Notes and Queries: BA3 Sun 13/9/14
Sep 14, 2014, 9:54 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: London
Programs: Don't even mention it. Grrrrrrr.
Posts: 968
Notes and Queries: BA3 Sun 13/9/14
1. Completely Full Load - in fact there were 33 passengers on board for the 32 seats. More of that later - Grrrrrrrrr
2. Thank you Tour of Britain and whatever was happening on the diversion route of Dalston Junction - a festival of some sort. I seriously thought I would be on my way to LHR but got to LCY with 5 minutes to spare. I wasn't the last, the chap behind me arrived in running gear having dumped his car and jumped on the underground/DLR and then ran the last part. 16 minutes before the flight took off. Jolly good effort!
3. Infants on this flight. Why oh why oh why. Every ascent and descent (and parts of the cruise) were plagued by screams, crying or playing with toys. I don't want to be all Bah Humbug, but why don't BA simply let parents know they're better off on the big plane from LHR. I can understand that this is a divisive issue, and the parents did all they could to be fair. But get off of my cloud please
I want to work, rest and imbibe.
4. Food. What is it with the canapés? Can't we have a proper starter on this journey? No complaints re the Veal Cheeks and Fillet though. Thought I was taking my life in my hands ordering "steak", but in truth it was well done (no not like that) - but portions are on the small side, especially as there's no real starter. Oh and the "Chocolates" last time on this trip were great - this time a Macaroon and a Coconut covered white thing (I didn't bother with the coconut white thing - it didn't look like a chocolate and the Macaroon certainly wasn't a chocolate!). Maybe I got unlucky with what was in my box.
5. Arrival. Had to sit on the plane for 12 minutes due to the Cathay Pacific plane arriving before us? Why?!?!? When we were allowed off they took us straight to the front of the queue anyway (as usual) - went through the US Citizens desks though, not done that before. Queue for the hoi polloi was *massive* - up the ramp and far away. (Thinks.....ummmmm.....maybe that "US Citizens" channel might be useful next time)
5a. Delay getting off meant that bags were already on the belt. All good. No nonsense from the Customs crew either - primarily because four of them were having a good ole chin-wag. Never understood why they hand-out interrogations here anyway.
5b Really make a difference if you get off first or last (I was last - except for the mum, dad and kid!) - probably added 25 minutes to my arrival time. However looked like they were the only US citizens in the US Citizens queues/lines area at the border......and last. How sad.
6. Trivia: We left Shannon and after a few minutes did some large sweeping turns, sun was directly on the left then 45 degrees on the right. Variable engine thrust too. I thought we were heading back.... Speaking with flight crew during the 12 minute delay in getting to our rightful place at the front of the queue, FO says that they were a minute ahead of schedule leaving Shannon airspace and therefore had to perform a dog-leg "first time I've had to do that in five years"
7. Trivia 2: At least 6 employees of large banks aboard. Couldn't see CIVs on the manifest at Gate 24.
8. Bordeaux was very good.
2. Thank you Tour of Britain and whatever was happening on the diversion route of Dalston Junction - a festival of some sort. I seriously thought I would be on my way to LHR but got to LCY with 5 minutes to spare. I wasn't the last, the chap behind me arrived in running gear having dumped his car and jumped on the underground/DLR and then ran the last part. 16 minutes before the flight took off. Jolly good effort!
3. Infants on this flight. Why oh why oh why. Every ascent and descent (and parts of the cruise) were plagued by screams, crying or playing with toys. I don't want to be all Bah Humbug, but why don't BA simply let parents know they're better off on the big plane from LHR. I can understand that this is a divisive issue, and the parents did all they could to be fair. But get off of my cloud please
I want to work, rest and imbibe.4. Food. What is it with the canapés? Can't we have a proper starter on this journey? No complaints re the Veal Cheeks and Fillet though. Thought I was taking my life in my hands ordering "steak", but in truth it was well done (no not like that) - but portions are on the small side, especially as there's no real starter. Oh and the "Chocolates" last time on this trip were great - this time a Macaroon and a Coconut covered white thing (I didn't bother with the coconut white thing - it didn't look like a chocolate and the Macaroon certainly wasn't a chocolate!). Maybe I got unlucky with what was in my box.
5. Arrival. Had to sit on the plane for 12 minutes due to the Cathay Pacific plane arriving before us? Why?!?!? When we were allowed off they took us straight to the front of the queue anyway (as usual) - went through the US Citizens desks though, not done that before. Queue for the hoi polloi was *massive* - up the ramp and far away. (Thinks.....ummmmm.....maybe that "US Citizens" channel might be useful next time)
5a. Delay getting off meant that bags were already on the belt. All good. No nonsense from the Customs crew either - primarily because four of them were having a good ole chin-wag. Never understood why they hand-out interrogations here anyway.
5b Really make a difference if you get off first or last (I was last - except for the mum, dad and kid!) - probably added 25 minutes to my arrival time. However looked like they were the only US citizens in the US Citizens queues/lines area at the border......and last. How sad.
6. Trivia: We left Shannon and after a few minutes did some large sweeping turns, sun was directly on the left then 45 degrees on the right. Variable engine thrust too. I thought we were heading back.... Speaking with flight crew during the 12 minute delay in getting to our rightful place at the front of the queue, FO says that they were a minute ahead of schedule leaving Shannon airspace and therefore had to perform a dog-leg "first time I've had to do that in five years"
7. Trivia 2: At least 6 employees of large banks aboard. Couldn't see CIVs on the manifest at Gate 24.
8. Bordeaux was very good.
Last edited by Banana4321; Sep 14, 2014 at 10:03 pm
Sep 15, 2014, 12:42 am
#2
Join Date: Apr 2009
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Posts: 3,060
Unfortunately for you, parents are just as entitled to take their kids on this service as they are any other BA service. Here's hoping we don't have the whole kids on planes argument again....
Glad the food was good. Veal cheeks sounds very different!
How did you know there were employees of banks on? Were they doing the whole loud talking thing?
P.S. I take it you mean Sunday 14th September?
Glad the food was good. Veal cheeks sounds very different!
How did you know there were employees of banks on? Were they doing the whole loud talking thing?
P.S. I take it you mean Sunday 14th September?
Sep 15, 2014, 12:55 am
#3
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Sep 15, 2014, 5:08 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: London
Programs: Don't even mention it. Grrrrrrr.
Posts: 968
See #7, for some reason their employer's name appears on the manifest (some of them anyway) - maybe as they are on route deals or something. I then added to that number the person sitting next to me who was beavering away at his paperwork with large font bank name plastered all over it.
Yes, error with the date.