V-Flyer

My long awaited flight to Copenhagen, from London's City Airport! For my birthday! In Club Europe!

First things first, getting from Cockfosters to London City Airport on public transport is a flipping pain in the neck, and in future will factor in a taxi to my journey planning.

TOP TIP
Avoid at all costs changing from Central Line to DLR at Bank Station.

I had checked in the day before using BA's iPhone app, which needs some work. Basically the app doesn't show that it's 'working' between screens which is a bit unnerving after 30 seconds waiting for it do something. But the mobile boarding pass it supplies worked perfectly well at both security and the gate, and it did enable me to nab Seat 1D.

London City was heaving at 730am on Friday morning, but security was pretty fast. Until I stood behind the stupidest passenger in Christendom.

QUIZ
Your hand luggage has been scanned, and a further search is required. The security staff opens your bag, and asks you what a certain wrapped object is.
Do you answer:
A. "Oh do you need to unwrap it? "
B. "Oh, must you unwrap it?"
C. "I have no idea"

Yes, she answered C. I didn't hang around as her luggage was examined in detail. I mean, come on! "I have no idea what that is in my bag" and airports don't go.

I waited around LCY, watched the CityJet planes take off, (there's no BA Lounge for Club Europe at LCY).


I then wandered to Gate 3, where passengers are herded into this little room overlooking the runway. A little room with not enough seats.

We boarded ten minutes later, onto an immaculate Embraer E170.


Club Europe consisted of four seats at the front of the cabin, with antimacassars (I love that word!) with Club Europe embroidered on them. Apart from that, the seats were identical to the rest of the plane.

And it appeared, so was the inflight service. Hot breakfasts for all, with the addition of freshly baked rolls for passengers in the Club Europe "cabin". Oh and a hot towel. Didn't like the eggs much. Also, the glass remained empty as no juice was provided.


A hot breakfast was served in Economy too, and the Embraer aircraft really are super so you are not really missing much in Y.

The steward serving us was a bit hunky, when he took his jumper off he was wearing a short sleeved shirt with a massive tattoo visible. He offered a newspaper (The Daily Mail) and looked a bit "knowing" when I declined the rag, but produced the FT instead.

Some nice views of London and the coast too.




NO BAR SERVICE! Oh my, I forgot that. Offered a bottle of water instead. Water. I ask you.

The approach to Copenhagen airport was incredibly bumpy, at one point I thought we were not going to be able to land, but we did, 20 minutes early, to the fantastic Copenhagen Airport.

Anyway, an airbridge meant I didn't have to cross the tarmac and I was soon walking through the airport, to my waiting friends and a great weekend.


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So, London City. I know I should like it. I know it's the perfect airport for all sorts of reasons, but there's something intangible that I don't like about that airport. Maybe it's haunted or something

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British Airways Club Europe - a few people had said that Club Europe wasn't worth it, and for my flight to Italy I actually thought there was enough extra to make it worthwhile. But because the London City services by BACityFlyer are pretty decent already (did I mention I love those Embraers?) BA need to do more to make the service more special. The extra airmiles are welcome of course.

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Great TR Billy and why do you always get the hunky (and knowing) cabin crew?

Sealink wrote: ... with antimacassars

Yes tis a fab word and protects the seat from all that hair oil you use !

Sealink wrote:
London City was heaving at 730am on Friday morning, but security was pretty fast. Until I stood behind the stupidest passenger in Christendom.

QUIZ
Your hand luggage has been scanned, and a further search is required. The security staff opens your bag, and asks you what a certain wrapped object is.
Do you answer:
A. "Oh do you need to unwrap it? "
B. "Oh, must you unwrap it?"
C. "I have no idea"

Yes, she answered C. I didn't hang around as her luggage was examined in detail. I mean, come on! "I have no idea what that is in my bag" and airports don't go.

Yes this happens a lot. Have been watching 'Nothing to Declare' at Oz airports on Virgin and every week it's

Official - do you have any more food in your bags?
Passenger - no, no more
Official - (after digging and waving items of food) 'whats this'?
Passenger - I thought you meant other food thats the same food as before (as in more apples or as this is Australia and the Asian flights its usually something more esoteric)

In programme the otherweek a woman has $US 20,000 confiscated because she didnlt declare it on the form. If she had kt would have been ok!

I will be flying from LCY next month so I will remember the quiz answers!

I don't use any hair oil. Eeeeeeew!

I'd be curious what the differential in price is between Y and C here, but I'd be pretty annoyed if I'd paid a typical Euro C fare for identical service - almost.

I did LCY a couple of times from ZRH last year once flying into, once flying out of. I think I'm done with it. Basically, it's a pain to get to (I usually stay around Holborn/Covent Garden, so Piccadilly line is convenient and much better for LHR) and in spite of the seeming closeness the taxi fare was really a bit too steep, considering what I can get a car to LHR for with some planning. I don't like the airport.

I can imagine that, from the city, scooting over to LCY with a cab, it's quite nice, and you don't have to spend a lot of time in the place. But getting there from most other places (Cockfosters!) has to hurt.

Thanks for the informative report!

Thank you for the TR and I hope you had a great birthday.

DarkAuror wrote:Thank you for the TR and I hope you had a great birthday.

Agree, great report: hope trip was fun!
Nh

I think that when flying from LCY before 10, there probably isn't much difference between Club Europe and Euro Traveller. In the past when they had the Avro Jets it used to be 2-2 rather than 3-3 in terms of seating - no the whole plane is 2-2 anyway. And they offer a cooked breakfast in Economy (domestic and european) before 10. I would therefore save the money and use it for the return (airport lounge elsewhere) or a flight after 10 when the bar is opened!

gingerflyer wrote:I think that when flying from LCY before 10, there probably isn't much difference between Club Europe and Euro Traveller. In the past when they had the Avro Jets it used to be 2-2 rather than 3-3 in terms of seating - no the whole plane is 2-2 anyway. And they offer a cooked breakfast in Economy (domestic and european) before 10. I would therefore save the money and use it for the return (airport lounge elsewhere) or a flight after 10 when the bar is opened!

Can we have the thumbs up back? ;-)

Sealink wrote:Can we have the thumbs up back? ;-)

It's there at the bottom left hand corner of the smilies

And to prove it

honey lamb wrote:

Sealink wrote:Can we have the thumbs up back? ;-)

It's there at the bottom left hand corner of the smilies

And to prove it

Oh, I meant something else...

"Rate this post" or something it was called.

Sealink wrote:

honey lamb wrote:

Sealink wrote:Can we have the thumbs up back? ;-)

It's there at the bottom left hand corner of the smilies

And to prove it

Oh, I meant something else...

"Rate this post" or something it was called.

Ah, now I understand. That was abandoned some time ago as it was open to abuse

Great TR, I have yet to fly out of LCY so loved the detail.

On many levels it's a great airport - no long walks to the gates, power points in the waiting areas and it's quite cosy.