JAFF

Like a number of other business pax, last week headed to Orlando from Gatwick South for a health IT conference.

I was J both ways.

Firstly, although small, the GF lounge does a decent job of replicating T5. This consistant experience really goes a long way, as it's probably the best part of the product (for me).

However that's the highlight of the trip.

The 777-200ER was an older model, with older IFE. Food was the regular tough as old boots "beef", or a curry option that looked equally as unappetising. Normallly I'd have washes one of them down with a few glasses of wine but since this was a morning flight the abstinance was obvious. My seat didn't fully flaten, and the footrest literally hung over the seat creating a lip. The cabin crew came to have a look, poked and prodded and decided nothing could be done. Still, I nodded off for a few hours so wasn't a disaster.

The return journey started I. The very busy MCO lounge which I doubt gets much business outside of conference season. The food was limited to beef sandwiches or tomato and basil soup. I choose burger king and a beer. Followed by a scotch. Then another. And again that was the highlight of the return trip.

The scrum for priority boarding couldn't be avoided... Every business pax had status, and all other travellers were either disabled or had kids (it was half term so understandable that Disney was busy). I did the sensible thing and hung back rather than playing prop forward.

Couldnt comment on the flight back - old plane again but I ate some sominex and woke 20m outside of a blustery Gatwick airfield.

So... In summary I reckon the £2k I spent for a flex J ticket was worth every penny - no more no less.

Not sure I'll fly LGW out of choice again though, unless forced (like MCO).

flylikelinz

I'm rather looking forward to my first J 777 LGW experience in May to see what all the fuss is about when I come back from Lima. I haven't set my expectations as high as I have for my 789 F trip going out in April to SCL

Chris9642

I find the LGW 777s to be in a dreadful state !! I do many LHR and LGW flights in J/F and the LGW birds in J are literally dropping to pieces by comparison - or at least it feels that way - certainly when you've had a run of refurbed jets from LHR with new IFE and newer/refreshed cabins and then you find yourself on a LGW 777 the difference is remarkable ! I can't believe BA have no refurb lined up for these birds - or maybe they are ??

Swiss Tony

I believe there's a refurb planned - including 10 across seating in Y and a smaller J cabin which will presumably push up fares on the Gatwick leisure routes...

Skipcool3

Swiss Tony is correct, the Gatwick 777s are being enhanced......
more passengers crammed in the same space...

One or two of the Gatwick 777s are not too bad

dougzz

Done this route a few times in WT+ - worst experience of all my BA WT+ flights. But compared to the future 10 across in WT, I'll take it.

Swiss Tony

Do bear in mind that the superior Norwegian Y+ product is available on Gatwick-Orlando now.

Oaxaca

The refurb of the LGW 3 class 772s will start at the end of this year, with the first due to come into service early 2018.

They will go from 280 seats to 332. The current mainly 40J/24W/216Y (3-3-3 in Y) will become 32J/48W/252Y (3-4-3 in Y).

I last flew these aircraft a couple of years ago, and CW was fairly tired then. Have a couple more flights coming up soon and am just hoping that the seats and IFE are in working order, plus a decent crew. Sadly Mrs O was not to be persuaded that an indirect flight might actually be a better experience, so I'm just managing expectations...

Athlete95

I recently flew on two of the LGW 777's (VIIW and VIIX to be precise). I was in the First cabin both ways, and they didn't look too great from where I was sat. Apart from the obvious dirt around the seat (it was a 3-class service on a 4-class aircraft so can't complain too much), the panel walls and carpet, particularly on VIIW were in an awful state. Fantastic CSD's both way- in fact, the crew on the return were the best crew I'd ever had on 100+ flights with BA, so a big well done to them. However I hope something is done about those tired 777s soon!

DFB_london

hmm suely wherever you sit basic cleanliness should be an inexcusable standard. Glad to hear the rest was good.

dougzz

How is it superior? I've maintained Silver a few years now, so have lounge and get to choose seat. I'm not that bothered by food and drink, that tends to be the odd G&T and mostly water, but do like a decent seat, and compared to WT the WT+ is so much better. I'd only really care about Norwegian if the seat was really a lot better, which I guess is mostly subjective.

Chris9642

Good to hear they are getting refreshed. Will this include new WT+ or just a refresh more in line with the 747 upgrade at LHR?

simons1

Isn't "getting refreshed" a euphemism for getting densified to 10 across?

Oaxaca

Haven't flown DY Premium myself, but based on colleague feedback and pictures / info, the seat looks superior to WTP, more legroom and greater recline. 2-3-2 layout on 787 is same as BA's 787. As you say, it's subjective and some might still prefer the BA WTP seat despite less space.

I haven't seen any confirmation yet on this either way about WTP seats. They are doubling the size of the WTP cabin from 24 to 48 seats, so it would seem odd to install additional old seats or have a mixture, but let's not put anything past BA these days until we hear confirmation...either way there would be new IFE.

Yes and no, I suppose. In Y, definitely, new IFE being the only upside (perhaps there will be actual new seats too, will be interesting to see if any reduction in seat width). However, the density is not changing in the other cabins, just number of seats increasing/decreasing, so any refresh has to be an improvement there.

Your regular carrier already has 10 across in Y on the 777, doesn't it? Perhaps you can give feedback on what to expect

Ldnn1

The Y seats will I'm sure be new - I doubt they could simply shove in a bank of 4 of the existing seats in place of the current 3.