DXB-LHR in WTP on BA 30 sec review

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  • Anonymous
    Guest

    FDOS_UK
    Participant

    I had chosen BA for this trip, due to the need to fly from London and the relatively small differential (~£200 return) to secure a WTP seat.

    This review covers the return leg.

    Check in – arrived at -3 hours (needed to renew my eGates card) – no queue, check in agent professional, but no more -3/5

    Transit to concourse D – on a par with Heathrow, functional 3/5

    Lounge – small, new, good drinks selection, wifi slow, poor food (just soup and breadsticks) – 2/5

    Boarding – first/emerald boarding controlled, after that a mad scramble lwith no scrutiny of BP – 1/5

    Condition of aircraft inside – reasonably clean and tidy – 3/5

    Seat – 2010 WTP, excellent product for a day flight, plenty of space and comfy – 5/5

    Service – mixed fleet, Chrystal, Rochelle and Jade tried their best and were personable, but it wasn’t very polished – it reminded me of a charter flight with Britannia in the1980s – 3/5 (NB: lots of peroxide blonde hair in evidence, but all uniforms were immaculate)

    Food – the meal was a choice between mocassin or John Dory – I chose the latter and it was surprisingly good – on a par with an Emirates economy meal (which is not sarcasm, EK Y food is a benchmark) – 4/5

    IFE – an average selection, with an average screen – 3/5

    Arrival – a few minutes early, onto a jetty at T5B, so had to train it to immigration, queues were reasonable, through in less than 10 mins (not rated, as not under BA control)

    Baggage – mine came out ~25 mins after landing, so reasonable, if not fast – 3/5

    Ground transport – took the 423 bus to my hotel, as I won’t pay the rip off fares on the Hoppa.

    All in all, an average flight for a reasonable price. If that floats your boat, you ‘d like it. British Average is the new BA.


    Bath_VIP
    Participant

    FDOS, since when has the presence or absence of peroxide blond hair been pertinent to a business travel review?


    NTarrant
    Participant

    Do they actually still use peroxide? I thought it was Silvakrin? stuff that is because they are “worth it”!

    Interesting review FDOS


    FDOS_UK
    Participant

    Bath_VIP – 29/04/2016 09:01 BST

    Since when has half the stuff on here been relevant to business travel?

    On the other hand, bleached hair and immaculate uniforms is a little bit of contextual wallpaper for the flight. I didn’t add adenoidal speech, but that was also present.


    FDOS_UK
    Participant

    NTarrant – 29/04/2016 09:05 BST

    LOL

    I must admit that ladies hair treatments is a bit of a mystery to me 😉


    seasonedtraveller
    Participant

    I flew BA last night from EWR to LBA via LHR in CW. I will await accusations of BA bashing but it was so much less than average experience (and since I fly BA 3 times more than any other airline, I’m bound to comment on them more).

    787 (9) seated in 7A (so no climbing over sleepers). Excellent aircraft, departed and arrived on schedule.

    However. Knowing I had 6.5 hours layover in EWR, I had called BA to check what time the bag drop folk arrived and was told 14.00. After putting all my excess baggage ( liquids, ipad etc) in my case, I arrived at the BA counter to see a notice advising that staff will arrive at 15.30……….

    So, I’ll carry it on and head to the lounge, which doesn’t open until 15.00. The lounge opens but there is no one to scan my passport…..my name is taken, “she will come find you” they said….. she didn’t.
    Had to ask for an advance dining card…..saw the food…..didn’t eat.

    On board, as I was trying to stow luggage, barged ( & i do mean, barged) past twice by male crew without excuse me or thank you.
    I had to ask for a pre flight water.
    I had to ask for my jacket to be hung and then it was quite literally snatched out if my hand as he kept walking.
    I had to ask for a menu. His response “didn’t you eat in the lounge”?
    I asked for “main course only please, nothing else”.
    When I returned from the washroom, a starter and dessert were sitting on my tray.
    I had to ask for my jacket back after landing.
    Perhaps the worst BA crew member I’ve ever encountered.

    There was ( of course) no Gold welcome from the CSD.

    Arrive at LHR & head to the CCR for a swift coffee and notice a notification from Flighttrack that the connection to LBA is cancelled. No notification from BA.
    It was 20 min before I got a notice from BA.
    No explanation as to the cancellation. Rebooked 6 hours later. Decided to get to MAN instead…..just want to get home.


    sparkyflier
    Participant

    Seasonedtraveller you had a pretty shoddy experience there. I am not a BA basher but in a recent flight, JFK -LHR, I wanted to give a crew member some spare change for the Comic relief charity, and put it in the small paper envelope provided, and he did not event want to take that…

    That spare change, probably £5 worth, did not end of going to that charity, so their loss was down to him being lazy lack of any care…


    FDOS_UK
    Participant

    Seasoned, are you in the lounge at LHR currently? If, so which lounge?

    I’m in in the GC North, will be on BA1388 at 1150.

    Would be good to say hello.

    FWIW, the BA check in agent said they had snow at Leeds, don’t know if this affected your flight.


    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    FDoS – I am interested in your comment about the seat in WTP being:

    “2010 WTP, excellent product for a day flight, plenty of space and comfy”

    This is something I may consider for future day flights under 7 hours.

    I generally go into auto mode when booking – “it has to be club for long haul” – but more often on a day flight I just watch films or read, so the bed is a waste of money.

    I guess there is a good saving on club fares, the window seat faces forward and by taking my own food from pret on board or one of the other outlets, I will not go hungry.

    Yes I will admit as to never having considered WTP (have used the = on VS once or twice), but it does make sense …

    Thanks for the review…


    FDOS_UK
    Participant

    Martyn

    Thanks – I wouldn’t use WTP for longer hauls (like you often do), but for mid-haul and short long haul, specially during the day, it is okay – there is a surprising amount of personal space and it feels more open and airy than the older version – it’s BA’s stand out class, for me.

    I also used it on the outbound (overnight) because the flight to DXB is only about 6.5 hours at this time of year and the route is serviced by mixed fleet, who are keen but not always efficient.

    Basically, they took about 2.5 hours to the end of the meal service and then things quitened down a bit. They put the lights on for breakfast and starting walking around 1.5 hours out of DXB, so there was only really 2.5 hours proper sleeping time, so I napped then and crashed out when I go to DXB.

    It would have cost over £2,500 in club, but I paid slightly under £700 in WTP – that difference is added straight onto my gross profit.

    PS, the male cabin crew were light on their feet, but the women were like this…..

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYu7c4Vkmp0

    Complemented by the crash of lockers and bins, in lieu of cymbals 🙂


    seasonedtraveller
    Participant

    FDOS_UK.

    Was briefly in the CCR at around 0700 but then managed to get onto the 0805 to Manchester. Now on the train to Leeds.

    Would have been really good to meet you.


    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    My recent flight JFK-DUB was 6.25h… and I suffered badly from being woken from a deep 3 hour sleep… on a shortish flight like that, I think WTP would have been better.

    I have never understood why cabin crew have to SLAM the overheads shut…. I once commented to a CSD and the answer was how else are my crew meant to close the overheads…… I demonstrated and with a huff the CSD disappeared and never returned.

    It is simple and very courteous to close the overheads by opening the latch to secure. A gentle push after closure with your hand supporting the unit, will ensure it is indeed locked and closed…


    AllOverTheGaff
    Participant

    MartynSinclair – 29/04/2016 10:51 BST
    This is something I may consider for future day flights under 7 hours.

    Entirely agree Martyn, haven’t flown WT+ and don’t even consider it when booking, but DOS makes a point about daytime flights – all I do is watch movies and drink vino. So, might consider taking my own bottle on board with me and enjoying the thousand + ££’s I can save.

    Thanks for the review, interesting.
    Rgds.
    AOTG.


    AllOverTheGaff
    Participant

    seasonedtraveller – 29/04/2016 10:15 BST
    Perhaps the worst BA crew member I’ve ever encountered.

    I did hope that these crews had been weeded out, sorry to hear they’ve not. My main criticism with BA is their inconsistent and sometimes rude crew, which coupled with LHR is why they’re my last choice unless there is an amazing “can’t turn it down” offer/schedule.

    I’ve been really pleased with my last 8 flights with BA that the crew and ground staff have been excellent – with the exception of not boarding planes properly, another story on another thread.

    It seems to stem from the CSD down, I’ve noted this on other airlines too – if the CSD is a pleasant, friendly sort, the crew tend to follow suit – if he/she is a douche, then you’re in for a shoddy service.

    I have no doubt that when decent crew like rferguson rock up for their day’s work and they meet one of these ‘douche’ CSD’s, they too are in for a crap flight.

    Disappointed to read this about BA though, but I guess it is fair to say this is true of all airlines, crew can, and do, make-or-break a flight.

    Rgds.
    AOTG.

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