Airline of choice?

[James Wysong]

Okay, everyone has a personal favorite, let's hear yours!

[stephen_s]

I voted for United because they give you free stuff even in coach (free headsets and free snacks or meals).



I like US Airways too but their prices have been way too high lately.

[astra]

I absolutely adore America West. Have been platinum with them for three years now and they are very good to me. I've received FC upgrades every time I fly (which is cross country weekly). For the most part, they have great flight attendants and not-so-bad looking pilots and lots of vodka. Hey, maybe that's the reason?! Unfortunately, my current business destination is not serviced by AWA and so I fly Northwest (AUGH!!) No movies on these planes but lots more vodka!

[sinnissippi]

except for a lousy attendant on my flight to Hawaii. I can handle most of the ones I've flown except Delta -- hate them. Like being a sardine with my knees around my neck -- very clausterphobic. :( Haven't flown United in a long time, but will next week.

[jfrenaye]

Sorry to the loyal United people, but it seems that every time I fly United, there is a holier than thou attitude by almost everyone--from the ticketing agent to the gate agent, and even to the cabin crew. But the travelers seem to be the worst.



One time I was seated in FC with my girlfriend. We could not get seats together, and asked what appeard to be a nice woman if she would switch her aisle seat on the left for an aisle seat on the right so we could sit together. Well, you would have thought I asked for a kidney. "Do you realize that I am one of United's best customers? I am ALWAYS in first class and whan I fly I am ALWAYS in this seat. So no, I will not switch." Even the FA was amazed. I just sat there and morphed into the most obnoxious seatmate she could ever wish for--unfortunately I did not have the foresight to bring in some extra smelly food to eat en-route---another pet peeve of mine!

[WarmWaters]

I likeSouthWest because of the flight crews. For me, an airplane is just a box of people - so it's the people who make the difference.

[trishinomaha]

I have to say that I used to avoid SW airlines like the plague but the last few flights I've taken have been on Southwest. The prices are unbeatable especially considering that I live in a city that is not a major hub (Omaha). All the employees I've encountered have been pleasant and seem to enjoy their jobs. I also like the fact that you can book your flight in segments. We flew to Philadelphia a few weeks ago to pick up a car we'd purchased and were driving back so only needed a one way flight. SW was the only airline that would let us book a one way flight on line. The planes are clean and the new leather seats a plus. :D

[Cornhusker]

I have to agree with Trish. I have had nothing but good luck with Southwest, flying from Omaha. Sometimes the crews really show a great sense of humor! I live in Lincoln and work in Omaha and so I fly from OMA a lot more often than LNK. OMA is also often a lot cheaper than flying from LNK. It is great to see a fellow Husker on here!!!

[makfan]

I voted for American because I like the option of first class. However, AA has been cutting all the things which used to make it special. The "more room in coach" configuration made it tolerable when upgrades didn't come through. Now there is not a lot of leg room, no pillows, pay for food, more routes with regional jets with no first class, etc.



I flew Southwest a lot in the past before I could earn elite status on a full service carrier, and I agree that their employees usually had a good attitude. They weren't perfect, and I had a couple of absurd experiences over "no standby" tickets. [In one case, they wouldn't let me and a friend standby for an earlier flight which went out with empty seats, then needed to compensate two people on our flight to give up their seats because it was overbooked. Yes, I know our tickets were endorsed no standby, but wouldn't making an exception have saved the company $$? We weren't rude, we just asked if we could go home early since we had arrived at the airport early.]



I may end up going back to Southwest before long as I am not flying enough to keep my elite status these days.

[JohnBTCB]

Agree with astra.

Love America West.

:D

[PhilG]

I live in Atlatnta and am forced most times to fly Delta, but my experiences have been good for the most part. However when JetBlue flew here I tried them a few times, and boy was I impressed from the ground crew to the fight crew, sterling customer service and excellent flights. I think miost major airlines don't get it. A few minor amentites (hint satelitte TV in the headrest), polite crew and one class service just makes the plane seem larger...JetBlue works for me, I wishe they would return to Atlanta..

[James Wysong]

Well, I cant really choose my favorite considering I work for an American carrier, but I can tell you who I don't like. British Airways, the world's favorite airline? What a crock! Two of top my top ten worst flights ever were with that airline, and I really wanted to like them.

[TomTraveler]

I, too, have heard complaints about British from relatives and business associates. If you asked about European carriers, I would have voted for KLM. Yeah their in the British family now, but they're still superior. I just got back from a trip to India. Their service from AMS to DEL was superior.



As far as far as domestic carrriers go, I prefer Alaska. But I live in the west and can use them more.

[FFlier]

I like American, Frontier and Jet Blue.



I used to be incredibly loyal to American because of the easy corporate bookings and more leg room, but lately, their quality of service has declined and an incident a couple months ago just nailed it for me.



I was flying from New York to St. Louis on American Airlines. I was stuck in a middle seat and a very elderly gentleman with a cane was seated in the aisle. I had put my luggage in the overhead compartment. It was a smaller plane so all luggage had to go sideways. Soon after I sat down and the elderly man settled himself and fell asleep, a late passenger boarded and tried to put his suitcase next to mine. It would not fit so he moved mine out of the sideways position, leaving the front sticking out. His luggage still would not fit so he took his down and went to the back to try to find more room, leaving my suitcase protruding from the bin. A woman behind him put her bag in the space, despite the fact my suitcase was sticking out. I could not get out to readjust the bags because of the sleeping old man. He had struggled so long to get into his seat with his cane, I just couldn't wake him up to make him move. I thought I could ask the flight attendant for help, but I was wrong.



Soon after a flight attendant came up the aisle, saw my suitcase and yelled, actually yelled "Whose suitcase is this? Who is the rocket scientist that put this suitcase here." I raised my hand and let her know it was mine. She replied, "Can't you tell that it's supposed to go like this?" quite rudely. I told her the story and she started yelling up and down the aisle, "so who is rocket scientist that moved her suitcase? Who was stupid enough to do this?" She would not let it go and the passenger would not identify himself. All the passengers surrounding me were very uncomfortable. Finally, the man in front of me said, "Hey, I'm the rocket scientist," so she would stop and she pounced on him. He took the blame but was in no way the culprit. Soon after, we took off but the remainder of the flight was very unpleasant for everyone.



I've recently been dabbling with Frontier and Jet Blue and find they work out very well.

[vickiburton]

I vote for American Airlines only because every time I've wanted to redeem for a free ticket, I've gotten what I wanted, when I wanted, without any problem whatsoever.

[cruiser]

I voted for American from the selection available, but I like Alaska better. But I also live on the West Coast so can use them more. I guess on the day my favourite is the one which gets me safely where I want to go and on time!

[joyceandrews]

I live in Atlanta and my favorite is Air Tran who was not on the list.

I also like America West.

Delta is the worst IMHO.

[daawgon]

I live in the Northwest, so you might not be surprised to hear that my favorite domestic airline is Alaska. My least favorite is United (especially after that corporate swindle they just pulled with the pensions!!!)



Southwest is pretty darn good too, except that it feels a little more like a cattle call than Alaska.



Do not forget Horizon Air (Alaska's little brother) - the drinks were free when I flew them from San Jose to Portland recently. The service was excellent. The last time I flew on United, the flight attendants skipped my row when passing out drinks and peanuts. I guess they were too busy discussing their crummy employers.

[NewEnglander]

Favorite U.S. carrier: American (good flight selection and professional service)

Least favorite U.S.: United (good sometimes, awful sometimes ... too inconsistent)

Favorite foreign: Air France (always a pleasant experience)

And least favorite foreign: British Airways (after reading James' post, I'm glad to know it's not just me)

[sardine]

None of the above.



I have enjoyed flights on Alaska, Aloha, and Hawaiian Airlines. Aloha has the most friendly crews, but their cabins are pretty tight. Hawaiian's plus is their comparatively comfortable cabins, if you don't mind flight attendants who don't seem to care, and it shows! Alaska is somewhat no frills in that they do not offer inflight entertainment, but their seat pitch is more generous than that of the major US carriers, and the food is fairly decent. Alaska's flight attendants are, for the most part, friendly, but beware of a small number whose personal means of transport is a broom! As my daughter just purchased a home in Anchorage, I will be logging many miles on Alaska, which is overall a good choice in air carriers.



Another favorite is IcelandAir, which is like stepping back in time to the golden era of US airlines: competent intelligent staff who are well-groomed, attractive, and willing to accommodate whenever possible. If you fly with IcelandAir on a flight that originates in Iceland, don't pass up the ham and potato salad if it is one of your meal choices -- it is delicious. Now, if I could only get them to credit me with my miles... No airline is perfect in all respects, but overall, I highly recommend IcelandAir.



sardine

[deangreenhoe]

Well, y'all might think I'm nuts, but if I'm flying in coach, I like Mexicana for an international airline. I find the staff very courteous and professional and the food always great! BTW...they were the first airline to offer international commercial service in North America. They've had a lot of practice. :wink:

[Robohobo]

Southwest!



It's simple - WYSIWYG.



The others just don't get the customer first/honest deal model.

[BOS flier]

I've flown BA to Kiev about five times in the last year and find they don't live up to their PR hype at all. The food certainly helps to perpetuate the English stereotype of cuisine - bad and bland. Also, in 20 years of moderate air travel they were the first to have a problem with my baggage when a bag didn't make a connecting flight - luckily I was on my way home and BA delivered it in a few days. I mentioned to customer support on the ground that in 20 years of air travel I've never had a problem with my baggage. They replied with wisdom, that I was lucky. Reflecting on it, they are right.



During the off season I can take AA across the Atlantic and then BA to Kiev. I prefer AA’s transatlantic to BA’s.



I always had a good experience with Air France (best food always, of course). Until they blew a connecting flight from Madrid-Paris-Boston. I ended up hanging around DeGalle for 5-6 extra hours for a booked to capacity 747, 500 or so people. Talk about fun boarding and deplaning…from Paris to Montreal to Boston. This was a few months after 9/11. So on top of all that I had to deal with all the ridiculous, ineffective and inconvenient security procedures. Oh yeah, did I mention the little street urchin that tried to steal my digital camera from my bag that was under the seat in front of me on the plane.



But then again I know my ‘worst’ experiences are tame compared to what some people have to tell and I consider myself lucky.







Originally posted by NewEnglander
Favorite U.S. carrier: American (good flight selection and professional service)

Least favorite U.S.: United (good sometimes, awful sometimes ... too inconsistent)

Favorite foreign: Air France (always a pleasant experience)

And least favorite foreign: British Airways (after reading James' post, I'm glad to know it's not just me)

[TravelGal30]

I like James work for a domestic carrier so I will not devulge my favorite. However I agree with BA. Not only are the flights miserable, but dealing with their staff can be next to impossible. I recently had an issue where 2 passengers needed to be rebooked from TLV-LHR due to a schedule change. I spent 4 hours AND got insulted in a snooty British accent for my trouble. I ended up booking my passengers on Lufthansa.

[ken_w]

Sure, it's a little like asking which is your favorite form of water torture, but I've had nothing but good luck with Continental, traveling four times a year from SFO to EWR (which I will someday start calling Liberty International instead of Newark International). But rather than calling it my favorite airline could I just call it the airline I dislike the least?

[Ohiowilly]

Overall, I have been happiest with my flights on Southwest Airlines. I can't afford, and don't have a need for first class amenities. I've never had any issues with Southwest's seating/boarding system, and their staff has always been helpful and pleasant.

I've also had good experiences with America West and Air Tran. I wish that America West had not eliminated CMH-Columbus, Ohio as a hub. As for Air Tran, for the price, they offer good value. My only complaint with their service is the frequency of late connections and delays on flights going the Atlanta's Hartsfield Int'l Airport.

For my money, Southwest is tough to beat.

[Jeanie821]

I don't really have a favorite any more. Because in-flight amenities have been cut so severely, I tend to bring my own - in-flight entertainment (CD player, books, manuscript - I write in my spare time - and Bible), food, throw blanket and inflatable pillow, the whole schmear. These days, my favorite airline is the one that can get me from point A to point B for the least amount of money.

[canajan]

undefined undefined I hate American and they are often the only choice for flights in the Caribbean where I travel the most. Service here is less than desirable and not on time much of the time as they know they are the only large carrier in this part of the world. I prefer Delta and partners as they are generally comfortable and on time. Also, my experience with service on American has been poor from Flight Attendants. My best service was on Singapore Airlines from Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, to Auckland, New Zealand a few years back.

[Islabonita]

:D I have flown mostly USAir and Continental domestic but I prefer AirTran due to their direct flights to Orlando and their prices.
I was most impressed with Luthansa many years ago flying to Italy, they really pampered you.
Great forum by the way.... I just came on board!

[Anonymous]

None of the above.

Midwest Airlines. As long as I can fly to an airport within a 1-2 hour drive from my destination, I will fly Midwest even if it costs more. They are consistently on time and have the most comfortable seating of any airline.

In business, time is money, and I have neither the time nor the patience to mess around with American's or United's everpresent delays. I have never been on a United flight that has arrived on time (usually between 1 and 5 hours late). I have not had much better luck with American either.

[Jason's Storm]

You forgot "Which ever is cheaper";). Northwest seems good, but the strike is getting on my nerves.

~JS

[az_kc]

I voted for Southwest. I like being able to choose my row mates. (The illusion of control.) Delta is the one I most actively avoid because of the lack of legroom. In general, I try to book foreign carriers over any US carrier. I flew EVA to Indonesia last year in deluxe class. Deluxe means a business class seat with economy service which I thought was brilliant! It was only around $200 more than economy -- worth every penny on such a long haul.

[Guest]

Originally posted by Anonymous@Jul 28 2005, 11:10 PM
None of the above.

Midwest Airlines.* As long as I can fly to an airport within a 1-2 hour drive from my destination, I will fly Midwest even if it costs more.* They are consistently on time and have the most comfortable seating of any airline.

In business, time is money, and I have neither the time nor the patience to mess around with American's or United's everpresent delays.* I have never been on a United flight that has arrived on time (usually between 1 and 5 hours late).* I have not had much better luck with American either.
5857

I heartily concur. Midwest Airlines staff seem to understand the concept of a schedule a little better than their competitors. I too am willing to pay a little more for Midwest for that reason alone (and often their fares are actually lower). The human-sized seats are just icing on the cake. I do miss the meals they used to serve. The buy-on-board meals have been hit-or-miss in my opinion.

[Gigs]

What makes an airline a major airline? Is AirTran a major airline yet? They serve quite a few airports.