A Birthday Dash across the Atlantic (AA Y/BA F)
Jun 14, 2011, 10:18 am
#18
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: GRZ, ZRH
Programs: LH FTL, Marriott Plat
Posts: 411
Fun report! LHR is high on my list for an upcoming weekend trip. Much easier for me to go there though as there is no Trans Atlantic flying involved!
The Andaz seems to be a good choice too. Enjoyed the NY Wall Street property very much.
-Tom
The Andaz seems to be a good choice too. Enjoyed the NY Wall Street property very much.
-Tom
Jun 15, 2011, 2:52 pm
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: HKG/YVR/NYC
Programs: AC 75K, A3*G, AS MVPG, AA LT Gold 1MM, JL/JGC (OWS) , Marriott Titanium, Hertz 5*, Avis PC
Posts: 3,697
the Andaz in London wasn't like that before, its been getting better lately
Jun 21, 2011, 11:40 pm
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: HKG/YVR/NYC
Programs: AC 75K, A3*G, AS MVPG, AA LT Gold 1MM, JL/JGC (OWS) , Marriott Titanium, Hertz 5*, Avis PC
Posts: 3,697
Jun 21, 2011, 11:42 pm
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: HKG/YVR/NYC
Programs: AC 75K, A3*G, AS MVPG, AA LT Gold 1MM, JL/JGC (OWS) , Marriott Titanium, Hertz 5*, Avis PC
Posts: 3,697
Part 4 – A mediocre “First” try onboard BA First LHR-YYZ
Apr 3, 2011 – Sunday
BA 99 LHR-YYZ 4:15pm – 6:55pm (772/F)
It took me about 5-7 mins to get to the bus gate of A10. Thankfully I was one of the first to get to the priority boarding line since I wanted the cabin pics before other passenger started to show up.
The gate also surprised several passengers due to the fact that gates do not display flight info until boarding has commenced???
So you had to look very closely at our monitors to know which gate is truly yours.
Unfortunately, the concept of priority boarding to BA seems to be you get to board the bus first, which is no advantage at all since you get stuck on the bus while they pack it full to the gill. Luckily, you learn from your mistake from FRA, where most of the flights uses buses
so I just lully-gag near the bus door so I can board on the plane first.
Our old BA First plane was parked way out past T5-C so it took approx. 10 mins to get to the plane, that did however offer some great photo shots.
British Airways Boeing 777-200
British Airways 99
London Heathrow to Toronto
4:15pm – 6:55pm, 7 hr 40 min flight
First Class, Seat 1A
Food – Dinner, Snack
Equipment – Boeing 777-200
British Airways Boeing 777-200 Old First Class
I was the third passenger to board, first in First class and was able to get all the photos I wanted, get change into my personal jammies, went back to the seat to sip on champagne while the rest of the plane was to be boarded.
I decided to save the BA pajamas for later since I already have mine with me for this short trip. Champagne and water were swiftly brought over after all my pics were completed and F cabin ended up 10/14 with 9 passenger either as OW Sapphire or Emerald, I double checked after with the FAs, hehe.
Furthermore, I was the only passenger under 50 y.o, I guess everyone young jumped to Virgin
Pre-Departure Beverage, 2004 Taittinger Brut Millesime
Amenity Kit and Slippers
Champagne was alright but I had better.
We were basically on-time for push-off , a 5 plane wait then onto the runway departure towards the west
A last look at London
Here comes the bad stuff, the 777 bird I had was one of those old birds that still ran the taped video systems. 8 out of 16 audio channels were dead, so was audio for 4 video channels and the empower adapter for First Class cabin, that was dead too. I don’t care if the LH F video system is bad but this was worse, way worse…
The Flight Attendent and purser kept on apologizing and ended up finding me a DVD player so I ended up watching Going the Distance
1990’s technology vs. 2010 technology
Meal Service started as we flew over the Irish Sea.
BA First Class Dining Menus
Part 4 continues below
Apr 3, 2011 – Sunday
BA 99 LHR-YYZ 4:15pm – 6:55pm (772/F)
It took me about 5-7 mins to get to the bus gate of A10. Thankfully I was one of the first to get to the priority boarding line since I wanted the cabin pics before other passenger started to show up.
The gate also surprised several passengers due to the fact that gates do not display flight info until boarding has commenced???
So you had to look very closely at our monitors to know which gate is truly yours.
Unfortunately, the concept of priority boarding to BA seems to be you get to board the bus first, which is no advantage at all since you get stuck on the bus while they pack it full to the gill. Luckily, you learn from your mistake from FRA, where most of the flights uses buses
so I just lully-gag near the bus door so I can board on the plane first. Our old BA First plane was parked way out past T5-C so it took approx. 10 mins to get to the plane, that did however offer some great photo shots.
British Airways Boeing 777-200
British Airways 99
London Heathrow to Toronto
4:15pm – 6:55pm, 7 hr 40 min flight
First Class, Seat 1A
Food – Dinner, Snack
Equipment – Boeing 777-200
British Airways Boeing 777-200 Old First Class
I was the third passenger to board, first in First class and was able to get all the photos I wanted, get change into my personal jammies, went back to the seat to sip on champagne while the rest of the plane was to be boarded.
I decided to save the BA pajamas for later since I already have mine with me for this short trip. Champagne and water were swiftly brought over after all my pics were completed and F cabin ended up 10/14 with 9 passenger either as OW Sapphire or Emerald, I double checked after with the FAs, hehe.
Furthermore, I was the only passenger under 50 y.o, I guess everyone young jumped to Virgin
Pre-Departure Beverage, 2004 Taittinger Brut Millesime
Amenity Kit and Slippers
Champagne was alright but I had better.
We were basically on-time for push-off , a 5 plane wait then onto the runway departure towards the west
A last look at London
Here comes the bad stuff, the 777 bird I had was one of those old birds that still ran the taped video systems. 8 out of 16 audio channels were dead, so was audio for 4 video channels and the empower adapter for First Class cabin, that was dead too. I don’t care if the LH F video system is bad but this was worse, way worse…
The Flight Attendent and purser kept on apologizing and ended up finding me a DVD player so I ended up watching Going the Distance
1990’s technology vs. 2010 technology
Meal Service started as we flew over the Irish Sea.
BA First Class Dining Menus
Part 4 continues below
Jun 21, 2011, 11:44 pm
#23
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: HKG/YVR/NYC
Programs: AC 75K, A3*G, AS MVPG, AA LT Gold 1MM, JL/JGC (OWS) , Marriott Titanium, Hertz 5*, Avis PC
Posts: 3,697
BA 99 Dinner
Starters
Chicken liver parfait with West Country apple brandy
Croustade of mushrooms and quail egg with Hollandaise sauce
Cream of leek and potato soup
Fresh spring salad with your choice of balsamic dressing with golden rapeseed oil, blue cheese dressing or olive oil
Main Course
Duo of English Beef with foie gras, potatoes dauphinoise and poached spring vegetables
Wild turbot with cauliflower puree, buttered samphire and British clam vinaigrette
Free-range corn-fed roast spring chicken with bread sauce, fondant potato and spring vegetable parcel
Italian panzanella salad with petite Nicoise olives
Bistro Selection
Roast pork belly with apple cream sauce and broccoli
Warm Salted beef and Swiss cheese on manouchyer bread with pickled cucumber and English mustard dressing
A selection of biscuits
A selection of cheese and fruit
Dessert
Pear tarte fine with cinnamon ice cream
Trio of coffee desserts featuring tiramisu, warm coffee fondant and espresso ice cream
Cheese Plate
Rougette
Cropwell Bishop Shropshire Blue
Quickes Farmhouse cheddar
Banon
A basket of fresh fruit
Chocolates
Starter Drinks – Diet Coke with some Johnny Walker Blue
Dining Presentation
Appetizers – Chicken Parfait with the Spring Salad
More Appetizers - Quail egg with Hollandaise sauce
Main Course - Duo of English Beef with foie gras, potatoes dauphinoise and poached spring vegetables
Dessert - Trio of coffee desserts featuring tiramisu, warm coffee fondant and espresso ice cream
More Dessert - Pear tarte fine with cinnamon ice cream
The quality of the meal was very good, everything was tasty and the FAs were serving at a decent flow.
The FAs were able to serve me extra portions like other F flights that I do. I always save my best appetites for First Class flight for some reason, maybe its all the KD I have in college The appetizers and dessert were some of the best plane food I had, it might not have the ritzness of display on LH but tasted fantastic.
Cheeses
Pralines
Soon after the fantastic food, I had the FA set up the duvet and bedding for more comfort then went back onto the computer for the remainder of my battery life anyway to some work. After another hour or so, I went to sleep in the comfortable bed
The duvet was delightful soft but like my other encounters with duvets in F, I always tend to overheat and wake up part way through my sleep. Oh well, since I’m awake and there was nothing better to watch, back to eating
I had the FA served me an extra portion of the pork belly from the bistro selection since I was still pretty hungry in additional to the bites from the afternoon tea.
BA 99 Afternoon Tea
Snacks
An individual selection of sandwiches featuring cucumber with cumin cream cheese, ham hock with piccalilli
Emmenthal with pastrami and mustard mayonnaise
And roast chicken with mustard mayonnaise
Patisserie
Plain or fruit scones served warm with clotted cream and strawberry preserves
Caramelia mousse, cheese cake and carrot cake
Snack – Tea Sandwiches
Bistro Selection - Roast pork belly with apple cream sauce and broccoli
Patisserie
The services ended finishing as we were about 1 ¼ hrs outside YYZ over flying over Quebec City. YYZ customs had no questions for me, just wondering how I could fly TATL on a weekend, back to the parking lot and home. The only bad part from this trip was from some DYWKIA sitting on my coat on the parking shuttle. I somehow naturally gotten a British accent in 36 hrs, “Sir, your sitting on my coat”, he didn’t take it too well
And somehow, the rain on the way home turn into a blizzard on the way home I guess that's what I get for living in Niagara
How was BA F? comparing to LH F of course
Check-in – LH by a mile, I don’t have to worry about the wait at the FCT.
Security and Lounge – LH FCT blows away BA CCR and T5 overall, and I have a soft heart for the gummy bears in the LH FCT
Boarding – LH if using FCT but otherwise hard to compare, depends on actual vs. bus gate
Seat – Slightly better on BA, more space overall but the look out of the window is kinda restricted at the same time. I imagine the new BA F seat blows the LH one away
Service – Both are pretty good but I don’t have enough sample points to make an opinion
Main Course – I like BA food more but each to their own. Selections overall were really good
Video – LH has AVOD and BA doesn’t but both need significant improvements BIG TIME!!!
Bedding – BA gives you duvets and jammies on day-time flight, LH doesn’t
2nd Meal – LH has more selection on the cart although BA tea sandwiches were just super
Overall, a very average F flight, something stood out really nicely on BA but other things just makes you go insane, video system, check-in, security, boarding in particular.
I would definitely do another BA F flight in the future once the new F seats get all put in.
The fuel surcharge sucks but I don’t mind overlooking it if it was once a year.
And lastly, don’t go on strike BA!
I hope everyone enjoy my short report, I should have another one coming in Sept as I go another F/J RTW trip in late Aug.
Starters
Chicken liver parfait with West Country apple brandy
Croustade of mushrooms and quail egg with Hollandaise sauce
Cream of leek and potato soup
Fresh spring salad with your choice of balsamic dressing with golden rapeseed oil, blue cheese dressing or olive oil
Main Course
Duo of English Beef with foie gras, potatoes dauphinoise and poached spring vegetables
Wild turbot with cauliflower puree, buttered samphire and British clam vinaigrette
Free-range corn-fed roast spring chicken with bread sauce, fondant potato and spring vegetable parcel
Italian panzanella salad with petite Nicoise olives
Bistro Selection
Roast pork belly with apple cream sauce and broccoli
Warm Salted beef and Swiss cheese on manouchyer bread with pickled cucumber and English mustard dressing
A selection of biscuits
A selection of cheese and fruit
Dessert
Pear tarte fine with cinnamon ice cream
Trio of coffee desserts featuring tiramisu, warm coffee fondant and espresso ice cream
Cheese Plate
Rougette
Cropwell Bishop Shropshire Blue
Quickes Farmhouse cheddar
Banon
A basket of fresh fruit
Chocolates
Starter Drinks – Diet Coke with some Johnny Walker Blue
Dining Presentation
Appetizers – Chicken Parfait with the Spring Salad
More Appetizers - Quail egg with Hollandaise sauce
Main Course - Duo of English Beef with foie gras, potatoes dauphinoise and poached spring vegetables
Dessert - Trio of coffee desserts featuring tiramisu, warm coffee fondant and espresso ice cream
More Dessert - Pear tarte fine with cinnamon ice cream
The quality of the meal was very good, everything was tasty and the FAs were serving at a decent flow.
The FAs were able to serve me extra portions like other F flights that I do. I always save my best appetites for First Class flight for some reason, maybe its all the KD I have in college
The appetizers and dessert were some of the best plane food I had, it might not have the ritzness of display on LH but tasted fantastic. Cheeses
Pralines
Soon after the fantastic food, I had the FA set up the duvet and bedding for more comfort then went back onto the computer for the remainder of my battery life anyway to some work. After another hour or so, I went to sleep in the comfortable bed
The duvet was delightful soft but like my other encounters with duvets in F, I always tend to overheat and wake up part way through my sleep. Oh well, since I’m awake and there was nothing better to watch, back to eating
I had the FA served me an extra portion of the pork belly from the bistro selection since I was still pretty hungry in additional to the bites from the afternoon tea.
BA 99 Afternoon Tea
Snacks
An individual selection of sandwiches featuring cucumber with cumin cream cheese, ham hock with piccalilli
Emmenthal with pastrami and mustard mayonnaise
And roast chicken with mustard mayonnaise
Patisserie
Plain or fruit scones served warm with clotted cream and strawberry preserves
Caramelia mousse, cheese cake and carrot cake
Snack – Tea Sandwiches
Bistro Selection - Roast pork belly with apple cream sauce and broccoli
Patisserie
The services ended finishing as we were about 1 ¼ hrs outside YYZ over flying over Quebec City. YYZ customs had no questions for me, just wondering how I could fly TATL on a weekend, back to the parking lot and home. The only bad part from this trip was from some DYWKIA sitting on my coat on the parking shuttle. I somehow naturally gotten a British accent in 36 hrs, “Sir, your sitting on my coat”, he didn’t take it too well
And somehow, the rain on the way home turn into a blizzard on the way home I guess that's what I get for living in NiagaraHow was BA F? comparing to LH F of course
Check-in – LH by a mile, I don’t have to worry about the wait at the FCT.
Security and Lounge – LH FCT blows away BA CCR and T5 overall, and I have a soft heart for the gummy bears in the LH FCT
Boarding – LH if using FCT but otherwise hard to compare, depends on actual vs. bus gate
Seat – Slightly better on BA, more space overall but the look out of the window is kinda restricted at the same time. I imagine the new BA F seat blows the LH one away
Service – Both are pretty good but I don’t have enough sample points to make an opinion
Main Course – I like BA food more but each to their own. Selections overall were really good
Video – LH has AVOD and BA doesn’t but both need significant improvements BIG TIME!!!
Bedding – BA gives you duvets and jammies on day-time flight, LH doesn’t
2nd Meal – LH has more selection on the cart although BA tea sandwiches were just super
Overall, a very average F flight, something stood out really nicely on BA but other things just makes you go insane, video system, check-in, security, boarding in particular.
I would definitely do another BA F flight in the future once the new F seats get all put in.
The fuel surcharge sucks but I don’t mind overlooking it if it was once a year.
And lastly, don’t go on strike BA!
I hope everyone enjoy my short report, I should have another one coming in Sept as I go another F/J RTW trip in late Aug.
Jun 22, 2011, 2:08 pm
#24
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: En Route
Programs: Many
Posts: 6,798
Were they not familiar with the speeds at which aircraft travel? I like to fly as well, but why did you want to subject yourself to a longhaul in Y instead of celebrating your birthday with your friends at school?
Jun 24, 2011, 2:43 am
#25
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,181
AA meal to LHR on AM flights are good in Y.
However the meal in Y on the evening flights are "mediocre" hospital cafeteria style food. no desert. Just a measly cookie.
The food from LHR westbound used to be excellent. But since a while now the quality has been really reduced. No proper desert (unlike before now a cookie) and the pizza which used to be thick full of cheese has been reduced to a paper thin dough with hardly no cheese.
I find BA Y better except for the legroom which is better on AA. AA is actually 32" vs 31" on BA.
As to "free tickets" on BA it's a bit of a joke. I pay nearly $500 for a free ticket on BA from NYC to GVA in Y compared to only $100 on CO/ LX due to huge London taxes and fuel charges.
How much was your BA OW Award?
However the meal in Y on the evening flights are "mediocre" hospital cafeteria style food. no desert. Just a measly cookie.
The food from LHR westbound used to be excellent. But since a while now the quality has been really reduced. No proper desert (unlike before now a cookie) and the pizza which used to be thick full of cheese has been reduced to a paper thin dough with hardly no cheese.
I find BA Y better except for the legroom which is better on AA. AA is actually 32" vs 31" on BA.
As to "free tickets" on BA it's a bit of a joke. I pay nearly $500 for a free ticket on BA from NYC to GVA in Y compared to only $100 on CO/ LX due to huge London taxes and fuel charges.
How much was your BA OW Award?
Last edited by Bretteee; Jun 24, 2011 at 2:57 am
Jun 26, 2011, 11:16 am
#26
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: HKG/YVR/NYC
Programs: AC 75K, A3*G, AS MVPG, AA LT Gold 1MM, JL/JGC (OWS) , Marriott Titanium, Hertz 5*, Avis PC
Posts: 3,697
I don't really consider 6 hrs in Y to be overly horrible when the loads are 1/3rd full, as I said in the introduction, I could've flown AA F but at such dismal loads, no reason to spend the extra miles.
I always fly somewhere on my birthday, its the best present I can give myself
but I did travel to LHR to celebrate my birthday with friends there, one of which was a very close friend. AA meal to LHR on AM flights are good in Y.
However the meal in Y on the evening flights are "mediocre" hospital cafeteria style food. no desert. Just a measly cookie.
The food from LHR westbound used to be excellent. But since a while now the quality has been really reduced. No proper desert (unlike before now a cookie) and the pizza which used to be thick full of cheese has been reduced to a paper thin dough with hardly no cheese.
I find BA Y better except for the legroom which is better on AA. AA is actually 32" vs 31" on BA.
As to "free tickets" on BA it's a bit of a joke. I pay nearly $500 for a free ticket on BA from NYC to GVA in Y compared to only $100 on CO/ LX due to huge London taxes and fuel charges.
How much was your BA OW Award?
However the meal in Y on the evening flights are "mediocre" hospital cafeteria style food. no desert. Just a measly cookie.
The food from LHR westbound used to be excellent. But since a while now the quality has been really reduced. No proper desert (unlike before now a cookie) and the pizza which used to be thick full of cheese has been reduced to a paper thin dough with hardly no cheese.
I find BA Y better except for the legroom which is better on AA. AA is actually 32" vs 31" on BA.
As to "free tickets" on BA it's a bit of a joke. I pay nearly $500 for a free ticket on BA from NYC to GVA in Y compared to only $100 on CO/ LX due to huge London taxes and fuel charges.
How much was your BA OW Award?
The AA morning Y catering was better than I thought, thought i had to plug my nose and swallow
I've had no experience with AA ex-LHR catering,
the fuel surcharge was $500~ i think
Jun 28, 2011, 4:41 am
#27
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: En Route
Programs: Many
Posts: 6,798
Well its not that immigration doesn't know the speed of plane travel, its just surprising to see someone of my stature to be doing so.
I don't really consider 6 hrs in Y to be overly horrible when the loads are 1/3rd full, as I said in the introduction, I could've flown AA F but at such dismal loads, no reason to spend the extra miles.
I always fly somewhere on my birthday, its the best present I can give myself but I did travel to LHR to celebrate my birthday with friends there, one of which was a very close friend.
I don't really consider 6 hrs in Y to be overly horrible when the loads are 1/3rd full, as I said in the introduction, I could've flown AA F but at such dismal loads, no reason to spend the extra miles.
I always fly somewhere on my birthday, its the best present I can give myself
but I did travel to LHR to celebrate my birthday with friends there, one of which was a very close friend.
Jun 28, 2011, 12:31 pm
#28
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,857
I don't really get why you constantly think people are shocked you're traveling. It's not like you're an unaccompanied minor or something. As for always flying somewhere on your birthday, seems rather lonely as opposed to spending it with friends/family. Re. accepting Y, I am a rather tall drink of water and anything over 3 hours in Y (maybe 3.5 on the outside) is my cutoff, otherwise I am going to be miserable, but I suppose for shorter people it would be ok with no one sitting next to them.
Jun 29, 2011, 9:26 am
#29
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: HKG/YVR/NYC
Programs: AC 75K, A3*G, AS MVPG, AA LT Gold 1MM, JL/JGC (OWS) , Marriott Titanium, Hertz 5*, Avis PC
Posts: 3,697
I don't really get why you constantly think people are shocked you're traveling. It's not like you're an unaccompanied minor or something. As for always flying somewhere on your birthday, seems rather lonely as opposed to spending it with friends/family. Re. accepting Y, I am a rather tall drink of water and anything over 3 hours in Y (maybe 3.5 on the outside) is my cutoff, otherwise I am going to be miserable, but I suppose for shorter people it would be ok with no one sitting next to them.
Trust me, even US CBP have ask me that question before
As to flying somewhere on my birthday, I've always flew to places where I have friends or family to spend time with, this trip was no different. One of my closest friend was living at the London at the time as indicated in Part 2.
As to AA Y, I normally wouldn't fly Y if given a choice but I knew from previous experience that bulkhead legroom on that flight was enough for me.
Hence putting myself in coach rather than in First. And yes, if you have met me, I am quite short lol
Jun 30, 2011, 6:59 pm
#30
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: London & NYC
Programs: BA
Posts: 443
I don't believe 'Tiger Tiger' & 'fantastic' have ever been used in the same sentence, that really is scraping the barrel! If you had fun that's the main thing but next time set the clubbing standards a bit higher & I guarantee the females will be too!
Also, BA does have AVOD on all 747's, 767's & most 777's. You were just unlucky.
Also, BA does have AVOD on all 747's, 767's & most 777's. You were just unlucky.