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British Airways Club World : The good, the bad and the ugly...

British Airways Club World : The good, the bad and the ugly...

Old Aug 18, 2017, 3:11 am
  #1  
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Marseille, France
Programs: AF Plat Ultimate, BA GGL, MS Elite
Posts: 475
British Airways Club World : The good, the bad and the ugly...

Today I'm taking you to Bangkok, my final destination was PVG but I bought the ticket separately and won't be covered.

BA is affordable in Business Class to Bangkok. Being in Marseille, it's easy and I don't have to fly to another country to fly

Here are the reasons why I picked BA:
1700 ticket, while it's not cheap I can fly from Marseille.
Much more miles than flying QR, the other side of the coin, I have less TP. However I managed to book it via KL and Singapore, 80 TP more and to fly MH and CX.
When you fly as much as I did in 2017 with QR, you are getting used to a certain level of comfort and service.
While some airlines are experiencing cost-cutting, it would give me an opportunity to see if I can fit with BA or it's time to remove my business from them (only in Business or First, I will keep flying the minimum 4 legs to renew my Emerald card but I won't pay more to fly BA which is often the case).

Godsavethepoint started a "catch me if you can" challenge, it was inspiring. Thanks by the way.
In my modest contribution, I offered some members to exchange my seats and giving them a First Class lounge access where is was available or my seat in business. (some took advantage).

For the full review, you can check the report:
http://www.youtripreport.com/report/...ritish-airways

The first leg, Patricia, A french teacher (the husband is an aviation geek) sent me a mail to check if we were flying on the same flight, which we were.

As a result, I won't be reporting the flight, Patricia took care of it, for those interested the report is in French and can be found on youtripreport.

From someone who doesn't fly a lot, I was struck by her report and how accurate it was in regards to BA. The catering is nowhere good at it used to be (more on that later)

Upon arrival, she made her way to the immigration while I took the bus to T5.

I used the Fast Track which is hard to really find it fast. Crowded and despite that, you can still see some security lines closed. It does not matter to me since I have a veryyyyy loooooong connection. Still, it does not feel premium.


After 30 minutes I was finally done and made my way to the GF Lounge.

Again I won't be commenting a lot since I reviewed the lounge countless times. The buffet is more or less the same. As a veggies addict, I took a large amount of "green" Without any dressing nor salt&pepper, it was bland. I fixed that on my own.








Very good salad:


I wanted to order the Burger but I wanted to remain light..


BA, really ? It's been here for such a long time and yet nothing is done to fix it.


After that I made my way to the "business center" to print few things and work on some reports.


Then came a guy. And well it's the kind of guy taking things for granted and did not care about others. He picked up a phone and the conversation was so loud that I could hear everything even with my headset I always try to remain discrete when getting calls and I put my phone in silent because I don't want to disturb passengers. After the conversation he played with his phone and got so many text (apple sound can be annoying) to the point I told the F-Guy to put his phone into silent so I won't have to stand all the noises.

Anyway, I decided to leave quickly after to do some duty free for my wife.

At 7pm the gate showed up and I was off to the B gates where I could enjoy the view.




My bird for the next 13h.


At 7;30 pm I was the First to board. Warmly welcomed by the Purser I was on the way to my seat. With no one is sight I could take some pics.


The flight is full in F and J.

The 6k is the best seat in the house to enjoy the wing.




The seat is narrow. BA managed to scram 8 seats per row in Business, no wonder why you have that impression. It's really time for BA to change the cabin. While BA used to be the industry leader more than 15 years ago, it's no longer the case.

After a smooth climb, menus were handed. Should I go for the beef ? Let's try.




But before I report on the meal. I need to report on the crew. I have seen 3 categories on my flight:
The purser, Fantastic guy. The kind of man you expect to find.
The willing to please FA but a bit awkward. It happens to all. Still she was fun.
The Ice/cold FA, robotic, unpleasant, unhappy and never give you a smile. She did the bare minimum. It might be the first time I see that kind of attitude on a long haul BA flight. She needs to learn with QR/SQ/CX. She served me without a talk or smile.

Back of on menu tonight:

I ordered a sparkling water, it's served with cold nuts. It should not be hard to deliver the nuts a la QR


Then came the "tray" with already the cheese and dessert. It was by far the worst meal I've eaten with BA for years. Bad luck ?

The salmon: no taste. The bread underneath was soggy. Salt and paper should be in the right container, even some airlines in coach do that


I had few bites and left the meal. Only thing edible was the bead.

Then came my beef:

I know it's always well done with BA but even with that in mind, it was so hard to cut it. The ratte potatoes served mashed was not good either. The other veggies were waaaaaaaaaaaaay overcooked.


Cheese and dessert terrible.

I watched F8. I made my bed and I was ready for a smooth flight and I could enjoy its length. 7h straight. Fast and Furious could have been the tittle of my meal...


The bed, not the best one if youre like me sleeping in Z.


For breakfast I didn't enjoy the meal as well. Fine I'm heading to MH FC lounge


I let you enjoy the view.




Bottom line :

Before I get hammered by BA lovers which I respect, the flight back from SIN was much more pleasant (food and crew) !
On the one hand, I did not have high expectations given that its BA, on the other hand, the direct service to KL helped me to sleep 8 hours straight. Something that cant be done with QR. Its the main advantage. The one and only.
For a 13 hours flight, you have the right to expect a real meal service and not meals served with a tray where you put everything.
It would be ok for a short flight like JFK-LHR or a flight leaving at 1am. But it was not the case.

If you're eager to get a real service, go with Qatar Airways.
Coming up next QF Lounge review in Singapore + BA To LHR in Club.

Thomas
milesaddict is offline  
Old Aug 18, 2017, 5:03 am
  #2  
NoY
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Phuket
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Posts: 5,258
Nice report, thanks for posting.

What the heck is that breakfast dish! Looks truly disgusting..
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Old Aug 18, 2017, 5:20 am
  #3  
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Gloucestershire
Programs: BA Gold (ex-GGL, maybe future Silver), Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,196
If it's the salmon eggs benedict, it is much, much worse than it looks.
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Old Aug 18, 2017, 5:39 am
  #4  
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Aberdeen, Scotland
Programs: BA Bronze, Emirates Silver, Virgin Silver, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 1,399
I'm glad I am now saving 2000 next year by flying WTP instead of CW with BA, your post and what I've read from others just confirm that CW isn't worth the money.
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Old Aug 18, 2017, 6:39 am
  #5  
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
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Thank you for the review!
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Old Aug 18, 2017, 7:49 am
  #6  
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Nice report, indeed. I especially like you categories of staff. Compared to Quatar its not the same league, but many things are more Kind of First than Business. Fact is that Business at "traditional" Airlines is not that great. Only flew Business once on a long haul (sorry, Im a snob) and even if I never flown J or even F this time before, I was not impressed. So I think the Overall judgement is fair.
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Old Aug 18, 2017, 8:06 am
  #7  
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
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Originally Posted by nequine
I'm glad I am now saving 2000 next year by flying WTP instead of CW with BA, your post and what I've read from others just confirm that CW isn't worth the money.
You get to sleep in a flat bed. If you can do that in a chair, it's not worth the money. If you have abundant time to recover from a lack of sleep - also not worth the money. If you can upgrade using avios, it's not worth the money.

I fly CW all the time and I don't do it for the experience - I do it for the non-experience - i.e., I get on a plane, have dinner, watch a movie or read if I want to and have time, then wake up in time for breakfast, after which I am functional at my destination.
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Old Aug 18, 2017, 12:43 pm
  #8  
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Location: Marseille, France
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Originally Posted by NoY
Nice report, thanks for posting.

What the heck is that breakfast dish! Looks truly disgusting..
Thanks NoY. It was supposed to be more or less eggs benedict. I taste as bad as it looks.

Originally Posted by Cymro
If it's the salmon eggs benedict, it is much, much worse than it looks.
You're right. Not the best meal to be served more than 15 hours after being prepared. It's a meal to be cooked on order. Thanks for your comment.

Originally Posted by nequine
I'm glad I am now saving 2000 next year by flying WTP instead of CW with BA, your post and what I've read from others just confirm that CW isn't worth the money.
It depends on the fare paid. I think the price I paid is paid for 6 legs in Business. I would not pay more for it. WTP is fine, I tried it 2 years ago to DXB.

Originally Posted by CaptainBoycott
Thank you for the review!
My pleasure.

Originally Posted by offerendum
Nice report, indeed. I especially like you categories of staff. Compared to Quatar its not the same league, but many things are more Kind of First than Business. Fact is that Business at "traditional" Airlines is not that great. Only flew Business once on a long haul (sorry, Im a snob) and even if I never flown J or even F this time before, I was not impressed. So I think the Overall judgement is fair.
Many Thanks Offerendum! BA is outranked by QR by a mile and many airlines around like AF.
Air France improved their service for both hard and soft and now give you a run of your money.

Originally Posted by Cymro
You get to sleep in a flat bed. If you can do that in a chair, it's not worth the money. If you have abundant time to recover from a lack of sleep - also not worth the money. If you can upgrade using avios, it's not worth the money.

I fly CW all the time and I don't do it for the experience - I do it for the non-experience - i.e., I get on a plane, have dinner, watch a movie or read if I want to and have time, then wake up in time for breakfast, after which I am functional at my destination.
+1
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Old Aug 18, 2017, 12:53 pm
  #9  
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Thanks for posting!

Again, BA food looks absolutely disgusting. I can't believe they would serve that crap.

Wow.

AA blows away BA catering. It's not even close. In fact any US carrier J food is far better.
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Old Aug 18, 2017, 3:07 pm
  #10  
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Wow dessert served with the appetizer, thats a no, no. BA getting lazy or going going downhill or perhaps both.
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Old Aug 18, 2017, 10:45 pm
  #11  
 
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A nice report!

Evidence as to why BA club world is a last resort.
stevie and nequine like this.
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Old Aug 19, 2017, 12:12 am
  #12  
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Originally Posted by djjaguar64
Wow dessert served with the appetizer, thats a no, no. BA getting lazy or going going downhill or perhaps both.
They have been doing that for ages. Sheer lack of effort & laziness IMHO. I haven't flown CW for 6 years (that was because F was full) & will never do so again, unless they suitably revamp the entire hard/soft product.
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Old Aug 19, 2017, 1:40 am
  #13  
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Aberdeen, Scotland
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Originally Posted by Cymro
You get to sleep in a flat bed. If you can do that in a chair, it's not worth the money. If you have abundant time to recover from a lack of sleep - also not worth the money. If you can upgrade using avios, it's not worth the money.

I fly CW all the time and I don't do it for the experience - I do it for the non-experience - i.e., I get on a plane, have dinner, watch a movie or read if I want to and have time, then wake up in time for breakfast, after which I am functional at my destination.
Despite having the bed, I couldnt sleep at all the bed was uncomfortable (no mattress unlike Emirates) and the cabin was excruciatingly hot.

Ive managed to get us daytime flights back from the US so that was a major factor in deciding to go WTP too.


Originally Posted by milesaddict
It depends on the fare paid. I think the price I paid is paid for 6 legs in Business. I would not pay more for it. WTP is fine, I tried it 2 years ago to DXB.
You're right, it all depends on what the price is that you're paying. For what it was going to cost us (going to North America) for an extra 600 we could go to Australia!
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Old Aug 19, 2017, 10:39 am
  #14  
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Does BA have any plans to update their J product? I mean, really, it has to be the worst business class product out there. Those IFE screens look like they are from 1998!
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Old Aug 19, 2017, 11:55 am
  #15  
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Originally Posted by enviroian
Thanks for posting!

Again, BA food looks absolutely disgusting. I can't believe they would serve that crap.

Wow.

AA blows away BA catering. It's not even close. In fact any US carrier J food is far better.
Thanks Envirojan. I can't deny that I got the worst BA meal in the past 5 years.

AA is much better is pretty much all aspects (better seat 787, catering and crew).

Originally Posted by djjaguar64
Wow dessert served with the appetizer, thats a no, no. BA getting lazy or going going downhill or perhaps both.
I would not be surprised if the flight was schedule to leave past midnight. But leaving at 8;30 pm with 13h to go. It's unacceptable.

Originally Posted by m3red
A nice report!

Evidence as to why BA club world is a last resort.
Thanks m3red. I'm gonna wait the improvements to make another Club booking.
The only thing great was the direct service to get a straight rest.

Originally Posted by NoY
They have been doing that for ages. Sheer lack of effort & laziness IMHO. I haven't flown CW for 6 years (that was because F was full) & will never do so again, unless they suitably revamp the entire hard/soft product.
Unless I'm wrong the new seat is due in 2018/9.
However BA is gonna change the catering provider soon (they picked DC&CO). We can expect great thing from them.

Originally Posted by nequine
Despite having the bed, I couldnt sleep at all the bed was uncomfortable (no mattress unlike Emirates) and the cabin was excruciatingly hot.

Ive managed to get us daytime flights back from the US so that was a major factor in deciding to go WTP too.


You're right, it all depends on what the price is that you're paying. For what it was going to cost us (going to North America) for an extra 600 we could go to Australia!
GA is cheap to OZ in J from LHR. You should take a look.

Originally Posted by enviroian
Does BA have any plans to update their J product? I mean, really, it has to be the worst business class product out there. Those IFE screens look like they are from 1998!
Yes. New seat in a couple of years + better pillow+duvet and blanket in Club with a new catering provider.

I doubt BA can catch up with QR. If BA can be as good as AF, I would be happy.
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