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New BA Routes 2018: Victoria, Seychelles (SEZ)
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1) Overview This an introduction to travelling Club World on BA's new twice weekly, year round service from London Heathrow Terminal 5 to the beautiful Indian Ocean islands of Seychelles. I was on the inaugural service on 24 March 2018, and the second service from SEZ back to London on 29 March. For background and announcements relating to the service's restoration see here: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/brit...ch-2018-a.html https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...06dc27dd81.jpg 2) Route history This is by no means a completely new service for BA, which has in the past served Seychelles in a variety of arrangements, even hub and spoke set-ups, with both LGW and more recently LHR T4 being used. However the service was one of the casualties of the downsizing of BA after the events of 9/11 and the difficult economic climate: With grateful thanks, I am indebted to DrBernardo for the following background the route. Proper services to the Seychelles began in 1971 with the construction of the airport on Mahe Island, as part of the transition of the islands to independence from Britain. BOAC operated services from the opening of the airport in July 1971, from Gatwick via Entebbe and Nairobi, and BCal began operations in July 1972 (on the same route). However, BOAC first served the Seychelles in 1944 with a fortnightly flying-boat service en-route from Durban to Colombo which operated until 1946! BCal’s operations had ceased by 1977, though they did make a pseudo-return when Air Seychelles was formed in 1979, and leased a BCal DC10 for its international services – a weekly route to Rome, London, Frankfurt and Amsterdam. By 1977 BA’s service had moved to twice a week from London, one via Bahrain en-route to Mauritius, and one via Zurich and Bahrain which terminated in SEZ! By 1980, this had increased to three a week, including a terminating service via Khartoum, Addis, and Nairobi. Due to a degree of political instability and the odd dodgy decision by tourism authorities in the Seychelles, BA withdrew in 1981. At the same time, British Airways was operating a route between Johannesburg and Hong Kong/Tokyo which began calling in the Seychelles (at various times it included Joburg, Nairobi, Seychelles, Colombo, Brunei, Hong Kong, Taipei and Tokyo Haneda), which was especially handy since South African Airways had been banned in 1980 by the Seychelles (and South Africa accounted for some 25% of their tourism). This route was part of a triangular roster that would see a crew and aircraft operate out to the Far East, then down to Africa, and then back to the UK, or vice versa. Presumably because it was ruinously expensive as well as barking mad, this route was cancelled in 1986... BA resumed services from London, behind Bahrain, in 1986 – possibly at the same time as cancelling the JNB-SEZ-CMB-HKG-HND route. This increased to twice a week via Bahrain en-route to Mauritius by 1990. By the mid 1990’s these had been delinked from Bahrain with a twice weekly LGW-SEZ-MRU service. From October 1997 service moved to a twice weekly LGW-NBO-SEZ schedule. From 1999 onwards, BA - in common with many, if not all foreign companies operating in the Seychelles - experienced problems remitting their earnings from the Seychelles. The Seychelles rupee was – at the time – not a freely exchangeable currency, and sales in the Seychelles were in rupee whereas fuel and landing changes were in USD!. This situation continued to worsen over the next few years until, in combination with the negative impact operating the onward sectors caused to the Nairobi route, BA chose to (once again) suspend the Seychelles route. In 2008 the IMF supported the Seychelles in instituting a number of financial and economic reforms, including exchange liberalisation! Finding redemption space is a bit tricker than normal since some of the support tools don't work for SEZ. However a straightforward query of Avios availability via My Executive Club should show up the relevant information. As of March 2018, these were the rates: https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/8...922/acj2F2.jpg Mixed here means one way peak, the other way off peak. There is very little First availability showing at the moment, and I suspect this will eventually prove to be one of the toughest routes to get CW or First redemptions, except perhaps off peak (e.g early December) and may be where GGL jokers become useful. UuA Avios would be the difference between the paid for and upgraded cabins (so 50k for WTP to CW at peak, and potentially £50 in extra charges). 4) Flight details The service has now been announced as a year round service due to the high level of forward bookings, news that was very well received in Seychelles itself. There are some direct Europe flights to SEZ (Condor from Frankfurt, Edelweiss from Zurich, Joon from Paris) but this is the first household name airline to go year round that avoids connections in the Middle East or IST. Emirates, Qatar, Etihad and Turkish being the main alternatives. Air Seychelles no longer flies to Europe. The service is twice a week on 787-9 aircraft, so with First, Club World, World Traveller Plus and World Traveller cabins. From London the flights depart from T5 on Wednesday and Saturday evenings, returning on Thursday and Sunday mornings from SEZ to LHR. The aircraft has just under 2 hours turnaround at SEZ. It's a 10 hour flight, give or take, 5074 miles on paper, 5300 miles approximately in reality. This was the route taken on the inaugural service, down the east side of Africa: https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/8...923/N66QaY.jpg And this was the moving map at departure https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/8...922/lJwfko.jpg 5) Launch events https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/6...924/THduoe.jpg There wasn't very much ceremony on the launch, nothing at all at the gate departing T5, the captain and CSD mentioned it was an inaugural service on departure. There was a small press gathering in CCR (though the relevant journalists appeared to be more interested in going shopping in T5!). That said, having a longhaul departure from gate 18 - right downstairs from CCR - is fantastic! I doubt we can count on that going forward, however. The flight was pretty much full in all cabins on departure, though I guess there were about a dozen non revenue passengers on board assuming the press were on freebies. Two captains and one Senior First Officer, as far as I could tell, the CSD was assisted by her line manager (an IBM to use the jargon) to ensure a smooth first flight. At arrival in SEZ, on the other hand, there was a party thrown for the arriving passengers. including a Créole band and dancers. Passengers were also presented with hats made of coconut leaves. The band and dancers also entertained people during the immigration queue, see below, which took off some of the tedium. The other oddity was that it took about 20 minutes before we could disembark after the doors were opened. The WHO insect spray was only done on arrival under the supervision of airport staff, whereas usually it is OK to just hand over the used spray cannisters to the airport staff on arrival to prove it has been done. On the other hand I wonder if this was complicated by the arrival party and the fact the aircraft was about 15 minutes early to arrive. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/8...923/RCEcvf.jpg 6) New Club World service details and timescales This new route went straight into the new Club World service for both catering and bedding, plus the new amenity kit. Not the full Do&Co treatment as shown on the New York service, which you can tell by the unfortunate lack of the 3in1 bread roll, but with the soup, dessert and cheese improvements. The bedding is supplied in a bag, with the pillow on top. Inside the bag are 3 film wrapped bedding items - the fairly thick duvet, the blanket and the seat topper. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/8...923/qD2sqR.jpg I was in 7A, so I found a handy place for this before and after deployment, which made for a very comfortable extra arm rest. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/6...923/4UGFYj.jpg That seat, 7A, is probably the best seat on a 787, 7K would be too however that will usually be a crew rest seat unless other circumstances forces it to be used. 7K is actually the better seat since it's further away from the WC, but the 787 WCs are very quiet in operation and the curtain cuts off any line of sight to its use. Both of these window seats allow clear access to the aisle without crossing over another seat. That will also be the case for seats 13A and 13F, though their view is mainly of the huge wing, and middle seats 7E and 13E - these may be good options during night flights to SEZ, there isn't so much to see en route. There is a 787 seating guide in the BA Forum Dashboard. And this is the new long folder menu which replaces the white A5 stapled menu pamphlet. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/6...922/bETnBc.jpg Times GMT though the clocks went to BST during the flight. ● Pre depart water, hot towel, menu x2. ● Push back 1621 ● Take off 1640 from runway 09R ● Landing cards for Seychelles distributed 1700 ● Drink and main course orders taken 1714 ● Drink and nibbles arrive 1723 https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/6...923/IDbzf0.jpg ● Drinks round 2 at 1746 ● Trays hand run 1808: Single bread roll, drink round 3 ● IFE quick reboot 1826 (a block of seats in WT seems to have been affected) - this didn't see to work for those affected. ● IFE full reboot 1837 ● Trolley comes through 1838 with starter and salad ● IFE back 1850 ● Drinks / wine top up 1900 ● Starter plates removed 1906 ● Main dish served by hand 1907 drinks top up ● Main dish removed 1922 ● Desserts trolley 1930 ● Cheese 1946 ● Tea 1950 ● Meal tray removed 2000 ● Club Kitchen made up 2000 ● Lights out 2010 ● Breakfast 0040 ● Arrive 0214hi / 07:14 local 16 minutes early So the drinks came through reasonably promptly to begin with, and my glass was very regularly refilled. I had at least 9 top ups over 3 hours. The food? That's more mixed I would say. Two hours from take off to starter was rather long to my mind, the timings from that point was fine, there were no gaps between courses and the meal was cleared away swiftly at the end. Had the starters arrived 90 minutes after take off that would have been better perhaps, complicated by the fact it would still only have been just after 18:00 hrs London time, so not particularly late in that respect. 7) Meals First off, here is the breakfast card that you submit before retiring. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/8...923/agUkLa.jpg 7.a) Menus https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/8...923/pDwnRN.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/8...924/VkIeCz.jpg 7.b) Main meal photos This was a very good goat cheese salad and the new excellent salad - no issue in having both. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/6...923/E6esTy.jpg Then the chicken tajine, which was served quite rightly with the skin for flavour. It could have done with a bit more of a kick though. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/8...923/LkEWcV.jpg This is the warm chocolate and walnut brownie, somewhat underwhelming in terms of size and enjoyment. I'll probably choose something else next time. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/6...924/M5f8jW.jpg And finally the cheese (but I suspect that I was upgraded to First for this part of the service!). https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/8...924/1Xvocf.jpg 7.c) Breakfast So here is the first tray, with the fruit salad, smoothie, lovely granola and breads, followed by the full English. I wouldn't normally want a full English so soon after a big meal, but it was actually very enjoyable on this occasion. I know there are 3 wake-up options on the card, but probably the one that would have worked best for me was just the first cold tray, so no hot plate, served 1 hour before arrival. I probably could have negotiated that. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/8...924/9VLdmN.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/8...922/qMcDpR.jpg 8) Arrival into SEZ As noted below, at least on the inaugural the WHO insect spray was done on arrival, which if confirmed by future travellers will hold up the disembarkation process. Door 2L was used for getting off the aircraft, then it's a very short walk to the immigration hall. No bus transfer. I very much enjoyed the flight, with its excellent cabin crew, and arrived into SEZ able to make the most of the arrival day. I am a fan of 787s (well, not in WT) and I got a good quality rest. The 787 is also a good fit for the route in terms of the underlying economics. The convenience of a direct link to London will make a big difference to the islands' economies and bring the beauty of Seychelles to future travellers. And I guess it will also be a favourite with both flight and cabin crew. |
Return flight details
I cannot pretend this was a typical flight. With some two dozen passengers being looked after by 11 handpicked members of Worldwide crew the service was beyond impeccable. The menu however will be of interest, it's a ten hour day time flight, so plenty of time to enjoy the experience. The crew were clearly trying to keep themselves occupied, I was served by 7 of the 11 crew members at some point during the flight and my glass rarely fell below half full. Online Check-in Online check-in works for SEZ, and can produce the self printed boarding pass in the usual way. However there is currently no App boarding pass facility. SEZ is on FLY so if HBO one can go straight to security. The lounge is given a list of expected passengers, there isn't an invitation card required. However if your current status isn't attached to the booking (or you've done something like swap frequent flyer cards) then you best go to check-in to ensure lounge access can be rung through to the lounge. Airport check-in https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/8...922/mTB0pC.jpg In my case I did go to the check-in desk to get a printed boarding pass (being unsure of the lounge invitation process) and I was seen swiftly. The App suggests that check-in opens 3 hours before departure, in my case I arrived 80 minutes before the flight and I was through passport control and security very quickly, and ended up in the lounge 70 minutes before departure, but that's probably as fast as it ever gets. One point to note, given that BA departs just after 09:00 hrs. The schools in Seychelles all start at 07:30, so there is much traffic on the roads around the airport at this time, particularly south of the island going north to the airport. The locals call it gridlock, I think Londoners may call it "somewhat slow moving" but suffice to say that you should add at least 15 minutes to whatever time it took from the airport to your hotel for the return journey back to the airport. SEZ Airport https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/3niP54.jpg The airport at Victoria has a certain old school charm to it, but it's not very big. The first photo below is of the check-in area, and the one below is one of three seating areas airside, which then immediately face on to the runway, and the short walk on to the aircraft. Departure was efficient, it's a very short walk from check-in to passports (via the yellow doors separating landside from airside), then security, and you are then in the middle of the airside area. There are a number of shops selling duty free items and souvenirs, plus a few places to eat, including Burger King. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/6...924/bKGzPs.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/6...923/CT0orE.jpg The Air Seychelles Premium Lounge -Salon Vallée de Mai The lounge for BA's customers is upstairs above the main airside area, there is only one stairway in a relatively small space, so it's easy to find. But it is en route to Burger King. The lounge seems to be named after a nature reserve on the neighbouring island of Praslin. It was my first visit to this lounge and I was pleasantly surprised by it. The décor is decidely late 1980s and the furniture isn't in its first flush of youth, but nevertheless it was a cool, calm and comfortable spot, tidy and well looked after. There was a variety of seating, with some overlooking the runway, and with it the BA 787 parked right in front. There are WCs inside the lounge, which includes a shower facility. What lets it down is the food, which is fairly meagre - cereals and toast essentially at breakfast, bearing in mind that it won't be until about 11 hrs that you will be eating on the BA service, it will be lunch, and it's possible you won't have had much breakfast from your hotel before check-out. There is a reasonable range of drinks, including wine and beer, plus a Lavazza Colibri coffee machine, which uses the company's Blue capsules and, in my view, a good quality product. The lounge is subject to the usual BA rules, so entry is for First and Club World passengers, along with Sapphire and Emerald card holders, who are allowed one guest. It's not a Priority Pass lounge, however it is the only CIP lounge in the airport, so all other airlines also use it along with Air Seychelles, the lounge operator. It's open 24 hours a day. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/6...922/eLUrYa.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/6...924/VD8Iyu.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/6...924/l2lJPR.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/6...924/CHWggU.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/6...924/Fn3sOm.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/6...922/MqSD1t.jpg This is the view of the lounge so it would be fine to wait until boarding has started rather than waiting in the fairly congested gate area downstairs. There is no realistic chance of missing your flight since the gate is a few seconds away from the lounge. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/6...922/f2GT11.jpg Departure / seating information It may be best to sit on the port side of the aircraft, to get the views of Victoria on departure. From what I can gather almost all departures are from the southern end of the airport going northwards, and the aircraft then bears leftwards towards Somalia. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/6...924/7RND1c.jpg And here is a video of the first minute or so from take off to departure. Club World meal service Lunch and a light meal is served. Lunch is served as soon as possible after departure and the second meal, an early supper I guess, is provided 90 minutes from departure. In my case the meal was served in the first hour after take-off but with only 4 passengers in the forward CW cabin we can't read very much into that. I suspect 90 minutes is more typical. The menu is clearly locally designed since Job fish (second meal menu), while not unique to Seychelles, is a very popular local dish. It's big white sea fish, quite long, it can get to a metre in length. It's a snapper fish species, so related to Red Snapper. Otherwise the menu is designed to the new CW dining menu structure. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/7lRbDn.jpg First off, tea and sparkling water as the pre meal drinks, with a nut selection, though mainly walnuts. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/6...922/BRA4yn.jpg I went for the roasted red pepper soup - which was one of the best starters I've had when flying - and the seasonal butternut squash salad. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/6...924/QWRLwW.jpg Then for the main course I went for the prawn and coconut curry, which was quite similar to one I had at my hotel. Not too spicy, perfectly pleasant if not particularly exciting. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/6...924/hg7yVS.jpg For desserts I had the Sacher Torte, which was fine. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/6...922/sLjadc.jpg And finally the excellent cheese plate, note the fairly generous portions particularly of the Comté cheese. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/6...924/PeBDuA.jpg Second meal https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/VzhfpC.jpg In some ways this was the more impressive of the two meals. I really liked the layout of this dish, it's a single slice of cucumber underneath the salmon. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/6...922/kJFOW8.jpg Then the last taste of Seychelles cuisine, the Job fish with a lemon and Parmesan topping. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/6...923/AltETh.jpg Wine menus (both directions) Not really my department, so for the record really. What I did notice was that the wine menu wording was much longer for the return flight, as if to take account of the fact that the day time flight would give plenty of time to read it all. Champagne the same in both directions https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/oBlGYE.jpg Wines LHR to SEZ https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/uCv5YB.jpg Wines SEZ to LHR https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/vMJqqj.jpg Routing Being a day flight, I found the routing back to London fascinating. We passed via Somalia, Ethopia, Sudan by Khartoum, Aswan Dam (which is the half way point), Alexandria. This meant I could see both the Blue and White Nile, along with the Nile itself. Then over the Med to Crete, on to the Greek mainland with great view of Patras, through Albania over the Adriatic. Then we went Pula, Venice, Basle, Amiens, over the Channel to Rye, left at Sevenoaks, Epsom, around Reading and Windsor, to land on runway 27R. The flight was smooth, with the seat belts off for almost all the cruise, they only came on as a precaution over Crete but even that wasn't particularly bumpy. We ended up at a C gate, and it took 14 minutes to get from doors open there to landside on the Tube platform. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/6...923/LO3WgN.jpg An unforgettable flight with great crew, top notch service and excellent meals. I didn't move the IFE off the moving map, and it didn't strike me as being a long flight at all. The reality bump came on the approach to Heathrow, with angry dark clouds and torrid showers. It's a pity the captain didn't turn round and head back to Seychelles. |
Seychelles background information
Seychelles background information
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/2gzOzK.jpg [This section is just for convenience, there are plenty more resources for finding out more about Seychelles. However this is only my second visit here so I'm conscious that there are going to be FTers with better information. If there is something that you think will specifically help those flying on BA to SEZ then feel free to add your comments and suggestions in this thread.] Seychelles became independent from the UK in 1976 and is a Commonwealth republic of about 90,000 residents and a large diaspora.There are 115 islands that make up Seychelles, but only about 20 are permanently inhabited and all but 500 people live on the 3 main island groups of Mahé, Praslin and La Digue. It is one of the richest countries in Africa, but has significant wealth inequality. The official languages are English - used in official signs all over, French, and Seychellois Créole, which is French language based. If you have GCSE French you can probably car crash your way through Créole quite easily, with hilarious results, see here: https://wikitravel.org/en/Seychellois_Creole_phrasebook (I've been resisting use of "the Seychelles", which is difficult to do, but the islands were named after Louis XV's finance minister Jean Moreau de Séchelles, and the country's official name is Republic of Seychelles. However in French the official title is République des Seychelles, which implies the definite article.....) The islands have a tropical rainforest climate, which doesn't vary much, the average temperature is around 27c year round. January is a the wettest month, July the driest but the climate and location makes it suitable for tourism year round, but the peak tourism season is April to September. Airport notes: British Airways flies to SEZ airport, opened by the Queen in 1972. It's right by the coast - there isn't much flat land on the islands, and has a single 3,000 metre runway.. The airport is 7 miles from Victoria, the capital of Seychelles, population about 25,000. At the airport landside there are several ATMs (including one for Barclays), car hire counters, a café and two SIM card providers from Cable and Wireless and Airtel, the two mobile providers in Seychelles. Getting a local SIM is quick, cheap (£10 should buy 650mb including the SIM, which is multi cut to fit standard, Micro and nano SIM sizes, then it's £10 per gig from there) and easy but they do need your passport number. The airport isn't big and the taxi rank is only a few metres from the baggage reclaim area. Expect your larger bags to get a customs x-ray as you leave the baggage reclaim. There is no luggage storage at SEZ formally, however informally the police office will look after luggage free of charge. Entry procedures: This isn't great. Indeed Seychelles tourist infrastructure would do well to examine how to improve this, since the experience is about as bad as it gets, though SEZ isn't alone among resort locations for setting a bad initial impression of the place. I was the first BA passenger to arrive in the queue, and it took me 35 minutes to get through, those at the back would have had a much longer wait. There was an Emirates service being cleared ahead of the BA service, this represented a single queue of about 40 people by the time I joined. But after all BA passengers were in the immigration hall there were 7 lines of queues for about 250-300 people in all. They had 6 or 7 immigration agents, but 3 seemed to be under training and were being supervised. Some passengers took a very long time to get processed by an agent, whereas I was through in under a minute when I finally got to the desk. I don't understand the difference, other than that I'm not a first time visitor to Seychelles and there is a question on the immigration form for this. We were all asked to show proof of accommodation on the islands, in my case the swiftest glance of the Hilton App was all that was required. I wasn't asked to show return travel details, others were. So, be prepared for a less than stellar first hour on Seychelles, have accommodation and return travel information ready, and if you are able to get to the hall quickly then that would be good. There are toilets in the waiting area. [Edit: I heard that the second service was even worse due to 2 other aircraft arriving together, so I don't think it's a one off problem] https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/XoPcnZ.jpg Getting around: taxis are widely available, with a big queue of modern cars at the airport, but are expensive, they are about 50€ to almost anywhere and rather more for places like the Four Seasons. They prefer local currency, the Seychelles Rupee. Much cheaper is the islands bus service which runs at at least half hourly intervals on all the main roads. The fare is 15 rupees (1€) for air-con buses, 7 rupees for buses without a/c, not that you will have much choice as to which will turn up. There is a bus stop just outside the airport, bear leftwards from arrivals. Car hire is popular, daily rates start in the 40-50€ range for the entry level vehicles. Parish notes: HSSE: Don't underestimate the strength of the sun in Seychelles, It's pretty much on the Equator. Temperatures may be say 28c and one perhaps thinks it's like a humid day in Bognor Regis, but it is anything but, particular if the sun is being reflected off water. SPF 50 and very limited exposure to begin with is very much order of the day..... Money: though a lot of prices are quoted in Euros, and those who work in the tourist trade tend to quote in that currency, the actual currency used on the island is Seychelles Rupees (SCR), which is now a hard currency, though difficult to obtain before departure. You can get cash out from ATMs which are all over the island, even in relatively small townships. You should be able to convert back to your local currency without too much issue when you return home. Credit cards can be used for larger transactions - hotels, car hire, restaurants catering for tourists. Taxis and small traders expect cash. Driving: is on the left. Power: UK plugs, 220v. Tipping: not a big part of Seychelles culture, but 5% to 10%, or rounding up a bill, would be genuinely appreciated. Personal soundtrack: Hoppípolla by Sigur Rós. |
Another excellent inaugural report - thanks for taking the time, spending the money and making the effort. It is very much appreciated ^
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Thank You, Thank You, Thank You
Seems like the perfect use of my joker, GFU 2 and companion ticket for me and the missus :D
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Thanks CWS!
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Thanks for this - already booked a few months ago for my honeymoon!!
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Do you mean 7K rather than 7F in the first post? I have a forthcoming 7F and would love it to have a window.
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Great report. Can't wait for my trip in October! Will also be interested to hear about the meal service on the return flight...will they serve breakfast, brunch or lunch!! Hoping that it will be a lunch service!
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Thanks for the write up. SEZ is firmly on my to do list after 2 weeks in Mauritius & Rodrigues! Did you see any of the giant tortoises?
Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave
(Post 29577153)
That seat, 7A, is probably the best seat on a 787, 7F would be too however that will usually be a crew rest seat unless other circumstances forces it to be used. 7F is actually the better seat since it's further away from the WC, but the 787 WCs are very quiet in operation and the curtain cuts off any line of sight to its use. Both of these window seats allow clear access to the aisle without crossing over another seat. That will also be the case for seats 13A and 13F, though their view is mainly of the huge wing, and middle seats 7E and 13E - these may be good options during night flights to SEZ, there isn't so much to see en route. There is a 787 seating guide in the BA Forum Dashboard.
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Thanks for the write-up.
Don't forget the chance to island-hop is a big part of the appeal (IMHO at least) so getting around by internal flight or high-speed ferry is fairly key. |
As ever great work CWS for putting this together. Can't wait to take the wife.!
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Thanks for this C-W-S, really looking forward to our anniversary trip in July
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Originally Posted by LPQ
(Post 29578671)
Do you mean 7K rather than 7F in the first post? I have a forthcoming 7F and would love it to have a window.
And a friendly shout out to all the passenger and crew lurkers who have followed this report (and me!). |
Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave
(Post 29581204)
shefgab is correct, I meant 7K, it's one of a number of typos which I will correct. And I will add the return flight details, which turned into a flying House Party affair, with 11 cabin crew looking after 26 passengers! There were just 7 passengers in WT and WTP combined. The menu is worth sharing, it was produced to the new CW standards but by Seychelles one and only airline kitchen using local ingredients, one the best meals I've ever had in the air.
And a friendly shout out to all the passenger and crew lurkers who have followed this report (and me!). |
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