A Bear from JER to IAD, flying Club Class with BA.
Oct 6, 2011 | 4:23 am
#1
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A Bear from JER to IAD, flying Club Class with BA.
A short and unspectacular TR, but perhaps with a few points of interest, composed by Cpl Horsa, a courageous small Bear and a veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He's one of a team of Bears who travel the World generating visibility and PR for holidays4heroes, and his "War Story" is here.
The journey started at JER, where the benefits of Priority Boarding [i.e. last, and direct to the gate from the adjacent Lounge!] for CW passengers was evident. Who likes having to stand in a queue waiting to get on an aircraft?
The quick 35-minute hop to LGW was unremarkable, and in a very short time we had collected our bags and met up with our pre-booked taxi driver. In order to connect with the LHR-IAD flight, we needed an overnight stop near LHR. The prices at the Sofitel at T5 were bordering on ballistic, and somehow we didn't fancy one of the standard hotel "boxes" along the Bath Road. After a bit of research, we decided to try The Stanwell Hotel. We were quite impressed with what it offered:
One advantage was the small seating area outside the room, where a table with 2 chairs and an ashtray were provided. For 2 smokers, there was no more standing, sad and forlorn, somewhere near the hotel entrance!
The room was slightly smaller than the typical Hilton/Sofitel, and was a bit short of storage space, but quite sufficient for a night-stop. The only significant down-side was a lack of air conditioning [although a fan is provided] and there are no windows you can open. The bathroom was perfectly adequate, modern and clean.
The in-house Bar and Restaurant are very sensibly priced, and we were impressed by the quality and quantity of our dinner. In fact, VERY impressed. We are strongly inclined to use The Stanwell again the next time we need an overnight stay near LHR. Taking advantage of an offer, we paid 99.00 for an "Advance Purchase Executive King (Room Only)" - compared with the 198 the Sofitel was asking for a room. Breakfast would be taken in a BA Lounge at LHR T5, of course!
In the morning, our pre-booked taxi [arranged by Reception] arrived punctually at 0800 for the short run to LHR's T5. The cost of 9 for 2 passengers and 2 cases compared favourably with the usual Hoppa bus arrangements, and we were delivered outside the door opposite the BA Club check-in zone.
Bag drop was quick, with very short queues - and we were through Security within 15 minutes of arriving. It was quite a surprise to find that all the staff we encountered [bag drop, conformance and security] were all very cheerful, smiling and friendly!! Our departure was scheduled to be from T5C, and we were advised to go directly to the T5B Galleries Lounge to wait until boarding was about to start. In view of the challenges of returning to T5A if anything changed, we were quite surprised at that suggestion, but complied anyway. It's nice and quiet over there, and we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast whilst admiring the view.
As boarding time approached, we descended to the bowels of T5B to catch the train to T5C. Due to lack of experience with the newly-opened T5C, it seemed a rather long-winded process and involved quite a bit of walking. I was being carried, so it didn't matter, but it did seem like a long way. However, there was our BA 744 waiting for us. I'm not a 'plane spotter, so don't ask which one it was - any 744 will do nicely, thank you.
BA 217, LHR-IAD, 15 Sep 11. Priority boarding worked perfectly, and we were the first to board. We were greeted by name, and settled ourselves in to 63A/B to prepare for departure with a very nicely chilled glass of the Lanson Black Label Brut NV, whilst also reassuring ourselves that we knew what to do in case of an emergency.
However, I had already attracted the attention of our delightful CC, who swiftly arranged for me to visit the flight deck and meet our charming lady Captain.
We pushed back at 1100 [10 minutes late] and after the long taxi to 27L were airborne at 1120. Time to start contemplating lunch … and what a pleasant surprise that was. Yes, BA have indeed started improving the standard of catering in CW. No sign of the old bowls of unidentifiable and over-cooked school dinners!!
The Smoked Salmon and Trout roulade with radish and fennel salad was delicious and refreshing - and the rolls were fresh and warm. Puddings were temporarily stowed on top of the side storage bins until needed - another advantage of a window seat on the UD.
The bigger surprise came with the main courses, which provided clear evidence that BA was indeed starting to improve the CW soft product. Despite its unusual appearance, the braised beef was exquisitely full-flavoured under that crispy rosti topping. No seasoning needed at all: indeed, it would have been an insult to the chef to have used the content of either of those sachets. Likewise, the roast breast of chicken in creamed tarragon sauce was moist and meltingly tender, and the saut potatoes were crisp as well. Well done, BA, and thank you!!
Sadly, the "Tea" meal was the usual disappointment - the sandwich pack and a scone filled a space, but failed to inspire in any way. And the coffee was fairly awful as well! However, after further chats with the CC, including our excellent CSD, it was time to prepare for arrival at IAD.
Strong headwinds over the East Coast [over 100 mph] had clearly disrupted the normal traffic flow. We arrived pretty much on time, but with no sign of the other International flights that usually cause huge queues at Immigration. On this occasion, we entered a virtually empty Immigration hall and moved straight to a desk with just one couple ahead of us. The process was so fast that, for the second trip running, we had to wait for at least 1 minute for our bags to come on to the luggage belt at reclaim.
Overall, it was the best TATL in CW we have experienced. The aircraft interior was spotless [and newly carpeted, it seems], the food was a massive improvement on previous offerings, and the CC were outstanding [a well-done has already been sent to BA].
_____________
During our stay we had arranged a Sunday Brunch gathering with a few FT-ers at Daniel O'Connells in Old Town Alexandria. No photos of individuals to protect their privacy, but it proved to be a very nice venue with good staff, food and prices - and a very decent Guinness!! It was nice to meet yahillwe, rodavici + 1 and Montacute + 1. Here's to the next time!!
_____________
After nearly 3 weeks of dismal weather [and much shopping!] it was time to head for home. Our full CW baggage allowance was not needed - just a measly 70 kg in 4 bags.
We arrived a IAD a bit too early; check-in for the afternoon/evening BA flights opens at 1430 (*now 1500, as at May 2013), but the Galleries Lounge doesn't open until 1530. However, it's a nice airport, so acceptable for a brief wander around. We were first in line for CW check-in, handled superbly by the Agent on duty. How nice to get smiles and friendly words - it makes such a difference to the overall experience! Then downstairs to Conformance and Security, where the Priority line worked well and all the staff seemed to be a lot less dour than usual. We then 'wasted' 30 minutes looking at shops at the B-Gates, and took advantage of one of the "smoking lounges", before the BA Lounge opened.
The BA Galleries Lounge needs a bit of investment and attention. Some of the chairs are close to death, with worn fabric and exhausted cushions. The sandwiches, although quite tasty, were not exactly fresh. The Chardonnay [Patch Block] was revolting, and although the Delicato Pinot Grigio was 'OK' it would have been better if properly chilled. Balancing a bottle on a shallow trough of ice cubes may look cute, but it doesn't actually chill the wine. How difficult would it be to store the white wines in a small chiller cabinet?
BA 216, IAD-LHR, 2 Oct 11. Boarding at Gates B-42 [F & CW] and B-44 [whY+ and whY] was calm and efficient as usual. 63A/B were comfortable, also as usual. CC were very cheerful and helpful, especially when the chicken option on the menu had run out after the first 3 rows on the Upper Deck - we eventually got the chicken curry after one of the CC, presumably, raided the CW galley downstairs! Thank you for fixing that!
Sadly, breakfast was a disappointment. As always seems to be the case, the rolls and pastries were decidedly stale - perhaps that's because they've been on board for 6 hours already?
It was a fast trip, thanks to a good tailwind, but spoiled by a short period of holding as we approached London. We landed at 0611 [ETA 0625] on 3 Oct. UK Border Control was fairly quiet at that early hour, and we were straight through the e-passport gates without delay. A 10+ minute wait for our bags was reasonable - at least the Priority bag-tags seemed to have worked, as ours were amongst the first to arrive.
From there it was a pre-booked taxi to LGW North where we struggled to get up 2 levels from drop-off to get to the new BA Zone [Zone A, on the far left of the Departures Concourse]. Not the most convenient arrangement for an airport where they are investing huge sums on modernisation. A super-helpful BA ground agent re-tagged our bags for JER, and we eventually found the new [semi-secret] Priority Security entrance, which is cunningly called … "Gatwick Premium" and accessed through a big grey arch. That worked very well indeed, and Cpl Horsa was not required to leave the security of his carry-on bag.
After that, the usual [yawn] quick hop to JER, a taxi and home. After a 30+ hour day, it was time for an early night. There were things to be done the next day, including [as usual] claiming the missing BAEC Miles and TPs from the connecting flights between JER and LGW. [Miles and TPs were claimed on ba.com on 4 Oct, and posted correctly on the morning of 6 Oct. Thank you again, BA.]
Overall, it was our best BA CW TATL to date - especially the westbound sector. We all look forward to continuing improvements, and await with interest the imminent changes/improvements to the BAEC Frequent Flyer programme. Can we get Cpl Horsa added to our Household Account? ... probably not.
The journey started at JER, where the benefits of Priority Boarding [i.e. last, and direct to the gate from the adjacent Lounge!] for CW passengers was evident. Who likes having to stand in a queue waiting to get on an aircraft?
The quick 35-minute hop to LGW was unremarkable, and in a very short time we had collected our bags and met up with our pre-booked taxi driver. In order to connect with the LHR-IAD flight, we needed an overnight stop near LHR. The prices at the Sofitel at T5 were bordering on ballistic, and somehow we didn't fancy one of the standard hotel "boxes" along the Bath Road. After a bit of research, we decided to try The Stanwell Hotel. We were quite impressed with what it offered:
One advantage was the small seating area outside the room, where a table with 2 chairs and an ashtray were provided. For 2 smokers, there was no more standing, sad and forlorn, somewhere near the hotel entrance!
The room was slightly smaller than the typical Hilton/Sofitel, and was a bit short of storage space, but quite sufficient for a night-stop. The only significant down-side was a lack of air conditioning [although a fan is provided] and there are no windows you can open. The bathroom was perfectly adequate, modern and clean.
The in-house Bar and Restaurant are very sensibly priced, and we were impressed by the quality and quantity of our dinner. In fact, VERY impressed. We are strongly inclined to use The Stanwell again the next time we need an overnight stay near LHR. Taking advantage of an offer, we paid 99.00 for an "Advance Purchase Executive King (Room Only)" - compared with the 198 the Sofitel was asking for a room. Breakfast would be taken in a BA Lounge at LHR T5, of course!
In the morning, our pre-booked taxi [arranged by Reception] arrived punctually at 0800 for the short run to LHR's T5. The cost of 9 for 2 passengers and 2 cases compared favourably with the usual Hoppa bus arrangements, and we were delivered outside the door opposite the BA Club check-in zone.
Bag drop was quick, with very short queues - and we were through Security within 15 minutes of arriving. It was quite a surprise to find that all the staff we encountered [bag drop, conformance and security] were all very cheerful, smiling and friendly!! Our departure was scheduled to be from T5C, and we were advised to go directly to the T5B Galleries Lounge to wait until boarding was about to start. In view of the challenges of returning to T5A if anything changed, we were quite surprised at that suggestion, but complied anyway. It's nice and quiet over there, and we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast whilst admiring the view.
As boarding time approached, we descended to the bowels of T5B to catch the train to T5C. Due to lack of experience with the newly-opened T5C, it seemed a rather long-winded process and involved quite a bit of walking. I was being carried, so it didn't matter, but it did seem like a long way. However, there was our BA 744 waiting for us. I'm not a 'plane spotter, so don't ask which one it was - any 744 will do nicely, thank you.
BA 217, LHR-IAD, 15 Sep 11. Priority boarding worked perfectly, and we were the first to board. We were greeted by name, and settled ourselves in to 63A/B to prepare for departure with a very nicely chilled glass of the Lanson Black Label Brut NV, whilst also reassuring ourselves that we knew what to do in case of an emergency.
However, I had already attracted the attention of our delightful CC, who swiftly arranged for me to visit the flight deck and meet our charming lady Captain.
We pushed back at 1100 [10 minutes late] and after the long taxi to 27L were airborne at 1120. Time to start contemplating lunch … and what a pleasant surprise that was. Yes, BA have indeed started improving the standard of catering in CW. No sign of the old bowls of unidentifiable and over-cooked school dinners!!
The Smoked Salmon and Trout roulade with radish and fennel salad was delicious and refreshing - and the rolls were fresh and warm. Puddings were temporarily stowed on top of the side storage bins until needed - another advantage of a window seat on the UD.
The bigger surprise came with the main courses, which provided clear evidence that BA was indeed starting to improve the CW soft product. Despite its unusual appearance, the braised beef was exquisitely full-flavoured under that crispy rosti topping. No seasoning needed at all: indeed, it would have been an insult to the chef to have used the content of either of those sachets. Likewise, the roast breast of chicken in creamed tarragon sauce was moist and meltingly tender, and the saut potatoes were crisp as well. Well done, BA, and thank you!!
Sadly, the "Tea" meal was the usual disappointment - the sandwich pack and a scone filled a space, but failed to inspire in any way. And the coffee was fairly awful as well! However, after further chats with the CC, including our excellent CSD, it was time to prepare for arrival at IAD.
Strong headwinds over the East Coast [over 100 mph] had clearly disrupted the normal traffic flow. We arrived pretty much on time, but with no sign of the other International flights that usually cause huge queues at Immigration. On this occasion, we entered a virtually empty Immigration hall and moved straight to a desk with just one couple ahead of us. The process was so fast that, for the second trip running, we had to wait for at least 1 minute for our bags to come on to the luggage belt at reclaim.
Overall, it was the best TATL in CW we have experienced. The aircraft interior was spotless [and newly carpeted, it seems], the food was a massive improvement on previous offerings, and the CC were outstanding [a well-done has already been sent to BA].
_____________
During our stay we had arranged a Sunday Brunch gathering with a few FT-ers at Daniel O'Connells in Old Town Alexandria. No photos of individuals to protect their privacy, but it proved to be a very nice venue with good staff, food and prices - and a very decent Guinness!! It was nice to meet yahillwe, rodavici + 1 and Montacute + 1. Here's to the next time!!
_____________
After nearly 3 weeks of dismal weather [and much shopping!] it was time to head for home. Our full CW baggage allowance was not needed - just a measly 70 kg in 4 bags.
We arrived a IAD a bit too early; check-in for the afternoon/evening BA flights opens at 1430 (*now 1500, as at May 2013), but the Galleries Lounge doesn't open until 1530. However, it's a nice airport, so acceptable for a brief wander around. We were first in line for CW check-in, handled superbly by the Agent on duty. How nice to get smiles and friendly words - it makes such a difference to the overall experience! Then downstairs to Conformance and Security, where the Priority line worked well and all the staff seemed to be a lot less dour than usual. We then 'wasted' 30 minutes looking at shops at the B-Gates, and took advantage of one of the "smoking lounges", before the BA Lounge opened.
The BA Galleries Lounge needs a bit of investment and attention. Some of the chairs are close to death, with worn fabric and exhausted cushions. The sandwiches, although quite tasty, were not exactly fresh. The Chardonnay [Patch Block] was revolting, and although the Delicato Pinot Grigio was 'OK' it would have been better if properly chilled. Balancing a bottle on a shallow trough of ice cubes may look cute, but it doesn't actually chill the wine. How difficult would it be to store the white wines in a small chiller cabinet?
BA 216, IAD-LHR, 2 Oct 11. Boarding at Gates B-42 [F & CW] and B-44 [whY+ and whY] was calm and efficient as usual. 63A/B were comfortable, also as usual. CC were very cheerful and helpful, especially when the chicken option on the menu had run out after the first 3 rows on the Upper Deck - we eventually got the chicken curry after one of the CC, presumably, raided the CW galley downstairs! Thank you for fixing that!
Sadly, breakfast was a disappointment. As always seems to be the case, the rolls and pastries were decidedly stale - perhaps that's because they've been on board for 6 hours already?
It was a fast trip, thanks to a good tailwind, but spoiled by a short period of holding as we approached London. We landed at 0611 [ETA 0625] on 3 Oct. UK Border Control was fairly quiet at that early hour, and we were straight through the e-passport gates without delay. A 10+ minute wait for our bags was reasonable - at least the Priority bag-tags seemed to have worked, as ours were amongst the first to arrive.
From there it was a pre-booked taxi to LGW North where we struggled to get up 2 levels from drop-off to get to the new BA Zone [Zone A, on the far left of the Departures Concourse]. Not the most convenient arrangement for an airport where they are investing huge sums on modernisation. A super-helpful BA ground agent re-tagged our bags for JER, and we eventually found the new [semi-secret] Priority Security entrance, which is cunningly called … "Gatwick Premium" and accessed through a big grey arch. That worked very well indeed, and Cpl Horsa was not required to leave the security of his carry-on bag.
After that, the usual [yawn] quick hop to JER, a taxi and home. After a 30+ hour day, it was time for an early night. There were things to be done the next day, including [as usual] claiming the missing BAEC Miles and TPs from the connecting flights between JER and LGW. [Miles and TPs were claimed on ba.com on 4 Oct, and posted correctly on the morning of 6 Oct. Thank you again, BA.]
Overall, it was our best BA CW TATL to date - especially the westbound sector. We all look forward to continuing improvements, and await with interest the imminent changes/improvements to the BAEC Frequent Flyer programme. Can we get Cpl Horsa added to our Household Account? ... probably not.
Last edited by T8191; Apr 14, 2019 at 5:10 am Reason: restore images ex-Photobucket
Oct 6, 2011 | 4:40 am
#2
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Toronto, ON, Canada
Programs: Mucci of the Dominion of Maple and Moose; Keeper of Sir MightyMoose; BAEC Silver; AC MileagePlus
Posts: 1,311
^ Fab TR - thanks!
The Moose is jealous he never got to meet any charming lady captain, nor sit in a jump seat! Must rectify next time!
The Moose is jealous he never got to meet any charming lady captain, nor sit in a jump seat! Must rectify next time!
Oct 6, 2011 | 7:35 am
#4
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Iver
Programs: BA GOLD/OWE BA Amex Prem Plus Tesco Airmiles Qantas Bronze IHG SPG Eithad
Posts: 2,902
Thanks for a very interesting TR with lots of pictures, so glad the CW has improved, infact it looked edible, shame though about the coffee and the not so good breakfast. Am sure bear enjoyed his trip. Thanks for sharing with us^
Oct 6, 2011 | 7:46 am
#5
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Argentina
Posts: 40,881
Great stuff as usual from the bear. ^
I had exactly the same course choices as you on our recent flight to YVR. The salmon starter was indeed very nice but I do wish I had taken the chicken instead of the braised beef...it wasn't quite how I imagined it would be.
I was satisfied with our sandwiches and scones...I felt it was just about right for that length of flight.
I had exactly the same course choices as you on our recent flight to YVR. The salmon starter was indeed very nice but I do wish I had taken the chicken instead of the braised beef...it wasn't quite how I imagined it would be.
I was satisfied with our sandwiches and scones...I felt it was just about right for that length of flight.
Oct 6, 2011 | 9:08 am
#6
Original Poster
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Silver again, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,497
Great stuff as usual from the bear. ^
I had exactly the same course choices as you on our recent flight to YVR. The salmon starter was indeed very nice but I do wish I had taken the chicken instead of the braised beef...it wasn't quite how I imagined it would be.
I was satisfied with our sandwiches and scones...I felt it was just about right for that length of flight.
I had exactly the same course choices as you on our recent flight to YVR. The salmon starter was indeed very nice but I do wish I had taken the chicken instead of the braised beef...it wasn't quite how I imagined it would be.
I was satisfied with our sandwiches and scones...I felt it was just about right for that length of flight.
The sandwiches and scones are fine in terms of 'quantity of food' - they're just rather boring, especially the sandwiches. I think, for the first time in my life, I just eat the middle bits and discarded the rest.
As for the beef/rosti ... I'll have that again, any time, but I want to try the chicken on the next tip [provided there's some chilled white to go with it].
Oct 6, 2011 | 10:06 am
#9
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Oct 6, 2011 | 10:42 am
#11
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Oct 6, 2011 | 10:56 am
#13
Original Poster
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Enjoy
http://www.holidays4heroes.org/2011/...r-at-bull-run/
http://www.holidays4heroes.org/2011/...on-herrick-13/
http://www.holidays4heroes.org/2011/04/17/did-you-know/
http://www.holidays4heroes.org/2010/...m-goes-west-3/
http://www.holidays4heroes.org/2010/...sgt-braille-3/
http://www.holidays4heroes.org/2009/...ures-part-2-2/
http://www.holidays4heroes.org/2009/...-in-the-usa-2/
Oct 6, 2011 | 10:59 am
#14
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http://www.holidays4heroes.org/the-s...-sgt-slingsby/
Oct 6, 2011 | 11:51 am
#15
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: S W London
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Shame about the return of the plastic container for the Breakfast fruit. Not very classy at all.
Nice report ^.
I hope HIDDY pulls his finger out and gets his TR out soon.