First Class to Dubai: EY, QF, and BA
May 8, 2015 | 4:09 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: AA GLD, AC, HH Diamond, IHG Platinum
Posts: 185
First Class to Dubai: EY, QF, and BA
I’m going to preface this report by saying the majority of it is focused on the products offered by the title airlines and a comparison of sorts between three different premium products. If you’re looking for lots of pictures out the window, this won’t be the report for you. That said, as an avgeek at heart, I couldn’t not take some pictures out the window (and rest assured, I made sure I had window seats come hell or high water!), but as the majority of my flights were in the nighttime hours, there wasn’t a whole lot to see.
That said, I hope you enjoy!
Background
On April 9th, BA published a mistake fare from Dubai to Austin, one-way, in first class, for as little as $1,100. Although I’ve had my share of good fortune when it comes to finding and acting on fares like this, for every one I’m able to book, dozens go by that I would’ve booked had I been in the right place at the right time. Thankfully, I was lucky enough this time around, and within a matter of minutes I had my ticket booked. Rather than electing to do DXB-LHR in BA, I paid a bit more to get QF and the 380 on that segment.
There was a shockingly wide range of dates available in May and June for the mistake fare, and I had the foresight to realize I needed to get to Dubai and sure as hell wasn’t going to pay for it. Since I knew I was flying BA on the way back (and didn’t want to get reamed with their fuel surcharges and luxury taxes flying through LHR on an award ticket), my mind instantly went to EY and their relatively new DFW-AUH service. A few minutes later I had a well-timed (at least within the UAE) “connection” to the mistake fare on hold, also in F, for 90K miles and $7 in fees. Between the 10% rebate I get thanks to my credit card, and some promotions that AA is running on long-haul flights in premium cabins for their elites, the trip wound up costing me a net of ~45K miles; not too shabby for a 15 hour flight in F on one of the world’s elite carriers.
In the most tragic news of all, these would be my first flights of 2015.
Friday, May 1st, 2015
The one negative, which wound up being a total positive, was that my AUS-DFW flight, a) was in the late morning, meaning I’d have a 7 hour layover in DFW, and b) was booked into Y due to award availability constraints. Neither of these mattered as I know I can always find ways to kill time at DFW, and a 45 minute flight to DFW in Y is something I’m not remotely afraid of. Nevertheless, I woke up about 7:15 for my 10:38 am flight, and arrived at the airport about 8:50. After a brief discussion with the ticket agent and an attempt to find me an F seat (she was adamant that I couldn’t be upgraded on an award ticket, totally misunderstanding that I was already traveling on a Z ticket), I quickly gave up and decided this would be better dealt with at the Admirals Club.
Security was a breeze (thanks PreCheck!), and in no time at all I’d made my way upstairs to the Admirals Club. I mentioned to the wonderful agents my situation and they started banging away. They told me to head down to Gate 13, where the 9:20 am flight to DFW was just leaving. They said there was one seat open on the 9:50 am and no one on the upgrade list (which I found shocking for AUS), so the gate agent could process it. Unfortunately, by the time she’d closed out the 9:20 am flight and got around to trying to reissue the ticket, someone had taken the seat. I knew the gate agent from my DC-3 encounter in 2008, and she was excited to see me and lamented she couldn’t help. Thankfully, it was no big deal. I returned to the club to check out the updated food offerings and grab a quick mimosa. Around 10:00 I ventured down to Gate 13 and a few minutes later the flight began boarding.
AA 1484
AUS-DFW
MD-83
N434AA
Scheduled Departure: 1038
Out: 1039
Departure Gate: 13
Seat: 10A
Departure Runway: 17L
Off:1052
Cruising Altitude: FL230
Route: ELOEL1 FORSS GUTZZ BOOVE1
Arrival Runway: 18R
On: 1128
Arrival Gate: C36
Scheduled Arrival: 1146
In: 1134
As per usual, this flight was about as standard an AUS-DFW affair as one can have. I bumped into a couple of my parents friends who were on the way to Venice, but other than that, the only noteworthy aspect of the flight was that after we landed in DFW, we managed to taxi from 18R, across the south bridge, to gate C36 in only 6 minutes. And we didn’t stop. Pretty remarkable. Ha!
Upon landing at DFW, I had already sent out a message to a group of AA frequent flyers that I’m a part of looking for people to meet-up with. After I landed I headed over to the Centurion Lounge in Terminal D to meet up with a gentleman in the group before he headed to SDF for the Kentucky Derby. After that brief meet-up (with the promise that the lounge agents would allow me back in later, which was very kind of them since I’m not a member), I ventured over to the C club to meet up with another friend of mine before his flight to BWI. What a great way to kill time, lounge hopping! Following that I went back to the Centurion Lounge to get some lunch. Regrettably, I didn’t get any pictures of the food spread, but it was far, far superior to anything you’d find in a domestic lounge.
While eating lunch, I sent a Facebook message to another member of the group who works for AA in the social media team. I sort of invited myself over to HQ for a tour (in a light-hearted way), but she was happy to oblige. Miraculously, I had amazing luck with the buses and 20 minutes later I was sitting in the lobby at HQ, waiting to meet up with her and see how the other side works.
While respecting the privacy of those involved, I’d just like to say it was wonderful to meet a bunch of employees of the airline I care so deeply about, and I had a great time avgeeking it up with some members of AA’s social media team. I also came away with some cool posters and other airline paraphernalia, which I’d planned to store at one of the Admirals Clubs for the weekend until I passed back through on Sunday on my way back.
With half the afternoon drained, I made my way back (with similar good fortune on the buses) to Terminal D and checked in at the EY counter. I just wanted to get a boarding pass with EY cardstock, but little did I know that they would make everyone connecting from AA update their boarding pass at the gate. Unfortunately, EY doesn’t participate in PreCheck, so I had to suffer through the normal security screening with the unwashed masses. :-D
I went up to the Terminal D Admirals Club and stored my posters (I was bringing only a backpack with me for the whole trip), grabbed a quick drink and decided with the flight approaching, I would head over to my favorite airport showers ever in the Terminal A Admirals Club to freshen up. After bouncing over there, I made my way back across to Terminal D, wanting to check out The Club at DFW that EY uses. For those of you counting, I believe that is now my 5th trip across!
Congrats to the (presumably) captain on his last flight!
I wasn’t familiar with this contract lounge in the slightest, and they actually have 5-6 individual lounges that the airlines use individually. EY was using Lounge 1 at the southern end, while QR was using Lounge 2, right next door. Another friend of mine happened to be flying QR to DOH that night, and messaged me right as I was walking into the lounge, so I popped over to say hi.
I returned over to the EY lounge after a little while just to get an idea of what it was about. As a biologist, I particularly enjoyed the saltwater aquarium they had. I was the only one in there for a little while, but never actually sat down. At about 6:00 I made my way over to gate D11, which was the gate being used for First Class. I chatted a bit with the gate agent, and eventually things seemed to be progressing toward boarding. At about 6:35, boarding for J was commenced from gate D12, but the F passengers had to wait another 5 minutes or so for something to clear up.
A6-LRA, resting briefly before the return journey to AUH
Yup, that’s me!
EY 160
DFW-AUH
777-237 LR
A6-LRA
Scheduled Departure: 0720
Out: 0724
Departure Gate: D11/D12
Seat: 1A
Departure Runway: 18L
Off: 1952
Cruising Altitude: FL350
Route: AKUNA6 MLC SGF J105 BDF PETTY SSM LORNE GRAMP YKL AVUTI 5900N 05000W 6000N 04000W 6100N 03000W 6200N 02000W 6200N 01000W GUNPA REPKU AMROR N983 MAPEX N983 POLON N133 LENOV UL619 KENIN KARIL UL619 REBLA UL620 DINRO L601 ODERO UP975 EZS UL614 SRT UG8 ALRAM UT36 KAPES UL223 MESVI UT975 KHG UT975 KUVER UT975 NABOS UT975 TOTIS UT975 OVONA N318 XAKUM Q666 BOXAK
Arrival Runway: 31R
On: 1939 +1
Arrival Gate: 511 (hard stand)
Scheduled Arrival: 1940 +1
In: 1949 +1
This was going to be the only “new” experience for me, as I’ve flown BA F and QF F before. I was very much looking forward to it, as I’d read lots of good things about EY and their F product. While I was, of course, disappointed I didn’t get to experience the incredible Apartments, I was still very much looking forward to crossing a new airline, new product, and new aircraft off my list! I was greeted at door 1L by Pooja, a young Indian flight attendant, and Mark, the onboard chef from England. I was escorted to my seat, 1A, and I couldn’t help but laugh at the concept of having a door on a plane seat. I was quickly attended to and offered a beverage. Anything but champagne seemed ridiculous, so that’s what I ordered. Pooja promptly returned with an empty champagne flute and some dried figs on a shiny silver platter, and immediately after with a bottle of Gosset Grande Millesime 2004.
The remainder of the boarding process was spent bringing various accoutrements: menu and wine list, sleep suit, amenity kit, and refills of champagne. A few other people had found their way into F, and our load today would be 5/8. Mark came by to inquire about my desired selections for dinner. After some lengthy discussion, we settled on my choices.
David Warren waiting for the longest flight in the world, QF8. I flew VH-OQI last year on QF11.
We pushed back 4 minutes behind schedule, and quickly fired up our GE90-110B1s and taxied out to 18L. This aircraft was delivered new to Air India as VT-ALA in July 2007, was returned to the lessor and sold to EY as A6-LRA on 8 February 2014. It is the first of EY’s 5 77Ls.
And again
The mighty GEs sent us skyward at 7:52 for the 7,085 nm, 15:05 flight to AUH. We banked west, then north to put the pointy end the right direction. Takeoff video can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gyUy2_S9t0
As soon as the seatbelt sign was switched off, Pooja jumped into action, quickly bringing me my requested glass of champagne, along with some nuts, dried vegetables, and a small bowl of olives (which are not to my taste, unfortunately). The cabin manger, Isabel from the Philippines, came by to welcome me on board and wish me a pleasant flight. Shortly thereafter, the parade of food began in earnest. I always seem to overeat on flights like this and all but ruin any chance of eating again on the flight. Would that be the case here? Let’s find out.
Champagne and an assortment of nibbles.
Pooja came to set my place, with the incredibly large tray table covered by a white linen. Mark came by to deliver the amuse bouche, ahi tuna tartare served on a bed of arugula. Delicious!
Day into night
Place setting
Ahi tuna tartare amuse bouche
Next came the appetizer. I had ordered the Arabic mezze plate, which was divine. I’m a sucker for hummus, and I wasn’t disappointed.
Arabic mezze plate
And some sorbet to cleanse the palate, how thoughtful!
Following the appetizer, Mark delivered my requested filet. The chef special today was a filet with blue cheese and a balsamic jus. I essentially went for that, but without the blue cheese. I opted for the mashed potatoes and some steamed veggies to accompany it. I paired it with a very nice Sonoma pinot noir.
A word about this steak. Dedicated readers may recall me raving about the steak on my CX flight from LAX-HKG last January, and it was a phenomenal piece of meat. Please understand my full meaning when I say this was a better piece of meat. The quality was exactly what I expect from a US Prime grade of steak, and it was very well prepared. Probably the only knock on it was it was ever-so-slightly overcooked, but only just, and I understand how difficult it is to cook a steak on a plane, particularly when dealing with steaks that have to be partially cooked before they’re loaded.
Ever-so-slightly overdone, but fantastic nonetheless!
To add to Mark’s praise, I overheard a fellow F passenger, an American businessman traveling to the UAE for work, just raving about how good his sea bass was. It was very, very sincere praise, with comments like “absolutely the best fish I’ve ever had on a plane.” Kudos to Mark, he worked hard, and performed admirably, particularly given the limited resources available to him at FL350 in a small galley.
So did I overeat? Yes…yes I did. I was uncomfortably full, so once again, as is my modus operandi on long haul flights, I skipped dessert. Following dinner, which I paired with some Archer on my tablet, I went to chat with Mark for a while in the galley. I always love talking to people in the industry, and Mark was no exception. We had a wide-ranging talk from his story to popular TV shows currently airing.
I get the sense cabin crews love having passengers like me on board, who neither take life too seriously, nor feel above having an honest conversation between two equals. Pooja had commented earlier that she wants me to be one of her passengers all the time because I actually talk to her!
After hanging out in the galley for 30-45 minutes, I asked Pooja to make my bed, which she happily obliged while I ventured to the lavatory. It was very nicely apportioned, but unfortunately, I forgot to grab a picture.
After laughing again at the ridiculousness of having a door in a plane seat, I closed it and settled in for a sleep.
How lovely
I have a door!
Due to the nature of my trip, my plan to avoid jetlag was to just not reset my internal clock. I would be back in DFW in less than 48 hours, so it really didn’t make much sense to try and reset the clock.
I woke up over Turkey after sleeping for a solid 8 hours, more than I ever had on a plane. I guess that’s a pretty solid comment on how comfortable the seat was in bed mode. The pad was very soft, and at no point did I feel any joints in the seat or anything like that. At that point we had a little less than 4 hours left. I fretted for about an hour about whether or not I was hungry, ultimately deciding that I should have another meal. Mark came by to ask me what I wanted, and after pressing him to help me decide, we selected the rack of lamb with some more mashed potatoes and veggies, this time with a salad.
Somewhere over Iraq
Rack of lamb
I don’t claim to know a whole lot about lamb, but it was also very enjoyable. I’m quite impressed with the catering all the way around. I came in with high expectations, and EY thoroughly lived up to it.
Close up
As we journeyed across the Persian Gulf, we continued to lose sunlight as day slipped quietly into night. We were vectored around quite a bit, and eventually began our descent. We crossed the UAE coastline to the W of Abu Dhabi, and eventually made turns to the E and N before lining up on final for runway 31R. Touchdown at 7:39 pm, slightly less than 24 hours on the clock after I’d left DFW, followed by a fairly lengthy taxi across the inboard runway to our parking spot, a hard stand where several buses were waiting for us. We were driven around to arrivals, and I began the walk to immigration.
Special thanks to Mark and Pooja for a wonderful flight!
After I cleared customs, I found my way through the arrivals lounge to the Etihad Chauffer desk. I had pre-arranged transportation to Dubai (they will drive F and J passengers anywhere in the UAE), and by 8:15 pm, the Audi A6 was whisking me along Sheikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Rd. toward Dubai.
With only 6 hours until my flight to LHR, I didn’t have a whole lot of time to see Dubai, but it did make sense to take in the Burj Khalifa since it was my first time to the UAE. I had pre-booked the At The Top Sky tour, which, for about $85, allows you to go beyond the observation deck at level 125 to level 148, where there is an outdoor terrace. It’s a fairly steep price, but I enjoyed being able to get outside (you’re still very well enclosed, so even my fear of falling didn’t ever kick in).
Looks more like the view from a plane than it does from a building
After getting my fill of Dubai from above, I ventured back down through the Dubai Mall (some fascinating people watching can be had here) and across the very long walkway to the Dubai Metro. Twenty-five minutes later I was walking through DXB’s Terminal 3 toward the ungodly large Premium check-in area. Although it’s well separated from the rest of the terminal, there’s no feeling of privacy because the area is just so vast. It was also entirely deserted at 11:15 pm, which only exacerbated the feeling that it’s too large. I had no issues finding my check-in desk for QF 1, and after a brief detour there to get my boarding passes, I continued onward down the endless hallway toward the “private” immigration checkpoint. After a brief holdup there, I was through security and on my way toward the A-gates and the EK First Class “lounge.”
Now, I had read up on this lounge a fair bit, and basically understood what I was getting myself into. For those that don’t know, the EK lounges at DXB essentially occupy the entirety of the floor above the main concourse, meaning it’s not so much a lounge as it is its own concourse. The lounge is equipped with gate lounges, duty free, and all of the other things you’d expect in an international airport. When your flight is ready for boarding, you descend via elevator at the gate, walk right past the passengers boarding from the main level, and, if things work appropriately, get on the plane without having to intermingle with anyone “down below.”
Once again, the previous descriptions hadn’t really prepared me for what I going to see/experience. It’s not that it was any different than described; quite the opposite. It’s the very fact that the lounge really was just its own terminal, and when I arrived, it was almost literally deserted. So here I am, with 2.5 hours until my flight leaves, essentially in a terminal unto myself.
Cigar room
Duty free
And a map, because it’s large enough to get lost!
I’d read up that during certain times the lounge is so overstaffed relative to the amount of passengers that it’s almost as if everyone has their eyes on you. This time was no different. Everyone was very friendly, but it felt as if they were all waiting on me to make my next move. First stop was a very, very badly needed shoe shine. It’s kind of amazing what a good shoe shine will do to your impression of a pair of shoes, actually.
Then I found the restaurant, which had a couple of people there. The restaurant offers a buffet option, along with an impressive a la carte menu. I went for the Prime striploin, along with a boatload of hummus. The food was really, really good, and I wish I’d saved room for dessert. The Moet and Chandon Imperial Brut that is served in the lounge is solid, as well.
Excellent striploin
Dining area
Wow, what an impressive buffet spread, look at all that sushi.
I had arranged for my massage at 1:05, and decided about 12:30 I should probably take a shower and change (I’d brought 1 change of clothes with me, and this seemed as good a time as any). Following the shower and massage, which was absolutely fantastic, I made my way to Gate A1 and had a seat for a few until I decided to wait by the gate agent.
FIDS board. It’s amazing just how busy this airport is in the middle of the night!
View upstairs to the J lounge
Shower room
I alluded to the boarding process earlier, but unfortunately it didn’t seem to be entirely smooth as by the time we began boarding, they’d already started boarding the main cabin down below. I found my own, dedicated F elevator and descended to the mighty whale. There’s always something fun about boarding from door 1L, especially at a 3-jetbridge gate.
Sunday, May 3rd, 2015
QF 1
DXB-LHR
A380-842
VH-OQK
Scheduled Departure: 0215
Out: 0220
Departure Gate: A1
Seat: 3A
Departure Runway: 30L
Off: 0240
Cruising Altitude: FL 400
Arrival Runway: 9R
On: 0714
Arrival Gate: 301
Scheduled Arrival: 0655
In: 0724
I was welcomed on board by a lovely English FA, Jayne, who looked after me the whole flight. Fortunately, I was the first F passenger on board, and was for quite a while, so I had an opportunity to take a few pictures of the cabin, which I absolutely love. It’s simple, yet elegant.
Seat 3A
Shortly after, Jayne returned with some almonds and today’s champagne selection, Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 2004. QF offers a rotating selection of three champagnes, also including the Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill 2000 and the Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs. All three are very fine choices. I had actually bought my mom a bottle of the VC for Christmas, so I was already familiar with it. Following the champagne, which she insisted on refilling, sleep suits and amenity kits were distributed, followed by the menu and wine list.
Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 2004
The cabin filled up, and we left today with a full load. Unfortunately, there were two small children traveling with their parents of about 5 years and 18 months. I wasn’t pleased with this development, but both behaved pretty well. We pushed back a few minutes behind schedule, and fired up the four Rolls Royce Trent 972Bs and taxied out to 30L. I’m always amazed just how quiet this aircraft is. As the plane accelerates down the runway, there is absolutely no need to raise one’s voice; it’s just that quiet. Almost eerily so. As we climbed out, I had an incredible view of Dubai, including the Burj Khalifa that I’d been inside a few short hours prior. A turn to the NE to parallel the coast preceded our NW turn on-course.
The cabin crew quickly sprang into action bringing me even more champagne (it’s almost a miracle I wasn’t dead, but I had been eating a LOT, too) and preparing my place for the light supper they serve. As a DXB-originating passenger, I might wish they served more of a substantial first meal (not that I couldn’t eat in the lounge, as I had), even more so because I have an aversion to breakfast foods when compared to most. I settled on just the hummus from the mezze plate and the classic steak sandwich, which was served open-faced and tasted quite good. I paired that with a nice Australian sauvignon blanc, which had a delightful acidity to it.
Hummus
Steak sandwich
After I finished that, I decided to go ahead and try to get some sleep, which I succeeded in doing for about 4 hours. The QF F seat is a great seat to sleep in.
Bed mode
I woke up not entirely sure where we were since the moving map seemed to have us stuck just off the north coast of Turkey. It said we had just under 2 hours to LHR, so I knew we were a bit closer than that. It was already bright light outside, despite being just about 5:00 am in London, which temporarily confused my already confused body.
Breakfast was served about 90 minutes out of LHR. I selected the corn and sweet potato fritters served with Cumberland sausage, sour cream, and avocado. Given my aversion to most breakfast foods, it was more than adequate. At some point I’m just eating to eat, and that’s a little bit how I felt by the time breakfast was served.
Fresh fruit
Fritters with sausage, sour cream, and avocado
The captain came on 40 minutes prior to landing to inform us that we had been “promised” only one circuit in the holding pattern, and to let us know that we’d be approaching London from the northeast before turning west toward Reading before turning south and east to land from the west. He advised us that the weather was pretty miserable, but if there were any breaks in the clouds Windsor Castle might be visible (they never broke until a few hundred feet off the ground).
We landed on the departure runway, 9R, at 7:14 am, 19 minutes past our scheduled arrival time. I assume they brought the Super in on the departure runway to not break up the arrival flow during a very busy arrivals time, but anyone else can feel free to elaborate. Ten minutes later we’d parked at gate 301 some 29 minutes behind schedule. It didn’t bother me in the slightest, as my flight to DFW didn’t leave until 11:50 am, and I still had plenty of time to make my way over to T5. I was somewhat irked that they only hooked up the jetbridge to 2L, but whatever!
So long QF, it’s been real!
Flight Connections in LHR is not for those who struggle with being perfectly ambulatory, something I found out the hard way with my mother in November. It’s a lot of walking to get to the bus, and a lot of walking from the bus to security. I found my way to the Concorde Room via the “secret” entrance. I was excited to check it out as I’d never been before. After scheduling my spa treatment for 10:15 (I opted for a facial this time since I’d just had a massage), I ventured over to the Galleries F lounge “ticket counter,” entertaining the possibility of trying to switch to the BA A380 flight to LAX. I was told there were a couple of seats open (and because I had an F ticket, they likely could’ve made the change), but the lack of available window seats was a deal-breaker. Just as well, as I’d have more time in the lounge and would be able to do my spa treatment. I quickly found myself a place on the Concorde Terrace, perfectly situated in a corner, and proceeded to watch the last 15 minutes of the Essendon-St. Kilda AFL match. It was a great spot since I had a great view of the ramp. Between planes, footy, and a nice glass of Laurent-Perrier Grande Siecle champagne, I was more than content.
Terrace overview
A terrace with a view!
A word about the Concorde Room. It’s a very, very classy lounge. There’s nothing extravagant about it, and it doesn’t come close to comparing to the Wing or the QF F lounge in SYD, but I love the openness of the terrace, and it has quite a pleasant vibe. My only lament is that the dining follows a standard schedule, with breakfast served until noon. I went for the eggs benedict, which was quite tasty, but nevertheless, I wish there were some non-breakfast options for those of us that gravitate toward the latter meals of the day!
Dining area
The spa treatment was magical, and I left totally relaxed and refreshed, something noteworthy for such a whirlwind trip.
Elemis Travel Spa
With about 70 minutes until my flight, and the knowledge that we’d be leaving from the B gates, I decided to head that way. I arrived in the gate lounge at B54 to see my 777-300ER, G-STBD, waiting for me right behind the gate. I’m ashamed to admit that I didn’t realize until we started boarding that our aircraft was actually at the very end of the concourse. G-STBG would be operating BA193 to DFW. We were informed that the flight was extremely full, and they were offering to check bags free of charge for anyone who didn’t need their carry-on. After what seemed like a lengthy pre-boarding process, F was finally called and I was the first to board.
G-STBD, a slightly older sister to my –STBG, heh
BA 193
LHR-DFW
777-336 ER
G-STBG
Scheduled Departure: 1150
Out: 1153
Departure Gate: B54
Seat: 3A
Departure Runway: 27R
Off: 1209
Cruising Altitude: FL 380
Arrival Runway: 17C
On: 1520
Arrival Gate: D14
Scheduled Arrival: 1550
In: 1535
I was welcomed on board through door 2L and shown my seat. I had “noticed” the lovely mixed-fleet crew working BA 193 when they arrived and was pleased that Emma, almost certainly younger than me and quite striking, would be looking after me today. I’d be remiss if I didn’t have more champagne, so Emma brought that and some candied nuts, which were decidedly not to my liking. {yuck}
I love the ambiance onboard BA
Although I couldn’t resist opening my windows and ruining it!
I was provided the standard amenities, including a sleep suit, amenity kit, and menu. The cabin on my half was totally full, but there were several empty ‘G’ seats on the other side of the aisle. I believe the final load today in F was 13/16, not too shabby. I was actually surprised when we started to move, as it didn’t seem like we’d been boarding for very long, but we pushed back a few minutes behind schedule and fired up the big GE90-115Bs engines that I could only barely see from my vantage point.
We taxied out to the departure runway, 27R; I’d noticed that they’d turned the airport around while I was sitting on the terrace. After queueing for a couple of narrowbodies, our turn came and the big engines roared to life. After climbing out, the crew came by offering drinks and taking our orders.
I went for the duck terrine as an appetizer, which was fine, and the filet for lunch. I’d mentioned that I’d like my steak cooked as rare as possible, and that was met with some resistance from the other flight attendant, who said she’d see what she could do but cautioned me to readjust my expectations. The steak was undoubtedly the most disappointing meal I’ve had on a long haul flight in F. It was tough, something akin to a hockey puck, and brutally overcooked. And it was tiny. I’ll let the pictures do the talking, but the catering for BA is woefully behind that of their competitors.
Salmon amuse bouche, probably the best part of the meal
Duck terrine
What is this, a steak for ants?!
An overcooked steak for ants?!
After being disappointed by the steak, I decided again to settle in for the flight, and continue an episode of A Very British Airline, which I’d started shortly after takeoff.
Emma came by and we chatted for a bit about my trip, about Texas (it was her first time to Texas…I, of course, suggested she needed to come to Austin as soon as it goes mixed-fleet), and about where I should go on my next trip.
It was a fun conversation, but wasn’t anywhere near as natural as the conversations I had with the EY crews.
After finishing 2.5 episodes of A Very British Airline, which is a wonderful, behind-the-scenes look at BA that is a must watch for any aviation/airline enthusiast, I felt my eyes getting heavy and decided to wrap up in a blanket and get some sleep. I’m sure if I’d asked they would’ve made up my bed, but I didn’t need it.
BA’s F seat is, in my opinion, a step behind its competitors in most ways. I should say that it’s still perfectly comfortable, but it feels more like a slightly larger J seat than it does a true F seat. Even though EY is still a 1-2-1 on the 777, the use of the space is just a lot better such that it feels much larger. Never mind comparing the likes of CX or QF, both of which have a 1-1-1 F, it feels closer to the AA/CX J seat than it does the CX/QF F seat.
With all of that said, I woke up over Arkansas (meaning I slept quite a while) and went for some Madagascan vanilla ice cream to awaken the senses while I finished the last half of the 3rd episode of A Very British Airline
We began our descent toward DFW right around the Oklahoma border, and about 30 minutes later settled ever so gently onto 17C after a short 9:11 minute flight. We taxied around to the west side and parked at Gate D14 some 15 minutes ahead of schedule.
BA was adequate, but absolutely nothing special, particularly when compared to my previous two experiences. They have historically had a very strong premium brand, which makes it a shame that they’ve fallen so far behind their international competitors. Quite honestly, the products offered were something I’d expect on an AA international flight, but not BA. They’ve got some decisions to make regarding what they want to be on the international scene. I’m not convinced they’re going to be able to hold serve with the offerings as they are, but I hope they’re able to resurrect the historic success they’ve had with their premium brand. The Speedbird must fly again!
Customs and immigration was pretty straightforward with Global Entry. I went to go get my boarding pass for my AUS flight, and inquired about getting on an earlier flight, but was told it was full. After clearing security and retrieving my posters from the Terminal D Admirals Club, I had them put me on the standby list for the earlier AUS flight anyway. Without being sure I was even going to go to the gate since I didn’t think I’d have much of a chance, I found myself heading toward Terminal C, and my gate, where they’d apparently been paging me. I swapped out my 6F boarding pass on the later flight for 20E, a middle seat in economy on the earlier, AA383. The things we do to get home earlier.
The flight, operated by a 737-800, was as uneventful as every DFW-AUS flight I’ve been on, though I did have a nice seatmate returning home from the Kentucky Derby. She had lots of interesting stories from the weekend, so we talked for most of the flight home and swapped stories.
Reflecting on my trip, I’m not convinced this is something I’d choose to do again, particularly after paying what I did. Don’t get me wrong, it was still fun, but over the last several years I’ve been able to travel extensively and experience lots of new places. It’s difficult for me to justify flying just to fly now, even in F. I love seeing new places, and this trip really didn’t afford me that opportunity, which I think has played a large role in how I feel about it. Nevertheless, EY was absolutely magical, with some great, personable crew. QF is just perfect. The seat, the crews, just the whole experience. Unfortunately, I clearly can’t say the same thing about BA. They have a fairly long way to go to be competitive with the top-tier airlines.
I have the menus/wine lists from each flight, so if you’re interested in seeing them, don’t hesitate to ask and I’ll get them scanned/photographed for you.
Questions/Comments/Thoughts welcome and appreciated! If you enjoy them, make sure to check out my others:
Old TRs
http://www.airliners.net/aviation-fo...d.main/259449/
http://www.airliners.net/aviation-fo...d.main/257778/
http://www.airliners.net/aviation-fo...d.main/164197/
http://www.airliners.net/aviation-fo...d.main/150793/
http://www.airliners.net/aviation-fo...d.main/146479/
http://www.airliners.net/aviation-fo...d.main/146439/
http://www.airliners.net/aviation-fo...d.main/135507/
http://www.airliners.net/aviation-fo...d.main/132792/
http://www.airliners.net/aviation-fo...d.main/130404/
http://www.airliners.net/aviation-fo...d.main/126805/
http://www.airliners.net/aviation-fo...d.main/106448/
http://www.airliners.net/aviation-fo...d.main/102590/
http://www.airliners.net/aviation-fo...ad.main/99470/
Thanks for reading! {wave}
Cheers,
Cameron
That said, I hope you enjoy!
Background
On April 9th, BA published a mistake fare from Dubai to Austin, one-way, in first class, for as little as $1,100. Although I’ve had my share of good fortune when it comes to finding and acting on fares like this, for every one I’m able to book, dozens go by that I would’ve booked had I been in the right place at the right time. Thankfully, I was lucky enough this time around, and within a matter of minutes I had my ticket booked. Rather than electing to do DXB-LHR in BA, I paid a bit more to get QF and the 380 on that segment.
There was a shockingly wide range of dates available in May and June for the mistake fare, and I had the foresight to realize I needed to get to Dubai and sure as hell wasn’t going to pay for it. Since I knew I was flying BA on the way back (and didn’t want to get reamed with their fuel surcharges and luxury taxes flying through LHR on an award ticket), my mind instantly went to EY and their relatively new DFW-AUH service. A few minutes later I had a well-timed (at least within the UAE) “connection” to the mistake fare on hold, also in F, for 90K miles and $7 in fees. Between the 10% rebate I get thanks to my credit card, and some promotions that AA is running on long-haul flights in premium cabins for their elites, the trip wound up costing me a net of ~45K miles; not too shabby for a 15 hour flight in F on one of the world’s elite carriers.
In the most tragic news of all, these would be my first flights of 2015.
Friday, May 1st, 2015
The one negative, which wound up being a total positive, was that my AUS-DFW flight, a) was in the late morning, meaning I’d have a 7 hour layover in DFW, and b) was booked into Y due to award availability constraints. Neither of these mattered as I know I can always find ways to kill time at DFW, and a 45 minute flight to DFW in Y is something I’m not remotely afraid of. Nevertheless, I woke up about 7:15 for my 10:38 am flight, and arrived at the airport about 8:50. After a brief discussion with the ticket agent and an attempt to find me an F seat (she was adamant that I couldn’t be upgraded on an award ticket, totally misunderstanding that I was already traveling on a Z ticket), I quickly gave up and decided this would be better dealt with at the Admirals Club.
Security was a breeze (thanks PreCheck!), and in no time at all I’d made my way upstairs to the Admirals Club. I mentioned to the wonderful agents my situation and they started banging away. They told me to head down to Gate 13, where the 9:20 am flight to DFW was just leaving. They said there was one seat open on the 9:50 am and no one on the upgrade list (which I found shocking for AUS), so the gate agent could process it. Unfortunately, by the time she’d closed out the 9:20 am flight and got around to trying to reissue the ticket, someone had taken the seat. I knew the gate agent from my DC-3 encounter in 2008, and she was excited to see me and lamented she couldn’t help. Thankfully, it was no big deal. I returned to the club to check out the updated food offerings and grab a quick mimosa. Around 10:00 I ventured down to Gate 13 and a few minutes later the flight began boarding.
AA 1484
AUS-DFW
MD-83
N434AA
Scheduled Departure: 1038
Out: 1039
Departure Gate: 13
Seat: 10A
Departure Runway: 17L
Off:1052
Cruising Altitude: FL230
Route: ELOEL1 FORSS GUTZZ BOOVE1
Arrival Runway: 18R
On: 1128
Arrival Gate: C36
Scheduled Arrival: 1146
In: 1134
As per usual, this flight was about as standard an AUS-DFW affair as one can have. I bumped into a couple of my parents friends who were on the way to Venice, but other than that, the only noteworthy aspect of the flight was that after we landed in DFW, we managed to taxi from 18R, across the south bridge, to gate C36 in only 6 minutes. And we didn’t stop. Pretty remarkable. Ha!
Upon landing at DFW, I had already sent out a message to a group of AA frequent flyers that I’m a part of looking for people to meet-up with. After I landed I headed over to the Centurion Lounge in Terminal D to meet up with a gentleman in the group before he headed to SDF for the Kentucky Derby. After that brief meet-up (with the promise that the lounge agents would allow me back in later, which was very kind of them since I’m not a member), I ventured over to the C club to meet up with another friend of mine before his flight to BWI. What a great way to kill time, lounge hopping! Following that I went back to the Centurion Lounge to get some lunch. Regrettably, I didn’t get any pictures of the food spread, but it was far, far superior to anything you’d find in a domestic lounge.
While eating lunch, I sent a Facebook message to another member of the group who works for AA in the social media team. I sort of invited myself over to HQ for a tour (in a light-hearted way), but she was happy to oblige. Miraculously, I had amazing luck with the buses and 20 minutes later I was sitting in the lobby at HQ, waiting to meet up with her and see how the other side works.
While respecting the privacy of those involved, I’d just like to say it was wonderful to meet a bunch of employees of the airline I care so deeply about, and I had a great time avgeeking it up with some members of AA’s social media team. I also came away with some cool posters and other airline paraphernalia, which I’d planned to store at one of the Admirals Clubs for the weekend until I passed back through on Sunday on my way back.
With half the afternoon drained, I made my way back (with similar good fortune on the buses) to Terminal D and checked in at the EY counter. I just wanted to get a boarding pass with EY cardstock, but little did I know that they would make everyone connecting from AA update their boarding pass at the gate. Unfortunately, EY doesn’t participate in PreCheck, so I had to suffer through the normal security screening with the unwashed masses. :-D
I went up to the Terminal D Admirals Club and stored my posters (I was bringing only a backpack with me for the whole trip), grabbed a quick drink and decided with the flight approaching, I would head over to my favorite airport showers ever in the Terminal A Admirals Club to freshen up. After bouncing over there, I made my way back across to Terminal D, wanting to check out The Club at DFW that EY uses. For those of you counting, I believe that is now my 5th trip across!
Congrats to the (presumably) captain on his last flight!
I wasn’t familiar with this contract lounge in the slightest, and they actually have 5-6 individual lounges that the airlines use individually. EY was using Lounge 1 at the southern end, while QR was using Lounge 2, right next door. Another friend of mine happened to be flying QR to DOH that night, and messaged me right as I was walking into the lounge, so I popped over to say hi.
I returned over to the EY lounge after a little while just to get an idea of what it was about. As a biologist, I particularly enjoyed the saltwater aquarium they had. I was the only one in there for a little while, but never actually sat down. At about 6:00 I made my way over to gate D11, which was the gate being used for First Class. I chatted a bit with the gate agent, and eventually things seemed to be progressing toward boarding. At about 6:35, boarding for J was commenced from gate D12, but the F passengers had to wait another 5 minutes or so for something to clear up.
A6-LRA, resting briefly before the return journey to AUH
Yup, that’s me!
EY 160
DFW-AUH
777-237 LR
A6-LRA
Scheduled Departure: 0720
Out: 0724
Departure Gate: D11/D12
Seat: 1A
Departure Runway: 18L
Off: 1952
Cruising Altitude: FL350
Route: AKUNA6 MLC SGF J105 BDF PETTY SSM LORNE GRAMP YKL AVUTI 5900N 05000W 6000N 04000W 6100N 03000W 6200N 02000W 6200N 01000W GUNPA REPKU AMROR N983 MAPEX N983 POLON N133 LENOV UL619 KENIN KARIL UL619 REBLA UL620 DINRO L601 ODERO UP975 EZS UL614 SRT UG8 ALRAM UT36 KAPES UL223 MESVI UT975 KHG UT975 KUVER UT975 NABOS UT975 TOTIS UT975 OVONA N318 XAKUM Q666 BOXAK
Arrival Runway: 31R
On: 1939 +1
Arrival Gate: 511 (hard stand)
Scheduled Arrival: 1940 +1
In: 1949 +1
This was going to be the only “new” experience for me, as I’ve flown BA F and QF F before. I was very much looking forward to it, as I’d read lots of good things about EY and their F product. While I was, of course, disappointed I didn’t get to experience the incredible Apartments, I was still very much looking forward to crossing a new airline, new product, and new aircraft off my list! I was greeted at door 1L by Pooja, a young Indian flight attendant, and Mark, the onboard chef from England. I was escorted to my seat, 1A, and I couldn’t help but laugh at the concept of having a door on a plane seat. I was quickly attended to and offered a beverage. Anything but champagne seemed ridiculous, so that’s what I ordered. Pooja promptly returned with an empty champagne flute and some dried figs on a shiny silver platter, and immediately after with a bottle of Gosset Grande Millesime 2004.
The remainder of the boarding process was spent bringing various accoutrements: menu and wine list, sleep suit, amenity kit, and refills of champagne. A few other people had found their way into F, and our load today would be 5/8. Mark came by to inquire about my desired selections for dinner. After some lengthy discussion, we settled on my choices.
David Warren waiting for the longest flight in the world, QF8. I flew VH-OQI last year on QF11.
We pushed back 4 minutes behind schedule, and quickly fired up our GE90-110B1s and taxied out to 18L. This aircraft was delivered new to Air India as VT-ALA in July 2007, was returned to the lessor and sold to EY as A6-LRA on 8 February 2014. It is the first of EY’s 5 77Ls.
And again
The mighty GEs sent us skyward at 7:52 for the 7,085 nm, 15:05 flight to AUH. We banked west, then north to put the pointy end the right direction. Takeoff video can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gyUy2_S9t0
As soon as the seatbelt sign was switched off, Pooja jumped into action, quickly bringing me my requested glass of champagne, along with some nuts, dried vegetables, and a small bowl of olives (which are not to my taste, unfortunately). The cabin manger, Isabel from the Philippines, came by to welcome me on board and wish me a pleasant flight. Shortly thereafter, the parade of food began in earnest. I always seem to overeat on flights like this and all but ruin any chance of eating again on the flight. Would that be the case here? Let’s find out.
Champagne and an assortment of nibbles.
Pooja came to set my place, with the incredibly large tray table covered by a white linen. Mark came by to deliver the amuse bouche, ahi tuna tartare served on a bed of arugula. Delicious!
Day into night
Place setting
Ahi tuna tartare amuse bouche
Next came the appetizer. I had ordered the Arabic mezze plate, which was divine. I’m a sucker for hummus, and I wasn’t disappointed.
Arabic mezze plate
And some sorbet to cleanse the palate, how thoughtful!
Following the appetizer, Mark delivered my requested filet. The chef special today was a filet with blue cheese and a balsamic jus. I essentially went for that, but without the blue cheese. I opted for the mashed potatoes and some steamed veggies to accompany it. I paired it with a very nice Sonoma pinot noir.
A word about this steak. Dedicated readers may recall me raving about the steak on my CX flight from LAX-HKG last January, and it was a phenomenal piece of meat. Please understand my full meaning when I say this was a better piece of meat. The quality was exactly what I expect from a US Prime grade of steak, and it was very well prepared. Probably the only knock on it was it was ever-so-slightly overcooked, but only just, and I understand how difficult it is to cook a steak on a plane, particularly when dealing with steaks that have to be partially cooked before they’re loaded.
Ever-so-slightly overdone, but fantastic nonetheless!
To add to Mark’s praise, I overheard a fellow F passenger, an American businessman traveling to the UAE for work, just raving about how good his sea bass was. It was very, very sincere praise, with comments like “absolutely the best fish I’ve ever had on a plane.” Kudos to Mark, he worked hard, and performed admirably, particularly given the limited resources available to him at FL350 in a small galley.
So did I overeat? Yes…yes I did. I was uncomfortably full, so once again, as is my modus operandi on long haul flights, I skipped dessert. Following dinner, which I paired with some Archer on my tablet, I went to chat with Mark for a while in the galley. I always love talking to people in the industry, and Mark was no exception. We had a wide-ranging talk from his story to popular TV shows currently airing.
I get the sense cabin crews love having passengers like me on board, who neither take life too seriously, nor feel above having an honest conversation between two equals. Pooja had commented earlier that she wants me to be one of her passengers all the time because I actually talk to her!
After hanging out in the galley for 30-45 minutes, I asked Pooja to make my bed, which she happily obliged while I ventured to the lavatory. It was very nicely apportioned, but unfortunately, I forgot to grab a picture.
After laughing again at the ridiculousness of having a door in a plane seat, I closed it and settled in for a sleep.
How lovely
I have a door!
Due to the nature of my trip, my plan to avoid jetlag was to just not reset my internal clock. I would be back in DFW in less than 48 hours, so it really didn’t make much sense to try and reset the clock.
I woke up over Turkey after sleeping for a solid 8 hours, more than I ever had on a plane. I guess that’s a pretty solid comment on how comfortable the seat was in bed mode. The pad was very soft, and at no point did I feel any joints in the seat or anything like that. At that point we had a little less than 4 hours left. I fretted for about an hour about whether or not I was hungry, ultimately deciding that I should have another meal. Mark came by to ask me what I wanted, and after pressing him to help me decide, we selected the rack of lamb with some more mashed potatoes and veggies, this time with a salad.
Somewhere over Iraq
Rack of lamb
I don’t claim to know a whole lot about lamb, but it was also very enjoyable. I’m quite impressed with the catering all the way around. I came in with high expectations, and EY thoroughly lived up to it.
Close up
As we journeyed across the Persian Gulf, we continued to lose sunlight as day slipped quietly into night. We were vectored around quite a bit, and eventually began our descent. We crossed the UAE coastline to the W of Abu Dhabi, and eventually made turns to the E and N before lining up on final for runway 31R. Touchdown at 7:39 pm, slightly less than 24 hours on the clock after I’d left DFW, followed by a fairly lengthy taxi across the inboard runway to our parking spot, a hard stand where several buses were waiting for us. We were driven around to arrivals, and I began the walk to immigration.
Special thanks to Mark and Pooja for a wonderful flight!
After I cleared customs, I found my way through the arrivals lounge to the Etihad Chauffer desk. I had pre-arranged transportation to Dubai (they will drive F and J passengers anywhere in the UAE), and by 8:15 pm, the Audi A6 was whisking me along Sheikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Rd. toward Dubai.
With only 6 hours until my flight to LHR, I didn’t have a whole lot of time to see Dubai, but it did make sense to take in the Burj Khalifa since it was my first time to the UAE. I had pre-booked the At The Top Sky tour, which, for about $85, allows you to go beyond the observation deck at level 125 to level 148, where there is an outdoor terrace. It’s a fairly steep price, but I enjoyed being able to get outside (you’re still very well enclosed, so even my fear of falling didn’t ever kick in).
Looks more like the view from a plane than it does from a building
After getting my fill of Dubai from above, I ventured back down through the Dubai Mall (some fascinating people watching can be had here) and across the very long walkway to the Dubai Metro. Twenty-five minutes later I was walking through DXB’s Terminal 3 toward the ungodly large Premium check-in area. Although it’s well separated from the rest of the terminal, there’s no feeling of privacy because the area is just so vast. It was also entirely deserted at 11:15 pm, which only exacerbated the feeling that it’s too large. I had no issues finding my check-in desk for QF 1, and after a brief detour there to get my boarding passes, I continued onward down the endless hallway toward the “private” immigration checkpoint. After a brief holdup there, I was through security and on my way toward the A-gates and the EK First Class “lounge.”
Now, I had read up on this lounge a fair bit, and basically understood what I was getting myself into. For those that don’t know, the EK lounges at DXB essentially occupy the entirety of the floor above the main concourse, meaning it’s not so much a lounge as it is its own concourse. The lounge is equipped with gate lounges, duty free, and all of the other things you’d expect in an international airport. When your flight is ready for boarding, you descend via elevator at the gate, walk right past the passengers boarding from the main level, and, if things work appropriately, get on the plane without having to intermingle with anyone “down below.”
Once again, the previous descriptions hadn’t really prepared me for what I going to see/experience. It’s not that it was any different than described; quite the opposite. It’s the very fact that the lounge really was just its own terminal, and when I arrived, it was almost literally deserted. So here I am, with 2.5 hours until my flight leaves, essentially in a terminal unto myself.
Cigar room
Duty free
And a map, because it’s large enough to get lost!
I’d read up that during certain times the lounge is so overstaffed relative to the amount of passengers that it’s almost as if everyone has their eyes on you. This time was no different. Everyone was very friendly, but it felt as if they were all waiting on me to make my next move. First stop was a very, very badly needed shoe shine. It’s kind of amazing what a good shoe shine will do to your impression of a pair of shoes, actually.
Then I found the restaurant, which had a couple of people there. The restaurant offers a buffet option, along with an impressive a la carte menu. I went for the Prime striploin, along with a boatload of hummus. The food was really, really good, and I wish I’d saved room for dessert. The Moet and Chandon Imperial Brut that is served in the lounge is solid, as well.
Excellent striploin
Dining area
Wow, what an impressive buffet spread, look at all that sushi.
I had arranged for my massage at 1:05, and decided about 12:30 I should probably take a shower and change (I’d brought 1 change of clothes with me, and this seemed as good a time as any). Following the shower and massage, which was absolutely fantastic, I made my way to Gate A1 and had a seat for a few until I decided to wait by the gate agent.
FIDS board. It’s amazing just how busy this airport is in the middle of the night!
View upstairs to the J lounge
Shower room
I alluded to the boarding process earlier, but unfortunately it didn’t seem to be entirely smooth as by the time we began boarding, they’d already started boarding the main cabin down below. I found my own, dedicated F elevator and descended to the mighty whale. There’s always something fun about boarding from door 1L, especially at a 3-jetbridge gate.
Sunday, May 3rd, 2015
QF 1
DXB-LHR
A380-842
VH-OQK
Scheduled Departure: 0215
Out: 0220
Departure Gate: A1
Seat: 3A
Departure Runway: 30L
Off: 0240
Cruising Altitude: FL 400
Arrival Runway: 9R
On: 0714
Arrival Gate: 301
Scheduled Arrival: 0655
In: 0724
I was welcomed on board by a lovely English FA, Jayne, who looked after me the whole flight. Fortunately, I was the first F passenger on board, and was for quite a while, so I had an opportunity to take a few pictures of the cabin, which I absolutely love. It’s simple, yet elegant.
Seat 3A
Shortly after, Jayne returned with some almonds and today’s champagne selection, Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 2004. QF offers a rotating selection of three champagnes, also including the Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill 2000 and the Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs. All three are very fine choices. I had actually bought my mom a bottle of the VC for Christmas, so I was already familiar with it. Following the champagne, which she insisted on refilling, sleep suits and amenity kits were distributed, followed by the menu and wine list.
Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 2004
The cabin filled up, and we left today with a full load. Unfortunately, there were two small children traveling with their parents of about 5 years and 18 months. I wasn’t pleased with this development, but both behaved pretty well. We pushed back a few minutes behind schedule, and fired up the four Rolls Royce Trent 972Bs and taxied out to 30L. I’m always amazed just how quiet this aircraft is. As the plane accelerates down the runway, there is absolutely no need to raise one’s voice; it’s just that quiet. Almost eerily so. As we climbed out, I had an incredible view of Dubai, including the Burj Khalifa that I’d been inside a few short hours prior. A turn to the NE to parallel the coast preceded our NW turn on-course.
The cabin crew quickly sprang into action bringing me even more champagne (it’s almost a miracle I wasn’t dead, but I had been eating a LOT, too) and preparing my place for the light supper they serve. As a DXB-originating passenger, I might wish they served more of a substantial first meal (not that I couldn’t eat in the lounge, as I had), even more so because I have an aversion to breakfast foods when compared to most. I settled on just the hummus from the mezze plate and the classic steak sandwich, which was served open-faced and tasted quite good. I paired that with a nice Australian sauvignon blanc, which had a delightful acidity to it.
Hummus
Steak sandwich
After I finished that, I decided to go ahead and try to get some sleep, which I succeeded in doing for about 4 hours. The QF F seat is a great seat to sleep in.
Bed mode
I woke up not entirely sure where we were since the moving map seemed to have us stuck just off the north coast of Turkey. It said we had just under 2 hours to LHR, so I knew we were a bit closer than that. It was already bright light outside, despite being just about 5:00 am in London, which temporarily confused my already confused body.
Breakfast was served about 90 minutes out of LHR. I selected the corn and sweet potato fritters served with Cumberland sausage, sour cream, and avocado. Given my aversion to most breakfast foods, it was more than adequate. At some point I’m just eating to eat, and that’s a little bit how I felt by the time breakfast was served.
Fresh fruit
Fritters with sausage, sour cream, and avocado
The captain came on 40 minutes prior to landing to inform us that we had been “promised” only one circuit in the holding pattern, and to let us know that we’d be approaching London from the northeast before turning west toward Reading before turning south and east to land from the west. He advised us that the weather was pretty miserable, but if there were any breaks in the clouds Windsor Castle might be visible (they never broke until a few hundred feet off the ground).
We landed on the departure runway, 9R, at 7:14 am, 19 minutes past our scheduled arrival time. I assume they brought the Super in on the departure runway to not break up the arrival flow during a very busy arrivals time, but anyone else can feel free to elaborate. Ten minutes later we’d parked at gate 301 some 29 minutes behind schedule. It didn’t bother me in the slightest, as my flight to DFW didn’t leave until 11:50 am, and I still had plenty of time to make my way over to T5. I was somewhat irked that they only hooked up the jetbridge to 2L, but whatever!
So long QF, it’s been real!
Flight Connections in LHR is not for those who struggle with being perfectly ambulatory, something I found out the hard way with my mother in November. It’s a lot of walking to get to the bus, and a lot of walking from the bus to security. I found my way to the Concorde Room via the “secret” entrance. I was excited to check it out as I’d never been before. After scheduling my spa treatment for 10:15 (I opted for a facial this time since I’d just had a massage), I ventured over to the Galleries F lounge “ticket counter,” entertaining the possibility of trying to switch to the BA A380 flight to LAX. I was told there were a couple of seats open (and because I had an F ticket, they likely could’ve made the change), but the lack of available window seats was a deal-breaker. Just as well, as I’d have more time in the lounge and would be able to do my spa treatment. I quickly found myself a place on the Concorde Terrace, perfectly situated in a corner, and proceeded to watch the last 15 minutes of the Essendon-St. Kilda AFL match. It was a great spot since I had a great view of the ramp. Between planes, footy, and a nice glass of Laurent-Perrier Grande Siecle champagne, I was more than content.
Terrace overview
A terrace with a view!
A word about the Concorde Room. It’s a very, very classy lounge. There’s nothing extravagant about it, and it doesn’t come close to comparing to the Wing or the QF F lounge in SYD, but I love the openness of the terrace, and it has quite a pleasant vibe. My only lament is that the dining follows a standard schedule, with breakfast served until noon. I went for the eggs benedict, which was quite tasty, but nevertheless, I wish there were some non-breakfast options for those of us that gravitate toward the latter meals of the day!
Dining area
The spa treatment was magical, and I left totally relaxed and refreshed, something noteworthy for such a whirlwind trip.
Elemis Travel Spa
With about 70 minutes until my flight, and the knowledge that we’d be leaving from the B gates, I decided to head that way. I arrived in the gate lounge at B54 to see my 777-300ER, G-STBD, waiting for me right behind the gate. I’m ashamed to admit that I didn’t realize until we started boarding that our aircraft was actually at the very end of the concourse. G-STBG would be operating BA193 to DFW. We were informed that the flight was extremely full, and they were offering to check bags free of charge for anyone who didn’t need their carry-on. After what seemed like a lengthy pre-boarding process, F was finally called and I was the first to board.
G-STBD, a slightly older sister to my –STBG, heh
BA 193
LHR-DFW
777-336 ER
G-STBG
Scheduled Departure: 1150
Out: 1153
Departure Gate: B54
Seat: 3A
Departure Runway: 27R
Off: 1209
Cruising Altitude: FL 380
Arrival Runway: 17C
On: 1520
Arrival Gate: D14
Scheduled Arrival: 1550
In: 1535
I was welcomed on board through door 2L and shown my seat. I had “noticed” the lovely mixed-fleet crew working BA 193 when they arrived and was pleased that Emma, almost certainly younger than me and quite striking, would be looking after me today. I’d be remiss if I didn’t have more champagne, so Emma brought that and some candied nuts, which were decidedly not to my liking. {yuck}
I love the ambiance onboard BA
Although I couldn’t resist opening my windows and ruining it!
I was provided the standard amenities, including a sleep suit, amenity kit, and menu. The cabin on my half was totally full, but there were several empty ‘G’ seats on the other side of the aisle. I believe the final load today in F was 13/16, not too shabby. I was actually surprised when we started to move, as it didn’t seem like we’d been boarding for very long, but we pushed back a few minutes behind schedule and fired up the big GE90-115Bs engines that I could only barely see from my vantage point.
We taxied out to the departure runway, 27R; I’d noticed that they’d turned the airport around while I was sitting on the terrace. After queueing for a couple of narrowbodies, our turn came and the big engines roared to life. After climbing out, the crew came by offering drinks and taking our orders.
I went for the duck terrine as an appetizer, which was fine, and the filet for lunch. I’d mentioned that I’d like my steak cooked as rare as possible, and that was met with some resistance from the other flight attendant, who said she’d see what she could do but cautioned me to readjust my expectations. The steak was undoubtedly the most disappointing meal I’ve had on a long haul flight in F. It was tough, something akin to a hockey puck, and brutally overcooked. And it was tiny. I’ll let the pictures do the talking, but the catering for BA is woefully behind that of their competitors.
Salmon amuse bouche, probably the best part of the meal
Duck terrine
What is this, a steak for ants?!
An overcooked steak for ants?!
After being disappointed by the steak, I decided again to settle in for the flight, and continue an episode of A Very British Airline, which I’d started shortly after takeoff.
Emma came by and we chatted for a bit about my trip, about Texas (it was her first time to Texas…I, of course, suggested she needed to come to Austin as soon as it goes mixed-fleet), and about where I should go on my next trip.
It was a fun conversation, but wasn’t anywhere near as natural as the conversations I had with the EY crews.
After finishing 2.5 episodes of A Very British Airline, which is a wonderful, behind-the-scenes look at BA that is a must watch for any aviation/airline enthusiast, I felt my eyes getting heavy and decided to wrap up in a blanket and get some sleep. I’m sure if I’d asked they would’ve made up my bed, but I didn’t need it.
BA’s F seat is, in my opinion, a step behind its competitors in most ways. I should say that it’s still perfectly comfortable, but it feels more like a slightly larger J seat than it does a true F seat. Even though EY is still a 1-2-1 on the 777, the use of the space is just a lot better such that it feels much larger. Never mind comparing the likes of CX or QF, both of which have a 1-1-1 F, it feels closer to the AA/CX J seat than it does the CX/QF F seat.
With all of that said, I woke up over Arkansas (meaning I slept quite a while) and went for some Madagascan vanilla ice cream to awaken the senses while I finished the last half of the 3rd episode of A Very British Airline
We began our descent toward DFW right around the Oklahoma border, and about 30 minutes later settled ever so gently onto 17C after a short 9:11 minute flight. We taxied around to the west side and parked at Gate D14 some 15 minutes ahead of schedule.
BA was adequate, but absolutely nothing special, particularly when compared to my previous two experiences. They have historically had a very strong premium brand, which makes it a shame that they’ve fallen so far behind their international competitors. Quite honestly, the products offered were something I’d expect on an AA international flight, but not BA. They’ve got some decisions to make regarding what they want to be on the international scene. I’m not convinced they’re going to be able to hold serve with the offerings as they are, but I hope they’re able to resurrect the historic success they’ve had with their premium brand. The Speedbird must fly again!
Customs and immigration was pretty straightforward with Global Entry. I went to go get my boarding pass for my AUS flight, and inquired about getting on an earlier flight, but was told it was full. After clearing security and retrieving my posters from the Terminal D Admirals Club, I had them put me on the standby list for the earlier AUS flight anyway. Without being sure I was even going to go to the gate since I didn’t think I’d have much of a chance, I found myself heading toward Terminal C, and my gate, where they’d apparently been paging me. I swapped out my 6F boarding pass on the later flight for 20E, a middle seat in economy on the earlier, AA383. The things we do to get home earlier.
The flight, operated by a 737-800, was as uneventful as every DFW-AUS flight I’ve been on, though I did have a nice seatmate returning home from the Kentucky Derby. She had lots of interesting stories from the weekend, so we talked for most of the flight home and swapped stories.
Reflecting on my trip, I’m not convinced this is something I’d choose to do again, particularly after paying what I did. Don’t get me wrong, it was still fun, but over the last several years I’ve been able to travel extensively and experience lots of new places. It’s difficult for me to justify flying just to fly now, even in F. I love seeing new places, and this trip really didn’t afford me that opportunity, which I think has played a large role in how I feel about it. Nevertheless, EY was absolutely magical, with some great, personable crew. QF is just perfect. The seat, the crews, just the whole experience. Unfortunately, I clearly can’t say the same thing about BA. They have a fairly long way to go to be competitive with the top-tier airlines.
I have the menus/wine lists from each flight, so if you’re interested in seeing them, don’t hesitate to ask and I’ll get them scanned/photographed for you.
Questions/Comments/Thoughts welcome and appreciated! If you enjoy them, make sure to check out my others:
Old TRs
http://www.airliners.net/aviation-fo...d.main/259449/
http://www.airliners.net/aviation-fo...d.main/257778/
http://www.airliners.net/aviation-fo...d.main/164197/
http://www.airliners.net/aviation-fo...d.main/150793/
http://www.airliners.net/aviation-fo...d.main/146479/
http://www.airliners.net/aviation-fo...d.main/146439/
http://www.airliners.net/aviation-fo...d.main/135507/
http://www.airliners.net/aviation-fo...d.main/132792/
http://www.airliners.net/aviation-fo...d.main/130404/
http://www.airliners.net/aviation-fo...d.main/126805/
http://www.airliners.net/aviation-fo...d.main/106448/
http://www.airliners.net/aviation-fo...d.main/102590/
http://www.airliners.net/aviation-fo...ad.main/99470/
Thanks for reading! {wave}
Cheers,
Cameron
May 8, 2015 | 5:32 pm
#3
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: South West
Programs: BAEC Silver. Tracking for TP run.
Posts: 150
Great report, thank you.As a regular on BA it was interesting to see your comparisons and sadly you confirm the general opinion on the BA board about the (lower) standard and level of competitiveness. I loved your photos and the details bit. The BA steak was the smallest surprise but the biggest disappointment for me, confirms what everyone has said for years. I still order it, just have to wash it down with lots of red wine!
May 8, 2015 | 8:56 pm
#4
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Manhattan Beach, California
Programs: BMI Diamond Club Gold forever
Posts: 6,892
Thanks for the report, we're looking forward to our BA tickets on this "special fare" later this year. We did fly EY F suites last year on the special CMB-DFW fare and agree with your general assessment about how high the service level was on that longhaul. As a result of that great experience, I worked it to get our Austin tickets onto the EY A380 so we could experience the Apartments, and then routed us through LAX to try the BA A380 as well. That will be an interesting trip for comparison purposes.
May 9, 2015 | 6:21 am
#9
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: London, UK
Programs: AA 2MM - PLT, BA GGL, SPG Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,221
Thanks for the report and pictures. I agree with your conclusions about QF / EY / CX compared to BA. They really need to pull something out of the bag and sort out their F product.
May 9, 2015 | 11:37 am
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: East Coast
Programs: AA CONCIERGE KEY & 1MM, HILTON DIAMOND
Posts: 11,970
May 11, 2015 | 8:45 pm
#11
Join Date: May 2014
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP (probably nothing w/ AA next year :)), Delta Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 405
Quick question about Elemis and the Concorde room...Is there a spa in the lounge or is it outside/near? I have a similar layover set-up as you do for this fare deal and trying to make the most of my layover. I typically avoid LHR and as such, am not very familiar with it at all..Thanks!
PS...great report... loved it! I'm flying BA the whole way back (unfortunately) but did the same and took "aadvantage" (heh...ok ill leave now) of award fares on EY and flying J via IAD (789 studios!) on the way there. i have a feeling that the new EY J will beat out the return flights on BA F.
PS...great report... loved it! I'm flying BA the whole way back (unfortunately) but did the same and took "aadvantage" (heh...ok ill leave now) of award fares on EY and flying J via IAD (789 studios!) on the way there. i have a feeling that the new EY J will beat out the return flights on BA F.