lowlyblue

This is my first trip report, so please be gentle.

I took advantage of the cheap price for this four-sector run (£211) and the offer of 15,000 miles for flights on three one world airlines in October and November (having already clocked up BA and EI), and duly took the trip yesterday (29 November - just made it!).

Sector 1 - LHR-BCN BA484

I arrived at LHR T1 and went to Premium Check-in Zone R for the first time (despite my ticket being for the Iberia code share, everything was OK). Very nice. I was only checked in for the first leg, though. Nice to have one's own bureau de change and security entrance to departures. Went to the international terraces lounge for the first time too. What a contrast to the domestic equivalent - a whole parallel universe.

Didn't have much time there as I arrived late at LHR (tube problems, tsk). Boarded an Airbus 320 - actually all four sectors were on this type of aircraft. Was one of 15 passengers in 30 Club Europe seats. Started in 3F but moved to 2F as no-one else was in that row. Anti-macassar in 2E still had hair on it - yeuch! Hot unperfumed towel offered and taken.

A long taxi past the two T5 buildings now taking shape. The last runway sign I saw was 09R NB10 if that means anything to anyone. The same company seems to make these signs everywhere I've ever been! We were stuck behind BMI and AY planes for a bit, possibly due to a late (Club) passenger on our plane who promptly slept for the whole flight.

Took off after the obligatory two beeps on the PA (is that a signal to the crew from the cockpit?). There was a huge jolt about a minute after take-off during the purser's announcement but he smoothly said 'ah, a little turbulence there' and carried on.

Breakfast of fruit salad, croissant, sausage, scrambled egg, mushroom, tomato, bacon, coffee. Where is that on the photo on the napkin ring and the coffee cup? I would guess Southwold and Liverpool respectively but those aren't very glamorous places! Followed progress on screen. It amuses me that even going LHR-EDI you see the world on a scale that includes such places as Dar Es Salaam, but at least it's a little more relevant when going LHR-BCN. Staff attentive and pleasant. V. demanding passenger (for alcohol and getting her bag in and out of the overhead locker, kept trying to use phone before engines off, etc. etc.) in 1F but all dealt with pleasantly.

Arrived on schedule at BCN. On screen at airport, flight described as 'BAW484' - it seems you must have three letters for the airline. Stepped outside the airport for a few seconds just to clock up Barcelona. Then tried to check in for the next leg and 'there was a problem'. Visions of being stuck in BCN for a day or two, but it was resolved once the ticket number had been found, which seemed to take a couple of phone calls. No eyelid batted at the fact I was going to SVQ and immediately back again. Could only check in for the next leg, but seat 1A this time. No time for 'VIP lounge' with one hour between arrival and take-off at the other end of the airport (but see later).

Sector 2 - BCN-SVQ IB1134

BCN is one long terminal building with little outbuilt triangles for each group of 10 gates. Arriving at gate 43 and leaving from gate 14 means a long walk. Boarded the plane to find that I am the only Business passenger out of a possible 18 seats. The seats appear the same as economy but possibly further between rows.

Warned at least three times to switch off mobiles. Off we took. Shortly thereafter, drinks were offered (still a bit early for me) and a snack of three slices of ham, two of cheese, and a triangular savoury pastry thing a bit like pizza. Economy passengers were told that there was a wide selection of snacks available and the price list was in their seat pocket. Hah. Soundless video shown - four seasons in Spain, trailer for the Incredibles (badly translated: 'fun and laughing for the hole family') and that Canadian candid camera 'Just for Laughs' I've seen on an Alitalia flight. FA asked if 'there was anything else' and once I said no was not in evidence again.

Steep early descent into SVQ, short landing before turning off the runway. Upon arrival the announcer said 'thank you for sharing the sky with us' - pass the sick bag! Actually no need, as Business passengers seem to get two each.

Again stepped out of the airport briefly before checking in yet again - but got the remaining two boarding cards this time. 'Sala VIP' very small and brown. Biscuits and almonds the only food available. A TV. Er, that's it.

Sector 3 - SVQ-BCN IB1133

Same plane but much busier - 9 out of 18 business seats taken. Different crew, so no 'weren't you just...' embarrassment. The flight seemed to have a codeshare number of SWR4473 - not sure what that was. Someone was sitting in my seat, 1A, and had all her bags on 1B, but 'apologised' and asked if I didn't mind. Timidly sat in 1C - should I have made a fuss? Four FA trips offering different papers - all in Spanish.

Took off a bit late (due to lateness of incoming flight - although I thought it had been on time). Steep ascent - is this a feature of SVQ? Offered drinks and a snack of cheese, ham or chorizo roll. Chose the latter. No plastic sword, but a wooden skewer - quite sharp but unlikely to be used in hijack. 1C not the best seat - although I could stretch out fully (and I'm 6'3") when no one was going up and down the aisle, every time they opened the cupboard in front of me it swung back and banged my knees. Also, no seat pocket for 1C/1D and an in-arm table rather than a lift-up one in front. Regretted not insisting on sitting in 1A. Arrived 10 minutes late.

Possessed of final boarding pass (and having 'done' Barcelona already!), stayed airside this time. Saw that the codeshared BA 18.55 flight was delayed by 45 minutes and asked if I could fit on it instead of waiting for my 20.55 IB one. No, I had a 'special fare' (very true) that couldn't be changed to a BA flight - despite the earlier AGP itinerary using that very flight for the same price. At least no knock-on effect of lateness on my flight.

Oh well, time to explore the IB lounge. Rather difficult to find the 'Sala Gaudi' - it's just to the left of the exit for baggage reclaim 'B' if ever you are looking for it. Quite spacious and reasonably elegant - didn't smell much cigar smoke, although getting a cold from all this flying. There were four PCs allegedly with a 'wireless internet connection', but the one I tried loaded about three pages in 20 minutes. Food available: nuts, dried figs and apricots, biscuits and almonds.

Sector 4 - BCN-LHR IB4180

Seat 5A this time, but as there were only 3 pax out of 30 Business seats, moved to 1A. So at least I sat in 1A the same number of times I had been allocated it. Went for the drinks this time - g&t (Bombay Sapphire from a full-sized bottle and a larger than usual can of tonic) and rioja with the meal (1/4 bottle). A menu listed five courses with apparent choices, although when the food arrived you got everything and most of it was on the same plate. Napkin attached to a tiny clothes peg, for no apparent reason. More 'four seasons in Spain' and Just for Laughs on the TV. Staff quite attentive.

Menu:

Terrine of Duck Liver

Mixed Lettuces, Cherry Tomato, Black Olives
Grilled Green Asparagus

Cod Back Rioja Style
Grilled Veal Tenderloin

Selection of Cheeses

Caramel Cream

Arrived on time at T2. Having 'shared the sky' with IB three times in a row, had had enough of flying by then and beginning to question why I was doing it. Was it the drink talking? A couple of days later, though, I'm thinking about my next trip!

Steady-EDI

Thanks for the report, lowlyblue. Interesting to read this and the other accounts of a useful - and rather unusual - BA tier point run.

So the question has to be ... after all that, are you still a lowly blue?

okko

lowlyblue,

thank you for the report ^

"The flight seemed to have a codeshare number of SWR4473 - not sure what that was."
If I guess it was LX4473 (Swiss), I can't be too far from the correct answer?

lowlyblue

Thanks for the thanks. I am still a lowlyblue, but with 540 points it won't be long now...

House

Thanks for an interesting trip report! Always wondered what IB Business was like.

As for the airline codes you saw in Spain, there are actually to sets of standards for airline designator codes. One set (the familiar two letter codes we all know and love) are issued by IATA, the trade association for airlines. The other set, more used for navigational and behind the scenes purposes, and consisting of three letters, are issued by ICAO, the international civil aviation organisation.

For reasons best know to themselves, Aena, the Spanish Airports Authority, uses the three letter ICAO codes throughout the airport, even on departure and check-in screens. So BA484 becomes BAW0484 (British AirWays), and LH430 becomes DLH0430 (DLH standing for Deutsche Lufthansa, in this case), and BD701 becomes BMA701 (BMA standing for British Midland Airways).

And yes, SWR is the ICAO code for Swiss, and was also the old Swissair code.

Here is a list of the main European airlines, together with their IATA and ICAO codes:

http://www.iata.org/membership/airli...p.htm?area=eur