Grumble

I should be flying over Texas now, but am home instead. I'll explain more on Monday.

United Couldn't Find a Working 777 for Me

British Airways First Class LHR Terminal 3 Lounge

I was excited to check out the new Heathrow Terminal 5. I read great things about the new terminal and was excited to dine in the Concorde Room, reserved for British Airways passengers only (unlike first class lounges that can be accessed by oneworld top level flyers).  The shopping looked great with seemingly every Scotch on the market available.  I ran (literally) through Terminal 5 last year after a flight delay and I was excited to explore the blur.

Best View from T3 BA Lounge

My flight from JNB landed early and I had about 5 hours to kill before boarding my flight to Denver. This was ample time for lounging, shopping, a few meals, and plane spotting. One problem, I couldn’t enter Terminal 5. My flight to Denver was departing Terminal 3 and those passengers can’t go anywhere except Terminal 3.  I was crushed.  Terminal 3 is the decrepit reject terminal that needs to be bulldozed. There is no dedicated first class space either. 

I took the shuttle van away from my dreams to meet my fate (disappointed there was no first class passenger car ala Lufthansa). A quick trip through security and I found the BA lounge.  I grabbed a shower (renovations needed) and scoped out the best window seat in the lounge so I’d have something to look at for four hours.

A Better Lounge View at DFW

The dining room has the views of the field in the lounge. I didn’t feel guilty planning to occupy a table for 4 hours because the lounge was sparsely populated in the morning. The service was poor. I had to grab my own beverages and it took over 10 minutes to get a waiter’s attention and place an order.  The food was OK when it arrived.  I just needed something to munch on as I watched planes land in the distance.

There were about 10 different whiskeys at the self-serve bar (Lufthansa has over 80 and they were poured and delivered for you). Blue Label and Glenfiddich 18 were available, so not bad.  Still the ground experience left much to be desired. Sadly it felt more like a US carrier than a European carrier.

I Like Airplanes

Terminal 3 shopping was limited and pedestrian. Only mass market brands were visible and the prices seemed exorbitant after coming from South Africa with the best priced alcohol on earth.  After a very long walk to the gate, I was ready to get in my seat and get home.

Bing Rewards Devalues

Starbucks and Amazon gift cards for searching Bing will be more expensive soon. I liked Bing Rewards because I was rewarded for searching with Bing. Every 15 days I would earn a $5 gift card. The program is changing so the gift cards will take an extra two days to earn. Not the end of the world, but not what I wanted to see in my Hotmail inbox this morning.

Think Happy Thoughts

NEW BRITISH AIRWAYS PILOT PHOTO APP

This is a fun idea:
British Airways pilots have developed a new photo app for customers to take away a souvenir cockpit picture from their flight.  All British Airways’ 4,000 pilots will have the ‘View From The Flight Deck’ app loaded onto their iPads from the start of August to take photos of customers visiting the cockpit before take-off or after landing. 
The app automatically sends this special photo, which includes a graphic showing facts from their flight, to customers so they have an instant, unique memento of their trip. The information on the photo includes the Captain’s name, route traveled and distance flown, as well as the aircraft type and registration. There is also an image of the aircraft to help budding young future pilots to recognize individual plane types the next time they fly.

Me on Lufthansa's A380

Great Time to Fly

There are cheap fares to lands far away on United and Star Alliance partners. Enjoy playing around on ITA Matrix and happy hunting.

Star Alliance Heading South

Happy Weekend

Going somewhere fun?

McDonnell Douglas Party at ORD

British Airways A380 First Class

OR Tambo Airport (JNB) leaves much to be desired. As the main international gateway to southern Africa, the airport should at least provide some basic comforts. Things it’s missing include decent air conditioning, practical signage, genuine copies of Microsoft Windows, and basic queue management. It does have an observation room (good idea) upstairs (bad idea) and down a winding administrative hallway. The duty free shopping was spectacular because the booze prices were ridiculously low.

A380 Stairs Up To Business Class

My flight from Cape Town landed on time and I retrieved my checked bag (bags weren’t making connections due to a strike) and went for a 15 minute walk to the British Airways (UK) check in counter. It was closed. To kill time I took a stroll to the observation deck. There was little to see, so I went back to the check in desks and read a book while sitting in front of the first class check in counter. Check in starts 3 hours before the first departure, not a minute sooner despite staff being present.  

My Aircraft to London

Check in didn’t take long and the trip through security and customs wasn’t terrible (it’s a zoo in the evening). After my disappointing lunch on my flight to JNB, I went directly to the BA first class lounge for a proper meal. I was one of 5 people there and found a nice seat with an outlet and view of the terminal (only view offered). I grabbed a Scotch and some cold cuts.  The hot food buffet didn’t look appetizing. I wound up being hungry enough to not mind snacking and Castle Lager. As departure neared, the lounge filled up. Really, there were 28 first class seats on BA flights that day and there were easily 60+ people in the small space. There were 5 open seats and 0 open outlets when I left for a stroll. The business class lounge was standing room only and a mess. The customs line seemed more relaxing.

First Class Seat

This ground experience was not up to Lufthansa standards. My trip in 2013 on Lufthansa is my only time on a proper international first class. They set the bar very very high. From arrival at the airport through baggage claim, the experience is superb. BA could still win me over because I was booked on an 11 hour A380 flight with a connection at their new Heathrow terminal. 

Ample Space Up Front

Power Window Shades

BA’s A380 first class cabin is massive. Other airlines fit 52 economy seats it the lower deck between doors 1 and 2. British Airways only accommodates 14 first class seats in the same area. The personal space is wonderful and there is a strong sense of privacy. There is also ample storage space with a personal closet and overhead bins. I was offered Champagne after storing my stuff then presented with a pajama set and amenity kit. I settled in and started to familiarize myself with the gadgets. Power window shades, large tv, the seat adjustment knob (it was milled aluminum and felt great to touch), and on and on. I was in for a treat.

Seat Adjustment Knob

View From my Seat

The captain’s welcome about announcement mentioned that our aircraft was two months old. Soon after the lead flight attendant came by to welcome me, give an introduction to the service plan, and ask if there was anything special I might require on the journey. I was excited and ready to take it all in.

Evening Meal Service

Blue Cheese Pear

Main

The drink service started right after takeoff. I went with Johnnie Walker Blue. First class passengers can dine when they wish. I wanted to dine as soon after takeoff to maximize my sleep. The service and food were great. I also enjoyed listening to A History of English Speaking Peoples over dinner. My flight was oozing of British-ness. I easily slept for 7 hours after the meal service. I enjoyed the English breakfast before landing and was sad my flight was ending.  It was an outstanding flight with a great onboard product.

Beer For Breakfast - I Had a Long Connection