Originally Posted by
corporate-wage-slave
It seems more business than BOS, less business than PHL (not that it has a daytime BA flight) but as ever, it is very time of the year dependent. I often see FT reports on BA services to / from JFK (not just 178) at off-business periods (late August, Christmas, Easter) so I suspect FTers on that route are more using it during leisure periods. I know there is a view out there that 178 isn't popular with business travellers but I personally like the service and I think people like @
rossmacd do it occasionally. It is really good at avoiding jetlag and some business travellers know enough about 178 to make a bee-line for it.
I wonder if moving it a bit later would help, to reduce the unattractive start to the day and the catering issues that result, but (a) it does provide a very, very handy late connection to EDI and currently NCL and a few other places such as TLV (b) JFK is an absolute joy at that hour, none of this "we're 17 in the line for departure" nonsense. My own way to handle this is to stay at one of the JFK hotels, such as the HGI, take the Q10 bus at 06:25 and skid into T7 about 06:40 hrs.
Thanks for the mention,
CWS, it is has brought me to this thread.
I've taken a day flight from JFK once (that I can remember) and that was last year I think. I took the 142, not the 178. The reason being is that firstly, taking the 178 breaks my rule of taking BA across the Atlantic on a day flight and secondly it leaves far too early. And still too late to make a connection (I'm nearly always connecting onwards from LHR, and arriving on either the 178 or 142 it is nearly impossible to get a same day connection). I only took this day flight once due to some scheduling issues where I could not avoid it, but I will not be doing it again - it is a complete waste of a day for me, when I know I could fly on the (short) overnight sector and fully function the next day, without missing out on any work/personal time. Others, of course, have a different opinion, which I fully respect.