GLABA

Hi all,
I joined BAEC in Jan 2016 and have domestic'd 100 sectors with work since with a short haul return thrown in there. This has turned me silver.

But on Wednesday I and Miss GLABA are flying to India (Del) on a 789 evening flight, returning on a 773 red eye from BOM. This is my first BA long haul since I was a kid half a lifetime ago. Had I not been silver I'd go Emirates (had a couple of decent returns with them before and 'obviously' would've been cheaper). But an American Express offer evened up the price and my silver status means we go BA.

So I've booked WT and I think I have my silver perks sorted (we have twin seats on all four sectors). Expect to use T5b lounge for the connections (there are showers right?).

But how can I maximise the WT experience? Especially compared to Emirates. I don't expect t an upgrade, so how can I make economy better?

I have under 50k avios hence no upgrade...
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PS MISSGLABA has endured a lot of me being away so trying to make this trip as good as possible
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Tim1975

options are:

preselect a better seat
pre-order an upgraded meal.
Look out for cheap cash upgrades at the airport.
choose the aircraft carefully. This may be too late for you, but avoiding a 787 with its hatefully narrow seats would be high up my list (alternatively, sit next to a petite wife who doesn't object to some shoulder intrusion).

Yes, there are showers in all T5 BA lounges (T5A North, T5A South and T5B,)

Purim

In your circumstances I would be more concerned with minimizing my exposure to WT and the best way to do this in the absence of a POUG or upgrade is an ambien.

krispy84

Pre-selecting (and paying) for extra legroom seats would be my top priority.

USA_flyer

how does one upgrade the WT meal please?

Rami Tamimi

The question you need to ask is how to "minimise" WT.

xenole

I just think of the destination. It's a few hours that may not be overly comfortable but hopefully something better lies at the end.

I've dozed a little after a few drinks and I'm tempted to try Ambien or something that would make me drowsy enough to sleep a bit on a night flight.

Other than the aforementioned upgrades etc., seat cushions, neck pillows, a good set of headphones, entertainment, snacks....anything to keep you occupied for short periods of time.

GLABA

In the spirit of positivity how would one maximise it? Or minimise it if you rather...

GLABA

You'd priories more legroom over twin seats then?
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GLABA

There is clear hatred for the 788 but is the 789 no better? Petite girlfriend exists.

corporate-wage-slave

Marginally better, the seating is still narrower than EuroTraveller. Size 9s are lucky, for the rest of us, well to repeat something I've said before, I wouldn't transport my sheep in WT on a 787. Get WTP - which is super for a flight of this length on that aircraft.

The_Bouncer

I have done many long haul flights in various economy classes, and I can definitively tell you that it will not be comfortable. However, there are things you can do to make it a lot more bearable.

Seat selection is key. If I were travelling with a petite girlfriend I would definitely prioritise twin seats over extra legroom. Not having a stranger next to you makes a huge difference. The window side of the twin seats often has good extra shoulder room too, due to the tapering of the cabin at the back.

I can't really recommend any strategies to improve your chance of sleeping, as nothing has worked for me, ever. But many people do seem to be able to sleep in economy class (how, I have absolutely no idea, but they do). If one of you sleeps better on flights that the other, that person should probable take the window seat of the pair.

krispy84

I can't speak for this particular aircraft but yes, I would prioritise extra legroom over twin seats for a Y longhaul flight.

henkybaby

If she fits in your carry on, you can have the two seats to yourself. :-)

T8191

I can still remember our early days of l/h, flying in Y. For me, being next to Her, and with nobody else adjacent, mattered more than anything.

Yes, it was bloody uncomfortable, but we could share that together ... and know that the destination was FAR more important than the journey.

So ... 2 seats good, 3 seats bad