OT: seeking opinions: Lufthansa or British Air?

[skoi]

For all of you travelers out there, which airline would recommend? We're waiting for travel permission from the gov. of Kazakhstan (please pray that it comes quickly) and could travel at any time on very short notice.

Our choices for flights from the US are Lufthansa or British Air. We've never flown either, and opinions are mixed on adoption boards, so just seeking out other points of view.

Thanks.
Julie

[choirfiend]

Ive had only positive experiences with Lufthansa, and have never flown British Air. Isnt Lufthansa the cheapest way into Europe (Via Frankfurt)?

[Khaleas]

I'd say Lufthansa because BA tends to be delayed a lot (at least when I've been flying them). Also look at layover times etc.
Hopefully the permission comes soon so you can take advantage of cheap low season rates.

[InnerPhyre]

I love Lufthansa. BA is ok. Go with Luft.

[InnerPhyre]

Yes, but the Frankfurt Airport is the seventh circle of Hell.

[skoi]

Thanks. I knew I could count on people here to weigh in.

Lufthansa flies direct from our city to Frankfurt, then into Almaty everyday. I've also heard there have been some issues with Brit Air not allowing adopted kids out of the security/quarantine area because they don't carry US passports. On the plus side for Brit Air, it has those personal screens in the back of every seat, I don't know if Lufthansa does, and it'll just be me and little boy on the way home. I might be in need of electronic babysitting help.

I've also heard about how awful Frankfurt airport is. Husband thinks we should go with whoever is cheapest. Maybe we should look for one of those little rubber band wind up plane airlines.

[choirfiend]

Eh, I've survived it several times without being too damaged, but then, so far, I havent really had an airport experience that was PLEASANT. I dont think they're meant to be, unless you want to pay your way into the exclusive clubs and first class treatment.

[Oblio]

Lufthansa. The beer and wine are better :)

To be fair I flew Business on Lufthansa (2x roundtrip ATL-Frankfurt), and coach once on BA, and I had a splitting headache from ATL->Gatwick.

Frankfurt is not that bad, most of my disorientation came from being there at 4 AM after a 10 hr flight. BTW, You DO NOT want to spend the night there to catch a connecting flight to save money. I did that returning from a side trip to visit prodromos & family in Thessaloniki. Remember Tom Hanks in the beginning of 'Terminal' ? A year or so after my night at Frankfurt, I grimmaced during those scenes.

[Oblio]

BTW, the club at Frankfurt closes at 2200 and opens at 0800, which is why I got to sleep on the 'lounge' chairs.

[Lotar]

I take donkey-express. Itsa nice. I like.

Kazakhstan, greatest country in the world. All other countries are run by little girls. Kazakhstan number one exporter of potassium. Other countries have inferior potassium.
Kazakhstan, home of Tinshein swimming pool. Its length thirty metre and width six metre. Filtration system a marvel to behold. It remove eighty percent of human solid waste.
Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan, you very nice place, from plains of Tarashek to northern fence of Jewtown. Kazakhstan, friend of all except Uzbekistan. They very nosey people with bone in their brain.

[Khaleas]

Screens, who knows... you might just end up with a plane that doesn't have them. As long as you're not traveling Mon, Fri or Sun you can usually get cheaper tickets. And if Lufthansa flies from where you live, I'd definitely go with that - makes it soooo much nicer when you get back all jetlagged and exhausted.

[Khaleas]

Oblio, reminds me when I was stuck in Frankfurt due to a huge snowstorm. I had a little kitten as a carry on and we had flown in from DC. Fortunately kitty was leash trained and loved me. She slept next to me on the leash for a lot of what we were there (like 12 hrs) and at one point I was woken up by a bunch of Japanese men with their cameras taking picture of us.

[skoi]

I take donkey-express. Itsa nice. I like.

:D
But do they fly out of Philadelphia? That's the sticking point. I have no problem with flying livestock or flying with livestock, so I guess I'll blend in nicely in Kazakhstan. If it's cheap and I can change my ticket- I'd fly on a broom.

[buzuxi02]

when i flew Luft trans-atlantic this summer they had great service, the food was aweful. i flew on an Airbus 330 if that helps you any

[Ioan cel Nou]

Take anything but BA... really. I haven't flown Lufthansa for years but they were fine when I last did. I have, however, flown on plenty of European airlines and I can honestly say that there's only one that I've ever considered worse than BA, which is whatever the Danish one is called. BA, frankly, are overpriced with a very poor service and I avoid them at all costs. How they ever got to be 'the world's favourite airline', assuming said claim is even accurate, is utterly beyond me.

James

[Emmanuel-A]

It's not in my habits to take side for the germans ;) , but I have to say that Lufthansa is a very good airlines company.
BA is okay, but I think on-board services are not as good as they used to be.

[skoi]

Thanks to everyone again. Looks like Lufthansa is the one. Our adoption agency recommends them because theyhave the most flights in and out of Almaty

when i flew Luft trans-atlantic this summer they had great service, the food was aweful. i flew on an Airbus 330 if that helps you any

Very helpful, we'll be flying the 330 for at least part of the trip. Do you recall if they have a way you can plug in a laptop in economy class- even if it's with a converter?

I guess it's too much to hope that they have individual screens for each seat in economy? We flew a Boeing 770 to China and it was beautiful- great plane, great inflight entertainment, food and service on the other hand...

[Renewme]

For all of you travelers out there, which airline would recommend? We're waiting for travel permission from the gov. of Kazakhstan (please pray that it comes quickly) and could travel at any time on very short notice.

Our choices for flights from the US are Lufthansa or British Air. We've never flown either, and opinions are mixed on adoption boards, so just seeking out other points of view.

Thanks.
Julie

Hi there, by chance just popped in here! Well..my best friend has flown to Kazakhstan twice to visit her then-fiance. They are now married. His sister also lives here and flys to KZ often, using Lufthansa. Anyway, she has flown both and LOVED Lufthansa. Couldn't say much about BA at all.

Good Luck! I know how rediculous the waiting can be for all of the red-tape to be sorted out, so my prayers are with you.