Too much privacy in BA First when travelling as a couple?

[Clay Clayton]

Thanks to everyone for all the advice and pictures! Unfortunately, it appears BA is having issues with seating. I just went to try to move us to EF and it says seat selection is not available at this time, check back 24 hours before:eek: I thought i would check and see what seats were available by doing a mock booking and when I got to the screen that said, select your seats, it gave me the same message…

 

Guess I will give it a try in a few days….no matter where we end up, it will be fine, this will be our 1st First (internationally) so i am sure we will be happy either way.

[ducklite]

We flew BA in 2A and 3A earlier this year on a 777.

 

Face it, on the way to Europe you have dinner and then go to sleep. You can use the buddy seat to dine together which worked very nicely, and then get some sleep.

 

On the way back we had breakfast in the Concorde Room, drank the better part of a bottle of Champagne, has massages, boarded, and pretty well ate ourselves silly for a few hours. Then took naps. Woke up and ate some more, and then we landed. It was a great way to travel.

[Clay Clayton]

Your return sounds like our plan! GMTA.

 

We are on AF on the way over and we are supposed to be in their new biz cabin...hopefully there won't be a delay in refurb-ing our 777. It's supposed to change over in November and we don't fly til April, so fingers crossed.

Edited August 16, 2015 by Clay Clayton

[Globaliser]

Unfortunately, it appears BA is having issues with seating.

Why don't you just phone YouFirst, if you can find a number for them?

[Clay Clayton]

Why don't you just phone YouFirst, if you can find a number for them?

 

I will…but figured since it appeared to be a wholesale problem would give it a day or two.

[Globaliser]

I will…but figured since it appeared to be a wholesale problem would give it a day or two.

Sure, athough it's not a wholesale problem for BA flights generally because I've not been having any problems this week in choosing seats.

[ducklite]

Make sure you book you spa treatments in advance at the CCR.

[Clay Clayton]

Why don't you just phone YouFirst, if you can find a number for them?

 

I did today, and all moved.

 

Make sure you book you spa treatments in advance at the CCR.

 

I plan on it once we get within the appointment window.

 

 

Thanks everyone for their help....now have 2E & 2F.:D Looking forward to our First First!

[Globaliser]

Thanks everyone for their help....now have 2E & 2F.:D Looking forward to our First First!

I hope you enjoy it, and that the crew deliver what they ought to!

 

You're probably well aware of this, but don't forget that it's dine-on-demand. If you want anything specific from the menu for later on, let the crew know at the beginning of the flight.

[fbgd]

I hope you enjoy it, and that the crew deliver what they ought to!

 

You're probably well aware of this, but don't forget that it's dine-on-demand. If you want anything specific from the menu for later on, let the crew know at the beginning of the flight.

 

This is important. F used to be horribly overcatered but in the last few years it hasn't. The crews will typically eat after the main meal service, as in F even with dine on demand most people prefer to eat soon after takeoff.

 

I have received push back from the crew (this does depend on your crew though) a couple of times if I've wanted to hold back food from the main meal to have in lieu of the afternoon tea but it's always been honoured.

[Clay Clayton]

Since it is an all daytime flight, I plan on dining the whole time! LOL

 

I will look ahead and see if there is anything I might want "later" though..thanks for that tip.

 

Any thoughts on booking ahead of time? Are the order ahead meals better than the standard?

[fbgd]

Since it is an all daytime flight, I plan on dining the whole time! LOL

 

I will look ahead and see if there is anything I might want "later" though..thanks for that tip.

 

Any thoughts on booking ahead of time? Are the order ahead meals better than the standard?

 

There is no difference between the order ahead meals and those onboard. At least that seemed to be the case for my LHR-JFK in F a couple of weeks ago.

[chloemonkey]

We flew BA in 2A and 3A earlier this year on a 777.

 

Face it, on the way to Europe you have dinner and then go to sleep. You can use the buddy seat to dine together which worked very nicely, and then get some sleep.

 

On the way back we had breakfast in the Concorde Room, drank the better part of a bottle of Champagne, has massages, boarded, and pretty well ate ourselves silly for a few hours. Then took naps. Woke up and ate some more, and then we landed. It was a great way to travel.

 

My DH and I have always done window seats....one in front of the other as for such a long flight, it does afford more privacy and there is usually some times when you each want to just be able to have the window seat.

 

We also did sit in each others "visitor's ottoman" once or twice......but really......with the food service, the movies, champagne, etc.....the time really DOES fly! and I do not think that it would be as comfortable having one in the middle on the aisel and one in a window seat.

 

Our choice has always to do window seats....one right behind the other if BA First Class. Great service.....now if only they would improve their catering department.......but the lounge at Heathrow Terminal 5 can't be beat! Although I am considering either Air France or Lufthansa next trip to Europe! I am a sucker for being pampered and always looking for another bigger and better First Class!

[ducklite]

We flew Air France to Tahiti. Never, ever again. I just donated the 15K miles we each had to Doctors Without Borders.

[Clay Clayton]

We flew Air France to Tahiti. Never, ever again. I just donated the 15K miles we each had to Doctors Without Borders.

 

Care you share the rationale for your decision?

[ducklite]

Care you share the rationale for your decision?

 

 

First of all, the seats were incredibly uncomfortable. Hard as rocks. I ended up sitting on my blanket to add some cushion.

 

They did one drink service. I had to BEG a flight attendant for a cup of water. They give you a six ounce bottle at the beginning of the eight hour flight, that is it.

 

The food was inedible. Some sort of mystery meat with some sort of mystery sauce.

 

There are no air vents above the seats and the cabin is incredibly stuffy.

 

I was the first person to book seats in my cabin. Long story short they had a computer problem and gave our seats away even after promising several times it would not happen. We waited at the check in counter for well over an hour to get checked in before the whole wrong seat issue because they could see our reservation but couldn't issue boarding passes . They had to call Paris multiple times to get it fixed. They promised our seats were safe. During this time, our seats were assigned to others. I wasn't about to sit I middle seats in separate rows for eight hours because of their issue, and demanded they fix it and give me BP's for the seats we had booked and they had assured us over and over that we would have.

 

The same thing happened on the way back!

 

It was the same plane, my seat was broken in both directions (the same ink stain in the same place in that seat tells me it was the same plane) and the lav was broken in both directions.

 

The flight was significantly delayed in both directions.

 

There was more, but that's a good start.

Edited August 24, 2015 by ducklite

[Clay Clayton]

I had similar issues several years ago when traveling in biz on AF. I am being hopeful that with the change to lie-flat seats that it will be a better experience....and planning to fly in short and a tshirt to deal with the stuffiness. :eek: