Fraser
Nov 28, 04, 7:00 pm
My first mileage run with other Flyertalkers!
I awoke at 4am in order to get to Heathrow for my 6.30am meet with flyclub and BA97.com. I took the bus from NCP Flightpath to Terminal 1 and made my way upstairs and across the departures level to the far corner and corridor to British Airways Premium Check-In at Zone R
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v42/fbgdavidson/DSC01792.jpg
I had unfortunately no cell phone due to the being forgetful and leaving my charger at University and so hoped our meeting would go without a hitch. As I approached I saw flyclub outside and as we made our way just into Zone R to see if First check-in was open BA97.com approached. We then utterly confused the gorgeous young lady at check-in by handing her numerous bits of paper with various itineraries asking for numerous other boarding passes than the ones we should have got! After several phone calls we conceded defeat and took only the LHR-BCN boarding passes with the three of us occupying 3F, 3J and 3K.
BA478 London Heathrow – Barcelona El Prat: Boeing 767-300 (G-BNWB)
As expected for this time of the morning Zone R was dead and First check-in to which we were entitled (thanks to flyclub’s gold coloured piece of BA issued plastic) was not used. We were the queue for security and so speedily made our way from check-in to Lounge Pavilion. Again flyclubs Gold card allowed all three of us access to the First lounge (although technically allowing just the one guest), a little leeway was given based on time of the morning and a friendly smile goes a long way! The lady inside the First lounge was a little less friendly about it although let us in regardless. The lounge was populated by a few suits, mainly around the champagne bar although we headed for the far corner where we sat down with our cereal and bacon baguettes which were later delivered.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v42/fbgdavidson/DSC00004.jpg
At around 7.30am our flight was called and we made our way from the lounge to Gate 50 and judging by the boards outside the lounge this was a 15min walk…..perhaps a 15min crawl but we were there within five and boarding was well underway. We settled into our various seats across the starboard side of row 3 and watched as near continuous stream of people headed to the back of the aircraft. By the time boarding had finished it appeared the three of us made up close to 50% of the non-dead heading crew and everybody else was generously scattered around the seven rows. We departed from runway 27R and sadly, unlike two weeks previous the view off to west as we turned was restricted by cloud. Soon the CSD, Dirk, with more flags on his badge than the United Nations came round offering bread to accompany our trademark Club Europe breakfast. I noticed he was paying some particular attention to the young girl in 2K but overall was a real credit to the airline and it came across if no issue was too big for him!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v42/fbgdavidson/DSC01797.jpg
The meal was pretty good and a nice accompaniment to my bowl of muesli and bacon baguette in the lounge. Some ketchup or HP Sauce would make a great addition to this ^ The views over France were quite dull which was all very good because the three of us were chatting, champagne in hand, all the way to Barcelona, probably much to the annoyance of the crew attempting sleep, although it was at this point that BA97.com admitted to doing an almost identical itinerary just the day before! :D On the descent into Barcelona we were treated to a spectacular view of the Pyrenees and the city of Barcelona was off to our right.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v42/fbgdavidson/DSC00010.jpg
We landed on the far runway from the terminal which meant an extremely long taxi which was effectively the length of the runway….twice!
IB1248 – Barcelona El Prat – Malaga: McDonnell Douglas MD-87
We made our way down the long corridor that is Barcelona’s terminal as far as the Gaudi Lounge. We again attempted to pick up the boarding passes for all our remaining flights and handed over numerous bits of BA metallic coloured plastic, itinerary sheets and passports however BA97.com had a problem with his ticket and so had to proceed back to the departures area while myself and flyclub settled down with a bottle (or three of cava). The lounge attendant came to inform us that our boarding passes were available and that there were some problems with BA97.com’s ticket although he joined us soon after. We were scattered throughout the cabin, 1A, 1F and 2F although based on our collective experience of IB domestic business class thought we were the only passengers. Boarding started around 12.10 and we were dismayed to find we were to be joined by another six people, surely a record for IB domestic C class! I was in 2F having flown in row 1 before and found it very claustrophobic, especially with another person seated beside me. This was compounded when he decided to fall asleep slopping over onto my seat :(
A snack was served, a composition of cheeses and meats with a few sticks of bread. Not a bad tasting meal although more would have been nice, I had some white wine to accompany this as my colleagues in row 1 had already pinched the only two bottle of cava onboard the flight! For the rest of the flight I had to settle with looking out the window, although the view at times was
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v42/fbgdavidson/DSC00014.jpg
spectacular and sometimes unusual – anyone know what the little green circles in a regular pattern are?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v42/fbgdavidson/DSC00015.jpg
Our descent into Malaga couldn’t have come too soon as I wasn’t enjoying the severe lack of room or the stench of the fellow beside me…..We were bussed into the terminal where a number of United Kingdom originating charter flights had landed at a similar time. We all headed up to the lounge although BA97.com ended up going back through to the departures area to attempt to get his flights changed so he could come back with myself and flyclub and thereby avoiding flying IB back from Barcelona to London!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v42/fbgdavidson/DSC01803.jpg
Again he joined us within about ten minutes or so and we had a vodka martini mixed ready for him although we later learned the destiny of this drink was to be spread thinly across the lounge floor. Our final hour as a group of three ended rather fast since BA97.com was unable to change his flights so we bade each other farewell and set off for the bus back to same aircraft we arrived on.
IB1239 – Malaga - Barcelona El Prat : McDonnell Douglas MD-87
As we were one of the first onboard we watched many people pass by myself and flyclub in row 1 wondering if we would be the only ones in C Class. Alas some deadheading crew were behind us and another gentleman and lady joined us in row 2.
We took off over the sea before turning northeast for Barcelona. Lunch, a small chorizo sandwich was served and this time I managed to get a cava to go with it.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v42/fbgdavidson/DSC01807.jpg
The small plastic sword in the sandwich would no doubt pass as a security risk on an American carrier the tip being at least half an inch long, although fluorescent allowing for high visibility…..The crew then played hide and seek from the passengers choosing although in their few brief appearances they were friendly.
After landing at Barcelona we went through into the public area to pick up our BA boarding passes, or preferably to change our seats. Our previous passes for 2C and 3F were swapped out for 1A and 1C :D Security was no hassle and we went back to the lounge.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v42/fbgdavidson/DSC00012.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v42/fbgdavidson/DSC01814.jpg
We had been in five hours before for another hundred and twenty minutes of people watching as we sat looking over the check-in area. Unfortunately, as was the case two weeks previous, the internet connected laptops were non-functional and we passed the 90mins or so with a few bottles of Freixenet and some quality miles chat!
BA481 Barcelona El Prat - London Heathrow: Airbus A319 (G-EUOH)
We went to the front desk to ask when the flight was boarding and they claimed it had already been announced…..well we didn’t hear it and so made our way briskly through the terminal to Gate 43 where boarding had commenced and we quickly settled into 1A and 1C.
We took off to the south and the first drinks round was soon made, the bassinet doubling up as a very useful drinks tray! I had my final bottle of Piper for the day to accompany my rather tasty salmon salad.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v42/fbgdavidson/DSC00017.jpg
We got the flight attendant to put on the map display, if for one reason to allow flyclub to pace his champagne in correlation with staggering for the Hotel Hoppa! :p I made an impulse duty free Xmas present buy onboard before we settled down for the rest of the flight, myself with coffee and flyclub with Piper.
The flight landed some 15 minutes early and an international stand at Terminal 1 wasn’t ready so we parked up on a domestic one instead and waited 15minutes for buses to arrive, of course disembarking from the rear door and so we ended up waiting for a second bus. This did allow flyclub to chat with a female FA that he had come across on several previous flights…..to be expected when you do upwards of 80 Club Europe sectors per year!
Immigration was a short line at this time and before long it was time to go our separate ways and head for home.
A very enjoyable day had by all and great to meet two Flyertalkers in their natural habitat….a mileage run! Definitely one for the future should I come a few tier points short of status, or just fancy a day out!
Also see: LHR-BCN-AGP-BCN-LHR runs with BA/Iberia in Business (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=375272)
I awoke at 4am in order to get to Heathrow for my 6.30am meet with flyclub and BA97.com. I took the bus from NCP Flightpath to Terminal 1 and made my way upstairs and across the departures level to the far corner and corridor to British Airways Premium Check-In at Zone R
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v42/fbgdavidson/DSC01792.jpg
I had unfortunately no cell phone due to the being forgetful and leaving my charger at University and so hoped our meeting would go without a hitch. As I approached I saw flyclub outside and as we made our way just into Zone R to see if First check-in was open BA97.com approached. We then utterly confused the gorgeous young lady at check-in by handing her numerous bits of paper with various itineraries asking for numerous other boarding passes than the ones we should have got! After several phone calls we conceded defeat and took only the LHR-BCN boarding passes with the three of us occupying 3F, 3J and 3K.
BA478 London Heathrow – Barcelona El Prat: Boeing 767-300 (G-BNWB)
As expected for this time of the morning Zone R was dead and First check-in to which we were entitled (thanks to flyclub’s gold coloured piece of BA issued plastic) was not used. We were the queue for security and so speedily made our way from check-in to Lounge Pavilion. Again flyclubs Gold card allowed all three of us access to the First lounge (although technically allowing just the one guest), a little leeway was given based on time of the morning and a friendly smile goes a long way! The lady inside the First lounge was a little less friendly about it although let us in regardless. The lounge was populated by a few suits, mainly around the champagne bar although we headed for the far corner where we sat down with our cereal and bacon baguettes which were later delivered.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v42/fbgdavidson/DSC00004.jpg
At around 7.30am our flight was called and we made our way from the lounge to Gate 50 and judging by the boards outside the lounge this was a 15min walk…..perhaps a 15min crawl but we were there within five and boarding was well underway. We settled into our various seats across the starboard side of row 3 and watched as near continuous stream of people headed to the back of the aircraft. By the time boarding had finished it appeared the three of us made up close to 50% of the non-dead heading crew and everybody else was generously scattered around the seven rows. We departed from runway 27R and sadly, unlike two weeks previous the view off to west as we turned was restricted by cloud. Soon the CSD, Dirk, with more flags on his badge than the United Nations came round offering bread to accompany our trademark Club Europe breakfast. I noticed he was paying some particular attention to the young girl in 2K but overall was a real credit to the airline and it came across if no issue was too big for him!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v42/fbgdavidson/DSC01797.jpg
The meal was pretty good and a nice accompaniment to my bowl of muesli and bacon baguette in the lounge. Some ketchup or HP Sauce would make a great addition to this ^ The views over France were quite dull which was all very good because the three of us were chatting, champagne in hand, all the way to Barcelona, probably much to the annoyance of the crew attempting sleep, although it was at this point that BA97.com admitted to doing an almost identical itinerary just the day before! :D On the descent into Barcelona we were treated to a spectacular view of the Pyrenees and the city of Barcelona was off to our right.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v42/fbgdavidson/DSC00010.jpg
We landed on the far runway from the terminal which meant an extremely long taxi which was effectively the length of the runway….twice!
IB1248 – Barcelona El Prat – Malaga: McDonnell Douglas MD-87
We made our way down the long corridor that is Barcelona’s terminal as far as the Gaudi Lounge. We again attempted to pick up the boarding passes for all our remaining flights and handed over numerous bits of BA metallic coloured plastic, itinerary sheets and passports however BA97.com had a problem with his ticket and so had to proceed back to the departures area while myself and flyclub settled down with a bottle (or three of cava). The lounge attendant came to inform us that our boarding passes were available and that there were some problems with BA97.com’s ticket although he joined us soon after. We were scattered throughout the cabin, 1A, 1F and 2F although based on our collective experience of IB domestic business class thought we were the only passengers. Boarding started around 12.10 and we were dismayed to find we were to be joined by another six people, surely a record for IB domestic C class! I was in 2F having flown in row 1 before and found it very claustrophobic, especially with another person seated beside me. This was compounded when he decided to fall asleep slopping over onto my seat :(
A snack was served, a composition of cheeses and meats with a few sticks of bread. Not a bad tasting meal although more would have been nice, I had some white wine to accompany this as my colleagues in row 1 had already pinched the only two bottle of cava onboard the flight! For the rest of the flight I had to settle with looking out the window, although the view at times was
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v42/fbgdavidson/DSC00014.jpg
spectacular and sometimes unusual – anyone know what the little green circles in a regular pattern are?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v42/fbgdavidson/DSC00015.jpg
Our descent into Malaga couldn’t have come too soon as I wasn’t enjoying the severe lack of room or the stench of the fellow beside me…..We were bussed into the terminal where a number of United Kingdom originating charter flights had landed at a similar time. We all headed up to the lounge although BA97.com ended up going back through to the departures area to attempt to get his flights changed so he could come back with myself and flyclub and thereby avoiding flying IB back from Barcelona to London!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v42/fbgdavidson/DSC01803.jpg
Again he joined us within about ten minutes or so and we had a vodka martini mixed ready for him although we later learned the destiny of this drink was to be spread thinly across the lounge floor. Our final hour as a group of three ended rather fast since BA97.com was unable to change his flights so we bade each other farewell and set off for the bus back to same aircraft we arrived on.
IB1239 – Malaga - Barcelona El Prat : McDonnell Douglas MD-87
As we were one of the first onboard we watched many people pass by myself and flyclub in row 1 wondering if we would be the only ones in C Class. Alas some deadheading crew were behind us and another gentleman and lady joined us in row 2.
We took off over the sea before turning northeast for Barcelona. Lunch, a small chorizo sandwich was served and this time I managed to get a cava to go with it.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v42/fbgdavidson/DSC01807.jpg
The small plastic sword in the sandwich would no doubt pass as a security risk on an American carrier the tip being at least half an inch long, although fluorescent allowing for high visibility…..The crew then played hide and seek from the passengers choosing although in their few brief appearances they were friendly.
After landing at Barcelona we went through into the public area to pick up our BA boarding passes, or preferably to change our seats. Our previous passes for 2C and 3F were swapped out for 1A and 1C :D Security was no hassle and we went back to the lounge.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v42/fbgdavidson/DSC00012.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v42/fbgdavidson/DSC01814.jpg
We had been in five hours before for another hundred and twenty minutes of people watching as we sat looking over the check-in area. Unfortunately, as was the case two weeks previous, the internet connected laptops were non-functional and we passed the 90mins or so with a few bottles of Freixenet and some quality miles chat!
BA481 Barcelona El Prat - London Heathrow: Airbus A319 (G-EUOH)
We went to the front desk to ask when the flight was boarding and they claimed it had already been announced…..well we didn’t hear it and so made our way briskly through the terminal to Gate 43 where boarding had commenced and we quickly settled into 1A and 1C.
We took off to the south and the first drinks round was soon made, the bassinet doubling up as a very useful drinks tray! I had my final bottle of Piper for the day to accompany my rather tasty salmon salad.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v42/fbgdavidson/DSC00017.jpg
We got the flight attendant to put on the map display, if for one reason to allow flyclub to pace his champagne in correlation with staggering for the Hotel Hoppa! :p I made an impulse duty free Xmas present buy onboard before we settled down for the rest of the flight, myself with coffee and flyclub with Piper.
The flight landed some 15 minutes early and an international stand at Terminal 1 wasn’t ready so we parked up on a domestic one instead and waited 15minutes for buses to arrive, of course disembarking from the rear door and so we ended up waiting for a second bus. This did allow flyclub to chat with a female FA that he had come across on several previous flights…..to be expected when you do upwards of 80 Club Europe sectors per year!
Immigration was a short line at this time and before long it was time to go our separate ways and head for home.
A very enjoyable day had by all and great to meet two Flyertalkers in their natural habitat….a mileage run! Definitely one for the future should I come a few tier points short of status, or just fancy a day out!
Also see: LHR-BCN-AGP-BCN-LHR runs with BA/Iberia in Business (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=375272)