Tel Aviv 777 First Class
Feb 23, 2019, 7:08 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Newcastle UK
Posts: 1,114
Tel Aviv 777 First Class
Hi. I'm aware that over the years availability of F tends to be on and off on this route. I see that there is an F cabin for sale for the foreseeable on certain flights. I've read elsewhere that these 777's might not be great in First. Does anyone have any info to either confirm or deny? For example, is the cabin interior likely to be of a decent recently upgraded standard and is the IFE kit likely to be decent? I also realise this is one of the airline's shortest F routes, so wondering if they allocate older and longer time ago refurbished aircraft on this route? Will first be worth the money over CW. Thanks for your help.
Feb 23, 2019, 7:17 am
#2
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
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All the First cabins throughout BA are now the same, given that Old First is no longer with us. There are two differences - IFE and general space around. The A380, which went under the name of First Prime for a short while, has more panelling and space, so it's the best out there on BA's fleet. Second best are all the 777s, which doesn't have the panelling but has got more space. 787s and 747s are a bit more cramped, not that there are many complaints other than that the 787s can't do buddy dining . There may be a case against the 17 seater 777s, of which there are only 3 left, on the basis that at that size it isn't as exclusive a cabin as the main 8 / 12 / 14 seater cabins. The core seat, however, is the same throughout.
For the IFE it is quite complex and you can't tell from the seat plan of First what IFE you're going to get, but suffice to say the IFE can vary from poor (Rockwell Collins), good (Thales) and excellent (Panasonic, hypothetically). The 17 seaters do have Thales, the rest is a mix. You would either need to give the date of travel, or the first and last seat of WTP for someone to look it up for you, or work your way through thebasource.com to work it out for yourself.
For the IFE it is quite complex and you can't tell from the seat plan of First what IFE you're going to get, but suffice to say the IFE can vary from poor (Rockwell Collins), good (Thales) and excellent (Panasonic, hypothetically). The 17 seaters do have Thales, the rest is a mix. You would either need to give the date of travel, or the first and last seat of WTP for someone to look it up for you, or work your way through thebasource.com to work it out for yourself.
Feb 23, 2019, 7:26 am
#3
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
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The 17 seater 777 is one of my favourites I think, I like the slightly bigger cabin and didn’t notice any reduction in service levels (although I can’t remember if it was full)
Feb 23, 2019, 8:41 am
#5
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: London UK
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Feb 23, 2019, 9:14 am
#6
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
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In the last month Zulu Alpha, Bravo and Charlie have all made at least one visit to TLV, making 8 return flights in total. Because they aren't Extended Range 777s they can't do the longer flights so Middle East and East Coast USA is their usual schedule.
Feb 23, 2019, 5:20 pm
#7
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Toronto
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I've been on ZA, AB and ZC in first class between Toronto and London and they're fine. (I think there is no crew rest space which is where the extra seats come from. Off thread, but I find first far inferior when served by mixed fleet. They just lack the personal touch and experience that long haul staff provide. So much so, I've stopped booking first (on avois on the route (excluding this winter where there has been on first) as the service was so bad on my last two flights. I like the 777 for first trips as the cabin has space. (I do miss 1A / 2A on the 747.
Feb 23, 2019, 7:12 pm
#8
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: UK
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The IFE situation will be unpredictable even if you know what’s scheduled, given the current frequency of equipment swaps, especially on 777 routes. Recently had a late swap of a 17F (Thales IFE) to a 12F (Rockwell Collins) on the TLV route (and had a few similar changes on 777 routes over the last year). I’ve started avoiding advance selection of 3/4K for this reason, and the Rockwell Collins IFE on these aircraft is really very poor by today’s standards.
IFE-routette aside, I prefer F on the 777 to the 744, better personal and overall cabin space. Also haven’t had any particular issues with MF crews in F, on this or other routes. As to the value on TLV, it’s not the longest flight and value is a personal thing, but depending on flight combination F can be had for a relatively small premium to CW on the route.
IFE-routette aside, I prefer F on the 777 to the 744, better personal and overall cabin space. Also haven’t had any particular issues with MF crews in F, on this or other routes. As to the value on TLV, it’s not the longest flight and value is a personal thing, but depending on flight combination F can be had for a relatively small premium to CW on the route.
Feb 24, 2019, 11:44 pm
#9
Join Date: May 2017
Programs: BA Exec Club, Accor Diamond, other airline programmes very basic
Posts: 194
Hi. I'm aware that over the years availability of F tends to be on and off on this route. I see that there is an F cabin for sale for the foreseeable on certain flights. I've read elsewhere that these 777's might not be great in First. Does anyone have any info to either confirm or deny? For example, is the cabin interior likely to be of a decent recently upgraded standard and is the IFE kit likely to be decent? I also realise this is one of the airline's shortest F routes, so wondering if they allocate older and longer time ago refurbished aircraft on this route? Will first be worth the money over CW. Thanks for your help.
Feb 25, 2019, 12:44 pm
#10
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 574
I've flown this route in F quite a few times now. For me, BA F food is too often mediocre. The IFE seemed fine. IIRC on one flight the cabin had 14 seats. I remember this only as there were no other passengers in F apart from my husband and I. Before joining FT I paid scant attention to plane types, airport codes or layouts. The knowledge on the forum is amazing to tap into for detail.
Apr 15, 2019, 10:10 pm
#11
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: Delta DM, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 115
I've flown this route in F and while the cabin itself was fine the range and quality of food both on the outward and return legs was very disappointing. I've been lucky enough to fly F a few times and in terms of catering have been largely impressed but our flight from LHR to TLV was at breakfast time and both the choice and quality were disappointing. Perhaps we were just unlucky though?
Apr 15, 2019, 11:19 pm
#13
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Unfortunately not. No special ground services at all, except for a First check in desk which of course is used by GCH as well.
As for the OP's original question (I'm a little late to this post), TLV seems to get a real mix of 777s, including the 77W which is scheduled fairly often for the summer schedule.
As for the OP's original question (I'm a little late to this post), TLV seems to get a real mix of 777s, including the 77W which is scheduled fairly often for the summer schedule.