My "is it worth it?" flight in F
Oct 24, 2018, 3:29 pm
#1
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My "is it worth it?" flight in F
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?
Oct 24, 2018, 3:43 pm
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Oct 24, 2018, 3:47 pm
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Oct 24, 2018, 3:50 pm
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Oct 24, 2018, 3:52 pm
#7
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I think for personal travels I would not spend more than 1.5k for a biz class seat. It's when I travel for biz and I need to go straight to the office, busy schedule, boring dinners, etc, that biz class becomes a must have for me. F in my view adds privacy to the biz class experience, food is still plane food and as per the wines, I have better bubbles in my cellar to quench my daily thirst.
That said, I am afraid it will be hard to go back to kettle class. Lie flat is what makes a world of difference IMO, the rest is just smoke and mirrors that you end up enjoying or not enjoying only if you fly a lot. Good news is that with credit cards, various promos, etc. it is not that hard to bank loads of Avios. So if you only fly once or twice a year and plan properly you could fly mostly in premium cabins.
That said, I am afraid it will be hard to go back to kettle class. Lie flat is what makes a world of difference IMO, the rest is just smoke and mirrors that you end up enjoying or not enjoying only if you fly a lot. Good news is that with credit cards, various promos, etc. it is not that hard to bank loads of Avios. So if you only fly once or twice a year and plan properly you could fly mostly in premium cabins.
Oct 24, 2018, 3:57 pm
#8
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I think for personal travels I would not spend more than 1.5k for a biz class seat. It's when I travel for biz and I need to go straight to the office, busy schedule, boring dinners, etc, that biz class becomes a must have for me. F in my view adds privacy to the biz class experience, food is still plane food and as per the wines, I have better bubbles in my cellar to quench my daily thirst.
That said, I am afraid it will be hard to go back to kettle class. Lie flat is what makes a world of difference IMO, the rest is just smoke and mirrors that you end up enjoying or not enjoying only if you fly a lot. Good news is that with credit cards, various promos, etc. it is not that hard to bank loads of Avios. So if you only fly once or twice a year and plan properly you could fly mostly in premium cabins.
That said, I am afraid it will be hard to go back to kettle class. Lie flat is what makes a world of difference IMO, the rest is just smoke and mirrors that you end up enjoying or not enjoying only if you fly a lot. Good news is that with credit cards, various promos, etc. it is not that hard to bank loads of Avios. So if you only fly once or twice a year and plan properly you could fly mostly in premium cabins.
Unfortunately I live in a country (Austria) where credit card opportunities are very thin on the ground.
Oct 25, 2018, 1:13 am
#9
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 68
Enjoy your first flight in F and the accompanying LPGS!
There is endless advice from veteran flyers on here to maximise the experience (seats, lounges, F&B etc) which I found very helpful indeed. Re seats row 1 should open up T-72 if they haven't been taken, so may not necessarily be out of bounds. Expertflyer.com will let you know if they're blocked or occupied in the meantime which you can use for free for a few searches.
The only thing I would add would be to let the cabin crew know it's your first F - I've seen this happen a few times and the crew are more than happy to indulge! I'm sure others have better stories but I have witnessed a wine tasting from each of the champagne, white and red wine menus.. I did wonder if he would manage to remember the flight afterwards
This a hundred times. I used to be in the staunch camp of viewing travel as a means to get from A to B and to save the cash for the other end, but the premium travel bug well and truly bit a couple of years and ago after going for a POUG.
I have very few longhaul business trips, but in terms of personal travel with the OH, our trips now start before leaving home rather than having recovered from a delightful Y/W seat and jet lag. It's also a delight delaying that thud back to reality on the way to the airport when returning home. With a bit of careful planning (and lurking on FT) we've managed to fly premium on revenue, avios and AUP fares ever since and reached that elusive gold status as well!
There is endless advice from veteran flyers on here to maximise the experience (seats, lounges, F&B etc) which I found very helpful indeed. Re seats row 1 should open up T-72 if they haven't been taken, so may not necessarily be out of bounds. Expertflyer.com will let you know if they're blocked or occupied in the meantime which you can use for free for a few searches.
The only thing I would add would be to let the cabin crew know it's your first F - I've seen this happen a few times and the crew are more than happy to indulge! I'm sure others have better stories but I have witnessed a wine tasting from each of the champagne, white and red wine menus.. I did wonder if he would manage to remember the flight afterwards
I think for personal travels I would not spend more than 1.5k for a biz class seat. It's when I travel for biz and I need to go straight to the office, busy schedule, boring dinners, etc, that biz class becomes a must have for me. F in my view adds privacy to the biz class experience, food is still plane food and as per the wines, I have better bubbles in my cellar to quench my daily thirst.
That said, I am afraid it will be hard to go back to kettle class. Lie flat is what makes a world of difference IMO, the rest is just smoke and mirrors that you end up enjoying or not enjoying only if you fly a lot. Good news is that with credit cards, various promos, etc. it is not that hard to bank loads of Avios. So if you only fly once or twice a year and plan properly you could fly mostly in premium cabins.
That said, I am afraid it will be hard to go back to kettle class. Lie flat is what makes a world of difference IMO, the rest is just smoke and mirrors that you end up enjoying or not enjoying only if you fly a lot. Good news is that with credit cards, various promos, etc. it is not that hard to bank loads of Avios. So if you only fly once or twice a year and plan properly you could fly mostly in premium cabins.
I have very few longhaul business trips, but in terms of personal travel with the OH, our trips now start before leaving home rather than having recovered from a delightful Y/W seat and jet lag. It's also a delight delaying that thud back to reality on the way to the airport when returning home. With a bit of careful planning (and lurking on FT) we've managed to fly premium on revenue, avios and AUP fares ever since and reached that elusive gold status as well!
Oct 25, 2018, 1:46 am
#10
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I’m having the opposite issue to the OP. Having indulged this year and enjoyed a number of LH F flights, I am coming back to earth with a bump next year. I’ve booked 4 LH return flights in Y. I am hoping that this will reiterate once again of how pleasurable the front of the plane is. Admittedly I also have my first taste of QR in J, a return flight from DOH on a BA 789 in F and a return to MIA in F just to soften the blow. Oh, and CCR access will make those Y flights slightly less painful.
Oct 25, 2018, 3:17 am
#12
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We were early retirees, some 20 years or more ago, and in 2000 started fairly regular l/h holidays. Initially in Y, then W, and finally from 2006 in J. We discovered the wonders of flying 'cheaply', with careful planning and the use of UuA (it was easier back then). And FlyerTalk has made a lot of difference too! We tried F once, in 2015, using a 2-4-1 voucher and decided the difference over J was insufficient to make us feel a need to do it again.
However, and this is pertinent to your future thinking, The_Bouncer, we rarely pay more than £1,500 each regardless of destination - and that includes the ex-JER element. We're in the same camp as frandrake - £1500 is our target price. Our 3 trips to Hawaii ranged from £1150-£1600, and even PHX/ANC was only £1850. Our next PHX is just £1299, via LHR. So, there is a middle road to follow which will perhaps leave you with a slightly thinner wallet to sit on but will at least let you escape from the back of the bus! And the research into good fares and pleasant destinations is enjoyable in its own way!
Have a good flight in F!
However, and this is pertinent to your future thinking, The_Bouncer, we rarely pay more than £1,500 each regardless of destination - and that includes the ex-JER element. We're in the same camp as frandrake - £1500 is our target price. Our 3 trips to Hawaii ranged from £1150-£1600, and even PHX/ANC was only £1850. Our next PHX is just £1299, via LHR. So, there is a middle road to follow which will perhaps leave you with a slightly thinner wallet to sit on but will at least let you escape from the back of the bus! And the research into good fares and pleasant destinations is enjoyable in its own way!
Have a good flight in F!
Oct 25, 2018, 3:20 am
#13
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Enjoy your first flight in F and the accompanying LPGS!
There is endless advice from veteran flyers on here to maximise the experience (seats, lounges, F&B etc) which I found very helpful indeed. Re seats row 1 should open up T-72 if they haven't been taken, so may not necessarily be out of bounds. Expertflyer.com will let you know if they're blocked or occupied in the meantime which you can use for free for a few searches.
There is endless advice from veteran flyers on here to maximise the experience (seats, lounges, F&B etc) which I found very helpful indeed. Re seats row 1 should open up T-72 if they haven't been taken, so may not necessarily be out of bounds. Expertflyer.com will let you know if they're blocked or occupied in the meantime which you can use for free for a few searches.
The only thing I would add would be to let the cabin crew know it's your first F - I've seen this happen a few times and the crew are more than happy to indulge! I'm sure others have better stories but I have witnessed a wine tasting from each of the champagne, white and red wine menus.. I did wonder if he would manage to remember the flight afterwards
This a hundred times. I used to be in the staunch camp of viewing travel as a means to get from A to B and to save the cash for the other end, but the premium travel bug well and truly bit a couple of years and ago after going for a POUG.
I have very few longhaul business trips, but in terms of personal travel with the OH, our trips now start before leaving home rather than having recovered from a delightful Y/W seat and jet lag. It's also a delight delaying that thud back to reality on the way to the airport when returning home. With a bit of careful planning (and lurking on FT) we've managed to fly premium on revenue, avios and AUP fares ever since and reached that elusive gold status as well!
I’m having the opposite issue to the OP. Having indulged this year and enjoyed a number of LH F flights, I am coming back to earth with a bump next year. I’ve booked 4 LH return flights in Y. I am hoping that this will reiterate once again of how pleasurable the front of the plane is. Admittedly I also have my first taste of QR in J, a return flight from DOH on a BA 789 in F and a return to MIA in F just to soften the blow. Oh, and CCR access will make those Y flights slightly less painful.
Oct 25, 2018, 3:24 am
#14
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Once you have chosen your seat, you will not be evicted from row 1 unless the chair is malfunctioning.
Oct 25, 2018, 3:27 am
#15
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However, and this is pertinent to your future thinking, The_Bouncer, we rarely pay more than £1,500 each regardless of destination - and that includes the ex-JER element. We're in the same camp as frandrake - £1500 is our target price. Our 3 trips to Hawaii ranged from £1150-£1600, and even PHX/ANC was only £1850. Our next PHX is just £1299, via LHR. So, there is a middle road to follow which will perhaps leave you with a slightly thinner wallet to sit on but will at least let you escape from the back of the bus! And the research into good fares and pleasant destinations is enjoyable in its own way!
Have a good flight in F!
If I can get it for the kind of rates you and frandrake are talking about, I might consider it if the prices are tempered by 250% credit to AS. Part of my rationalisation for spending the cash on this F flight was the 450% credit giving me ca. 40k AS miles, very conservatively worth at least £400.