Awkward F encounters
Feb 1, 2017, 5:28 pm
#46
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 489
Hi all,
I meant to post about this a while ago (flight was >1yr ago) but it slipped my mind until a recent conversation with a friend..
My wife and I were on our first trip in BA F flying back from JFK-LHR a while ago on a 777. We were among the first to board the aircraft and were shown to our seats and served drinks etc.
Shortly after, passengers traveling in all classes (judging from the sheer volume of people) were boarded via the door at the front of the F cabin and then walking through F to get to their seats/cabins.
As it was our first visit to The Big Apple, I'm not sure how BA usually manage boarding there (perhaps there was a technical/logistical reason) but it made me feel quite awkward, sitting there in a spacious seat drinking champagne while people that were about to spent 7 hours cramped down the back walked past staring at us, with at least two mutterings of "Lucky gits" to be heard.
The queuing passengers were also stopped at the door several times and made to wait while the cabin crew served drinks to F passengers which made the situation feel even worse.
Perhaps I was just being overly sensitive but I wondered if other people had experienced similar situations and if they also felt a little awkward...
I meant to post about this a while ago (flight was >1yr ago) but it slipped my mind until a recent conversation with a friend..
My wife and I were on our first trip in BA F flying back from JFK-LHR a while ago on a 777. We were among the first to board the aircraft and were shown to our seats and served drinks etc.
Shortly after, passengers traveling in all classes (judging from the sheer volume of people) were boarded via the door at the front of the F cabin and then walking through F to get to their seats/cabins.
As it was our first visit to The Big Apple, I'm not sure how BA usually manage boarding there (perhaps there was a technical/logistical reason) but it made me feel quite awkward, sitting there in a spacious seat drinking champagne while people that were about to spent 7 hours cramped down the back walked past staring at us, with at least two mutterings of "Lucky gits" to be heard.
The queuing passengers were also stopped at the door several times and made to wait while the cabin crew served drinks to F passengers which made the situation feel even worse.
Perhaps I was just being overly sensitive but I wondered if other people had experienced similar situations and if they also felt a little awkward...
Feb 1, 2017, 5:40 pm
#47
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Programs: AY Platinum, UA Premier Platinum, OneWorld Emerald, VA Platinum
Posts: 558
Had a similar episode when two of us were sitting in J on a MEL>BNE flight. A couple walked through J to Y and the bloke says "Hey, happy to swap!". I looked up and said "Hey, that's my sister you're talking about".
Got a few laughs.
Feb 1, 2017, 6:12 pm
#48
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 597
Not long ago, we were sitting up front and a very casually dressed and poorly groomed young man on his way to the back of the plane said, "must be nice," in a somewhat sarcastic tone as he passed by.
"Eek!" replied my partner. "The coach class people!"
La luttle des classes? La guerre n'est pas finie.
"Eek!" replied my partner. "The coach class people!"
La luttle des classes? La guerre n'est pas finie.
Feb 1, 2017, 6:22 pm
#49
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: SFO
Posts: 506
Was in the front of the cabin during a PHX-ORD flight. One guy boarding the plane said "look at these people in first class, money is not a problem". Everyone in F ignored him.
I don't put too much thought into it as I'm always on my phone during the boarding process.
I don't put too much thought into it as I'm always on my phone during the boarding process.
Feb 1, 2017, 6:35 pm
#50
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: NJ
Programs: UA-plat, HH-Diamond, Marriott-gold
Posts: 212
I've this a handful of times at JFK on the 777 and never anywhere else. Bizarrely it's also the only route i've consistently been able to convince the crew to give me wine before take off instead of champagne (after dinner in the CCR i usually prefer a couple of glasses of bordeaux then bed than more champagne).
The last i time it happened I was in 1a as the rest of the plane boarded past me and the crew had left the bottle of red on my side table for me to help myself which made for even weirder looks than usual. Most awkward i've ever felt on a plane!
The last i time it happened I was in 1a as the rest of the plane boarded past me and the crew had left the bottle of red on my side table for me to help myself which made for even weirder looks than usual. Most awkward i've ever felt on a plane!
Feb 1, 2017, 7:13 pm
#52
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Scottsdale
Posts: 2,949
This post about general boarding through F on LX should put the OP's experience into perspective.
Feb 1, 2017, 8:24 pm
#53
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP, UA 1K
Posts: 1,078
Put me in the camp of prefer to board last. JFK does tend to have a few gates at T7 that seem to only be positioned to board from 1L.
Usually not a problem for the F pax on the 747s but seems they haven't worked out how to optimize gate assignments for the evening departures to avoid this for the 777.
Usually not a problem for the F pax on the 747s but seems they haven't worked out how to optimize gate assignments for the evening departures to avoid this for the 777.
Feb 1, 2017, 8:27 pm
#54
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: SFO
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat
Posts: 756
Ever since I got into churning, I try to fly J class any chance I get on long hauls international flights. Totally fine with economy on domestic though.
This post about general boarding through F on LX should put the OP's experience into perspective.
So it is not an uncommon to assume that there's going to be at least a few pax who only know what domestic F/J recliner seats look like and have never seen the massive seats F class gets on long hauls. I'm willing to bet that many people wouldn't believe if you said J class seats that they pass during regular boarding are actually lie flats on many airlines.
Feb 1, 2017, 10:00 pm
#56
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Orlando
Programs: AA Exec Plat, HH Lifetime Diamond, Hyatt Diamond, Marrriott Silver, SPG, National Exec Elite
Posts: 187
I've never had this happen, but it would certainly be a bit inconvenient. One of the small touches that makes F more special than C is the quiet and calm during boarding as most Y passengers pass through the C cabin to get to their seats. The only time this could have potentially happened on one of my flights the crew just boarded F last.
Feb 1, 2017, 10:32 pm
#57
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: near to SFO and LHR
Programs: BA Gold, B6 Mosiac, VS, AA, DL (and a legacy UA 2MM)
Posts: 2,274
I've been flying a very long time, mostly in the USA, and I've seen a few envious looks but have never heard anyone actually say anything, except once from a kid about 8 walking through First on a 3-class. Upon entering the F cabin, he was dutifully wide-eyed and said something like "Whoa!", which brought a chuckle from everyone around.
Oh and then a couple times kids have jumped into an empty First seat, thinking it was first-come first-serve like the school bus perhaps
Oh and then a couple times kids have jumped into an empty First seat, thinking it was first-come first-serve like the school bus perhaps
Feb 2, 2017, 12:08 am
#59
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,225
This seemed to happen nearly every time I flew back in F from Abu Dhabi (in the days when I flew BA). On more than one occasion a couple would walk past and say, "Are these seats all for one person?" Someone once even said, "This is disgusting when there's so little space in Economy." I never responded because 1) it was 2 in the morning and all I wanted was my bed and 2) what would it have accomplished?
I never felt embarrassed or awkward though. I've worked very hard in life to be able to travel in F for work.
I never felt embarrassed or awkward though. I've worked very hard in life to be able to travel in F for work.