Is this really First?
Apr 14, 2017, 3:25 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: LHR
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 135
Is this really First?
So in 1A on the way to POS. First time in First. As someone who has kind of come to terms with the CW product and is a fairly happy customer, I'm just sat here waiting to take off and thinking, why in god's name would someone actually pay for First?
I have coffee stains on my table, and my seat and the aisle opposite is fithlier than a Vodka Revs dance floor. The bathroom looks like it's just come out of the 90s and has mismatched products for hand wash/lotion.
Maybe this is just an old plane and I'm not lucky on trip but I'm going to stick to CW for my redemptions... let's hope the food and service is good. Rant over.
p.s. I'm not even going to through out comparisons with any other airlines because there is no point.
I have coffee stains on my table, and my seat and the aisle opposite is fithlier than a Vodka Revs dance floor. The bathroom looks like it's just come out of the 90s and has mismatched products for hand wash/lotion.
Maybe this is just an old plane and I'm not lucky on trip but I'm going to stick to CW for my redemptions... let's hope the food and service is good. Rant over.
p.s. I'm not even going to through out comparisons with any other airlines because there is no point.
Apr 14, 2017, 3:51 am
#4
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Seat 1L these days :)
Programs: AF Platinum/AY LUMO/SK EBG/baEC S/HYATT Globalist/MR LTP/A3 *G/HH Dia/IHG plat
Posts: 7,947
So in 1A on the way to POS. First time in First. As someone who has kind of come to terms with the CW product and is a fairly happy customer, I'm just sat here waiting to take off and thinking, why in god's name would someone actually pay for First?
I have coffee stains on my table, and my seat and the aisle opposite is fithlier than a Vodka Revs dance floor. The bathroom looks like it's just come out of the 90s and has mismatched products for hand wash/lotion.
Maybe this is just an old plane and I'm not lucky on trip but I'm going to stick to CW for my redemptions... let's hope the food and service is good. Rant over.
p.s. I'm not even going to through out comparisons with any other airlines because there is no point.
I have coffee stains on my table, and my seat and the aisle opposite is fithlier than a Vodka Revs dance floor. The bathroom looks like it's just come out of the 90s and has mismatched products for hand wash/lotion.
Maybe this is just an old plane and I'm not lucky on trip but I'm going to stick to CW for my redemptions... let's hope the food and service is good. Rant over.
p.s. I'm not even going to through out comparisons with any other airlines because there is no point.
ba First: a fine business class product
The only reason I fly ba F is if Im redeeming miles as I want all aisle access which CW does not offer for now atleast...
My first two ba F experiences were so dissappointing that I havenot really seen any point to repeat the experience
testing AA F on the 77W thisnsummer so hopefully its not too much worse
Apr 14, 2017, 4:16 am
#5
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Bristol
Programs: BA GGL, UA Plat, DL Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,380
I will use my various GUFs to fly BA F over the next 18 months or so, but frankly I'm otherwise perfectly happy in CW and see no reason to spend extra cash to sit a few feet further forward 
(I'm sure there are other benefits from flying F, but for now they've slipped my mind )
(I'm sure there are other benefits from flying F, but for now they've slipped my mind )
Apr 14, 2017, 4:30 am
#7
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Edi
Posts: 2,203
I wouldn't do First on any of the Gatwick 777s, stick to club. Although, if your heading to HKG/SIN/LAX/SFO or anywhere that is always 388 or 789 it is still worth in extra avios I think. When I was avios rich, I also did SAN and JFK in F which have rather nice views on approach from 1A/K, hence the extra 18000/22500 avios.
Apr 14, 2017, 4:34 am
#8
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 858
For a lowly Blue who earns all the miles from a lot of card spending:
I "pay" for F with avios because it saves me the seat selection fee to guarantee a window with aisle access in CW.
If I have a choice, if paying cash I usually fly other airlines in J.
I "pay" for F with avios because it saves me the seat selection fee to guarantee a window with aisle access in CW.
If I have a choice, if paying cash I usually fly other airlines in J.
Apr 14, 2017, 4:36 am
#9
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club, easyJet and Ryanair
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: UK/Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold (GGL/CCR)
Posts: 15,914
Apr 14, 2017, 4:42 am
#10
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: BA - Blue > Bronze > Silver > Bronze > Blue
Posts: 6,812
For me F is a big step up from CW due to the flexibility of the service and greater feeling of space.
It will be interesting to get an update from the OP on arrival and see if he's enjoyed things more up in he air. I suspect it will come down to the crew and amount of booze he's drunk!
I think 'LGW' may be the key here In regards to the filth, the planes at LGW have always been much worse on that front IME. I've never had what I'd consider to be a dirty F cabin from LHR
It will be interesting to get an update from the OP on arrival and see if he's enjoyed things more up in he air. I suspect it will come down to the crew and amount of booze he's drunk!
I think 'LGW' may be the key here In regards to the filth, the planes at LGW have always been much worse on that front IME. I've never had what I'd consider to be a dirty F cabin from LHR
Apr 14, 2017, 4:48 am
#12
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club, easyJet and Ryanair
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: UK/Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold (GGL/CCR)
Posts: 15,914
Apr 14, 2017, 4:52 am
#13
Join Date: Sep 2007
Programs: AA, BA, Accor, Honors Diamond, IHG Diamond Elite and lots more....
Posts: 2,965
Flew first on it from MIA to LAX and back and it was fine. Although having the same crew / plane both ways helped. First time I have repeated the crew / plane not on a b2b
Apr 14, 2017, 5:02 am
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,502
I think that the quality of BA F is now fully dependent on the crew.
- The wine, Champagne and amenities (toiletry bag, pyjamas, slippers) are all good but not great;
- The sleeping amenities (mattress, duvet, and pillows) are in my view some of the weakest in the industry at F level;
- The hard product varies from frankly outdated (744, 777 in different ways) to good (789) and very good (388);
- The food varies from outright mediocre (ex-many outstations, afternoon tea) to good (many ex-London meals, especially soup, cheese, and dessert);
- The airport experience is weak compared to much of the competition (notably AF and LH);
So the 'core' product is pleasant but not great. If you have poor crews, the overall impression becomes disastrous, if you have great crew (like my fab mixed fleet crew from AUS a few days ago) then you have a very good flight despite the average fundamentals.
- The wine, Champagne and amenities (toiletry bag, pyjamas, slippers) are all good but not great;
- The sleeping amenities (mattress, duvet, and pillows) are in my view some of the weakest in the industry at F level;
- The hard product varies from frankly outdated (744, 777 in different ways) to good (789) and very good (388);
- The food varies from outright mediocre (ex-many outstations, afternoon tea) to good (many ex-London meals, especially soup, cheese, and dessert);
- The airport experience is weak compared to much of the competition (notably AF and LH);
So the 'core' product is pleasant but not great. If you have poor crews, the overall impression becomes disastrous, if you have great crew (like my fab mixed fleet crew from AUS a few days ago) then you have a very good flight despite the average fundamentals.