So I'm just off the BA283 (LHR-LAX), having flown WT+ (stingy travel policy ), and I must say - I'm impressed. I'm impressed at how so many seemingly tiny things amalgamate to create an altogether different flying experience.

Let's start with the fact that somehow this ticket cost me less then the then-available WT seats on the same flight (don't ask me how - it seems illogical to me too). So I came on the plane pretty chuffed - would have been happier with an op-up to CW (2 pax were op-upped here, neither had OW status - I caught a glimpse of the manifest in the galley), but WT+ turned out to be almost as nice.

The main course was a beef fillet steak (slightly overcooked to my liking - but it is on an airplane in economy). It was very tasty - much better than the chicken curry that was served on the flight to SFO a month ago in WT.
http://i49.tinypic.com/2s8o26x.jpg

I don't know if this is technically allowed, but since no one said anything I figured why the hell not... The main benefit of the 52-J 744 is the fact that WT+ is IN BETWEEN CW and F. It started when I went into the galley to ask for water, and then remembered (after two demi-bottles of mediocre Sekt) that the Club Kitchen was right there. So whenever during the flight I felt peckish, I'd hazard a trip to the Club Kitchen and get a snack for myself... The crew saw me numerous times, and seemed to be completely OK with it - hats off to them for being generous and giving (I'll stress: I was hardly depriving CW passengers of anything, there was everything aplenty). So I'm hoping for a similar crew on the way back.

Apart from the IFE, which is in general lacking on BA (it's there, alright, but it doesn't stack up to NZ, LX or even KL in my opinion), I thought that this (usually garish) 11hr flight was quite an enjoyable experience this time.

One last irk, and this is completely NOT BA's fault, we were put on a remote stand and bussed into TBIT at LAX . This meant we arrived directly behind all of the SU pax from SVO. Man, where they given the third degree at INS - you'd think Khrushchev was still planning to take out the us! And then the customs line... Don't even get me started! 45 minutes - no joke... It reminded me of why I prefer LHR-SFO-LAX to the direct flight.