Vancouver International

I arrived at the airport ahead of time and walked over to the British Airways check in counters. There was no one at the Club World desk, so the agent at the First Counter waved me over. He checked my passport and issued boarding passes for my flight to LHR and on to DUS. He also informed me of the location of the gate.

Only one security checkpoint was used as I approached the security checkpoint but a second one was soon later opened and so the waiting time was shortened substantially.

I passed security without need for further inspection and walked to the British Airways Terrace Lounge and was welcomed at the entrance, where my boarding pass was checked.

In the lounge I was welcomed a second time and asked if this was my first time in the lounge. I was informed that the offerings at the bar were self-service, about the Wi-Fi and the location of the restrooms. I was also offered a glass of water. The lounge was busy, as boarding for the earlier flight to LHR had not yet started. The buffet was okay, the selection of different wines far better than in the most LH lounges. The food offerings were limited to sandwiches, cakes, chips and olives. The design of the lounge was nice, a different style than LH and not bad, but I like the newer LH design as well. BA as well as LH uses a warm brown color scheme.

Three lounge agents were present and collecting used glasses and plates frequently. They even made a quick cleaning while the passengers of the earlier LHR bound flight had left.

I spent the next hour in the lounge with updating the trip report. In the meantime the plane for my flight to London arrived and a bit later an Airbus A 340-300 of China Airlines as well. The lounge offered good views of the runway used for landings at Vancouver at this time and time passed quickly. The lounge had filled with passengers and I left it around 15 minutes prior to the scheduled boarding time and walked slowly to gate 66, which was the dedicated gate for the flight to London on this evening.

I arrived at the gate as passengers in First and Club World were asked to board the plane. Families with children and passengers needing additional time were asked to board the aircraft was well.

12 June 2012
YVR – LHR
[Vancouver International – London Heathrow]
BA 84 (British Airways); Boeing 747-400 (G-CIVN)
Gate D 66
20:40 – 13:40 [effective 20:29 – 13:30]
Business Class
Seat 19 K

This was my first flight on British Airways – and it was in Club World as British Airways Business Class is called. BA operates the largest fleet of Boeing 747-400; currently are 52 747-400 are in service. Our 747-436 (the 36 is Boeings own customer ID for British Airways) was delivered to BA on September 29, 1997 and had currently 14 seats in First Class, 52 seats in Business Class (Club World), 36 seats in Premium Economy (World Traveler Plus) and 235 seats in Economy (World Traveler). It was powered by 4 Rolls Royce RB211-542H engines with a thrust of 60000 lbf or 270kN each.

This 747 was one of the newer ones, the oldest 747 still active in BA’s fleet came to BA in 1989. All Boeing 747-400 of British Airways are equipped with Rolls Royce engines. But the days of the large number of 747 in the fleet of BA are counted. British Airways had ordered Airbus A 380 and Boeing 787 to replace some of is older planes in the fleet.

Only one jetbridge was used and I had to wait a two minutes behind a child in a wheelchair, which was no problem for me. I was greeted at the door and shown direction towards my seat. I stored my belongings in the overhead compartment and discovered the cabin, while the most passengers were not yet on board. Pillows, blankets and headsets were already lying on the seats.
Being the first time on board, it was somehow different to sit against the usual direction, but I get used to it. I noticed the lack to store personal belongings. There is only one drawer for a laptop and a few other things, but not more. I consider this as a major disadvantage, on the other hand leaving the seat is not that difficult, though you have to climb over the feet of the person in the row behind you.
The Cabin looked okay, I think the lamp at the ceiling is and – well – interesting aspect and most likely ads to the “Club” feeling in the club world cabin.

My seat neighbor arrived and we introduced to each other and chatted about our trips. Pre departure drinks were offered, a choice of champagne, orange juice and water was offered. Of course there was no other option as champagne to celebrate my first flight on British Airways. British Airways serves Taittinger, one of the last Champagne cellars owned and managed by a member of the family on the label. And Taittinger is one of the champagnes I like, as it is a solid brand with a good value for money. There is not always a reason for a name like Dom Perignon.

Pre-Departure Dink

Taittinger Brut Réserve NV

The cabin filled with people and soon boarding was completed and we pushed back slightly ahead of time. Amenity kits were offered and the menu was handed out. The safety video was shown while we were pushed back ahead of schedule at 20:29 and taxied to the runway.

We took off at 20:45 five minutes ahead of schedule and climbed into the cloudy and rainy sky over Vancouver. The flight time was calculated with a bit more than 8 hours.

Approximately ten minutes after take off the crew left their stations and began to prepare the service. An announcement of service was shortly after take off, but it was difficult to understand.

The seat is somehow narrow but the food rest a nice thing and lounging in the seat easily possible, even without lowering the food rest. The table however is not very stable. I missed the reading lamp at the ceiling as well, but the reading light could be dimmed and adjusted and as the light were darken later, the reading lamp was bright enough to use as reading and working lamp.

Time for some details of the four classes on this flight: BA has the First Class in the nose of the plane with 5 single seats at the windows on each side of the plane and two rows of two seats in the middle sections adding up to 14 seats in Frist Class. The seat pitch is 78 inch and the seat width is 21 inch. The Business Class is in the upper deck in a 2-2 seating and in a 2-4-2 seating on the main deck. This Boeing 747 had only a small Business Class on the main deck, there is another configuration available with a slightly larger Business Class Cabin on the main deck. The seats are facing each other, this means every other passenger is flying backwards. I hear some of you saying, that you could not travel backwards, but this is not like on a train or bus, you are flying and you get sick from watching out of the window and see the landscape passing by. You do not have this same feeling in a plane. Seat pitch is 73 inch and seat width is 20 inch. Seat width is the same as on the old Business Class of Lufthansa, in so far the impression of slightly narrower seats is – well – just an impression. The reason is simple, the seats are separated by some sort of wall from the next seats and thus make the seats feel narrower than it really was.

Between First Class and Business Class are four rows of Premium Economy in a 2-4-2 seating. The seat pitch is 38 inch while the seat width is 18.5 inch. In other 747 the Premium Economy is located after Business Class. The 227 Economy Class seats were the usual 3-4-3 seating with a seat pitch of 31 inch and a seat width of 17.5 inch.

All seats are equipped with an AVOD System offering a wide choice of over 100 film and TV shows, more than 50 music CDs. All seats except the ones in Economy Class offer a power outlet to charge a laptop or other devices. Starting from May 2013 with the relaunch of a refurbished Economy Class outlets and USB ports will also be available in Economy Class.

Meanwhile the seat belt sign were switched off and the crew had begun their service.
For me, time to read the menu and have a look at the available wine (click on icon for menu, opens new window)

A flight attendant came through the cabin and took our orders for dinner service. I was addressed by name – and he discovered that I was German talked in German to me. Later a hot towel was offered.

The first beverage round started round about 30 minutes after we took off. I choose tonic water and got two small cans along with the glass. The flight attendant was friendly and attentive, meaning he looked at me as he gave me the cans.

Aperitif

Tonic water

Another beverage round was done later and in anticipation of the first course opted for a glass of the Chablis 201 Domaine Sainte Claire and a glass of sparkling water.

First Course

Portobello Mushroom / Fresh Salad

Main Course

Artisan Ravioli

The first course was served from the tray, like Lufthansa. The linen was unlike Lufthansa on the tray and not placed individually on the tray table ahead of the service. Cutlery and napkin came with the first course and also salt and pepper – did you notice that, Lufthansa? I had chosen the mushroom and it was one big mushroom filled with goat cheese. It tasted quite good and was quite substantial. As my glass of wine was still full, there was no need for a refill.

Used dished were collected by the crew using a cart 15 minutes later. The second course was brought individually to each passenger a bit later and the ravioli were good, the filling tasted good, though the course was lacking any sort of decoration. Nevertheless it was not a bad choice. Used plates were collected later. The flight attendant asked if we like to have desert and collected either the whole tray or only the plate.

Desert was offered using the tray. I choose the fresh fruit. I thought it was a pre cut selection of fruit but instead a basked with apples, oranges and bananas were offered. A pre selection would have been nice from my impression …

Roughly 75 minutes after take take off the trays were collected and I started my laptop to update my trip report. A power outlet was available, but the battery of my laptop had enough power. Later a bottle of water was brought the most passengers lowered their seats. Later the cabin light were dimmed and turned off.

I updated my trip report, while we were flying in 35000 ft over Canada and the Hudson Bay towards the Atlantic Ocean with a remaining flight time of 5:40.

Time for a quick summary of my very first impression on BA. The cabin with a 2-4-2 seating does not look that cramped as I had expected, but given the low load on this flight that impression might be different if the flight is full. It is an interesting concept to sit against each other. You can pull a divider up, if you prefer more privacy, but if you know your seat neighbor having the seats in this way is not a bad choice. The lack to store personal things however is a disadvantage of the seat. The crew was attentive and friendly, in so far, it seems, I have been lucky on my long haul segments on this journey.

The seat was a bit narrow on the one side but due the cabin layout more space was available to the window side. The seat was not completely flat, a slightly angle remained at the head rest, but this was fine. However I found it not as comfortable as the seats on LX and the new Envoy seat on US Airways. Anyway, I was able to get three and a half hour of interrupted sleep.

With two hours to go I decided to go up and after a quick visit in the lavatories moved the seat to a Z position. The audio video on demand system worked but the selection was not really interesting. So I read I the paper I got on the plane in the highline magazine. Since everything was new, there was a lot to discover. I could have plugged in my laptop to work a little bit, but I was not in the mood to do so.

Approximately 80 minutes prior to landing the lights were switched on and a hot towel was offered. Soon later the crew began the breakfast service.

Time for another look at the menu (click on icon for menu, opens new window)

Breakfast

Warm bacaon roll

Service was done by cart this time and the tray came with fruit, a small glass of jam and butter. Pastries, rolls and croissant were offered in addition to a Smoothie or orange juice and coffee and tea. Later a ham roll was offered as hot dish which was brought individually by the crew and not served from the cart. It was not the healthiest option, but who cares if it tastes good? And it was not bad. The Smoothie was also refreshing although I should not think about the sugar in I … Life is too short to worry about such minor details. And so I enjoyed my first time on BA.

Trays were collected and the captain came on the intercom and gave us an update of our arrival time and the weather in Heathrow. He announced we were flying into LHR from Eastern direction giving those of us on the left side a view towards her majesty’s Windsor Castles.

We had twenty minute until the fasten seat belt signs were switched on and I slowly stored my belongings like the other passengers and the crew began to prepare the cabin for the arrival.

We touched down at 13:24 and taxied to a gate at the satellite C. The jetbridge at the first jetbridge was docked on earlier at 13:30 and we could leave through the Word Traveller Plus Cabin and made our way to the train to the main terminal. As expected the gate for my connecting flight was not yet know.

The main terminal was crowded and people were showed to some funny direction not quite what the signs in the terminal were indicating. I assume they wanted to create a line but completely failed and it was a mess. I certainly would have been annoyed if I had to be in the long lines for regular passengers. As a Passenger traveling in Business Class I was able to use Fast track lines and was through immigration quickly and took the escalator up to security. The lines at the first counters were quite long but again a fast track was offered and the lines at the far end were much shorter.  A fellow passenger had mentioned this while we were in the train from the satellite terminal to the main terminal. So I walked over to the end and had only five passengers ahead of me and was through security quite fast.

Top

next flight