Oaxaca

A fair enough report on BA F. I think the OP was unlucky with the noisy visitors, can only think of one or two occasions I've seen that. I like the idea of using the wardrobe door to create more privacy, will have to try that next time (well, if BA doesn't want to develop the product, consumers have to get creative )

1010101

Seems like the OP has had a fairly representative set of flights. Crew can be excellent and just about drag the subpar seats and lounges off the bottom rung, or they can be terrible and make you wonder why you bothered.

For all the nonsense about other airlines and their unfair advantages, as long as BA has the biggest one of them all (LHR) nothing much will change.

Greenpen

Good morning from a Tesco Ted! A bit late to comment on this post but I've been busy in the cheese aisle.

In the last three and a half years I have flown 14 times in F, but only three flights with BA with the last being in December 2013. Of the other 11 I've used JL the most as well as EY, CX and MH. Alas I have not experienced LH as Tesco does not appear to have any sort of link with them, mores the pity. So even us redemptionists have taste.

Incidentally, don't you think a nice processed cheese square embellished with salad cream would make an exciting addition to the afternoon tea sandwich selection?

Greenpen

And thank you for the review SFO777; it was very interesting. Made me want to try BA again, perhaps to Cape Town as the military man from Jersey (sorry, forgotten his username) wrote a very good report of his trip there. Maybe I'll try an F to South Africa.

Scallywag72

Totally agree with you! Sylwia is delightful and an absolute star.

Lucanesque

I've always pondered on whether you'd get a better class of redemptionists if Waitrose offered an incentive? Probably be a bit more tutting and silent seething at the gross injustices that they would have to endure in a cabin that is barely fit to carry cattle to the slaughterhouse.

I love your idea of the cheese square, it would make a fine replacement for the amuse-bouche that went missing in action late last year

Ancient Observer

How special should the experience of First be? Whilst I have never understood the need to be shown to one's seat - it is quite difficult to get lost on a plane, even a 380, some things should be quite special.

For those people/employers who have paid serious money for an F seat, some sort of special treatment would seem appropriate.

This would not apply to Tesco tourists like me, of course. One has to have standards.

However, one person's special treatment is another person's annoyance. For instance, a friend of mine's boss had one of the Premier cards, and got so fed up of being fawned over that he asked the person organising Travel to get rid of the card.

What should one expect, and what should be optional? I would want Manoir Quat Saison food and wine served with a smile in a Clean and fresh environment, and an excellent bed with proper Egyptian Cotton Duvet and mattress. Beyond that, I am not clear what would persuade me to pay for First tickets on BA.
Indeed, my standards are so low that I thought that the CX Business long haul Hard product would be a good base.............

Lucanesque

You hit the nail on the head - it's all very subjective. Some people are incredulous that you're not met by a limo at the foot of the stairs, others are happy to pay to get the extra space and privacy.

Personally, I do pay to travel First when I can justify it, although never to places like LAX where the price is off the scale. That said it's either sale fares, ex-EU, or doing an AUP (which, for a few hundred quid makes it very good value in my mind on >10 hour flight). Paying £10k+ I'd be very unhappy with what I was getting, e.g. it's not exactly La Première

Lawro

Nice report SFO777!

I too have been nervously awaiting the BA F installment of your latest TR, which is, as always, top notch.

Always interesting to hear some of the grumbles regularly mentioned on here highlighted by someone who isn't a regular in BA F/CCR.

subject2load

On the reference to Tesco tourists and the general matter of Avios redemption for F class travel, I venture to suggest that many carriers - not just BA, in fairness - can so easily lose sight of the 'true' purpose of making these benefits available to begin with. And the same applies, in part (given that there are of course other circumstances at play) to airport op-ups too. And because of this lack of focus, airlines end up doing themselves an injustice.

Any self-respecting airline (likewise hotel, where room/suite upgrades are concerned) should be keen to showcase a standard of hard product & service quality in the F cabin such that those who are there without having paid with (their own) hard cash would disembark the aircraft thinking to themselves "Wow....that was sooo good, I'd be willing to pay, occasionally, to travel F in the future".

Sadly, the reaction is very often rather different. Along the lines of ..."Hmm, that was much nicer than travelling in economy, or even biz. BUT definitely not good enough to pay for ....."

PS ... Couldn't help a wry smile at Lucanesque's mention of 'Waitrose redemptionists'

T8191

"Uncle T" nods graciously in appreciation

Sadly the LGW-CPT option doesn't have F, so we shall have to 'enjoy' CW again in December (having just grabbed 2-4-1* availability again ). The LHR-CPT option is sufficiently inconvenient to dissuade me from aiming for F, although I confess I didn't specifically check.

* I thank iWife for her Waitrose expenditure at 1.5 Avios/£, which contributes to the HHA

stevie

Reminds of an obnoxious German telling me (1A) and the chap I just met on board (1k) to basically shut up. I had seen this guy in the lounge shout at a worker for the coffee machine being dirty (BLR lounge). Ironically the same guy brought his son up for a chat later in the flight.

By the way we ignored him and continued our brief chat, before going about our business. I actually felt sorry for him, and he was a bitter man.

If I was being bothered so much I would ask the crew to have a word to avoid direct confrontation.

Anyway interesting TR.

HIDDY

Yes, just like everything else. I love a Kit Kat but I'm sure there are plenty of people who prefer a Breakaway instead.

Lucanesque

Yes, but they are wrong. A Kit Kat is clearly superior.

dakaix

You're both mistaken, the Time Out is the choice for the discerning person in need of a chocolate-wafer break.