Gripevo

Thank you for another excellent report Seat2A. I was able to enjoy it over a Goose Island IPA(I share your opinion on most IPA's having that skunky weed taste and smell, but this one is a little more subtle in my opinion) and a tasty blonde beer(seasonal, didnt catch the name) on my UA SFO-DTW flight. Cheers!

Seat 2A

You're gonna give me a big head with such charitable comments, FlyForFun Honestly though, your comments are very much appreciated especially as they reflect what I strive to accomplish with all of my trip reports - that being to take you along for the journey. Glad you could join me! ^

Thanks, Stu! I don't doubt that some of BA's most strident critics here have had the occasional bad flight, but some of these naysayers would seem to be suggesting that BA is practically incapable of a quality service. From what I can see, many of them have long since lost the excitement about premium class travel and at this point seem to go out of their way to look for little things to criticize. I suppose one's view on the quality of a First Class international flight might be dependent upon one's past experience to draw on as a point or points of reference. Compared to some FTers here, I'm probably considered a neophyte (In terms of International intercontinental First Class I have only 121 flights totaling 574,800 miles aboard 17 airlines) but I'm nonetheless happy to report that in this instance at least, both of my flights with BA were quite enjoyable.

Thanks, 757! While BA doesn't offer all the little whistles and bells of a true 5 star airline, most of my flights with them in First have been very nice. I'd rate BA's First Class as a solid 4 star product.

Seat 2A

Thanks for coming along for the ride, lamphs ^

Thanks for reading, Gripevo! I'll keep an eye out for that Goose Island IPA. I had a Goose Island ale of some type on a visit to Harry Caray's Restaurant a couple years ago and remember it as being very nice. Although I'm not a big IPA drinker, one that I really like a lot is Bodhizafa IPA. It's brewed by Seattle's Georgetown Brewing Co. and is served in Alaska Airlines' C Concourse Lounge at SeaTac as well as at the American Express Centurion Club on Concourse B.

tsastor

ss278

jmj9905

Thanks Seat 2a another great trip report. I have said this before but will say it again. I much prefer your written tr reports to photo trs.

That said, you mentioned working on your 2017 tr to Australia. Mrs. JMJ 9905 and I are planning a return to trip to down under in 2021. So get writing!

Gatwick Alan

Ive done Duxford and its excellent, also consider the RAF London museum at Hendon, both are north of London and would make a good combined trip.

flyingmad

Thank you for yet another wonderful trip report Seat2A, it was a delight to read. Thank you also for the memories, I loved the first photo of the Air New Zealand DC8 First Class service. My first international flight in 1972 was on a TE DC8 Sydney - Christchurch. It was very exciting for a 9 year old and an extra bonus, I was allowed to hand out sweets prior to landing! Warmest regards from Sydney.

jmj9905

Seat 2a another great trip report. Don't ever wonder about an audience for your written trip reports. I too am an old timer and remember the "Good Old Days". My first international F was on American from DFw to Gatwick. in the mid 80's. They served cavier, coquil saint joug (sp), and had a chef's special. It was truly amazing. There are many good things about international f today including the lie flat beds. But, for me, the graciousness and civility is long gone.
I look forward to your tr on your 2017 trip to australia. We are planning on returning there in 2021.

pjs

Always a pleasure to read. I don't eat olives either, but my wife is the beneficiary of this every time we travel together. By the way, I believe the CCR boardroom chairs are from the actual Concorde.

iaflyer

Nice report as always. Having gone through an extensive interview in TLV, I've what that's like for security to be interested in your travels.

I took British Airways business class LHR-ORD last year, it was "meh.." but sound like it was a nice flight for you - of course one class better. My seat on the A380 was one of those that faced backwards - other than probably superior protection in the event of a crash, I didn't appreciate the rearward seat. Of course, other than paying a significant amount (to me, but it was also the point of it), I couldn't select my seat head of time. In business class! It was an award ticket but still...

TheFlyingDoctor

It's a small world - I managed to pick up this report whilst making my own meandering way to AMS, and drove past the hotel which hosts the Aviation Fair you built the trip around! Sadly my extended routing was not in such luxury, nor by choice.... the inbound plane (which should have been KLM's first 737 service to BRS) went tech and returned to base, so a routine hop turned into several hours of queuing, four more in a taxi to central London, then alternative routing on BA for an eventual arrival some eight hours behind schedule. Although your pictures didn't make it into my phone's cache, all the words did, and it's a testament to your report style that that does not hinder the enjoyment of them whilst in the wifi-less confines of a shorthaul flight.

I'd be interested in a FlyerTalk meetup at a fair like this - I've gathered together a few mementos across the years, although mostly restricted to moments from my flying history or aviation employment to prevent the collector / hoarder instincts getting too far out of check. I would definitely echo JAXBA's recommendation of the BA Heritage Centre at Waterside, not just for its collections but the endlessly knowledgeable staff. In the meantime, as part of the BA 100 celebrations their photographic archives have been opened up and put online - creating the Centenary Archive Collection. It's a bit confusingly organised, but is an absolute treasure trove of unseen and / or vintage material that you might enjoy browsing.

Seat 2A

Thank you... Thank you! ^

Thanks, ss278 ^ No doubt the perceptions of quality inflight service are probably markedly different for people born after 1980. I logged my 1000th flight in 1981 in First Class aboard a Western DC-10 between San Francisco and Honolulu. We still had Islander Punch served from the steaming volcano and each course was served seatside from the trolley. It was truly special , especially compared to what passes for "First Class" on Hawaii flights these days. That said, as commonplace and homogenized as flying has since become - especially here in the U.S. - it's not surprising that so many take a more pragmatic view towards it these days.

Thank you, jmj9905 ^ I hope that 2017 report will still be relevant to Qantas' service by the time I finally get it published. I flew a lot of Qantas domestic business class on that trip with lots of pictures of the inflight meals and Qantas' excellent airport lounges. It'll be slow going what with all the other irons I have in the fire, but hopefully I'll have it out by year's end.

Top flight advice there, Alan ^ I'll keep it in mind when I finally get around to returning to London.

Thanks for all of your responses thus far to this trip report. I'll have more responses to your responses upon return from work later today. For now, I'm off to drive the Denali Park Road to Toklat.

jmj9905

Thanks seat 2A will look forward to that tr on Australia.

fivevsone

Awesome trip report. I suspect many of us have a collectors mentality. I, for one, loved seeing and hearing about your collection.
Cheers,
T