Yahillwe

I try to avoid those like the plague for the exact reasons. Too cramped and no privacy, and my seat is next to the galley and bathroom, therefore can't sleep.

DFB_london

Its all in the set up etc. would you also avoid all the CX 77Ws too which are only 2 rows of 1-1-1 in F?

LondonAndy

^

iainbhx

Non-flat beds. 2-3-2 on the 744 in parts. Crappy lounges for non-status pax (the Business lounges). Very slow service. Food and wine are usually OK.

Inferior not just to BA/QF but to LX and OS as well.

cggirl

Am reading this thread rather groggily after being "upgraded" from 64A to 5E on an overnight from the Far East. It was the first time I had ever sat in a non-window seat in (O)F and if I were ever offered this trade again, I think I would probably try to decline politely. I found 5E lacked storage space, ledge space and privacy, and overall felt cramped and uncomfortable compared with 64A (and indeed the other "prime" seats on the UD). Did not sleep well as a result. I guess NF addresses these issues- in an ideal world I think the worst seat in F should be at least as good as the best seat in J. Service was OK- have seen better but the 2 cabin crew were pretty stretched by the full cabin so mitigating circumstances I suppose.

henkybaby

I would refuse too. not so much because F is bad but because J is so good, especially on the 747 UD with 62/64 A/K.

But then again I don't give a hoot about wine and food as long as it is edible. I also don't care about bring treated like royalty on board or on the ground.

Individual seat temperature in F would convince me, but that is a given.

orac

This thread has probably answered my question (tending towards a No), but I will ask it anyway. Is BA first worth the points/miles expended, or is BA business just as good value on a long haul?

Mrs Orac and I will be travelling to the UK around the middle of June (Wimbledon). As FF flights are hard to get out of Australia we tended in previous years to go up to Hong Kong (Cathay) or Tokyo (Jetstar) on paid economy and then London return on BA - points/miles.

There are First and business seats available via points/miles out of both cities for the period with the main difference seeming to be 747 flights out of Hong Kong and 777 flights out of Tokyo.

My thoughts at this stage are Tokyo/London/Tokyo with BA in First on a 777 (newer metal).

Any comments re the value of the product between First and Business on a long haul would be appreciated.

Nicksta

Rarely does value equate to first class or luxury items. But, I think your question can be re-focused a bit by saying, "Is there enough differentiation between First and Business to warrant the additional expense?"

I have not flown New First yet, but my gut tells me to say, no, there is not that big of difference. You still have a bed, the food is a bit better, and the Concorde Room is nice. But overall, the experience is similar. The real benefit stands in exclusivity - more privacy, shorter lines, fewer people, quieter cabin. These are nuanced benefits.

The last I looked, value and Ferrari aren't very synonymous either. But for some, its worth the price. And, with all that said, I still spring for F on most of my trips.

orac

Thanks for your comments. I am looking at locking the flights in early next week.

nesbytes

Last spring, Mrs N and I took our direst international first class trip, BOS-LHR-ZRH and return. In bound from ZRH in the middle of the cabin crew strike with cancelled flights, etc.

At the time of reserving, we were contacted through e-mail by some service called BA You First which offered to be available to assist with any issues that might arise in the course of our journey. They did help during the strike, if only to just assure us that we'd have a cabana available for the entirety of our 7 hour layover at LHR. The knowledge that this service existed genuinely lowered our anxiety level.

Flying F BOS-LHR on Monday. Reservations made 6 weeks ago.never heard from You First. Finally called BA executive club and after 20 minutes of recorded music, spoke with a pleasant person, who, after 5 minutes of investigating, came back on line to tell me that First Class passenger have a reserved number which they could use to contact BA.

2 issues: (a) If I hadn't called, we would never have learned about the
exclusive first class phone line and (b) I, for one, much prefer communicating by e-mail...if for no other reason than atbleast there will be a physical record of all communications.

You First, IMO, was a great concept and should be reimplemented.

HIDDY

It's still there.

Oneworldplus2

Cheers for the answer.

(I won't tell my mate though, or even suggest what you have mentioned, he'll go off the rails and say that you don't know what your talking about)

nesbytes

So I discovered. After posting, backtracked through my old e-mail until came across mid-May contact. E-mailed You First and we are in touch. Query: Why would Executive Club rep tell me that the program had been discontinued? This information was passed along after she'd conferred with her supervisor.

Ah well, 96 more hours and it's wheels up and off to see Paris when it drizzles...and in F on BA. Does it get any better?

AGuyAndADogInDFW

100% agree with that. Coming from AA, I never realized how much I took priority boarding for granted. My GF and I were flying F from LHR to JNB. Concorde Room was nice. Got to the gate and figured they'd call "First Class, Club World, etc., etc." so we would not have to stand in line for too long but just sit until our group was called.

Nope. Cattle call. There was some dedicated Fast Track or Fast Lane but it was a joke.

ruthiepegs

I hardly drink and so all the premium wines are wasted on me...
what i want is my own box of chocolates - not having to share!
I would be happy to have a small box of chocolates to eat or take as a gift.
the communal box is ridiculous
I am sure crew usually eat them -
I was never even offered them in F
I had to ask...