GO HOME!
9 Oct 19
BA2645, MLA-LGW, 1130-1400, A320, CE seats 1A/C
A slightly early breakfast at 0800, where the Owner insisted on providing a Smoked Salmon salad [despite our protests], and with the bill, taxi fares and staff tips sorted, the ‘duty limo’ arrived on the dot for an 0900 departure! We have to get aboard quickly, as we're in a quite busy one-way street with just one lane of traffic - cause a delay and the car horns start blaring from the drivers behind! Some 15 minutes later, we were at the airport, where of course the desks weren’t open yet … they do a strict T-2. This placed us conveniently at the front of the queue for bag-drop, which at MLA has one lane for Gold/Silver/Bronze/Club Europe. We felt this 10-minute wait a better option than our previous 30-minute waits in the queue following a later arrival!
Bag dropped, BPs issued together with our La Vallette Lounge passes - which also cover Priority Security. Upstairs to a polite and painless Security, a quick burst of ‘Dufry’ cigarettes for me [€30/200] and up to the Lounge. Our fave lounge on the Planet, with the outdoor smoking terrace, overlooking the Apron. OK, the cushions were soaked, and even the underlying webbing left me with a wet bum, but it wasn’t long to wait … a glass of ‘Breakfast Wine’ and a couple of Pastizzi, an it was time to go to Gate 12.
Border controls are near the Gate areas on the outbound, with a short-ish queue, before being abandoned in a mass of people and Tensa Barriers. An EasyJet was about to depart at the same time from Gate 13, so it was really a muddled environment. Then, without a word on the PA, the doors were opened and we Group 1s were processed … on to the bus
The EastJet crowd were also boarding their bus right behind us … I hope everyone got on the right one! And we sat, with my bum slowly drying, until the bus was full … cancel priority boarding for today! AND, when we got to the aircraft, forlorn on its remote stand, we were of course in the wrong place for the front set of steps! With a bit of nimbleness, we made it to the steps and found space for our carry-ons close to row 1 … as ever, the front bins are full of ‘flight essential’ stuff.
Up and away, in the approved manner and on time, and soon we were above the clouds heading for home. Ah, the mature lady CSD is going round the CE cabin greeting BAEC Golds … except us! What had we done to justify being ignored?!
Hey, ho, it’s time for Lunch and the CSD took our orders.
I couldn’t face another BA Chicken Breast, although iWife was brave. While debating the choices the CSD remarked that “the Chicken is lovely, the Risotto is lovely, the salad is lovely … I’m proud of what we serve.” I begged to differ, having eaten on BA often enough to know! Anyway …
Roast Chicken … the Porcini Jus had a touch of Bisto gravy about it.
Roasted Cauliflower and Asparagus Risotto … somewhat dried-out, stodgy and largely tasteless.
You can judge how “lovely” both dishes were by the leftovers on our respective plates!
With that minor disappointment overcome, it was time to settle down with our Kindles for the next couple of hours until arrival at LGW, where the handling pilot (a Junior First Officer) performed a perfect touchdown with not the slightest trace of a bump! We slowly trudged from the Gate (way out at the far end of the ‘roundhouse’ at LGW(S)) to the Border, where no delay was encountered. And so to Arrival and kerbside for a quick *cough* before performing the usual Departures processes and grabbing some of iWife’s Duty Free ciggies. About 20 minutes in the FLounge preceded the announcement of Gate 5, and off we go for the last leg.
9 Oct 19
BA2774, LGW-JER, 1550-1650, A319, CE seats 1D/F
On this occasion the BP readers at Gate 5 seemed to working properly, and we found some seats near the airbridge to await boarding. A few minutes later, Group 1 was called and we headed to the aircraft. Oh, the shock … yet again ‘our’ seats had been reserved before we could reserve them [back in May]. We had to be VERY careful not to seat ourselves on autopilot!
LGW was fairly quiet at this time of day, and we were soon airborne and ready to enjoy BA’s Afternoon Tea … with Tea of Coffee on offer! A very tasty little meal, and perfectly appropriate for the time of day. More Kindle time ensued, although not a lot as the sector today only took 40 minutes, and here we are at JER - home again!
That’s it - another trip done and 960 TPs in the “Bank of BA” already for this Membership year. We shall try to find a way of spending the 518,849 Avios in the HHA in due course! We’re now taking a few weeks off from holidaying … 37 days to go for our first encounter with QR, LGW to CPT via DOH. We’re looking forward to that, and of course a couple of weeks in the Western Cape.
Bye for now, and thanks for reading!