I'm finishing up my trip to Australia and thought I'd point out some significant points for others doing the trip. The trip was FLL-ATL-LAX on DL and LAX-SYD on VA.
I was booked in PE as I figured I couldn't manage the 15 hour LAX-SYD trip in coach - even premium economy. It cost ~$3200 almost twice the price of coach.
Only VA has the PE cabin, DL of course only have econ comfort. The VA PE seats are much better than DL EC seats in knee room, width and recline.
The cabin service was very good. The food was probably better than coach, but not by much. They did take our food trays away almost immediately once we were finished which was nice. (I hate how in coach I have to sit with the tray long after being finished with it.)
The PE seats made the 15 hour flight bearable, but I was still longing for business class. I guess as a plat I could have got a econ comfort seat for free on DL metal and had an (albeit small) chance of an op-up.
Lounge access for this trip was not good:
I had no problems at the SC in FLL
Didn't try in ATL (no time)
Didn't try the SC in LAX T5, denied at the VX club (contract VA) in LAX T3
Denied at the NZ lounge (contract for VA) in T1 in SYD for the return
Denied at LAX SC T5
Won't bother trying in ATL.
The VA check-in procedure at SYD was poor. I was allowed to check-in at the Business class line (as DL Plat), but took me 20 minutes to check-in as their was only one agent. The PE line was no better.
I was booked in PE as I figured I couldn't manage the 15 hour LAX-SYD trip in coach - even premium economy. It cost ~$3200 almost twice the price of coach.
Only VA has the PE cabin, DL of course only have econ comfort. The VA PE seats are much better than DL EC seats in knee room, width and recline.
The cabin service was very good. The food was probably better than coach, but not by much. They did take our food trays away almost immediately once we were finished which was nice. (I hate how in coach I have to sit with the tray long after being finished with it.)
The PE seats made the 15 hour flight bearable, but I was still longing for business class. I guess as a plat I could have got a econ comfort seat for free on DL metal and had an (albeit small) chance of an op-up.
Lounge access for this trip was not good:
I had no problems at the SC in FLL
Didn't try in ATL (no time)
Didn't try the SC in LAX T5, denied at the VX club (contract VA) in LAX T3
Denied at the NZ lounge (contract for VA) in T1 in SYD for the return
Denied at LAX SC T5
Won't bother trying in ATL.
The VA check-in procedure at SYD was poor. I was allowed to check-in at the Business class line (as DL Plat), but took me 20 minutes to check-in as their was only one agent. The PE line was no better.