[Anonymous]

[LuganoPirate]

Been meaning to do this for sometime now, but having recently flown BA in new F I thought it would be interesting to make a comparison between them and Swiss. I’d be interested to see if others agree – or not?

This was a last minute ticket from CPT – LHR and I wasn’t sure if I’d make the flight so BA made the reservation without my having to pay in advance and held it till I arrived. That was great and something Swiss do not do, although they will refund the ticket.

It wasn’t clear where I had to go to pick up the ticket but eventually found the BA desk at the other end of the airport, to find it was domestic only and I had to go to the Menzies ticket office all the way on the other side of the airport. Eventually found and all very smooth.

Check-in was fast but they would not accompany me past the crowds for security and immigration, so had to queue. Took about 30 minutes. A negative here as Swiss First always accompany you through the VIP/Diplomatic lane so it rarely take more than 5 minutes.

Off to the lounge which was the old SAA/Star F and Business lounge. No separate lounge and the seating was the old SAA ones, and it showed. Food offering was mediocre and the hot dishes looked very unappetizing. Swiss at JNB win hands down here with both the lounge, actually the VS lounge and the food with waiter service as opposed to self service at CPT.

Boarding. We were called and all for the first flight got up together in an almost Mexican Wave formation and headed to the gate. I stayed behind 10 minutes then headed off and joined a long queue. After 5 minutes I notied people going down a parrallel lane and discovered that was the F/C/Gold lane so I swapped, quickly processed and into the tube – where I had to wait and slowly shuffle along as all classes are funneled here. Not at all impressed now, as Swiss come and get you when the queue has gone so you board without waiting.

So far not getting my £5,000 (single) worths!!!

Finally crossed the threshold and had my seat pointed to me. Again not accompanied and no-one to greet or seat me. Left to fend for myself with baggage, jacket etc. with FA’s looking on as I folded my Barbour and put it in the luggage bin above. Only discovered the wardrobe about 2 hours into the flight! Another negative over Swiss I’m afraid.

The seat. Reasonably comfortable but not much bigger than Swiss Business. It had more gadgets to help you adjust it and I was impressed as I played with the buttons. However, and this is probably down to personal taste, I don’t particularly like the way the seat is angled with your feet funneled down to a narrow space at the end. The Swiss seat is roomier and I think longer when made into a bed. If I remove the bias of my preference Swiss win narrowly here, and by a long margin if I add in my preference for seats that go straight.

Sleep. It did go flat and the bed was made for me when I was ready for sleep, which I did and did very well, not waking for the usual turbulence over Central Africa. Sleep quality on a par with Swiss, but then I sleep very well on planes in general.

Food. Quality and quantity both more than adequate and on a par with Swiss. However the port was superior on BA but the tea is superior on Swiss. Cannot comment on the wines as I don’t drink them.

The plane. A wonderful Boeing 747-400. I love them and here BA wins over Swiss’s A 340’s.

Cabin Crew: Friendly, smiling, but not very attentive. They looked after me, so no complaints there, but somehow Swiss seem to go that little bit extra. Despite pointing out it was my first time in BA New First and first time for several years with BA, only the blinds and seat were shown to me. Not the wardrobe or even the small bar in the middle of the cabin which I only discovered at the end of the flight. Swiss win here.

I did have a very nice chat with one of the male cabin crew however and he was very friendly. In that respect BA wins.

Arrival. Disappointing. I’d asked to be accompanied on arrival, as Swiss do, but the CSD informed there was no-one available and “helpfully” pointed out it’s quite simple and just follow the signs!!! Point was I wanted to avoid the immigration queues. In the event I was through quite quickly and would^have been quicker if I hadn’t got into the wrong lane. My fault there but of course if I was accompanied that wouldn’t have happened. So another neg. to BA.

So overall, Swiss First wins hands down in my opinion. Would I fly BA again. Absolutely, but only if it was convenient and provided Swiss were not flying the route.

[bacrew1]

NIce review… but am I understanding you correctly??
You asked to be accompanied on arrival just so you could avoid immigration queues??
Were you not offered the fast track pass??? Having said that, you can just show your boarding card nowadays…

[Binman62]

I think your experience matches my own and is pretty consistent for some years now.
For £5000 one way I would expect to be carried in a sedan let alone be escorted…. But then am Scottish so understand the value of Shilling. It is really sad that BA simply cannot offer a truly consistent and exceptional first product.

[LuganoPirate]

Bacrew1, yes, that’s why I wanted to be escorted fearing long queues at LHR. And no one told me about Fast Track so never knew this existed.

Binman, yes a lot. But it was the last seat booked at the vey last moment. Unfortunately the sedan service was unavailable 😉

[FormerlyDoS]

“You asked to be accompanied on arrival just so you could avoid immigration queues??”

I think this comment demonstrates the gulf between BA and Swiss.

Interpreting bacrew1’s use of double question marks as surprise at what is normal practice on Swiss, based on norms at BA.

I found the review very good, balanced and I agree with the conclusion (although I fly Swiss business usually, rarely first.)

[LuganoPirate]

Just recalling, I did see the fast track lane and when I went to use it was told it’s only for “non EU” passport holders! A bit surprising that but I suppose that’s down to BAA rather than BA.

One other though regarding the cabin, it appears much more cramped than the Swiss one, despite being bigger, though being in the nose I suppose can be deceptive, but from memory, the old SIA F cabin seemed to have more room as well. Perhaps it’s the way the seats are laid out?

[FormerlyDoS]

“Just recalling, I did see the fast track lane and when I went to use it was told it’s only for “non EU” passport holders! A bit surprising that but I suppose that’s down to BAA rather than BA. “

I thought this was the case, but wasn’t sure and didn’t mention it.

[MartynSinclair]

LP – I wonder how the thread would look if you also included LH into the discussion. BA / Swiss / LH – First, especially as LH are using the -800.

As far as being escorted through airside, I am with you on this one. I have always benefited from this in Asia – in London, when using BA and its running late, I sometimes get an escort through 5 in the hope of catching the flight. If you can buy the privilidge of skipping a Q, I am all for it ……

[LuganoPirate]

Hi Martyn, while I’ve flown LH F, it was in their old 747’s upperdeck with a 16 seat config. In this Swiss win hands down as they did not make a bed for you and the seats were (seemed) much narrower than either Swiss or BA. They also have this awful habit that if only one pax wants breakfast they put all the cabin lights on about 2 hours before landing, which on the CPT or JNB flight means around 3.30 – 4.00 in the morning!!!

In addition, becuase it’s upstairs you have to drag your hand baggage up the stairs and I always hit my head on the overhead lockers – ouch!

One plus point is the size of the bathroom, and on the 747 LH win by a mile over Swiss and BA.

I’ve not yet flown the LH A380 in F with the new 8 seat config and am very keen to try it. Maybe my next trip will provide the opportunity?

[MartynSinclair]

LP – I think a Private Jet would suit you better for longhaul – at least you would only have to drag your hand lugage up the steps at the front…. bed will be made on request and you can stay snuggled up for take off and landing….

[alistairNicoll]

When I came through T4 at Heathrow it was much quicker to use the ordinary imigration check than the fast track – I went through in less than a minute whereas it took best part of 15 minutes for a fellow traveller to get through fast track

[PegasusAir]

Not strictly on theme but returning yesterday from YVR in Old F does anyone know how many of the 50+ 747s are still to be converted and when they will all have been done? Until all are the BA F product remains unreliable– my armrest fell off! and they look very tired. I know it is cost effective for BA to do it when they are in anyway for heavy maintenance but it does seem to be taking for ever

[Binman62]

PegasusAir
It is taking forever as they do not intend to upgrade ( if that the right phrase) all the aircraft. BA have taken a decision that they can fly around the old cabin until the new aircraft arrive. As the IFE is pretty dire on these old aircraft, they have been equipped with iPads in an attempt to gloss over the poor state of these cabins. ( all the while charging the same fares)
Consequently unless you are on certain routes there is no guarantee that you will get New First. There is a site which will allow you to rate your chances and the link is below.

http://ftdashboard.net/overview/baflights.htm

I think this says much about BAs commitment to delivering a premium product as no business which genuinely wished to do so would allow such tat in the air.

[Senator]

Whilst I concur with LP that the Swiss F experience is superior to the BA F experience end-to-end I find the older seat on the A340-300 a poor cousin to the Swiss A330-300s and even BA NF. I can’t understand why Swiss didn’t retrofit these along with their new Business Class when the A340-300 were overhauled.

[Author]

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