The Photos
After a beautiful couple of days in my favourite city it was time yet again to head to an airport and another airport lounge.
Once at the airport I went to go to the Premium check-in area but it was closed. Is this more cost cutting on BA’s part? I made my way over to the row of normal check-in desks and noticed that there was a dedicated F check-in line there. There was one guy with a huge box in the queue and someone already at the desk. The queue dragon asked me if I was in First and informed box guy that she would have to let me go first.
The agent was soon free and I approached the desk. Thirty seconds later I was on my way to security with my BP.
I went to the fast track line and my BP was checked and I was let through despite the lack of YVR Fast Track sticker. There was a family with child in front of me in the security queue which meant a bit of a wait while they faffed about. Once they had been dispatched I was through in a minute but was asked if they could swab test my fag bag. This only took a few and I was on my way to duty free to buy some ice wine and then on down to gate 64 and the BA lounge.
There is a separate First class side that has the usual goodies including half bottles of Pol Roger champagne and other red and white wines. A coffee machine and around the corner a row of top shelf spirits with mixers, soft drinks etc as well. There were some cheese and crackers, crisps and pretzels available along with some cake and other sweet treats near the coffee machine. There was not a lot of seating although it never felt overcrowded.
Two PCs were placed by the wall and they had a little bottle of anti-bacterial hand wash next to them.
I grabbed myself a final Caesar and some cheese and crackers and grabbed a pew.
There was a TV on the wall but it was not switched on. There was a great view out over the apron and of the landing runway.
Not long after I arrived my plane arrived and pulled up at the gate just below the lounge.
I was tempted by the Nanaimo Bars in the lounge and decided to have one with a glass of bubbly as I watched the activity around the aircraft.
One oddity in the lounge was the inhabitants. By the time the flight was called there were 3 father and son teams, two other ladies flying solo and myself. I was wondering if there had been some father son convention in town.
I left the lounge a little early and went for a stroll up and down the terminal and headed back to the gate at the announced boarding time.
They began boarding families and people needing assistance only. Of course others from the lounge approached and were let through so I don’t know why I bothered waiting but I did. Eventually they allowed First, Business and OW Elites to board. I don’t know why they can’t ask for First first like AA do.
Anyway I had my passport and BP checked and walked on down to the aircraft.
Flight BA084 YVR-LHR Seat 1K
Aircraft: 747-400
Departure time: 20:35
I boarded through door 1L and was greeted at the door and escorted to my seat. The crew member came back with a sleeper suit and amenity kit and asked if I would like something to drink. Yep you guessed it.
The amenity kits are in a new Hindmarsh case and contain D.R. Harris goodies including lip balm, skin tonic, toothpaste, mouthwash, eye gel and moisturiser cream. The also contain socks, eye shade and a D.R. Harris branded toothbrush.
A glass of bubbly was soon brought to my seat along with a small bowl of macadamia nuts and I sat and supped while waiting for boarding to complete. My glass was re-filled again whilst we still on the ground, at which time I noticed it was the Bolly.
The captain announced a flying time of 8 hours and 35 minutes to take the 9 people in first to London.
After we were closed up we pushed back at 20:34 and taxied over to the other side of the airfield to the take off runway. At 20:53 we were making our way into the sunny skies over Vancouver. I picked the right side of the plane to sit as I had a great view of downtown Vancouver out of my window.
After we levelled out a bit the crew came around with the menus and asked what I would like to drink before dinner. I asked for a scotch and dry and only realised later that I had ordered a mixed drink when they use Johnnie Blue! Oh well.
The Menu
Dinner
Starters
Vodka smoked salmon and prawns
Warm goat’s cheese tart with tomato galette
Wild mushroom bisque with truffle foam
Fresh salad leaves with your choice of balsamic vinaigrette or creamy peppercorn dressing
Main
New Zealand lamb with herb mustard crust, port jus, lentil ragout and asparagus
Atlantic halibut with creamed leek and spinach
Murgh masala with stir-fried okra and cumin rice
Rice noodle and vegetable salad with Alberta beef tenderloin medallions marinated in Korean bulgogi sauce
Dessert
Lemon curd tart with raspberry sauce
Warm apple and pear flan with vanilla sauce or vanilla ice cream
Cheese Plate
Camembert – A classic unpasteurised French cow’s milk cheese from the Normandy region, Camembert features a creamy texture with full flavour.
Cheddar – A full flavour and buttery texture are hallmarks of this classic cheese.
English Stilton – Stilton is an English, cow’s-milk, semi-hard, blue, unpressed cheese with a natural brushed rind.
A basket of fresh fruit
Snacks
Penne pasta with Mozzarella and Neapolitan sauce
A selection of biscuits
A selection of cheese and fruit
Beverages
Twinings Teas – Traditional English Breakfast, Darjeeling, Earl Grey or Pure Green
Twinings Fruit and Herb Infusions – Pure Camomile, Pure Peppermint, Lemon and Ginger or Blackcurrant, Ginseng and Vanilla
Coffee – Freshly roasted and ground, decaffeinated, espresso or cappuccino
Pralines and Cookies
Drinks
Wines
Aperitif
A sparkling aperitif combining Crème de Cassis (a blackcurrant liqueur) with Champagne, creating a refreshing cocktail.
Champagne
Pol Roger Brut 1999, Vintage Champagne
Pol Roger, founded in Epernay in 1849, is one of the truly great names of Champagne and is one of the very few proudly independent family houses left. They reserve their Vintage declarations for those rare years in which all the climatic and winemaking conditions come together in complete harmony. This wine is a blend of Pinot Noir, which contributes intensity of flavour and body, and Chardonnay, which provides fragrance, delicacy and finesse. This is a real treat.
OR
Bollinger La Grande Annee 1999
Founded in 1829 in the village of Ay, Bollinger is one of the great names of Champagne – synonymous with the finest quality. This wine is sheer class – rich, complex, intense and rounded. Powerful flavours of toasted nuts, wild fruits and crème brulee abound, balanced by a lively acidity. La Grande Annee is Bollinger’s prestige cuvee and is only made when an exceptional vintage occurs.
White
Billaud-Simon Chablis Premier Cru Les Vaillons 2006
Very aromatic with white flowers and a touch of honey on the nose. This state-of-the-art winery allows careful temperature control and this, together with the lengthy lees maturation, results in the finest and most concentrated unoaked Chablis. It is already delicious.
Pazo Senorans Albarino 2007, Rias Baixas
Until recently this style of delightfully crisp, dry white wine was one of Spain’ best kept vinous secrets – thankfully they have now decided to share it with the rest of the world! The grape variety is the Albarino, and Rias Baixas is the area of production, situated on the Galician coast of northwest Spain. Bodegas Pazo de Senorans is undoubtedly one of the region’s star performers – this wine has aromas of white peach and pear, whole the palate has lively, lemony freshness, a hint of spice and a very good weight.
OR
Weingut Brundlmayer Gruner Veltliner Kamptaler Terrassen 2007
Gruner Veltliner, Austria’s signature white wine grape, is increasingly fashionable in top restaurants on both sides of the Atlantic. Like Chardonnay with herbs and spices, Gruner has the body to stand up to food but is refreshing enough to drink as an aperitif.
Hahn SLH Pinot Gris 2007
This Pinot Gris is a ripe, aromatic, fairly full-bodied California white with opulent peach and tropical fruit notes and some honeysuckle overtones. The wine comes just from the Lone Oak Vineyard in Santa Lucia Highlands (SLH), an area on the western hillside of the Salinas Valley in Monterey. The Highlands was granted AVA status in 1992, and Nicky Hahn, owner of Hahn Estates, played a key role in this.
Red
Chateau Batailley 2002 Pauillac
This wine is a classic ref Bordeaux from a vintage that is maturing nicely. It is very dry and deep ruby colour, with elegant blackberry and truffle flavours, and cigar box notes.
Chateau d’Esclans Rose 2006, Cotes de Provence
Sacha Lichine used to strut his stuff as the owner of Chateau Prieure-Lichine, one of Bordeaux’s top estates. But since 2006 he has been in Provence – and what a good job he’s doing. At Chateau d’Esclans he found a patch of eighty-year-old Grenache vines and is making a superb range of roses from them. The lovely pale colour hides a wine of real depth and concentration that is packed full of fruit.
Saintsbury Carneros Pinot Noir 2006
Saintsbury makes some of the most “European” California pinot. This answer to red Burgundy was grown in the Carneros AVA, just north of the San Francisco Bay, where cooling breezes off the Pacific Ocean couple with shallow clay soils to provide a perfect environment for growing fine Pinot Noir.
Dessert
Chateau Coutet 1998, Premier Cru Classe, Sauternes-Barsac
Chateau Coutet is one of the oldest estates in Sauternes and prides itself on its exalted history – its buildings date from the end of the thirteenth century. The winemaking follows the same painstaking traditions – grapes are not harvested in bunches but individual berries are picked, as they are ready. The harvesters have to go through the vineyards numerous times and a harvest can last several weeks. The result is a sumptuously sweet wine that combines superbly with the expensive French oak in which it matures.
Warre’s 1992 Colheita Tawny Port
Complex, sweet, nutty flavours offer an admirable after-dinner glass.
Spirits, Digestifs and Liqueurs
Gonzalez Byass Sherries
Smirnoff Black Label Vodka
Tanqueray No. Ten Gin
Johnnie Walker Blue Label Scotch Whisky
The Glenlivet 18-year-old Single Malt Whisky
Woodford Reserve Kentucky Whiskey
Camus XO Cognac
Soft Drinks
A selection of traditional and modern drinks
Highland Spring still or sparkling water
The drink was delivered along with some canapés which was accompanied by some quite turbulent air making photography a little tricky. The canapés consisted of a mini meat pie, toast with parma, asparagus and mozzarella, bread topped with crabmeat and a samosa.
Hot towels came around followed by the F purser who took the meal orders.
I changed into my PJs prior to the meal service. Why does it say “for use on aircraft only” on the packaging?
I started my meal with the salmon and prawns which were ok and followed this up with the salad. I had some garlic bread to accompany these items and the soup which was up next. They botched up the dressing on my salad but I didn’t complain.
I had also asked for a glass of the Pauillac but it didn’t appear and I had to ask again. The crew member who I had originally asked came by a little later and apologised for forgetting the wine.
The lamb was next and it was quite tasty although the lentil ragout tasted like something I would have eaten from a Campbell’s can.
I was getting a little stuffed at the gills and asked to wait a while before deciding on dessert. The purser came back after I had finished my drink and asked me which I would like as he would put one aside for me. I said not to worry I was ready now and I would like the Lemon Tart.
This was delivered a little later and went down a treat. To finish the meal I ordered a double espresso and a glass of the single malt. These were delivered as well as the box of chocolates which was left at my table for a while.
Sleep came quickly and I crashed not long after this despite the espresso. One of the crew came around with a pillow, which were not on the seats when we boarded. There was only a cushion initially. I was feeling a little chilly so I grabbed the duvet and proceeded to extract it from its plastic sarcophagus. How come plastic makes so much noise in a silent cabin – it is only plastic!
I lay down again and went to dream land snuggled under my duvet.
Approaching London I awoke and was asked if I would like any breakfast. I declined and instead just opted for a peppermint tea.
Breakfast
Starters
Chilled Fruit Juice
An energising fruit smoothie
A selection of yoghurts
A selection of cereals
Fresh seasonal fruit plate
Bakery
A wide selection of breakfast pastries and rolls
Main
Scrambled eggs, bacon, bangers, mushrooms, tomato and roast fingerling potatoes
Cheese omelette
Pancakes with blueberry compote
After my tea I dressed again and prepared for landing. I noted that the CSD had not visited the First cabin and also no immigrations cards were handed out. I asked a crew member for a card but it never materialised.
We landed at 13:36 and taxied to the B gates where we had to wait around 10 minutes for a plane to leave our gate. We eventually pulled up to the gate and the airbridge was drawn up to door 1L which meant a quick escape for the F passengers.
I made my down to the transit system where another Canadian F passenger said to me ‘did they hand out immigrations forms?’ I said no and he concurred that the crew were not the best.
One of the two IRIS machines was working although I was delayed a little by someone who it failed to recognise and spat them out. They of course decided to see if it would work a second time. It didn’t.
Once through I made my way out through customs and down to the HEX where I just missed a train.
I suppose this was the perfect ending to a very lacklustre flight on BA. It is a shame they often fail to meet my expectations.
More BA F to come in a few weeks and a trip to HEL in the meantime.
Be back soon.
The Photos