Originally Posted by
bakera
On an 11+ hour overnight flight, when do people change into their pyjamas? Before take-off or once in the air?
It's entirely up to you. On short overnights when I will be going to sleep immediately then I change before departure, otherwise on long flights there is no hurry. If you do change before departure, remember to put your shoes back on for takeoff. You don't want to be running over aircraft wreckage and burning jet fuel in your bare feet should the need arise.
Originally Posted by
bakera
On our last flight we were pretty much the last people to board (wanting to send time in the CCR), but felt that we should probably have boarded earlier in order to settle into our seats and enjoy a PDB or two. Mrs B. is suggesting that we board as early as possible this time (I'm guessing that's 60 minutes prior to departure). Is that necessary?
Haha, no BA flight has ever boarded at STD-60 mins. On longhaul it is more like 30 ish, maybe slightly earlier if they have their act together. If you want to board last minute, turn up at the gate at T-21, if you want a bit more time on board turn up at T-35 ish.
Originally Posted by
bakera
- Having got changed in the WC, where do most people store their own clothes? Should we take an empty bag? I remember the VERY slim wardrobe in our seats last time (5E/F on the 747) which was just about big enough to hang our jackets, but I can't imagine that we would be able to fit anything else in there.
- On our previous flight we were told that we could not leave our shoes on the floor (even within the seat area) - do we take a bag for these and put them in the overhead locker? Given the recent thread on using "other people's" lockers - would it be frowned upon if we put our shoes into the locker above 5A or K?
I always have a handbag containing a couple of days of clothes etc, so just store them in there. Shoes can be put at the bottom of the cupboard in your seat, yes it is slim, but even on the B744 it is big enough to hang clothes and put shoes there.
Originally Posted by
bakera
- The 'shared' cupboard between 1A and K - does this have hanging space for jackets?
Yes it has a hanging rail and coat hangers, although I'm not sure I've seen it used for that very often because you can just hang it in your own cupboard, and anything put in the wardrobe at the front is liable to fall and get messed up amongst the bags, pillows, fire extinguisher, 200 old copies highlife and other detritus that rattles around in the bottom of there.
Originally Posted by
bakera
- Our flight to CPT will be on the 747 in seats 5E/F again, but our return will be on the A380 in seats 3E/F - are there any significant differences in wardrobe or overall storage space?
Slightly bigger cupboard on most of the A380 seats but it's not a huge difference in storage.
Originally Posted by
bakera
- The CC on our flight to JFK were brilliant, and ensured that my wife and I were always served togeher, resturant style, even though we were on different sides of the plane (seats E and F being servered by different CC), but I understand from reading other reviews that this is not the norm. Is it something that can be requested?
If you sit side by side in your own seats then you will not be served together unless you get a VERY good crew. 95% of the time you will be served separately according to the pace of the crew on your respective side. If you want to eat together then one of you should move to the buddy seat of the other so that you are sat at the same table, and then you will be served together.
Originally Posted by
bakera
- Other than the single First flight to JFK we normally fly J and are used to the CC walking through the cabin at regular intervals taking drinks orders, handing our ice cream etc.which we did not see in F. I get it that F is much more personalised, but it seams that if you don't ask you don't get (e.g. we did not get offered any cholocaltes after our main meal on the flight to JFK, but I remember seeing somone in front of us selecting some from a box) - is there a list anywhere of things that can be requested?
Yes F is very much ask for what you want, if you don't ask then you are not likely to get it. The list of things that can be requested is the menu, which you will be given at the start of the flight.
Originally Posted by
bakera
- Our flight is scheduled for a 21:30 departure. Does this mean that they will try and serve dinner asap and then switch the lights off for sleep and therefore less likely to be able to request anything else from the CC?
- Is pre-flight dining in the lounge supposed to replace the onboard meal or in addition to? I still see flying as a unique event and as an integral part of our holidays which I look forward to as much as the destination - so really enjoy the onboard experience, but understand that more frequent flyers may see it as a necessary evil and I don't want to unnecessarily disturb anyone trying to rest.
F is dine on demand, so you can have a full service on board, at a time of your choosing. On overnight flights with little time zone change like these then it's a fairly routing service order for everyone, and unless you say something then the crew will assume you just want to get to sleep soon and get the dinner going ASAP. If you would like it served later then say something.
My final thought... you seem to be massively overthinking things, try and relax a bit and actually enjoy your flight the way you want to rather than worrying about doing things a certain way
