Gary999

Saturday 17th September 2016
Route LGW-JER
Flight Number BA2772
Departure 13:50 (Take off 14:31)
Arrival 14:55 (Touchdown 15:04)
Seat 3F (Club Europe)
Aircraft A319-131 G-DBCF


I left home by car about 09:10 on Saturday 17th September after checking in on BA's mobile App for my return flight tomorrow (I hadn’t appreciated I could have done both yesterday). I had bagged a seat on row 1 for the return flight, although it is an aisle seat (1C) - which will be the first time I have sat in an aisle seat on an aircraft. I’ve always managed to get a window seat, even swapping with family members, as I like to look out the window and often take photos and more recently video. The reason I changed from the BA original allocation of seat 3F is because I had one flight on Monday of this week in row 1 and the leg room for my 6ft 4" frame was fantastic. On Wednesday when I returned home I had 4F and was initially very disappointed with the lack of leg room and fearful of what would happen if the passenger in 3F were to recline their seat. Observing the passenger in 4D I realised if you spread your lower anatomy into 4E then it makes things a little bit more bearable. The front row was still preferable and it gave me an opportunity to try a new vantage point

Today however, I was in 3F as the BA APP said there were no front row seats available on this flight. I parked in Long Stay car park at Gatwick North, having pre-booked and waited for a bus to arrive having just missed one. I managed to bag row 1 on the bus(!), the single seat on the left which gave me a fantastic launching pad from the packed bus and I had hot footed it around to the terminal lifts before a majority of passengers had probably exited the bus! Disaster by the lifts though, the queue was packing the lift lobby and I couldn't get in the first two which appeared. I had a quick look in the main airport arrivals area to see whether there was an escalator immediately visible but couldn't see one so I returned to the crowd of anxious passengers.

Once inside a lift and thoughtfully positioning myself by the door and lift controls, I became lift attendant and pressed the buttons and told passengers who were unsure which floors they needed. As soon as I was out I headed to the BA Club check in, dodging passengers like an American basketball player. I arrived to be the only one waiting in the queue to check in and I was called forward in a few seconds. Nearing the furthest first class desk, a man also started heading towards it from the right. I asked him if he was 'first' and he replied yes so I went back to the Club check-in lane. The attendant then had a few words with him and sent him away and called me back. Turns out he wasn't ‘first class’ after all. I need to be clearer in my questions about ticket status rather than self-perceived queue priority next time! I learnt I only needed to use my passport at check-in and not the printout of my booking which I have always shown in the past. Within seconds I was headed to the privilege security lane and having already emptied my metal from my person in to my bag during check-in and having my passport and boarding pass in hand, I bypassed the couple searching for their boarding passes at the scanner and headed through. I was the only person in privilege security, headed for lane one, deposited my wears in the tray and stepped through and out the other end. I collected my tray and weaved in and out of thousands of passengers as I made my way to Number One lounge. There were about ten passengers ahead of me trying to check-in. I waited, learning most of them were first timers, handed over my boarding pass and sat at the bar (only person sitting here) ordered a Curious Brew and bacon roll with brown sauce and the bacon roll arrived two minutes later. I ate at the bar and then headed in to the library as there was no seating by the window in the main seating area. Later on I ordered another Curious Brew and the trio of English Sandwiches. I explained I would be in the library and was given the pole with number 61 on it. I then sat in the library for an hour and ten minutes waiting for my sandwiches to arrive. It was now time to leave and no sandwiches arrived, so I returned my number to the bar and said they could forget about it now (if they hadn’t already, which clearly they had). I did grab a brownie and caramel slice off the buffet table and these were nice.

This A319 was set up with five rows of Club Europe. Only 1F was taken in the front row so I am not sure why I couldn’t have chosen a front row seat 24 hours earlier on the BA APP? Eight of the twenty Club seats were occupied. I had no one beside me or behind me so I reclined my chair fully for the first time ever – it was quite comfortable. I noticed a screen/monitor in the crew area by the door had a BMI screen saver! There were no curtains so passengers from Y used the Club toilet despite the announcement asking them not to.

I was sixth to be served my salmon tabbouleh and champagne. The glass had a crack in it and Richard the cabin manager quickly replaced it. The captain came on and said 20 minutes to landing after I'd just started my meal. Two minutes later he told the cabin crew 10 minutes to landing. The cabin crew apologised over the PA for the shortness of the flight and apologised for not being able to serve everyone drinks. I have never eaten so quickly! The champagne of course had already disappeared as I was ready to ask for another, but that clearly wasn't going to happen! My tray was collected as I started on my dessert (chocolate caramel mousse) having not managed to complete the main course. The scenery around Jersey was amazing, blue waters and sandy beaches.

Upon arrival at the airport, we walked down the stairs to the tarmac and I waited about twenty minutes for my case to appear. I then went to the bus stop to catch a bus to St Helier. All the buses were delayed by thirty minutes as there has been an accident and a road was closed. The traffic was crawling all the way to St Helier and it took over an hour to arrive. I later found out there had been a Pride Parade as well as the Beer Festival so I wonder whether these events as well as the accident had contributed to the traffic.


Sunday 18th September 2016
Route JER-LGW
Flight Number BA2769
Departure 09:05 (Take off 09:07)
Arrival 10:00 (Touchdown 09:43)
Seat 1C (Club Europe)
Aircraft A319-131 G-DBCJ

I climbed on board the 06:30 bus from St Helier back to the airport. There were a few airport passengers on board but the majority were islanders commuting to work early on a Sunday morning. Upon arriving at the terminal there was no queue at check-in and I proceeded through security were I was swabbed for explosives (random search triggered by a bleep of the security arch apparently). As I started heading for the lounge, I saw a BA aircraft (G-DBCI) moving outside and wondered whether that was my aircraft but soon realised it was taxiing for take-off. I think it was the 07:05 to Gatwick. I found the British Airways lounge easily having spotted it when arriving yesterday. I was the only passenger in the lounge although clearly others had been in prior as there were used plates and cups on the tables which had yet to be cleared away. I was later joined by others. There was a good selection of alcohol including Jersey beer and Jersey Liquors (Royal Vodka, Apple Brandy and Apple Brandy Cream), however, as I was driving home later I stuck with coffee and soft drinks. The food selection was very poor so I simply had a Jersey Toffee Yoghurt. Miniature pasties, fruit and crisps were the only other food items available. No bacon rolls or continental fare here.

We were called in the lounge to make our way to the gate and then walked to the aircraft. The thing about 1C is the bags and arses which hit my arm/shoulder as everyone boarded! I could see into the open flight deck in-between being hit. There were thirteen of us in Club and each of the row 1 seats were occupied. From my vantage point in 1C I overheard the ground crew explain there are two no shows. The hot breakfast was lovely and hot. I was still able to see out the windows on both sides and there were two windows for 1A so that helped me shoot some video footage too. The seat table comes out of the arm rest and it had good adjustment as you can move it away from you so it isn’t on top of you. Nice to be able to see in the flight deck on the ground and to see the galley. Also nice to be served first which certainly helps on these short flights. Upon arrival at Gatwick, my priority bag was the last to appear on the belt and had an orange and white tag saying ‘End Bag’. I jumped on the bus which was waiting outside the entrance/exit and it returned me to the Long Stay car park. I decided for my next flight to Jersey, I shall be using the train rather than the car so I can try some of those Jersey liquors!

T8191

Oh, thank you for this. It's a very neat summary of the ups and downs of the JER-LGW route (in reverse in your case!), and reflects our fairly regular experiences. You DO need to eat quickly on this route .. 35 minutes is not unknown!!

I'm usually in 2C (bag under the seat in front, let them fight for locker space) and am well accustomed to the battering from other oeople's bags. I've learned to retract the tray at [non-existent] 2B and use that space to lean away from the flying backpacks!

Thanks for taking the time to post this TR ^

1P

Bags and arses, eh?!

michlflyer

Thanks a lot for sharing this TR.

I would like to try this route sometime: particularly since I've read other TRs that start and finish this way. And I'm sure Jersey is worth at least a short visit.

Btw. did you write about your first taste of BA's Club Europe ?

Gary999

Yes, it's here:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-...w-ams-lgw.html

Jersey is nice with it's sandy beaches and blue waters.