flyclub
Jul 9, 04, 9:14 am
Once again fbgdavidson is a motivation to us all for trip reports. Unlike some, ;), I have not left the BA flock for any flights recently and therefore I think my recent trip to Lisbon onboard one of BA's 747-400 may be of some interest.
LHR to Lisbon BA496
To gain maximum benefit of what I was convinced would be a rather bizarre day out, I had stayed the previous evening in the Holiday Inn Junction 4 M4 (to take advantage of double points at the moment). After a scenic tour of the Novotel and Crowne Plaza via the Hotel Hoppa, I arrived at Zone R and checked in using self service. After reading what FrequentFlyer99 had written about closing the FIRST section even after using OLCI, I was doubtful where I would be sitting!
However, my concerns quickly disappeared as the machine confirmed my seating I had chosen the previous morning - 1K going out and 2A coming back - Excellent! :D Within minutes I was in the T1 terraces for a quick grapefruit juice and croissant before boarding. I had only spent 10 mintues in the lounge before boarding was called - over 40 minutes before departure, which I could only assume was a consequence of such a large aircraft and therefore treating the boarding as if it was a long haul flight.
After a brisk five minute walk (I forget the gate number), a BA 747-400 could clearly be seen waiting at the gate. Boarding commenced as I arrived at the gate. As I boarded the aircraft, I must admit a sense of anticipation as I showed one of the cabin crew my seat assignment and turned left. In fact, I was told 'you have one of the best seats on the aircraft' as we walked through club, the FIRST galley and there in front of me was the FIRST class cabin tappering towards the nose.
As I settled into 1K, the first design feature which struck me was the superb useage of materials. The leather double stitched seat armrests, suede 'walls' of the footwell areas, and wood panelling (walnut effect maybe?) and grey wool upholstery of the seating is certainly not given justice on the BA website. The comfort of the seat is truly superb!
However, one critical aspect of the design is the lack of any storage areas. There is no 'seat pocket' as where the magazines are stowed seems to be a rigid structure with no possibilty of tucking anything in, like a conventional seat back. In fact, there are no side bins either like on the upper deck of the 747, everything I had went into the overhead lockers. However, a lot of carry on seemed to go in the bottom of the closet between seats 1A and 1K.
As boarding continued, the FIRST section was full by the time the doors were closed. In fact, it was quite funny to hear other passengers commenting to the crew that they were not expecting such a large aircraft as most did the flight frequently and only certain days/flights had the 747 operating the service.
As the aircraft pushed back, and the crew directed us the the safety demo's on our personal screens, the flight director informed us the flight was completely full. After the safety demo, a crew member pushed the screen back down into the unit as we qued for takeoff. The aircraft used the least runway I have yet flown on in a commerical jet, we were literally rotating in seconds, with a full complement of passengers. Just goes to show how heavy fuel actually is for Long Haul's!
As we climbed out of Heathrow, it suddenly dawned on me just how quiet it is to sit in the nose section of a 747. It was quite surreal and I don't think it is a point stressed enough. Easily the quietest section of any cabin I have ever sat in. Even at cruising level it's quiet, the noise only increases as you walk to the toilets next to the galley!
The crew offered us Breakfast - the usual Club Europe affair, which looked rather lost on the great expanse of the sliding walnut desk/table which lifts out of the side unit. It was the cooked option with croissants from the basket. Afterward when the tray was cleared away, as we crossed the Bay of Biscay, I stayed with the Champagne which can be put on top of the side unit next to the windows to keep the area in front free. The level of comfort was so superb I reclined my seat and before long after a combination of legrest rising and seat gliding, I was nearly horizontal! In fact at one point, I nearly fell asleep it was so comfortable and quiet.
After the brief 2 hour and 10 minute flight from London, we were making our approach into Lisbon where we parked at a remote stand and bused to the terminal.
At this point I was a little concerned at the rather tight 40 minute connection time as I was flying straight back on the same aircraft. However after reading the guidance from members of Flyertalk, my fears were availed as straight through the doors after getting off the bus was an escalator marked 'transit' which took me back up to the departure gate. Superb!
Lisbon to LHR BA 497
Boarding commenced after 15 minutes in the lounge which obviously involved catching a bus back to the aircraft. However, the bus waited for at least 20 minutes to fully fill up before we were on our way back to the aircraft. As I walked up the steps, I was reminded just how large the 747 appear in the flesh! Sitting in FIRST completely masks the reality of the size of the aircraft as when you are sitting in row 1 of the nose section, you are completely unaware of the sheer size of the aircraft and you certainly cannot see the wings!
As I entered the aircraft, I was instantly recognised by the crew who wondered if I was some sort of courier for BA. I informed them I wasn't and that I was doing to try the FIRST seating and gain the much needed miles for a future trip. While the rest of the passengers were boarding, the head crew member of the FIRST section had a chat with me at my seat (2A) for the return journey and answered some questions about the FIRST experience on a Long Haul flight.
As the last few passengers boarded the aircraft, it was obvious that the return flight was not full. In fact there were only around five of us in the FIRST section. Once again, the aircraft lept into the air almost instantly after lining up for take-off and the whisper quietness of the aircraft was once more apparent.
The service for the return trip was lunch which consisted of a choice of a salmon dish or green chicken curry. I chose the curry which was better than I expected. However, I do think it should have been served in one of the Royal Doulton club dishes rather than being given the plastic bowl it was heated in. Although I can forgive the crew for this minor point, as I was later informed that none of them had done short haul before! However they were more than redeemed when they came around offering wine in a basket with the Champagne actually chilled which was a first for me on any Club Europe flight!
The flight crew informed us that as the route today was being flown by a Long Haul Aircraft, it was far quicker which resulted in the flight time of only 2 hours between Lisbon and LHR.
Another interesting point to some readers was when I visited the toilets. As the FIRST toilet was occupied on the way out, and I had used the one further back in Club, I was amazed to find the the dedicated FIRST toilet had the same wood panelling as the seats!
A few more Champagne's later, we were landing in LHR.
The daytrip worked out perfectly, no rushing, effortless overall. The seating in FIRST is simply superb, however although 1A/K are deemed to be superb by some, I would say they felt a little too secluded as you lose all concept of where you are - and lose all atmosphere of the cabin, which may or may not be a good thing. I far preferred 2A as there seemed more space in the aisle and the person alongside was further away and hence the cabin seemed more spacious.
Final points
I would like to thank FrequentFlyer99 for informing us all of this rather special flight using Long Haul Equipment. The Club Europe fare for this experience was more than worth it!
If anyone is unsure of the premium cabin products BA has to offer, I would fully recommend trying it on a Short Haul flight when such opportunities arise as it allows you to try the seating without the expense. However, believe me, once you have tried it, you will be wanting to try it 'properly' Long Haul as you have an idea of what to expect!
LHR to Lisbon BA496
To gain maximum benefit of what I was convinced would be a rather bizarre day out, I had stayed the previous evening in the Holiday Inn Junction 4 M4 (to take advantage of double points at the moment). After a scenic tour of the Novotel and Crowne Plaza via the Hotel Hoppa, I arrived at Zone R and checked in using self service. After reading what FrequentFlyer99 had written about closing the FIRST section even after using OLCI, I was doubtful where I would be sitting!
However, my concerns quickly disappeared as the machine confirmed my seating I had chosen the previous morning - 1K going out and 2A coming back - Excellent! :D Within minutes I was in the T1 terraces for a quick grapefruit juice and croissant before boarding. I had only spent 10 mintues in the lounge before boarding was called - over 40 minutes before departure, which I could only assume was a consequence of such a large aircraft and therefore treating the boarding as if it was a long haul flight.
After a brisk five minute walk (I forget the gate number), a BA 747-400 could clearly be seen waiting at the gate. Boarding commenced as I arrived at the gate. As I boarded the aircraft, I must admit a sense of anticipation as I showed one of the cabin crew my seat assignment and turned left. In fact, I was told 'you have one of the best seats on the aircraft' as we walked through club, the FIRST galley and there in front of me was the FIRST class cabin tappering towards the nose.
As I settled into 1K, the first design feature which struck me was the superb useage of materials. The leather double stitched seat armrests, suede 'walls' of the footwell areas, and wood panelling (walnut effect maybe?) and grey wool upholstery of the seating is certainly not given justice on the BA website. The comfort of the seat is truly superb!
However, one critical aspect of the design is the lack of any storage areas. There is no 'seat pocket' as where the magazines are stowed seems to be a rigid structure with no possibilty of tucking anything in, like a conventional seat back. In fact, there are no side bins either like on the upper deck of the 747, everything I had went into the overhead lockers. However, a lot of carry on seemed to go in the bottom of the closet between seats 1A and 1K.
As boarding continued, the FIRST section was full by the time the doors were closed. In fact, it was quite funny to hear other passengers commenting to the crew that they were not expecting such a large aircraft as most did the flight frequently and only certain days/flights had the 747 operating the service.
As the aircraft pushed back, and the crew directed us the the safety demo's on our personal screens, the flight director informed us the flight was completely full. After the safety demo, a crew member pushed the screen back down into the unit as we qued for takeoff. The aircraft used the least runway I have yet flown on in a commerical jet, we were literally rotating in seconds, with a full complement of passengers. Just goes to show how heavy fuel actually is for Long Haul's!
As we climbed out of Heathrow, it suddenly dawned on me just how quiet it is to sit in the nose section of a 747. It was quite surreal and I don't think it is a point stressed enough. Easily the quietest section of any cabin I have ever sat in. Even at cruising level it's quiet, the noise only increases as you walk to the toilets next to the galley!
The crew offered us Breakfast - the usual Club Europe affair, which looked rather lost on the great expanse of the sliding walnut desk/table which lifts out of the side unit. It was the cooked option with croissants from the basket. Afterward when the tray was cleared away, as we crossed the Bay of Biscay, I stayed with the Champagne which can be put on top of the side unit next to the windows to keep the area in front free. The level of comfort was so superb I reclined my seat and before long after a combination of legrest rising and seat gliding, I was nearly horizontal! In fact at one point, I nearly fell asleep it was so comfortable and quiet.
After the brief 2 hour and 10 minute flight from London, we were making our approach into Lisbon where we parked at a remote stand and bused to the terminal.
At this point I was a little concerned at the rather tight 40 minute connection time as I was flying straight back on the same aircraft. However after reading the guidance from members of Flyertalk, my fears were availed as straight through the doors after getting off the bus was an escalator marked 'transit' which took me back up to the departure gate. Superb!
Lisbon to LHR BA 497
Boarding commenced after 15 minutes in the lounge which obviously involved catching a bus back to the aircraft. However, the bus waited for at least 20 minutes to fully fill up before we were on our way back to the aircraft. As I walked up the steps, I was reminded just how large the 747 appear in the flesh! Sitting in FIRST completely masks the reality of the size of the aircraft as when you are sitting in row 1 of the nose section, you are completely unaware of the sheer size of the aircraft and you certainly cannot see the wings!
As I entered the aircraft, I was instantly recognised by the crew who wondered if I was some sort of courier for BA. I informed them I wasn't and that I was doing to try the FIRST seating and gain the much needed miles for a future trip. While the rest of the passengers were boarding, the head crew member of the FIRST section had a chat with me at my seat (2A) for the return journey and answered some questions about the FIRST experience on a Long Haul flight.
As the last few passengers boarded the aircraft, it was obvious that the return flight was not full. In fact there were only around five of us in the FIRST section. Once again, the aircraft lept into the air almost instantly after lining up for take-off and the whisper quietness of the aircraft was once more apparent.
The service for the return trip was lunch which consisted of a choice of a salmon dish or green chicken curry. I chose the curry which was better than I expected. However, I do think it should have been served in one of the Royal Doulton club dishes rather than being given the plastic bowl it was heated in. Although I can forgive the crew for this minor point, as I was later informed that none of them had done short haul before! However they were more than redeemed when they came around offering wine in a basket with the Champagne actually chilled which was a first for me on any Club Europe flight!
The flight crew informed us that as the route today was being flown by a Long Haul Aircraft, it was far quicker which resulted in the flight time of only 2 hours between Lisbon and LHR.
Another interesting point to some readers was when I visited the toilets. As the FIRST toilet was occupied on the way out, and I had used the one further back in Club, I was amazed to find the the dedicated FIRST toilet had the same wood panelling as the seats!
A few more Champagne's later, we were landing in LHR.
The daytrip worked out perfectly, no rushing, effortless overall. The seating in FIRST is simply superb, however although 1A/K are deemed to be superb by some, I would say they felt a little too secluded as you lose all concept of where you are - and lose all atmosphere of the cabin, which may or may not be a good thing. I far preferred 2A as there seemed more space in the aisle and the person alongside was further away and hence the cabin seemed more spacious.
Final points
I would like to thank FrequentFlyer99 for informing us all of this rather special flight using Long Haul Equipment. The Club Europe fare for this experience was more than worth it!
If anyone is unsure of the premium cabin products BA has to offer, I would fully recommend trying it on a Short Haul flight when such opportunities arise as it allows you to try the seating without the expense. However, believe me, once you have tried it, you will be wanting to try it 'properly' Long Haul as you have an idea of what to expect!