BA2666 LGW-RAK 2 FEB 15 (ECONOMY)

Our first trip to Marrakech (and to the African continent). As usual we drove down to London the day before and stayed at an airport hotel. I really need to be there in very good time as the possibility of delay and missed flights would stress me out big time!

This time we stayed at The Sofitel Gatwick, using their Park, Stay and Fly package. It was a breeze, parking in the hotel car park and then a swift check-in. We were upgraded to the top floor so had lounge access, free mini-bar, complementary drinks vouchers for the main bar, a fruit basket. The views were great. I think we got our money back in complimentary food and drink! The following morning a continental breakfast in the lounge more than hit the spot too! We were the only ones in there so it was like a private dining room!

Check-in was speedy. We were divereted to the First check-in (this happended last time we flew from LGW, though both times were flying Y, just lucky I guess, no queues at all). Security was uneventful and no delays. Within 10 minutes we were in the BA Galleries Lounge.

This was packed! Almost no seats. Fortunately a few flights were called and it emptied a bit (everyone seemed to be off to Barbados). We got good seats by the window so could watch the aircraft come and go. The food choice was more than acceptable. We were there for the change over between breakfast and lunch and there was more than enough choice for both. Drinks were available, so once it hit 12 pm I had a G&T and a glass of wine before the flight.

We flew an A320 in the new short-haul cabin. There are many complaints about this from regular BA customers, especially in Club Europe where the seat pitch was reduced. I had managed to get us Exit seats in Y and had bags of room. More than the Club seats I noted! The cabin crew were delightful and the brunch was fine- x2 snack rolls, cheese and biscuits and a scrummy chocolate pud with butterscotch sauce. As the OH is diabetic I of course was duty bound to eat both! Eeven better we also had a bag of chocolate raisens each- nom, nom, nom.

The flight to RAK is 3h 40m. We arrived in good time. The airport walk through was not bad. There was a short delay at immigration as their systems are rather old-fashioned with manual checking, stamping and then another queue where an immigration senior checks you have been stamped correctly by the first immigration official!

Top tip- ensure you pre-order a hotel transfer car (as we did) as the haggling needed to arange a taxi at the airport is just not worth it after a flight.

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh22 ... 686d69.jpg

So, once again, a decent BA flight in Euro Traveller. As i have alsways felt, upgrading to club is just not worth it if you have lounge access and exit seats in Y.

Thank you for your TR. Always good to read positive things about economy !

Thanks for the TR! Good to hear about the BA short haul product.

I think most the complaints about the new cabin came from people before they had actually flown it. I have heard from quite a few that have drastically changed their minds after flying in the new CE cabin. And views on the Economy cabin have reportedly been very positive in feedback to BA. Glad you liked it, I am yet to try it in either cabin yet, but hope to do so in a few weeks.

So, once again, a decent BA flight in Euro Traveller. As i have alsways felt, upgrading to club is just not worth it if you have lounge access and exit seats in Y.

On the refitted planes, absolutely! Give me better leg room over 'high tea' or a mini bottle of Monopole any day... you just have to keep an eye on the seating plan in case of aircraft substitutions - as with last Thursday when I thought I had an exit seat, but ultimately ended up a row behind because a 320 had been changed to a 319... (and this was after OLCI, so nothing I could have done there...)