IAH in CW - bit of a curate's egg
 

Left the house just before 7 for a painless trip to Glasgow. Was going to arrive 20 minutes before I’d booked the car park, so went round the back of the airport and sat in a lay-by for a while.

No queue, then check in happened in seconds, the girl was incredibly swift and efficient.

Despite removing my camera bodies form the bag, got a secondary screening at security, but was soon in an almost deserted lounge.

Passed the time with a few emails, then headed down to the gate and settled in to 1F on the 319. I knew my carry on was heavy (it was full of camera gear) but it took me two attempts and a deal of effort to get it up into the locker.

We pushed back slightly early and I was soon served a very pleasant coronation chicken salad. I limited myself to just water for this leg.

Arrived early at LHR and was soon through into the departure lounge. A swift window shop then off to the B lounge which as ever was very quiet with plenty of space.

Headed to the gate once boarding was announced and after a slight detour when I joined the scrum heading to New York from the next gate, soon found myself in 10A.

IAH is a mixed fleet route and all of the staff looked about 12, or perhaps I’m just getting old!

The menu looked good and lived up to its promise, The cheesecake started was very tasty and the steak was on of the better in-flight fillets that I’ve eaten. Wine was a Spanish Gran Reserva and was OK but only OK.

I then decided to complete my landing card when I discovered I hadn’t got an amenity kit.

This necessitated a trip to the galley, and the quality of the pen in the kit was indicative that the IAG bean counters had been at work. I know its a small detail, but I’ve had better quality pens given free in crappy hotels. I also have a 5 year old BA F pen that will last for another 5 years at least.

After an hour’s sleep, I then discovered that the failure to dish out amenity kits had been compounded by a failure to deliver bottles of water. Another trip to the galley found it deserted, but after a minute, one of the crew from F appeared and gave me a couple of bottles.

The plane had a very old IFE system so I didn’t even bother peering at the low resolution, low contrast screen and watched stuff on my iPad instead.

Afternoon tea was decent, tasty sandwiches and the usual scones and cream. However I was asked for tea or coffee and when I responded tea, a cup of very milky tea appeared, while I don’t take milk in my tea. Another small service issue.

We landed a few minutes late, but I was through immigration in minutes - IAH can be very good, and my bag was first off the belt.

In summary, the flight fell short in a couple of areas. IFE on BA is a lottery ranging from decent to truly awful and this time, I lost. Secondly the service standards slipped below what they should be - the failure to hand out amenity kits and water was the most glaring example of this. On the other hand the investment in catering has paid off. I’ve done a few CW flights this year and the quality of food and presentation have been a distinct improvement on what was a very tired product before.

Thanks for the report, I don't think you suffered too much in that exercise.

But just picking up on the Curate's Egg, since it is Easter Day - the point of that phrase was that in fact it was a bad egg but any Anglican curate is going to find a polite way of disclosing this to their bishop without causing offence. May your eggs remain in perfect condition.

I would call that review quite positive. :)

As for the pen, one of BA’s lives by a notepad in our kitchen to compile shopping lists, and performs perfectly adequately. It does not need a Schaefer (or better) to achieve such simple tasks.

I have always bought my own writing implements, good ones, since the 1970s. I have never depended on, or indeed been interested in, free handouts.

The IFE is a different aspect. That’s why we have purchased our own Kindles, so that WE can choose what we view/read. Other pax I believe use tablets with downloaded films etc.

We believe in being self-sufficient, and not depending on BA (or whoever) to meet our minutest needs.

Lucky to get a pen. I seem to have noticed their absence in other airline J

I keep a few in my carryon ... $1 for 4, from your friendly local Dollar Tree. Other outlets also exist. :D

I never get through IAH immigration in minutes, last time in January took me about 100 minutes on the BA197, although I don't have much luck on the BA195 either.