BA Concorde - a few notes from the Easter weekend
Apr 26, 2003 | 11:06 pm
#1
Original Poster
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: SE1, London & White River, South Africa
Posts: 24,621
BA Concorde - a few notes from the Easter weekend
I think the Concorde experience has been well documented recently on F. So, rather than post a detailed report, I thought I would just post a few comments and observations to help anyone travelling on the rocket over the next few months.
BA 001 LHR - JFK on the 18/4 - 6A
* From check in onwards the whole trip was made to feel a VERY special experience.
* After check in we were escorted to a special bag check area for hold baggage, where they were x-rayed. This is located by the fastrack entrance.
* Get to the lounge early - it gets busy and it's worth spending time in. Far too many scummy F class pax cluttering the place up!
* Lounge champagne was Pol Roger '86 Winston Churchill - mmmm! There was also a '92 Pommery Louise on offer.
* Take advantage of the Molton Brown spa - the 15 min back massage is great for getting knots out - and it lets you drink more champagne (allegedly).
* Take off was utterly amazing! Lots of fun watching everyone watching us.
* Pleasantly surprised by the food - caviar and salmon starter, and main courses that tasted like food. Champagne was Alfred Gratien Cuvee Paradis.
* Staff were superb - in the best British tradition of friendly and efficient without fawning (a la SQ/CX) or casual (a la AA).
* Flight certificates signed by the captain were brought round.
* A full load on board, the vast majority Concorde tourist like me!
* Landing was also spectacular, though viewed through a fog of champagne, wine, cognac and port fumes!
* A wonderful experience on what one of the crew referred to as 'the proper concorde - not the funny AF thing'. I didn't stop smiling!
BA 002 JFK - LHR on the 21/4 Seat 6D
* Check in was slow and painful, it would have been quicker to use the Club World desks.
* TSA were their usual inhuman selves.
* JFK lounge is beautiful - very light and airy. Sadly the food, champage and service were not so great. I never expected to queue for the toilet in a concorde lounge.
* On board, it was caviar and all the trimmings to start. Can't remember the main courses but they were not quite as good as those on the outbound.
* Service was just as good as the outbound flight - I've never seen a crew show so much pride in the plane and their job. They were all so upset about the imminent end.
* Hoovered up a load of concorde gifts - all in the US$ 50 - 100 mark each, but well worth it.
*Very sad to leave her at Heathrow. But what a great way to spend the weekend - two concorde flights and 3 nights in a suite at the Stanhope Park Hyatt.
It is not luxurious - try SQ or CX first for that. However, Concorde is a unique and very special experience. I doubt I will ever travel at 1300mph again!
[This message has been edited by Swanhunter (edited 04-26-2003).]
BA 001 LHR - JFK on the 18/4 - 6A
* From check in onwards the whole trip was made to feel a VERY special experience.
* After check in we were escorted to a special bag check area for hold baggage, where they were x-rayed. This is located by the fastrack entrance.
* Get to the lounge early - it gets busy and it's worth spending time in. Far too many scummy F class pax cluttering the place up!
* Lounge champagne was Pol Roger '86 Winston Churchill - mmmm! There was also a '92 Pommery Louise on offer.
* Take advantage of the Molton Brown spa - the 15 min back massage is great for getting knots out - and it lets you drink more champagne (allegedly).
* Take off was utterly amazing! Lots of fun watching everyone watching us.
* Pleasantly surprised by the food - caviar and salmon starter, and main courses that tasted like food. Champagne was Alfred Gratien Cuvee Paradis.
* Staff were superb - in the best British tradition of friendly and efficient without fawning (a la SQ/CX) or casual (a la AA).
* Flight certificates signed by the captain were brought round.
* A full load on board, the vast majority Concorde tourist like me!
* Landing was also spectacular, though viewed through a fog of champagne, wine, cognac and port fumes!
* A wonderful experience on what one of the crew referred to as 'the proper concorde - not the funny AF thing'. I didn't stop smiling!
BA 002 JFK - LHR on the 21/4 Seat 6D
* Check in was slow and painful, it would have been quicker to use the Club World desks.
* TSA were their usual inhuman selves.
* JFK lounge is beautiful - very light and airy. Sadly the food, champage and service were not so great. I never expected to queue for the toilet in a concorde lounge.
* On board, it was caviar and all the trimmings to start. Can't remember the main courses but they were not quite as good as those on the outbound.
* Service was just as good as the outbound flight - I've never seen a crew show so much pride in the plane and their job. They were all so upset about the imminent end.
* Hoovered up a load of concorde gifts - all in the US$ 50 - 100 mark each, but well worth it.
*Very sad to leave her at Heathrow. But what a great way to spend the weekend - two concorde flights and 3 nights in a suite at the Stanhope Park Hyatt.
It is not luxurious - try SQ or CX first for that. However, Concorde is a unique and very special experience. I doubt I will ever travel at 1300mph again!
[This message has been edited by Swanhunter (edited 04-26-2003).]
Apr 26, 2003 | 11:21 pm
#2
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Seattle
Programs: Alaska Airlines
Posts: 1,570
Most appreciated Swanhunter...
Take your shoes off & have a glass of bubbly...
I just love reading about the Concorde...
Mahalo nui loa,
------------------
Patrick A. Inouye, CMT
volunteer trip reports moderator
Take your shoes off & have a glass of bubbly...
I just love reading about the Concorde...
Mahalo nui loa,
------------------
Patrick A. Inouye, CMT
volunteer trip reports moderator
Apr 28, 2003 | 4:37 pm
#3
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: Alexandria, VA, USA NW Platinum Elite Since 1999, United GoldMM, Hyatt Discoverist, SPG Gold, Hilton Diamond, Hertz #1 Gold, IC Ambassador
Posts: 7,451
Swanhunter could you pvt e-mail me, I have a couple of questions, as I will be riding the rocket in 60 days!
May 1, 2003 | 7:27 am
#4
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Brisbane AU, Planet X
Programs: QC Life, QFF Platinum, VA Gold, IHG Gold
Posts: 1,644
Thanks for the short report. Everyone has slightly different views about the trip, which is good.
------------------
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you got 'til it's gone.
------------------
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you got 'til it's gone.
May 1, 2003 | 8:51 pm
#5
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: YYZ/YKZ
Posts: 3,668
Isnt the concorde the most beautiful plane to fly aboard and to see. When ever I see a photo on airliners.net it brings joys to my eyes, as well as tears for the day it will be over. I never had the chance to fly concorde but will always remember it, with my AF model.
When I went to LHR and was near a departing concorde, I saw everyone, and I mean everyone stop to watch it taxi by and take off. Its like life stops for the second as it goes by. A beautiful sight to see.
When I went to LHR and was near a departing concorde, I saw everyone, and I mean everyone stop to watch it taxi by and take off. Its like life stops for the second as it goes by.
A beautiful sight to see.