My "is it worth it?" flight in F
Oct 25, 2018, 6:56 am
#31
Join Date: Aug 2018
Programs: British Airways Executive Club, Virgin Flying Club
Posts: 154
I flew solo JFK-LHR last month on a 777 in seat 2A. While it's hard to avoid the temptation of "1A" on your boarding pass, 2A is a great seat on the 777 (at least in my opinion). I know some posters here have already said the noise from the galley and bathroom isn't that bad, but I reckon it's not worth the risk.
Oct 25, 2018, 7:21 am
#33
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Oct 25, 2018, 7:23 am
#34
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I guess it’s my age (74 next week) but I really value the flat bed above all else. I’ve done a fair few 5-6 hour sectors on AA in Domestic First, and frankly find it really uncomfortable after a few hours.
I am addicted to being horizontal
It also means I can get some sleep, and be ready to start a holiday on arrival. The 12h LGW-CPT has me sleeping for 7 hours quite happily!
I am addicted to being horizontal
It also means I can get some sleep, and be ready to start a holiday on arrival. The 12h LGW-CPT has me sleeping for 7 hours quite happily!
Oct 25, 2018, 8:18 am
#35
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Oct 25, 2018, 8:53 am
#37
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Oct 25, 2018, 9:14 am
#38
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Since I semi-retired 5 years ago and started funding all of my own travel, I have been a committed back-of-the-bus flyer.
I have flown international business class quite a few times, either on op-ups or OPM (I miss OPM!) and never been impressed enough to fork out 4-figure sums of my own cash for it.
You still have the climb-over factor, quite a lot of cabin noise and very little privacy. For this reason, I have generally preferred to sit down the back and either spend the extra cash at the destination or save it for another trip.
However, when I spotted a fare of 2371GBP for MAN-LHR-ORD//MIA-LHR-MAN in F, I began to wonder whether the extra step up in comfort, privacy and service in First would convince me that it really is worth stumping up the cash.
Consequently, I am taking off next Thursday, November 1 for my first flight in F.
I thought about posting this either in the Trip Reports or Travel Buzz sections, as it is intended more as an evaluation of premium class travel in general, but since I am flying with BA, I figured this would be the place to get the best pre-flight advice on maximising the experience, as well as finding out whether whatever experience I have is typical for these flights
I am flying out on a 777 in 2A and back on an A380 in 2K (travelling solo). I chose these seats after reading various threads on this forum (I have no status so row 1 seems to be out of bounds).
I have deliberately booked 4-hour connections at LHR in both directions to try out everything I can in the lounges, although as a 40yo single male I might skip the spa treatment in favour of another kind of liquid indulgence!
I'm not quite sure what the future holds for my travels after this experiment. Will I be scraping together mountains of Avios from every conceivable source, scouring ex-EU deals and selling my body (not sure who would buy it, but anyway...) to keep myself quaffing the Kir Royales up front? Or will I be back in the cheap seats with my can of lager and a slightly fatter wallet digging into my backside?
I have flown international business class quite a few times, either on op-ups or OPM (I miss OPM!) and never been impressed enough to fork out 4-figure sums of my own cash for it.
You still have the climb-over factor, quite a lot of cabin noise and very little privacy. For this reason, I have generally preferred to sit down the back and either spend the extra cash at the destination or save it for another trip.
However, when I spotted a fare of 2371GBP for MAN-LHR-ORD//MIA-LHR-MAN in F, I began to wonder whether the extra step up in comfort, privacy and service in First would convince me that it really is worth stumping up the cash.
Consequently, I am taking off next Thursday, November 1 for my first flight in F.
I thought about posting this either in the Trip Reports or Travel Buzz sections, as it is intended more as an evaluation of premium class travel in general, but since I am flying with BA, I figured this would be the place to get the best pre-flight advice on maximising the experience, as well as finding out whether whatever experience I have is typical for these flights
I am flying out on a 777 in 2A and back on an A380 in 2K (travelling solo). I chose these seats after reading various threads on this forum (I have no status so row 1 seems to be out of bounds).
I have deliberately booked 4-hour connections at LHR in both directions to try out everything I can in the lounges, although as a 40yo single male I might skip the spa treatment in favour of another kind of liquid indulgence!
I'm not quite sure what the future holds for my travels after this experiment. Will I be scraping together mountains of Avios from every conceivable source, scouring ex-EU deals and selling my body (not sure who would buy it, but anyway...) to keep myself quaffing the Kir Royales up front? Or will I be back in the cheap seats with my can of lager and a slightly fatter wallet digging into my backside?
i would never pay real money to fly BA first. As a product it’s a decent J classbut does not compare favourably to CX QR QF J. It does however get you away from cramped world and their poor excuse for a business class product.
Service in F is highly variable, amateur and a shadow of its former self.
i would choose AA 777-300 for all Tatl as the seat is not a million miles from BA F. Food is better and service more consistent.
Enjoy F, but keep your expectations low and it will all be ok. It’s not LH or Swiss F and compared to EY or SQ it’s no more than PY.
Last edited by binman; Oct 25, 2018 at 9:19 am
Oct 25, 2018, 9:14 am
#39
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Oct 25, 2018, 9:18 am
#40
Join Date: Aug 2006
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I was in 2K on the A380 a couple weeks ago - there is virtually no difference with 1K (although people claim a more private feel with the latter). In 1K, I don't particularly like the burst of light when the curtain is opened, as the occasional person comes in from the front. Stick with 2K!
Oct 25, 2018, 1:42 pm
#42
Join Date: Oct 2018
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I did LHR - JNB in 2A on the A380 and back from CPT in 2A in the 747 as a solo traveler, earlier this year. Both great flights, nice private seats and I thoroughly enjoyed them. Although the outbound was heavily delayed by storm Emma and The Beast from the East, but that's another story. Having said that, I think if a trip involved a long overnight again I would go for J especially if I could get a UD on the 747 or window seat.
Oct 25, 2018, 3:27 pm
#43
Join Date: Mar 2009
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I flew solo JFK-LHR last month on a 777 in seat 2A. While it's hard to avoid the temptation of "1A" on your boarding pass, 2A is a great seat on the 777 (at least in my opinion). I know some posters here have already said the noise from the galley and bathroom isn't that bad, but I reckon it's not worth the risk.
Oct 25, 2018, 4:30 pm
#45
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