Author Topic: Business Class to/from TLV - product thread.  (Read 20319 times)

Offline cholent

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Re: Business Class to/from TLV - product thread.
« Reply #100 on: July 07, 2017, 02:07:20 AM »
Looking at the following options for NYC-TLV:

UA business or first on 777-200 NYC-FRA, then LH business (I assume fake) FRA-TLV. Connection time 4.40
LH business NYC-FRA-TLV. 2.30 connection
TK business NYC-IST-TLV. 5.55 connection but it's an earlier flight which gives me a few more hours in Israel I guess

Thoughts?

For the way back it's LX vs. LH vs. OS, I'm thinking LX because of the real business?
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Offline cholent

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Re: Business Class to/from TLV - product thread.
« Reply #101 on: July 07, 2017, 12:51:01 PM »
Looking at the following options for NYC-TLV:

UA business or first on 777-200 NYC-FRA, then LH business (I assume fake) FRA-TLV. Connection time 4.40
LH business NYC-FRA-TLV. 2.30 connection
TK business NYC-IST-TLV. 5.55 connection but it's an earlier flight which gives me a few more hours in Israel I guess

Thoughts?

For the way back it's LX vs. LH vs. OS, I'm thinking LX because of the real business?

Bump, any opinions before I book?
Don't ask stupid questions and you won't get stupid answers

Offline Yaalili

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Re: Business Class to/from TLV - product thread.
« Reply #102 on: July 07, 2017, 12:56:23 PM »
Bump, any opinions before I book?

I would go with TK. Long leg to sleep.

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Re: Business Class to/from TLV - product thread.
« Reply #103 on: July 07, 2017, 12:58:53 PM »
Bump, any opinions before I book?
I've never taken LH or OS, so can't comment on that.

When I book I look also at what time I get into TLV, which for me is an important factor. LH is fake J and FRA-TLV is longer than IST-TLV. On IST-TLV YMMV on whether it's fake J or real J (with some flights even being widebody). IST airport isn't fun, but the TK business lounge is good (reserve a shower as soon as you arrive, there could be a long wait sometimes).

I didn't like the LX hard or soft J product last time I went, so I switched my return to TK and was happy.
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Offline elya

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Re: Business Class to/from TLV - product thread.
« Reply #104 on: July 07, 2017, 02:10:05 PM »
Looking at the following options for NYC-TLV:

UA business or first on 777-200 NYC-FRA, then LH business (I assume fake) FRA-TLV. Connection time 4.40
LH business NYC-FRA-TLV. 2.30 connection
TK business NYC-IST-TLV. 5.55 connection but it's an earlier flight which gives me a few more hours in Israel I guess

Thoughts?

For the way back it's LX vs. LH vs. OS, I'm thinking LX because of the real business?
TK for the outbound and LX for the return.

Offline cholent

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Re: Business Class to/from TLV - product thread.
« Reply #105 on: July 07, 2017, 02:10:48 PM »
TK for the outbound and LX for the return.
TK > UA first?

Babysitter wants different dates than I initially planned for so this may all be academic anyway
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Offline elya

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Re: Business Class to/from TLV - product thread.
« Reply #106 on: July 07, 2017, 02:14:43 PM »
TK > UA first?
If TK is 777 on the longhaul then forsure. But even if A330, being the second leg is around 2 hours in either lie flat J or at the very least a recliner seat (similar to domestic F) versus around 5 hours in a economy seat is a no brainer.

In addition UA F is just a really nice J product..

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Re: Business Class to/from TLV - product thread.
« Reply #107 on: July 07, 2017, 04:01:34 PM »
I've never taken LH or OS, so can't comment on that.

When I book I look also at what time I get into TLV, which for me is an important factor. LH is fake J and FRA-TLV is longer than IST-TLV. On IST-TLV YMMV on whether it's fake J or real J (with some flights even being widebody). IST airport isn't fun, but the TK business lounge is good (reserve a shower as soon as you arrive, there could be a long wait sometimes).

I didn't like the LX hard or soft J product last time I went, so I switched my return to TK and was happy.
I found LX J to be very good both hard and soft.

I did find their 5am Tlv departure time annoying, but made up for it by being so tired that bio turbulence would wake me up
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Re: Business Class to/from TLV - product thread.
« Reply #108 on: July 07, 2017, 04:18:12 PM »
I found LX J to be very good both hard and soft.

It's good to have different opinions.

I would say TK J > LX J (though English language skills of TK staff ex-TLV leave a lot to be desired).

ZRH > IST (airport) by a wide margin.

Didn't have enough of an experience in the ZRH business lounge, which seemed nice as I joined a minyan elsewhere in the terminal. IST TK business lounge is huge, excellent showers and sleeping suites if your connection is the right length (longer than 4 hours, shorter than 7 hours IINM).
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Re: Business Class to/from TLV - product thread.
« Reply #109 on: July 07, 2017, 04:48:41 PM »



ZRH > IST (airport) by a wide margin.

+1 ZRH is one of the nicest and most convenient airports in the world. While IST is madly annoying! It can take you 45 minutes to walk to the lounge if you can even find it, and the lounge is always packed.

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Re: Business Class to/from TLV - product thread.
« Reply #110 on: July 07, 2017, 04:58:36 PM »
+1 ZRH is one of the nicest and most convenient airports in the world. While IST is madly annoying! It can take you 45 minutes to walk to the lounge if you can even find it, and the lounge is always packed.
I think the only airport I've been to that I dislike more than IST is MIA, though YYZ is also a contender.

ETA: I forgot FCO. Pretty bad too, and usually need to take shuttle bus to/from aircraft.
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Re: Business Class to/from TLV - product thread.
« Reply #111 on: July 07, 2017, 05:04:26 PM »
I think the only airport I've been to that I dislike more than IST is MIA, though YYZ is also a contender.

ETA: I forgot FCO. Pretty bad too, and usually need to take shuttle bus to/from aircraft.
US airports dont even make it on the list.

Offline cholent

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Re: Business Class to/from TLV - product thread.
« Reply #112 on: July 09, 2017, 10:21:22 PM »
Looking at the following options for NYC-TLV:

UA business or first on 777-200 NYC-FRA, then LH business (I assume fake) FRA-TLV. Connection time 4.40
LH business NYC-FRA-TLV. 2.30 connection
TK business NYC-IST-TLV. 5.55 connection but it's an earlier flight which gives me a few more hours in Israel I guess

Thoughts?

For the way back it's LX vs. LH vs. OS, I'm thinking LX because of the real business?
Ok, change of dates means that TK is no longer an option. I'm now deciding between UA F for 90k or LH J for 80k on the EWR-FRA leg. The LH option has an extra hour stopover (leaves ewr an hour earlier) which is not ideal but not terrible. Opinions?

Don't ask stupid questions and you won't get stupid answers

Offline Yaalili

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Re: Business Class to/from TLV - product thread.
« Reply #113 on: July 09, 2017, 10:30:25 PM »
Ok, change of dates means that TK is no longer an option. I'm now deciding between UA F for 90k or LH J for 80k on the EWR-FRA leg. The LH option has an extra hour stopover (leaves ewr an hour earlier) which is not ideal but not terrible. Opinions?

UA F.

Offline elya

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Re: Business Class to/from TLV - product thread.
« Reply #114 on: July 09, 2017, 10:39:31 PM »
Ok, change of dates means that TK is no longer an option. I'm now deciding between UA F for 90k or LH J for 80k on the EWR-FRA leg. The LH option has an extra hour stopover (leaves ewr an hour earlier) which is not ideal but not terrible. Opinions?
Def UA F. But book using 75k SQ or 60k A3.

Offline cholent

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Re: Business Class to/from TLV - product thread.
« Reply #115 on: July 09, 2017, 10:46:21 PM »
Def UA F. But book using 75k SQ or 60k A3.
Sq will mean more yq, no? On the second portion which is LH fake j regardless
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Offline cholent

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Re: Business Class to/from TLV - product thread.
« Reply #116 on: July 09, 2017, 10:51:44 PM »
Def UA F. But book using 75k SQ or 60k A3.
Also not to sound too stupid what's a3
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Offline AsherO

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Re: Business Class to/from TLV - product thread.
« Reply #117 on: July 09, 2017, 10:53:05 PM »
Also not to sound too stupid what's a3

Aegean, Greece's flag carrier (?). StarAlliance member, recently added SPG transfer partner.
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Offline cholent

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Re: Business Class to/from TLV - product thread.
« Reply #118 on: July 09, 2017, 10:53:57 PM »
Aegean, Greece's flag carrier (?). StarAlliance member, recently added SPG transfer partner.
And I assume they charge yq?
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Re: Business Class to/from TLV - product thread.
« Reply #119 on: July 09, 2017, 10:56:46 PM »
And I assume they charge yq?

That part I'm not sure about, sorry.
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