The 5 worst business class cabins in European skies

Over the years here at TFC we have often told about how one of the mistakes to avoid when booking an airline ticket is to book the wrong seat, or better would be to say the right cabin in the wrong plane. Just as not all donuts come out with a hole, not all business class cabins are created equal.

What to do to avoid making mistakes

WHEREAS, the company could at any time change aircraft., see my Misadventure aboard Finnair's business class, before booking it is always a good idea to try to figure out which aircraft the flight will be operated with and what cabin layout. There are sites like Seatguru showing seat maps and descriptions of each aircraft in operation, but Lately I have also been using Aerolopa, a service that not only shows the design of the cabins, but also details the presence of flaws such as the absence of windows or details that can make the seat more uncomfortable, from economy to first.

The "ugliest" business class cabins in Europe

A brief introduction is in order, there are many cabins worse than the ones we list in this article, but they either do not fly to Europe or are very rare, so the chances of an Italian traveler ending up on them are slim. In contrast, the ones we list here are cabins that frequent Italian and European airports often used by Italians.

Many people wrote. in the comments of our last video, that theto ITA Airways' business class aboard the old A330 former Alitalia is ugly, here with this article I want to talk about the ones that I think are even uglier. In fact compared to the ones below, ITA's old "Magnifica" is first class.

Essential requirements that a business class seat must have

Obviously this is a personal opinion and each passenger has his or her own preferences, but in general the minimum requirements are as follows (in order of importance)

1. Direct access to the corridor
2. Privacy for passengers
3. Appropriately sized IFE screen (content is always the same from economy to first)
4. Excellent catering and wine list

#1 Business class on Emirates' 777s.

The Dubai-based company is considered one of the best in the world, and in some respects it certainly is, if however you fly aboard a 777/300, the only other model in fleet in addition to the A380, from Bologna or Venice or from Dubai on routes where EK uses this model you will not have the same quality in terms of seating.

There are as many as 7 passengers per row aboard these 777s, a 2-3-2 configuration, with almost 50% passengers not having direct aisle access. Something that should be prohibited by the Geneva Convention.

Sure the service is the 5-star service that Emirates is famous for, but the older seats do not fully recline, while the newer ones become a bed, but still with very little privacy and almost zero personal space.

The 777s are generally used on smaller routes, where the A380's monstrous capacity is not needed, and on longer routes such as flights from Dubai to Tokyo or New Zealand, the advice is obvious and is to target routes operated by the giant of the skies, which in business offers a more convenient 1-2-1 configuration.

#2 British Airways' Club World.

There is one configuration in the world that, in business class, puts as many as 8 passengers per row. A unique setup that forces passengers to travel looking into their neighbor's eyes. The only good thing about British Airways is that it has only two types of business class cabins in its long-haul fleet, the very bad Club World and the beautiful Club World Suite.

Traveling business class in this little box is really a "nightmare" experience when compared to the new cabin. Not only do you have very little space, an IFE screen smaller than many modern economy class seats, but you also have to climb over the neighboring passenger. Part of BA's fleet will receive the new cabin, but not all planes will be updated so be careful when booking.

#3 Virgin Atlantic's Upper Class

I personally renamed this configuration "the sardine can" Because it holds so many passengers in so little space.

Paradoxically, the configuration is 1-1-1, so only three people per row, one of the best in the world. Invented by Virgin Atlantic, it has only been adopted by one other company, New Zealand's Air New Zealand. On the bright side. Both of these companies have begun a fast fleet renewal operation That within a year will make this cabin disappear forever.

These seats have no privacy, they are not comfortable, they cannot become a bed without making the passenger get up, but the biggest flaw is that you can never look out the window, unless you are a yoga master. Passengers are literally boxed inside the seats, the only advice I would give if you find yourself flying on this cabin is to choose the Row A and reserve the first or last seat.

#4 Air France's Caribbean 777s.

I saved these chairs for last for the simple reason that. By the end of 2023 they should be a faded memory, but until then the risk of ending up on it is still very high.

These planes are the ones that Air France uses mainly to holiday routes and for this the business class layout accommodates as many as 7 passengers per row.

Very little personal space, zero privacy, and 3 out of 7 passengers without direct aisle access. Of course if you fly as a couple it may not be bad, but compared to what always AF offers on the rest of its fleet it is really a worse service for the same price.

#5 Lufthansa's business class on the 747 (and beyond)

Traveling aboard a 747/8, the larger version of the Queen of Skies, is one of the must-do things in the life of a true AvGeek. Too bad, however, that the cabin is one of the worst in the world. As is well known, business class is located on both the upper deck and the main floor.

The difference between the "ground" floor and the second floor is that one accommodates 6 passengers per row and the other only 4.

Among the two options, the least worst is definitely the iconic upper deck, the one that also allows you to poke around what's going on in the cockpit. You have to factor in zero privacy, though, and no direct aisle access if you're sitting by the window, which is a real shame.

Off the charts, but still below average

These are the 5 worst cabins flying from Europe right now (February 2023), but there are also other bad cabins such as that of Air Europa on the 787/8, also on Dreamliners, KLM also does not offer direct aisle access to all passengers. Same problem for Turkish Airlines' A330s as well.

There are so many companies that have an "old" configuration such as. Austrian and the other LH group carriers that have yes the famous "throne" But for everyone else it is an uncomfortable setup for several guests.

In conclusion

As we have seen from Emirates to Lufthansa, but also other award-winning airlines offer substandard service in some cases, on the contrary ITA, like Alitalia, has only business class cabins that offer direct access to the hallway, an armchair that becomes a bed, and lots of privacy. The best ones, on the other hand, we awarded at the end of the year. In our annual TFC Best ranking.

• TFC Best