Kane Wrote:  

Asiana has very professional flight attendants. Those ladies are on point. Mostly Korean staff. Here in the United States, the best service I've received has consistently been from Virgin America, Southwest and Alaska. Delta, United and American all suck in comparison.

Why are most of American airline companies hire so many very old flight attendants?

Last time, I took Delta to Brazil, most of the flight attendants were like over 60 years old. I thought they were gonna have a heart attack while passing me beer during flight.

[The Breeze]

(02-08-2017 05:36 PM)Rossi Wrote:  

Why are most of American airline companies hire so many very old flight attendants?

Because they have worked for the airline for 20-25 years...

Also, The "long haul" or International routes are the best ones,
so they go to the FA's with the highest seniority. You will still see
the occasional young hottie, on your flight from Reno to Wichita.

[AlphaRN]

The best planes and classes are always on international flights. Even a US carrier looks better when you are on a 777-300ER. Still, Asian airlines like Singapore and ANA are always highly regarded.

[John Michael Kane]

(02-08-2017 05:36 PM)Rossi Wrote:  

(02-08-2017 04:40 PM)John Michael Kane Wrote:  

Asiana has very professional flight attendants. Those ladies are on point. Mostly Korean staff. Here in the United States, the best service I've received has consistently been from Virgin America, Southwest and Alaska. Delta, United and American all suck in comparison.

Why are most of American airline companies hire so many very old flight attendants?

Last time, I took Delta to Brazil, most of the flight attendants were like over 60 years old. I thought they were gonna have a heart attack while passing me beer during flight.

Maybe American flight attendants are unionized, meaning that they can't easily fire someone, plus there are pension benefits tied up with the job?

On the Asian airlines, the flight attendants are much younger, and tend to be very sharp with their makeup and hair. Not a pin out of place. I think the executives at the Asian airlines know that if you have pretty young women in the aisles, people just feel better about the experience. Attractive women have a calming effect on the soul, while most of the older women that American airline companies hire look like they've smoked nothing but cigars and have bad hair. Asian airline execs are more based.

[rainy]

Wow. I've literally never head anyone say Turkish airlines was or is good unless they're in first class.

Back in cattle class on a flight from SFO to Istanbul, I was sweating my fucking balls off. The most uncomfortable flight of my life. After the flight I did some reading on Turkish airlines and the heat in the cabins seems to be the most common complaint. They really crank that shit up. Maybe in Europe where AC isn't popular, they're used to it. But me, someone who's always hot and even uses my AC in Jan in my car, never again. Not unless I use miles for an upgrade.

That's one positive about Turkish airlines, it's a Star Alliance member. So if you get miles thru airlines like United/Lufthansa which I almost always fly to Eastern Europe, you can use them to upgrade on Turkish airlines which is probably a bit cheaper than the others.

As for the hottest flight attendants, it's the handful of flights I've taken on Bulgarian Air. Every last one of them could have been a model. All looked fresh out of school. The worst are just about any American airline. Take your pick. Ugly, old hags with an attitude. One threatened to have cops meet me at the gate in Germany because I was stretching for too long near the lavatory on an 11 hour flight. Whereas on foreign airlines, even Lufthansa, when stretching in the back the attendants are more than happy to have a conversation and even offer a free drink or two.

[BrewDog]

(02-09-2017 02:54 AM)rainy Wrote:  

Wow. I've literally never head anyone say Turkish airlines was or is good unless they're in first class.

Morgan Freeman disagrees.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_gv6fRejLM
Turkish Airlines - Morgan Freeman Super Bowl Commercial (2017)

[rainy]

He doesn't disagree. He's not sitting there sweating his balls off in economy.

[BrewDog]

(02-09-2017 03:02 AM)rainy Wrote:  

He doesn't disagree. He's not sitting there sweating his balls off in economy.

If I were Morgan Goddamn Freeman, my ass wouldn't be flying in low class with all the peasants either. Nobody wants to sit next to poor people.

[kirdiesel]

I don't have too much experience as I mostly fly between Düsseldorf and New York.

I normally fly Air Berlin because of the price but the seats are so uncomfortable and everyone says Lufthansa so great so im going to give them a run next time. But I think for price Air Berlin can't be beat. I have only found Lufthansa cheaper than Air Berlin once but I missed out on the offer so I didn't get the chance to try them.

I have flown domestically in Europe with Germanwings and RyanAir....

Ryanair strictly for really quick flights . Seats cannot recline, not even a table in the back of the seats for you to rest anything on, you have to pay for everything

Germanwings was much better domestically but the price tends to be higher depending on the route.

Example: To Berlin from Cologne

Going to Berlin Germanwings was cheaper and much better service/comfort

Coming back to Cologne - Ryanair was cheaper but barebones.

[scrambled]

Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa are both "4" star ratings in the Tourism industry; American Airlines, Delta, and United 3; the value carriers 2; Singapore "5".

[Rossi]

(02-09-2017 02:54 AM)rainy Wrote:  

Wow. I've literally never head anyone say Turkish airlines was or is good unless they're in first class.

Back in cattle class on a flight from SFO to Istanbul, I was sweating my fucking balls off. The most uncomfortable flight of my life. After the flight I did some reading on Turkish airlines and the heat in the cabins seems to be the most common complaint. They really crank that shit up. Maybe in Europe where AC isn't popular, they're used to it. But me, someone who's always hot and even uses my AC in Jan in my car, never again. Not unless I use miles for an upgrade.

That's one positive about Turkish airlines, it's a Star Alliance member. So if you get miles thru airlines like United/Lufthansa which I almost always fly to Eastern Europe, you can use them to upgrade on Turkish airlines which is probably a bit cheaper than the others.

As for the hottest flight attendants, it's the handful of flights I've taken on Bulgarian Air. Every last one of them could have been a model. All looked fresh out of school. The worst are just about any American airline. Take your pick. Ugly, old hags with an attitude. One threatened to have cops meet me at the gate in Germany because I was stretching for too long near the lavatory on an 11 hour flight. Whereas on foreign airlines, even Lufthansa, when stretching in the back the attendants are more than happy to have a conversation and even offer a free drink or two.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/1432140/tu...ne-awards/

I mean, they won "Best Airlines" in Europe 6 years in a row.

Turkish people are hot-blooded people. It's 60 degree in Istanbul in January. I never noticed that it was too hot. I didn't use any Asian or Arabic Airlines (I heard Emirates is really good too) but Turkish Airlines is really good at least in Europe.

First of all, all seats have own tv, you can watch any movie you want and not movies from 1970's, actually 2016 movies. Alcohol is unlimited, I drank like 8 of those small wine bottles, equilavalent to 2 big bottles. Food is great, there's wifi on board for free. What else can you really ask more?

Plus, they let you have 2 luggages.

Is there any airlines who offer these services? I'd like to know if there are any.

Another trick is this: If you want to go to New York to Rome, if you book it from Delta or any American Airlines or Italian airlines, it's usually $800 (depending on the month) but I find it for around $450 via Turkish Airlines since there's one stop in Istanbul.

It's weird. If you book New York to Istanbul, it's not really cheap but if you book New York to Rome, even though it stops in Istanbul first, it's way cheaper.

Sometimes when I go New York to Istanbul, I intentionally book New York - Istanbul - Rome flight and once I land it in Istanbul, I don't take the second flight. It's way cheaper than if I booked New York - Istanbul.

[FlyHigher123]

Guys, don't pay attention to these airline awards. They are completely rigged. The organisation who decides who gets an award is a company that offers "aviation consulting" services. In order to get an award, it is necessary to do give them some very valuable contracts.

Regarding Turkish Airlines, they may had the best food in the past but since the recent events in Turkey and the following economic downturn, they are cost-cutting everywhere. Definitely not the best European airline anymore.

[tobehero]

For short , budget flights, I can't recommend Jet2 enough. Hassle free, extra leg room in all seats.

[Rossi]

(02-10-2017 07:47 AM)tobehero Wrote:  

For short , budget flights, I can't recommend Jet2 enough. Hassle free, extra leg room in all seats.

I tried Norwegian Airlines, it was also good. Free wi-fi on board.

[Antipodean]

(02-09-2017 08:04 PM)Rossi Wrote:  

Sometimes when I go New York to Istanbul, I intentionally book New York - Istanbul - Rome flight and once I land it in Istanbul, I don't take the second flight. It's way cheaper than if I booked New York - Istanbul.

This pricing anomaly is quite common with airlines.
I've often been tempted to take advantage of it, but how do you recover your checked in bag(s) at Istanbul, when they are checked to go through to Rome?

[BoiBoi]

I had good experiences with Turkish Airlines, COPA, LATAM, Lufthansa.

I absolutely loathe Iberia. They are the worst.

[Rossi]

(02-10-2017 09:14 PM)Antipodean Wrote:  

(02-09-2017 08:04 PM)Rossi Wrote:  

Sometimes when I go New York to Istanbul, I intentionally book New York - Istanbul - Rome flight and once I land it in Istanbul, I don't take the second flight. It's way cheaper than if I booked New York - Istanbul.

This pricing anomaly is quite common with airlines.
I've often been tempted to take advantage of it, but how do you recover your checked in bag(s) at Istanbul, when they are checked to go through to Rome?

There are 3 Turkish Airlines flight from New York to Istanbul per day. I look at the times carefully, I happen to get the ticket where lay-over is more than 12 hours in Istanbul.

I basically land in Istanbul, I tell flight attendants right after we land, I "forgot" my medicine in my luggage and I have a connection flight to Rome in about 12-13 hours. I say I need my medicine. They always arrange me to get my bag right away.

These airlines are very weird though. I just got a ticket from New York like a month ago.

New York => Istanbul, it was $720

New York => Istanbul => Rome was $480

I got that ticket. I took the New York to Istanbul flight, didn't get on Rome flight and I saved $240 by not taking the second flight.

[Advance]

For me it's like any airline that doesn't stop in the middle east if there are any stopovers.
From a personal opinion I always find myself alienated when I arrive at those airports. Not being racist here but I feel really uncomfortable. The last two stopovers were in Bahrain and Oman and I remember one in abu dhabi as well.
It's like the whole toilet situation is giving me the creeps and everyone apart form me wearing their traditional clothes does that as well. It just makes me feel really foreign.
Also if I do have a stopover for like 3-5 hours then usually there won't be any bars to be found either.

So for now I usually go direct if I can. Airline itself doesn't matter too much, as I tend to fall asleep before take off and sleep through most of the journey mostly.

[Advance]

Oh and within Europe -> Ryanair of course

[Rossi]

These Airlines are something else.

I was looking Milan => Stockholm tickets today for tomorrow because it's emergency. Tickets were for €238 and then I went to skiplagged and I got Milan => Stockholm => Helsinki flight for €65.

I won't take the second flight.