On April 6th, I booked a flight on Austrian Air from JFK to Heathrow. Here’s a brief rundown of the trip.
Priority Boarding
Nothing special here. If you’re boarding, you’re at the gate in either first or economy. But boarding for my flight was quick and orderly.
The lounge
Ah, the lounge. I have never seen an airline lounge offer such an incredible selection of drinks. Whatever your palate, there is a choice of drinks for you. The food selection pales by comparison, but it won’t disappoint for healthy grab’n’go food. The best feature of the lounge, however, is the men’s and women’s showers. They’re not extravagant, but they’re clean and functional.
Cabin configuration
I’ve seen two different configurations: 1-2-1 or 2-2-2, front-facing (as opposed to inward-facing). I prefer front facing seats whether I’m traveling alone or with a colleague. I guess I’m not a very social traveler.
Seat
The seat is narrower than some I’ve been on, but that doesn’t bother me. I’m about 6’, 170 lbs and I found the seat spacious. Comfortable too. Like most seats, it has the ability to recline or lie-flat. The seat has multiple pockets for storage, which I found a bit bizarre: how anyone could use that much storage is beyond me. Everywhere you turn, there is a pocket. Not a complaint – just an observation.
Meals and drinks
Drinks (from a well-stocked bar) and menus come once the cabin is seated. I like eating – especially on Austrian. This is FINE dining: 3 a course meal, beautifully presented, plus a delectable dessert, followed by 10 choices of coffee (!), tea, etc. Special attention should be paid to the appetizers, which were numerous and delicious. After a 5-hour rest, meal-time begins again! I’m hungry just thinking about it. Time to book a flight…
Service
I have yet to have truly bad service on a business-class flight. Service is always good to great. But Austrian goes that extra mile.
The little touches make the difference, like hand delivered magazines and warm towels laid in your hands 20 minutes into the flight.
Alan Murphy
Entertainment Amenities
IFE remote built into the seat controls your entertainment on a 15-inch adjustable touchscreen monitor. And there’s loads to watch/listen to through high-quality, noise cancellation headphones: my flight had 54 movies, 71 TV shows, plenty of kids entertainment, 64 albums, and free downloadable publications.
Convenience/Comfort Amenities
You also get a:
- full-sized pillow,
- thick blanket,
- and kit with a comb,
- eye mask,
- toothbrush/paste,
- moist towelettes,
- and ear plugs.
Austrian Air is just a solid choice for business-class flying. They get the things that matter right.
