Returning to premium travel
Mar 19, 2016, 5:44 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 127
Returning to premium travel
Apologies, for the personal nature of my first post (of many I hope). I have discovered this forum today and have lost a day (with the rugby on in the background) answering all my own questions about the upcoming trips that I have planned. What a superb resource.
I am the son of a now 14years+ retired BA captain of 747s and 777s. Not surprisingly I grew up very interested in aviation and enjoyed through the ups and downs of staff travel, enjoying an amazing teenage and young 20s seeing the world and saviouring premium cabins. As I grew older, financially independent and without the benefits of aircrew contacts my options for turning left grew significantly thinner! As i'm sure anyone here who has experienced J or F travel, returning to the back is not quite the same again. My last J trip was with my Dad as a Jet Airways captain back from BKK via Mumbai (much delayed thanks to the volcano) back in Easter 2010. This was just before my dad's third and final retirement. There is a love of flying that runs very deep in him!
Anyway, starting a family and being an teacher, the days of premium, even the days of long-haul air travel, seemed long behind me. This started to change last summer when I impulsively clicked the 'avios' button on my Tesco Clubcard account. Not much longer after I booked some CE (hotline) flights to Madrid, opened an executive club account and got my first ever tier points!
Herein starts the addiction... (As staff traveller i'd never really paid attention to BAEC or Avios/Airmiles). Soon enough, I discovered AMEX and spending targets and stumbled upon the fantastic HFP site (thanks Raffles) and suddenly realised that long-haul premium travel was back in the picture.
I am flying this upcoming easter weekend to JFK in F. Starting in CPH obviously! Thanks to the part-pay deal last autumn and a UUA up from CW in both directions. (Costing roughly 130k avios and 800GBP for us both). Out of it all, I'm most excited to show this type of travel to my partner who has never flown outside of charter territory Europe before last year (and was therefore very impressed with the CE experiences she has had for our trips to MAD and BCN so the bar is low for her to be impressed by F to JFK). I'll be bronze when I get to JFK and silver by the time I return from CPH. We've got a California road trip booked for August from the most recent ex-DUB sale (although not holding out much hope for UUA there- hopefully she'll be okay slumming in CW after this F this trip!). I love Asia, from my days of travel, so that is next on agenda... maybe BKK in a QR sale or HKG with our 2-4-1. Who knows!
Anyway, I realise from my day of reading, that BA seems to get quite a lot of stick here. But it will always hold a soft spot in my heart, mainly because of my fantastic memories of flight and cabin crew that made those trips with my Dad, as pilot, so special. Especially some of the crew that were so sweet to me when I was 13 and so useful to me when taking me to top nightspots when i was 23! The cabins might not be in the league of some other carriers but I'm really looking forward to experiencing First, especially as my first long-haul flight for 6 plus years (10plus on BA) and my partner's first ever - I can't wait to show off that turn left experience. Although I appreciate she'll probably never be as impressed as I am with the idea of flying, i feel like a kid again! But she has seemed to be quietly accepting of the idea of all these ex-eu additional positioning flights!
So, I will share my experiences from these flights, CPH-LHR BA815 and LHR-JFK BA115 on 25/3 and JFK-LHR BA172, LHR-CPH BA814 on 30/3 (my 38th birthday) on here to repay the wealth of information i've read here that has helped with my transit, lounge and seating questions and in managing my expectations for this exciting leisure trip for us both. Many thanks again to all contributors.
I am the son of a now 14years+ retired BA captain of 747s and 777s. Not surprisingly I grew up very interested in aviation and enjoyed through the ups and downs of staff travel, enjoying an amazing teenage and young 20s seeing the world and saviouring premium cabins. As I grew older, financially independent and without the benefits of aircrew contacts my options for turning left grew significantly thinner! As i'm sure anyone here who has experienced J or F travel, returning to the back is not quite the same again. My last J trip was with my Dad as a Jet Airways captain back from BKK via Mumbai (much delayed thanks to the volcano) back in Easter 2010. This was just before my dad's third and final retirement. There is a love of flying that runs very deep in him!
Anyway, starting a family and being an teacher, the days of premium, even the days of long-haul air travel, seemed long behind me. This started to change last summer when I impulsively clicked the 'avios' button on my Tesco Clubcard account. Not much longer after I booked some CE (hotline) flights to Madrid, opened an executive club account and got my first ever tier points!
Herein starts the addiction... (As staff traveller i'd never really paid attention to BAEC or Avios/Airmiles). Soon enough, I discovered AMEX and spending targets and stumbled upon the fantastic HFP site (thanks Raffles) and suddenly realised that long-haul premium travel was back in the picture.
I am flying this upcoming easter weekend to JFK in F. Starting in CPH obviously! Thanks to the part-pay deal last autumn and a UUA up from CW in both directions. (Costing roughly 130k avios and 800GBP for us both). Out of it all, I'm most excited to show this type of travel to my partner who has never flown outside of charter territory Europe before last year (and was therefore very impressed with the CE experiences she has had for our trips to MAD and BCN so the bar is low for her to be impressed by F to JFK). I'll be bronze when I get to JFK and silver by the time I return from CPH. We've got a California road trip booked for August from the most recent ex-DUB sale (although not holding out much hope for UUA there- hopefully she'll be okay slumming in CW after this F this trip!). I love Asia, from my days of travel, so that is next on agenda... maybe BKK in a QR sale or HKG with our 2-4-1. Who knows!
Anyway, I realise from my day of reading, that BA seems to get quite a lot of stick here. But it will always hold a soft spot in my heart, mainly because of my fantastic memories of flight and cabin crew that made those trips with my Dad, as pilot, so special. Especially some of the crew that were so sweet to me when I was 13 and so useful to me when taking me to top nightspots when i was 23! The cabins might not be in the league of some other carriers but I'm really looking forward to experiencing First, especially as my first long-haul flight for 6 plus years (10plus on BA) and my partner's first ever - I can't wait to show off that turn left experience. Although I appreciate she'll probably never be as impressed as I am with the idea of flying, i feel like a kid again! But she has seemed to be quietly accepting of the idea of all these ex-eu additional positioning flights!
So, I will share my experiences from these flights, CPH-LHR BA815 and LHR-JFK BA115 on 25/3 and JFK-LHR BA172, LHR-CPH BA814 on 30/3 (my 38th birthday) on here to repay the wealth of information i've read here that has helped with my transit, lounge and seating questions and in managing my expectations for this exciting leisure trip for us both. Many thanks again to all contributors.
Mar 19, 2016, 5:51 pm
#2
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 127
And initial concerns about my trip - got 5E/5F booked on way to JFK but still toying with the eyeing up 1AF on out or inbound should they be available at T-72.
That and, the eagle-eyed will notice, is that the return from JFK to CPH allows the MCT of 60mins only for the T5 connection.
That and, the eagle-eyed will notice, is that the return from JFK to CPH allows the MCT of 60mins only for the T5 connection.
Mar 19, 2016, 6:07 pm
#3
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: BA Gold, DL PM, , Hilton Diamond (from being in a bed), SPG Plat, MR Plat
Posts: 922
Welcome to FT and have a great trip!
Having a look at your flights on expert flyer. The Outbound is F0 so at the moment is full in First and 1A/K are taken and not blocked. Still keep an eye on it as you never know may be last minute changes. The return on the 30th is F2 wth 1A currently taken and 1K free at present.
Having a look at your flights on expert flyer. The Outbound is F0 so at the moment is full in First and 1A/K are taken and not blocked. Still keep an eye on it as you never know may be last minute changes. The return on the 30th is F2 wth 1A currently taken and 1K free at present.
Mar 19, 2016, 6:30 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 127
Mar 19, 2016, 6:35 pm
#8
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: London
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, VS Silver, SPG Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 134
Enjoyed hearing about your great flying past - what lovely memories! Here's to the making of a whole bunch of new ones as you traverse the globe in comfort and style with your other half. Maybe bring Dad along for old times' sake?
Thank you Flyertalk!
Thank you Flyertalk!
Mar 19, 2016, 6:42 pm
#9
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: 30 miles from London
Programs: BAEC Gold, MUCCI, Elite Fan of MO, ALL Accor Live Gold
Posts: 1,482
Welcome to FT!
Thanks for the interesting post, I am sure you will have great trip in F.
I only do a couple of longhauls a year in F or J, and every time I feel like a kid again with excitement
Thanks for the interesting post, I am sure you will have great trip in F.
I only do a couple of longhauls a year in F or J, and every time I feel like a kid again with excitement
Mar 20, 2016, 3:41 am
#11
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Portsmouth, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR
Posts: 791
Hi lavar56, welcome to the forum and thanks for a very interesting first post, that must have been an amazing childhood travelling like that. I'm a big BA fan too, and thanks to this forum my new hobby is now flying as far as I can, in the highest class for as little money as possible 
Mar 20, 2016, 3:48 am
#12
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,791
Welcome to the BA forum on Flyertalk lavar56, it's good to see you here, I suspect you have found your new home. This board is only useful by dint of the material put here by its users, and in that respect I can only congratulate you on your first posting and the interesting perspective that it brings. Welcome on board, I am sure you'll have a good trip to the USA, I am sure you'll have a great start in the CCR very shortly.
Mar 20, 2016, 4:17 am
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 127
Thank you, looking forward to it.
My connection times at LHR are 130mins outbound and 60mins inbound.
I assume outbound this will allow us some time to enjoy the CCR. Inbound will, I expect, be a bit of a mad rush.
CWS, I've read the excellent connection thread. My thinking at the moment is to go landslide on the longer connection time, coming from CPH, and then back through south security straight through the CCR door.
On return connection with just 60minutes I assume, coming from JFK, it we will be staying in the flight connections route, to not risk missing conformance, and running straight to gate. Does this sound right approach? (Both EU e-passport holders)
My connection times at LHR are 130mins outbound and 60mins inbound.
I assume outbound this will allow us some time to enjoy the CCR. Inbound will, I expect, be a bit of a mad rush.
CWS, I've read the excellent connection thread. My thinking at the moment is to go landslide on the longer connection time, coming from CPH, and then back through south security straight through the CCR door.
On return connection with just 60minutes I assume, coming from JFK, it we will be staying in the flight connections route, to not risk missing conformance, and running straight to gate. Does this sound right approach? (Both EU e-passport holders)
Mar 20, 2016, 4:25 am
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Falkirk, Scotland,VS Red, BA Gold, HH Diamond,UK Amex Plat
Programs: Master of the Privy Purse des Muccis
Posts: 17,907
Hi lavar56,
On the outbound ,assuming the flights are on time you should have a little while at the CCR ( the JFK flights will probably leave from the B or C gates so you will need to take the train or you can walk). Going landside is probably quicker.
On the return , it is tight but meets the MCT. When arriving from JFK ( at the B or C gates probably ) check the flight connections monitor to see if the CPH flight leaves from B or C gates. If so you can clear security at the B gates rather than go to the main Flight Connections. Otherwise go to the main flight connections centre and go through security.
Regards
TBS
On the outbound ,assuming the flights are on time you should have a little while at the CCR ( the JFK flights will probably leave from the B or C gates so you will need to take the train or you can walk). Going landside is probably quicker.
On the return , it is tight but meets the MCT. When arriving from JFK ( at the B or C gates probably ) check the flight connections monitor to see if the CPH flight leaves from B or C gates. If so you can clear security at the B gates rather than go to the main Flight Connections. Otherwise go to the main flight connections centre and go through security.
Regards
TBS
Mar 20, 2016, 4:27 am
#15
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,791
CWS, I've read the excellent connection thread. My thinking at the moment is to go landslide on the longer connection time, coming from CPH, and then back through south security straight through the CCR door.
On return connection with just 60minutes I assume, coming from JFK, it we will be staying in the flight connections route, to not risk missing conformance, and running straight to gate. Does this sound right approach? (Both EU e-passport holders)
On return connection with just 60minutes I assume, coming from JFK, it we will be staying in the flight connections route, to not risk missing conformance, and running straight to gate. Does this sound right approach? (Both EU e-passport holders)
If using the e-gates then South Security is nearer and handy for CCR, use the Orange lift after the exit by baggage carousel 9. On the other hand North Fast track by Boots is very good, but involves an unnecessary walk there and back (exit by carousel 5 then the red lift when landside). I'd probably suggest sticking with South, you can always todlle over to North if it looks sticky.