lowlyblue
May 24, 05, 5:20 am
My first FIRST experience thanks to tips on collecting miles and the famous two-for-one Amex offer on the BA Executive Club board ^
LHR-JFK 1815 19 May
FIRST check-in at LHR smooth. We actually had to wait for a couple of minutes and one of the staff fussed around looking for someone to open a new desk. As we had arrived c. 3 hours before the flight to make the most of the experience we were surprised to be offered seats on the previous flight, but turned them down - as my wife let slip, 'we want to get drunk in the lounge'. The agent then continued this theme through check-in - 'the lounge is by gate 10 and your flight is from gate 3, which is quite a long distance especially if you're drunk'. Ah, the joyous banter of the British (although I think he was Spanish, actually).
'fast track' to departures, actually no faster than normal, but so much more exclusive, and on to the Concorde Lounge. Not quite the paragon of elegance I was expecting (something about lots of people on mobile phones and somebody coming round with a carpet sweeper (at least it wasn't a vacuum cleaner) takes the edge off) but pleasant nonetheless, and a couple of glasses of champagne always goes down well. Booked a back massage in the somewhat chaotic Molton Brown spa. Massage was pleasant but actually made my back muscles tired over the next couple of days - is it supposed to do that? Flight eventually called, and yes it is rather a long way from gate 10 to gate 3, especially when you stop to pick up a book. Not quite named over the tannoy but an 'ah, we've been waiting for you' admonition.
The FIRST cabin: very pleasant, but those curved cocoons don't let you forget that you're in an aeroplane. British staff attentive but not intrusive and friendly but not obsequious. It's that 'okey dokey' and 'I'll just pop that there for you' sort of language that you can only get at home. Used the personal video library (very awkward to get the tapes in and out - have they actually designed it so that the FAs have to lean over you?). Nice meal but only compared with an average restaurant on the ground. There are good touches like the tablecloth, choice of warmed rolls, and a box of chocolates being passed round afterwards, but the main course (beef curry) was average and somewhat glutinous. First choice of wine unavailable. Metal spoon but still plastic knife and fork (not their fault, I know).
JFK-LHR 2130 22 May
Arrived at Terminal 7 on the airtrain from the car rental return. Heaving. Even the FIRST check-in had queues, and a fight nearly broke out between two passengers as a sort of three queues for four desks thing had developed.
Through security avoiding having to take shoes off unlike most others. Checked out First Lounge, next to Terraces but a long way from Concorde Lounge. Pleasant pre-flight meal in the Concorde Lounge (but still a bit canteeny), at next table from Cliff Richard. We were told you had to eat before boarding, as there were just snacks on the 'good night sleeper service' - not sure if this is true, possibly confusing us with plebs in Club World. C Lounge comfortable, but could easily be more so - more of a gentleman's club feel, perhaps, rather than rectangular chairs arranged in rectangles.
Arrived in good time for plane this time. 5E/F good choice, very good if you want to be left alone, not so good if you want much attention. I asked for the additional items for the BAg and caused a little commotion as 'no-one had ever asked for them before so we had some trouble finding them', but they were found. Why don't they put them in in the first place? Obviously it means they don't get through very many. One FA had an edge of testiness, but the rest were great.
It's definitely a case of getting you to sleep as soon as possible, although menus were handed round. I am 6'3" but couldn't they do a bit better with the 'bed'? Would some sort of mattress breach safety guidelines? This one was long enough, but it felt just like the folded-down seat that it was. The foot end is very narrow and the head end not much better. Those Iberia ads (the best bed in the world is in the sky) really annoy me as the best aircraft bed I've come across is still much worse than the most basic bed on the ground. Having said all that I did at least sleep, which I don't manage in an economy chair. The next five hours are therefore zzz...
Woken up 40 minutes before landing - they may try to give us as much sleeping time as possible, but this wasn't enough time to get everyone fed and toiletted before the fasten seatbelt sign came on. Breakfast OK but rather hurried. After a couple of circles over north east Surrey, we flew over London and landed.
Waited ages for luggage - do those 'priority' labels actually do anything? One without a priority tag arrived first, then about 20 minutes later the others gradually arrived. Checked out the Arrivals Lounge. Piped sounds of birds twittering, bright colours, outdoor-ish seating. Luggage storage, 10 shower rooms but still a queue. Cooked and continental breakfast available. No Internet to be found. Then the magic ended and it was off to the HEX.
All in all? Very enjoyable, but I don't think it is that much better than Club World to justify the cost, so I'll be sticking to redemption flights for now. And there *are* things they could do to make it a quantum leap from Club World. Door to door limo or taxi service, or first class HEX tickets or something. Lounge more like a club with only waiter service to give it less of a canteen feel. Some sort of actual mattress contraption. Bigger video screens, noise-cancelling headphones. Food that is served out rather than already in portioned dishes (at least I think that is what it is). Put me on the BA blue-sky thinking (pun intended) payroll and I'll come up with lots more ideas!
LHR-JFK 1815 19 May
FIRST check-in at LHR smooth. We actually had to wait for a couple of minutes and one of the staff fussed around looking for someone to open a new desk. As we had arrived c. 3 hours before the flight to make the most of the experience we were surprised to be offered seats on the previous flight, but turned them down - as my wife let slip, 'we want to get drunk in the lounge'. The agent then continued this theme through check-in - 'the lounge is by gate 10 and your flight is from gate 3, which is quite a long distance especially if you're drunk'. Ah, the joyous banter of the British (although I think he was Spanish, actually).
'fast track' to departures, actually no faster than normal, but so much more exclusive, and on to the Concorde Lounge. Not quite the paragon of elegance I was expecting (something about lots of people on mobile phones and somebody coming round with a carpet sweeper (at least it wasn't a vacuum cleaner) takes the edge off) but pleasant nonetheless, and a couple of glasses of champagne always goes down well. Booked a back massage in the somewhat chaotic Molton Brown spa. Massage was pleasant but actually made my back muscles tired over the next couple of days - is it supposed to do that? Flight eventually called, and yes it is rather a long way from gate 10 to gate 3, especially when you stop to pick up a book. Not quite named over the tannoy but an 'ah, we've been waiting for you' admonition.
The FIRST cabin: very pleasant, but those curved cocoons don't let you forget that you're in an aeroplane. British staff attentive but not intrusive and friendly but not obsequious. It's that 'okey dokey' and 'I'll just pop that there for you' sort of language that you can only get at home. Used the personal video library (very awkward to get the tapes in and out - have they actually designed it so that the FAs have to lean over you?). Nice meal but only compared with an average restaurant on the ground. There are good touches like the tablecloth, choice of warmed rolls, and a box of chocolates being passed round afterwards, but the main course (beef curry) was average and somewhat glutinous. First choice of wine unavailable. Metal spoon but still plastic knife and fork (not their fault, I know).
JFK-LHR 2130 22 May
Arrived at Terminal 7 on the airtrain from the car rental return. Heaving. Even the FIRST check-in had queues, and a fight nearly broke out between two passengers as a sort of three queues for four desks thing had developed.
Through security avoiding having to take shoes off unlike most others. Checked out First Lounge, next to Terraces but a long way from Concorde Lounge. Pleasant pre-flight meal in the Concorde Lounge (but still a bit canteeny), at next table from Cliff Richard. We were told you had to eat before boarding, as there were just snacks on the 'good night sleeper service' - not sure if this is true, possibly confusing us with plebs in Club World. C Lounge comfortable, but could easily be more so - more of a gentleman's club feel, perhaps, rather than rectangular chairs arranged in rectangles.
Arrived in good time for plane this time. 5E/F good choice, very good if you want to be left alone, not so good if you want much attention. I asked for the additional items for the BAg and caused a little commotion as 'no-one had ever asked for them before so we had some trouble finding them', but they were found. Why don't they put them in in the first place? Obviously it means they don't get through very many. One FA had an edge of testiness, but the rest were great.
It's definitely a case of getting you to sleep as soon as possible, although menus were handed round. I am 6'3" but couldn't they do a bit better with the 'bed'? Would some sort of mattress breach safety guidelines? This one was long enough, but it felt just like the folded-down seat that it was. The foot end is very narrow and the head end not much better. Those Iberia ads (the best bed in the world is in the sky) really annoy me as the best aircraft bed I've come across is still much worse than the most basic bed on the ground. Having said all that I did at least sleep, which I don't manage in an economy chair. The next five hours are therefore zzz...
Woken up 40 minutes before landing - they may try to give us as much sleeping time as possible, but this wasn't enough time to get everyone fed and toiletted before the fasten seatbelt sign came on. Breakfast OK but rather hurried. After a couple of circles over north east Surrey, we flew over London and landed.
Waited ages for luggage - do those 'priority' labels actually do anything? One without a priority tag arrived first, then about 20 minutes later the others gradually arrived. Checked out the Arrivals Lounge. Piped sounds of birds twittering, bright colours, outdoor-ish seating. Luggage storage, 10 shower rooms but still a queue. Cooked and continental breakfast available. No Internet to be found. Then the magic ended and it was off to the HEX.
All in all? Very enjoyable, but I don't think it is that much better than Club World to justify the cost, so I'll be sticking to redemption flights for now. And there *are* things they could do to make it a quantum leap from Club World. Door to door limo or taxi service, or first class HEX tickets or something. Lounge more like a club with only waiter service to give it less of a canteen feel. Some sort of actual mattress contraption. Bigger video screens, noise-cancelling headphones. Food that is served out rather than already in portioned dishes (at least I think that is what it is). Put me on the BA blue-sky thinking (pun intended) payroll and I'll come up with lots more ideas!