ORD-LHR
AA86
12/25/21
Flagship Business

Lounge
My husband and I stayed in the H/K Admirals Club as the Flagship lounge at ORD is still closed. When we said how much we missed it, the entry agent gave us a sympathetic “I know.” Although lounge was pretty full we were able to find a space to sit, snack, and keep our devices charged. There were a ton of kids in the place, which made it less peaceful. So many kids playing with their handheld games without headphones. Argh! (Side note: on our later BA flight, the FA told a parent to give the kids headphones or to turn the device off so as not to disturb the other passengers. That’s how it should be done!)

PDB
Choice of water, OJ, or champagne in plastic.

During this time the purser came by and introduced himself and the FA that would be serving us tonight. Both were very welcoming and personable!

Dinner, AKA “Looks can be deceiving”
I ordered the gluten free meal. When it was served my immediate reaction was “oh great, non-ripe fruit and dry chicken.” But, the taste proved otherwise!

Everything was served on real plates and in glasses. The starter included a salad and fruit plate. Also served at this time were pre-packaged gluten free cookies. Main course was a tasty chicken, carrots, dry mashed potatoes (made better with butter), and a purée I couldn’t quite figure out. Dessert options included cheese plate, sundae, or a cheesecake. I went with the sundae and our FA did great work at giving the right serving sizes of the toppings. The mid flight snack bar was well stocked and included gluten free options I could enjoy. Not pictured snack: the small fruit & protein plate and another brand of pre-packed, soft baked gluten free cookies (they were pretty good!).





Breakfast
My gluten free breakfast was a large plate of fruit and a pre-packaged yogurt. There was a warm option on the menu I likely could have had. But, without seeing the ingredient list for that meal, I was fine with what I was offered.



Overall, I was pleased with the gluten free meal. I’ve seen what some have looked like in the past and yikes. But this one delivered.

Also, our FAs were amazing on this flight! Our FA was very helpful in ensuring all my food was gluten free and that I had enough to eat and snack on. Our crew made multiple passes throughout the flight and refilled/provided drinks for those still awake. They were also attentive on breakfast service. I think it was within two minutes of waking up that the purser came by and asked, “ready for your breakfast?” They continued service up until they had to stop. I think the last breakfast served to a waking passenger was 30 minutes until landing.