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  • Jfk-lhr-dub-phl-lga

    Going on trip with my Dad





    We headed past security and up to the club.






    Invitation to have some pre-flight supper:



    The pre-flight supper:




    It was very good, but I only had a bit as I like to eat on the plane.

    Overall the Club was as good as ever. We got seats easily as it was empty when we first arrived, but it soon filled up. I put some biscuits in my bag for later. Great supply of food and drinks at the club. The pre-flight supper is a great thing.



    Time to board:







    The new BA Club World seats:





    These seats are very comfy. The middle seats also feel like a train cabin. It is great when your traveling with someone. Not the best if you don’t know the other person next to you.
    When we arrived, our coats were taken and soon we were given a choice of orange juice, water, or champagne

    Orange juice:



    Champagne:




    Then newspapers…I requested The Times as I had already gotten The Telegraph in the club.







    Menu:



    On the menu was….

    Starter

    Roast beets and grilled hearts of palm with potato and mushroom salad.

    Main

    Seared fillet of beef served with truffle butter, potatoes au gratin and sautéed red Swiss chard.

    Sautéed salmon with fingerling potatoes, fava beans, morels, and horseradish sauce.

    Goat’s cheese and caramelized onion tortelloni with olive tomato sauce served with Parmesan.

    The “Goodnight Express” option was:

    Warm chicken Caesar sandwich served with a mixed green salad

    Dessert:

    Vanilla panna cotta with mixed berry compote

    Sage Derby Cheddar and Wisconsin Mountain Blue with cranberry chutney and oatcake biscuits.

    Hot chocolate with warm chocolate chip cookies


    Shortly after takeoff the vanity packs were handed out:





    These packs are low quality. Nothing special when your expecting something special from British Airways. The last time I flew Club World (a few years back) the packs were much better. They don’t even say British Airways on the covers.

    Shortly after takeoff, I got up to use the bathroom and to have a little look around.
    Stairs to upper deck:



    Toilets:



    Nice touch:



    The flight attendants then came around with passes to Fast Track through immigration in London and invites to an arrival club in London. The immigration passes would come in handy, as we had a tight connection to make in LHR.





    Then it was time to eat as we were just passing Boston:



    Starter:




    Main course, I got the beef:




    A cup of tea and cheeses with oat biscuits for dessert:


    The starter was strange…and the F/A agreed as she collected it. The main course was delicious. The meat was tender and juicy…lovely all around.

    After dinner, I got comfortable and started to play around with the IFE system. I really liked BA’s IFE. They had a good selection of old and new films.

    I first watched Anchorman.



    Then Marley and Me:



    I’d seen Anchorman before, but never Marley and Me. Both were very funny.


    We had strong head winds and the flight was mostly smooth and it went by fast.



    I visited the Club Kitchen twice during the flight. It had a good selection of crisps and sweets. It was annoying that the F/A’s were sort of watching you like a hawk as you picked at it. They turned me off going back more than those two times.

    On the menu for breakfast:

    Starters


    Chilled fruit juice

    An energizing fruit smoothie

    Fresh seasonal fruit

    Or

    Special K with dried berries

    Fruit yoghurt

    Bakery

    A selection of warm bread and breakfast pastries

    Warm bacon roll served withtomato ketchup


    Fruit and a warm muffin:



    bacon roll with ketchup:



    The breakfast was very nice. I have heard some say BA Club World food is disappointing; well I had no issues with it. In fact, I thought it was delicious.




    It was a lovely flight and we landed early. BA Club World is the way to travel, although I can only imagine what BA First Class is like.

    We arrived at around 0650 and had an 0855 connection on British Midland to DUB. BMI is in Terminal 1…and of course we really had no idea how to get there. We used the fast track through immigration and then waited for our bags.

    After we got our bags and walked through customs, we got directions to take the Heathrow Express train to Terminal 1.

    We got to the BMI check-in desks at about 0800.
    BMI check-in:



    Check-in was a breeze. During security, everyone had their pictures taken. I found this to be a bit funny, but I was happy to see it at the same time.

    After security, we went into W.H. Smiths to get a drink. I also took a few Pounds out of the ATM, for my collection of currencies.



    :










    BMI Star Alliance scheme:





    My favorite British shop, HMV:



    The long and winding road to the gate:



    Our British Midland craft to DUB:



    Video of our take off out of LHR:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4lRL0pzow4









    A lovely powerful take off. Some beautiful scenes out the window as well.


    F/As soon started the BOB service. I decided to get a cup of tea for about €2.



    Tea:















    Video of our decent into DUB:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smF9zUV2SeM






    FR and Turkish (TK)



    The two rivals at DUB, Ryanair and Aer Lingus.




    Aer Lingus:





    De-boarding the plane:





    I was not really impressed with BMI…just a predictable and acceptable BOB service. The flight had left LHR about a half hour late and arrived at about 1020.



    I was trying to take a picture of the check-in desk…it came out badly and I was about to take another one when a security official approached me and told me I was not allowed to take photos at check-in. Strange.



    Check-in took a while….plus we had to go over to the US Airways ticket desk…as something went wrong with out Non-Rev reservation. It took a while to get fixed…and I’m not really sure what was wrong to be honest.

    At Dublin, we thankfully have the luxury of Pre-Clearance into the United States. It’s a great thing…even though sometimes the line in Dublin is 10 times longer than it would be in Philadelphia or JFK. Not today…today everything from security to immigration went smoothly and quickly.





    Boarding area:



    This area gets too crowded…its too small an area for so many international flights. I’m sure if any of you fly transatlantic out of Dublin, you know what I’m talking about.

    The jetway is lined with a funny Vodaphone advertisement, showing New York City police and Fire Department working on Dublin streets.



    Boarding our US Airways 757:



    I was seated in 1C in Envoy class. Older Envoy seats…but still comfortable.


    These are actually 2A&C:



    Legroom for our 1A&C:



    The first row in Envoy has less legroom than the other rows…but I had no issues with it.


    My coat was taken for me and after we sat down we were offered either…

    A memosa:




    Or Orange juice



    The F/A then came around with newspapers.

    My Dad took the USA TODAY




    I took the Irish Independent and the Metro:





    Then came the vanity packs.



    I really like the little pouch. It has the US flag on it with “Envoy” written on it. I see no difference between the British Airways one and the US Airways one, when I think I should see one. That’s the real only thing that BA disappointed me by.

    Then came the menus:



    The choices today…

    Appetizers

    A seasonal mixed salad served with your selection of feta cheese wrapped in thin slices of grilled zucchinigarnished with a slice of cheery tomato.

    Skewered marinated prawns accompanied by a cherry tomato stuffed with Boursin cheese

    Cantaloupe wedges wrapped with thin slices of prosciutto.

    Entrees

    Mushroom-stuffed Chicken Breast
    Tender chicken breast stuffed with mushrooms and herbed cream cheese, served with a balsamic vinegar reduction, and presented with green beans, carrots, and au gratin potatoes.

    Sole Roulade
    Poached sole topped with a crab meat brandy, and wine reduction, garnished with crawfish tails, accompanied by snow peas and linguini.

    Penne with vegetable bolognesse
    Penne rigatoni with arugula and mozzarella cheese, topped with hearty vegetable Bolognese and fresh mushrooms.


    Express Meal

    You may request this chilled meal as a single course, complete with an appetizer and a dessert, to give you more time to work, relax, or sleep.

    Roast Filet of Beef Salad
    Thinly-sliced Choice beef filet fanned with grilled zucchini atop a bed of fresh mixed salad greens, sprinkled with feta cheese crumbles and roasted cherry tomatoes.


    Dessert

    Apricot caramel tart or passion fruit vanilla tart and a selection of cheese and grapes

    I was impressed with the menu….not only because of what I consider a nice variety of choices, but also because it was printed in both English and Gaelic. A nice touch, I though.


    Aer Lingus next to us:








    British Midland:



    EI:



    The new terminal:



    Video of our take off:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHyyW-e-65A







    And the ear phones for the IFE system:





    Very nice earphones…shame the US Airways IFE is so bad.



    F/As come around with a portable TV and have to plug it into your chair. Its not a great system. Also..it has NO map!!!! Not good…




    Some lovely hot nuts and a Diet Coke, in a nice looking glass:



    Not too long after this...it was time for lunch:



    The appetizers were good. I love the pretzel bread that I’ve only ever had on US Airways Envoy.

    My dad got the beef:



    I got the Penne:



    Dessert:



    After things settled down, I got comfy with a US airways pillow



    ..and watched Valkery:



    I love catching up on my movies while I fly.

    About one hour to landing, the F/A came around with more hot towels and some fresh orange juice:



    Not long after that a light lunch was served. It was toasted French baguette with pastrami, arugula, and a Gruyere cheese spread.



    After that was collected, some Lily O’Brien’s chocolates were handed out:













    Decent into PHL:









    Landing:







    A fairly new A wing of PHL:











    It was a very nice flight. Now…we needed to rush. We landed at about 1330 and our planned connection was at 1440. It was about 1405 when we got out of immigration. We rushed over to transfer our bags and got on the line for security. We were told to go to Gate A1 and take a shuttle to the F express gates for our US Airways Express flight to LGA.



    The line at security was humongous. We decided that if we were going to have any chance at getting to our flight, we would try and run to the F gates from outside the airport. So we got off the line and exited the airport. My dad stopped a Embassy Suites shuttle bus driver and asked for a lift to F…he was kind enough to give us that life.

    The driver really saved our day. He was so kind and even offered us water to drink. It was great to see someone so caring. We rushed past security and walked up to our gate at around 1430. We literally just made it! It was thrilling, to be honest.


    Our Dash-8 to LGA:











    Taxi:





    Video of the take off:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0H2M5xCtHkk







    We were never cleared above 8.000 feet and floated in and out of the clouds…which lead to a rather bumpy flight. Sadly, because of this the drink service was cancelled.





    A quick non-eventful 30 minute flight.

    The best decent in the world coming up.

    Brooklyn with New York harbor above:



    Busy port:




    Brooklyn:



    Governors Island and Downtown Manhattan:



    Decent view of the skyline:



    Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges viewable:





    USTA, where the US Open tennis tournament is held:



    CitiField, the new home of my baseball team, The New York Mets:



    Coming in for a landing:








    Northwest at LGA:





























    It was an exhausting trip…especially the last let. BUT It was fun and Id do it all over again any day.

    That’s all for now, I hope this has not been a waste of your time. Comments are welcomed. Thanks





















    :-) Life is like a Journey,Travel it well. United Airlines :smile:
    :heart::smile::D:razz::-):-P:grin::):-D:love:

  • #2
    Excellent flight review! BA's Club World looks very, very good. Excellent photos to go along with it. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to fly by Club World one day, the highest I have flown so far is World Traveler Plus. I too, was surprised that the amenity pack on BA's club world was mostly the same as the one as you received on US Airways. Good to hear that the food you received on BA Club World was very good. Personally, I think that BA's food out of London is excellent, but out of other airports, for instance, Denver or Delhi where the airline's operations aren't that large, the food can be very inconsistent.

    Regards,

    Rohan

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