This was my first CW flight in donkeys years. Ordinarily, I'd have been on the VS200, but because of my very convoluted itinerary for this week, BA was the only option that made sense. Plus it ensured that I'd get over the line to BAEC Silver, which I was otherwise likely to fall just short of (which would have been criminal, given just how many domestic legs I've done this year). So overall quite happy.
In terms of the pre-flight stuff, some of you might have noticed that I already posted on this, but just to recap, BA is not in the same league as VS when it comes to a seamless transport, check in and lounge experience. Not that it was bad per se, but I guess my standards are set quite high these days
I do however think that BA need to be clearer on their directions for check in for CW (and First) passengers.So the main point of this - the flight itself. When I originally booked, I was confined to a less than attractive downstairs middle seat, but 4 days out, a minor miracle happened and 64B came free on the upper deck, so I happily switched. I was quite late getting to my seat as I was chatting to a colleague downstairs, so by the time I got there, 64A had already raised the dividing screen, so no awkwardness there, as I know can sometimes happen.
The seat itself - extremely comfortable, more so than the UCS I think. Easy to use, the footrest seemed a bit flimsy when let down, but seemed to manage the weight of my legs easily enough .
Service - excellent. 2 CC for the fairly small upper deck meant that I didn't have to wait for anything I needed, and drinks were frequently topped up without me feeling like an alcoholic for asking
Food - very good, and again, ahead of VS based on recent experiences. Good leaf salad alongside the starter (asparagus, parmesan, cesar dressing). A very nice beef curry as well. The cheese was acceptable although nothing to write home about - cheddar, camembert and a few crackers and tiny cubes of membrillo.
Wines - good quality, found a very decent Cabernet that I stuck with throughout the flight, as well as some Warre LBV for the port.
I managed a bit of sleep, but I'm generally an insomniac on planes, so the lack of a bar that I could go and sit at for a while was a minor irritant. The converted bed itself was comfortable enough, a couple more inches of legroom would have been nice, but I didn't feel too squashed.
So all in all, how does it compare to VS... probably slightly ahead if I'm being honest. I may have gone the other way if I'd been downstairs, but the wide aisle and generally spacious, quiet feel of the upper deck is pretty much akin to UC in the A zone of the 744, and much appreciated on a night flight. I'd definitely do it again, at least occasionally and certainly to maintain my new found BAEC status!
