View Full Version : American Airlines or Delta
christinehb
31-08-2009, 21:00
We are trying to book flights for November from Manchester and Virgin are still showing £%30+ for the dates we need
Cheaper alternatives are Delta via Atlanta or American Airlines via Chicago.
Which would you choose and why? Any advice appreciated
[high5]
Katys Grandad
31-08-2009, 21:23
American Airlines flights will almost certainly be through Chicago so that's quite a long way around. Note that on 19 November the aircraft servicing that route changes from a wide bodied 2-aisle aircraft to a single aisle narrow-bodied plane. A lot of people would say that almost 4,000 mile in a single aisle 3-3 configured cabin isn't much fun.
Add to that the fact that the trip is around 300 miles shorter each way through Atlanta and Delta's entertainment system is also likely to be better than AA's. Food and seat pitch are about the same.
Unless you have a good reason to fly AA, I'd go with Delta.
mfairhurst
31-08-2009, 23:17
We would go by Delta as well and as we collect sky miles with them we can only win in the end .
Flown with them many times and via Atlanta not JFK the hostess are very good and so polite and cannot do enough for you .
Make sure you have enough time between flights to get to the gate at Alanta so you can get a snack or a meal as it is geting your cases onto the belt at Atlanta to go on the other plane .
Enjoy your vacation when you go
MAUREEN
www.onlinefloridavillas.com/villas/1683.aspx
Robert5988
31-08-2009, 23:24
Agree with KG's analysis above, despite the fact that he and I fly AA all the time from Manchester.
The 2 factors are price and timings. Assuming that you are flying to Orlando, the AA Manchester flight leaves at 10:30am and you get in to Orlando at 7:20pm.(best option) On the way back you leave at 12:40pm and get back at 7:20am. (timings might slightly change after clocks go back)
Katys Grandad
01-09-2009, 00:20
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Robert5988
Agree with KG's analysis above, despite the fact that he and I fly AA all the time from Manchester.[/quote]We're suckers for punishment though - and we have a good reason.[msnwink]
Also factor in, that Delta have a 1 bag allowance. If you want a 2nd bag, it's $50 per bag per journey. So London -> Orlando would count as 1 journey, even though you go through Atlanta. I don't know what AA's baggage policy is.
Katys Grandad
01-09-2009, 00:28
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by wilfy
Also factor in, that Delta have a 1 bag allowance. If you want a 2nd bag, it's $50 per bag per journey. So London -> Orlando would count as 1 journey, even though you go through Atlanta. I don't know what AA's baggage policy is.[/quote]By November, AA will also have a just 1 free bag policy.
http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/topic_51880.asp
christinehb
01-09-2009, 00:45
Thank you very much for your replies. We are travelling early November but I will probably go for Delta in view of the majority of opinions.
What would I do without this forum!!
Cheers[msnsmile2]
We flew with Delta at Christmas from Gatwick via Atlanta and they had no seat back TVs - if that is important to you then keep this in mind. There were only TVs slung from the ceiling!
But flight was ok, apart from that.
Katys Grandad
01-09-2009, 09:47
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by ellie
We flew with Delta at Christmas from Gatwick via Atlanta and they had no seat back TVs - if that is important to you then keep this in mind. There were only TVs slung from the ceiling!
But flight was ok, apart from that.[/quote]It's still better then American because they have the same set-up Transatlantic and probably no IFE at all on the leg from Chicago to Orlando!
We flew with Delta via Atlanta at the end of July and we had seat back tv's both ways.
Going out we were on a Northwest plane and coming home a Delta plane. Both had a selection of films that you could pause, fast forward etc yourself. Music you could make your own play list and games, some of which you could play against other passengers.
This was our second time with Delta and would have no problems doing it agan.
Also crew can not do enough for you and are always offering water and orange juice.
Delta are by far the best in our opinion too. I would definitely choose them over AA. When one of our bags was damaged on an AA flight, they didn't want to know! They lose from me more than I lost on a damaged bag from them!!! [msnsad]
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Sally D
We flew with Delta via Atlanta at the end of July and we had seat back tv's both ways.
[/quote]Oh that's good to know. Was that from Gatwick too?
We also found that they were very good about giving you drinks, (though they did damage a suitcaase and it took 6 months to get them to give us our compensation! But damaged suitcases can happen on any airline).
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by ellie
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Sally D
We flew with Delta via Atlanta at the end of July and we had seat back tv's both ways.[/quote]Oh that's good to know. Was that from Gatwick too?
We also found that they were very good about giving you drinks, (though they did damage a suitcaase and it took 6 months to get them to give us our compensation! But damaged suitcases can happen on any airline).[/quote]Yes it was from Gatwick.
We've just flown back from Florida on Delta to Heathrow via Detroit (booked with NorthWest before the merger). Would definitely recommend them - we had seatback touch-screen TVs both ways, and leather seats - very comfortable. Had a bit of a hiccup on the way out as the flight from Heathrow was an hour and a half late leaving. We had just over 3 hours between flights but immigration at Detroit was packed. We had hand luggage only and got to the second flight with only 5 minutes to spare, but as 30 passengers had not made it to the flight, Delta delayed takeoff to wait for them. Crew were very good, the meals were edible and the flights were good. Coming back the flight from Detroit only took 6.5 hours as we had a good tail wind.
Katys Grandad
01-09-2009, 22:03
To be fair to AA, the OP is asking specifically about the service from Manchester to Orlando through Chicago and it really isn't a fair comparison to look at that against Heathrow or Gatwick services on other airlines.
While I won't be in a hurry to fly on the 757 from Manchester I'd take AA's Heathrow service over Delta anytime. For those who see it as important, almost all their aircraft will have seat back video and the US direct flight options and hubs are far more comprehensive.
ShirleyD
11-09-2009, 18:28
I read today that Delta is dropping its MAN to JFK service from Jan 8th. Even less choice [msnsad]
Delta drops Manchester service
Delta is withdrawing its flights from Manchester to New York.
The carrier confirmed that the service to JFK would stop on January 8.
The airline has been operating the route since 2006 and uses a 174-seat Boeing 757 to provide a daily service.
A spokeswoman said the decision to drop the route had been taken following an analysis of the airline’s network, which found demand dropping over the winter.
Delta is to maintain a year-round Manchester-Atlanta service, which is flown by a 214-seat Boeing 767.
Katys Grandad
11-09-2009, 18:41
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by ShirleyD
I read today that Delta is dropping its MAN to JFK service from Jan 8th. Even less choice [msnsad]
Delta drops Manchester service
Delta is withdrawing its flights from Manchester to New York.
The carrier confirmed that the service to JFK would stop on January 8.
The airline has been operating the route since 2006 and uses a 174-seat Boeing 757 to provide a daily service.
A spokeswoman said the decision to drop the route had been taken following an analysis of the airline’s network, which found demand dropping over the winter.
Delta is to maintain a year-round Manchester-Atlanta service, which is flown by a 214-seat Boeing 767.
[/quote]
Shame but not surprising. The decline in options for regional passengers has been gathering pace over the past few years. How long before you'll only be able to travel to the US by connecting in London?
Robert5988
11-09-2009, 20:15
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Shame but not surprising. The decline in options for regional passengers has been gathering pace over the past few years. How long before you'll only be able to travel to the US by connecting in London?[/quote]
That is certainly true - particularly for Manchester.
The local Midlands news has been talking about a lot of extra long haul flights from Birmingham with the expansion of the Airport and the lengthened runway.
This week an Airbus A380 landed there - for the first time at a Regional airport.
I wonder if Birmingham will buck the trend?
mfairhurst
12-09-2009, 01:14
One of the reasons Delta may be dropping Manchester is the cost it has to pay to come into and out of Manchester.
We had a free flight with the but we had to pay the taxes and they apologies but Manchester charge this and it is not cheap either .
We would rather fly into Atlanta so lets hope they keep going with that at Manchester .
Someone else will pick it up as Continental did once before when Delta drop a journey from Manchester
The trouble with Manchester is they took too many contracts and do not have enough gates in busy times .
We came into Manchester from Turkey and had to wait for some steps as there were nonw avaiable and the pilot ,who we knew came on and said 20 mins early and not enough steps he was angry ,He lives in the village were we live .So may be Delta have had enough and use the plane for a different route .
MAUREEN
www.onlinefloridavillas.com/villas/1683
eagleydo
12-09-2009, 01:36
We have flown with Delta and they were great. Staff very friendly and very efficient. Quickly through check ins and onto planes, everything went like clockwork.
Robert5988
12-09-2009, 02:24
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:The trouble with Manchester is they took too many contracts and do not have enough gates in busy times .[/quote]
I suspect the problem with most of the regional airports is that they don't have enough passengers paying for business/first class tickets. It is well known that little money is made from coach passengers, and the profit comes from those who pay to travel up front.
BA and AA(together in the One World alliance) for instance had flights from Manchester to Miami, New York, Chicago and Boston. Now only Chicago is left.
AA elite frequent flyer members can upgrade with miles and co-pay from the cheapest tickets, or any AA frequent flyer can get 'free' business class flights with miles only(you pay taxes)
However that obviously depends upon there being seats available as paying passengers have priority.
Despite those 2 huge airlines, who dominate transatlantic traffic, only having one 767 flight from Manchester, there is always availability up front, and I have never failed to get an upgrade that I have requested.
They are even 'downgrading' the 767 to a 757 later this year.
Katys Grandad
18-09-2009, 16:19
American Airlines seems to have been listening!
New service from Manchester to New York JFK starts in May 2010 - should be bookable in a few weeks time. Clearly they think they can make money from a route dropped by both BA & Delta in the past 12 months.
[8D]hi we likwe usairways they go thru charllote and the crew r great went with them last oct to san antonio texas and we r flying with them again this year to tampa via charlotte would recomend the airline to family and friends no problem[8D]
mfairhurst
22-09-2009, 23:50
I have been on DELTA web site today for next June & July to Florida and they are still doing MANCHESTER TO JFK as well as ATLANTA so it is wrong that they have finshed MANCHESTER TO JFK route thank goodness ,When they drop it last time CONTINENTAL picked it up .
Lets hope some others pick up the europian routes also .
We have just come back from TENERIFE flying out with BMI and was to come back with them but guess what THOMSONS canceled it a few weeks ago and the company was not told until a few days before we left UK the company that surplies the tickets to lots of agences ( Ticket Master ) knew but did not past it to our agent so there were no time to find a single back to the UK .We should have landed back in the UK at 4 .45 PM on the 20 September 2009 and we got back in UK at 4 .00 am 21 September 2009 .
We had to buy evening meal at the hotel also the taxi was 27 euros as after 6 .00 pm on a sunday and it was 17 euros the sunday before as lunch time when we arrived .
We will not be going with either of these companys again if we can help it ,Shame on them for the way they treat people making a good vacation a when the end comes with a bit of stress
Anyone had things like this happened to them ?
MAUREEN
www.onlinefloridavillas.com/villas/1683.aspx
Katys Grandad
23-09-2009, 00:41
It seems pretty certain that the MAN-JFK route is being pulled by Delta Maureen - maybe they haven't got around to amending the booking system.
The American service is seasonal and will run from mid May up to almost the end of September.
We too like Delta, but a couple of years ago they dropped the Edinburgh flights and then last year reinstated them, but now they are dropping them again. They don't seem to be able to stick to a route for any length of time. We were planning on going from Edinburgh with Continental, but have got good priced flights from Manchester on Virgin so trying them instead. We are lucky in that we have free rail travel so it won't cost to get to Manchester and even with an overnight hotel stay we are still saving over £200 for the two flights. Nover used Virgin before so will see what they are like.
Andrena