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British Airways' re-launched First is worth every mile
Recently, I spent $75 to get a seat in British Airways' new and improved first class cabin from New York to London, and although my original flight was ash-canned, I did eventually get there. And to paraphrase the Beatles, man, I did not have a dreadful flight.To quickly explain: I signed up for a British Airways-branded Chase Visa Card ($75 annual fee) and was awarded 100,000 bonus frequent flyer miles, enough to cover the 75,000 (one-way) required for a ride way in BA's newly-refreshed premier cabin. Heck, I don't fly much these days, and my 56-year-old posterior isn't as padded as it used to be, nor are my joints quite as supple, so $75 for a little comfort is just what the chiropractor ordered.
Had I actually bought that seat? Well, honestly, on my salary and at my pay grade, that would have been unlikely. It would have cost several thousand dollars-more if I paid full freight, less if I had bought a heavily discounted fare.
As it turned out, that Iceland volcano had other plans for me, and my flight was canceled. My hopes of attending a reunion at my Oxford college, where I was a graduate student 30 years earlier, were vaporized.
But last week, I was invited as a guest of BA, in my capacity as an airfare/airline pundit, to give First Class another shot.
Most air travel these days, whether to the former USSR or to Bangor, can be pretty dreadful. But not in seat 3K on a BA 777.
No one is quite sure who (Flaubert? Einstein?) first said that "God is in the details" (it's also been said that the devil is in them too), but first class on most international airlines is already pretty fine, so the only way an airline can improve its premier product is by concentrating on the fine points.
And this, clearly, BA has done. The padding on the seats is plumper. The seats are 60 percent wider at the shoulders. The video screens are bigger. The cabin lighting is softer and prettier. The reading lights are brighter. The window shades are electronic. Each seat now comes with its own closet. The pillows are bigger. The bedsheets of a finer Egyptian cotton. The armrests disappear as the bed reclines to its fully-flat, fully-horizontal position, giving you even more room. The dedicated check-in areas are more exclusive-note the comfy easy chairs. The arrival and departure lounges are more luxurious. I particularly liked the terrace overlooking the bustle at Heathrow's Terminal 5.
BA was in strike mode when I flew, so catering was a bit handicapped; thus I can't say if they have improved the in-flight cuisine. I suspect they have, however (actually the substituted chicken tikka was quite good). I'll have to wait for my next first class adventure to try the amuse bouche, and to find out if the 2004 Tattinger Champagne, normally served in First, is better chilled, or the caviar fresher.
After all, I still have those 100,000 miles burning a hole in my Executive Club account, and maybe I'll be around for my 40th college reunion. By then that volcano will be extinct. I hope.
Filed under: United Kingdom, United States, Airlines, Transportation, Airports
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
georgehobica Jun 9th 2010 12:29PM
Well, Nick, let's say I don't fly much as I used to when I was a freelance travel writer doing four trips a month :) Last month, I flew New York to SFO, then took Amtrak to PDX, then PDX to SFO to JFK; also flew JFK/LAX roundtrip (2 nights), JFK/LAS roundtrip (4 nights); plus 36 hours in London (JFK/LHR); this month I'm doing JFK/LCY, JFK/LAX/LGB/JFK, and LGA/MIA. As I said, when you're pushing 60, you just don't wanna be in the air that much! I've been a travel writer for 30 years and covered the airline industry for about that long. I wish you many enjoyable journeys and always appreciate your insightful comments!
S Jun 9th 2010 1:08PM
Really enjoy Mr. Hobica's articles. Am a huge fan and love airfarewatchdog!
sonnlit Jun 9th 2010 12:46PM
Great article! I was always a fan of BA's first class service. Can't wait to try the new and improved version. Thanks for whetting my appetite, Mr. Hobica.
georgehobica Jun 9th 2010 1:07PM
Thanks :) I guess "doesn't fly much" is relative, eh?
AB Jun 9th 2010 1:18PM
Mr. Hobica's comments and insights are useful, well presented and often humorous, something we all need to negotiate the wacky world of travel these days. Advice and info offered freely, which comes from years of experience is something we can all use to our own advantage. Never look a gift-horse in the mouth! Don't think I'll be "up front" in BA's first class any time soon, even though I'm a frequent traveler between the States and U.K. but..........one never knows. Thanks, George Hobica for a constant stream of pointers on Airfarewatchdog.com and elsewhere !