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More inconsistency from BA FIRST: short trip report

More inconsistency from BA FIRST: short trip report

Old Feb 18, 2019, 12:22 pm
  #16  
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 3,190
Originally Posted by aristoph
In 3 weeks I fly Norwegian PE to the US, and BA CW home. Is it wrong that I'm more excited about the outbound?
Even a brief trip report would be appreciated, comparing those two!

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Old Feb 18, 2019, 12:25 pm
  #17  
 
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Originally Posted by Tobias-UK
Well, I’m pleased to report the 9 First sectors I’ve flown since the start of 2019 have all been good to excellent. I’ve not flown to JNB/CPT but I have travelled to and/or from LAS, LAX, SIN, HKG with flights crewed by either WW or MF and I have absolutely nothing to complain about. I’m expecting a similar service when I return to the UK tomorrow.
That’s excellent indeed, and good to hear another perspective.

How wonderful it would be if the OP - along with all other BA First customers - could count on the same consistently stellar service in F - on each and every flight, with no issues or cause for complaint. And then we wouldn’t be seeing this sort of this thread with the disappointing frequency that we do.

There is always hope, I guess.
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Old Feb 18, 2019, 12:28 pm
  #18  
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 3,190
Originally Posted by Fitch
D'you what though ? CW, when done properly, is actually pretty good. We have just had a lovely sector back from PVG... engaged cabin crew making an extra effort, decent food, IFE working, drink flowing... ...
The crew can make all the difference - in any cabin. The spectrum of service on BA is far too broad (i.e. at the lower end) and the distribution too even. I know there will always be a few sub-standard crews, and crew members who are having a bad day (they are human, after all!) but the standard should be good or better almost all of the time. Or are my expectations unreasonable?

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Old Feb 18, 2019, 12:57 pm
  #19  
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Chelsea
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Originally Posted by aristoph
That's exactly what we thought - we could be in J!

In 3 weeks I fly Norwegian PE to the US, and BA CW home. Is it wrong that I'm more excited about the outbound?
Not at all, but I expect the benefit of the flat bed will help rebalance the scales.
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Old Feb 18, 2019, 1:43 pm
  #20  
 
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Originally Posted by BA235
Not at all, but I expect the benefit of the flat bed will help rebalance the scales.
Maybe. I'm perfectly fine with PE for the daytime westbound flight but do prefer the flat bed on the night-time eastbound flights. I'm quite happy with the money savings on the PE sector.
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Old Feb 18, 2019, 2:02 pm
  #21  
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 698
Originally Posted by BA235


For what it’s worth, the catering ex-ZA has always been poor - which is surprising considering the abundance of quality produce available here.

Otherwise, sounds like a normal BA F experience to me, i.e. fine for the price. Might have been worse, though: you could have been in Club ��
I so agree and this has always been a great 'why' for me.

The three routes that I find with the worst catering in J and F are SYD/JNB/CPT - LHR.

The irony being all three of these routes originate in countries with amazingly GREAT food.

I guess it's down to how much BA is prepared to pay the caterers.

As for F flights ex UK i've taken to ask to see the CW menu when flying F especially for the starters. I get so sick of a 'timbale' or 'terrine' or 'mousse' of something (ie the minced up cheap leftover bits) when they have actual simple decent stuff for starters in CW
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Old Feb 18, 2019, 3:13 pm
  #22  
 
Join Date: May 2017
Programs: BA Exec Club, Accor Diamond, other airline programmes very basic
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Originally Posted by lost_in_translation
You paid 2k return for a direct LHR-JNB flight, which is very keen pricing for J class, let alone F. BA appears to be increasingly willing to price F in line with the quality of the product so that they can sell it rather than having seats go out empty / filled up with redemptions, which makes perfect sense and I can only believe will continue as the new CW is eventually rolled out. The flip side of that is you can't expect the wine list and catering to be the same quality as F on carriers that never reduce their F class pricing below twice what BA charges.

The service issues are sad and having experienced the same in the past, I sympathise. The lounge also I will not attempt to defend.
I'm heading GLA-JNB-CPT with F on the LHR-JNB sectors in a few weeks time. got the tickets for around 2.1K each in a special promotion last summer. price is around same as we paid last 3 trips to CPT in J (AF x 1 and QR x 2). Flew to SFO in F on the A380 a few months ago and was generally impressed, but cabin crew can make flight enjoyable or otherwise for us travelling public and most of the time in my experience BA crew do very well.
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Old Feb 18, 2019, 3:25 pm
  #23  
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
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OP interesting to read your post.

Reading it makes me think again that the in reports I read and my own travels, the outward journey (well, exLON I mean really) seems to go better than the return journey.

Is is there a trend? Are passengers and crew happier heading off? And not-so-happy or tired on the way home.
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Old Feb 18, 2019, 5:01 pm
  #24  
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
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Originally Posted by 108912
I so agree and this has always been a great 'why' for me.

The three routes that I find with the worst catering in J and F are SYD/JNB/CPT - LHR.

The irony being all three of these routes originate in countries with amazingly GREAT food.

I guess it's down to how much BA is prepared to pay the caterers.

As for F flights ex UK i've taken to ask to see the CW menu when flying F especially for the starters. I get so sick of a 'timbale' or 'terrine' or 'mousse' of something (ie the minced up cheap leftover bits) when they have actual simple decent stuff for starters in CW
Laughing at the 'timbales, terrines and mousses'

The new CW catering does have some starters I like too. In F it's a lottery if you get a chocolate from the secret box passing. In CW at least there are some snacks to choose from if the food doesn't appeal. Economy too - on some flights. If I ever see another chocolate dome I'll launch myself out of the plane in the shell. BA simply can't do First Class right now. The service is consistently inconsistent. I'd still choose F before CW whenever available using avios. I was considering using BA to JNB on an upcoming trip to Africa. This thread is helping me decide to choose Emirates for part of the journey, where it fits with plans.

BA management needs to read FT re F reviews.
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Old Feb 18, 2019, 5:02 pm
  #25  
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Originally Posted by aristoph
I thought about that lamb, but thought better as I guessed that they would ruin the cooking and overdone lamb is worse than beef. And yes, the description of cheeses was Cheddar and Camembert. Full stop. (Plus SA cheese is pretty horrid!)
On the menu, there are now basically two starters (plus a salad option); three mains (plus a salad option); and two desserts (plus cheese). It doesn't really make you feel spoiled for choice when you know that they are going to ruin anything meaty and that everything else is going to leave you hungry!
I flew First on BA about a week ago and ordered the Rack of Lamb. Mine was cooked right about medium, which as far as airplane red meat goes was fantastic. My dish was absolutely amazing, it had a lot of spice and flavor. I think airplane cooking in general can be hit or miss.
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Old Feb 18, 2019, 5:23 pm
  #26  
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Originally Posted by mikem004
Sounds like BA First class = Business class on other airlines, at best.
BA F is a pretty good, but by no means top of the market J product.
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Old Feb 18, 2019, 6:32 pm
  #27  
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I'm seeing some incredible cash price examples for F on this thread.

Changed days. When I was young only VIP's, the Upper Class and Chairman of Blue Chip companies seemed to fly F. Now it's within the reach of everyone armed with the relevant knowledge.
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Old Feb 18, 2019, 9:11 pm
  #28  
 
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Originally Posted by AnaTravel

BA management needs to read FT re F reviews.
Which from my reading of them are as inconsistent as the product itself.
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Old Feb 18, 2019, 11:04 pm
  #29  
 
Join Date: May 2013
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I always find it hard to tell from such threads whether some posters have exceptional good/bad luck, or whether it is just a question of calibrating one's expectations.

I suppose in many ways Hiddy is right, the product is relatively cheap and therefore you can have average service and still feel you got VFM. Perhaps the resulting reduction in yield is why F cabins are being downscaled or removed from new aircraft?

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Old Feb 19, 2019, 12:16 am
  #30  
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
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Originally Posted by simons1
The product is relatively cheap and therefore you can have average service and still feel you got VFM
I experienced very poor service where I paid an eye watering price and then had an exceptional experience for a fraction of that price. It all comes down to building right expectations and then delivering against them. I don't think anyone would have complained if BA marketed (and priced) their F product as a slightly improved CW, just as nobody complains about domestic First in the US being inferior to international F.
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