RTW4

IBERIA 6251 FIRST CLASS MADRID-JFK

INTRO
I decided to take this flight as I had never experienced IB before in first class and I had to fly transatlantic on an award ticket to JFK. So rather than taking BA from LHR, I decided to take IB from MAD.. It was to be a 747-300 and I was really looking forward to it… Little did I know how much of a treat I was in for. Let me say to all of you FT…try FIRST on IB before it is history…..

DEPARTURE
I arrived at MAD airport. It really needs some updating, but the IB lounge was truly unique. It has FREE wireless but the food and wine selections were sub par. There is a separate section for Business and First Class sections. The two lounges are located on the second floor above the departure terminal. Inside the lounge were maybe ten people waiting for flights to depart for the US, and South America. I walked over to gate A2 where the 747 that would be my home for the next 7 and one half hours will be. After all these years it still is very exciting to see a 747 parked waiting to whisk me away. Those planes are going to be extinct sooner than I would like. OH well…

BOARDING
I had seat 2C . In the IBERIA 747, first class is located upstairs a la Lufthansa first class. There were 8 seats only, and only 4 were occupied. The seats were two by two and were full electronic sleeper seats. I had two seats by myself. Upon boarding I was ordered sherry or cava. I tried cava. Unfortunately it was the worst champagne I have ever tasted. But I washed it down with a lemon soda…
Amenity kits were standard. Slippers were passed out in a zippered blue velvet container. No pajamas were handed out as this was a day flight. Menus were handed out before leaving for our 7 hour 10 minute transatlantic flight

MENU
LUNCH

Appetizer
This was a platter of shrimp and Spanish ham

Iranian Sevruga Caviar
Absolutely delicious with all the condiments. I had at least two servings and it was Beluga . I guess that besides CX, IB still treats the first class passenger with first class caviar.

Medallions of Lobster and Mango
Wonderful type of mixture with very succulent lobster

Iberian Ham and Cured Pork Loin
Toasted Bread with “Salmorejo” a type of Spanish Pork

Cream of Pumpkin and Celery Soup with Clams

Fresh Vegetable Salad with Anchovy Flavored Vinaigrette or Mustard Creamy Dressing

ENTREES
Beef Tenderloin with Thyme Sauce
Sea-Bass with Orange Sauce
Roast Pullet with Grape Sauce

Each entrée came with Green Asparagus and Sautéed Peppers, Steamed, Gratinated, and Jacket Potatoes, Mixed White and Wild Rice, Mangetouts, and Carrots


Cheeses
Selection of fresh fruit

Chocolate and Mocha Cake
Pistachio and Irish Coffee Ice Cream

I had the sea bass and for dessert I had the selection of ice creams . In my opinion, this was the best dessert I have had on a plane. The orange sauce was a bit heavy but the sea bass was extraordinary…

After lunch the lights were dimmed and the IFE was begun. It was NOT AVOD,but we were offered a portable video walkman with 15 selections. After a brief nap a snack was served..

SNACK
Oven-roasted stuffed chicken
Marinated King Prawns
Cheese
Fresh Fruit
Almond Chocolate Pastry
Coffee.
The only disappointment was the selection of wines and champagnes which were in my opinion a bit sub par. I do not drink on planes but from other first class flights, this list was a bit on the “light “ side.

I really thought the food was excellent, and the seat was just great. Sure it was no the BA, QF, CX or even AA flagship seat, but the privacy and service really made up for it… The FA also told me that by APRIL 2005, first class service on intercontinental flights will be phased out so get it while you can…

pallensf

Great menu selections...I am hungry now...

Nice report!

Fliar

Thanks for the report ^

I must say that this does not really make me run and buy an FC ticket on IB. Poor lounge, average amenity kit, no champagne (and bad Cava), and as you say the seats were not on par with some other airlines. You did mention the service was great - could you elaborate?

Heidelberg Barbie

Thanks for the great and detailed trip report.

I wonder if first class is becoming less and less important to some of the airlines. It seems that others have made mention that it certain things were not up to par.

I experienced similar thoughts on US Air in Envoy for transatlantic. It was good but not truely "First Class".

synd

barbie,

how was your trip? it was 2 days ago if i remember correctly? i hope you enjoyed envoy even though you said some things were not up to par.
Just one thing though, envoy is a business class product, not a First class product, so you can't have the same expectation that you would with LH First for example... IMO it has all you need to cross the pond confrotably!
really nice seats (better than UA C imo), great IFE (much better than UA), but the food is always so-so :-(!

but please tell us your experience if you have some time, by writing a trip report. I am looking forward to see how much it has changed since the last time I flew it...

synd

Heidelberg Barbie

I will be writing my trip report today, hopefully. I flew in Sunday from Heidelberg to West Palm Beach (and BOY are my arms tired! *enter Drum beat*)

Thanks for the interest, Synd! some of the seat electronics and some other amenities were not "up to snuff" and I will write all my thoughts and experiences. Over all, however, I did like the comfort. I am offically spoiled!

Seat 2A

This Trip Report, like Iberia's Iranian Sevruga Caviar service, was "absolutely delicious with all the condiments"*.

Thanks for another superb effort!

^ ^

*International First Class Trip Reporters take note: Without the menu transcript, the onboard description of First Class is pretty much limited to a spacious seat, a sentence or two about your chosen entree and the entertainment.

alanw

Clearly you haven't read any of my reports.

Seat 2A

Alan! Why the red face? Of course I've read your trip reports and they illustrate quite nicely why my views on the subject of menu transcripts still remain unchanged. This is not to say that your reports are not overall fine reports but rather that you provide a fairly basic description of the inflight experience. Of course, many FT readers could care less about what happens on board the plane. They just want to read a travelogue about what you did in Barcelona or Fargo or wherever. In this regard you accommodate them quite nicely. ^ ^


** ***** **


If the primary intent of the trip report is to describe the inflight product (and titles such as SQ F Frankfurt to New York or LAX-BKK on JL/TG F strongly suggest this is the case), the inclusion of a menu transcript goes a long way towards providing a more thorough description. After all, a good First Class meal on a quality international carrier is often a more memorable aspect of the flight than the comfort of the seat or whether the flight arrived on time.

This having been said, my thanks go out to RTW4 for providing some of the finest examples of Trip Reporting on the First Class product. He also writes a pretty mean travelogue as well. ^ ^