If you have been saving your Avios to get that dream trip in First or perhaps found a sale bargain to the US, this article will help you get the most out of flying British Airways First class from which seat type your aircraft will have, to understanding how the onboard service works and who to contact.

Contacting BA about your First class flight – You First

If you have a query before flying British Airways First class, or want to perhaps book your seats and are having trouble, you can contact You First, which is exclusively for First class passengers. It can also be useful if something goes wrong such as a cancellation, lost bags or time change if you need to speak to someone.

You can either using this online form or call them on 0800 408 7667. You first helpline is open 24 hours per day, seven days a week. You can call from overseas using +44 (0) 207 949 3055

They can also send you a copy of the onboard menu, but sometimes this is only available a few days before your flight when the menus are due to change at the start of a month. 

The First Wing and First check-in at Gatwick and JFK

If you are flying British Airways first class you can access the First Wing for check-in and security (although it is sometimes closed during the Heathrow T5 security strikes). This is only available at T5 and is at the far end of the terminal.

At T3, there is only a first class desk and then Fast Track security. This is the same at Gatwick too.

In the First Wing, they usually have some cold drinks available, either being handed out or on the table. If you need to rearrange your luggage there is also a small seating area.

Once you have gone through security which is generally very quick, there is a repacking area to get yourself organised.

JFK

Since BA moved to terminal 8, they have a very nice exclusive first and high-status check-in area.

Lounges

You then walk down a corridor to the back entrance of the First Lounge, where you will be greeted by the horse (often known as Susan). You will need to walk through the First Lounge and exit to get to the Concorde Room, which is just across the way. 

You may want to check out the food in the First Lounge in case there is nothing you fancy in the Concorde Room. If you just want a snack, the First lounge has a better selection with a salad bar, cheese selection and sandwiches.

Among the hot food selection there is usually a vegan or vegetarian option, something with rice or pasta and a pie or fishcake. They also have cake and biscuits. 

The Concorde Room

Just before the entrance of the Concorde Room are the showers in case you need to freshen up. Sadly the spa is permanently closed.

The Concorde Room at London Heathrow Terminal 5 is available for customers who are:

• Flying on a scheduled British Airways flight in First
• Over the age of 18 years, or if under 18 years you are accompanied by a responsible adult. (Local laws relating to the consumption of alcohol will apply.)

You can take one guest with you who is flying British Airways that day. 

As you enter the Concorde Room, there is a luggage storage area. Next, you will find a desk where there is usually a BA staff member who can help if you have a flight query or issue. 

There are four main areas in the lounge:

• The Forty Winks nap area in what used to be the Boardroom
• The bar and lounge area which also has a very small work area near the terrace
• The restaurant
• The terrace

If you like a bit of aviation nostalgia, there are cabinets in the lounge full of memorabilia and there is a nose cone from Concorde on the terrace.

Bar and lounge

There is table service throughout the lounge, but you can also approach the bar to order. There are several different menus for food and drink. A cocktail menu, a wine menu, a lounge menu and a restaurant menu. 

If you fancy a nibble with your drink, they have a selection of nibbles, such as nuts and olives. The truffled nuts are particularly good. They do a number of cocktails, including the BA175, which is champagne based and my personal favourite, and a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails by mixologist Mr Lyan. There is also a selection of special cocktails for events such as Christmas and the Coronation, so keep a lookout for the special menus or ask the bar staff. They even have some breakfast cocktails, such as a Marmite Martini and a Breakfast Martini, as well as a range of Bloody Marys.

If you enjoy good champagne, be sure to try the Laurent Perrier Grand Siecle. This is the same champagne they serve on board. You can get your money’s worth from your ticket as a bottle of this champagne costs from £130 retail. 

The lounge menu is different from the restaurant menu, but usually, you can order anything for anywhere in the lounge.

Here is a typical lounge menu:

If you want to do some shopping, you can exit the Concorde Room at the “Millionaire’s door” near Forty Winks which brings you out by the exit of South security. 

Terrace

This is probably one of the nicest places to sit and can be a bit cooler than the lounge, and you can see the airport as well. It’s also a good place for a group with the “cabanas” which are the curtained off areas that offer a bit more privacy and have sofas. 

Forty Winks

This is a quiet room where they have rest pods to catch “forty winks”. You can adjust them to several positions such as zero gravity but they do not go completely flat. 

The restaurant

You will be shown to a table in the restaurant. Service can be a bit inconsistent here as they seem to forget things, such as bringing you olive oil and butter but no bread. So don’t be afraid to ask if you want something. There is a separate breakfast menu until 11.30am and then an all-day dining menu for the rest of the day. 

Here is a recent menu:

Here is an example of the salmon mousse and a recent pasta dish:

On the breakfast menu, there is everything from croissants to a full English.

My two favourite dishes are the bacon chop (15-20 minute wait usually) and the avocado (California) toast. The Union brand coffee here is also pretty good. 

Other lounges

There is now only one Concorde room since BA joined AA at JFK’s terminal 8. There are Concorde Bars in Singapore and Dubai. 

The Singapore one offers table service with champagne, drinks and food.

The Dubai lounge is bigger and has a buffet as well as champagne.

JFK Terminal 8 – Chelsea Lounge

JFK now has the very elegant Chelsea Lounge, which features showers, champagne flights and a restaurant.

The Chelsea lounge at New York JFK Terminal 8 is available for customers who are:

• Flying on a scheduled long haul or Transcontinental flight with British Airways or American Airlines in First
• Gold Members with 5000 Tier points (and 3,000 Tier Points each year thereafter), flying on a scheduled long haul, or Transcontinental flight with British Airways or American Airlines
• Over the age of 18 years, or if under 18 years you are accompanied by a responsible adult. (Local laws relating to the consumption of alcohol will apply.)

American Airlines Transcontinental routes include:

New York (JFK) – Los Angeles (LAX)
New York (JFK) – San Francisco (SFO)
New York (JFK) – Orange County (SNA)

Customers flying with other oneworld airlines are unable to access the Chelsea lounge.

You can read about it in this article. 

On board

As you board, you will often be shown to your seat, but it doesn’t always happen if you arrive just after someone else in first. You will be offered a welcome drink of champagne (or a soft drink such as water or juice if you’d rather). This is accompanied by nuts. Sadly the warm nuts of pre-covid are gone, and it’s now a packet of the Club Europe nuts, which sometimes they will put in a dish. Unlike Club, you will often be offered a top-up of your welcome drink if there is time. 

Next, you will be presented with an amenity kit, either a men’s or women’s version. You should also be offered pyjamas. Sometimes they will just hand you a set in what they think is the right size, sometimes, they ask what you would like. Slippers are also available but often on request. 

The Ladies kit contains:

• Elemis Frangipani Monoi hand and nail balm
• Elemis Rehydrating Ginseng Facial wipe
• Elemis cleansing micellar wipe
• Elemis lip balm
• Elemis Pro-Collagen facial mist
• Elemis Deodorant
• Elemis Ultra Smart Pro-Collagen Serum
• Elemis Ultra Smart Pro-Collagen eye balm
• Eye mask
• Ear plugs
• Socks
• First branded pen
• Mirror

Finally, you will also be given the menus. Sometimes the crew will take your order while still on the ground, so it is worth looking at as soon as they give it to you. 

You can dine whenever you like, so don’t feel obliged to eat straight away if you don’t want to. However, they will need to take your order at the start along with a rough time to eat so they can keep your choices for you. Here is a sample menu of what you can expect on a longer flight such as US West Coast. On a shorter flight, you will usually get afternoon as the second meal, and the snacks will be things more like popcorn or chocolate.

They do not have enough for everyone to have what they want if they all choose the same, so it is always worth having a back-up in mind. Sadly pre-ordering has not returned (apart from as a trial) since Covid. 

Next, you will be offered a choice of desserts and/or cheese. If you enjoy wine, there is always a dessert wine such as Sauternes which you only get in First Class, so save room for that and some Port with your cheese! 

Finally, if you fancy a coffee, they have a Nespresso machine on board so you can enjoy a proper coffee such as espresso, cappuccino or latte, and it should come with some Lindt chocolates. Ask if they don’t offer them. 

There will also be a second lighter meal served close to arrival if you wish. On the way back, this will be breakfast on night flights.

Good noise-cancelling headphones by Meridian are provided for you to use on board.

When you are ready to sleep, the crew will make up your bed for you with a mattress topper, pillow and duvet. Don’t be afraid to ask them to do this for you. At your seat there will be a pillow, day pillow and large pillow. The rest of the bedding is stored in the locker overhead. 

Types of seats

Each aircraft has a slightly different type of seat, although the layout is the same with a 1-2-1 layout. For couples, if you want to talk you would be best with the middle seats. However, on the older B777s and the A380s you can do “buddy dining” as there is a seat for your travel companion to sit on. The other aircraft and the new first suites do not have this. 

All the seats operate in the same way, and you can’t control individual elements of the seat, which is a shame. You adjust it by using a dial which simply lowers it into the bed position, although you can stop it at any position.

B777 new suite with doors

This seat is only available on new B777-300s, and you can partly tell by the seat map as there will only be 8 seats. However, there are some older B777-200s that also have eight seats which have been partially refurbished but have the old seats. If you look for your flight on Google Maps it will show you if it is an “individual suite” meaning it has the door like these do. There is a useful guide to working out which BA B777 you are on from Aerolopa here. 

Like the B787s, the TV screen is fixed so you can watch it as soon as you get on, rather than having to fold it away for take-off and landing. 

Other than the door, they are pretty much the same as the B787 seats. You can read my full review here.

B777 old seats

There are sometimes 8 seats on the aircraft that have been updated and 14 seats on those that have not. 

Along with the A380, these have dark window frames with blinds that come down to cover both windows completely, which I think looks very elegant. 

There is a personal wardrobe, but it is pretty small, so you will not get much more than a small handbag and coat in there. 

The TV screens swivel out, so you can’t watch it until after take-off. The screens are much smaller than the other aircraft types. This is my least favourite seat type for first.

I would usually pick row 2 for the B777s with 14 seats as this is generally quieter, but you get served a bit quicker than being in row 3. 

B787 First Suite

This is the second newest design from 2015 and very similar to the new suite with doors. Again there are only 8 seats in the cabin. The seats are the same on the B787-9 and 10. 

• 8 suites convert to fully flat beds, 79″ long, 22″ width (between armrests)
•  23″ HD touch screen display that does not need to be folded away
• Personal locker
• Vanity unit and mirror
• USB and universal socket

In terms of seat choice, there is not really a better seat as the front row is by the galley on the B787-10, and the second row has a bassinet, there is a chance you may get a baby. On the B787-9, I would probably go for the front row since there is no galley at the front. 

You can read my full review here.

A380

After the newest suites, this is probably my next favourite as I love the huge wardrobe that means you do not have to lift your bag into the overhead locker as it will fit most wheelie cabin bags.

These suites are bigger than the other aircraft types with  30% more personal space and 60% more storage space than the old Boeing 777 suites.

There are 14 seats in the cabin.

Although row 1 is very private, I would avoid 1K on a night flight as the crew’s cupboard is by this seat, and you will most likely get disturbed during the night as they retrieve handbags from the storage area. I would avoid row 4 due to the proximity to the galley and bassinet position. 

You can read my full review here.

Concorde Breakfast room and Arrivals lounge Heathrow

On the way back, if you don’t want to eat on the plane, you will have access to the BA Arrivals lounge and Concorde dining area. 

If you would like to have some breakfast, head to the Concorde dining area where they have breakfast to order. There is usually full English with eggs to order, smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, eggs benedict and kippers.

The rest of the menu is mainly what is already on the buffet in the main area. 

They now also have champagne and sparkling wine, including Laurent Perrier Grand Siecle.

You can read a full review of the Concorde Breakfast room experience here. 

You can also have a shower or get your own cabana with an infinity bath. You check in with shower reception, and if there is a wait, they will give you a buzzer. Towels and Elemis Toiletries are provided.

One handy service is the pressing service. Whilst in the shower room, you can open a special two-way door to hang your clothes and they will come back pressed in around 10 minutes.

The shower rooms have a built-in sound system, with pre-set news and music channels. 

You may prefer to have a bath, in which case you should see if there is a cabana available. Priority for these is given to First passengers. The cabanas are larger than the shower rooms. They have a dressing area, a large bath, and a chair.

What are your top tips or questions for flying BA First? Let us know in the comments below

Like our review of Flying British Airways First Class? You can read more flight reviews here. 

The post Flying British Airways First Class – complete guide from seats and lounges to champagne appeared first on Turning left for less.

The ticket

I booked the ticket a long time ago as a BA Holidays deal to get the extra tier points. I will get a total of 1120 tier points from the trip, taking me nearly halfway to Gold Guest List on the reduced tier points. It was around the time when we were wondering if we would ever see decent airfares again.

There was a fare from Amsterdam for £1950, but the times were terrible. The next price up was £2100 for better timings. But when I looked at the price from London it was £2500, which I did not think was bad considering the option to get double tier points. So I bit the bullet and booked 6 nights accommodation with it. The original plan was to fly via Seattle, so I could try Alaskan business class, which I am yet to experience. Sadly it wasn’t to be as my flights were cancelled and there was no way to change onto Alaskan without an eight-hour layover.

Check-in

The First Wing Heathrow

I arrived around two hours prior to my flight due to bad traffic so I was pleased to see no queue whatsoever at the First Wing. I was checked in by a lovely friendly agent and also noticed a fitting tribute to her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, in the first wing.

Queen Elizabeth tribute

The First Wing is unique as it deposits you straight into the First lounge. You can access the First Wing when flying First or if you have a Gold card. Despite criticism of BA’s performance recently, it’s still an area where they perform well. Security was virtually empty and I was in the lounge within about 7 minutes of arriving in the terminal. 

The lounge – Concorde Room

Concorde Room entrance

I headed straight to the Concorde Room, which allows access for First class passengers and BA Gold Guest List cardholders. Sadly it’s a bit of a shadow of its former self, with no cabanas and no spa. Instead, there are now sleep pods available. Unfortunately, some things have stayed the same, though, and the toilets are still reminiscent of an NHS hospital loo!

Concorde Room dining area

I decided to head over to get some breakfast in the restaurant area as they would be serving lunch on the plane. I think breakfast is probably the meal that they do best in the CCR, as recent daytime menus have been disappointing.

The menu features a wide selection of everything from a full English to croissants. I am particularly partial to the maple bacon chop but couldn’t make up my mind between that and the California toast (basically avocado toast). So I went for both but with no eggs. I had a Bucks Fizz too, which I know is sacrilege considering they make it with Laurent Perrier Grand Siecle, but I needed to ease into the hard stuff!

California toast

All the food was tasty, and I particularly loved the subtle sweet glaze with the salty bacon.

A good cappuccino with BA’s signature Speedbird logo completed my breakfast.

One thing you may notice on the menu is the breakfast martinis which includes a Marmite option! Much as I love Marmite I was really not sure about a martini. One Twitter follower described it as having a “meaty aftertaste”. I don’t know about you TLFL readers, but I am not really looking for a meaty aftertaste in a drink, especially at breakfast! But full marks to the wonderful Concorde Room team for innovation. Sadly my favourite bartender Charlie was on leave but I suspect he may have had a hand in that crazy concoction!

Boarding

As I was flying the A380, I headed to the gate around an hour and 10 before departure as they usually board them early. A380s depart from the C Gates at T5, which is the second stop on the shuttle. I was excited to see the A380 again as I had not flown on it since late 2019. 

Empty boarding lanes with people waiting

Group 1 boarding was called around 50 minutes before the flight. In the meantime, I amused myself watching person after person go up to the gate to try and board despite the sign clearly saying “please take a seat”! I often wonder just how people are quite so oblivious to everything when they fly. These were not people in the first few boarding groups either. Given that the gate lanes were empty and everyone else was sitting waiting, you’d think that may have given them a clue!

As you board, there is a separate entrance for first class. Pre-Covid, you used to be shown to your seat in First (not that I need that) but judging by both flights, this has now gone. It could return once BA start to roster the full crew again which due to happen on the A380 and B777s from now. 

I always abide by the adage that you can tell if it will be a good flight within the first two minutes of interacting with the crew. This started well with the friendly crew offering to take my photo as I was taking pictures of the iconic A380 stairs.

The cabin crew member serving me was friendly and keen to please. She also had a good sense of humour which I always enjoy with BA crew.

The service started with the offer of a welcome drink of champagne, juice or water. Unfortunately, despite BA saying that pre-Covid service has been restored, it has not 100% as there were no warm nuts. I was instead offered the Club Europe nuts, which I thought was a poor substitute. Especially, as I’m really not keen on the weird mix which seems to mainly be corn. As we were delayed for a short while, I was offered a top up too. 

I was given the menu, and a washbag and asked if I wanted pyjamas (watch out for them in the next giveaway). It was also so nice to see the hot towels back – it’s such a little thing but always makes you feel better to clean yourself up after going through a busy airport.

The washbag design by Alice Temperley changes regularly and is different for men and women. The contents had changed a little since I last flew with BA too. It contained:

• Elemis Frangipani Monoi hand and nail balm
• Elemis Rehydrating Ginseng Facial wipe
• Elemis cleansing micellar wipe
• Elemis lip balm
• Elemis Pro-Collagen facial mist
• Elemis Deodorant
• Elemis Ultra Smart Pro-Collagen Serum
• Elemis Ultra Smart Pro-Collagen eye balm
• Eye mask
• Ear plugs
• Socks
• First branded pen
• Mirror

I found the collection impressive and have enjoyed using all the products. My only criticism would be the socks which were pretty much the same as Club, apart from the colour and felt very synthetic.

Seat and Cabin

I have always loved First on the A380. It is beginning to look a little dated, but that’s not surprising given how old it is. The reason I love the A380 which I had almost forgotten about is the space and privacy that you get. They really do feel like your own private suite, even if there is no door.

The cabin still has 14 seats, unlike many other BA First cabins that now have 8 seats. I went for 2K as I like to sit on the right as I am right-handed. I recommend not choosing 1K, particularly on a night flight. While it is very private, it is also by the crew cupboard, and they will be in and out of it during the flight, which can disturb you if trying to rest. 

I also particularly like the wardrobes, which means I rarely have to use the overhead bins. In the wardrobe, you can fit in most wheelie cabin bags as well as a smaller bag on the top shelf and hang your coat or clothes.

Wardrobe

The seat itself is very comfortable, although I wish they would have designed them with a separate leg rest as I find it hard to reach the footstool while sitting. Unlike the newer First, you can still do buddy dining where the other person joins you for a meal by sitting on the footstool.

As well as the wardrobe, there is a deep storage container next to the seat which is also where the charging and headset are placed.

As you can see from the photo above, the suites are very private and you can’t see anyone else from the window seats. The centre seats have a divider which can be raised or lowered.

The only thing I don’t like is that if you like to look out of the window, it feels like a long way from the seat and not at a great angle. 

The seat controls were relatively simple with a dial to lower the seat and buttons to control the lights and window shades.

As it was a day flight, the crew did not offer to make up the bed, although I could have asked. I was given a day blanket, pillow and day pillow with the bedding rolled up in the wardrobe. I only had a short nap, so I didn’t bother to make the bed up. Even without the mattress topper, I found it very comfortable lying down as it is well padded. 

Food and drink

Prior to taking off, I was given the menu and was quite impressed with the selection. I was torn between a couple of choices. Pre-ordering is available on a small number of flights in First, according to You First. It didn’t seem to be an option on mine. However, you can request the menu in advance from You First. On both flights in First, they did not seem to run out of anything from what I could hear of orders being taken around me. 

It started with the canapes and a drink of my choice. I had already had a couple of glasses of the champagne, so I thought I would try the Pouilly-Fuissé which was good but not excellent. It was a little subdued in flavour for me but overall had a good balance of creaminess versus acidity and a light touch of oak.

Next, my table was laid up with a choice of olive oil and butter for the bread. A basket of bread with a decent choice of warm rolls was offered. 

I had plumped for the twice-baked souffle in the end, although I was doubtful it would work in a plane oven, I was wrong. It arrived with the rich, creamy cheese sauce on the side. The morels gave a slight earth flavour to even out the unctuous cheese. It was not too heavy with a fluffiness still in evidence inside, and I would have happily licked the plate clean if I hadn’t been in public!

Next came the lamb shank, which was again well presented with the jug of sauce on the side. It was probably the largest lamb shank I have seen and way too much for me. I also loved the wonderfully creamy celeriac mousseline with it. I had a glass of the Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, which was excellent. Light in body but full of ripe cherry and red fruit flavour. 

My only complaint was the side vegetables were rather dull with plain boiled potatoes, but they were cooked properly. 

Having left quite a bit of lamb, I had room for the crepe Suzette I had been eyeing up. You will be pleased to know that the crew did not come and flambé it at my seat! It was very good with warm pancakes and a tasty orange and Grand Marnier sauce which was perfectly matched with some vanilla ice cream. I also tried the dessert wine which was excellent.

Despite having one or two drinks already, I couldn’t not have an XO Cognac after #brandy gate! She was rather generous with her pour, after which I needed a lie-down! I tried the espresso as well which is made with Nespresso style pods, but it tasted good. 

Afternoon tea

After such an enormous lunch, it was a struggle to manage the afternoon tea, but in the name of this article I soldiered on (the things I have to do for you, my TLFL readers..!!). 

There was a choice of the standard afternoon tea or a roast beef Nicoise salad. I decided to stay traditional. I loved the cute little stand that the tea came on.

The tea was definitely more generous than you get in Club, and overall, I enjoyed it. I wasn’t keen on the very heavy smoke on the salmon, but that was a fairly minor issue. The scones were enormous and warmed. Of course, there was lashings of clotted cream and jam to accompany them. 

Service

I had many top-ups offered for drinks, and I can’t really fault the service (apart from having a headache from all the top-ups!). My only comment is that they could have been more proactive with offering water.

The Inflight Lead was very professional and visible and popped by my seat to give a GGL welcome which was nice. I have always found if the IFL(CSM) is good, then the crew are usually good.

I have heard that BA staff have been encouraged to Google their customers in First which I am not overly happy about. I have no idea if this affected the service for better or whether they had realised who I was but they didn’t mention it if they did. However, in my opinion, if it had I would have noticed it with other people being treated differently as I try to listen out to how others are served too. The IFL even remembered my name as I disembarked and thanked me as I left. This is how BA should be.

Entertainment and Wifi

As a first class passenger, you get free Wifi for the whole journey, which sounds great. However, having used it twice I’d guess that it’s the cheaper of the two options as I found it very slow and pretty useful for anything other than messaging and social media. 

You get given a pair of BA Meridian Noise cancelling headphones. These are definitely a step up from the Club ones, and I find them comfortable if a little on the heavy side. 

The screen definitely felt quite old now compared to the newer Club Suites. They are a little small and lower definition than I have been used to flying the Club Suites recently. But it was still perfectly useable. The remote is one of the old-fashioned ones, but it worked well. 

I was impressed with the range of new films, and I struggled to pick one as there were quite a few I wanted to see. I went for the Top Gun film (yes I know I should see it in the cinema) which I loved. I also watched a terribly trite romantic comedy “Marry me” which I am ashamed to say I quite enjoyed (that may have been the large Cognac!). 

Conclusion

While I have been loving the new Club Suites, I can’t say I have been enjoying the Club World service since Covid, so this felt like an absolute treat and well worth the extra Avios if you are doing a redemption.

The crew were pretty much perfect – friendly, attentive and fun but professional. I was particularly impressed with the food which was very much restaurant standard and I would very happily pay for it. The wines were decent and typical of BA First, nowhere near Emirates fine wines but perfectly acceptable.

The A380 first is beginning to look a little old now, but I do actually prefer the older seats in terms of space and the ability to do buddy dining to the new ones. However, it would be good if perhaps BA considers new TV screens if they decide to refurbish the A380s with Club Suites since they would have to replace the ones in Club anyway. 

The post British Airways A380 First class review London to Dallas – is BA back? appeared first on Turning left for less.

Continuing the series of what travel is like now, a reader has shared their experience of flights to/from Los Angeles at the end of July and the middle of August in British Airways First B777. You can find Part 1 here. You can email admin@turningleftforless.com if you want to see your trip report published.

Currently, you can’t travel to the US from the UK unless you have applied for an NIE which includes certain business or education reasons or are a US citizen. 

Check-in and lounge at LAX

For the return flight I was checking a bag as I’d picked up some wine as part of the trip. Whilst check in wasn’t too busy, there was a family being checked in at the First deck that was consuming this owing to the amount of luggage and so this added a small delay, after about 30 minutes I was checked in and heading to security. At the check in desk I was asked for my documents (Covid test and PLF) but as soon as I mentioned VeriFly, which I had completed, this was accepted without any further questions – I’ve had mixed results if check in agents are familiar with VeriFly.

With less international travel to the US currently, the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT) was busy but not as busy as in January 2020 when I last passed through and this was expected. Security was quick to clear – no dedicated TSA Pre-check line but this was still supported with being handed a piece of paper and the security staff being diligent on putting a block in my container to indicate to the security team my bag was TSA Pre-check. (You get TSA Pre-check with Global entry). 

There are currently no lounges open in TBIT and limited food options open in the terminal including a Panda Express, KFC and 800 degrees pizza. Whilst I like the latter, I decided I’d eat a meal on the plane, which is rare for me for an overnight flight; I’d normally have had my fill of food in the Qantas lounge and looking forward to when I can do that again.

Boarding and in-flight experience

Boarding was again done with pre-boarding and priority boarding, so I was quickly at my British Airways First B777 seat.

This time an older 777 configuration with 14 seats in first – I still find the first seat comfortable and big, if not as nice as the latest generations.

The crew quickly again introduced themselves and provided me with a washbag, menu, and PJs. Just before take-off food and drinks orders were taken and with a fair percentage of the cabin sleeping, was happy to serve me two starters as they looked great and I couldn’t choose between them.

This time after canapes I had  Vietnamese Rainbow rolls, Midwest beef carpaccio, and Braised midwest beef cheeks. Food was well plated and genuinely super tasty.

Drinks were flowing with regular refills throughout the meal. I really couldn’t fault the crew and was awarded a golden ticket post the journey.

After this I grabbed a few hours sleep, and woke to have breakfast, mainly to eat something around lunchtime in the UK.

I went for fruit and then the full English and was treated to views of London as we came into land.

Arriving into LHR, we landed at Terminal 5C and so not knowing how busy immigration would be, I walked from T5C to T5A, and was pleasantly surprised that all the e-gates were functioning and worked for me first time. I was through in less time than it took me to walk from T5C. Bags appeared 10 minutes later and I was on my way to the Heathrow Express in no time.

Like our British Airways First B777 review? You can read more flight reviews here. 

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Continuing the series of what travel is like now, a reader has shared experience of flights to/from Los Angeles at the end of July and middle of August in British Airways new B777-300 First suite. You can email admin@turningleftforless.com if you want to see your trip report published. 

In part one, we look at the outbound flight from Heathrow. Part 2 will be published tomorrow. Currently, you can’t travel to the US from the UK unless you have applied for a National Interest Exception (NIE) which includes certain critical business or education reasons, or are a US citizen. 

Booking

Originally I’d booked a Club World fare in the 747 farewell sale for £999 – these flights had been cancelled a number of times, which has the bonus of giving me the flexibility to change dates, although I’d rather have been able to take the flights as originally planned!

After re-confirming my dates nearer to the date of intended travel, I saw there were POUG offers to upgrade from Business to First for £550 for the outbound flight and £450 for the inbound flight. Given outbound equipment was a 77W and I was expecting limited food and drink in the TBIT terminal, I snapped up both of these upgrade offers and was confirmed for First Class.

Check-in and lounge at LHR

I arrived at Heathrow early to ensure I could complete the check-in formalities. This was completed quickly and I was through the First Wing without any delay and found myself in the lounge about 15 minutes after arriving at the airport.

Having arrived early, this meant I was able to catch the end of breakfast, where I’ve been enjoying creating my own breakfast roll, and enjoyed jerk chicken for lunch. I’m still enjoying the lounge experience, and hoping the table service is maintained.

I won’t say too much more about the lounge as it has been covered recently. My only minor comment is lack of power in the Concorde Terrace. But I’m happy working at the desk in the First Lounge and going to collect any of the drinks I want that are only in the CCT – and in the scheme of things, this is really a non-issue.

Boarding and in flight experience for LHR-LAX

I was excited to be able to try out BA’s latest B777, the  77W with the newest first product, and was keeping an eye on ExpertFlyer in the days leading up to the flight to watch for equipment changes.

Thankfully no changes, and I arrived at the gate around 55 minutes before departure. After a short wait, pre-boarding commenced, and then Group 1 boarding – this was the first flight I was taking since priority boarding had been re-introduced.

I was quickly escorted to my British Airways new B777-300 First suite seat, introduced to the crew who would be working the first cabin that day and settled into looking at the new first seat. First impressions were positive – big space, decent sized doors and large clear screen that was fixed in position.

This might make dining with a companion tricky but I’m sure it would work, and I’m not sure how much that feature gets used as I don’t see it that often, but have done it once myself on a First flight to Hong Kong.

I kept the doors open most of the flight but had them closed when I slept which I liked. The height was just right and I didn’t feel claustrophobic at all. 

My last First flight was from Barbados when the F&B service was limited, so it was good to see the full menu back. After take off the crew came to take orders for drinks and food, and when I said I’d like to do wine tasting of the whites and reds with the starter and main, he was more than happy to.

All of the crew I’ve spoken to since being able to travel again have been happy to be at work, seeing passengers.

Here are the white wines I tried.

I liked the Chassagne Montrachet most and was impressed that they actually had some decent wines after the whole Villa Maria period a few years ago in First. 

And the reds…again some good choices

I had the English sparkling with the canapes. 

Then salmon tartar (which you may remember from the Feast Box!)

Bread was served from a choice in a basket with olive oil and butter.

Then beef for the main with cheese and port to finish, and a Bulleit bourbon to wash that all down.

With dinner plans to eat on the ground, I skipped the second meal and had a coffee to help keep me going.

The chocolates are no longer the nice box (for obvious reasons) but Lindt chocolates served in a cup!

All in, a super smooth flight, attentive crew, and the 77W with the new First Suite and Club Suite looks smart.

Then just US immigration to face!

Like our British Airways new B777-300 First suite with doors review? You can read more flight reviews here. 

The post British Airways new B777-300 First suite with doors review – Part 1 Heathrow to Los Angeles appeared first on Turning left for less.

With long haul off the agenda for most of us for a while (apart from the Caribbean or the Maldives if you don’t mind quarantine), I decided to hold a tasting of some of the best champagnes served in First class. This was the closest Jersey Girl and I were going to get to First class for a while! I splashed out on some caviar to add to the experience and five of us spent a very pleasant afternoon tasting the best champagnes. Most of us had tasted them before, but not side by side. For those who take their wine seriously, I apologise for some of the frankly frivolous tasting notes from the team. I have had stern words with them, mainly about my resulting hangover. In their defense, they were very, very drunk, Hic!! (not really).

I also roped in my friend Owen from www.washingtonwineblog.com to give us the professional’s view on what we were tasting. If you are into wine you should check out his fabulous blog and social media for some inspiration on what to drink next!

We tasted five champagnes, so which one did we rate the best?

The contenders were:

Krug 167 edition

Served by: Qatar, Cathay Pacific, Singapore, American Airlines in some Flagship First dining

Read our review of Qatar First class here

The Professional view:

NV Krug ‘167 ed’ Champagne – The ‘Grande Cuvée’ 167 ÈME Edition from Krug is a simply sensational effort that is drinking marvelously now, but is ultimately destined for an exceedingly long life in the cellar. This particular wine was disgorged in Spring 2017 and is a blend of 191 wines ranging from vintages 1995-2011. The aromatics show wonderful mustiness, white truffle, and peat moss with bright nectarine rind, toasted macadamia nut, kumquat, marzipan and a lovely nutty character all build in the glass. The brightness and intensity on the palate excites with wonderful weight, textural richness as well as a dazzling minerality. Mouth-watering acidity accompanies this beautiful Champagne with lemon zest, wild mushroom and ginger-infused sourdough bread flavors with diatomaceous earth undertones all impress. Am absolute stunner, this brilliant Champagne is glorious now and should go on to evolve and drink beautifully over the next two decades. Drink 2020-2035- 96.

In Business Traveller’s Cellars in the Sky 2019, Singapore won a Silver Medal:

Silver: Singapore Airlines

Champagne Krug 2004, France

Judges said: Really impressive. Gentle and toasty. Very drinkable.

Score: 97

TLFL’s comments:

Martin: One glass just wasn’t enough. I love Krug’s legendary honeycomb! Thank god we had this first.

David: Floral and yeasty in good measure with strong fruit, however slightly acidic. Mature powerful finish for a NV.

Jersey Girl: gentle vibrancy with citrus undertones. Oh who knows, I’m starting to get pissed already

Michele: Krug has been my favourite since the first time I took a sip with Roving Reporter in Japan and a huge smile spread across my face. I love the sophisticated intensity with nuttiness balanced with just the right level of acidity. 

Dom Perignon 2008

Served by: Emirates, Singapore

Read our Emirates first class reviews here. 

The Professional view:

2008 Dom Perignon Champagne – The 2008 Dom Pérignon Champagne is a stunning wine that showcases this outstanding vintage. Released after the ’09 edition, the 2008 is the last vintage released by cave de chef Vincent Chaperon before he retired at the end of 2018. What was a very cool vintage, 2008 saw perfect conditions at harvest which led to very ripe berries. At the present, the ripeness is quite evident on the nose with bright marigold flowers with kumquat and shades of nectarine rind alongside the lemon-infused brioche accents that all build in the glass. The palate is round, yet tightly wound, delivering a nice sense of decadence. Bright Pink Lady apple, lemon zest and Challah bread all combine brilliantly with a good sense of salinity on the palate. While remarkable in its youth, this really needs at least a year or two of bottle age to fully come together and show its full potential. That being said, this clearly has the potential to evolve an become an all-time classic vintage for Dom Pérignon. Drink 2020-2040- 97

In Business Traveller’s, Cellars in the Sky 2019, Emirates  won a Bronze Medal:

Champagne Dom Pérignon 2002 Plénitude 2, France

Judges said: Rich and creamy, with real depth on the nose.

Score: 96

TLFL’s comments:

Martin: Flashy but really it’s just average… Too gassy and oaky for me. Gets the birds to the table, though! 

David: A pleasant Grand Cuvee. Almond & Brioche on the nose with a buttery finish. Elegant, however not as wow factor as Krug or LPGS.

Jersey Girl: Acidic with oaky notes. Missing the decadence of the other two

Michele: Not keen on the oakiness, feels a bit flat compared to the Krug in terms of complexity for me but still a nice richness to it.

Comtes de Tattinger 2007

Served by: Malaysia Airlines, Qantas

Read our review of Malaysia First here.

The Professional view:

Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs is created in the Gallo-Roman chalk quarries under the former Saint-Nicaise Abbey in Reims. It is subject to a great deal of care and attention until it reaches full maturity. The cuvée, made solely from  Chardonnays from the 5 villages classified Grands Crus in the Côte des Blancs region, is only produced when the harvest is of exceptional quality and worthy of becoming a great vintage. Only first press wine (the ‘cuvée’) is used as this is an absolute guarantee of quality. 5% of the wines which create the Comtes de Champagne are matured for 4 months in fresh oak barrels (one-third of which are renewed each year) to boost the intrinsic qualities of the final blend and its hint of a toasted flavour. The celebrated bottles only see daylight after a long and drawn-out maturing period 18 metres underground and lasting up to 10 years.

TLFL’s comments:

Martin: Smooth with a subtle fizz. A light sweetness making it a very easy drinking champagne. Comtes bombs to follow?

David: Pale lemon in colour with exceptionally fine bubbles. Not flat, but not at all harsh – just right. Very mature taste with complex flavour and the oakiness of the Chardonnay coming through. Incredibly elegant finish. My favourite Grand Cuvee.

Jersey Girl: more of a tingle on the tongue than a fizz. Grapefruit notes with a silky finish

Michele: Brings back great memories of the Fat Duck and a visit to their wine cellar with Roving Reporter. Light and elegant with very subtle bubbles rather than full-on fizz. 

Laurent Perrier ‘Grand Siecle Champagne 23rd edition

Served by: British Airways, Lufthansa

Read our British Airways First reviews here.

The Professional view:

NV Laurent Perrier ‘Grand Siecle 24 ed.’ Champagne – The latest release of the Grand Siècle from Laurent Perrier is a truly spectacular Champagne. Comprised of 55% chardonnay and 45% pinot noir, the wine is sourced from the 2004, 2002 and 1999 vintages. The bouquet is simply intoxicating with amazing range, from honeydew lemon to citrus rind, brioche, and Japanese pear. On the palate, this shows an excellent combination of viscosity and tension. Apricot, Challah bread, marzipan, and kumquat zest flavors all marvelously combine together. While this is a marvelous Champagne that is built to age, it is simply impossible to resist right now. Drink 2020-2035- 95.

TLFL’s comments:

David: My favourite all-rounder. Beautiful light colour with a hint of smoke on the nose, gives way to a crisp taste with good bubbles on the palate. Notes of brioche and Apple shine through to a long beautiful finish.

Jersey Girl: smooth and creamy. The drink that brought us all together which I will forever be grateful for

Michele: Reminds me of happy times aboard a BA plane or two. Now I feel sad… It’s still a great champagne with lovely citrus and apple notes.

Veuve Clicquot ‘La Grand Dame’ Champagne 2008

Served by: Lufthansa, Qantas, Qatar’s Al Safwa lounge

Read our Qantas First class review here and our Qatar Al Safwa lounge review here.

The Professional view:

2008 Veuve Clicquot ‘La Grand Dame’ Champagne – The 2008 La Grande Dame is an absolute revelation. This is Cellar Master Dominique Demarville first vintage of La Grande Dame, and he has crafted a blend with 92% Pinot Noir – the highest percentage ever in Veuve Clicquot’s history. As this spectacular Champagne slowly unwinds, it begins to display deep diatomaceous earth tones that marvelously mingle with lemon oil and hazelnut aromatics that all are woven together in the glass. At this stage, it is tightly wound, yet possesses a rich and highly satisfying mouthfeel that is beautifully defined and shows shades of roasted pineapple, Japanese pear, kumquat, salted praline with suggestions of freshly baked sourdough bread that persist throughout. This is a truly fantastic vintage for La Grande Dame, however, it seems as if it still going to require a few more years of bottle age before it reaches its optimal drinking window. Drink 2020-2040- 95

TLFL’s comments:

David: fruity on the nose, quite heavy with the apple and quite dry to taste. An okay finish but very underwhelming for a Grand Cuvee.

Jersey Girl: Don’t think we liked it but I don’t remember why. Definitely drunk now.

Michele: I’m not sure if its because it’s the last bottle out of five, but it’s very disappointing. 

Not tasted but of note….

Louis Roederer ‘Cristal’ Champagne

Served on: Japan Airlines

Read our Japan Airlines first class review here.

The Professional view:

2012 Louis Roederer ‘Cristal’ Champagne- The 2012 Louis Roederer ‘Cristal’ Chanpagne is a thrilling, dense new offering from this historic house. On the nose this takes on rich brioche and baked Pazzaz apple flavors that combine with lighter kumquat and marzipan tones that all meld in the glass. Fresh and vibrant, with a remarkably silky mousse, the weight and richness of this wine is impressive, while the bright character provides a wonderful foil. Rich layers of lemon zest dusted brioche with toasted hazelnut and Gravenstein apple with lighter vanilla cream and starfruit tones seamlessly combine on the palate. As several hours develop, the wine pieces itself together more magically with the intense citrus components melding with its weighty stature. Marvelous at this stage in its development, the 2012 Louis Roederer ‘Cristal’ Chanpagne will have an exceedingly long life ahead of it. Try to give this at least another year of bottle development before savoring. Drink 2021-2040- 97

2008 Louis Roederer ‘Cristal’ Champagne- The 2008 ‘Cristal’ Champagne is an absolutely magical effort from cellar master Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon, who has crafted a simply dazzling wine from this sensational vintage. Composed of 60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay the 2008 was bottle-aged for 8 years before being left to rest for at least 8 months after disgorging. This beautiful Champagne begins with highly perfumed aromatics, offering a gorgeous combination of musty and earthy tones up front, followed by white truffle shavings, peat moss, brioche and bright pear nuances that complete the exotic nose. Streamlined throughout, this shows incredible precision and clarity, as well as an unmistakable a seamless quality that makes it nearly impossible to resist. It goes on to impress with its incredible verve and energy, as well as racy acidity, which is all underlined by a remarkable saline character that echos through the palate. This continues to deliver an outstanding combination of weight and effervescence as flavors of Asian pear, marzipan, Marcona almond and kumquat all come together to delight the senses. The 2008 is truly one of the most compelling releases that I’ve ever had the opportunity to taste from this house. Although it is already utterly scintillating in its youth, this will ultimately need some more time in bottle, nonetheless its pedigree and potential are extremely evident. Drink 2020-2045- 98

And the winner is…

In reverse order we ranked the champagnes:

1. Grand Dame

2. Dom Perignon

3. Grand Siecle

4. Comtes

Winner: Krug

What’s your favourite champagne in the air? Let us know in the comments below or on our social media.

The post What is the best First Class Champagne? TLFL does the taste test (and gets tipsy) appeared first on Turning left for less.

Today we have a reader question from long-term reader Yossie. If you would like to ask a question to be featured on the blog, please feel free to contact me by email at admin@turningleftforless.com or click on the contact us tab above.

“We are planning a first class redemption to West Coast of the USA as we now have enough miles and an Amex 2 for 1 voucher. This is planned for July 2019. Are there any disadvantages or advantages of flying to either San Francisco, Los Angeles or San Diego. We will return Business Class as I’m guessing we will be trying to sleep? Should we fly from Manchester the night before and stay at T5 hotel to enjoy the first lounge and spa or is that not really necessary if we catch the first connecting flight?

How do we maximise our chance of securing the preferred flights including return and should we fly BA both directions or AA? If we do fly a different carrier how would we ensure we get the flights needed? We will be doing a road trip on a Harley ending in Florida. PHL to MAN is available on AA. What do you recommend for this?

Are there any tricks to reducing the taxes payable or is it a case of grin and bear it? Any hotel tips for those cities?”

Firstly it’s great to see you are still reading the blog Yossie! It sounds like a great trip you have planned. As you are not planning to fly until July 2019 some of the advice I will give is based on current aircraft types and could well change by then.

I will start with the ways to secure your flights and the rules for using a 2-4-1 voucher.

Using a BA American Express 2-4-1 voucher

The easiest time to get the availability is to book the day the flight is released for redemptions. This is 355 days before the flight between 12-1am. British Airways guarantee at least 2 Business class seats on every flight are made available at this point. The same does not apply to First Class which varies from flight to flight. The flights are not always loaded up online immediately so if it is a very popular route you may want to call a BA office that is open at midnight to secure it (Japan, Hong Kong and or USA). West Coast USA is a fairly popular destination so it may be worth the phone call in this situation. There have been reports of some offices refusing to do this in the past but it is worth a try.

However, there is a catch to booking at D-355. If you are booking a return flight that means only the outbound flight would be available on that day. Don’t be tempted to wait as by your return date -355, the outbound flights will have probably gone. If you are using a BA Amex 2-4-1 voucher, you should buy the outbound flights at D-355 and then as soon as the inbound flight is available, telephone British Airways for them to add the flight to the booking. They should not charge you for the change as you could not have booked the flights before but I have known them try to charge sometimes.

You can only use the voucher on British Airways operated flights so American Airlines is not an option, unfortunately. You can do an open jaw return so you could just come back from whatever the easiest airport is to get to from where you are in Florida and include the domestic flight to Manchester on the 2-4-1 booking.

In terms of taxes there is little you can do to reduce the cost other than starting your journey from airport in the UK where there is no APD – Jersey or Inverness. Assuming you stick with Manchester you can start from Manchester at no additional Avios cost if it is all on one ticket.

You can do mixed class bookings so you could fly to the US in First and then back in Club providing all the people on the booking were travelling in the same cabin together. I agree with you that it is best to do First when you can maximise your experience on a daytime flight, although some people argue you get a better sleep in First with the bigger seats and aisle access. Personally, with the new Club bedding that will be across the routes by 2019 I would say it is better to come back in Club on a short flight if you plan to sleep.

Positioning flights

If you can afford the time and money to travel to London the night before I usually would recommend this to allow plenty of time to enjoy the lounge if you are travelling in First. A lot depends on the flight you manage to secure with the voucher as you may not have a choice of times. I would want to allow at least 3 hours between flights to allow for delays, transfers and having time to enjoy the lounge. Long haul flights board 45 minutes before departure so that only gives 2 hours from touchdown by the time you factor in getting to the B or C gates where they usually depart from. Don’t forget you can book spa treatments from 28 days before if travelling in First.

However, you would be on the same ticket with both flights so if something went wrong with your Manchester flight BA would be obligated to get you to your destination. However, this is obviously dependant on their being room on subsequent flights in First so it depends on how much you would be worried if you didn’t get to the destination on time.

Which airport to fly to

In terms of where to fly to it will obviously depend on what is available at the time of booking. One thing to consider is aircraft type. For summer 2018 BA are using B787 and A380 for Los Angeles whereas for winter it is the A380, B787 and B747. I would be happy with any of these and they all have pros and cons.

In First, I would probably go for the B787 as it is the most modern of the aircraft and allows you to arrive feeling in better shape due to the better cabin pressure and higher humidity levels. It is also a smaller cabin with 8 seats versus 14 and has fixed TV screens that don’t need to be stowed for take-off. However, they don’t have the buddy seat if you wanted to have a window seat and have your travelling companion join you for a meal. Next choice would be the A380 with its larger feeling seats and better storage than my final choice the B747. The B747 cabin does have a more intimate feel though versus the more open A380 cabin.

San Francisco currently has the A380 and B747 for the summer and then the B777 & B747 in winter. The B777 is my least favourite aircraft in the BA long haul fleet in business and first. San Diego has the B777 in summer and the B747 in winter.

Another factor is the hassle of immigration and customs at the airports. Obviously, these vary on luck sometimes if you happen to arrive just behind an A380 you could be in for a long wait. I fly into San Francisco regularly and have never had to wait long there on the later BA flight. A very handy resource which shows all the average wait times for USA airports is here. All three airports have Automated Passport Control which I find normally speeds things up. San Diego is a smaller airport so a bit easier to navigate and less busy but otherwise I would concentrate more on the aircraft type that I wanted and of course availability.

Hotels

In Los Angeles, I usually stay in Beverly Hills or I would also recommend Santa Monica. It is worth doing plenty of research on where to stay in Los Angeles as some areas that sound glamourous like Hollywood are actually a bit of a dump! The two most recent hotels I have stayed in are The Beverly Hilton and the SIXTY Boutique hotel Beverly Hills. The Hilton is a lot more upmarket than your average Hilton and has a decent location next to the new Waldorf Astoria. As I was sitting in the lobby I overheard two TV executives (one with her lap dog on the sofa next to her) talking about their conversation with Meryl Streep which gives you an idea of the sort of hotel it is! I liked the old school Hollywood feel to it and had a good stay here. The SIXTY has a better location being only a few minutes walk to Rodeo Drive and was a typical boutique hotel. I particularly liked the rooftop pool here.

In San Francisco, I have stayed at the Taj Campton Place hotel and the San Francisco Marriott Marquis recently. Both are very close to Union Square which I find a convenient location. The Taj was a fairly small 5* hotel and often has reasonable prices. The Marriott is a typical very busy chain hotel but was absolutely fine. It is usually slightly cheaper than the Union Square Marriott.

At Terminal 5 it all depends on whether you want to stay in the Terminal (Sofitel) or as close as possible – Hilton T5 or Premier Inn T5. You can find reviews of all of those hotels here. They are all acceptable hotels, it just depends how much you want to spend.

Other resources for flying BA First

You may want to check out a couple of my other articles such as maximising your First BA First and my reviews of BA First class to make sure you get the most out of your trip.

The post Reader question: How to use a BA Amex 2-4-1 voucher to the USA appeared first on Turning left for less.

I began my business class flight to Abu Dhabi with Etihad in the lounge at Heathrow T4. I will be covering my business class flight to Abu Dhabi tomorrow. You can also check out my Etihad First apartment review back to Heathrow if you haven’t had time to read it yet.

Unfortunately, Etihad recently closed their Six Senses Spa at Heathrow which was a great shame. Although it wasn’t free for business class passengers I would have liked to have paid for a treatment if they were as good as the Abu Dhabi lounge treatments. Etihad have been in financial difficulties recently and been going through a serious of cutbacks, not unlike BA. So, would I notice any other evidence of penny-pinching on my journey?

Arrival

The lounge is for first and business class customers, so the overall standard was more of a First Class lounge than business. You can either take the spiral staircase down to the lounge or the lift. I checked in with the receptionist who was professional as well as giving me a warm greeting.

When I entered the lounge, it was still fairly quiet and I have never seen quite so many staff for this size of lounge. The lounge has two main areas, the restaurant and bar and then the main seating area.

The lounge

The decor of the lounge is in keeping with Etihad’s style and colour scheme. The lounge had a subdued colour platter with browns and creams. Although it was modern in style, it felt a little dull to me overall. There was a section with comfortable armchairs hairs and then by the buffet, there was a less comfortable seating area which felt a little cramped if you were trying to squeeze between the tables. The chairs were Parker Knowle type swivel chairs with low tables, so not ideal for eating. There were a few power points in the floor here but they probably could have done with a few more. Natural daylight kept it from being too gloomy but the views of the tarmac weren’t particularly inspiring being on ground level.

In the lounge area, I had a glass of Palmer and Co Rosé Reserve Champagne which retails at around £35 a bottle. I quite enjoyed this rosé although it was nothing special.

If you were travelling with children, there was a really nice children’s area with plenty of toys and games plus a TV to keep them amused.

Showers

As I had just arrived I didn’t need a shower, but I asked to see one of the cubicles. As you would expect they were modern and luxurious. I particularly liked the mosaic tiling with a slight sheen to it which brightened up the space. A full selection of toiletries including conditioner and body lotion were provided in large containers attached to the wall along with plenty of white fluffy towels.

The toilets!

I also popped into the toilets. It may be strange to say but the toilets had a bit of a wow factor and other than the lack of Aesop toiletries, rival the Cathay ones in T3. The patterned black pearlescent mosaic tiles gave it a feel of a fancy boutique hotel bathroom rather than an airport lounge. I am pretty sure that someone was going in after every customer as I have never seen quite such pristine public toilets anywhere, let alone in an airport. There were unbranded hand wash and hand lotion in large containers too. The whole area was spotless and the hand towels were arranged in a perfect pyramid which was obviously topped up every time someone went in.

Food and drink

I was planning on eating on board but of course, in the interest of research, I decided to go into the main dining area and try something. The menu was fairly limited, but it was good to see some smaller items as well as larger main courses.

I went for the chicken satay. I have to say it was a little disappointing flavour wise, but the chicken was moist, and it arrived quickly. I accompanied this with a glass of Lanson Champagne which was fine. The bar was set to one side of the dining area and I did not see a drinks list which was odd. It would have been good to have a list of what was available rather than having to listen to all the options when I asked.

I also sampled a couple of the middle eastern mezze items from the buffet and these were nicely presented and delicious. The buffet had a selection of individual portions of mezze, cheese and biscuits, fresh fruit, desserts, a couple of salads and a couple of hot items including a hot main course. There was also Arabic bread as well as a more traditional bread selection.  The main course was rosemary and garlic chicken with Parmentier potatoes and vegetables. I didn’t try it, but it looked tasty.

Next to the buffet were some wines to help yourself to. I always prefer this as you can have a look at what is on offer and try one or two before deciding. There was a choice of 3 red wines including a Bordeaux and 3 white. Apart from the ubiquitous Pinot Grigio, there was an interesting sounding South African Rhanleigh Chardonnay which I tried. This retails at about £8 a bottle and was very average. You could also help yourself to a selection of soft drinks and juices in this area.

I could have also sat at the bar but it had no natural light as you faced the wall. I didn’t find a drinks list anywhere but there was a wider selection of spirits for them to make pretty much any well-known cocktail. None of the spirits seemed very premium.

The staff were all pretty helpful and would instantly access if they could help you with something or get you a table if you wanted to go into the restaurant. It actually got the point of being a bit comical and as every time I made the slightest move one of the staff would approach me to see if they could help me! As I was trying to take photos and videos, it felt like they were getting in the way. This is not me complaining though, compared to the non-existent service you get in some lounges I would rather it was this way round.

Conclusion

There was some evidence of cost-cutting with the closure of the spa but overall this was a great lounge to spend some time in. The wines and champagnes were very average but with the addition of bar staff to make whatever cocktail you would like it doesn’t matter so much. The style of the lounge was very in keeping with Etihad’s other lounges and whilst the staff were a little overbearing I had no complaints about the service.

The post Etihad First and Business class lounge London Heathrow Terminal 4 review appeared first on Turning left for less.

Yesterday I looked at Emirates new B777 business class cabin. Today we will look at the new Emirates First Suites, how to get them on miles even if you don’t collect Emirates miles currently, how they stack up against the competition and what it means for the future of First class.

Emirates unveiled new First Class private suites for its refreshed B777 at the Dubai airshow on Sunday. The design is inspired by the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and features floor to ceiling sliding doors. The suites offer up to 40sqft of personal space in a 1-1-1 configuration on the B777.

Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline said:

“Emirates pioneered the First Class private suite concept back in 2003, and today it’s the industry benchmark when it comes to first class travel. Over the years we have continually improved on our private suites, adding thoughtful refinements and features. We are very excited about our new fully-enclosed suite which is a real game-changer in terms of privacy, comfort, and thoughtful luxury. This is the first time an Emirates product has been so influenced by another luxury brand, but it is a natural fit as both Emirates and Mercedes-Benz have the same unwavering commitment to fine detail, uncompromising quality, and a drive to push the boundaries.”

The collaboration with Mercedes Benz inspired design details such as the leather seating, high-tech control panels, and mood lighting. Emirates and Mercedes-Benz have also extended their partnership to provide S-Class cars as part of its complimentary Chauffeur-drive service for First class passengers arriving or departing in the UAE.

The latest Emirates 777 aircraft with these new features will enter service on 1 December 2017, making its debut on flights to Geneva and Brussels.

The First suite

Here is the current version of the Emirates First suite:

The new Emirates B777 First Class cabin interior uses a new colour scheme of soft greys, cream and champagne. This gives the suite a more modern, less ‘bling’ finish and makes it feel more light and airy which you need in a fully enclosed suite. There is only so much bling I could be trapped in a small space with even if there is unlimited champagne!

When you want to sleep on board Emirates have thought of everything. You can get changed in your suite in privacy without having to go to the toilets which is a big advantage. The seat, of course, reclines into a fully flat bed but this one can be placed in a NASA inspired “zero-gravity” position which apparently gives a feeling of “relaxation and weightlessness”.

Another ‘game changer’, as Emirates are calling it, is the first aircraft virtual windows for suites in the middle aisle. These virtual windows project the view from outside the aircraft in real-time. In the other suites, binoculars are available.

Passengers can easily communicate with the cabin crew, or request for room service using the video call function. The suites also come with a service window where customers can be served drinks and canapes undisturbed. This comes from the valet closet seen in many upmarket hotels nowadays but I am not sure how much use it will be on an aircraft. You can see the video calling in action in this video.

Video chat ordering in @Emirates’ new Suite. Remember back in the day when you had to speak to a flight attendant in person to place an order? #zshdxb pic.twitter.com/lxozpwgMpS

— Zach Honig (@ZachHonig) November 12, 2017

Each suite comes with a nauseatingly named ” inspiration kit” which features a Byredo skincare collection found only on Emirates, plus Hydra Active moisturising pyjamas and Bulgari amenity kits.

Here is Jeremy Clarkson who is the spokesperson for Emirates’ new advert:

How can you fly in the new Emirates suite on miles?

Assuming that you are unlikely to accrue enough miles simply by flying on Emirates there are a couple of other options to accrue the miles needed for First Class. You can also get miles on Emirates when flying on their partners: Alaska, JAL, Jet, JetBlue, Korean Air, Qantas, South African Airways and TAP Portugal. If you fly on oneworld airlines you could also consider crediting the miles to JAL Mileage Bank as they are an Emirates partner and can use their miles on Emirates.

The next easiest way would be via an Amex card that gives membership rewards as Emirates are a membership rewards partner. You can easily transfer your membership rewards points into an Emirates Skywards account. You could also consider a Starwood SPG Amex credit card as you can transfer the points into JAL miles. Remember you could just do a one-way redemption and use Avios for the other way which reduces the number of miles needed.

How does it compare to the competition?

Although it has some “game changing” technology and features, I think that it’s not substantially better than the next nearest competition, the new Singapore First Suite and the Etihad apartment (review this weekend).  Many seats are now offering double beds and the ability to join suites like the new Singapore First suite, which is something that Emirates have decided not to offer. The Emirates suite does have a lot of high tech features with the video calling and virtual windows but again on Etihad, you could message the cabin crew from your TV which is not that different to video calling.

It is obviously light years ahead of British Airways First which is known as ‘the world’s best business class’ amongst frequent flyers. However, the space is nowhere near the size offered in Etihad’s First Apartment on the A380 but this may change if Emirates introduce a new First suite onto the A380. The Etihad suite may not be quite the game changer

What does this mean for the future of First?

There has been lots of speculation in the airline industry about the decline in the numbers of First class seats and whether it will disappear from airlines altogether. Indeed Emirates have taken first class off some of its services until the end of the year from Gatwick. BA recently hinted that they may continue to reduce the number of first class seats in this interview with Alex Cruz, CEO. He did say, however, that “First is here to stay”.

First class demand has been declining across the Atlantic but actually, the Middle East carriers have seen a rise in demand over the last 3 years. Even still, Etihad is now reviewing whether to balance the proportions of first and business class seats. Emirates though have been very clear that first class will continue to be an important part of their customer offering.

The new First suites emerging such as Emirates and Singapore are showing the first class is here to stay but it will be a different experience to 20 years ago. The focus is now on a more elite and private experience with more personal space and high tech features. With business class offering suites as well it will need to offer something pretty special to justify the difference in cost. First class is also likely to only feature on premium routes in the future on many airlines such as New York, Dubai or Singapore.

You can find more information on the Emirates new B777 First class here.

What do you think of the new suite? If you had the choice, which would you rather try – the new Emirates First, Singapore Airlines new First Seite or the Etihad First Apartment. Let me know in the comments below or on social media.

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Whilst the Concorde Room has its critics, I always look forward to a visit there. After all, what’s not to like with unlimited Laurent-Perrier Grand Siecle champagne that retails at over £100 a bottle, bespoke BA Gin and the BA175 cocktails.

The Concorde Room at Heathrow T5 is only open to customers travelling First class and their most frequent flyers known as ‘Gold Guest List’ which you need an eye-watering 5000 tier points a year to achieve. There are only 2 proper Concorde Rooms; the one at Heathrow and the New York JFK Concorde Room. The JFK Concorde Room is also earmarked for refurbishment in 2018 along with the other JFK lounges. There are also a number of Concorde bars and dining areas such as the Singapore Bar and the T5 Arrivals dining area.

British Airways has just revealed the finished refurbishment of their Concorde Room at Heathrow Terminal 5. They took taking inspiration from the best of British Design and wanted to create a feeling of luxury.

The terrace is one of the nicest places to sit in my opinion, as it overlooks the runway and has a light and airy feel. It has also now got new sofas and loungers. I think this area is one of the best parts of the refurbishment with the feeling of individual rooms giving more intimacy. I was also really pleased to hear that BA are providing mobile phone chargers in the Concorde Room too.

The refurbishments included re-upholstering furniture, and adding new feature pieces to the room, all of which are illuminated by hand-blown glass lighting with bone coloured linen lamp shades featuring ochre silk linings. My favourite piece is the duck feet lamps which goes with the slightly quirky horse lamps in the Galleries lounges. I wonder where I can buy one!

Carolina Martinoli, British Airways’ new director of brand and customer experience, said:

“We believe our customers will love the new look and feel of the Concorde Room, in particular, the terrace that we have re-designed to create a private oasis in the middle of a bustling airport.”

Overall I think the lounge looks much better from the photos. I have to say I really like all the new lamps although some of the furnishing fabrics are not really to my taste from the photos.  I think the effect they were aiming for, one of British sophisticated elegance with a touch of quirkiness, is what they have achieved. I am expecting to do a review in December on my next trip from T5 so I will bring a full report of how it looks in reality.

What do you think of the pictures? Have you been to the Concorde Room at Heathrow? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below or on social media.

UPDATE: I have now visited the new Concorde room and you can read my review of the refurbished Concorde Room here.

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Reader J was very pleased he had managed to score himself and his wife 2 Avios seats in British Airways First. As this was on a 2-4-1 Avios booking to the West Coast of the US and he hadn’t booked at D-355, this is about as rare as spotting a pink unicorn flying past! He wanted to know how he could make the most of the experience since it would be the first time he had travelled in British Airway First class. For anyone wondering what BA First class is like, you can read our 2 BA First reviews here and here.

So now that you have your First class flight to look forward to, what should you do next?

Immediate actions – booking your seats

First, you need to know what aircraft type you are on. J is travelling on a B747 and a B777-200. The seat map for the B747 is:

Booking seats in First class is still thankfully free, unlike Club World on British Airways. Your choice of seats depends on whether you want to sit together and be able to talk or would rather have window seats. If you have a window seat there is a buddy stool where you can join your other half for the meal, but you wouldn’t want to sit on it for much longer than that.

Row 1 will be blocked off for Gold Card Holders from BA’s Executive Club and VIPs which is another option for couples who want to sit together but still have the window seats. It is possible to talk between the seats but you aren’t within touching distance. However, they do have the advantage of being the most private seats and also still have windows. If you are not BA Gold you can sometimes still snag them at on-line check in or even closer to the flight. Remember when you do on-line check in, don’t download your boarding pass or print it unless you are happy with your seats. Until you do this you can keep checking for a better seat to switch to.

Assuming you aren’t bothered about the window and would rather sit together, I would go for the middle seats in row 4. I would avoid row 5 as it is close to the galley and you can often hear the crew talking and plates clattering when you are trying to sleep.

On the B777-200 the seat map looks like this:

As you can see there are more middle pairs to choose from and 1A/K wouldn’t be much good for a couple. I would go for row 2 E&F in the middle also you are not right by the toilets or galley. If you wanted window seats, rows 2 and 3 on either side would be best. Being right-handed, I usually choose the K side as your shelf for drinks etc will be on your right by the window.

1 month before the flight

As First passengers, you are entitled to a free 15 minute treatment in the Elemis Spa and you can book them in advance. The bookings can be difficult to secure though, so you need to be organised.

You should book with YouFirst at exactly 28 days before your flight, either using this online form or calling them on 0800 408 7667. The You First helpdesk is open from 07.30 to 20.00 GMT, seven days a week. There are treatments for men and women including facials, massages and even a shave. There are no foot massages anymore, unfortunately. You can find a list of all the treatments here.  If you don’t get anything at D-28, I would keep trying as appointments usually open up eventually.

Another thing you may wish to do is to book a cabana. There are 3 private cabanas that are available to book but they are not overly exciting. They have a chaise longue, a TV and a shower. Again, you can do this via YouFirst.

14 days before your flight you have access to the Quintessentially Concierge Service if you need anything booking for your trip. They also have a desk inside the Concorde room.

Finally, the last thing to do before the day is to decide if you want to pre-order your main course for onboard. You can do this from the onboard menu between 30 days and 24 hours before your flight. All this does is guarantee your choice of main course, as they don’t load enough if everyone chooses the same. If you decide to go ahead, it can be done in Manage My Booking.

The day of the flight

If you are getting dropped off at Heathrow, make sure you get dropped at the far end of the terminal. I would aim to arrive at least 3 hours before to make the most of your time in the Concorde room. Once in the terminal head to the First Wing to check in and go through the dedicated security channel. This will then bring you out in the First lounge, not the Concorde Room. Which brings us to:

Lounges

As a First Class passenger, you can access all the BA lounges at T5. I wouldn’t bother with the Club Lounges personally unless you are boarding from T5B and there is a delay once you have arrived there. In which case you could head into the T5B Club lounge to wait.

In terms of the difference between First and the Concorde room, I would check out both if you have time. The First lounge is mainly used by BA Gold Card Holders. You can read my review here. This is a much more relaxed lounge as most of the food and drink is self-service apart from a small menu of dishes to order. The champagne in here is not nearly as good as the Concorde Room but if you just wanted a snack you would be better grabbing something here as they don’t really do snacks in the Concorde room. You could also try a few different wines as they normally have a nice selection of good quality wines in here.

Next, I would head to the Concorde Room. The lounge is only for the use of First Class passengers, so it is much more exclusive. If you wanted to pop out to the shops there is a door that opens out into the terminal on the other side of the lounge which was reopened recently so you can go back in that way too. Once in the lounge, you can either go to the restaurant area for a full meal with waiter service or relax in the lounge or at the bar.

I like to sit out on the terrace with views of the airfield but sometimes service can be a bit patchy. There is nothing to stop you popping to the bar yourself though. The Concorde Room bar has a couple of exclusive items worth trying. One is the BA175 cocktail which is a blend of champagne gin, grapefruit juice and apricot liqueur. It sounds a bit strange but tastes delicious but watch because they are very strong! Also available is the British Airways Gin made especially for them by the Cambridge Distillery. You must, however, have some of the wonderful Laurent-Perrier Grand Siecle Siecle Champagne which retails at over £100 a bottle.

If you are into Concorde, you may want to check out the boardroom in the Concorde room. The chairs are made from genuine Concorde chairs.

On Board

Once on board, you should be shown to your seat. Your jacket should be hung for you and pyjamas offered too. There are also slippers and lightweight blankets available but you normally have to ask for these. You will be given his and hers amenity kits in Liberty bags with Aromatherapy Associates and Refinery products.

You can dine whenever you like so don’t feel obliged to eat straight away if you don’t want to. However, they will need to take your order at the start along with a rough time to eat so they can keep your choices for you. Here is a sample menu of what you can expect:

Next, you will be offered a choice of desserts and/or cheese. If you enjoy wine, there is always a dessert wine such as Sauternes which you only get in First Class, so save room for that and some Port with your cheese! Last time I flew First in June, it was the Warre’s 2000 Colheita Tawny Port. Finally, if you fancy a coffee they have a Nespresso machine on board so you can enjoy a proper coffee such as espresso, cappuccino or latte and they should come round with a box of chocolates – ask if they don’t.There will also be a second lighter meal served close to arrival if you wish. On the way back this will be breakfast.

There will also be a second lighter meal served close to arrival if you wish. On the way back this will be breakfast.

There is a good selection of entertainment and noise cancelling headphones are provided for you to use on board. When you are ready to sleep the crew will make up your bed for you with a mattress topper, pillow and duvet. Don’t be afraid to ask them to do this for you.

Arriving back in Heathrow

On the way back, if you don’t want to eat on the plane you will have access to the BA Arrivals lounge and Concorde dining area. You can also get Elemis spa treatments in the Arrivals lounge but they are on a first come first served basis. If you would like to have some breakfast, head to the Concorde dining area where they have breakfast to order. There is usually full English with eggs to order, smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, eggs benedict and kippers. The rest of the menu is mainly what is already on the buffet in the main area.

You can also have a shower or get your own cabana with an infinity bath.  You check in with shower reception and if there is a wait, they will give you a buzzer.  Towels and Elemis Toiletries are provided.  One handy service is the pressing service. Whilst in the shower room, you can open a special two-way door to hang your clothes and they will come back pressed in around 10 minutes.

The shower rooms have a built-in sound system, with pre-set news and music channels. You may prefer to have a bath, in which case you should see if there is a cabana available. Priority for these is given to First passengers. The cabanas are larger than the shower rooms. They have a dressing area, an overflowing “infinity” bath, and a chair.

You can read more about the BA Arrivals lounge in my review here.

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