I had a late checkout from the hotel at 16:00 thanks to my platinum status and I made use of every second of this. My flight to London wasn’t until 21:45 so I decided to wait in the hotel lobby using their wifi until time to go to the airport. At around 18:30 I went out and waited for the shuttle bus to the airport.
Once inside I found the F check-in desks for BA and approached the waiting agent. He processed my bag to LHR only at my request and gave me a boarding pass. He then gave me directions through to the OneWorld lounge.
Security was short and sweet and the agent checking the ID commented that I had forgotten part of my name. My name is the same as a prominent politician in the US apart from a missing piece of the name. She said she had seen him once in person and he looked so old in person. I said that is what politics does to you, look at Obama. She laughed and agreed. The security check after this was quick although I had to endure yet another radiation treatment. The entrance to the OW lounge was straight ahead of me up one flight in an elevator err lift, we are in the US after all.
I was directed over to the right hand entrance into the F lounge. The lounge was relatively busy but I was able to find a seat. The food offerings including a lovely beef chilli with rice and some mushroom pasta, garlic soup, salads, sandwiches etc.
Curry in OW F Lounge LAX
OW F Lounge LAX
The bubbly was a Piper H. My boarding pass said that the gate closed at 20:50 that was almost a full hour before departure time. Close to that time I made my way out and down into the newly refurbished area of TBIT and down to the gate.
At the gate the sign said boarding wouldn’t even start until 21:05, so much for gate close at 20:50. God BA can be idiots at times.
When boarding did start it was the usual BA scrum as 50% of the passengers who had OW elite status all joined the scrum to board. No such thing as priority boarding for F on BA.
I joined the throng and made my way down on to the aircraft.
Flight BA0268 LAX-LHR Seat 2A (First)
Aircraft: A380-800
Departure time: 21:45
There was one other F passenger before me down the ramp and the crew were not at their stations. A crew member eventually appeared and directed us, not escorted us, to our seats.
I hung my jacket in the closet at the seat and I sat and waited. Whilst I waited I got acquainted with the F seat on the 380.
F Seat on BA 380
F Seat on BA 380
F Seat on BA 380
Cool IFE Flight Map
It is a much wider space and doesn’t seem to have as many nooks and crannies where things can disappear into the depths of the seat mechanism like on the 747.
The passengers on the other side were being offered pre-departure beverages but on the A side it was deafening silence from the BA crew. Eventually someone appeared and asked if I would like a drink. I asked for champagne. This was delivered a short while later and followed up by an amenity kit and offer of PJs, socks, mask, earplugs etc
Finally a Glass of Bubbly
The captain announced a flight time of 9 hours and 50 minutes. The crew took my empty glass away at least 20 minutes before we eventually pushed back and 22:09.
We took off at 22:29 with the QF 22:30 departure to MEL lining up just behind us.
At least some airlines know how to do on time departures. ;-)
After we were in the air a while the crew came around with hot towels and the menus. After this we hit some turbulence and the crew were asked to take their seats.
Menu
Eventually 45 minutes after take off the crew started the dinner service with no pre-dinner drinks and nuts. I opted for the tasting menu with suggested wines.
Bread was offered with the first course and again with the second course.
Salmon Starter
The tomato tea in the small cup was very tasty but could best be described as drinking watered down hot tomato sauce (ketchup).
Tomato Tea
This fish course was quite nice and it seems BA have finally discovered an element of cuisine not often featured in their on board meals. Flavour.
Fish Course
The beef rib looked pretty vile but tasted OK and wasn’t tough.
Beef Rib Main Course
Beef Rib Main Course
The dessert was petite but a nice way to end the meal and there was no offer of cheese at all.
Dessert
I finished off with a nice double espresso.
Coffee
I checked out the IFE and was able to select a couple of acceptable albums to add to a play list whilst I watched the moving map. I think there is some irony in the fact that the IFE icon for the ‘My Journey’ section is a silhouette of a 747-800.
The crew were good at supplying top ups of wine and water during the meal but just seemed to lack the polish of their older world fleet brethren.
After the meal I asked the crew to set the bed up and slept quite soundly until around 4 hours out of London.
After I awoke I watched a movie during which a crew member offered to get me a drink. I asked for a peppermint tea. After the movie the crew again dropped by asking if I would like breakfast. I decided to go the whole hog and asked for some fruit and the full English.
The fruit was edible apart from the winter melon that was not ripe at all.
Breakfast Fruit Plate
The main course was tasty but very salty and I needed to ask for several glasses of water prior to landing to compensate.
Full English
We touched down at 16:26 and taxied up to a gate at the C gates at T5. After an long wait for the jet bridge operators to get the things to the plane we eventually left via door 2L with the crew holding back the other passengers until F had vacated the plane.
I caught the train over to the A building and up to immigrations that was thankfully quite empty. I used fast track and was seen in a few minutes and the agent also processed my registered traveller application which should allow me quicker access into the UK using the EU lines in the future.
Down at the baggage belt the bags had already started to appear. I waited no longer than 3 minutes before mine appeared and I made my way out through customs and home for a night before the final leg of the RTW was to take place.