Kiwi Flyer

Bridgetown to Miami (BGI-MIA) on American 737-800 business class

Only a few hours since arriving at the hotel I have a wake up call and checking out. Taxi back to the airport cost USD25 or BDS50. I'm not sure why it is more expensive to go back given all fares on the island are fixed.

Heavy rain starts, silencing the bats(?) and the ride back is slower - about 25 minutes. Check in quickly at the premium check in line. No departure tax is due because of my short stay (under 24 hours) - I think normally this is paid at check in? A short wait for immigration to open up. I'm through quickly. At security there is a sign that Barbadoes has recently adopted the liquids rules but they tell me to put the liquid baggy away.

Duty free shops open and I buy some stuff with my remaining Barbadoes Dollars, for there is no exchange bureau airside and the landside one is not yet open

Use the invite card to access the small lounge upstairs from gate 13. There is a limited drinks selection, and limited snack type food. While it is spacious the amenities are not very good. The 2 computers do not work Since there is only a few minutes until boarding I cut my losses and head for the gate.

The liquid duty free treatment is the opposite to what I've experienced in US. At the shop they are sealed in a box which you bring with you to the gate. There they tag them and put in the hold, to be collected in the baggage claim, against the wall.

Boarding is a slow process in the heavy rain. First all carry-ons are checked. This more thorough than the check done at HKG. Then a dash across the tarmac. I notice there has been a change of aircraft type since I booked it - from a 757 to a 737-800.

Meal is a choice of omelette or sugary cereal, but as I fell asleep I missed out.

No views due to the extensive thunderclouds en route. We land in Miami late. Immigration queues are long and the processing is slow. I lose on line lotto. The line with only 6 people ahead of me takes ages to progress - forms not filled in, not filled in correctly, much inspection of passports, first time visitors questioning the agents about where to go, etc. It takes 40 minutes for my turn, but I'm done in a minute.

I've now flown more than 50 flights and 100,000 miles during the first 3 weeks of this trip report alone, and Miami is the 8th airport that I've flown internationally to/from the USA, the most airports flown internationally for any one country.

By now the duty free is already there, so I grab it and through customs fairly quickly.

I walk over to the bus stop in front of terminal E, glad that it is under shelter for the rain is quite heavy. Since I have plenty of time until the shuttle for tri-rail I get the ticket here instead of at the station. It is $4.50 for Boca Raton. Not bad - quite a bit less than the bus to the airport at Auckland even though this trip takes more than twice as long.

The shuttle bus is running late so straight from bus onto the train. I had a look for boxo, who I'd arranged to meet but was unable to find her.

Kiwi Flyer

In transit in Miami

Just over an hour later I get off at Boca Raton for the PBI do. At the station I ran into boxo who was already on the train when I hopped on, and we agree to call for the hotel shuttle despite the short distance across the 8 lane road - due to the probable (later confirmed) lack of footpath and the heavy rain.

I was checked in quickly and soon caught up with writetorich who was looking for some travel tips for his upcoming NZ trip, along with plenty of other FTers. A late lunch merged into afternoon drinks, then the free evening drinks, then dinner, then post-dinner drinks. I had a great time but eventually tiredness caught up in the small hours of the morning.

I awoke at check out time having missed breakfast completely. A quick shower before check out, then the shuttle to the tri-rail station just in time for the once every 2 hour train back down to Miami. Just as we arrived at the airport the skies cleared and I saw the sun for the first time in "sunny" Florida. However, I left without seeing any beaches.

Kiwi Flyer

Miami to London Heathrow (MIA-LHR) on British Airways 747-400 business class

By the time I walk across to A concourse check in is already open for this flight. I'm not sure if it is normally open this early, or if it is open extra early today to cater for passengers who, like me, booked when the departure time was 45 minutes earlier. The schedule change is to cater for UK finishing daylight savings while we are en route, while USA finishes daylight saving later than normal this year.

I got 2 more boarding passes quickly, but despite the agent's efforts was unable to get them for onward flights. It really does seem to be hit and miss if computer will allow through check in.

I was quickly through security (no elite line here but fortunately no queue either), and up the lift to BA Terraces lounge. There is no first class lounge here. The lounge is nice but small. There are no computers so I have a shower first. Neither shower room has towels so back to the desk to request one. They seem to have run out of razors, and I note that the Molton Brown products are still being used - not yet switched over to Elemis.

After my shower I exit and head to the vastly inferior Admirals Club, just so I can try to catch up on several days worth of emails and messages. I also have the small matter of some Do preparation to attend to.

The agent forgets to give me drink chits until I politely ask for some. I ended up not using them and posted to the Admirals Club treasure hunt thread.

There is very limited drink and no food other than a big bowl of pretzels. Yuk. The departure monitors only show AA flights so I have to assume my flight is departing on time and leave the lounge at the appropriate time. I remind myself that since I am not flying a US airline there is no rush to board first.

Kiwi Flyer

I'd chosen the rear bulkhead window seat as it is the only seat in business class that doesn't require climbing over anyone, or have someone climb over you, or have crew passing food & drink over you.

It is the new business seat and the configuration is "mid-J" - meaning premium economy deplanes before first and business class when door 2L is used I notice the tray table has a different latch system (not as good) to my previous club world seat.

There are a number of problems with my seat, but due to the flight being totally full I have to just sit and take it. A pane on the privacy screen is broken, so no privacy. The footrest isn't working properly and only goes down into z-mode position, not flat. The lamp isn't working. The tray table was filthy and looked like it hadn't been cleaned in months.

A pre-departure drink of water, juice or champagne. No seconds offered

Doors closed on time. The safety video wasn't working so we got a manual briefing. Our taxi was slow with a 15 minute wait at one point. The rain had returned. Shortly after take off I got a view of Fort Lauderdale in between the rain clouds, with water sheeting off the wing at speed outside my window.

The in flight entertainment system crashed for most of the aircraft immediately. By the time it was rebooted it was nearly an hour into the flight. Then compulsory videos for wellbeing, explaining the AVOD system, and in club world (ie business class) explaining the new seat. Now 75 minutes after takeoff and I get to start the IFE. Nope. Crashed again. 2 more reboots of my seat (and many others). At 2 hours into the flight the purser comes by and apologised for the hassles. He made one more try at rebooting my seat. I see the first 5 minutes of a movie before it once again crashes. After 2 1/2 hours of the flight I give up on seeing any IFE.

Grrr - so not only do I not have a light to read by (once cabin lights are dimmed after dinner) but no IFE either. Great Unfortunately I'm wide awake having had such a good sleep the night before.

Bored, bored, bored.

Dinner is served. The entree choice is described as half lobster, but if it is really half a lobster it is the smallest I have seen (and would certainly be too small to catch in New Zealand). Main course was also small. No drink refills offered. My tray was taken without being asked if I want dessert or coffee.

Eventually I did fall asleep and got an hour or so of sleep before being woken for a very small breakfast. Lucky I wasn't hungry - the food offered on this 6 1/2 hour flight is less than I'd get on a 3 hour trans-tasman flight

By now I'm regretting choosing British Airways over American Airlines for this flight. Unlike BA Executive Club and AAdvantage members who have mile earning considerations, I could have chosen either. There was availability on both flights at time of booking and the flight timings are within 10 minutes of each other. They both use the same terminals at MIA and at LHR so no difference in my onward connections. I chose BA expecting a better hard product and reasonable service. More fool me.

We arrived slightly early, and as such the airbridge wasn't ready. With so many flights arriving around 6am it was annoying to be standing in the aisle waiting and seeing lots of other widebodies pull up at other gates, knowing the queues are getting longer with every passing minute. After some 15 minutes wait the doors are finally opened. As I mentioned before, premium economy passengers are let out first, then first class, then business class. As I hop onto the airbridge someone is berating the ground staff for the delay in opening door and complaining that the queues will now be bad. Hmmm - not much you can do about it now and by wasting time you are even further back in the queue.

We had a gate right at the end of the furthest pier so a long walk to transfers. I power walk past a couple of hundred passengers en route. Then a wait for the transfer bus to T4. By the time the first buses arrive at 0630 there are huge queues for both T4 and T1/2 (separate buses), and only some of the waiting passengers make it onto the first bus. There was a reason for my walking very fast.

At T4 I get stopped before security and asked about liquids despite my holding the baggy already. Then the bouncer for fast track was reluctant to let me in Security was slow despite the short queue in fast track (non fast-track queue was quite long but not too bad). Then over to the lounge. Once again the bouncer wants me to use the business class lounge instead of the first class I am entitled to. It is a pathetic joke - in dozens of times flying one world through LHR as a one world emerald status passenger flying in economy or business class, I am yet to be directed to the first class lounge without prompting. There is a queue for the shower - estimated at one hour. So with pager in hand I first head to the first class lounge to try to check in for onward flights (to no avail) and then hop on the computers to catch up on messages and post some of this report.

Kiwi Flyer

Miami to London Heathrow business menu

DINNER

Starters

Half a Maine lobster with Italian couscous and mango salad

or

Carpaccio of portobello mushrooms

Fresh seasonal salad
served with vinaigrette

Main

Grilled fillet steak with herb butter, crushed red bliss potatoes, green beans and carrots

Halibut in black bean sauce with bok-choy and egg-fried rice

Artichoke ravioli in roast red pepper sauce with freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Main course Caesar salad with herb marinated chicken and garlic croutons

Dessert

Belgian chocolate cheese cake

Aged cheddar and Stilton cheese

A selection of fruit


DRINKS

Complimentary bar serving alcoholic beverages and soft drinks is available throughout the flight. See inserted wine list for today's selection.

Ground coffee, decaffeinated coffee or tea

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


CLUB KITCHEN

Between meals, please help yourself to a drink or a tasty snack. Please visit the Club Kitchen and help yourself to the selection on display.

Snack salads, sandwiches, filled rolls and wraps

Fresh fruit salads and fruit smoothies or juice

Choice of luxury cakes

Crisps and chocolate (including organic chocolate)

If seated in the upper deck, you can visit the Club Kitchen downstairs.


BREAKFAST

Starters

Chilled orange juice and ruby grapefruit juice

* An energising fruit smoothie

* Fresh seasonal fruit

or

Cereals with chilled milk

Bakery

Warm bacon roll [not available]

Selection of warm breads and breakfast pastries

Drinks

Ground coffee, decaffeinated coffee or tea

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


WINES

Champagne

Champagne cocktails
Kir Royale
Buck's Fizz

Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Champagne

White

William Hill Estate Napa Valley Chardonnay 2004

Rully Clos des Mollepierre 2005 Roux Pere et Fils

Red

Hess Collection Mountain Cuvee 2003 Napa Valley

Chateau Fourcas Hosten 2003 Cru Bourgeois Superieur Listrac

Kiwi Flyer

It's all the same
London Heathrow to Bahrain (LHR-BAH) on British Airways 747-400 business class

The flight was showing as on time so I headed for the gate at the far opposite end of the terminal. By the time I got there an unspecified delay was declared. So I headed for the Gate 1 business lounge to await what would hopefully be a short delay (for I have onward flights with shortish connections that I have been unable to check in). After a while an extra hour's delay was announced, plus an equipment swap and gate change to the far other end of the terminal.

Looks like I may have a repeat of KWI transfer experience, and yes getting in a lot of walking through LHR today.

simongr

Apologies if I am being dim but is there no immigration San Juan to USA?

Mwenenzi

Really a colony on the US of A. From Wikipedia Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico, officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States with Commonwealth status "The Commonwealth structure provides for self-government in respect of internal affairs and administration, subject to relevant portions of the Constitution and the laws of the United States

Kiwi Flyer

Correct. You only clear immigration if flying in from another Caribbean island.

Kiwi Flyer

Where was I? Oh yes. Having walked down to gate 3 and then waited in the Gate 1 lounge we heard the flight was now leaving from gate 24, which is at the end of Victor pier at the far other end of the terminal. At the appropriate time I headed down and arrived some 20 minutes before the new departure time. Boarding still hadn't started and we had a few "boarding will begin in 5 minutes" announcements to keep everyone there. Not that we had much choice - for the lounge is a good 5 minutes walk away, even at a fast speed.

Eventually boarding starts. No priority lane at all. Just a huge mass of people - for yes this flight was totally full. It turned out we weren't even using the gate but instead bussed to a remote stand. If we have to use a remote stand why couldn't they have bussed from a gate closer to the original gate? Indeed with the amount of time elapsed they could have moved the original a/c off gate 3 and substituted the replacement a/c, I would have thought.

By the time I get on board it is 75 minutes after original departure time. By now I'm starting to get a bit concerned about my onward connection for which I'm not yet checked in (I tried both online and an agent at the Gate 1 lounge and neither worked ). Then a wait of a further hour for a takeoff slot before we push back. To pre-empt any thoughts of compensation under EU rules they are quick to point out the long delay is due to mechanical issues.

By now it has started drizzling. So at LHR this means a slow taxi. Finally some 3 hours after we were due to depart we reach the runway.

I had again selected the rear bulkhead window seat. Again new club world seat, but with some minor differences. The tray table latch is the same as on the flight from Miami - ie not very helpful (only releases the table about 1cm and there is no convenient piece to use to lever the table out thus get sore fingers). The footrest latch is different to either previous version of new club world that I have flown. It seems BA has been tweaking the settings as it rolls out the new product across the fleet.

We have a "high J" configuration.

Pre departure drink is water, juice or champagne. Despite the long ground hold there is no refill. It seems to take a long time before first drinks after take off (more than an hour in the air and some 3 hours since the pre-departure drink). Fortunately I am able to rehydrate with several quickies. Meal order is taken. Unfortunately both my first and second choice meals are already gone

It takes a long time for the IFE to get going. At first I thought "oh no, not again". But by the time meal is served (over 1 1/2 hours into the flight) it has come on. The timing of meal service is odd. For a relatively short "longhaul" flight the first meal is served much later than I'd expect, meaning there is only 2 hours before the second meal is served. Then again, the 2nd meal is small.

Our flight path takes us over Hungary, Turkey, Iraq, and along the Persian Gulf. As we pass the general vicinity of Kuwait I see lots of lights from oil wells below.

Kiwi Flyer

London Heathrow to Bahrain business menu

LUNCH

Starters

Rock shrimp and prawn terrine with lemon creme fraiche

or

Meze plate

Fresh seasonal salad served with vinaigrette

Main

Shaun Hill's fillet of beef with morels and mustard sauce

Salmon fish cakes with parsley and caper sauce

Vegetable machbous with pistachio, pine nut and apricot couscous

Main course Caesar salad with chicken, sun-dried tomato bruschetta and Caesar dressing

Dessert

Lemon and sultana cheese cake with raspberry coulis

Shropshire Blue and Tasty Lancashire cheese served with biscuits and butter

A selection of fruit

Chocolates


DRINKS

Complimentary bar serving alcoholic beverages and soft drinks is available throughout the flight. See inserted wine list for today's selection.

Ground coffee, decaffeinated coffee or tea

Selection of herbal teas - green tea with jasmine, peppermint, blackcurrant or camomile and honey


CLUB KITCHEN

Between meals, please help yourself to a drink or a tasty snack. Please visit the Club Kitchen and help yourself to the selection on display.

Snack salads, sandwiches, filled rolls and wraps

Fresh fruit salads and fruit smoothies or juice

Choice of luxury cakes

Crisps and chocolate (including organic chocolate)

If seated in the upper deck, you can visit the Club Kitchen downstairs.


AFTERNOON TEA

Snacks

Sandwich selection of roast beef with horseradish and Double Gloucester cheese

or

Salad of marinated Feta cheese with chilli roasted aubergine and baby courgette

Sweets [not offered]

Fruit scone served warm with clotted cream and strawberry preserve

Chocolate and cherry sponge

Drinks

Tea, ground coffee or decaffeinated coffee

Selection of herbal teas - green tea with jasmine, peppermint, blackcurrant or camomile and honey


WINES

Champagne

Champagne cocktails
Kir Royale
Buck's Fizz

Heidsieck Monopole Blue Top Brut Reserve Champagne [not available]

Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Champagne

White

Innocent Bystander Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2005

Chablis Champs Royaux 2006 William Fevre

Red

Yalumba Barossa Shiraz Viognier 2004

Chateau Arnauld 2004 Cru Bourgeois Haut Medoc

Beronia Reserva Rioja 2001

Kiwi Flyer

Bahrain to Doha (BAH-DOH) on British Airways 747-400 business class

This is a favourite flight amongst several BA forum regulars. The reason being the BAEC tier point earning is treated as longhaul - ie it earns as much as (for example) London to Sydney and yet the F fare on this route is but a tiny fraction of the fare on the longer routes. It is also fairly easy to do in one day including positioning flights to/from LHR and stress free if you can get the return boarding passes issued at LHR, which is normally the case.

At Bahrain passengers continuing on to Doha are asked to stay onboard in the transit stop. This is the same as Abu Dhabi continuing on to Muscat, which I flew last year. There is some cleaning done, a quick check that bags are matched to passengers and boarding the handful of passengers joining us at Bahrain. The transit is about 1 hour.

Pre-departure we get a drink of water or orange juice. No champagne. In the short 35 minute flight there is no meal service, unlike the similarly timed Singapore to Kuala Lumpur on Singapore Airlines for example. Offered juice or water at top of the short climb, with glasses taken again almost immediately as they prepare for landing.

Kiwi Flyer

In transit in Doha

We arrived a little over 2 hours behind schedule. No airbridges (that I could see) and we got one of the more remote of the remote stands - the bus to the terminal took about 10 minutes. As with many middle eastern airports there is a hive of activity in the middle of the night.

Despite the low passenger loads several buses are used - each less than half full. As a consequence I end up in the 2nd one. With the turnaround sure to be short to make up some time each delay cranks up the pressure. I breathe some deep breaths - this isn't the first time I've been in such a situation and I've managed to get out okay each previous time.

I was the only transit passenger at this time so they had to open up security for me - another short wait. I turned right to the transit desks and my heart sank as I saw long queues for both economy and first/business, and furthermore it did not appear the handful of agents on the desk were in any particular hurry. I politely asked those in the queue if I could jump ahead given my flight is boarding any moment now, which they kindly agreed to. But a short wait before I managed to get an agent's attention. They then directed me to go directly to the gate given the proximity to boarding there is nothing they could do.

At the gate I found out I had been offloaded as a no show. Grrr. BA knew very well where I was and why I hadn't checked in yet. Fortunately loads were light and they were able to reinstate me after some minutes tapping away.

Naturally there is no time to visit the contract lounge.

Another security check at the gate. This time it is a manual inspection of carry-ons, even to the point of opening up my travel wallet to check inside it. By the time this is done boarding has begun.

Kiwi Flyer

Doha to Bahrain (DOH-BAH) on British Airways 747-400 business class

4 buses are used to carry passengers out to the aircraft, with the first 3 used for economy and the fourth for business and first class.

The turnaround is under an hour - which is pretty good given about half that time was taken up transferring passengers between aircraft and terminal.

Much the same as the flight over. Pre-departure drink is water or orange juice only. No drink in flight offered. The 20 minutes to landing announcement is made while we are still climbing

Again through passengers must stay onboard in Bahrain, and that transit is also about an hour.

Kiwi Flyer

Bahrain to London Heathrow business menu

The Sleeper Service

The British Airways Sleeper Service is designed to provide you with longer, undisturbed sleep-time whilst on board.


NIGHTCAP

Settle down with a NightCap to help you sleep

Open sandwiches of poached salmon and cherry tomato salad

or

Grilled asparagus and Caesar salad with shaved Parmesan cheese

or

Hot chocolate with warm chocolate chip cookies

Your choice of hot chocolate, coffee, tea or herbal teas - green tea with jasmine, peppermint, blackcurrant or camomile and honey.

Please accept our apology if your first choice is not available.


CLUB KITCHEN

Please visit the galley area in between meal services, where light snacks and drinks will be available. Please ask the crew for drinks not on display.

If seated in the upper deck, you can visit the Club Kitchen downstairs.


ARRIVALS LOUNGE

Feel revived, refreshed and ready for the day by completing your journey with a visit to the Arrivals Lounge. There you can enjoy a full English or Continental breakfast, take a power shower, catch up on work - even get your suit pressed.

The British Airways Arrivals Lounge is open from 5 am to 2 pm.


BREAKFAST IN BED

Chilled fruit juice

An energising fruit smoothie of summer berries, banana, yoghut, honey and orange

Fresh seasonal fruit

Fruit yoghurt

Freshly scrambled eggs in chive pancake with grilled beef sausage, fresh mushrooms, tomato and potato rissole

or

Twice-baked egg souffle with spinach and tomato sauce

Selection of warm breads and breakfast pastries

Your choice of coffee or tea


WINES

Champagne

Champagne cocktails
Kir Royale
Buck's Fizz

Heidsieck Monopole Blue Top Brut Reserve Champagne [not available]

Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Champagne

White

Innocent Bystander Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2005

Chablis Champs Royaux 2006 William Fevre

Red

Yalumba Barossa Shiraz Viognier 2004

Chateau Arnauld 2004 Cru Bourgeois Haut Medoc

Beronia Reserva Rioja 2001