The British Airways First Class amenity kit, crockery and bedding improvements are now live

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• Nick says:

  2 Apr2 April 05:52

  Tonight Channel 5 at 9.15pm, “First Class Vs Economy: Is It Worth It?”

  Nigel Havers and Sally Lindsay present a documentary exploring the differences – for passengers and cabin crew – between first class and economy travel. After completing their cabin-crew training, they board a transatlantic British Airways flight to Washington.

  • AspirationalFlyer says:

    2 Apr2 April 05:57

    Sounds good! I’m travelling currently, but will watch it when I get home!

    • Grant says:

      2 Apr2 April 08:38

      Its on Channel 5. It will be horrendous. Think Daily Mail in sound and pictures.

      • david cliff says:

        2 Apr2 April 19:20

        Car Crash TV !

      • Alex Sm says:

        2 Apr2 April 22:24

        their recent doc’mentary about Ryanair was not that bad

• AspirationalFlyer says:

  2 Apr2 April 05:56

  I’m not planning to fly BA First again until January and even then it is only to Dubai, but this does look like a step forward.

  Have BA improved the afternoon tea? I think this is the weak catering link on both BA and Virgin premium long-haul flights. In both cases the tea is sold as a very British experience, but in reality seems a way of offering cheap and low quality sandwiches and scones.

• AspirationalFlyer says:

  2 Apr2 April 06:01

  Sorry – me again!

  Quick question: I know it is all a matter of personal preference, but on shorter overnight flights in premium cabins do you tend to sleep as soon as you or try to maximise the experience?

  I feel conflicted between wanting to sleep and wanting to make the most of the food, drink and overall experience! I know this is a discerning group of travellers (!) so was interested in your thoughts.

  • John says:

    2 Apr2 April 06:38

    I fly business to get a bed, so it would defeat the point not to use it. Food and drink can be obtained on the ground. If I felt the flight was too short to sleep properly I wouldn’t book business, unless it’s something like QR connecting to a longer flight in which case it’s up to how I feel at the time

  • Spurs Debs says:

    2 Apr2 April 06:47

    Flying is the only time I ever watch films, I very rarely set the bed up properly but tend to doze in seat. I only sleep 2 hours at a time at home anyway due to a variety of reasons I won’t bore you with.
    Also all depends if day or night flight. I’m flying out daytime to NY on Thursday I expect to stay awake but coming back overnight I would hope I have a doze.

  • mradey says:

    2 Apr2 April 07:23

    I don’t spend X thousand pounds for the onboard food and drink – I do it for the space, relative peace and the bed. I recommend you sleep. If you wish, go ‘crazy’ in the lounge.

  • Cat says:

    2 Apr2 April 07:28

    I like to maximise the experience too. That combined with the fact I’m a very light sleeper means I don’t bother trying until I’ve eaten and drunk my fill, and I’m feeling exhausted/like I need to sleep it all off. Then I’ll try to get 3-5 hours sleep, if possible. This means I can start all over again! Also, when I arrive, I should still be tired enough to go to bed in the evening (local time) and still sleep.

  • Marcw says:

    2 Apr2 April 08:29

    Remember it’s not freshly cooked meals… They just out it in ovens and heat up!

  • Peter 64K says:

    2 Apr2 April 08:31

    If you have a food allergy/intolerance/special requirement then you don’t get a choice. The smaller lounges don’t provide anything substantial and there is no quick option onboard. You either go hungry or enjoy the full experience… it’s a no brainer.

  • bsuije says:

    2 Apr2 April 09:50

    I’ve got the opposite mindset to John. I try to make the most of my flight and think that a bed will always be available on the ground! 🙂

    Then again, I only ever fly long haul for leisure, so I don’t have to worry about having to stay awake through a meeting or something similar.

    The only time I wish that I had slept as soon as seat belt signs went off, was coming back from New York a few years ago. Up until then. my long haul flights has always been to Asia, so it was perfectly reasonable to eat, watch a movie or two and then still get a decent amount of sleep. Not so on the shorter NY-LHR flight

  • Alex W says:

    2 Apr2 April 10:49

    Generally I would value my sleep above anything else. I would eat my dinner in the lounge, have a shower, clean teeth etc and get ready for bed so that as soon as I am on the plane I can start dozing off. As soon as the seat belt sign is off, take 2 paracetamol and make up the bed. Woe betide anyone that attempts to interrupt this routine!

    • Alex W says:

      2 Apr2 April 10:52

      PS don’t forget eye mask, ear plugs and noise cancelling headphones on top. The biggest challenge is the usually wildly fluctuating temperatures on BA making it impossible to dress correctly.

      • Pug206 says:

        2 Apr2 April 13:07

        A cashmere onesie and cashmere socks also help!

    • Lady London says:

      2 Apr2 April 19:04

      Why paracetamol?

      • Shoestring says:

        2 Apr2 April 19:18

        Harmless woozy factor I guess. I suggest something stronger (& legal) if you fancy a better kip on LH – try Phenergan (buy online UK) or – stronger – Kirkland Sleep Aid (buy on Ebay).

• Marquis de Sade says:

  2 Apr2 April 06:06

  https://onemileatatime.com/japan-airlines-first-class-777-review/

  This is what First Class should be like.
  Not the cost cutting & terrible service BA provide.

• Alan says:

  2 Apr2 April 06:10

  Flying BA First to Doha next week, and very much looking forward to seeing if the soft upgrade is an improvement? I think I will miss the Liberty amenity kit, but let’s see; I will be disappointed if the new amenity kit is not on the flight.

  • Andrew says:

    2 Apr2 April 06:24

    You’ll probably also be wishing you had upgraded your BA First experience by flying QR business instead!

  • Dean S says:

    2 Apr2 April 07:56

    If flying BA First to Doha and connecting on Qatar business can you still use the Qatar first lounge?

    • bsuije says:

      2 Apr2 April 09:53

      I think it’s your Qatar ticket that counts, so I would go with “No”.

      Qatar are also an exception to usual oneworld policies when it comes to lounges. Only a QR First ticket gets you into the First lounge. Oneworld Emerald gets you into a separate lounge (not even the QR Biz one!).

      • Matt says:

        2 Apr2 April 16:22

        Slight correction any oneworld F ticket gets you into Al Safwa lounge.

    • Kevin says:

      2 Apr2 April 14:11

      I would check. I think you can.

      • Jonathan says:

        2 Apr2 April 15:54

        No is the answer. It’s the flight you are connecting to that counts. Eg. A short regional connection (pre blockade shenanigans) would be in “First” (similar to domestic F in States). You can use the First Class lounge on outbound as you’re connecting TO First but on inbound connecting FROM First to Business it’s the Business lounge.

        Same rule applies for Long Haul even if you are connecting to a destination that doesn’t offer First class (which is almost everywhere for Qatar).

        Tbh you’re not missing much, the First lounge is visually impressive until you realise the walls are basically made of plywood complete with visible gaps between the joins and the food is all microwaved. Alcohol selection is now the same as J lounge as well so forget any thoughts of Krug etc.

      • Dean S says:

        2 Apr2 April 20:36

        Rob has posted this before

        With a First Class boarding pass for a Qatar Airways or oneworld flight (this includes British Airways)
        or
        with a First Class boarding pass from your previous flight, as long as that flight was over five hours long – which essentially means incoming passengers from London, Paris or Bangkok only. No other 5+ hour routes have an F cabin.

        But not sure if the inbound is Qatar only!

• Alan says:

  2 Apr2 April 06:15

  AspirationalFlyer. I would enjoy the experience. In my view it’s the regular First business customers that go straight to sleeping, but if they are doing the trip once a week, which is not uncommon then I think I would just sleep? Enjoy your trip.

• meta says:

  2 Apr2 April 06:20

  Praising high thread count? I have higher thread count at home! But in all honesty, thread count should not be the only benchmark, it’s the material as well. Also Dartington glassware doesn’t scream luxury at all when you can pick them up for less than £15 for 6 in a supermarket.

  • TGLoyalty says:

    2 Apr2 April 08:35

    Doesn’t mean they aren’t quality

    • meta says:

      2 Apr2 April 08:45

      That’s why I said, I wish they mentioned the material of the bed linen. Because you can have 400 thread of really hard cotton or you can have 400 thread of silk. In regards to Dartington glasses, the quality really depends on the type of product.

• PTee says:

  2 Apr2 April 06:37

  Wow. I agree the service of the people in there needs to be improved but who on earth do you think you are? If you are looking for servants perhaps you should cancel your next flight and attempt to travel back to the 1800’s!

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