17 September 2010 marked my first Business Class flight with British Airways.
Overall, I kind of liked it. Here's why...
First of all, a great price. Economy return was £179 for the dates I picked, and for an extra £129 return I could upgrade to Club Europe. For the 80 tier points and almost 2000 BA miles I thought it was a great bargain.
Check-in online was easy - I opted to use my iPhone for check-in which worked a treat and saved paper
It looks like this: (barcode omitted!)
Gatwick Airport South Terminal was heaving as usual, I was so pleased to be heading to the quieter, calmer North terminal... the refurbished transit is nice enough, but it's the boarding and disembarking area that really looks better - bright and dare I say it, cheerful!
Security queues in the North Terminal were terrible - at this point I thought that I should get FastTrack in Business Class, but there was nowhere on my boarding pass to say that. Hmmmm.
IDEA HAD. Headed to the BA Club Europe bag drop and was called over by a cheerful man at the BA First desk. Get me! Anyway, I explained... er, 
my battery had gone flat and could they reprint my boarding card. Absolutely he said, and let me put the FastTrack sticker on it so you can get through security quicker. 
He also explained where the lounge was, and I innocently asked 'Oh, a lounge? What's there?'. I think he guessed I was a lush and immediately suggested a glass of champagne. I swear, I said this with a straight face "But isn't it too early for champagne?". He looked at me. He knew. I knew. You know.
FastTrack Security at 7am-ish on a Friday morning is not fast. It would have been faster if it wasn't for the "young people" in front, clearly with all the time in the world, forgetting to remove jewellery, walking under the scanner with iPods and mobiles etc. and constantly being reminded to EMPTY YOUR POCKETS.... eventually it sunk in. It would have been faster if it wasn't for the obnoxious gentleman who waved a boarding card at the entrance, would not let the staff see the FastTrack ticket, and who was then subjected to the full security screening (haha!). I was more or less waived through. (Hahaha!)
So... up to the lounge!
It was much bigger than I expected. The staff were very very nice.
There were lots of pastries, fruit, a well stocked bar... staff milling around and a great range of papers and magazines. I picked up Business Traveller and The Times and settled down. Ooooh! Champagne! A fruitless search for it... I then had to hang around the entrance to the kitchen hoping to place my order. Finally finally I had a glass of champagne in my hand.
I was the only person in the lounge drinking champagne. What was that about?
There was still time for another, and this time, the staff were on to me.
I have never seen such a wonderful display of evasiveness - I simply could not catch the eye of the numerous staff in the lounge, so again, sauntered up to the kitchen, and, Oliver Twist style, asked for more. This was cheerfully provided - but the whole having to ask for champagne and the sort of self-service provision could be improved.
I wandered to the gate when my flight was boarding, and settled into seat 4A.
I don't really think Club Europe seats are all that and in fact, I was a bit shocked by the state of them - well, the seat in front.
Imagine I'd paid full fare on this route - it's just short of £1000 return.
Anyway, I hadn't paid that much, so on to the service!
A very cheery Scottish chap was responsible for Club Europe and asked "Will you be joining us for breakfast this morning?". I loved his manner.
Fruit salad, a full English and warmed pastries followed, which were really very nice. With crockery! And metal cutlery! However my tray had recently escaped Bran Flakes on it which was weird... "Would you like something from the bar?"
Oh please! It's not even 10am.
Two quarter bottles of champagne later and I was snoozing...
The flight was smooth, the service great, BA were very much on form, and as I left I told Mr Scottish Man that I felt really spoilt. He laughed and thanked me for the comment....
So, BA Club Europe? Lots of people on other forums said it wasn't worth it, and while I could never justify the full cost - I did get a bargain. I had already upgraded my Copenhagen flight from London City, but I think I might be hooked. It's really rather good.
Last edited by Sealink on 23 Sep 2010, 22:49, edited 3 times in total.
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