Fraser

BA223 London Heathrow - Washington Dulles

Username: flyertalk
Password: flyertalk

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I had a fair few miles in the account from previous trips Berlin in Club Europe, Washington DC in World Traveller Plus and Concorde to New York. These flights gave me enough miles to allow me to upgrade a $800 World Traveller Plus ticket to Club World, perhaps the best feature of the BA Executive Club following the changes on the 1st July 2003. When it came round to booking my trip to Virginia to see Kirstin at Xmas I took this opportunity to fly J on the cheap. I booked to fly out from Terminal 4 on December 11th.

Over the months between booking the flight in September and December I tried numerous times to bag my favourite J seat, 62K on the Upper Deck as it has easiest access. I was unable to get it preaasigned or changed at any period however when December 10th arrived I got online to check-in 23hrs 59mins before the flight and managed to get myself 62K.

I was at University the day before the flight and had read on Flyertalk that fog that day was causing many BA flights to be cancelled including two of the three daily flights to Dulles. This gave me reason to be concerned as I was on cheap ticket I thought I might get bumped back to World Traveller Plus.

I packed the following night and then Dad dropped me off at 11am before heading off for a meeting in London. I checked my two bags in at the Club World desk as the Fast Bag Drop line was very long and spoke to couple who were heading off to New York.

I then zipped through Fast Track security before heading to the Molton Brown Spa on the lower floor of the Lounge Pavilion. I booked myself a 1.30pm appointment for a back massage before heading up to the top floor of the Lounge Pavilion where the Terraces lounge for Business Class passengers is found. Had a can of Newcastle Brown nicely chilled with a pack of tomato breadsticks. I then got a phone call and a friend considering a trip to Australia in J (never done it before and wanted to know what it is like) asked me to take some photos of the lounges. I had plenty of time so phoned Kirstin at midday to tell her everything was fine and I was on the flight.

I then headed across the main shopping area of Terminal 4 to the Terraces lounge near Gate 1. Much larger than the Terraces lounge at the Lounge Pavilion though also busier, no First Lounge or Concorde Room here, it is simply a Business Class and relevant status lounge. The ground floor near the business area looked a little tired although the area around the World Wine Bar and the upstairs looked new and up to date. I took a seat upstairs with another can of Newcastle and watched some golf. I was considering buying some perfume in the shopping mall that is Terminal 4 although as I was leafing through a Duty Free magazine I decided against and opted for some inflight purchases.

I left the Gate 1 lounge and browsed in most of the stores in Terminal 4,. I first stopped at the Hamleys store where I saw myself This photo was taken as part of an advertising campaign for a toy company for one of my uncles when I was around 9yrs old. I even told the woman who worked in the store! I stopped off nearby at the Mappin and Webb jewellers to see what new and unusual Breitlings they had in. A gold Breitling Bentley, huge and heavy and at £19,000 a bit expensive! I only had a 64MB and a 16MB card for 3weeks with my camera so bought another 64MB card at Dixons before heading back to the Lounge Pavilion for my 1.30pm appointment. The massage was superb, the first time I had had the time to use the lounge or get an appointment on time. Would highly recommend getting to the airport with a couple of hours to spare if you can and get the back massage, I found it great despite the fact I am no aficionado.

I then headed upstairs again and felt like checking my email so I headed for the First Business Lounge, not where I was allowed although I handily bypassed the keypad by walking towards the door as somebody was leaving and so I took a seat, posted on Flyertalk and checked my email....and helped myself to a Grolsch from the fridge. Soon after finishing that lot I wandered back up the stairs to the Terraces Lounge and took a seat with another can of Newcastle before noticing it was 2.15pm and my flight had been called. I finished off the can of Newcastle I had and went to get another from the fridge and got a packet of crisps on the way to the lounge exit. Luckily the flight was only leaving from Gate 11 so no walk for me.....although the flight was leaving from a remote stand. So I scoffed on my crisps and chugged my beer to the disgust of the people around me on the bus. I then walked up the steps to the 747 where I handed my boarding pass to the CSD, she directed me to the far side of the plane and down the back. I had a slight double take and replied, 'Sorry I thought 62K was upstairs' She came back 'Oh 62K yes upstairs' and I walked up the stairs and was the first person on the Upper Deck. I took my seat and got settled in before taking a few pictures of the cabin for my friend. Why I didnt take one from the aisle I don't know The flight attendant came round and offered me an orange juice (no preflight champagne in J on BA) she then noticed me playing with my camera and asked if I wanted to have my photo taken. I obliged, ignore the mouth region on the photo I look like I've had four cans of beer in not much over an hour! She then came round with amenity kits although I had brought my trusty F Anya BAg with me with hairbrush, wax, toothpaste and electric toothbrush. As I waited for the other nine passengers to board I looked around the cain and noticed the cockpit door open and the crew doing their final checks before push back.

It was some time before the other passengers boarded and the flight was delayed by around 20mins. We then made the short taxi to runway 27L and took off heading straight for Washignton. It wasnt long before champagne was brought round and I tucked in to a glass or two of Kir Royale. The orders for main course were taken at this point and the appetisers were brought round a few minutes after. As there were two flight attendants for only ten of us on the Upper Deck the service was top notch, no waiting for anything!
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MENU

Appetisers

Prawn and Crab cocktail
or
A combination of spiced aubergine and red pepper with yoghurt and herb dressing

Fresh seasonal salad served with vinaigrette

Main Courses

Grilled fillet of beef with tarragon butter, wilted spinach, sauteed mushrooms and potatoes fondantes

Fisherman's pie with glazed potato topping

Tomato, basil and Mozzarella cheese ravioli

Sticky chicken and noodle salad

Dessert

Chocolate morello cherry crumble tart

Pyrenes Tomme de Chevre, Brie and Shropshire Blue Cheese

Fresh fruit

Nescafe - Coffee
decaffeinated coffee or tea

Selection of herbal teas -
peppermint, blackcurrant, apple or camomile and honey

Afternoon Tea

Selection of sandwiches

Warm fruit scones
served with Cornish clotted cream
and strawberry preserve

Chocolate and raspberry cream

Selection of herbal teas -
peppermint, blackcurrant, apple or camomile and honey

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WINE LIST

Champagne

Charles Heidsieck Mis en Cave 1997

White Wines

Hahn Estates Monterey Chardonnay, 2001
Pouilly-Fume, 2001, Pascal Jolivet
Chateau de Cruzeau, 2001, Pesac-Leognan

Red Wines

Cline Sonoma County Syrah, 2000
Chateau Beaumont, 1999, Cru Bourgeois Haut-Medoc
Chivite Coleccion 125 Reserva, 1997, Navarra

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The appetiser was particularly good and the steak not bad, although I loved the chocolate morello dessert. Could have had another couple of those.

I settled in to the IFE and watched Terminator 3, not the best of the trilogy and then I put the bed down for a couple of hours nap. As the neighbour seat was free I pinched the blanket and laid it out on the seat to make things more comfortable and then used my own blanket in the regular way. I then went to freshen up using my own amenity kit that I brought with me and then went to Raid The Larder as advertised in the Menu. I thought it had been disbanded on the east coast routes although being advertised in the menu I guess it was available. I was told it had been disbanded although afternoon tea was soon to be served.

I then remembered I was going to buy some duty free and so I got one item which the FA told me had to be got from the back of the aircraft. The rest of the flight passed and teh captain made the annoucement that Duty Free was soon to be closed, I then had a quick leaf through and bought another item. We made our descent in the dark towards Dulles. I was completely disorientated, not from having a backwards facing seat but thinking that I saw Dulles out of the window and then landing about 10minutes later with little change of course. I presume it was BWI. It was during the final descent that the attendants in the seats opposite me began to ask me when I was returning and the purpose of my trip. I made polite conversation and just quickly leafed through the Duty Free magazine so I would be knowledgeable about the gifts bought. The FA then asked if I wanted to buy any more Duty Free! Not sure if she was being sarcastic or not but I laughed it off. I then filled in my landing cards as we taxied round to Concourse B and parked. The buses then came and unloaded the J and F passengers and deposited us at the immigration point. After the fiasco that was queueing for immigration three months before I was glad to see an empty line. I was one of the first people through and waited patiently for my luggage. Probably being one of the first to checkin I thought my bags would be off first or last. Sadly it was the latter, I watched in depseration as the numbers around the reclaim diminshed leaving me thinking I was going to have to get my bags delivered to Kirstins house. However it wasnt long before I loaded up a trolley and just like 3months before I was on my way through customs and round the corner to see Kirstin

We then made a right hash of getting back to Harrisonburg mainly due to my ineptitude to navigate in the dark, although my at times incredible memory recognised a roadsign from when we made the trip from Washington DC to Harrisonburg three months before and we continued in that direction and 2hours later we made it back to Harrisonburg. Happy days. I watched Ellen with Kirstins housemates Lucy, Lisa and the rabbit Bubba before getting an early night. I wasn't jetlagged but was tired from the long car journey.

Overall a pleasant flight




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BA001 London-New York (September 2002)
New York (September 2002)
Berlin - 30th Aug 03
Washington DC & James Madison University (Sept '03) with photos

'There are only two emotions in a plane: boredom and terror'
Orson Welles (1915–1985)

[This message has been edited by fbgdavidson (edited Feb 13, 2004).]

flamboyant 1

Good report Fraser! Thanks a lot!

JuPe

Good report! I also enjoyed the privacy of 62K on from CAI to LHR. I got that place at the check-in when I asked for a window seat upstairs.

How do I access the sign-in page for the pics? I only got "error page".

[This message has been edited by JuPe (edited Feb 04, 2004).]

InterflugIL62

Well done and good show.

BA's Terminal 4 is one of the few places on this planet where I will go in hours early and just have fun.

Also agree with the shopping mall at 4. It is great. I go out of my way to fly out of this terminal, not kidding. I always end up buying something, usually something I don't need.

I have access to the Business lounges but when I tried to access the First lounge, she fought me and chased me away. Then,ironically, I waltzed right into the Concorde lounge unchallenged. I guess, like you, just had to pick the moment.

Luv the showers at the Terraces lounge, even if I am flying to Paris for 45 min.

Just curious, what exactly did they have in Raid the Larder when it existed? cheers

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YAS+

Fraser

OK I am having problems when with putting a link in to the photo albums, it has worked in the past.

I'll have an online chat with one of the Imagestation tech people and find out the problem

[This message has been edited by fbgdavidson (edited Feb 04, 2004).]

Fraser

Yes and with access to two large lounges, a travel spa and a multitude of shops I had little trouble passing the time

The First lounge and First Business Suite that I got into are different. The First lounge is on the lower floor next to the travel spa. The First Business Suite is on the same floor as the Concorde Room although at the door of the Concorde Room take a 90 degree turn to the left and it is ahead of you. No person at the door, just a keypad. This is reserved for people who are entitled to access to the First lounge on the lower floor and they will tell you the combination when you go down there. However, I just walked up to the door as someone was leaving.

I haven't tried to get in the Concorde Room when I didnt have access although there has always been someone sitting behind the desk as you enter when I have been in there.

Basically crisps and chocolate, you can get a toned down version of Raid the Larder in Y on the Kangaroo route but this is called 'Tuck Box'. I haven't done the Kangaroo route in any class on any airline so can't comment!

[This message has been edited by fbgdavidson (edited Feb 04, 2004).]

Fraser

Just spoken with an Imagestation technician and you can't put links to any part of the Imagestation website anywhere on the internet. I'll just have to find another photo hosting website that does

This doesn't explain why the link worked fine for a couple of weeks and then broke

InterflugIL62

I'll be there in 2 weeks.

Have you done a report on the return flight yet? I must check this out. Cheers

Welcome to America!

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YAS+

Fraser

Yes I did the return flight, turned into a nightmare because we had a family crisis and I was scheduled to come home on 2nd Jan, however BA wouldn't budge on the ticket despite the circumstances (as it was inflexible) so I was forced to fork out another £400 for a one way in Y and came home on the 27th December

Not the return flight I was looking for, though the circumstances meant that I had to get home and to be honest it was more important I got home at all rather than in comfort.


[This message has been edited by fbgdavidson (edited Feb 04, 2004).]

InterflugIL62

Oh, I am sorry that happened. The airlines really need to work with the passengers more.

If it is any concelation, I would have put you in Business. There are people who would walk from BA and never fly them again for doing that to them.

I have seen BA do both, show mercy, but also tow the line. Amazing how different they can be.

Boo Boo

Great photos Fraser - I think that is a really nice way to do a trip report (narrative and then link to photos).

You look so young (and rather "under the influence"!)! I know you ARE young... (you realise that you are getting old, when students begin to look about 14... ).

Hope that your family problems were sorted out in a good way. I too would have put you in Club in the way back...

Boo

Fraser

Am pleased to see the link is working again and thanks for your kind comments.

I phoned BA in the UK to explain the situation and was told that despite the fact my ticket was deeply there was plenty of availability on the flight and only a real dragon would not have just put me in Club anyhow. As it was 3hr drive to the airport I wasn't willing to risk it so was advised by parents to just buy a ticket. Small added bonus was I phoned BA a efw weeks back to tell them I cancelled the return portion and asked if I could get my 12.5k miles back, they put back all 25k by mistake.

Sadly the family problem involved one of my uncles and he did not recover

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edited to say: Do I really look 14? I am 20!

[This message has been edited by fbgdavidson (edited Feb 05, 2004).]

Boo Boo

I am very sorry about your uncle

Congraulations for the miles refund - maybe the extra 12500 was consolation (a better phrase than compensation, I think - which is a hugely over used term, often for the wrong reasons...)

Boo

Boo Boo

Ok, maybe not 14, but you do look young... (probably the spaced expression - from lots of beer - makes you look younger too...)

Fraser

It could be worse, I could look this young

and btw, that is me! Hamleys at Terminal 4