New First soft product: your experiences
Apr 22, 2019, 9:23 am
#301
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Germany
Programs: BA GGL, CCR - TK G
Posts: 809
I’m not a wine expert either. My experience of BA F wine lists, especially in the last couple of years, is that they are always headed by a white burgundy and a claret, which are generally in the range of GBP 25-40 UK retail price. The remainder of the wines on the list tend to be in the GBP 10-20 UK retail price range and heavily New World in origin (along with some Sancerre and quite a bit of Grüner Veltliner appearing on the white lists), so you were likely drinking the most expensive wines on the list (excluding bubbles).
Haven’t personally seen any Pomerol recently. Either by design or coincidence, nearly all the claret options on my BA F flights in the last year have been Saint-Émilion of some kind (I suppose they are at least neighbours). I’ve only done one F flight since the new service came in, and I did notice that the red list had been increased from 3 to 4 wines, 2 of them being Bordeaux (both Saint-Émilion
). This was just as well, since one of them had not been loaded...however the one I had (Bellefont-Belcier 2011) was reasonably good, as was the Chassagne-Montrachet.
Apr 22, 2019, 12:46 pm
#302
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: vie
Programs: BAEC GfL;LH M&M FQTV ; SPG Gold ; A-Club Gold;HHonnors Diamond
Posts: 171
Apr 22, 2019, 3:04 pm
#303
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Bainbridge Island, WA
Posts: 8,964
Bravo to the Crew of #53 today
So despite many of the rumblings about silver that falls off the plate or less than great wines that I read on this thread.....we had what was one of the BEST flights we have ever had in all our years of travel today on BA 053 LHR-SEA.
The crew, many of whom admitted they have not flown a First class cabin in years, could not have been more attentive, friendly, and on top of servicing the cabin non-stop. The food was very good, ( I had scallops for 1st course and beef for main). My glass of diet coke was never empty. A request for the ladies amenity kit instead of the man's so that I could give it as a gift, resulted in both. A " complaint" about the "one movie worth" using the new headphones before they hurt, produced a smaller, lighter pair... allowing me to watch 3 movies in comfort. ( Not sure where they came from...club?) The afternoon tea before we landed was an added bonus and something, being a Yank, I had never experienced before. The crew presented a bottle of champagne and a signed card to my husband as we deplaned in celebration of a recently past birthday.
Anyway....I'm sure many of these comments are standard expectations from the well-traveled....but for my husband and I who have only flown BA First a few times in our lives this flight was memorable. I plan to write BA once I feel a bit more coherent from the long journey.
The crew, many of whom admitted they have not flown a First class cabin in years, could not have been more attentive, friendly, and on top of servicing the cabin non-stop. The food was very good, ( I had scallops for 1st course and beef for main). My glass of diet coke was never empty. A request for the ladies amenity kit instead of the man's so that I could give it as a gift, resulted in both. A " complaint" about the "one movie worth" using the new headphones before they hurt, produced a smaller, lighter pair... allowing me to watch 3 movies in comfort. ( Not sure where they came from...club?) The afternoon tea before we landed was an added bonus and something, being a Yank, I had never experienced before. The crew presented a bottle of champagne and a signed card to my husband as we deplaned in celebration of a recently past birthday.
Anyway....I'm sure many of these comments are standard expectations from the well-traveled....but for my husband and I who have only flown BA First a few times in our lives this flight was memorable. I plan to write BA once I feel a bit more coherent from the long journey.
Apr 23, 2019, 12:35 am
#304
Join Date: Oct 2015
Programs: BA Gold for Life
Posts: 1,390
Apr 23, 2019, 6:46 am
#307
Join Date: Jun 2015
Programs: BAEC silver
Posts: 55
First first review
I dont personally have anything to compare it too but I enjoyed my first first. I enjoyed my breakfast in the CCR and a couple of Lpgs. The lounge wasnt busy when I was there and the staff were quick to offer to refill my glass. Its a very nice lounge but I couldn’t imagine wanting to spend hours and hours extra in it. I am not a big drinker so would become bored after an hour or so , guess would also be better if travelling with others. I didnt try to get a spa appointment as its not my thing.
Seated in 3K on 747 , picked this side as I am right handed so easier as table is on that side.
I found the seat better than a CW one. I like all the freebies, pjs slippers and amenity bag all offered as soon as I sat down.I never used the blankets or bedding but the pillows were very comfortable. I did feel it was less private than a window CW seat that I had on the upper deck of a 380 though not having to step over anyone was so much better.
The food and service were very good . The crew seemed genuinely to be enjoying delivering it and nothing seemed too much trouble. They were always around and asking if I needed anything and tried to encourage me to try lots of the different drinks on offer. The flight passed by very quickly which I think says alot the only thing I can say I didnt enjoy was the headphones ...they are just not comfortable to wear I lasted less than an hour using them. Guess this is a recurring theme here.
In summary .....Would I pay for first ...never at full price .....over CW ..yes if its a reasonable amount £200-£300 but not more. I am glad I have done it and I certainly enjoyed it .I also hope to be able to travel in first again at some point but being a self funded traveller price will always be the deciding factor. Next up is Virgin upperclass on a reward flight as wouldnt pay those prices either. So will see where that fits in with BA.
A big thank you to the people who contribute to this forum as without the advice here I would never have had this opportunity.
Hope this is the correct place to add this review if not mods please move/remove it thanks
I dont personally have anything to compare it too but I enjoyed my first first. I enjoyed my breakfast in the CCR and a couple of Lpgs. The lounge wasnt busy when I was there and the staff were quick to offer to refill my glass. Its a very nice lounge but I couldn’t imagine wanting to spend hours and hours extra in it. I am not a big drinker so would become bored after an hour or so , guess would also be better if travelling with others. I didnt try to get a spa appointment as its not my thing.
Seated in 3K on 747 , picked this side as I am right handed so easier as table is on that side.
I found the seat better than a CW one. I like all the freebies, pjs slippers and amenity bag all offered as soon as I sat down.I never used the blankets or bedding but the pillows were very comfortable. I did feel it was less private than a window CW seat that I had on the upper deck of a 380 though not having to step over anyone was so much better.
The food and service were very good . The crew seemed genuinely to be enjoying delivering it and nothing seemed too much trouble. They were always around and asking if I needed anything and tried to encourage me to try lots of the different drinks on offer. The flight passed by very quickly which I think says alot the only thing I can say I didnt enjoy was the headphones ...they are just not comfortable to wear I lasted less than an hour using them. Guess this is a recurring theme here.
In summary .....Would I pay for first ...never at full price .....over CW ..yes if its a reasonable amount £200-£300 but not more. I am glad I have done it and I certainly enjoyed it .I also hope to be able to travel in first again at some point but being a self funded traveller price will always be the deciding factor. Next up is Virgin upperclass on a reward flight as wouldnt pay those prices either. So will see where that fits in with BA.
A big thank you to the people who contribute to this forum as without the advice here I would never have had this opportunity.
Hope this is the correct place to add this review if not mods please move/remove it thanks
Apr 23, 2019, 1:44 pm
#308
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Glasgow / London
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 3,457
The last 5 steaks I’ve had on BA have all been medium and tender, and that’s without asking the crew to follow the @Filthy Monkey method ^
Apr 24, 2019, 4:42 am
#309
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: Alaska 100K - MM, defender of shoes on the carpeted bulkhead 4ever, AA LT PLT, Hyatt Glob, HH Dia
Posts: 7,446
Flew BA 49 on Easter Monday. All good in the air.
I loved the new feminine washbag as it’s soft and covered in ariculas and other delightful spring flowers. Will definitely use the Elemis products and mirror is useful.I can see myself using it for packing smalls and such in my bag. I never use the socks as they are too large for my feet. They’ll get donated. The new pj top worked well for me. I realize that in a pinch you could wear them out with jeans and an oversized cardigan. I will have to hem the bottoms, but that’s always the case.
I loved the new feminine washbag as it’s soft and covered in ariculas and other delightful spring flowers. Will definitely use the Elemis products and mirror is useful.I can see myself using it for packing smalls and such in my bag. I never use the socks as they are too large for my feet. They’ll get donated. The new pj top worked well for me. I realize that in a pinch you could wear them out with jeans and an oversized cardigan. I will have to hem the bottoms, but that’s always the case.
Apr 24, 2019, 12:13 pm
#310
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: LON
Programs: Mucci, BAEC, Eurostar
Posts: 3,291
I enjoyed the new First, and thought I'd add a few comments. I had very little to compare with (2 previous First's, one of which was a very delayed overnight JFK-LHR so I slept the whole way) but they were recent experiences so still fresh in my mind.
I must say the service felt a little slower, but I never went thirsty. I'm always a bit under-watered since I drink about 3 litres on a 12-hour flight (if not more) but that's personal thing I guess. It's interesting that after a while they run out of smaller bottles and end up refilling your small bottle from a bigger one...
The food was definitely an improvement, the steak was much nicer and indeed slightly pink on the inside, and the second meal was really good. The bedding was nice too, and I don't find the PJs to be that "revealing", I'll be using them at home I haven't tried much out of the amenity kit yet, but I can already say that the eyemask is a bit less useful than the previous one. It used to have 2 little bits sticking out under your eyes, which is where the light gets in if you have a reasonably-sized nose. Luckily I kept 2 of those so I'll make sure I take them with me next time.
The staff were very British, in a way that I would describe as passive-aggressive-yet-nice-and-serviceable. But I'm used to that and would almost be disappointed if they acted differently. I know how to react and use it to my advantage. Imagine if a Paris waiter were patient and understanding with you in a café, you'd want to go somewhere else
One remark, maybe slightly off-topic, is that my first First was out of T3, and this one out of T5. Getting to use the CCR is a definite improvement. It's large, there's plenty of room, the service is really good, I enjoyed breakfast (although I was surprised that there was no hollandaise sauce on the eggs Benedict??) and then a second coffee, that was perfect. It's a definite improvement to the T3 Flounge, because I didn't notice any major difference compared to the Club lounges except the bubbly was out on display. The T5 Flounge looked a little nicer, which is great because I'll be reaching gold soon, mostly thanks to people here and that website HfP
I must say the service felt a little slower, but I never went thirsty. I'm always a bit under-watered since I drink about 3 litres on a 12-hour flight (if not more) but that's personal thing I guess. It's interesting that after a while they run out of smaller bottles and end up refilling your small bottle from a bigger one...
The food was definitely an improvement, the steak was much nicer and indeed slightly pink on the inside, and the second meal was really good. The bedding was nice too, and I don't find the PJs to be that "revealing", I'll be using them at home
I haven't tried much out of the amenity kit yet, but I can already say that the eyemask is a bit less useful than the previous one. It used to have 2 little bits sticking out under your eyes, which is where the light gets in if you have a reasonably-sized nose. Luckily I kept 2 of those so I'll make sure I take them with me next time.The staff were very British, in a way that I would describe as passive-aggressive-yet-nice-and-serviceable. But I'm used to that and would almost be disappointed if they acted differently. I know how to react and use it to my advantage. Imagine if a Paris waiter were patient and understanding with you in a café, you'd want to go somewhere else
One remark, maybe slightly off-topic, is that my first First was out of T3, and this one out of T5. Getting to use the CCR is a definite improvement. It's large, there's plenty of room, the service is really good, I enjoyed breakfast (although I was surprised that there was no hollandaise sauce on the eggs Benedict??) and then a second coffee, that was perfect. It's a definite improvement to the T3 Flounge, because I didn't notice any major difference compared to the Club lounges except the bubbly was out on display. The T5 Flounge looked a little nicer, which is great because I'll be reaching gold soon, mostly thanks to people here and that website HfP
Apr 24, 2019, 1:25 pm
#311
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: TPA/ABZ
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold. GGL/CCR.
Posts: 13,248
I haven't tried much out of the amenity kit yet, but I can already say that the eyemask is a bit less useful than the previous one. It used to have 2 little bits sticking out under your eyes, which is where the light gets in if you have a reasonably-sized nose. Luckily I kept 2 of those so I'll make sure I take them with me next time.
The new mask is substantially larger than the old one as shown in the picture and negates the requirement for the two sticky out bits.
Apr 24, 2019, 1:29 pm
#312
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: BHX
Programs: BA GGL CCR GfL, SQ Gold, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond, Marriott Plat, Cafe Nero Loyalty Card (7 Stamps)
Posts: 7,328
Food - Much better. Though the beef is still dryer than Boris Johnson's wife on date night.
Wine - Seems improved (at least on the reds)
PJs - Odd neckline on the men's. Hangs down to somewhere near your nipples.
Amenity Kits - Women's looks good; wife was impressed. Men's no idea as I only use the toothbrush, but the velour exterior feels like it will collect all kinds of fluff.
Good (though unmemorable) service on the outbound from WW crew. Best service I've had in years from the MF chap serving us on the inbound.
All in all, very impressed.
Wine - Seems improved (at least on the reds)
PJs - Odd neckline on the men's. Hangs down to somewhere near your nipples.
Amenity Kits - Women's looks good; wife was impressed. Men's no idea as I only use the toothbrush, but the velour exterior feels like it will collect all kinds of fluff.
Good (though unmemorable) service on the outbound from WW crew. Best service I've had in years from the MF chap serving us on the inbound.
All in all, very impressed.
Apr 25, 2019, 12:30 am
#313
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: London UK
Programs: BAEC Silver,, Oman Air Gold
Posts: 747
Just back yesterday from KUL and thanks to this and other threads I knew what to expect!
It was a first First so I got to use First Wing and CCR on the outbound flight. The First Wing is lovely and I understand now why it is praised so much. I had a lovely agent, who when I told her that this was my first First, she took the time to explain my Lounge options. I had a quick look around the F Lounge which seems to have changed a lot since my BMI Gold year. It seemed more opened up somehow and I only recognised the dining area from all those years ago. I must say it wasn’t as exciting as I had hoped for.
Anyway off to the CCR room which was very pleasant in an old-fashioned way. I had a late lunch of ribeye and chips (temperature perfect...) and the steak was medium/well just as I had ordered. I had a very nice red can’t remember which one.
Given the reverence that LGPS is given on this forum I had already decided that I would wait until I was on the terrace (my favourite place in the CCR) before I ordered one. It arrived and I sipped it as if I was taking the Sacrament to my comfort but, alas, there was no spiritual experience, in fact I was quite underwhelmed.
It’s perfectly nice and obviously better quality than the Castelnau but my first thought was “is this what all the fuss is about?” I much preferred the espresso martinis of which I had several (!) before my back and neck massage.
The outbound flight to KUL was great. I loved the seat and the privacy it afforded. The food was very good I had pre-ordered the chicken satay. I rarely sleep well on planes but I got a good five hours decent sleep and just had the fruit plate for breakfast. The CSM came and spoke to me at the end and apologised for not doing so earlier.
I was less impressed coming back to LHR. My first interaction with the cc was my being asked “How would you like to spend your flight with us this evening?” I assumed he meant do you want dinner or go to sleep, but why not just say that? I opted for dinner which seemed much slower than on the outbound. There was no hot towel, no wash bag offered, nor pyjamas nor slippers. I waited to see if they would be but ended up having to ask for a wash bag just before I went to bed. I was then offered pyjamas on my way to the WC which was really too late and I was wearing my own anyway.
The food again was was very good. As I suspected, the Vietnamese summer roll was to be served cold, so I went for chicken satay skewers. The crew member subsequently came back to apologise to say that the chef’s chat said the chicken satay should be served cold but eventually came back with the chicken heated up because a crew member said it was better that way...
I had the beef for my main course but wasn’t asked how I would like it. It came medium well which was just perfect.
Once again, I slept very well and woke up somewhere over South East Europe. When I moved my mattress to put the seat in the upright position I noticed that the cabin crew member had put the plastic bag containing the mattress underneath it on my seat instead of taking it away. This didn’t affect my sleep but it did strike me as being just a little bit lazy.
Breakfast was served about 80 minutes before landing I asked for a banana smoothie but was given strawberry despite the crew member coming back later to check. I didn’t notice at first and it tasted good so didn’t send it back.
The hot towel did come just as we were landing. It would have been better just after waking up and after getting on the flight.
All in all, a good, rather than a great, experience. Would I travel First again? Maybe if there was a good price in the sale, but certainly not at normal fare.
I now certainly understand better the inconsistency in First that others have spoken about.
This flight has however brought me to Gold as confirmed this morning by the App. I will wait for it to change colour over the next few days...
It was a first First so I got to use First Wing and CCR on the outbound flight. The First Wing is lovely and I understand now why it is praised so much. I had a lovely agent, who when I told her that this was my first First, she took the time to explain my Lounge options. I had a quick look around the F Lounge which seems to have changed a lot since my BMI Gold year. It seemed more opened up somehow and I only recognised the dining area from all those years ago. I must say it wasn’t as exciting as I had hoped for.
Anyway off to the CCR room which was very pleasant in an old-fashioned way. I had a late lunch of ribeye and chips (temperature perfect...) and the steak was medium/well just as I had ordered. I had a very nice red can’t remember which one.
Given the reverence that LGPS is given on this forum I had already decided that I would wait until I was on the terrace (my favourite place in the CCR) before I ordered one. It arrived and I sipped it as if I was taking the Sacrament to my comfort but, alas, there was no spiritual experience, in fact I was quite underwhelmed.
It’s perfectly nice and obviously better quality than the Castelnau but my first thought was “is this what all the fuss is about?” I much preferred the espresso martinis of which I had several (!) before my back and neck massage.
The outbound flight to KUL was great. I loved the seat and the privacy it afforded. The food was very good I had pre-ordered the chicken satay. I rarely sleep well on planes but I got a good five hours decent sleep and just had the fruit plate for breakfast. The CSM came and spoke to me at the end and apologised for not doing so earlier.
I was less impressed coming back to LHR. My first interaction with the cc was my being asked “How would you like to spend your flight with us this evening?” I assumed he meant do you want dinner or go to sleep, but why not just say that? I opted for dinner which seemed much slower than on the outbound. There was no hot towel, no wash bag offered, nor pyjamas nor slippers. I waited to see if they would be but ended up having to ask for a wash bag just before I went to bed. I was then offered pyjamas on my way to the WC which was really too late and I was wearing my own anyway.
The food again was was very good. As I suspected, the Vietnamese summer roll was to be served cold, so I went for chicken satay skewers. The crew member subsequently came back to apologise to say that the chef’s chat said the chicken satay should be served cold but eventually came back with the chicken heated up because a crew member said it was better that way...
I had the beef for my main course but wasn’t asked how I would like it. It came medium well which was just perfect.
Once again, I slept very well and woke up somewhere over South East Europe. When I moved my mattress to put the seat in the upright position I noticed that the cabin crew member had put the plastic bag containing the mattress underneath it on my seat instead of taking it away. This didn’t affect my sleep but it did strike me as being just a little bit lazy.
Breakfast was served about 80 minutes before landing I asked for a banana smoothie but was given strawberry despite the crew member coming back later to check. I didn’t notice at first and it tasted good so didn’t send it back.
The hot towel did come just as we were landing. It would have been better just after waking up and after getting on the flight.
All in all, a good, rather than a great, experience. Would I travel First again? Maybe if there was a good price in the sale, but certainly not at normal fare.
I now certainly understand better the inconsistency in First that others have spoken about.
This flight has however brought me to Gold as confirmed this morning by the App. I will wait for it to change colour over the next few days...
Last edited by CoweyB; Apr 25, 2019 at 6:55 am
Apr 25, 2019, 6:14 am
#314
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Bainbridge Island, WA
Posts: 8,964
One of my favorite "moves" by the crew on my recent new First experience was when the table was set, the silver wear all laid out, and I sat waiting for the the 1st course to appear. As I waited another crew member passed through and without a word reached over and moved the forks, which had been placed on the right side, over to the left and moving the knives and spoons over to the right. Quick, simple, wordless. Just a smile from her as I looked up and she walked on......
Apr 26, 2019, 6:12 am
#315
Join Date: Jul 2016
Programs: BA Bronze SPG
Posts: 273
One of my favorite "moves" by the crew on my recent new First experience was when the table was set, the silver wear all laid out, and I sat waiting for the the 1st course to appear. As I waited another crew member passed through and without a word reached over and moved the forks, which had been placed on the right side, over to the left and moving the knives and spoons over to the right. Quick, simple, wordless. Just a smile from her as I looked up and she walked on......