navylad

Having done my first AY experience, I thought it worth detailing my experience.

Background

I am a keen traveller, mainly for leisure, but had not previously flown AY, but given the tip on the LHR-HEL-TLL for £232 from the BAEC forum, I booked my first trip (marketed by BA on AY Metal). The trip is in J to HEL and then a one tier cabin to TLL. First section on an A321, the Gulf of Finland sectors on an AT72 and the return to LHR was on an A319.

Lounges

I used the LHR T3 CP lounge (F Section) but I didn't have breakfast as I'd only had 2 hours sleep from a night out the previous night, but the staff were friendly and brought me a nice pot of tea and the recliner was comfortable to watch the runway. There is no separate F toilet, but it was clean enough.

I only had just over an hour layover at HEL on the outbound, but nipped into the AY Premium International Lounge, there was a limited buffet style food, but the chocolate fondants were a nice touch and again the staff were helpful. The times to gate were very accurate with no passport queue, any delay or for someone less nimble, I'd recommend allowing more time or using the lounge the other side of Passport control. I called in again on my return journey, the food was identical so there is a lack of variety, but the lounge is functional if not up to the standards of some other Flagship lounges around the world.

Boarding Process

I note that the boarding by group numbers is now at least theoretically used, but with staff allowing status/J pax and non-status Y pax using the priority lane, it was useless, most of the plane had already boarded by the time I got through to the gate and I had turned put o the gate at the BP stated boarding time.

Both HEL-TLL legs were bus boarded, with the usual scramble. It is worth noting that the AT72 boarded and disembarked from the back, so if you have a tight connection a rear seat may be useful.

The return HEL-LHR was boarded by boarding groups and apart from one DYKWIA queue jumper, the process was smooth.

Seats

The A321/319 sectors I was in row 1 in both directions. There is not much leg room unlikely other carriers that allow row 1 some extra space given the lack of under seat space of the seat in front. The fabric seats weren't very comfortable and lack any adjustable head restraint. The middle seat, in keeping with other european carriers is left free, and the middle seat's table used as an occasional table for drinks rather than a permenant table. The seats weren't filthy, but they weren't exactly spotless either.

The AT72 has 2 seats each side of the aisle, is expectantly cramped in Y, but the leather seats were clean on both flights and comfortable enough for such short sectors.

Cabin Crew

All the CC were friendly and spoke reasonable good English. The CC on the return HEL-LHR leg were very proactive, suggesting cognac after dinner etc. (although I don't drink). I had little contact on the AT72 other than a welcome, 2 seat belt checks and a goodbye, they were happily chatting away to each other in-between at the back of the plane.

Catering

The outbound meal was a stew, a perfect winter warmer. The desert was small but nice enough. They may as well get rid of the starter, it was small to the point of being a sample you might get in a supermarket rather than anything to enjoy. The napkin and cutlery felt quite Ikea cheap given it is a 'premium' cabin. In particular, only having one spoon for desert and a tea or a coffee is astonishing.

The meal on the return was very disappointing, it can only be described as slop that looks like it was out of Oliver Twist, I guess my impression is the catering at least on short-haul is variable.


One of the worst in-flight meals I've been served

Although there is BOB on the AT72, the flight was too short for proactive selling and nobody used it on either leg (I did wonder how much they actually had loaded; guessing not much).

Flights

The longer legs were smooth enough with good views of the fjords on the outbound, not much to sea on the dark return, with the only thing to note was that the wings were deiced before take-off (is it AY practice just to do the wings unless it is a certain temperature then they do the whole plane?).

The AT72s are quite noisy and don't handle too well in the slight amount of turbulence, there was low cloud cover, so we were quite close to the ground when it become visible in both directions and they are quite slow to retard speed to taxing being prop planes.


AT72 wing de-icing

Summary

Overall, function flights but not the experience I had expected given that AY is ofter cited by others on here as being far superior to other european carriers. I do have another couple of trips to visit HEL itself and TLL in the summer (although it was pretty in January, it did bring back memories of basic training finger freezing). so I await these flights to gain perhaps a more rounded view. Obviously, the A350 might have also been different, but an equipment change precluded this on this trip. I would be interested to hear if others have had similar experiences.


Some evening exploring

florens

Thanks for your report.

I don't believe there is BoB on HEL-TLL vv. at all.

navylad

Ok, fair enough, the menu was in the seat pocket hence my presumption

TravellerFrequently

Thanks for the feedback on your AY flights.

Accords with some of my experiences.

NoTiersForMe

Thanks for the succinct report. I was in 2D on the way back with you and I agree with your assessment of proactive crew on the way back: after informing the cabin manager of my dry January she made sure to keep my tea topped up. And looks like I did far better with vegetarian offering than your slop out!

navylad

Had I known, I would have raised a glass (of something suitable non-alcoholic) and said hello. Out of interest, was the leg room any better in row 2 with some space under the seat in front?

WilcoRoger

A rather correct description of AY flying intra-EU, interesting to read it from a first-timer.

Did you really get bussed in TLL? Usually it's just a walk from gate to plane or the other way round, the ATRs are normally parked just below the gate.

Also I guess you meant that you saw the archipelago(s) as the LHR service doesn't overfly any fjords

Flying to/from LHR the A350 makes a huge difference to the A32x, though the catering is the same intra-EU.

NoTiersForMe

Thanks! On leg room I was in 1A a couple of times in A319/A320 and I wouldn't say there's much difference between 1A/C and 2D/F. If this makes sense I like the 'perception' of space in both those part rows as there is no seat back in front of you. And I'm 5'4"/163cm so I'm not too bothered ;->

navylad

yes bussed in both directions. And yes difficult to tell glacial geography from a height, pretty all the same.

skba1

Being bussed at HEL for ATR is common, however I can't ever recall being bussed at TLL either.

I think overall your experience is pretty much on par with what AY offers in Europe.

Personally I think the pitch is good enough not to choose row 1 on these aircraft, and I actually find the seat very comfortable as far as European carriers go. The service is typically Scandinavian - whether you like it or not.

Food ranges from pleasant traditional Scandinavian (that fills you well and tastes ok - but definitely no fine dining) to inedible random crap.

Paying for AY C within Europe at any normal price level is usually unthinkable, but some routes like this fare it is worthwhile.

I find their champagne to be one of the better ones offered in Europe, beaten only by AF off the top of my head.

krispy84

I'm looking forward to testing their champagne stock levels on my AY trip to TLL later this month. NF beats Monopole hands down.

layz

Stock levels were good on the flights I was on. BA don't serve Monopole in CE any more!

krispy84

I'd say I'm showing my age but I don't even have that excuse, more an indication of the last time I forked out for CE!

WilcoRoger

As in "they serve something better than Monopole" or as in "no bubbly in CE" ?