librarygal

I WAS looking forward to my trip to Great Britain on British Airways in a few weeks until I read online that our flight will be on a 20 year old Boeing 747-400 plane. I read the plane is not updated and shakes and rattles all the time. In fact all of their Boeing 747 Fleet is from the 1985-1995 time period.

Is it really going to be that bad? (I will be flying way back in economy class with no chance of an upgrade)

InfiniteCycle

Which class are you flying?

I think the airline is called (or known as) British Airways.

Yes, there are some pretty run down 747s out there, but BA is hardly alone in having old 744s, and they do have their advantages too.

I will add to this to say:

If you are flying in WTP, CW or First the quality of the product regardless of the aircraft is on par with anything else on that route.

If you are in WT, an economy seat is pretty much an economy seat throughout the World. BUT you will have 'free' alcoholic drinks on BA, which you won't with many other carriers.

JohnnyUMF

Some are so run down and dirty on the inside. If needing to fly to IAD take UA or VS in business.

Andy33

Though strangely they both also have fleets of 747s, and United's covers almost the same age range as BA's, while VS's is slightly younger.
Now the likelihood of VS or UA using one on LHR-IAD is less than BA, but equipment swaps do happen.

corporate-wage-slave

If you're going Club World, and in particular if you get the right seat, it's one of the best ways to fly - any class, any airline - and doubly so on an overnight trip. It's a personal choice I guess, but I'm a fairly seasoned traveller and I'd be on that Jumbo in a heart beat! It certainly shakes and rattles less than a 777, a noisy beast if ever there was one. It's true that some of them can look a bit worn, but if you get an aircraft which was recently serviced at the Cardiff workshop it looks and feels almost like new (though watch when you wash your hands: you can always tell if an aircraft has made a visit there by the high pressure water supply!).

The Queen of the Sky won't be around for much longer, I will miss her when she goes, if you haven't been on one I would suggest to suspend judgement, enjoy the ride and then tell us what you think.

JohnnyUMF

This is a good point...get a window seat upper deck and its certainly a good way to go. I find that the aisle CW seats are really almost a class below. Its like a two tiered system, the aisle seats are awful, people climbing over you, no view, no privacy and stuff being handed over all the time to the window seat. They should almost charge less for the aisle seats, I think they are awful. I do think VS is better product overall if pricing is similar for you.

Can I help you

Who has been telling you that rubbish?
The B744 doesn't shake and rattle more than any other aircraft and in fact feels more stable than most.
If you are only used to flying with any of the American carriers you will probably be impressed.
Board with an open mind and have a great trip.

Tobias-UK

No thanks!

destere

The 747s were delivered from 1989-1999.

I think you've been reading generalised and ill-informed rubbish. That said, some of the fleet have seen better days but in reality it should't really affect you or the experience.

JohnnyUMF

Up to you but why not...very solid new business or first product?

Joely

Well if you are flying in economy then I will tell you that on my last flight on a 744 (a few weeks back) there was a big brown stain on the overhead bins above me, my IFE screen was barely visible and blacked out intermittently and whenever there was a cabin service announcement I was sent deaf as top volume static was screamed into my ears through the headphones. So judge of that what you will.

I don't fly CW and if at all possible, I try to find routes/flights operated by other aircraft. That said if you are in business or above you will be fine.

corporate-wage-slave

Have you actually flown Virgin First yet? I can't say I have, but I'm familiar with VS Upper Class and it's not my favourite.

vscxfan

Speaking as one Lifetime Gold (VS) to another (BA), I find any Upper Class seat on a LGW fleet 747 or any A330 smarter, less claustrophobic and more comfortable than any seat in Club World with the exception of 64A and 64K; and the lounge, food, IFE and service are invariably better on VS anyway.

Of course if BA LCY-JFK is available at a decent fare, that's another matter...

TPJ

Hmmm.. UA, DL, LH, KL, CX, CI, LY, BR, VS, QF, MH, TG, CA, KE, OZ (plus most likely few others) all use B747-400... This is a good aircraft.

LondonElite

Aircraft are refurbished all the time, and a lot of the BA 747s have gone through their D-checks and are in great shape. As others have said, they are looking much better than an AA MD-90 or a UA 747, 767 or first generation 777.