NSFU

Never, ever been too cold, and nearly always on longhaul far, far too hot. Now that I think about it, the single best thing that BA could do to improve the lh experience would be to make the cabin temperature more reasonable. No more waking up sweating every 30 mins or so desperate for a swig of water to (partially) ward off the dehydration ...

ElkeNorEast

It's "freezing" because it's 95F outside, and we're not crazy enough to think that's "really lovely" and therefore we crank up the A/C!!! It also helps us keep a consistent wardrobe - there's no sweaty armpit stains on shirts and inappropriate sundresses in the offices here...

Two years ago some friends of mine got married in Houston on a Friday afternoon in September (poor students didn't want to pay for Saturday wedding). They had friends fly over from UK for ceremony; reception was in ballroom with balcony. It was 92F when the reception started. The flown-in-from UK folks were out standing in the sun as soon as the ceremony was over. The rest of us, including the huge Houston-based UK contingent, stayed inside until the sun went down it cooled down a bit. The by-then-lobster-red Brits thought we were nuts, because it was "so nice" out there, how could we have stayed indoors?

YVR Cockroach

I'm not a BA FF by any means but could this be a somewhat-recent edict to save $$$ (or GBP) as turning down cabin temps = more a/c usage = higher fuel cost?

MY l/h BA flights pre-2004 were always cool enough to use the blanket to sleep but the last pair or l/h flight in early 2004 was way too hot in the u/d.

Note: Fresh air from outside is compressed in the engines first to make it dense enough for crew and pax to breath and then bled off into the cabin. It's very hot and has to be cooled first by the a/c packs. Cooling of course takes energy.

mwalsh

Please, for the love of....keep your pants on next time.

kered

The thing is that BA don’t have individual air vents over each seat. Then each passenger could add air to the mix to cool things down a bit or if they did like the heat they can do without the air flow.

The only other airlines I have experience of on long haul are VS & EI both of whom have individual air vents fitted to their aircraft & believe me it makes a huge difference.

I don’t think I’ve ever managed to have a nights sleep on BA without waking up in a swelter at some stage. The worst being on the UD SFO/LHR last Feb, it was like an oven up there all the way home. We got usual….”I’ll ask the Captain if he can turn down the heat” rubbish !!! The heat kept cycling up & down all night, made for a very unpleasant indeed. So much so I think I might opt for LD seats on overnight flights back to LHR in future. Only thing being you tend to get invaded by WTP passengers, particularly on the Low/Mid J aircraft. But then that’s a whole different thread.

If only BA had individual air vents, all would be so much easier & cooler.

loobtastic

I am always boiling hot (from sheffield, so it's part of survival as a child there!!!)

I could never stand the temp on the a/c as cabin crew, esp as we are standing.. hot air rises etc

Each cabin on the 747 and 777 can be individually controlled.

I don't think it's a ploy on the part of the crew to make the pax go to sleep. I have experimented many times to make the pax sleep and it is turning down the temp that makes you lot snuggle up in your blankets and nod off.. that and 10 glasses of suavignon!!

I dunno, sometimes you can't win... one pax will say it's boiling, the next is freezing... air vents would help.

The stock office where I work now is run by a woman who I assume is a lizard (although, she always has 6 layers on , so no one can tell!!!) always set at about 100 oc, bloody boiling... literally... I can't stay in there for more than a min.

It is difficult setting the right temp for even 14 pax in 1st, never mind 200 odd of the buggers in WT!!

pjoalfa

Rubbish. Setting the temp anywhere around 70-72 degF would make everyone happy. IF you get too cold, use the duvet; and it's tough to get too warm at that temp.

And seeing that it's enough of a problem that more than a few have commented negatively on it, I should think something should be done about it. Frankly I'd rather fly <gasp> coach than fly hot in F. (I realise however, that it has been so long since I sat in coach that I may be talking out of my..... )

simongr

There are inappropriate sundresses? It was one of the best things about working in a Big4 accounting firm

I rarely/never accept the blanket on board as I am normally just about ok - if a little cold sometimes. I havent had much BA experience but temp never seems to be a problem in QF/CX in J or F - but again no duvet used in F either

I was born in England but have lived in Sydney for 7 years and I am still walking aorund in a t-shirt (and shorts) in winter

NSFU

Hmm... the 10 glasses does indeed help one get off to sleep, but it's the moderate temperature (not that I've ever been on one of your flights, I guess, loob) that allows one to stay asleep. 18 degrees C would be fine, thanks

goback

I agree. This has to be one of my biggest gripes about BA. Why be so stingy and not order planes with personal air vents?

PolandExpat

What I do to combat this is actually bring a small digital thermometer with me on longhaul flights and set it up next to me. (sort of so that I can see it, but not so visible that other passengers become nervous sitting next to pathetically anal geek).

It works perfectly each time it's too hot to sleep. I simply ask the FA: "wouldn't you agree that 23 degrees is far too warm to sleep in?" Works every time and I usually can get it down to a comfy 19.

DISCLAIMER: I own no stock in Scientific Instruments, Inc.

Swanhunter

Oddly given this thread's appearance yesterday, I had my first flight in ages that was far, far too cold last night. Even with sweater on and the waffle duvet it was distinctly parky.

Panic Stations

There's been no such edict, in fact we often increase fuel burn by leaving the a/c packs in high flow to cool the cabin if it's been sitting on the ground all day. The 747 air con system operates by having a reference temperature set in the flight deck and allowing the crew in individual cabins to vary their zone by a couple of degrees each way. The system automatically reduces the temperature during the cruise. All the temperatures can be monitored from the flight deck and it is very rare to see anything outside the range of 20C to 24C, with about 22C a working norm. If the temperature is creeping up in the night I suspect it's because the cabin crew who are working, not sleeping, are getting the 4am shakes and have turned it up to stop themselves shivering. I know thats what I do!!!

PS for the benefit of Poland Expat you probably won't be getting the cabin temp down to 19C as its almost certainly outside the range of the cabin crews temperature control. If we set the master that low I can guarantee an awful lot of phone calls from around the aircraft complaining about how cold it is!!!

jonnye

I was on the BA163 to TLV last night (767) and it was also bl**dy freezing in the J cabin.

TheBaps

Just pulling you leg old man. But seriously I've found that wearing a long sleeved shirt in meetings in the hotter US states a wise move if you want to avoid cold arms!

You have to understand, we brits see so little of the sun that when presented with it tend to be frozen by the shock, a bit like a rabbit in a cars headlights

Baps.