Well here goes with my very first trip report... Club Europe by one of those 'normals'! Apologies in advance if the pictures are on the large side, photobucket isn't cooperating!

Tuesday 15 Mar 2016 BA2939 EDI-LGW 1700

I work a watch pattern that every third week gives me a 5-day weekend, so I decided that instead of going home I'd take myself off for a little winter sunshine... I've only had two CE flights before, Jersey and Dublin, so as this was one of the longer short haul flights I was really looking forward to a chance to enjoy the CE experience. And of course 160 TPs towards my GC won't hurt!

I took my usual Tuesday evening flight down to LGW, but instead of jumping on the train to Portsmouth I'd booked myself into the Premier Inn at LGW N. The room was clean and comfy with a charming view of the building site/car park outside the North Terminal.



Reminiscent of 70s holidays in Spain


I'd booked their meal deal so I dined on a really good steak and a pint of bitter and having gotten to lie in until 0700 the next morning I had an excellent breakfast before a short stroll to Departures. This is definitely the way ahead for morning departures!


Wednesday 16 Mar 2016 BA2666 LGW-RAK 0935

Thanks to Flyer Talk Top Tips I'd managed to move my seat from 04F to 01F at T-72 but I couldn't do OLCI so I was sure I'd get bumped backwards... Bag drop/check-in was absolutely heaving and I was really glad I had a Silver card/CE ticket, even that queue had 10 or 12 people in it (First check-in was empty so I’ve got that to look forward to if I achieve achieve the shiny GC.)
The nice lady on the check-in confirmed that I was still in 01F and hadn't been bumped into the baggage hold, so with a smile and a warm glow inside it was off to the infamous No.1 Traveller via Duty Free...

The girl on the lounge desk offered me the option of My Lounge as No.1 Traveller full. I think from the way she asked that maybe she was expecting I’d get bolshie but as all I needed was a quick coffee and a phone charge I didn't mind.

The flight was leaving from Gate 564, which I'd never been to before... My Gatwick geography obviously needs work.

We were running a little late due to the inbound flight running a little late but it was only a few minutes, so nothing to worry about. The flight very full and there was bit of chaos boarding because as soon as the announcement was made there was a rush for the gate regardless of seating row and the staff had to turn people back.

For those who like such info our plane was an A-319, G-DBCC. CE was eight rows with nearly all the seats full. I settled into 01F and soon realised there was no one in 01D, nice! Now I see what the fuss about row 1 is I'll definitely have to chase that GC!

And now we get to the good bit... The hot towels came round and debarquement cards for Morocco were handed out handed out by the CSM, as usual everything I need is my bag in the overhead... The menus followed; I wasn't expecting an actual printed menu, and it felt quite posh.



I opted for Pasta Bolognese as a main and I was going to ask for the cheese for dessert but the chap taking my order was off in a flash.

I'm now waiting on the all-important drinks trolley and the infamous Castelnau I've read so much about on here, but the CC offer me a magazine next, I opt for House & Garden so I can drool over places I'll never afford! I'm not sure if the magazine is mine to keep or I have to return it and I feel too embarrassed to ask, spot the newbie flyer!

The champagne arrives, hurrah! I know the Castelnau isn't popular with a lot of the more sophisticated travellers but 24 years in the military means I'm not fussy when it comes to alcohol... In fact when it comes to wine, most of my military acquaintances employ the “13/5 rule”... over 13% and under £5 – we're not talking by the glass here either...



Lunch arrives; I thought I would have to choose between the cheese and the lemon, raspberry, almond slice but to my greedy delight both are on the tray. The CSM offers me a choice of Tempranillo or Cab Sav, and the passenger across the aisle chose the Tempranillo so I quite happily take the Cab Sav she has left in her hands – we’ve already established that I’m not a wine connoisseur... The Bolognese is very nice, not quite as piping hot as I'd like but nothing worth complaining about, it's got roasted squash and parsnip in it, which is different but tasty.



The pud is lovely as is the cheese with the Fudge's crackers, I eye the black charcoal one warily but it turns out OK. Sadly you can't draw with it. In the spirit of adventure I try the fresh fig but it just tastes of green so I'll stick to the sweet, sticky dried kind (I'm actually not sure if I was meant to eat it or if it's just a garnish?? Newbie flyer alert again!) After lunch I opt for the coffee, I've never had coffee on an aeroplane before as I've always assumed would be nasty instant. What a revelation - it's real filter coffee! I wonder if this BA standard or just CE? Maybe I'll try the coffee on my LGW-EDI back- to-work trip next Sunday... then again, maybe I'll just stick to gin! Anyway, I enjoy sipping my coffee and watching Spain's southern coast slip by, I think I can see Gibraltar in the distance but that’s probably just wishful thinking and I don't want to bother the CC whilst they're busy cleaning up lunch – they’ve already very kindly phoned the flight deck to answer my question of where we were during lunch.

Approach into RAK with snowy mountains (Atlas) in the background. Landed at 1254.



We disembark and walk across the apron to Arrivals; it's all very old fashioned in a nice, nostalgic way.

We arrived just after the Ryanair and Swiss flights so passport control took forever, well, 45 minutes actually but it felt like forever... and then another 20 minutes queuing to change some dirhams, and I couldn't remember the exchange rate so I'd no idea how much to ask for. I found out later that I could’ve just nipped round to departures where there are ATMs and half a dozen currency exchanges.

Finally left the airport an hour after landing, thankfully the driver from the riad was still waiting.