snaxmuppet

I am going LHR - ORD in August travelling in F. It is my first F flight and it is a treat from us as a special occasion. Now that the strike is continuing I am wondering what kind of service I might experience in F during the strike.

I have searched and read many threads here and get the feeling that the service may be slower but not significantly degraded... is that a fair assessment?

F is not cheap so it had better be a significantly better experience over CW even with the strike or else I shall feel hugely disappointed. Unfortunately it is a cheap booking class and cannot be cancelled or else I might switch to another airline.

KARFA

I doubt you will notice much difference if any. There seem very few reports of strike induced poor F service during the strikes.

Cymro

I've only done F a very few times but I'd honestly say that, for me, a good crew in J will significantly exceed an average F experience. Everyone's perception is different but strike or no strike, F never really feels that much more special to me.

mikeyfly

Got an F 789 MF next month, I assume the crewing level of two can't be reduced?

IAMORGAN

I think it depends on your status. When I was Gold, and could use the F check in, F lounge, board first, choose the best seat, etc, i'd say it's more marginal (though in my view even the 'worst' F seat is better than CW).

As a Silver, trust me when I say I notice the difference between GC and GF (I really miss the terrace as somewhere just to chill out) let alone the CCR.

To the OP, I wouldn't worry, don't go with any preconceptions and try not to over analyse everything and I think you'll enjoy it. CW to F is a step up, quite a significant one space wise (especially on the 777 which I've decided is now my favourite F over the 747 and A380 not tried the 789). If the crew have turned up chances are they want to be there and are professional enough not to take any grievances out on the customer.

I think it'll be fine, don't worry.

Petrus

During the 2010 strike that had more impact on ops we flew F and the service was drastically reduced.
Catering was bread and a spaghetti with peas... Wine menu also watered down.

Received 25k miles as compensation.

Tobias-UK

Interesting, why do you prefer the 777 over the 380?

gustavmahler

My first ever F flight was to ORD December 2009 - a few days before Christmas. I think the strike had either been called off or shortened. Whatever, they had been due to strike that day but did not. While on HEX I got an email from BA to say that 25k BA Miles had been transferred to my account for any inconvenience and anxiety. I was pretty impressed with that. I was BA Blue at the time.

IAMORGAN

I find that the windows are more like portholes so with the height / alignment of the seats, and the storage locker or whatever it is they put between the seat and the window, it's difficult to see out of! I also find it hard to see across to the other side of the cabin so it feels to me more 'enclosed' than the 777, which I think has a nice, airy, spacious First cabin. Boarding at Heathrow is a scrum because you can have over 100 premium cabin pax before you've even got to status holders in non premium cabins. Everything involving handling the A380 seems to take a long time - IE 3 jetties, specific taxiways and so on.

I of course love how quiet the A380 is - but I don't find the 777 that loud when in level flight.

To bring this back on topic, I think Chicago is 747 dominated with some 777s, and if on the 747 in F that can be a special feeling for a first F.

Tobias-UK

Thanks for answering, I see your points especially with the windows - I must admit, one of your negative points is one of my positives! I love the seclusion when sat on the A380, good space, plenty room for a travelling companion and decent privacy when it's appreciated.

darthlemsip

Mrs Lem got back on Monday from a long weekend in ORD, did F both ways.

On the outbound they were down one crew member in F due to the strike, but she said you would be hard pressed to notice, and it was one of the bost crews she's ever had.

On the inbound there was a full compliment (or they didn't mention they were a member of crew short) and nothing to note either way about their performance

Based on that sample of one, you should be fine

quakered

I am a huge fan of First on the A380 for the space, newness and quiet. When you could get in the bubble of the Jumbo flying Second Class I couldn't see the justification for the cost of upgrading. We are flying to Denver in a couple of weeks and thought this might be, perhaps, our last chance to fly in a 747 upper deck. On the flight home we are flying First as it was only 50 quid more each. I suspect this is because BA does not think it is worth any more but at the very least we will get another set on PJs for our effort.

As leisure flyers I try to avoid BA's 777s as they seem too shabby (without any chic!). The second Class cabin seems like a boarding school dorm (as does the lower deck on a 747). I know I only have to look through the curtain to see how much better it is than travelling Third Class but don't find that a huge comfort!

sts603

Second class?

BA very much thinks F is worth more than J. The differential is less for leisure flights vs. business flights due to price elasticity. Denver in summer being more a leisure route than a business route.

That said, the real reason for such a narrow difference is likely a fuller J cabin. The J ticket probably had fewer restrictions than the F ticket so it shouldn't be viewed as a mere 50 GBP difference.

two_roads

I had my only LHR upgrade to F on one of the previous strikes this year. Didn't seem to me like the cabin crew were regular F's. No meet and greet at the door, only in partial uniform (no hat or jacket - shocker). Poor attention when seated. Maybe my previous F experiences were just really good, or maybe they could tell I was an upgrade and to be despised?
But CCR was nice, no different to normal I would guess, the meals were standard and the seats were just the same. And the plane went to where it was supposed to go - so all in all the strike didn't really impact.

pomkiwi

Flew to JNB last Thursday and back on Monday in F. On the way out they were one crew member down and back to normal on Monday (a non-strike day I think). Service was great both ways and I wouldn't have been able to tell the diference. I shouldn't worry.