My First (and second) First
Apr 28, 2015, 8:43 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Farnborough, Hampshire
Programs: BAEC Silver (just promoted - yippee!)
Posts: 164
My First (and second) First
SWMBO and I had the pleasure of flying our first First from Heathrow to Washington Dulles earlier in April. We managed to trade our combined household account total Avios points to do it.
From arriving at theFirst class check-in (where we had to queue up with others – quite a surprise) and meeting Kylie Minogue who was also flying that day, we had a really great experience. Going through security, we made that first right turn into the CCR Lounge and started to get the full benefit.
We sat down to breakfast: smoked salmon and scrambled eggs for the Memsahib, and sausages, poached eggs, mushrooms and tomatoes for me, all liberally washed down with plenty of the Tattinger Rose.
Leaving in good time for the flight, we were very pleasantly welcomed into a sparsely populatedFirst cabin on the A380 by the Cabin Director and assigned a Steward who has already been commended to BA through proper channels. Seat controls were explained following presentation of more of the Tatt Rose, and we spent a while getting to know the in-flight menu.
Travelling together, 2E and 2F were our selected seats and they worked well. We were able to talk quite easily due to the quietness of the A380, and the buddy arrangement allowed us to eat together when we chose the 5 course tasting menu with wines – plus the extra cheese and port to follow.
SWMBO had a little doze while I continued to work my way through the Tatt and the Tokay dessert wine and we were very relaxed by the time we landed.
One little quibble – with the big foldaway screens inFirst , the cabin crew asked for these to be swung back for the landing approach – seems a bit strange that WT+ and WT could continue watching the IFE while passengers in First couldn’t.
Coming back from Newark (we did a tour out to Seattle and came home from New York), the trip wasn’t quite so great.
We checked in smoothly and went up to the Galleries (no CCR orFirst lounge) and were invited into the first class dining section. A very nice meal was eaten before flying, then we went off to board the sleeper 777. Our seats were 3E and 3F. I didn’t think this cabin was as good as the A380 – the seats had less locker space and felt more cramped, and once we had taken off, conversation was more difficult due to the greater noise.
I have to say, the on boarding was a lot less personal – the crew were nowhere near as welcoming, and SWMBO commented a few times in the flight that they looked like they would rather be elsewhere. We said we had eaten and didn’t want dinner, but during the flight, we weren’t asked if we needed drinks once people had started to get to sleep.
Coming in to Heathrow, the breakfast service was poor, and when we got to the gate, we debarked from the back of theFirst section but got trampled on by people coming from Club. The First experience certainly ended on waking up, and I have to say that if I had been paying, I would have been thoroughly disappointed with the value offered.
So a mixed review. 100% satisfied going out on the A380, not impressed at all coming back on the sleeper 777.
From arriving at the
We sat down to breakfast: smoked salmon and scrambled eggs for the Memsahib, and sausages, poached eggs, mushrooms and tomatoes for me, all liberally washed down with plenty of the Tattinger Rose.
Leaving in good time for the flight, we were very pleasantly welcomed into a sparsely populated
Travelling together, 2E and 2F were our selected seats and they worked well. We were able to talk quite easily due to the quietness of the A380, and the buddy arrangement allowed us to eat together when we chose the 5 course tasting menu with wines – plus the extra cheese and port to follow.
SWMBO had a little doze while I continued to work my way through the Tatt and the Tokay dessert wine and we were very relaxed by the time we landed.
One little quibble – with the big foldaway screens in
Coming back from Newark (we did a tour out to Seattle and came home from New York), the trip wasn’t quite so great.
We checked in smoothly and went up to the Galleries (no CCR or
I have to say, the on boarding was a lot less personal – the crew were nowhere near as welcoming, and SWMBO commented a few times in the flight that they looked like they would rather be elsewhere. We said we had eaten and didn’t want dinner, but during the flight, we weren’t asked if we needed drinks once people had started to get to sleep.
Coming in to Heathrow, the breakfast service was poor, and when we got to the gate, we debarked from the back of the
So a mixed review. 100% satisfied going out on the A380, not impressed at all coming back on the sleeper 777.
Apr 29, 2015, 3:50 am
#2
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: London, ARN, HEL, ..... or MAN
Programs: BA GGL / GFL, Mucci Diamond!, HH Diamond, Radisson Premium, IHG Gold, Hertz Gold
Posts: 5,969
Interesting read! I think you have been hit by a multiple whammy on your particular combination of flights; my views are as follows..
- Day flights tend to be much better in F. The crew tend to have consistency of passengers (i.e. most passengers awake, more ready to communicate their needs), plus the crew themselves are more awake - even though their service should be consistent whatever time of day it is!
- The aircraft themselves. After the A380, any other cabin in F will seem like a comedown, due to less physical space and it's just frankly not as new.
- Outbound longhaul crew in my experience tend to be better. They have been in their own beds at home for a few days leading up to the flight rather than in a hotel.
- No CCR in EWR (I thought there used to be an F section in Galleries - has that gone now?? It's years since I have been there), so you won't feel as special as you do in the CCR.
- Thefirst time flying F is always going to be more exciting than the second and subsequent times. It certainly was for me. Once the novelty has worn off, the little niggles are more noticeable and annoying for a few flights. Then after maybe 10 sectors in F, your expectations balance out and you don't notice good or bad service unless it's really good or bad!!
Anyway, it's good that the outbound was so good - you sound like the whole experience was ultimately influenced by the biggest variable - a good crew vs a bad crew which can happen in any cabin on any flight
- Day flights tend to be much better in F. The crew tend to have consistency of passengers (i.e. most passengers awake, more ready to communicate their needs), plus the crew themselves are more awake - even though their service should be consistent whatever time of day it is!
- The aircraft themselves. After the A380, any other cabin in F will seem like a comedown, due to less physical space and it's just frankly not as new.
- Outbound longhaul crew in my experience tend to be better. They have been in their own beds at home for a few days leading up to the flight rather than in a hotel.
- No CCR in EWR (I thought there used to be an F section in Galleries - has that gone now?? It's years since I have been there), so you won't feel as special as you do in the CCR.
- The
Anyway, it's good that the outbound was so good - you sound like the whole experience was ultimately influenced by the biggest variable - a good crew vs a bad crew which can happen in any cabin on any flight
Apr 29, 2015, 3:54 am
#3
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Ipswich
Posts: 7,543
You drank Tatt Rose over LPGS? 
But each to their own!
Glad you had a good trip. I just had an excellent F sector too.
It is disappointing that the overall F product can be so variable, but I suppose any service that is critically dependent on the human element is likely to be a bit inconsistent.
At least you had the good experience on the day flight.
But each to their own!Glad you had a good trip. I just had an excellent F sector too.
It is disappointing that the overall F product can be so variable, but I suppose any service that is critically dependent on the human element is likely to be a bit inconsistent.
At least you had the good experience on the day flight.
Apr 29, 2015, 4:04 am
#4
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club, easyJet and Ryanair
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: UK/Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold (GGL/CCR)
Posts: 15,972
Interesting read! I think you have been hit by a multiple whammy on your particular combination of flights; my views are as follows..
- Day flights tend to be much better in F. The crew tend to have consistency of passengers (i.e. most passengers awake, more ready to communicate their needs), plus the crew themselves are more awake - even though their service should be consistent whatever time of day it is!
- The aircraft themselves. After the A380, any other cabin in F will seem like a comedown, due to less physical space and it's just frankly not as new.
- Outbound longhaul crew in my experience tend to be better. They have been in their own beds at home for a few days leading up to the flight rather than in a hotel.
- No CCR in EWR (I thought there used to be an F section in Galleries - has that gone now?? It's years since I have been there), so you won't feel as special as you do in the CCR.
- Thefirst time flying F is always going to be more exciting than the second and subsequent times. It certainly was for me. Once the novelty has worn off, the little niggles are more noticeable and annoying for a few flights. Then after maybe 10 sectors in F, your expectations balance out and you don't notice good or bad service unless it's really good or bad!!
Anyway, it's good that the outbound was so good - you sound like the whole experience was ultimately influenced by the biggest variable - a good crew vs a bad crew which can happen in any cabin on any flight
- Day flights tend to be much better in F. The crew tend to have consistency of passengers (i.e. most passengers awake, more ready to communicate their needs), plus the crew themselves are more awake - even though their service should be consistent whatever time of day it is!
- The aircraft themselves. After the A380, any other cabin in F will seem like a comedown, due to less physical space and it's just frankly not as new.
- Outbound longhaul crew in my experience tend to be better. They have been in their own beds at home for a few days leading up to the flight rather than in a hotel.
- No CCR in EWR (I thought there used to be an F section in Galleries - has that gone now?? It's years since I have been there), so you won't feel as special as you do in the CCR.
- The
Anyway, it's good that the outbound was so good - you sound like the whole experience was ultimately influenced by the biggest variable - a good crew vs a bad crew which can happen in any cabin on any flight
I am surprised that the CC didn't hold back the CW pax until the F lot had 'de-planed'. Poor show there.
Apr 29, 2015, 4:07 am
#5
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: not far from MUC
Posts: 6,620
Interesting read! I think you have been hit by a multiple whammy on your particular combination of flights; my views are as follows..
- Day flights tend to be much better in F. The crew tend to have consistency of passengers (i.e. most passengers awake, more ready to communicate their needs), plus the crew themselves are more awake - even though their service should be consistent whatever time of day it is!
- Day flights tend to be much better in F. The crew tend to have consistency of passengers (i.e. most passengers awake, more ready to communicate their needs), plus the crew themselves are more awake - even though their service should be consistent whatever time of day it is!
My second-ever BA F, an overnight JFK-LHR leg a week or so later, was brilliant, crew on top form, and everything was right.
Yet again I'm the contrarian!
Apr 29, 2015, 4:10 am
#6
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: UK
Posts: 11,969
Isn't the problem that they often plan to open the front door and CC wait by it - but then realise they are unable to - but by then the CW passengers have already started to queue at their "normal" door when F passengers start heading for it?
I'm not clear under those circumstance they can easily tell them all to "back up"
Apr 29, 2015, 4:37 am
#7
Join Date: May 2012
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold, HH Diamond
Posts: 663
Mr JtO and I also had a great F recently (there seems to be a few of these being reported at the moment !), flying LHR-JFK on a 777.
The crew were fantastic: friendly, approachable and really dialled in to our needs. One Golden ticket and several well dones have been sent as a result. On the way back (also 777), the crew were average-to-good, but just couldn't hold a candle to the outbound crew.
As a side note, and as is probably to be expected, the JFK CCR experience rang rings around the LHR one - what a wonderful place with exceptional staff!
ETA: our worst F experience was on the A380 LHR-HKG, which is plane/route that most people seem to rate highly.
The crew were fantastic: friendly, approachable and really dialled in to our needs. One Golden ticket and several well dones have been sent as a result. On the way back (also 777), the crew were average-to-good, but just couldn't hold a candle to the outbound crew.
As a side note, and as is probably to be expected, the JFK CCR experience rang rings around the LHR one - what a wonderful place with exceptional staff!
ETA: our worst F experience was on the A380 LHR-HKG, which is plane/route that most people seem to rate highly.
Apr 29, 2015, 6:46 am
#9
Join Date: May 2012
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold, HH Diamond
Posts: 663