BA Club World: JFK-LHR, BM: LHR-DUB, US Envoy: DUB-PHL, US: PHL-LGA

Hello!

My Dad and I had to jet over to Ireland for personal reasons…and we decided to go through London on British Airways in Club World. We also decided we would take British Midland to DUB and then US Airways home.

3 airlines. 5 airports. 2 separate legs. 1 trip report.

This TR will also hopefully show a comparison of BA Club World and US Airways’ Envoy class (if there is one).

We departed on Friday 8th May 2009 from JFK Terminal 7. At our arrival at the airport we checked in and got our boarding passes and our invitations to the British Airways Club at JFK.





We headed past security and up to the club.




Inside the club:






My choice of drink on a SPECIAL occasion:



Invitation to have some pre-flight supper:




View of the check-in entrance from the club:




The pre-flight supper:




It was very good, but I only had a bit as I like to eat on the plane.

Overall the Club was as good as ever. We got seats easily as it was empty when we first arrived, but it soon filled up. I put some biscuits in my bad for later. Great supply of food and drinks at the club. The pre-flight supper is a great thing.


Iberia (to MAD and BCN) with US Airways behind it:



United:



Austrian:



BA Open Skies to AMS:



The best picture I could get of our craft to LHR:




Delta and American:




Aer Lingus bound for our final location…but will arrive a bit sooner:



BA bound for LGW:




Finnair:




Iberia:




Time to board:







The new BA Club World seats:





These seats are very comfy. The middle seats also feel like a train cabin. It is great when your traveling with someone. Not the best if you don’t know the other person next to you.
When we arrived, our coats were taken and soon we were given a choice of orange juice, water, or champagne.


Orange juice:



Champagne:




Then newspapers…I requested The Times as I had already gotten The Telegraph in the club.



Another view of the seats:



Menu:



On the menu was….

Starter

Roast beets and grilled hearts of palm with potato and mushroom salad.

Main

Seared fillet of beef served with truffle butter, potatoes au gratin and sautéed red Swiss chard.

Sautéed salmon with fingerling potatoes, fava beans, morels, and horseradish sauce.

Goat’s cheese and caramelized onion tortelloni with olive tomato sauce served with Parmesan.

The “Goodnight Express” option was:

Warm chicken Caesar sandwich served with a mixed green salad

Dessert:

Vanilla panna cotta with mixed berry compote

Sage Derby Cheddar and Wisconsin Mountain Blue with cranberry chutney and oatcake biscuits.

Hot chocolate with warm chocolate chip cookies


Shortly after takeoff the vanity packs were handed out:





These packs are low quality. Nothing special when your expecting something special from British Airways. The last time I flew Club World (a few years back) the packs were much better. They don’t even say British Airways on the covers.

Then water was passed out:



Nice legroom:



Shortly after takeoff, I got up to use the bathroom and to have a little look around.
Stairs to upper deck:



Toilets:



Nice touch:



The flight attendants then came around with passes to Fast Track through immigration in London and invites to an arrival club in London. The immigration passes would come in handy, as we had a tight connection to make in LHR.





Then it was time to eat as we were just passing Boston:



Starter:




Main course, I got the beef:




A cup of tea and cheeses with oat biscuits for dessert:


The starter was strange…and the F/A agreed as she collected it. The main course was delicious. The meat was tender and juicy…lovely all around.

After dinner, I got comfortable and started to play around with the IFE system. I really liked BA’s IFE. They had a good selection of old and new films.

I first watched Anchorman.



Then Marley and Me:



I’d seen Anchorman before, but never Marley and Me. Both were very funny.


We had strong head winds and the flight was mostly smooth and it went by fast.



I visited the Club Kitchen twice during the flight. It had a good selection of crisps and sweets. It was annoying that the F/A’s were sort of watching you like a hawk as you picked at it. They turned me off going back more than those two times.

On the menu for breakfast:

Starters


Chilled fruit juice

An energizing fruit smoothie

Fresh seasonal fruit

Or

Special K with dried berries

Fruit yoghurt

Bakery

A selection of warm bread and breakfast pastries

Warm bacon roll served with tomato ketchup


Fruit and a warm muffin:



Bacon roll with ketchup:



The breakfast was very nice. I have heard some say BA Club World food is disappointing; well I had no issues with it. In fact, I thought it was delicious.




Listening to some Supertramp:



Contents of seat pockets:






It was a lovely flight and we landed early. BA Club World is the way to travel, although I can only imagine what BA First Class is like.

We arrived at around 0650 and had an 0855 connection on British Midland to DUB. BMI is in Terminal 1…and of course we really had no idea how to get there. We used the fast track through immigration and then waited for our bags.

After we got our bags and walked through customs, we got directions to take the Heathrow Express train to Terminal 1.

We were in such a rush, we really did not have a good enough opportunity to enjoy Terminal 5. A few pics:







We got to the BMI check-in desks at about 0800.

US Airways check-in:



BMI check-in:



Check-in was a breeze. During security, everyone had their pictures taken. I found this to be a bit funny, but I was happy to see it at the same time.

After security, we went into W.H. Smiths to get a drink. I also took a few Pounds out of the ATM, for my collection of currencies.



British Midland:



South African:



More BMI:



BMI Star Alliance scheme:





My favorite British shop, HMV:



The long and winding road to the gate:



Our British Midland craft to DUB:



BMI A319:



Aer Lingus, also going to DUB:



British Midland:



Another BMI Star Alliance paintjob:



British Airways:



Virgin Atlantic:



Lufthansa:



Video of our take off out of LHR:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4lRL0pzow4









A lovely powerful take off. Some beautiful scenes out the window as well.


F/As soon started the BOB service. I decided to get a cup of tea for about €2.



Tea:




Contents of the inside pocket:




…and the magazine:





Video of our decent into DUB:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smF9zUV2SeM


Ryanair at DUB:



FR and Turkish (TK)



The two rivals at DUB, Ryanair and Aer Lingus.




Aer Lingus:





De-boarding the plane:





I was not really impressed with BMI…just a predictable and acceptable BOB service. The flight had left LHR about a half hour late and arrived at about 1020.

We had a bit of a headache while picking our rental car up, some issue over what insurance we ordered online as it was not showing up in the Thrifty computer. Then when we finally got to our car, it had no petrol. Great…lol. It was past noon by the time we were on the road.

It was a short drive down to my Grandmothers house in Clontarf.

Again, I was in Dublin for private reasons, and I am a frequent visitor to the city, so only a few pictures of the actual visit.

To see them, and my return journey on US Airways in Envoy class, see part two. To be posted right away...link to follow.

Link to Part 2: http://www.airliners.net/aviation-fo...ums/trip_reports/read.main/148637/

Comments welcomed,

Tommy (JFKMAN)

[Edited 2009-05-17 14:32:40]

[Edited 2009-05-17 14:34:05]