Stoemp

I'm flying LHR-SFO on Thursday in F (first time on the A380, so quite excited!) Two of our friends are on the same flight but travelling in J class. Does anyone know if: (a) After a stint in the CCR we can join our friends in the business lounge?; (b) Would that preclude re-admission to the CCR; and (c) whether we can invite our friends into the F cabin after meal service has concluded? I appreciate these are first world problems but it just seems a bit rude to say 'see you in SFO!' All tips gratefully received.

csdavidson

Hello,

(a) if there are two of you flying in F, then each of you can guest 1 into the CCR. When flying in F, you can go into any lounge.

(b) of course not, you can come back in.

(c) Again, if there are two of you (each bringing in 1 of your friends), it should be OK. However, not during meal service. Just make the cabin crew aware.

diamond club freeloader

(a) Yes, no problem
(b) No, you can return to CCR if the horror of GC is too much for you
(c) Ask the cabin crew. Probably depends on the number of friends you have and its likely disruption to others in the cabin who may want to snooze after dinner. One friend for 15 mins is often fine, but a football team would be a definite no

Brighterside

Would the crew ask other passengers if they objected as I don't think I would be too happy if I was travelling in F and was disturbed even by polite quiet visitors.

orbitmic

Welcome to Flyertalk! As others have pointed out, if it is two of you in F and two of your in J it will be no problem to invite them in the CCR so that should be fine.

However, I disagree with others on inviting your friends to the first cabin. I think the likely answer would be no and I think it would actually be bad form to ask. This is simply not fair on other F passengers, and the norm when people flying in different cabins want to meet up for a chat is to meet up in the galley. It will be easiest if your friends sit in the lower deck cabin (in which case you should be able to ask if you can meet up in the galley between F and C cabins) as crew normally do not like passengers using the front stairway.

Stoemp

Thanks for the helpful replies. Sounds like the answer is to take our friends into the CCR then (I quite appreciate that in the air it might seem like a bit of an imposition to be bringing extras into the F cabin). My husband and I are only BA Silver, so I had assumed that precluded taking guests into the CCR.

BingBongBoy

Just to clarify…

You can ask the crew if you can bring A friend into the First cabin for a short period to join you for a drink… However, the crew will look at the load, what is going on in the cabin, as do remember that there is no set service time so if people are dining all at different times, although you may be finished, others may just be starting… Also, if lots of people are asleep, then they may prefer to keep things quiet and calm so as not to disturb other customers.

So, by all means ask, and the answer may very well be yes, but is may also very well be a polite no, based on other factors.

Tobias-UK

Very valid points. I returned from YVR last week and the lady in 2K had a friend visit shortly after takeoff (with the permission of the cabin crew). Boy could she talk! She never shut up and in 1A I could listen in to the entire conversation (as could much of the cabin). Eventually she was asked to return to her seat as a couple of passengers wanted to sleep - but her yapping was disturbing them.

I will add my welcome to you too Stoemp, as you can see there is a wealth of knowledge and experience in the BA forum. I hope you stay around and join in the debates. It would be nice to hear how your flight went.

You have had some very helpful answers to your question. You may be allowed a visitor (with the crews' permission) but I would suggest they visit one at a time and be mindful of the noise level. The A380 is a rather quiet aircraft and voices travel rather too well! If your friends are on the upper deck it is less likely they would be allowed down to visit, they'd need to go to the rear of the aircraft to use the stairs and walk all the way back. If they sit on the lower deck then they are just behind you.

Certainly no problem inviting them to join you in the CCR for as long as you like. They can join you for lunch and a few pre-departure bubbles and/or perhaps a cocktail or two

Enjoy your first First on the A380, it's by far my favourite aircraft in First. Please come back and let us know how your First experience went ^

Zalmistinks

You can each guest one person into CCR based on your class of service, enjoy.

In the past there was actually a provision in the crew manual that allowed for brief visits to the F cabin - for example to have a drink in the buddy seat of the F passenger. The experts can chime in as to whether or not that is still there or allowed.

As to others chiming in to voice concern that a visit would disturb the precious sanctity of the BA F cabin...thats a good joke to get the day started

BHDATC

Intrigued by this as I am travelling with a colleague who is in J whilst I am in F and it would be great to invite him in for a drink.

BingBongBoy

As stated earlier, you can ask, and it may be a yes, or it may be a no. Just depends what else is going on at the time.

Can I help you

No they wouldn't.

BadgerBoi

Because part of the experience of flying in a premium cabin is the joy of being treated as though you are a museum exhibit by gawkers from other parts of the plane. That's what people pay the big bucks for

orbitmic

I actually had a similar experience on a flight to JFK the other day. I was in 1A and the gentleman in 1K had a younger colleague come up to visit from another part of the plane. This was really not very pleasant for any of us, and particularly not for me in 1A. The gentleman, who was well in his 60s was clearly in a flirtatious mood, and the young lady who must have been in her late 20s was clearly excited to be where she was for 45 minutes or so.

I don't like to be the person spoiling over people's fun and as a result I did not complain, nor did anyone else as far as I know, but I know from the facial expression of several others when I walked to the bathroom and to have a drink that I was not the only person inconvenienced at all. The crew did not interfere and after about 45 minutes, the young lady said she'd better go back. I was glad she did despite the gentleman's insistence that she should stay. I'm not sure how long it would have lasted before anyone did anything.

Truth of the matter is: nobody likes to complain, and it feels awkward and a bit ridiculous to complain about two people enjoying a pleasant conversation, but it certainly was disruptive (many in the cabin actually had shut off the blind) and I thought that this was bad judgement's on the part of the crew to let that situation develop and selfish behaviour on the part of my across-the-aisle neighbour (unsurprising as he had already fully privatised the central cabinet for his own stuff).

As a result, I can only restate my preference for such inter-class visits to take place in the central galley and not in the F cabin.

Can I help you

It a balance of making the guest feel welcome but also not letting them spoil the flight for other customers, I always make it clear that the visit is for no longer than 20 minutes and that no other customers must be disturbed.