November 11, 2024
Kuwait to London
British Airways Business Class
Boeing 787-9 G-ZBKH
915a – 140p

The hotel I stayed at in Kuwait provided complimentary airport transfers. However, the hotel was located in downtown Kuwait – about a forty minute drive from the airport – and that was at midnight, when the roadways were less traveled. The hotel offered early morning shuttle departure times of 500am or 730am. My flight was scheduled to depart at 915am.

The hotel staff assured me that the airport was only a thirty minute drive away. I mentioned the fact that Kuwait City has a population of about 3.3 million people, many of whom assumedly drive to work in the morning. Nonetheless, the two guys working the front desk did not share my concern about morning rush hour traffic. Thirty minutes! No problem! They were young guys, and I got the sense that neither of them had much personal experience with morning rush hour traffic.

In any event, it’s a good thing I paid for a 6:30am taxi to the airport, because the traffic was indeed heavy, so much so that we didn’t arrive at the airport until 7:50am.

Business Class check-in went smoothly enough, but it took a while to navigate security and immigration and then make our way out to the departure gate. Thankfully the aircraft was not remotely parked, but even so there was not enough time to do any preflight lounging. I hadn’t had anything to eat or drink yet and was really looking forward to a cup of coffee and maybe a Danish, but we headed straight to the gate where boarding commenced shortly thereafter.


* * * < + > * * *



British Airways 787-9
Photo Credit British Airways


I’ve logged two flights aboard BA’s 787-9s – both of them in First Class. As such, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret at the fact that I was sat back in BA’s weird Club World Business Class cabin with its odd forward / backward seating arrangement.



British Airways 787-9 Business Class
Photo Credit Pinterest


I did notice that only two people were sat in First, which again had me wondering why none of those six empty suites could have been made available at some point for award travel. I didn’t wonder for long, though. There are too many variables at play that I don’t begin to understand, so since my lot is Business Class today, I might as well make the best of it.

Interestingly, when I originally booked this itinerary, BA’s single daily flight out of Kuwait was scheduled to be operated with a 787-10. BA’s largest Dreamliner is configured with the new, more spacious and private Club World Suite, so that would have been a nice consolation in lieu of a First Class seat. Alas, the flight was downgraded to a 787-9 about a month ago.

We had a pretty full load in the 42 seat Club World cabins. I like facing forward when I travel, so I had booked an aisle seat at row six, one of two rows (configured 2x3x2) in the smaller forward cabin. While I enjoyed the ambiance of the smaller cabin, these seats seem pretty dated compared with the Business Class accommodations currently available with many of BA’s competitors.

I didn’t envy seatmate across the divider from me. He was a big fella who resembled the actor Robert Morley. It can’t have been easy for him to squeeze his way into the walled in backward facing seat along the fuselage wall. He stayed put the entire flight though, so hopefully he was comfortable.

A flight attendant dropped by with an offer of water, juice or Champagne. I settled for an orange juice, though my morning preference would have been a cup of coffee. All of the usual preflight accoutrements (noise-canceling headphones, duvet, seat cover and pillow) were at the seat when I arrived. Interestingly, there was no amenity kit offered – perhaps due to the morning departure of this six hour and forty minute flight. It was of little matter to me as I pack a toothbrush and eyeshades in my daypack, while a disposable razor blade is easily accessible in an outer pocket of my rollabord. And often, most of these things – including lotions and aftershaves are available in the Business Class lavs.

One thing I did like about this seat relative to so many other Business Class suites I’ve sat in is that BA has a fold down ottoman as part of the lie flat function of the seat, so when it’s folded up there’s plenty of legroom and no annoying little cubby hole to squeeze your feet into when trying to sleep. On the downside, storage space was limited. There was a small drawer down by the floor which was suitable for smaller items like glasses, a phone or a book, but my daypack had to go into the overhead storage bin.

I was just wondering about where the menu could be found when a lovely auburn haired flight attendant stopped by with a stack of menus to present. Ah, lovely. Let’s have a look, shall we?


THE GREAT BRITISH BRUNCH
Kuwait to London

When you’re up in the air, it doesn’t matter what time it is.
Celebrate your brunch in typical British style with a cheeky
Buck’s Fizz or a Bloody Mary on the side

Buck’s Fizz
Enjoy our twist on a British classic
Made with English sparkling Wine

Bloody Mary
A zesty brunch cocktail with vodka,
Tomato juice and a kick of spice

Orange Juice

STARTERS

Fresh Seasonal Fruit
Served with fresh lime wedges

Herb Poached Scallops
Char grilled fennel, dill mayonnaise

Arabic Mezze
Hummus, baba ganoush, Feta, pomegranate seeds

A Selection of Artisan Cheese
Served with savoury crackers, apricot and sweet mango chutney

White Cheddar
Danish Blue
Camembert

MAIN COURSE

Grilled Beef Steaks
Turkey sausage, baked beans, rősti potatoes
Cherry tomato confit

Scrambled Eggs
Sautéed potatoes, asparagus, grilled mushrooms

Saffron Pancakes
Saffron sauce


DESSERT
Matcha Pastry

Bakery
Warm bakery selection served with butter


Well now, this looked like a pretty nice collection of foods to start to the flight, and I got a laugh from the exhortation to commence the culinary festivities with a “cheeky” Buck’s Fizz or a Bloody Mary. Sounds good to me.

Service commenced in earnest shortly after we’d leveled off. I got that cup of coffee I’d been yearning for, followed shortly thereafter by BA’s Club World Bloody Mary.



BA’s Club World Bloody Mary


Speaking solely for myself, I’ve yet to have ever been served a really good quality Bloody Mary aboard an airplane. BA’s offering wasn’t bad, but it tasted like vodka with simple tomato juice spiced with Tabasco and a splash of Worcestershire sauce. The best Bloody Mary’s I recall having were served up by Alaska Airlines a few years ago, back when they had a nice, thick spicy Bloody Mary mix that was housed in a plain white carton. Alas, they’ve since moved on to a comparatively inferior canned concoction that leaves much to be desired.

Granted, it could well be that a good, bar quality Bloody Mary simply can’t be replicated aboard an airplane, but if only based upon my memories of those tasty Alaska Airlines versions, a good Bloody Mary mix can go a long way toward a more satisfying effort.

Speaking of which, the best Mai Tais I ever remember drinking – per my tastes at least – were those served in First Class aboard United Airlines back in the 1970s and 80s. Back in those days, United’s Royal Hawaiian Service catering was affiliated with the Trader Vic’s Restaurants and so used Trader Vic’s Mai Tai mix when serving their Mai Tais.

It’s also worth noting that the person credited with inventing the Mai Tai is one Victor J. Bergeron, also known as Trader Vic. I’ve had Mai Tais at two of his eponymous restaurants on the Mainland, as well as where the Mai Tai is said to have been commercially introduced - at the Royal Hawaiian and the Moana Hotels in Waikiki.

Perhaps it was the ambiance of the setting, sitting in a big, plush recliner aboard a United DC-8-71 whilst speeding across the vast expanse of the Pacific enroute to Honolulu, but those Mai Tais proffered aboard United’s First Class remain my favorites to this day.



Enjoying the Aloha spirit aboard a United DC-8


Meanwhile, back to the present, we were speeding across the desert of western Iraq – its sandy expanse somewhat less enticing to look at than the deep blue textures of the Pacific. Not that I could see anything anyway – I had an aisle seat and seatmate had dimmed his windows – but I’ve flown out of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Amman enough times over the years to have good memories of the landscape and the view. Shades of beige…

Right. On to the brunch service. The lovely auburn haired flight attendant who’d delivered my menu – Elaine, Ellie? – had arrived to inquire as to my meal choices. Hmm…

Let’s start with the… fruit plate and… some of those artisan cheeses. I briefly considered accompanying the cheese with a glass of the port, but if I remembered correctly, American serves or used to serve that Graham’s Six Grapes Reserve in its Business Class and it’s a bit sweet for my tastes.

As presentation goes, I was impressed. Linens were laid, and silverware and a napkin were presented. This was followed by a rectangular serving dish which held a bowl of mixed fruit, a serving dish of butter and a stylish metal basket which housed a good sized bread roll.



BA’s Club World Cheese Service
Served with savoury crackers, apricot and sweet mango chutney


Perhaps most impressive was the cheese service, presented atop a slate gray cheese board with all of the usual accoutrements. It included White Cheddar, Danish Blue and Camembert, all of which were delicious. My only regret – if I could be said to have one at all – was that one of my favorite cheeses – British Stilton – had not been included. Hmm… Remind me to make up for that with a good sized wedge from Fred Meyer’s well stocked deli when I get home.

On to the main course. It’s hard to go wrong with scrambled eggs – especially when accompanied by asparagus and grilled mushrooms. The potatoes were said to have been sautéed, but they looked and tasted more like boiled new potatoes to me.



Scrambled Eggs
Sautéed potatoes, asparagus, grilled mushrooms


Still, all things considered, this was a good breakfast – much better than the one I’d been served two years ago when flying BA’s Club World/Club Europe hybrid aboard an A320 between Amman and London. I brought it to a close with a refill on my coffee – this time accompanied by a portion of Baileys Irish Cream. Mmm! Heavenly!

BA’s IFE on this 787-9 was decent, though not on quite the same level of what you’d find on the Big Three from the Middle East or any of the good Asian airlines. The fold out screen was decently sized – maybe 13-14” or so, and there was a nice selection of movies and television programs along with games. I enjoyed a few rounds of trivia, attaining hitherto unheard of scores before turning my attention to BA’s Paramount collection, where a couple of shows from the neo-western series “Yellowstone” held my attention until Elaine returned with an offer of afternoon tea.

Sure. Let’s have a look at that menu again…


WINE LIST

Champagne and Sparkling Wine
Our Cellar Selection – Brut NV, Champagne, France
Simpson’s Chalklands Classic Cuvée Brut NV, Kent, England

White and Rose Wines
Kalfu, Kuda Sauvignon Blanc 2024, Leyda, Chile
Wakefield Estate Label Riesling 2023, Clare Valley, Australia
Caves d’Esclans, Whispering Angel Côtes de Provence Rose 2023, Provence, France

Red Wines
Yealand’s, Land Made Pinot Noir 2021/2023, Marlborough, New Zealand
Irache, Reserva 2017, Navarra, Spain
Two Hands, Gnarly Dudes Shiraz 2022, Barossa Valley, Australia

Port
Graham’s Six Grapes Reserve Ruby Port NV, Douro Valley, Portugal


Spirits

Tanqueray Gin
Singleton Golden Autumn Orchard Single Malt Scotch Whiskey
Johnnie Walker Black Label Scotch Whiskey
Aviation Expedition Strength Gin
Bulleit Bourbon Whiskey
Ciroc Vodka
Bacardi Carta Blanca White Rum

Liqueurs

Bailey’s Irish Cream
Cointreau

Beers

BrewDog Speedbird OG
Heineken Lager
Heineken 0% Alcohol


BRITISH ORIGINAL AFTERNOON TEA
Jam or cream first? For centuries, the British have debated this
fundamental question of etiquette. But we say: You decide

SANDWICHES

Lemon Chicken with olives on white toast
Tuna mayonnaise on brown bread
White and red cheddar on white bread

Egg Mayonnaise on brown bread
Falafel on brown bread
White and red cheddar on white bread

SWEETS

Apple Crumble Cake

SCONES AND JAM

Our plain scones are served warm with clotted cream


BA used to serve Woodford Reserve – at least in First Class. Sometime in the last couple of years, they’ve ditched the Woodford and gone with Bulleit – a less expensive and lower quality bourbon per my tastes. I would’ve recommended going with Russell’s Reserve, a slightly less expensive but I think more flavorful option from the folks at Wild Turkey. Heck – if they really wanted to just save money, they could’ve gone with Maker’s Mark, another one I prefer over Bulleit. Then again, who knows… perhaps quite a few of you out there actually like Bulleit.

Another option that I’d like to try but have long since given up on requesting aboard airplanes is beer. That BrewDog Speedbird sounds intriguing – the name alone suggests it’s been specially brewed for BA – but my experience with beers on airplanes everywhere in the world is that they’re rarely ever served properly chilled – which for me means about 38-40°F. And given that the Brits tend to like their beer on the cool more so than cold side, I think I’ll go the opposite route and have a nice, hot cup of coffee.

As for that afternoon tea, yes please. Let’s go with the full set up.



Afternoon Tea & Scones
Lemon Chicken with olives on white toast
Tuna mayonnaise on brown bread
White and red cheddar on white bread


That’ll work!

In addition to the normal tea set up, I also asked for a Matcha Pastry from the morning brunch menu. I’d neglected to request it earlier and wanted to see what it was. I had no idea that “Matcha” was a Japanese green tea powder made from finely powdered dried tea leaves. It is said to have a slightly bitter, vegetal taste and a vibrant green color that results from the leaves’ high chlorophyll levels. Honestly, knowing what I know now, Matcha doesn’t sound particularly palatable, but the chefs must have added some sugar because I remember the entire ensemble (which included a thin cake) as being quite tasty.

The rest of this flight passed by fairly quickly. I came within one correct answer of “winning” it all on “So You Want To Be A Millionaire”. I’d played it four or five times earlier in the flight with middling results – especially since many of the questions were geared towards a British audience (I know nothing about Premier League history or most British bands after the 60s and 70s) but on my big game, I just got downright lucky on a couple of occasions. I don’t remember the final question, but I had no idea and so it basically came down to 25% chance of winning. I was out of outside help. All I had to do was pick the correct one of four possible answers. I didn’t. That was fun, though, and I got to enter my name amongst the high scores, all of which were mine. I guess nobody else was playing.

It was a pleasant, sunny afternoon when we landed at Heathrow and parked way out at the end of Satellite Terminal 5C. Once again, thank goodness for a pre-arranged wheelchair and electric cart which took me on a long subterranean tour of the tunnels and passageways beneath T5.

After clearing customs and entering the arrivals hall, I had a long but doable walk with my driver out to the car park where my pre-arranged ride then delivered me to my home for the night – the Radisson Redd Hotel.

A quick word on the Radisson Redd – I really liked this place! It wasn’t cheap – about $135 for a single king room – but the room was spacious and comfortable and the bar downstairs served up the finest plate of Fish & Chips I’ve ever had. That and a couple pints of good local ale cost me $56.00 USD but it was soooo good, I’d go back to this hotel just for another plate of those fish & chips.

The next morning, my prearranged ride back to Heathrow ($8.25 USD through weknowlondon.com) pulled up to the hotel entrance right on time. Twenty minutes later, I was presenting myself at BA’s First Class check-in area in anticipation of my first flight aboard BA’s A380.