Fbgdavidson From United Kingdom, joined Oct 2004, 3448 posts, RR: 34 Posted (3 years 1 month 1 week 1 day 18 hours ago) and read 25538 times:
Usually I wouldn't write up a Club World report now, I feel I've posted enough of them, especially on the Washington run! However this one was a little different and to badly paraphrase Humphrey Bogart, 'Of all the aircraft, in all the airports, in all the world, I had to walk into the only one with BA New Club World'. As a result the beginning of the report isn't quite how I'd have planned it with hindsight but fortunately I have a few pictures from previous reports to fall back on!
Route: London Heathrow (Terminal 4) - Washington Dulles
Airline: British Airways
Flight number: BA293
Aircraft: Boeing 747-400
Registration: G-BNLN
Seat: 64K (Club World - Business Class)
Distance: 3677 miles
Duration: 8hrs 25mins
Date: Monday 1st January
This trip started, as all my other British Airways ones do, 24hrs less a bit on a computer somewhere, checking in online on a quest for the best seats in the house. Fortunately this time around I had help in the form of a shiny BA Gold card and one of the benefits was the ability to pre-assign certain premium seats. As such for this trip I had 64K on the upper deck, with my wife beside me in 64J. It was to be quite a contrast to our outbound trip aboard the 'Flying Youth Hostel', the 777. With our seats confirmed upstairs it was plain to see the flight was to be very empty, only four other people were booked in the bubble adding to that almost private jet feeling that I enjoy so much about the upper deck.
We arrived at the airport a little earlier than I hoped, 1.30pm for a 5pm departure! This was in part due to my father's need to get to Manchester and my mother attending a drinks party! Alas thanks to aforementioned shiny BA card and confirmed business class tickets we'd have a few lounges to mingle about as well as the Molton Brown Spa where we'd get a massage. My father left us at the far end of the busy ramp at Terminal 4 allowing a quick getaway to Zone E, home of the First check-in desks
First check-in at Zone E in Terminal 4*
A uniformed BA staff member directed us to a free check-in agent who welcomed us with a Happy New Year greeting. We chatted away as he processed our documents although it appeared as though his computer was also recovering from the New Year festivities and refused to print off the baggage tags. A short time later and with necessary security formalities out of the way we headed for the Fast Track passage to airside. To my surprise and a first time ever there was not one person in the queue, Kirstin and I walked right to the front! With a shade over three hours to spare before our flight it seemed the most obvious destination was the Molton Brown Spa in the Lounge Pavilion to get ourselves booked in for a back massage each. Despite turning up so far in advance we still couldn't get an appointment booked! I was stunned to find they were fully booked through to 5pm! However it seemed as though we weren't to leave empty handed and we were given a veritable treasure trove of goodies to take away. 2x300ml bottle of Silverbirch body wash and 2x300ml bottles of Ultrasmooth Coco De Mer body lotion EACH! Result!
Wiping away our tears of sorrow ( ) we stopped in by the First Lounge, another BA Gold perk. Fortunately, and for once it wasn't that busy and so we occupied a few seats in the corner close to the television where Sky News was and perused the menu for something to nibble on.
First Lounge in Terminal 4*
It seems as though I have developed something of a reputation for being a champagne and bacon roll fiend but today I had been stopped in my tracks. Bacon rolls were only on offer from the breakfast menu and so I requested a Chicken Caesar salad. I wasn't too sad as I'd managed to squeeze in a few bacon rolls at the First Lounge at Gatwick a couple of days before. I was pleased to see the premium champagne was out in force again, well almost.... a 1995 Charles Heidsieck Blancs des Millenaires was chilling in the bar area beside its inferior ugly stepbrother, the Monopole Blue Top! No prizes for guessing which one I went for
Chicken Caesar salad in the First Lounge in Terminal 4
The salad was pretty tasty and so I ordered a second whilst my wife ordered the asparagus risotto. With not much to do in the First Lounge but drink, eat and watch Sky News I headed upstairs to the so called 'First Business Suite', a locked room with a few internet PCs, fax machines and the ilk. It has a small bar too so those in there for extended periods of time can get a drink.
First Business Suite in Terminal 4*
Back downstairs again and it was time to enjoy a bag or two of Kettle Chips with a glass of the better Heidsieck variety As time rolled on the lounge got a little busier and at 4pm we moved away from the main area close to the TV nearer to the reception where we could see the monitors detailing our flight, after all how much rolling news does one person need in a day!?!?
From where we were sitting we could see and hear the reception staff and as 4.30pm rolled around some other mildly concerned Washington bound passengers enquired as to the status of our soon to be departing flight. Although according to the monitors we were still at the 'Will Board Gate 9' stage the reception staff seemed better informed and said that pre-boards had just started. As such we followed the other passengers closely to the gate.
Around the back of the shops Gate 9 is in an odd place with not much room and barging of the most polite form was necessary in order to reach the gate agent and utilize the premium boarding line. A cabin crew member was ready at door 2L for us checking boarding passes and directed us up the stairs to our own little haven where Gillian & Alex were waiting for us. As I turned the corner I noticed to my utter surprise we were onboard the only longhaul aircraft with the new Club World seats! As boarding had only just commenced I snapped a couple of pictures of the seat. The lady who boarded just ahead of us asked if we'd like our picture taken, and enquired as to whether we were on honeymoon! Sorry love, I'm just an airplane geek!
Seat 64B
Gillian came and offered to hang my coat up as I was retrieving a number of essential items from my bag for the flight, as well as the pyjamas. Some may say it is gauche to wear First pyjamas anywhere but their cabin of origin but the fact is they pack down very well into a carry on, save my clothes and act as an all in one napkin!
The privacy of seat 64K is almost unmatched. You could put the privacy screen up and not see anybody for 14hrs!
I settled down into the seat and realised how at sea I felt! I had seen the seat on the internet in picture form but I felt a bit like a small child having a play with every switch to see what did what. Fortunately the airline had anticipated fools like me coming onboard and had made a glossy brochure and placed one at each seat which detailed everything about the new seat and the various positions. The crew came round with pre-flight drinks, where upon I opted for water. I mentioned the new seats to Alex and she said it was the first time she had seen them on an operational flight.
There were a few nice touches to the seat:
-The overhead lights (that were often misaligned on the old configurations) had been removed and were replaced by a small light above the right shoulder. This was able to be positioned and had a nifty dimmer sliding switch.
-The tray table was very large and had an exceptional reach
-Decent sized laptop locker at foot level with ability to store a number of electronics or books.
-Colour scheme. Looked great on the aircraft itself, especially as it was so new. However the very pale shells to the seats could mark very easily and the crew had concerns about this.
By this time boarding was over and there were only six of us upstairs and with two FAs we were bound to be well looked after. Hot towels were handed out soon after the safety demonstration was carried out. On BA's new 10.4 inch screens it looked much bigger than previous, in fact any bigger and it'd have been overkill. A for the choice of PTV size.
Lima November taxied across to runway 27L where we waited for a Swiss Airbus to leave before turning out at 5.30pm on the dot ready for departure into the damp Middlesex skies. From the starboard side of the aircraft I had a great view of the newly developing areas around Terminal 5 and beyond, but all too soon it was over as we were enveloped by cloud. Washbags were handed out first with menus and a few minutes after takeoff I switched on the new style light and found a comfortable lying position. The new large footstool made it very easy to find a position to lounge about in and makes a nice fit between the old Club World and First seats in this respect. A definite improvement I perused the menu in anticipation of our orders being taken:
______________
STARTERS
Loch Fyne smoked salmon with mustard dressing
Or
Roast vegetable and tomato fraiche with basil and crème fraîche
Fresh seasonal salad served with vinaigrette
MAIN
Grilled fillet of beef with asparagus, carrots and blue cheese gnocchi
Shaun Hill's smoked haddock and prawn fish pie
Penne pasta with cherry tomato sauce
Main course salad of Cajun chicken with peppered pineapple and spicy tomato dressing
DESSERT
Apple pie with crème anglaise
Cropwell Bishop Stilton and French Brie cheese
A selection of fruit
Chocolates
_____________
One of the first formalities to be carried out was related to customs and immigration with the Cabin Services Director coming around to hand out forms as per necessary. Personally I'd like to see the Cabin Services Director make a bit more of an effort with talking to the passengers and this would be an ideal time to do so, especially on a lightly loaded flight such as this.
Gillian and Alex made a first drinks round as the CSD came around, I opted for my favourite champagne cocktail, the Kir Royale knowing that I was driving upon our arrival it was to be my last alcoholic beverage of the journey A packet of macademia nuts were also handed out at this time.
A post takeoff Kir Royale and packet of macademia nuts
Eventually the hamsters got up to speed and the AVOD system was switched on, this was another first for me and I was keen to try it out, having never used an aircraft based on demand system before. Glancing through the various movies on offer was new to me and the choice was excellent, loads of oldies as well as new releases. I settled for 'Little Miss Sunshine', a movie that I was keen to see but had somehow slipped past me during its initial release.
Little Miss Sunshine on pause - this shows the touch screen capability of BA's new Rockwell Collins AVOD system
Orders were taken from the front of the cabin, unlike some trips where they are done by frequent flyer status. I guess with the light load today there were no worries about running out of choices, United take note!! I went for the smoked salmon and pasta. Usually I wouldn't go for something as plain as pasta but experience has taught me anything much fancier (especially in Business Class) usually ends up tasting pretty bad. Stick with easy, straightforward things that are hard to cock up and you won't be disappointed!
Not long after my smoked salmon arrived, along with the offering of a top up for my Kir Royale. I felt obliged to be responsible and ordered a glass of water Alex came around with a bread basket as well. Oddly enough the tray already had some Green & Black's chocolate on it for dessert! The salad had a few cucumbers and sliced tomatoes which were rapidly removed and substituted by a positive drowning in lime based salad dressing which wasn't half bad either. A good start tonight
Loch Fyne smoked salmon with mustard dressing, salad with lime dressing & Kir Royale
The salmon was very tasty but not quite as good as the kinglas variety I'd had in First a few months back. The cut was quite different but it still tasted very good, especially with the mustard dressing which surprisingly complemented it very well
Next out was the main course, and again another drinks top up was offered. Gillian and Alex were looking after us very well By now we had been in the air about an hour and settling in nicely.
Penne pasta with cherry tomato sauce
Pasta was fine, I mean something must really be wrong if professional caterers manage to screw up pasta! I played safe with it and it had paid off. My pasta dish was cleared away along with my now finished salad. It turned out the dessert chocolate option was the small Green & Black's bar that arrived with my salad and smoked salmon a couple of courses back. It was pretty small but I knew Club Kitchen would soon be stocked with ice cream to help me through the flight . A fruit basket was offered with the tea/coffee drinks round after dinner and I helped myself to an apple to go with my coffee.
Dessert - An apple, Green & Black's chocolate and a coffee
I did ask Gillian about the ice cream in Club Kitchen but she said that it was not setup quite yet and it is standard procedure to set it up after dinner. She said she'd go and have a look for me though and a jiffy later Alex was back with a small tray of chocolate ice creams for me . She advised it was still a little frozen and that I should wait a little while so I became proactive. I sat it on top of the coffee mug which helped thaw it a little faster.
Coffee, Purbeck chocolate ice cream and Green & Black's chocolate make for a tasty post-dinner snack
At this stage the CSD came on the PA system and said that the AVOD was not working at a number of seats and the system would have to be reset. About 15mins proceeded and I decided to fire up my mp3 player which gave me some grief so I switched it off again and waited for the AVOD system to come back to life. Selecting 'Little Miss Sunshine' from the menu it recognised it had been stopped midway through and asked if I wanted to return to the spot where I left off. Alas I couldn't get it to work out and so had to fight my way through using the slightly awkward fast forward buttons.
After the movie was over I went downstairs to stretch my legs and have a look at the 'Club Kitchen' besides door 2L. It was smaller than I thought although it offered quite a range of snacks inside the chilled section, as well as champagne and wine. I think BA could make it a real feature if it was available as close to boarding as possible. That way on Sleeper Service flights those who miss out on pre-flight dining could get a snack right away and sleep as soon as possible
Club Kitchen - A new concept for the next generation of Club World
After this I went back upstairs for a nap. I tried out the bed in the new 6' 6" elongated, not quite flat-bed mode. This was partly because I couldn't get the main part of the seat to go completely flat and partly because it sounded a bit different. If it weren't for the fact we were experiencing quite heavy turbulence and the seatbelt sign was on I might have retreated to another one of the window seats.
I slept remarkably well under the combination of new duvet and bed, got about three hours sleep, just enough so that I wasn't going to end up in a ditch along Interstate 95 somewhere in Northern Virginia! Just as I woke the afternoon tea service was coming round, it was a little earlier than usual, whilst we were still over Canadian territory, but it was nice to wake up and eat a couple of sandwiches with some coffee.
__________________________________
SNACKS
Sandwich selection of crayfish with lemon mayonnaise and rocket and Cheddar cheese with pickle
or
Salad of grilled marinated artichoke and asparagus
SWEETS
Farm house fruit cake
DRINKS
Ground coffee, decaffeinated coffee or tea
Selection of herbal teas - peppermint, blackcurrant, apple or camomile and honey
____________________________________
A shame the crews can't unwrap the sandwiches and put them on a nice plate as it'd make a lot of difference to the aesthetic quality of them. Alas they tasted pretty good, the food seems to be on the up, not quite how I remember it from say five years back but a small improvement is a start!
Sandwich selection of crayfish with lemon mayonnaise and rocket and Cheddar cheese with pickle and cup of coffee
Whilst nibbling on my sandwiches my wife told me about the 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire' game on the IFE. Being a big trivia fan I had to try this out I did manage to get to the £1m question and breathed a sigh of relief knowing I was about to showered in streamers and handed a large case of money as the final £1m question was aviation related. But....I got it wrong
'Is that your final answer?'
In a bad mood now ( ) I decided to try my hand at the near impossible mini golf game...putting a ball through the clown's mouth it wasn't! As we passed over Connecticut I decided it was time to change back into my clothes and freshen up. I took almost as long as my wife would to get ready and was half expecting to be accosted by one of the flight attendants! Upon returning to my seat it transpired the CSD had been round and had a chat with my wife. She had also been given a survey and asked her thoughts on the new seats. Hopefully BA will listen to the combined comments of my wife and I as well as the other passengers. It seemed as though the other staff were also keen to find out what the passengers liked and disliked about the seats and they seemed pretty open about sharing their positive and negative views too.
Our approach into Dulles was an interesting one. We came in from the north, passing east of the airfield which was clearly visible off to starboard side. The parallel concourses were very pretty distinctive and aircraft could also be seen on approach and departing the airfield as well as the lights of runway 30 that became visible for a short period.
Flying in a southerly direction, due east of Dulles. The lights of the concourses are clearly visible.
We turned south east of the airfield, in a rather sharp manner, and came in on runway 1R. The taxi round to just off gate D32 was brief and before long the mobile lounges were in place to deposit us at the immigration point. As we waited to go down the stairs I decided to have a final look around my seat. Thankfully I did as I found the headphone connector for my Bose headphones down by my seat! That was a close one!
The upper deck of G-BNLN
Alex and Gillian wished us well and we got onboard the mobile lounge at door 2L. It looked as though the First passengers had their own bus which left first out of the three that had to come to the aircraft's side. We were descending away from the plane and about to drive off when the we had to go back and collect a few stragglers that couldn't fit on the third lounge. It turned out this cost us a few minutes at immigration as all the World Traveller passengers made it there ahead of us.
As a newly minted US Green Card holder I was eligible to use the US Citizens line which was far longer than the non-US citizens counterpart A few idiots didn't seem to know the drill, waiting at the head of the line to be called forward instead of waiting at the desk of each individual immigration officer. One particular frequent flyer ended up in a slanging match with another passenger who decided to ignore the advice of the more experienced individual to help save time. Based on the eyebrow raising exchanges I was surprised they didn't beat each other up in the baggage hall!
It took perhaps ten minutes for us to pass through immigration where to my surprise our bags were already off the carousel and waiting for us That doesn't happen very often at Dulles! All that was left to do was pass through customs and catch the shuttle back to the Hilton where we had left our car a week previous.
A few post flight bits to look at:
Starting from the back: The Molton Brown goodies I received as an apology for not getting an appointment (my wife got the same amount), the latest incarnation of the Club World amenity kit. Front row from left to right: Menu, Club Kitchen information and wine list
Verdict:
Well this one is going to be a little different to my usual verdicts. I am going to have a separate one for the seat, and another for the rest of the aspects.
Seat:
Good:
-The cushioning is that bit more comfortable, the old seat was given new padding in 2005 but it was an aftermarket affair and didn't fit too well. This new version is much better and fits well.
-The colour scheme is really nice and I like the brushed aluminium look to a number of parts of the seat such as the light and dimmer slide. The blue and white/beige go nicely together too.
-No more misaligned lighting as overhead lighting is completely gone.
-No more small drinks table that was practically an accident waiting to happen.
-10.4 inch IFE screen is superb. A perfect size for the position relative to the viewer.
-Laptop drawer is now very useful and can fit more items that a regular traveller may bring.
-Dining table has a much better reach and is much larger.
-AVOD is a really good system. In my admission I've never used one before but it was very simple to pick up and the choices were very good.
Bad:
-Footstool whilst more versatile does feel rather flimsy, even just whilst resting feet on it I felt I was putting a little too much pressure on it.
-There are no more elasticky pockets. A useful place for newspapers and washbags on the old seat was an elastic pocket on the underside of the footstool. This is gone and has been replaced by a non-elastic one that is only good for magazines and the ilk. Those could cause problems for those in the middle seats.
-While I said I really liked the colour scheme I think it will mark very easily. Looks great now, but in 6 months time, perhaps not.
-Divider screen is quite noisy, I'm pretty certain it'd wake your neighbour if they were asleep.
-The bathrooms haven't been refurbished.
Other aspects of the flight:
The passage through Heathrow was exceptionally easy and the facilities are still pretty good. The fact the Molton Brown Spa gets so booked up is annoying but at least now the goodies make up for it somewhat.
The crew on this flight were really good; friendly, proactive and willing to help. A credit to the airline
1 WN230: That was quite enjoyable as i haven't read a BA tr in a while. The pics were great, especially the ones of the seat. Where will your next tr take us?
2 SNATH: Hey man, Thanks for the, once more, very readable and informative trip report!!! Nonesense!!! I have put on my LH First pyjamas many times on AC Execu
3 Wrighbrothers: Another great trip report Mr Davidson some good pictures of the seats. Glad you enjoyed it, looks good. I wonder, how do you compare it to BA's F prod
4 767747: Great report! Nice pictures from your flight with BA. The new Club World sounds really nice! 767747[Edited 2007-01-03 16:37:59]
5 Jetset7E7: Great Report, Fantastic Pics. Next Gen Club World looks nice! Mark
6 ClassicLover: I was wondering when you'd rear your ugly head again, Fraser Trust you to have the scoop on the next gen Club World! That's very good indeed - is the
7 Airbus3801: Have no fear, no one here tires of your club reports, especially with the new seats! Fantastic report and great photos! What was your post-mortem of
8 Alaskaqantas: I have always been surprised that they serve this in business class. I have never flown BA business interntational before, but by reading these repor
9 Daron4000: What was the config like on the main deck? Is WTP in front of Club?
10 Sketty222: A great trip report. This is the feedback ive heard from a passenger with regards to the New Club seat. The photo of the upper deck, in my opinion, ma
11 Fbgdavidson: Ah ok, lots of questions! I'll tackle them one at a time! Firstly thanks for the kind comments so far, makes the effort into putting these together wo
12 RoseFlyer: Thanks for the trip report. It is good to see improvements to Club World although it was already pretty good. I've had that pasta and it was pretty go
13 Comorin: Excellent trip report, thanks for the scoop on New CW! I am looking forward to trying it out on a spring trip (if I'm lucky). My heart sank when you p
14 DavidT: Very interesting to see the new CW. Club Kitchen is long overdue! They used to have sandwiches on Raid The Larder, before they filled it with shortbre
15 RoseFlyer: I never realized anyone particularly cared. All it shows is that you've flown first class. Does anyone really read that far into it? I'll wear first
16 Wrighbrothers: Although I haven't tried the new club world yet (although I have the old one may a time) I still think the F seat and overall service wipes the floor
17 Sketty222: Ive flown in both First and the 'Old' Club World many times but was just wondering how the 'new' seat compares to the First seat. Travelling in both
18 Stretch 8: Thanks for the report Fraser. I will be heading from IAD to SPU via LHR and LGW in April, and look forward to the new CW. Any idea if "important" rout
19 ClassicLover: That surprises me a lot. I've flown BA and QF on international Business legs (more than once) and I have to say they're both excellent. BA is very li
20 DALelite: Congrats to your Green Card! Your trip report was enjoyble to read and i am amazed about the new J-Class product. As i can see, BA also has new china
21 A340600: LOVE innocent smoothies! Aha Fraser, first report on A.net of Club, glad too Though flyertalk did pip the post on this one Although the cabin looks v
22 MarkHKG: Out of curiosity, do you know if the new Club World seatbelts utilize airbags? (The seatbelt airbag causes the seatbelt to be significantly thicker th
23 BAStew: The 'flimsy footstool' issue has been raised with engineering as some are damaged already. With the new cabin BA although unable to eliminate the 'st
24 DavidT: Does that cause a problem with the whole cabin smelling of curry for some time?
25 Comorin: Too bad! Gordon Ramsay praised the Shrimp Korma on LHR-JFK as the best thing he'd eaten on a plane in a long time ( TimesOnline ). Not really - the v
26 BAStew: Hehe, not really. the 'currys' tend to be the westernised version....quite mild and non offensive. That is true. In FIRST/Club one of the meals prior
27 LHR777: Just a small point - the 'low-J' 38-seat Club configuration is going to a 'mid-J' 52-seat Club configuration, to be known as a '74C'.
28 Airnewzealand: Me thinks BA have been onboard QF's business class and taken a few of there aspects!!! Cheers and nice report!
29 BAStew: Perhaps QF should take one of ours: fully flat horizontal beds!
30 BA319-131: Great report, many many thanks! Not flown BA Club World for a few years, reallyenjoyed the flights. The New BA Club World seat looks excellent, I'm of
31 TLVFred: Does anyone know the timescale for the 744 and 777 roll out? I am travelling in C - 777 in April (I assume 777 wont even be started on by then). The t
32 Airnewzealand: BAStew... I agree 100%...heheh Cheers And safe flying. Might see you in SIN or NRT!
33 Fbgdavidson: OK, lots of questions! I am aware the pictures of the seat have been linked elsewhere on the net so presuming Imageshack can't handle the bandwidth I'
BAStew From Australia, joined Sep 2006, 733 posts, RR: 3 Reply 34, posted (3 years 1 month 2 days 7 hours ago) and read 20400 times:
Quoting Airnewzealand (Reply 32): Cheers And safe flying. Might see you in SIN or NRT!
Hehe will let you know when scheduling give me my annual treat....a NRT!
Quoting Fbgdavidson (Reply 33): Quoting BAStew (Reply 23):
The sanwiches are sealed to maintain freshness. Nothing quite like an un-wrapped sandwich at the end of a 7 hour flight! Quite rightly, the aesthetics perhaps do not represent what one would expect to see in Club. And regardless of the packaging the quality could definitely be improved. The sandwiches used for the afternoon tea service in FIRST are loaded exactly the same (wrapped). The crew however do unwrap these before serving for the purpose of aesthetics. With 3 crew for a maximum of 14 diners in FIRST this is no mean task. In Club it would be a little different. 6 crew for 70 diners. Un-wrapping sandwiches in front of the passenger in the cabin would be just as aesthetically dis-pleasing as receiving a wrapped sandwich. And if they were unwrapped in the galley prior to delivery some would be stale by the time they were placed in front of the passenger.
HOWEVER......with the 'new' (??) catering there is a choice of sandwiches OR a main course salad for the second meal.
I can't imagine unwrapping a few packs of sandwiches can be that hard on the crew in F. The sandwiches are quite small IIRC but 4 sandwiches per passengers (at the high end) x 14 passengers is 56 sandwiches. On my previous trips in First the silver salver had maybe two dozen sandwiches on it max...and I was one of the first to be served.
Surely the answer is rather simple...like with the main meal service the crew should go around the cabin and take an order. Then unwrap the required numbers of sandwiches, thereby retaining aesthetic and (debatable ) culinary qualities of the food.
Good point. I think the true issue with the 'wrapped' sandwiches versus a traditional tray lay-up is that they are cheaper for BA. I guess they just source them from a supplier that makes sandwiches for the likes of M&S and they can store them longer. As for crew asking pax and unwrapping the required number, nice idea. A shame any change at BA takes so long from suggestion (and trying to get it past the unions).
Quoting Fbgdavidson (Reply 33): Quoting BAStew (Reply 23):
Must admit we have been known to give a little giggle in the galley (out of passenger view of course!) when a J pax strolls around in his/her F pj's.
Quoting DavidT (Reply 14):
Wearing F pyjamas in J, especially to enforce status as a premium flyer, is a rather futile excercise. If you were rich enough to fly F, you would be in F. Not J.
Who wears F PJs to 'enforce status as a premium flyer'??? As I mentioned earlier I brought them with me:
1) Because they are thin they pack down well into a carry on bag.
2) They act as a good all in one napkin. On a trip a year ago wearing the PJs saved my shirt getting doused in red wine.
3) I avoid sweating in my clothes for 8hrs!
Besides who am I going 'to impress'?? There were only six passengers upstairs, four of whom were at the other end of the cabin! As for the crew, well the BA Gold notation on the manifest probably gives away the fact I'm a premium flyer.
If the crew want to have a giggle that's fine, if other passengers want to assume I'm being an arrogant arse then they can go ahead but I'm certainly not going to sit sweating in my shirt for 8hrs when I have other options.
Hehe was only joking about the crew giggling. And of course it would be noticed by the crew that you are a Gold card holder. It is the Club passenger in the First PJ's strolling through the WT cabins and asking for a FIRST washbag/wine etc that we have a giggle at (YES they exist...one on every flight!
DavidT From United Kingdom, joined Oct 2005, 473 posts, RR: 0 Reply 35, posted (3 years 1 month 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 19768 times:
Quoting Fbgdavidson (Reply 33): Who wears F PJs to 'enforce status as a premium flyer'???
Sorry, I didn't mean the comment to be pointed at you. As BAStew says it is the Club passenger on miles in the First PJ's strolling through the WT cabins and asking for a FIRST washbag/wine who wears them to see the 'priceless' expressions on other peoples' faces I was talking about
(and, admittedly, we've all been that passenger at some point...)
Previous flights: BA LHR-YVR, MAN-JFK (Club); BA MAN-HEL; AY MAN-HEL,TLL; Next Flights: BA LGW-ANU, BA LHR-DXB
ExFATboy From United States of America, joined Jul 2003, 2230 posts, RR: 9 Reply 36, posted (3 years 1 month 1 day 1 hour ago) and read 19708 times:
Another great report - my first view of the new Club World! (Actually, since I don't travel on business any more, I didn't know there was a new Club World!) Looks nice, I like the new colours and the new TV screen looks great. And the Club Kitchen is a definite step up from the old "Raid The Larder."
Have to agree about the sandwiches - yes, it's a small matter in the overall scheme of things, but it just mars the CW experience...everything else is presented in the graceful, elegant manner that sets BA apart from its competitors on the US-LHR route, then here comes the wrapped sandwich, looking for all the world like it came out of a convenience store on the M5. At the very least, they could make the label more attractive!
Ardian From Netherlands, joined Oct 2000, 421 posts, RR: 0 Reply 37, posted (3 years 1 month 23 hours ago) and read 19656 times:
Wow, what a great way to fly! I've seen a video of the new seat in work and I couldn't agree more what you say about that noise.
I reallly like this cabin. A great improvement compared to the old one. The clubkitchen looks amazing and very stylish. Looks very exclusive, such a special fridge next to the bar.
Did you hear any of the positive and negative views from the crew and have you enjoyed the movie Little Miss Sunshine (I read a lot of great reviews, but unfortunately I still haven't seen it)
Willyj From United States of America, joined Oct 2005, 458 posts, RR: 0 Reply 38, posted (3 years 1 month 20 hours ago) and read 19608 times:
Quoting DavidT (Reply 14): Wearing F pyjamas in J, especially to enforce status as a premium flyer, is a rather futile excercise. If you were rich enough to fly F, you would be in F. Not J.
Otherwise you end up looking like somebody who's either flown and got lucky with a gate upgrade or saved up enough BA miles to book into F
I disagree. There is a reason they offer these pyjamas to F passengers - they are great for wearing in flight. I'm sure some people do want to prove something about their status to other passengers, but since they're the only ones who really care, whatever.
And I disagree with the "if you're rich enough to fly F, you'd be in F" bit, as I think J has become good enough, especially for a relatively short transatlantic flight, that F is a waste of money. Now a private jet is a different story...
Airxliban From Lebanon, joined Oct 2003, 4376 posts, RR: 59 Reply 39, posted (3 years 1 month 2 hours ago) and read 19401 times:
Thanks for the great report! A passenger emergency that forced BNLN to land in Beijing on the 21st of the December was what cost me beating you to the forums with the first new Club World report! Lucky bastards going to GRU got to go on it instead and we were stuck on CIVM
Anyway, seems as though BA have improved the product in a number of key areas. The seats look taller than the used to be.
About 64K - indeed you are right, the privacy is unmatched!
I wish they'd serve the nuts in a proper ceramic bowl instead of the silly packets.
Didn't know that BA takes orders by frequent flyer status...is that standard practice?
Noticed the new blanket as well. Very warm and not easily crumbled up and made for a very comfortable rest.
You're 100% right about the sandwiches. The choices on your menu didn't sound particularly appealing particularly after someone has woken up. Artichoke and asparagus sandwiches? To each their own, I suppose...
BNE From Australia, joined Mar 2000, 2821 posts, RR: 14 Reply 41, posted (3 years 3 weeks 6 days 18 hours ago) and read 18986 times:
Quoting Fbgdavidson (Thread starter):
Eventually the hamsters got up to speed and the AVOD system was switched on, this was another first for me and I was keen to try it out, having never used an aircraft based on demand system before.
Welcome to technology of the 21st century, I'm surprised you haven't used it before, you must have been flying on the wrong airlines. I really missed the AVOD on my last trip I just flew.
Fbgdavidson From United Kingdom, joined Oct 2004, 3448 posts, RR: 34 Reply 42, posted (3 years 3 weeks 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 18597 times:
Quoting ExFATboy (Reply 36): And the Club Kitchen is a definite step up from the old "Raid The Larder."
A step up indeed...although I think if it was ready for the passengers when they boarded those who missed out on pre-flight dining could have something to eat before takeoff and then sleep more.
Quoting Ardian (Reply 37): Did you hear any of the positive and negative views from the crew
They were concerned about the light coloured shells being marked, although from what has been said it appears as though it makes it easier for the cleaning crews to spot and wipe off.
Quoting Airxliban (Reply 39): Thanks for the great report! A passenger emergency that forced BNLN to land in Beijing on the 21st of the December was what cost me beating you to the forums with the first new Club World report! Lucky bastards going to GRU got to go on it instead and we were stuck on CIVM
As I used to say when I was 15...'harsh lines'...
Quoting Airxliban (Reply 39): Didn't know that BA takes orders by frequent flyer status...is that standard practice?
I don't think they do unless they are low on catering. In this case the orders were taken starting at row 60 working towards the galley.
Quoting BNE (Reply 41): Welcome to technology of the 21st century, I'm surprised you haven't used it before, you must have been flying on the wrong airlines.
Wrong airlines indeed. The majority of my longhauls of late have been BA and UA...
I guess it is one of those things you get used to really fast. I suspect my flight next week will be AVOD and NGCW-less. Such is life...until April 2008
"My first job was selling doors, door to door, that's a tough job innit" - Bill Bailey
Comorin From United States of America, joined May 2005, 2514 posts, RR: 7 Reply 43, posted (3 years 3 weeks 4 days ago) and read 18339 times:
Quoting RoseFlyer (Reply 15): We are beyond the turn of the century oceanliner class structure. Smile
We can change that! The FIRST pajamas should be bright red, kimono-like silk gowns - then those miserable folk in 'C' will know who's got the money!
BTW, I'm off to BLR in Feb: JFK-LHR-DXB-DEL-BLR-GOI-BLR-DXB-LHR-JFK on VS/BA/IC/IC/9W/9W/EK/BA/VS.
Quoting Airxliban (Reply 39): Didn't know that BA takes orders by frequent flyer status...is that standard practice?
I always thought catering was by seat number: Low to High on Outbound and Hi to Low on Inbound. Does BA have a rule?
( psst - any tips for an overnight hotel in DXB?)
Quoting Fbgdavidson (Reply 33): Up until about 2004 the sandwiches in the afternoon tea service always arrived unwrapped. Did bread all of a sudden start to get stale really quickly
Exactly! The reception sandwiches with the scones - we call them 'scoanz' in the US was classy and very British. I think you, me, RoseFlyer and Airxliban should stage a protest outside T4...
BTW, Thank you for your many wonderful tips on Y-UP, I am now a Goldie too
Fbgdavidson From United Kingdom, joined Oct 2004, 3448 posts, RR: 34 Reply 44, posted (3 years 2 weeks 5 days 20 hours ago) and read 17786 times:
Quoting Comorin (Reply 43): I always thought catering was by seat number: Low to High on Outbound and Hi to Low on Inbound. Does BA have a rule?
I've seen a few ways of doing it. From front to back of the cabin and sometimes they've darted around all over the place. Probably doing orders by status. I feel this is a nice touch for J, unnecessary and a bit obvious in F.
Quoting Comorin (Reply 43): Exactly! The reception sandwiches with the scones - we call them 'scoanz' in the US was classy and very British. I think you, me, RoseFlyer and Airxliban should stage a protest outside T4...
How about Saturday?
Quoting Comorin (Reply 43): BTW, Thank you for your many wonderful tips on Y-UP, I am now a Goldie too
Welcome to the not-very exclusive club Glad I could be of help. Those Y-UP deals are worthwhile.
'You can now enjoy being away from the hustle and bustle of Terminal 4, ensconed in the hustle and bustle of the FIRST Lounge whenever you travel with us or our oneworld alliance partners, enveloped by the cocophony of the ego-inflated individuals talking loudly on cellular telephones.'
Don't forget you can use the AA Flagship Lounges at LAX, ORD and in the near future JFK.
"My first job was selling doors, door to door, that's a tough job innit" - Bill Bailey
Fbgdavidson From United Kingdom, joined Oct 2004, 3448 posts, RR: 34 Reply 47, posted (3 years 5 days ago) and read 16243 times:
Thanks again for the kind comments
I'm off to Hawai'i in a few weeks on AA and if people haven't had enough of my ramblings I might be inclined to scribe a few of my thoughts with view to posting them here...
Quoting BA380 (Reply 45): does anyone know if the 'soft' changes are already on all a/c - ie the new crockery, the new trendy cushion etc?
Indeed. I've seen them on all my longhaul flights for the last couple of months now.
Some have reported that even the Club Kitchen has appeared on aircraft that don't have the new seats. On flights I've taken without NGCW there has been an insert with the menu advertising Club Kitchen but since it is a 'hard product' feature I just presumed it had been incorrectly stuck in there.
"My first job was selling doors, door to door, that's a tough job innit" - Bill Bailey
Englandair From United Kingdom, joined Oct 2000, 2228 posts, RR: 5 Reply 49, posted (3 years 4 days 10 hours ago) and read 15996 times:
Quoting Fbgdavidson (Thread starter): A shame the crews can't unwrap the sandwiches and put them on a nice plate as it'd make a lot of difference to the aesthetic quality of them. Alas they tasted pretty good, the food seems to be on the up, not quite how I remember it from say five years back but a small improvement is a start!
I've never understood why on services from LGW the afternoon tea sandwitches come unwrapped with a small salad (and so are presented in a much nicer fasion), whereas sarnies from LHR always look like they've just been bought for £1.50 from Tesco! Maybe as BA Stew says it's to maintain freshness- an 8 hour flight to the Carribean ex LGW isn't half as long as some of the services ex LHR.
BA380 From United Kingdom, joined May 2004, 1466 posts, RR: 12 Reply 50, posted (3 years 4 days 2 hours ago) and read 15832 times:
Quoting BA380 (Reply 45):
does anyone know if the 'soft' changes are already on all a/c - ie the new crockery, the new trendy cushion etc?
Indeed. I've seen them on all my longhaul flights for the last couple of months now.
excellent... am off to JFK next week so looking foward to it. I wonder if F still has the Wedgwood china with the silver sliver. I used to have one (slipped into my bag by accident) but it broke.
Something to do with the design Leonardo Da Vinci created for a form of flying machine....
Quoting Cjh2007 (Reply 51): If i may ask Fbgdavidson... which bose headphones do you use... QC2 or 3, or even 1...?
The revised version of the QC2 that came out in late 2005. I did have the original QC2s but sold them to my brother. Supposedly the revised version has a stronger headband, and indeed mine are yet to break, or show any signs of breaking.
I did look at the QC3s when they came out but was put off by the rechargeable battery and the fact that although they are smaller than the QC2s the case they were in at the store was the same size as the QC2! No benefit to myself...
"My first job was selling doors, door to door, that's a tough job innit" - Bill Bailey
Wrighbrothers From United Kingdom, joined Jul 2005, 1817 posts, RR: 12 Reply 53, posted (3 years 1 hour ago) and read 15034 times:
Quoting BA380 (Reply 45): does anyone know if the 'soft' changes are already on all a/c - ie the new crockery, the new trendy cushion etc?
Yes, the crcokery is used on most iarcrafts now because the catering company has been issued the, and so it's just easier to use that on all aircrafts. The cushions, again have been 'installed'.
Quoting Englandair (Reply 49): I've never understood why on services from LGW the afternoon tea sandwitches come unwrapped with a small salad (and so are presented in a much nicer fasion), whereas sarnies from LHR always look like they've just been bought for £1.50 from Tesco! Maybe as BA Stew says it's to maintain freshness- an 8 hour flight to the Carribean ex LGW isn't half as long as some of the services ex LHR.
Perhaps they use a different catering company at LGW, or the catering company is told to do so, as LGW has a smaller amount of passengers and flights to deal with so presentation can be better ?
Shamrock_747 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 54, posted (3 years ago) and read 15003 times:
Quoting Wrighbrothers (Reply 53): Perhaps they use a different catering company at LGW, or the catering company is told to do so, as LGW has a smaller amount of passengers and flights to deal with so presentation can be better ?
That's right... catering at LGW is provided by Alpha as opposed to Gate Gourmet at LHR.
BA380 From United Kingdom, joined May 2004, 1466 posts, RR: 12 Reply 55, posted (2 years 12 months 3 days 4 hours ago) and read 14601 times:
Quoting Wrighbrothers (Reply 53): Quoting BA380 (Reply 45):
does anyone know if the 'soft' changes are already on all a/c - ie the new crockery, the new trendy cushion etc?
Yes, the crcokery is used on most iarcrafts now because the catering company has been issued the, and so it's just easier to use that on all aircrafts. The cushions, again have been 'installed'.
I flew to JFK in J yesterday and had the new cushion. I have to say it looked pretty worn already! I wonder if they will survive long-term if they get delapidated so quickly?
Industrybuff From Australia, joined Dec 2003, 305 posts, RR: 1 Reply 56, posted (2 years 6 months 4 weeks 11 hours ago) and read 11800 times:
Wow, that report was great.
Can anyone who has flown on this new product recommend the best seat in the house.. Im flying LHR to JFK in september on a new CW equipped B744..... I so want to sit in privacy and quiet.
Any suggestions ?
Similarly, can you anyone suggest a similar seat on a B777 that I am flying from DXB to LHR ?
BA380 From United Kingdom, joined May 2004, 1466 posts, RR: 12 Reply 57, posted (2 years 6 months 4 weeks 9 hours ago) and read 11701 times:
The 777s have not been embodied with the new product yet, so can't make any recommendations.
The 744 - most people like the last row of the Upper Deck (64K) as it is hugely private and you don't have to step over anyone.
I personally like 13D, as the lower deck is more spacious and the front row aisle seats have the benefit of an area about 1 square foot large behind the person next to you where you can leave your bag/shoes etc.
Fbgdavidson From United Kingdom, joined Oct 2004, 3448 posts, RR: 34 Reply 58, posted (2 years 6 months 3 weeks 6 days 20 hours ago) and read 11365 times:
Quoting Industrybuff (Reply 56): Can anyone who has flown on this new product recommend the best seat in the house.. Im flying LHR to JFK in september on a new CW equipped B744..... I so want to sit in privacy and quiet.
Privacy and quite, without question means upper deck. If you go for 64K then you'll have the same view that I did. It means you can get out of the seat without having to leap over someone's legs which is one of the main criticisms of Club World. 64A is a mirror image of 64K but you don't have as much of a wall in front of you. There is a wall directly ahead of you but to the left (as you are seated) there is a shelf where newspapers and the laid out. I prefer 64K, with the privacy screen up you are very secluded
62A and 62K are other good seats, they are backwards facing exit row seats and offer good legroom if you are taller than 6ft. Watch out for all the loose articles on the shelf that come flying down it during takeoff. You could end up with menus, headphones, washbags, newspapers all in your lap!
If you can't get a seat upstairs then downstairs try the small cabin downstairs. Go for 14A or 14K, nice window seats with the aforementioned advantage of not having to step over someone elses legs. Less personal space than the upper deck though, where you get the shelf and window cupboards to throw all your crap in.
Good middle seats are 14E/F. A couple of rearward facing seats that have a nice amount of space between them and the bulkhead. Good for storing bags and things during the flight.
Most importantly though, go for upper deck. Feels a world apart from the main deck and the window seats have a lot of space.
As for the 777, well no real 'must have' seats. I usually go for 10 or 11A/K, mainly because they are rearward facing seats that are nearer the front of the cabin enabling a quick exit for immigration. If you don't want to step over people's legs then go for 15A/K, however you are just a thin bulkhead away from WT+ and the bassinet positions.
"My first job was selling doors, door to door, that's a tough job innit" - Bill Bailey
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From United Kingdom, joined Oct 2004, 3448 posts, 
) we stopped in by the First Lounge, another BA Gold perk. Fortunately, and for once it wasn't that busy and so we occupied a few seats in the corner close to the television where Sky News was and perused the menu for something to nibble on. 
A few idiots didn't seem to know the drill, waiting at the head of the line to be called forward instead of waiting at the desk of each individual immigration officer. One particular frequent flyer ended up in a slanging match with another passenger who decided to ignore the advice of the more experienced individual to help save time. Based on the eyebrow raising exchanges I was surprised they didn't beat each other up in the baggage hall! 
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How about Saturday?
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