I’m pretty sure I’m going to book a flight from Chicago O’Hare airport to London Heathrow for March and I’m considering taking a non stop British Airways flight. Any opinions, good or bad on this airline?
I don’t expect much from any airline these days and I mainly fly Southwest in the USA since I prefer Midway airport and I like being able to check a bag without a nonsense fee.
British Airways is an above average airline, better than the vast majority of U.S. carriers but not as nice as the world leaders in luxury like Singapore Airlines. I don’t know what else to say unless you are flying 1st class. Their fleet tends to be older but well maintained and the service is generally more polite than most U.S. airlines. I always liked their flight attendant uniforms. They seem especially British.
I’ve only flown them once, roundtrip from San Francisco to London, about 10 years ago, but it was a very pleasant experience (as much as spending 10+ hours on a plane can be). Seatback video screens (in a 747) with about 20 different channels, good food, and free beer and wine.
Of course, things may have changed since 2003, but were I planning a fight to London, it’s the airline I would choose.
Flew from Colombo, Sri Lanka to Hong Kong on British Air years ago and had a great flight. Departure and arrival were on time, seats were roomy, flight attendants were friendly and the food was exceptional.
Here is a list of the best airlines in the world. British Airways is not among the top twenty. Tops are Emirates, Singapore and Qatar Airways. Lufthansa is listed and they have a non-stop to London.
British food?
Looks like the Lufthansa flights from ORD to LHR are code share flights with United.
My own feeling on this sort of thing is that price and convenience (when is the flight, is it nonstop, etc?) are far more important criteria. I doubt making a top 20 list will be of anything but marginal importance. You’ll be stuck on a plane for a long time. You’ll be served a meal that is edible but realistically you could find far superior meals at dozens of restaurants near your house. Make sure you have your own entertainment (books, music / audio you like) in case the inflight stuff sucks or is broken and I doubt you’d find there is that much difference between airlines.
Flew them once, SF-London and back, with 3 kids. Flight over in the Business Economy class (more legroom and a few minor perks) was quite nice.
Flight back, bumped to Business First, each of us in our own little travel pod, was even nicer. 
I’m actually a bit surprised Lufthansa is that high, and KLM is much lower at #37. All the major European airlines are kind of in the same basket to me, although I’ve always considered KLM a half tier above. At any rate, I’ve traveled a reasonable amount, and except for a couple of domestic carriers, I’ve never noticed that much a difference between airlines internationally. British Airways to me is on the same level as Air France, Lufthansa, and United to me. I wouldn’t hesitate booking them.
You’re probably right. And I suspect that British Airways is going to have the most flights into Heathrow. But the OP might also check Virgin Atlantic.
Virgin Atlantic and Virgin America is by far the nicest of the U.S carriers followed by JetBlue for coach tickets (they have real TV just like cable at home for free on the back of every seat for free). Southwest is the best bang for the buck. They will get you wherever you want to go cheaply although they sometimes have hidden stopovers. That isn’t a huge problem because you can grab one of the prime seats during a stopover if you are continuing on to the next leg of the route before they let anyone else board.
I have flown just about all of them many times. As long as they don’t lose your luggage (I think I have set a Guinness book of world records entry for that thanks to Continental, United and Delta), they are basically the same. First class is good but definitely not worth the price unless your major problem in life is figuring out how to keep all the weight of your money from sinking your house into the ground.
I was never impressed with Lufthansa so I am not sure why it made the list of top airlines. Al Italia is not only among the worst airlines in the world, it is also one of the worst run businesses - It is the Italian State airline. Ponder the implications of that for a moment yet it is even worse in reality. Al Italia is the only airline that I refuse to fly not because of their odd and antiquated planes and strange color schemes but because of their insane policy of multi-hour line-standing and lack of any help whatsever.
Any airline represents its nationality–but the food they serve does not. It’s local. They buy it from contractors close to the airport in the local area. On American domestic flights, you never notice, since Americans eat the same junk food in Phoenix or in Atlanta.
But on international flights, yeah, there’s a difference.
The food you get on a flight from Chicago to London was made in Chicago, and in the reverse direction, you’re getting food made in London.
And in any case, it doesn’t really matter. After 12 hours in the air,when people ask me if I enjoyed my flight , I always answer: “And did you enjoy your visit to the dentist?” 
The first time I flew on BA the stewie treated me like shit. Never flown with them again if I could avoid it.
I assume Qatar got there for it’s biz/ 1st class. I flew cattle class with them and it was just that, cattle class.
I have flown often on BA, usually from a US city to India with a stopover at Heathrow. London is almost exactly on the half-way point on the long trip to India; it takes about 9 hours to get to London from the US and about the same time to reach an Indian city from there, breaking the tedium into two equal halves.
As an airline, BA is better than Continental, Lufthansa, and all American airlines I have flown. The food is better too - on the India leg they have good Indian cuisine. They understand the Indian palate better than other airlines that also fly to India (including India’s national shame er, carrier, Air India).
Service-wise, they are certainly better than AI, Continental, and Lufthansa, but behind the leaders such as Qatar, Emirates (the latter IMO is the best of all airlines I have flown with). I also like their English accent; they seem proud of it. 
BA seats are expensive than most others. Delta is usually nominally more cost-effective. BA also charges for the 2nd checked bag, but then so do most international airlines nowadays I think.
All IMHO.
I think the consensus would be that they are generally fine. I’ve flown business and economy with them many times any they are perfectly fine. Not the greatest (as has been said elsewhere) but they have the advantage of size (more options for flight times and greater capacity for dealing with changes), food is fine, entertainment is OK and I’ve always been happy with the service.
Providing you can find a reasonable price and time then it is a safe enough bet.
Pretty much my experience. You won’t feel like you’re in the lap of luxury, but they do a little better job than any domestic U.S. airline I’ve flown.
Be sure to get the ginger ale! When I was a kid it was a bit of a shock, but I learned to like it. Hope it’s still the same.
+1. BA is a generic not-crap not-great carrier with a stranglehold on the routes to Heathrow. Flying these days is not a joy unless you are rich.
Comfortable clothes, good earplugs, your own supply of entertainment media, a good meal before you get on the plane and a generous supply of low expectation should make your flight mediocrely non-memorable.
If you get unlucky (delays, spiteful/inept cabin crew, unpleasant passenger) or lucky (upgrade! no queue at immigration!) then the flight will be more memorable, but those are beyond your control.