trusman flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a B737-400 (29/04/2013 15:34)

BA2630 LGW - ALC. New check in area at Gatwick very smart and new self service machines where you print your own baggage tags very easy to use! Forgot how small the north terminal is at Gatwick! Nothing like T5 with limited choice of shops/food outlets.

After a long walk to the gate over the impressive bridge boarding was called by seat row and fast track for exec card holders was respected. Was welcomed back by name by a very friendly/bubbly purser even though it was 6:20am. One thing which did annoy me though was that there were no newspapers at the gate, if I had known it wasn't the same as Heathrow I would have got one in the terminal.

We pushed back around 10mins early and as the flight only had around 30 people on there was plenty of room for everyone to move around. Rather old 737 was not as tatty as I was expecting it to be and seem very well maintained and clean! No moving map though as there is no IFE although the flight crew were very informative with there updates on flight progress.

Shortly after takeoff the crew passed though with breakfast; a tasty cheese croissant and a not so nice granola yogurt served with the usual free tea, coffee, juice and water. All throughout the flight the crew were incredibly friendly and chatty and were happy to oblige me when I asked for a few more drinks.

Landed into Alicante around 30 mins early after a very quick flight time and was off and waiting for baggage in no time. Bags took a while to come, for some reason they had decided to put 3 recently arrived flights, ours and 2 Easyjet flights on one reclaim belt as others lay dormant but obviously this isn't BA's fault more the handling agent.

Overall I was VERY impressed with this short flight, the crew were some of the nicest and most professional I've ever experienced at BA.

Morrs101 flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a B737-400 (02/04/2013 15:21)

Arrived at Nice Cote D’Azure at 1615 via a shuttle taxi service and headed straight up to security as I had checked in online. A new lane opened when I neared the front of the queue and the man took my phone to scan the barcode of my electronic boarding pass, no problem and I was through in no time.

Terminal 1 at Nice is quite cramped compared to T2 but I went straight through to B gates where UK flights depart from and upstairs to the Riviera lounge using my Priority Pass card.

This lounge is small but comfortable. There are two coffee machines, I worked out one was serving much hotter espresso so I had a couple of these. There is a fridge with help yourself beers, water and soft drinks as well as some snacks such as pizza bites, olives and pretzels as well as Provence specialties like olive tapenade and pistou for spreading on croutons. There are also pre-packed biscuits, cakes, crisps and crepes.

The wifi in the lounge stopped working soon after I logged in for some reason but others did not seem to be having trouble. I used the in-lounge PC to do some work, charged my phone and read a copy of The Times instead.

Boarding for Club Europe was called at 1735 but this soon became general boarding without a further announcement.

The aircraft was an old looking 737-4 with fairly tatty blue leather seats, but legroom felt sufficient, and I stand at around 6ft. Again the flight was busy and overhead bin space came at a premium. I just about got my bag and jacket in before taking my seat, window seat 13A, by 1750.

We pulled back at 1750 and a baby started screaming immediately, fortunately this didn’t last. We took off at 1800 and a duck hoi sin wrap was offered followed by hot and cold drinks a little after.

I read for the flight duration and we started our descent at 1925, landing at 1940. A long walk back to passport was offset by the short queue and all e-gates were operating. As I had no baggage I was out of the terminal and away by 1905 (local time). Service was very good and professional from two senior males members of staff and one young girl.

Another good and quick service from Nice, getting me home in good time following the Easter bank holiday weekend.

Morrs101 flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A319 (02/04/2013 15:19)

Arrived at London Heathrow T5 via tube at 1830 on the Thursday of the Easter Bank Holiday weekend. I made the error I make every time of not getting the lift from the tube platform and so had to go the long way around to reach departures.

I had checked in online and downloaded my boarding pass to my phone. Security wasn’t as busy as I expected for the Easter weekend and the automated barrier read the barcode off my phone perfectly. I made my way through the north security channel and was through by 1840. I made a dash for Wagamamas to grab a bite before my flight and had to queue for about 15 minutes, not too bad as they are always quick. As a new member of Priority Pass I was slightly disappointed to learn that there are no eligible lounges at T5.

On leaving Wagamamas I picked up a few bits and pieces before headed to gate A23, which showed quite late, at 1955. Boarding was delayed a little and began at 2020. The flight was very full, causing havoc for storing bags overhead.

The doors closed at 2045 and we pulled back soon after, eventually taking off at 2100. Chicken Caesar or tomato and mozzarella wraps were offered at 2115 followed by hot and cold drinks, I had a G&T and a still water and settled in to the short flight. The service was what I typically experience with BA - efficient and professional if lacking a little in warmth.

The A319 seats are blue leather and comfortable enough but look a bit tatty in places. I was in seat 10A, a window seat which was fine. We landed at 2225 and Nice airport was a breeze to get through, with my pre-booked shuttle waiting for me on arrival.

A quick and comfortable service, and its always a pleasure travelling through T5.

1nfrequent flew British Airways Euro Traveller (01/04/2013 20:12)

I flew BA from LBA to LHR on an Airbus 319.

LBA is a small airport – essentially one building divided into two ‘terminals’ – Terminal A and Terminal B. BA has 4 check-in desks (22 – 26) in Terminal A, which is clearly signposted and easy to find.

Thanks to light traffic on Yorkshire’s roads, I arrived at 18:45. I’d checked in on-line that morning using the BA App but I’m not a fan of downloading an electronic boarding card onto my phone and I didn’t have access to a printer so had opted to pick up the boarding card at the airport given that I had a bag I needed to check in anyway. There are no electronic check-in booths at the terminal – instead passengers have to use the manned desks and my heart did sink a little when I saw that check-in didn’t officially open until 19:10. However, there was a member of BA ground crew at the desks who gave me a friendly welcome and said that he’d be happy to check me in regardless of my being early, which was a relief.

When he saw that I was BAEC silver cardholder he also took the initiative to tell me that although BA didn’t have its own lounge at LBA, I may be entitled to use the Yorkshire Premiere Lounge and phoned someone in the lounge to confirm the same. He also told me that I was entitled to use the priority security lane and pointed out where to access it and told me how to find the lounge once I was through.

In the event, security was a doddle – I ended up being the only person in line and was through the whole thing in 5 minutes. Security personnel all seemed good-humoured, which made the experience less of a stress than is normally the case.

As I said, LBA isn’t a big airport but there were a number of eateries (a Burger King, a couple of family pub/chain type places) and a fairly good sized duty free shop, which you have to walk through to get to the gates. I didn’t notice much in the way of seating outside the eateries but must confess that I wasn’t really paying attention. The terminal was very clean however and smelt freshly painted so whether it’s been recently renovated or well maintained, it’s in good shape.

The Yorkshire Premiere Lounge is well signposted and located just past the duty free shop. It’s divided into 2 areas – a business lounge and a leisure lounge. It’s a third party lounge and does allow for paid access (although you’ll need to check on-line for the rates). However in addition to having a deal with BA (so that it’s open to business class passengers and gold and silver BAEC cardholders), they also seemed to have a deal with KLM – certainly for business class passengers but possibly also for elite card holders (although again, you will need to check).

The receptionist gave me a very warm welcome and directed me to the business lounge as I wanted to use the wi-fi. The lounge itself is a reasonably sized space but most of the chairs were of the comfy variety and it only seemed to have a handful of desks and chairs if you wanted to get on with some work. However there’s free wi-fi (log-in and password available at reception) and free refreshments. The range of soft drinks contained the usual suspects (including tea, coffee, fruit juice, fizzy drinks and tonic water) but the range of beers, wines and spirits seemed limited and I couldn’t find any water for those who wanted it.

There was also a range of snacks including pastries, tea cakes, toast, cheese and crackers, biscuits and crisps. I also spotted a bowl of apples for those who want something a bit healthier. There was a good range of newspapers and a television screen showing Sky News together with a screen showing departure information. Note though that the lounge doesn’t have its own toilets – instead you have to leave and go across the corridor to use the main terminal facilities – not a big deal but worth noting. Also worth noting is that the staff turn off the tea and coffee facilities at 8pm but do let you know before hand if you want a last minute brew. I should say that all the staff there were friendly, helpful and hard-working – taking away rubbish and topping up refreshments.

The lounge was quiet when I got there – only 4 of us in total and I took the opportunity to get some work done. The flight was scheduled to leave at 21:10 so I checked the screen at 20:40 to see if the gate had been announced only to see that the flight had actually been delayed to 22:00. I was still resigning myself to it when the BA ground crew member who’d checked me in arrived in the lounge to make sure that I was aware of the delay and to let me know what was going on (there’s been a technical issue earlier in the day, which had a knock-on effect on the shuttle service).

This was the first time that’s ever happened to me and I really appreciated the gesture (and I happen to know he was also looking for other BA passengers in the terminal to let them know the same). He went on to say that although the anticipated departure was 22:00, there was only a small number of passengers so they were hoping to do a fast turnaround of the plane in order to minimise the disruption and get us out before then if possible – in which case he’d make sure that a message got through to me at the lounge to let me know. I was actually so impressed with his initiative and attitude that I’ve posted my compliments on the BA website in the hope that management give him some well-deserved recognition as he’s definitely a credit to the airline.

In the event, the lounge receptionist let me know at 21:25 that the plane was ready to board and I made my way over to gate 7 where the excellent BA ground crew member gathered us in a line and said that as there were only 15 of us on the flight they were hoping for a fast departure. Boarding was via a remote stand, which involved a bit of a stroll across the airport apron (which I must confess I actually like because it means you can see the planes close up). Again, the BA ground crew member was excellent – making sure that the passengers were aware that it was cold outside and advising people to button up their coats – a small gesture but typical of the guy’s excellent attitude.

I should also mention that there was a passenger with mobility issues who was concerned that the late departure would affect a ground transportation link he was trying to make at Heathrow. The BA ground crew member assured him that he’d been in contact with LHR staff and there’d be someone with a wheelchair to get him to the ground transportation link.

Because it’s a domestic flight there’s only one class of travel and seats are arranged on a 3x3 basis. I’d noticed when checking in that I was unable to preselect any seats in the first 5 rows and had assumed that this was because they’d already been pre-grabbed by other passengers. However, given there were only 15 passengers, I now wonder if those rows are actually blocked out for BAEC gold cardholders. No doubt more knowledgeable people on BT will be able to tell me.

I’d preselected 5C on the basis that it was closest to the front of the plane and an aisle seat. In the event I had the whole row to myself so space wasn’t an issue. The cabin crew did invite passengers to move further forward if they wished but no one seemed to take them up on it. The gentleman with mobility issues was (quite rightly) allocated the first row. My seat was in good condition – clean and comfortable enough for the short flight.

The captain made an announcement at 21:40 to let us know of the reason for the delay (i.e. that there’d been a technical issue earlier in the day, which had to be fixed) and told us that the flight time was 35 minutes and they were hoping to leave as soon as possible. The purser then made a brief announcement welcoming passengers to the plane and we pushed back at 21:49. A safety video played while we were taxiing to the runway and then the cabin lights were dimmed as it was a night flight.

Because it was the last day of March, the plane had been loaded with the April edition of High Life so I entertained myself by flicking through it during take-off. The trolley service started 10 minutes after we were air-born and was done very efficiently with a good range of drinks (soft and alcoholic) and crisps/nuts being offered. If I’m being picky, given that there were so few passengers I do wonder if the crew couldn’t have actually done a second run instead of retiring to the cabin once they were done before finally coming down to collect rubbish. I know it’s a short flight so time is very tight but I would have thought it was achievable and again, would have been a nice thing to do.

The captain gave an announcement 10 minutes before landing that we’d be coming into Terminal 5. The landing itself was smooth, touching down at 22:35 with passengers disembarking 10 minutes later via an airbridge. The passenger with mobility issues was first off and was met by wheelchair assistance – a very nice lady who assured him that they’d get him to his connection.

I headed for the baggage carousel and after a brief wait the luggage started to come out at about 22:55. My bag was one of the first off, despite not having priority tags (not an issue given the small number of passengers) and I was out of the terminal and heading to the Underground by 23:00.

All in all, it was a perfectly satisfactory flight but given the low passenger numbers (compared to the nearly full flight I had on the way out) I wonder how long BA will continue to run it for and whether they will try to scale it back. For business travellers who want speed and the ability to work, you’re probably better off with the train as there’s less hassle and waiting-around time but price-wise it’s certainly a viable option for more time-rich leisure travellers looking for an alternative way to the region – especially those of us chasing Avios and BAEC tier points for status (10 tier points and 1,000 Avios with the silver tier bonus).

TominScotland flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A321 (30/03/2013 16:22)

A fairly standard flight from Glasgow to Heathrow where I am connecting on to Cathay Pacific en route to Hong Kong and then Hanoi. Checked in early and dropped my suitcase which was tagged right the way through. Upstairs to security where, as a first for me, I was able to use the new Priority Lane. This will be great at busy times but today made little difference as all lanes were very quiet. Nice to be greeted by name at Security - no, not some new service touch linked to the barcode reader at the entry gates, but an acquaintance who works there.

I went to the revamped bmi lounge (see bespoke thread for more about this) and was delighted to note the return of fruit!! The lounge was quiet and relaxed/ worked there for a wee while. The flight was called early and we all headed up the pier to Gate 21 where there was no priority lane for boarding. Joined the queue and slowly snaked my way aboard.

I had been pre-allocated 2C but with only one passenger in Row 1 and neighbours in 2A and 2B, I migrated forward to 1A which was fantastic as it provided a great view of Arctic Britain on the way down south and of Eton Dorney and Windsor Castle on the run into Heathrow.

Drinks and snacks service was fine and the crew were friendly and professional throughout. After a short hold, we landed on time and taxied to a remote stand, from where we were bused to Domestic Arrivals and I made my way onwards to my T3 bus.

TominScotland flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A321 (23/03/2013 12:27)

I arrived in T5 from T3 for this flight to Glasgow on a cold, sleety morning, cheered by the threat of domestic flight cancellations due to snow further north. After a relaxed hour in the First Lounge, I picked up a couple of things from this shops and headed to Gate 11 in good time for boarding. This commenced at about 08.05 for our 08.25 and, with priority boarding, I was in 4C quickly. A few minutes later all the lights went out and the Captain came on to inform us that the power unit had failed and hey would need to get another one. As a result we were 30 mins late pushing back.

Another breakfast was on offer - potentially my third, so I refused and caught up with UK and world news instead, heretically from a BT Forum point of view, choosing The Independent and The Times - no Daily Mail!!!!

We made good time north and landed amid a winter wonderland only about 20 minutes late. Very good natured service throughout...... and my case made it from Phnom Penh!!

sparkyflyer flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A319 (12/03/2013 16:37)

The route: Rome-LHR

The choices: BA, Alitalia & Easyjet. BA was chosen because of the slightly bigger choice of flights and a more generous luggage allowance, which is always a factor for me!

Check in – I checked in via Internet on my mobile, and was easy. The day after I made my way from Florence, where I had visited for the weekend, and took the train to Rome Termini. Here I caught the “Leonardo Express” which was no express and certainly the platform used, and the facilities, pretty ugly. Anyway I checked in at FCO and dropped my bag off. The check In lady was very friendly and efficient indeed. There was no queue. I went through security (shoes off, although same shoes on way out were fine) and tried to find the lounge. This was not the BA one but one I can use via Airport Angel. The airport was not busy and I wondered when it might justify the new pier it seems they are building.

Immigration was very poor. The guy behind the screen did not look at any of the 3 passengers in front of me, and so could not have known if their faces matched their passport photos. Queen Elizabeth II, Barack Obama or even Pope Benedict post retirement could have walked through and he would not have known.
I eventually the lounge, (Mosiac) which was almost empty, and in the basement, so no sweeping apron views. Food offering was very minimal and any drink, even water, could only be found at the bar, which was half manned! There were PCs there however and I was able to quickly check on emails and the news.

Boarding was early and I was one of the first on. I had tried to get the A seat in the front row of Y on this A319, but was not lucky, so had the second row, which is still comfy with the 34” pitch. The luggage space in the overhead bin was fine for my mini case, which had been a problem on the 737 on the outbound.
The flight left exactly on time and the taxi was short. With curtain/barrier between C & Y, it was not easy to see the screen and thus safety video. Info from the Captain was delivered in a very robust, jolly and “Captain Windsor” way! After a short while, the food was delivered, a Hoisin Duck wrap in a small package. Drinks came around a while after that, and I wondered why they could not do it at the same time, and then do a tea/coffee round. I tried two of the wines, including a Pinotage, which was like Ribena/Jollyjuice, and then another which was far more satisfying. The duck wrap, well, there were 2 in the packet, one without any sauce, but the other was with and quite tasty. I also had the tea, which was the new blend mentioned on the BT news page, and I must say was a hearty brew, although it seems the cup sizes have shrunk. . .? A always I enjoyed the Highlife magazine, although I had to steel this from my neighbours seat pocket. The crew were somewhat mediocre and I noticed that all announcements were in English, none in Italian at all, which surprised me. Also I pressed the FA Call button, and this was only responded to after 30 minutes. I bought some Duty Free, and am pleased that BA continue to do this as part of their offering. I am not sure how many legacy carriers continue to do this intra-Europe. There was no real communication from the flight deck about the delay in arriving at LHR, but in the end the flight was 2:30 minutes, quite lengthy for a 898 mile flight.

Arrival was late, but I was relieved that we were coming into the main part of T5, not B or C! The walk was not too far from the aircraft and the luggage for once, was quite quick.

Summary and verdict. Good but not great. Good value, but feel if BA just slightly upped their game, that this would make them a much better and more attractive option.

sparkyflyer flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a B737-400 (12/03/2013 15:48)

The route –London to Rome

Choices –BA, Alitalia & Easyjet .Ryanair was not considered. With luggage, Easyjet was going to be the most expensive. I chose BA as there was slightly better choice of schedule and because the hand baggage allowance was slightly more generous than AZ. However I would have been happy to have tried Alitalia again as have heard good things about them recently.

Check In. I checked in online the day before (very easy) and secured an Exit seat. In the morning I arrived at LGW North about 2.5 hours early, and queued for the bag drop for a good 15 minutes. This was annoying as I wanted to do some work, but some Caribbean bound passengers in front had some luggage issues.
Following check in I queued for security a good 15 minutes before trying to find an English Breakfast, and I found Jamie Oliver’s kitchen which was decent. I then headed to the No 1 Traveller lounge, where there was a warm welcome and pretty good breakfast spread. With all the queueing I did not have as much time to relax and do some work as I would have liked.

Boarding on to the 737-400 was orderly and I was one of the first on. I was glad as I just managed to get my cabin bag in the over head bin – which in an A320 series would not have been a challenge.
I sat down with a thud onto a pretty hard seat but was glad for the extra legroom in the exit row. I was also quite thirsty and popped back to the galley for some water which was delivered with a smile. Returning to the seat I reflected that the cabin was pretty tatty. The seats were battered, the leather coming loose etc. No duct tape here!

The Flight. Push back was on time and after a 10 minute taxi we were airborne. I had a short doze as had been up since 5:30. The cabin crew came around very quickly and handed out chicken wraps. It seemed a while after that that they came around with drinks, both the wines/drinks/teas and coffees at once, which seemed odd. Surely a better way would have been to come around with the drinks and snack, followed by more drinks and tea/coffee service. This I think would have been more appropriate and left a better impression with the passengers who were not BA loyalists. On one occasion I pressed the call button but this was never responded to, which was disappointing. They did a Duty Free round which I used, but although the crew (3?) were a smiley bunch, they did seem to do the bare minimum. The rap by the wrap was tasty and my neighbour requested a vegetarian one and the crew had this option as well. I had a white wine which was OK but not much more than that! I missed the moving maps you get with the A320 series. I read and kept copies of the BA inflight mags Highlife and Business Life, which I always enjoy.

Arrival the flight was slightly late due to a runway switch, and we arrived 2h20 after take off. It was a hard landing and I had to brace myself against the seat in front with my hand. At FCO BA arrives at a satellite terminal and you take a train to the main terminal. It was here I bumped into a former UK minister I am acquainted with, and after a tedious wait for luggage (which belts being used not well signposted at all), we shared a taxi into Rome as were going to be at the same conference.

Summary and verdict. Value was good, but feel the crew could have done a bit more and the structure of the service delivery better planned. The 737s have their “charm” but are waiting for their retirement!

FormerlyDoS flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A320 (Domestic) (24/02/2013 22:22)

LHR T1 - LBA 40 mins airborne

It nearly took as long to clear security at T1, as it did to fly to Leeds.

The domestic lounge in T1 does not compare to T5, but I thought it was perfectly adequate for a domestic flight and the lady on the front desk was cheerful and helpful.

A bit of a sentimental journey for me, as I used to fly LBA/LHR/LBA a lot in the late 70s, when BA still served the destination, albeit with VC8s, not nice shiny A319s.

Once onboard (an ex bmi aircraft in excellent condition), the pushback was 15 mins beyond STD, due to late arrival of the inbound from Belfast.

Not much else to say, the flight was by no means full and the crew whistled through the service, I had a nice bottle of white wine (actually, it was pretty anonymous, but it was free and by no means foul.)

Landed at Leeds on 13 and got the bags within about 15 mins, so reasonable.

I booked this as a rewards saver flight and found it good value, I just hope the route survives, since I doubt this flight broke even.

andrew007 flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a Embraer 170 (16/02/2013 20:27)

I arrived at Schiphol about 80 minutes before departure from my economy flight to London City and checked in on a self service machine as I had not had a chance to do so on line.

Being the last flight of the day the BA check in area was very quiet and staff made it clear I could have gone to a desk had I preferred. Unlike on my outbound flight the previous day the machine allowed me to check in using my frequent flyer card and I was not removed from my pre-assigned seat.

Not having any bags to check in I headed straight for immigration where there was a short queue before I was through to the departure lounge; security here of course comes later.

Anticipating minimal service on the short flight I went to have simple but tasty sushi meal.

Security was fast and efficient and from here I made my way to the gate.

Boarding was timely and without significant incident.

Seating is 2 - 2; I was in 10D; the snack was a tiny bag of sweet or savoury snacks as anticipated and there was a choice of a drink from the bar. Here I say fair play to BA; although there are no hot drinks served on this very short flight there are a good range of cold options. However, the advert I had seen suggesting that ice and lemon accompany all gin and tonics served aboard BA flights does not extend to this serivice; neither are carried due to space constraints but at least the gin and tonic were reasonably cool.

We landed on time and the joy of London City is the quick passage through the arrivals hall even when, as in this case, a bus was required from the plane.

A perfectly reasonable service at a level I would expect and at a cost slightly cheaper than the KLM alternative.

PatJordan flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A319 (20/01/2013 18:45)

LHR-Manchester (UK Domestic)

Booking and check in

This was the second leg of a two flight journey booked using my Avios.

www.ba.com is an easy site to navigate and selecting a flight for my preferred date and time was no trouble. BA offer an advance check-in facility up to 24hours before travel, and complimentary seat selection to BAEC Gold card holders: I chose my preferred seat, which was 1D.Within a few minutes, I received my confirmation email

Advance check in is available 24 hours before departure, and the evening prior to flying, I printed my boarding card.

I arrived at London Heathrow Terminal 5 just after 10.00am for my 12.00pm flight and proceeded straight to security. BAEC Gold allows use of the Fast track lane and I was airside within a minute.

Terminal 5 is vast, and is very bright and airy. Due to snow, and subsequent delays/cancelations, T5 was very busy. I checked the flight screens and saw that the Manchester flight was delayed by 25minutes.

Lounge

My Gold Status meant I could use the BA First lounge in south end of T5. On approaching reception, I was warmly greeted and welcomed to the lounge.

It is a very large and impressive lounge with several seating areas, excellent views of the apron and a wide selection of international newspapers and magazines. There is a huge choice of seat types too: finding a comfortable spot is certainly not going to be an issue!

There is a business centre which offers complimentary internet access, fax and printing facilities. I took advantage of this to send a few emails, and printed a few documents which I needed to read.

There was a vast range of food on offer: savoury nibbles, Walkers cake slices and biscuits, cheese, crackers and a full bar service.

There is a dedicated champagne bar which had a choice of Bollinger Rose, Castlenau, or Tattinger 2005. I had a couple of glasses of the latter and thoroughly enjoyed them!

As well as the aforementioned range of food, there is a hot buffet self service area. Up to noon, breakfast is available, with lunch after noon.

The breakfast includes:

• Fresh fruit salad
• Fruit Coulis
• Breads, scones, pastries
• Cereals
• Yogurts
• Cheeses
• Cold meats
• Muffins
• Bacon
• Cumberland and Vegetarian sausage
• Scrambled egg
• Black Pudding
• Beans
• Mushrooms
• Herb potatoes
• Toast

Additionally a number of items are available to order from a menu and are served on request. There are a number of very friendly attendants who regularly ask of there is anything further they can fetch. I indulged in some bacon, tomato and mushrooms which were quite tasty.

The view from the panoramic windows was one of snow, snow, and more snow.

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to the BA First lounge. However, as the time for my approached, I asked where the departure gate was in relation to the lounge. It was Gate 6, which is the opposite end of the terminal. There was a small delay in boarding, I decided to pay a fleeting visit to the Galleries lounge, which is just above Gate 6.

It is a large bright lounge with a variety of seat types, and good views of the apron.
Even though the lounge was quite busy, getting a seat was not a problem. The range of newspapers & magazines was very good, and there was a number of computer terminals for those who had work commitments.

There is a surprisingly good range of food in Galleries:

• sandwiches
• salads
• two types of soup with a variety of bread rolls
• baked potato
• rice
• pasta with choice of sauces
• chilli
• crisps, savoury nibbles

There is also a full bar with a good choice of wines.

As I was only there for a few minutes, I limited myself to a glass of sparkling water and a sandwich. However this is a lounge in which one could quite happily spend an hour or two waiting for a flight.

Boarding

Boarding is through an airbridge and there is a dedicated queue for BAEC Silver & Gold members. Boarding began almost as soon as I arrived at the gate, and I was on board very quickly.

The Airbus 319 was immaculate and cabin crew warmly welcomed passengers. I was greeted, and on leaving the aircraft was thanked for my custom : a very nice touch indeed. The seats are upholstered in Navy blue leather. UK Domestic is a single class service and seats are configured 3-3 throughout the cabin. I had selected 1D which I particularly like at there is no seatback in front of me. Unlike Club Europe, the middle seats are occupied, and it was a very full flight.

Inflight

The Captain gave a brief welcome ,apologised for the delayed departure, and details of flight times, followed by a safety video shown on a drop down screen. This later displayed ground speed, temperature, distance from destination, etc. Due to the weather and waiting for a de-icing operation, it was 13.15 before the doors closed. This was followed by a futher delay on the ground. It was well past 2pm when we eventually took off. We landed at 3.15pm, over two hours behind schedule. In fairness to the captain, passengers were kept fully informed of the reasons for and likely duration of the delays.

Given the short flight time (45minutes) the service is basic but quite acceptable. There is a full bar service and a choice of crisps, nuts, etc. The cabin crew were excellent in all regards.

Conclusion

Despite the delayed departure, this was an enjoyable flight. Excellent service on board, being kept informed by the Captain made the delay bearable. I also enjoyed the magnificent lounge, appreciated the efficient booking and check-in processes.

TominScotland flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A319 (07/01/2013 19:03)

This was a tad disappointing flight for a number of reasons and the first time i've felt this way about the short Glasgow - Heathrow hop in a while.

I arrived at Glasgow Airport in plenty of time for my flight and, having checked-in in advance, made my way through a virtually empty security and on to the Lounge. This smallish space was very bsy, with a Gatwick and two Heathrows scheduled to leave within a 30 minute timeframe - why do BA schedule a 09.15 (A319) and a 09.30 (A320) to Heathrow rather than use a larger aircraft? I availed of the working facilities and enjoyed a coffee.

Priority boarding was announced in the Lounge but was a total disaster as folk from the main line fed straight into the Premium line without any check so that those of us who hoped to board first found ourselves way back in the queue. This is unusual for Glasgow and i am not sure what went wrong. The result was that, once aboard and it being Monday morning, all the baggage space overhead had been taken, leading to some frustration from premium card holders...... Please note that the regular criticisms leveled at a certain LCC for its inadequate bin space could equalyy apply to BA's A319 and the aircraft was by no means full at that!! My smallish bag (honestly) was kindly stowed up-front by the purser. I was in 3C so thought that it would be easy to collect my bag on the way out........

We pushed back early and took off in murky weather. This being the 09.15 flight, a hot breakfast was offered (and refused by me) but I did notice that marmalade was available with the breakfast servive (the moral of the story is to fly to/ from LHR rather than LGW if you want to leave the aircraft with the sweet tang of seville oranges in your mouth).

There were no hold ups on the approach and we landed ahead of schedule. After a long taxi, the captain announced that we would have to wait a short while before pulling up to our gate and then disembarking into the terminal. After about 5 minutes we inched forward and then the seat belt sign went off. We stood up (as one does) and waited... and waited.... without any evidence of action on the bridge. About 10 minutes later we were informed that, contrary to earlier information, we would disembark form the rear and into a bus. My bag was at the front and my fellow passengers very, very relucatnt to let me move forward (just from 3C) to collect it so had a bit of a scrum there and some angry words from fellow passengers. Made it to my bag and was virtaully last off into a crowded bus to the terminal where we then proceeded to de-bus (as opposed to de-plane) from the front door only. At last and some 30 minutes after landing, made it out and onto the Piccadilly Line. A rather disorganised experience - unusual on this route, I must say.

andystock flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A320 (Domestic) (26/12/2012 11:26)

Short flight from LHR to MAN using avios points as no trains between London and Manchester on christmas eve. Flight completely full, boarding quite slow due to the volume of passengers.

Departed 15 mins late with no further delay. Sat in 3D which was fine. CSM when serving drinks was using the ipad and asked each passenger by their surname. The snack selection had also improved with some tasty salt dog crisps. Arrived on time into MAN and made a quick dash to the train station to get the FTP express train.

AJB2793 flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A320 (18/12/2012 22:36)

The return flight from Dublin on what was previously the BMI route on a two class A320.

Boarding prompt and punctual, again a difference of £150 on the price of a non flexible Club Europe ticket compared to the lowest Economy ticket. Difference on the one hour flight - a plate of three very small sandwiches in Club Europe, compared to a bag of raisins in economy. One drinks run in each cabin. Two seats per row in Club Europe, three per row in Economy.

Crew relaxed and friendly provided effective and well managed service - the ticket price in economy was £40 cheaper than Aer Lingus

Impressed and I will use it again - I hope BA stick with the route.

TominScotland flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a B737-400 (06/12/2012 14:07)

I checked in for this early flight to Glasgow at the dedicated premium desks in Gatwick North. Unusually for me, I had not checked in online as this facility was not available in Tunis, from where I had travelled the previous evening. There was no queue and I quickly left my suitcase and received a boarding card.

The Premium Lane was not open so I joined the short queue for the main security facility and was through in under 5 minutes. From there, it was up to the First Lounge for a breakfast of fruit and a bacon baguette, together with plenty of coffee. The Lounge was relatively quiet and a relaxing space.

I headed for gate 55C relatively early - not many people there and we were called forward about 5 minutes later. Indeed, the plane was only about 20% full and we were fully boarded early, for which the captain thanked us all!! I was in 2C and seemed to be the only passenger in front of about Row 6!!

Push back was on time and we were soon airborne, heading north, this despite very low temperatures at Gatwick. I declined the breakfast, having enjoyed by earlier food and confined myself to OJ and coffee.

We landed in a very dreach Glasgow a few minutes early. My suitcase, while not first, was off quickly and I was soon on my way into the office.

SBingham flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a B767-300 (European config.) (03/12/2012 21:42)

Food terrible. Had seat 12b front of economy but small screen not working working so no in flight movie. these 767s really need a major overhaul or retired. BA should be ashamed of the service and standard of food in economy.

TominScotland flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a B737-400 (02/12/2012 18:44)

I flew from Gatwick North Terminal to Tunis on a venerable 737-400. I had transfered from my BA domestic flight from Glasgow which requires going landside before returning through the Premium Lane (note: no Fast Track at Gatwick!!!) to departures where I made my way to the BA First Lounge.

This is a pleasent enough place with good food options but relatively small and it was busy this Sunday morning. I settled down to do some work and to enjoy a bacon baguette.

I headed to gate 105 in good time, over the magnificent bridge to Pier 6. Both down escalators at the far end were out of order, causing mild chaos. Nobody seemed to be working on them despite signs that they were undergoing urgent maintenance.

I waited near the gate as announcements were made about a short delay due to the late arrival of the inbound aircraft. The pilots arrived some time later, arousing cyncial comments that it was they (rather than the aircraft) that was late!!

Priority boarding was called and, despite being near the front of the queue, I was forced sideways but the determined rush of a group of passengers which included a well-known former BBC reporter.

I followed them on board meekly and made my way to 11C, an emergency exit seat three rows behind the curtain. The seat offers good leg room but the head rest was hanging low and loose. I asked for assistance from the flight attendant who, with some reluctance, set about sorting out the problem. This particular FA gave the strong feeling throughout the flight that she would rather be elsewhere, perhaps, going by her accent, working as a chalet girl in Verbier???

Seat sorted and fellow passengers aboard, we set off some 20 minutes behind schedule and took off soon after. The flight was relatively uneventful. Service in Economy was a chicken wrap and drinks - reasonable fare. Even though this was a flight of almost 3 hours, no second drinks service was offered. However, the duty free trolley did come through towards the end of the flight and landing cards were handed out - they looked like a generic BA landing card for Arabic speaking countries which i have not seen before.

We landed about 20 minutes late and were at the gate quite quickly. Immigration was very swift and I headed to the luggage carousel where my case, despite priority tagging, as one of the last to emerge - a common moan among travellers. When my case did emerge, I was able to exit quickly, change some money and head off to my hotel in a taxi.

All in all a mixed experience, disappointing in that the cabin crew were not really focused on their charges. Last week, on a very busy flight from Geneva, the Purser made a point of greeting Gold Card holders. On this flight, with about 60% of seats taken and a much longer flight, there was no recognition offered. Disappointing.

TominScotland flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A321 (27/11/2012 20:27)

This flight was from Geneva to Heathrow. I arrived early for my flight, tried to collect my boarding passes from the multi-airline machine in the terminal but it would only deliver one of the two needed so approached a desk. Problem was sorted and a fast track sticker added to the boarding pass. I then headed towards a very busy and slow security where my fast track sticker did not work so had to join the masses!!

Once through I headed upstairs to the tranquil surroundings of the BA Lounge - simple but well appointed with comfortable seating and tasty snacks.

I headed reasonably promptly to the non-Shengen B gates and arrived just as priority boarding commenced. I was aboard quickly and headed for my seat in the first row of economy (11C), one of the squeezed seats with a gap between the two seats - a good choice as the 3-3 commences in row 12. My neighbour blatently ignored requests not to use electronic equipment but, then, none of the cabin staff pulled him up.....

We pushed back on time and then proceeded to taxi down the Rhone valley, halfway to Lyon before eventually taking off some 25 minutes later - not the norm for Geneva.

Service of a wrap and drinks commenced soon after take off and was followed by tax free items. because of high winds at Heathrow, we were put on hold for about 20 minutes before a very bumpy landing brought us down and straight into T5. I was quickly off and headed through Passport Control (empty) and security to the First Lounge to wait for my next flight.

TominScotland flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A320 (26/11/2012 09:44)

I joined this flight from Heathrow to Geneva from the BA First Lounge after a quick bite of lunch. Departure was from gate 10, one of the bus gates, and the rather shambolic premium line still allowed me to catch the first bus and board quickly to find my seat.

10D is an emergency exit seat but without any real tangible seat benefits but early boarding meant no problems with my hand luggage on what was a very full flight. The route has a high level of Business Class demand so I was seated in the second of the Economy rows behind the curtain.

It was a relief to board on time, given that most short-haul flights appeared to be delayed because of high winds at Heathrow. We pushed back on time and after a taxi and queue, took off about 30 minutes after scheduled departure time. Service was standard - another cup of reasonable coffee on offer - and we handed bang on schedule into a wet and mild Geneva. BA gates mean a bit of a walk via the tunnel to the exit but i was landside within 15 minutes of touchdown and headed for my train.

Good service all round and delighted to be on time!!

TominScotland flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A320 (26/11/2012 09:33)

I arrived early at Glasgow Airport for this flight to London, in view of poor weather conditions in the London area and the threat of delays. As it happened, no delays were showing and things looked good as the inbound had arrived on time so I made my way through Security reasonably quickly and headed for the Lounge. This was relatively peaceful and I enjoyed a coffee before we were called to board early (about 30 minutes before scheduled departure). I was seated in 3C and was able to stow my luggage without any problems.

The flight appeared to be quite full for a Sunday morning. Once we were all aboard, the captain came on to tell us that strong cross winds at Heathrow were creating delays for inbound aircraft and that our departure slot had been put back an hour. This did not look like a problem for me, given my connection time but a number of folk were clearly concerned at how this might impact on their travel plans. The cabin crew appeared to be very helpful and made every effort to reassure passengers. I was able to get my laptop out and do an hour's useful work.

In the end, we pushed back 45 minutes late and took off ten minutes later. The flight itself was uneventful - coffee and snacks served promptly - and then an additional 20 minute hold over London so that, in the end, we landed about 50 minutes late. We disembarked quickly into T5 and I looked, with trepidation, at the monitor for connecting flights. Amazingly, amid all the delays posted, my connection to Geneva was still on time so just time for a quick dash to the First Lounge and a spot of lunch......

trusman flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A321 (25/11/2012 04:54)

I arrived at the airport with only 15 mins to go until check in closed due to my bus from the office breaking down and having to wait for the next one!

After the long walk from the bus terminal i arrived at terminal 3 and went straight to one of the self service machines and got my boarding pass with about 5 mins to spare but as I had a bag to drop (only because it had liquids in) I went to the bag drop desks but both of these were occupied with passengers checking in copious amounts of baggage (one couple with 5 bags! 3 of them were over 27kgs!) However one of the BA meet/greeters noticed me anxiously waiting and called me over to one of the desks not in use and kindly accepted my bag which I thought was great customer service!

By the time I was through security boarding was just starting to be called for so I headed straight to the gate. After getting my boarding pass checked I was annoyed to see that there were no complimentary newspapers as this is what I had planned to read on the flight. I was welcomed back by name by the CSD which is always a nice touch and headed to my seat 28D for this short flight.

Very warm and sincere welcome by both the captain and the CSD over the PA and the captain told us to expect a fairly long hold over London this evening of around 15mins due to the airport being very busy. Before long we were pushing back 5 mins ahead of schedule.

After take off the crew began the service which consisted of a complimentary bar and drinks service with a choice of snacks from a basket. These were; a selection of mixed nuts, a small packet of ready salted crisps or a packet of 2 chocolate biscuits. It had been a stressful afternoon so i opted for a Whiskey and coke and some nuts. There is no in-flight entertainment on BA short haul just the moving map from the overhead screens and as i had no newspaper i decided to have a quick read of the Highlife magazine! However both this and the moving map i found refreshingly entertaining.

As one of the cabin crew passed through collecting the rubbish I asked her if it would be possible to get another drink and she kindly brought me one as soon as she had finished collecting the rubbish as well as another packet of nuts which I hadn't asked for or expected which I found a really nice touch.

After a shorter than expected hold of over 6 or 7 mins the seatbelt signs were switched on and we started our decent landing 10 mins ahead of schedule on one of the domestic gates. I was in the baggage hall within 5 mins of the seatbelt signs being switched off and after a few minuets wait by the baggage carousel my bag was the first one out of the hatch and I was on the tube and home within an hour of landing.

Overall this was one of the best flights I've had in a while and although the nice points I have mentioned may seem trivial but sometimes its the smaller nicer things customer service staff do that really do enhance your experience with them and stay loyal to that company! BA is always my choice of airline as I find that they are consistent and have an excellent service as well as an excellent frequency of flights.

Tidmtrax flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A320 (21/11/2012 17:52)

BA A320 Econ BLQ - LHR

Check in now downstairs at BLQ as they are rebuilding, it appears that if you are flying Ryanair you have your own east terminal connected to the main terminal via a rather dangerous looking road train (the sort of thing that takes you along the seafront to admire the view) Consisting of two carriages with plastic sheets at the windows and pulled by a van disguised as a train. Ryanair like to keep the costs to a minimum.

Boarding pass in hand through a very quiet security and into the departure area, BA flights and in fact all flights outside of Italy then have to go through a passport control area to get to the boarding gates.

Flight boarded a little late as the incoming flight had been delayed at Heathrow. Having travelled this route on a regular basis over the years (it used to be via LGW now another Easyjet route) it always amazes me that the CE passengers and premium card holders make a rush to get on the bus first, only for the rest of the passengers to follow, and get off in front of them. CC was all male and although not in CE I could see that the two CC up front collected jackets helped with baggage and did what the outgoing crew should have been doing. Departure was at 1915 a little later then the 1855 schedule.

Uneventful flight (the best type) and service was provided about 20 minutes after take-off.

Consisted of Savoury Wraps, Chicken or Mozzarella, I chose the Mozzarella along with what appeared to be everyone else around. Not much taste but I was hungry.

Aircraft was another A320 but a little bit worn around the edges, rear toilet was certainly cleaner then the outbound but still not nice.

Should have touched down at 19.55 and it appeared that we would make it until the 1st Officer came on the tannoy and announced heavy traffic and we had joined a queue to land. Touchdown was about 15 minutes later and a short taxi to one of the C Gates.

Mad scrum to get off and head for the transit, our arrival coincided with several other flights and we all became sardines on the platform, train arrives everyone on the platform wants to get on this train, impossible, doors open and close several times as bags, coats etc. trigger the sensors, a few people by the door then get off doors close and we are off.

Immigration queues were outside of the zigzag area and almost to the corridor; quick assessment told me to stand in the normal queue not the biometric one. Good choice as it was only a 20 minute shuffle through to be allowed in to the UK. I watched the even slower Biometric shuffle and there was very little movement in the 20 minutes.
Back to the Business parking via the POD without any problems.

A much better CC on this flight and they appeared “To Fly to Serve”

Bath_VIP flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A320 (21/11/2012 10:47)

Flew Manchester to Heathrow, departing at 1710. Booked a week before for £15+4500 avios.

I was travelling with hand baggage so I checked in on-line in the morning whilst sat in Starbucks in the city centre. I wanted my boarding pass sent to my mobile but noted that this requires the BA app to be installed on your phone. Looked into doing this but decided in the end, it was too much faff and so chose to pick up at the airport instead.

I caught the 1524 train from Manchester Oxford Road station and 20 minutes later arrived at the airport. I know from previous experience that the walk from the station to the terminal is a long one but getting to terminal 3 is especially convoluted! I was glad there was still some daylight as the thought of trying to do that at night is unpleasant for someone with my sight problems. Signage is poor, part of the path is outside with poor lighting and the whole walk is just not intuitive in terms of directions.

I picked up my boarding pass from the checkin kiosk without any issues and went straight to security. The queues were lengthy and very disheartening but as often happens to me at airports, someone saw my white cane and invited me into the priority lane. There were about 10 people in the queue but it was very slow moving. When it came to my turn, it appeared that security was very tight that day.

I have to say that the walk from security to the departures area was one of the worst I have experienced. I struggled to work out where to go next and had to ask for directions. The path is not intuitive, signage was rubbish and it seemed everyone was being funnelled into a narrow hallway which could easily get blocked up. Departures area was crowded but I found the food hall area OK and decided I had enough time to have a pizza before boarding as I hadn't had lunch that day.

One thing that greatly amused me was the Frequent Flyer lounges. I've never been in them but I could tell from the signage that they were above me and surrounded the glass cupola that formed the roof of the the food court. I could see that the lounges had desks against the cupola that people were sitting at working on their laptops. But do those people realise that if they spread their legs whilst sat at their desks, they are giving the masses below a full frontal view? A word of warning to you ladies using these lounges! If you are sat at these desks and going commando, please sure make you are wearing short skirts!

Boarding was on time and quick and I made my way to my seat 15D. The middle seat was free and we departed on time. I liked the fact that the plane had the overhead map screens which is unusual for a domestic flight. I found the seat a little more comfortable than the previous experience with a BA 737 but it was compromised by the guy in front of me who seemed to be able to press his seat back into me. I realised by sitting in the middle that I would be the last to be served drinks but service was efficient enough to serve me a diet coke just as we started our descent.

We arrived at our gate bang on time. Disembarking the plane, I managed to contrive to trip myself up over the door step and would have fallen flat on my face had the rather stout CSD not been making his way back to the door! His stomach proved a soft landing spot and prevented me from hurting myself. What had happened was the CSD was saying goodbye to the passengers and just before I reached him he decided he needed to leave the plane. Just as I was about to leave the plane he turned around and that action caused me to miss my step. For some reason, the airbridge floor was about 3 inches below the doorstep and I didn't realise this which is why I tripped up. Can't recall if this is normal practice for airbridges as most of my recent flying has been with Easyjet & FlyBe who don't use them.

This was the first time I had arrived at T5 on a domestic flight and I found the way out to be quite quick similar to the speed of exit one used to have in T1. I then caught the railair bus to Reading station and then the train back home to Bath.

All in all, the BA flight was good value for money. The short haul AVIOS redemptions are becoming useful options to me in my travel patterns and I will use these again.

TominScotland flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A319 (20/11/2012 18:27)

I joined this flight from T5 to Madrid from my earlier connection and enjoyed the ambience of the First Lounge before heading to Gate 15, shortly before boearding commenced. The flight was by no means full so boarding was relaxed via the Priority Lane. I was delighted to see that the aircraft was the much maligned Olympic celebration design which I have frequently seen but never flown on before - not that you noticed once aboard!!

I had pre-chosen 6C and was delighted to see that, even though this was the first row in Economy, the configuration was still the Club Europe 2-3 (with the min-seat between A and C, so plenty of room to organise myself for a working flight.

Push-back was on time but the taxi was long and slow so, once airborne, we were promised an arrival some 15 minutes behind schedule - a promise borne out in the event.

Service in economy was brisk - a tasty wrap, soft drinks and coffee and the time sped by while I enjoyed what seemed to be amble leg and working room to catch up with a few things on my laptop.

We arrived at Terminal 4S in Madrid after another long taxi and I was confronted by the challenge of no signs and no gate monitors - unless you knew that Iberia domestic flights connections went from Gates H, J and K, there was nothing at all to tell you. After asking in the Lounge, I made my way down endless escalaors to the connecting train and arrived at Passport Control, Security and into the departures area for my final flight.

TominScotland flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A321 (20/11/2012 18:17)

I arrived early at Glasgow Airport for my 07.00 flight to Heathrow, hitting Security at the same time as it was swamped by Celtic fans en route to Lisbon. But the queues moved quickly and I headed for the BA Lounge, very crowned in anticipation of the first flights to three London airports. Breakfast options were cereals, toast, pastries and fruit - very different fare from that of the football supporters in the bar!! A cup of coffee and some fruit later, priority boarding was direct from the Lounge and I was soon settled into 2C, with virtually all other seats taken on a very busy flight.

We pushed back on time but endured what, for Glasgow, was a very slow taxi as three Lisbon-bound aircraft snuck in ahead of us. Hence we were airborne some 35 minutes after scheduled departure.

The Captain welcomed us aboard and, as is normal with BA, reminded us of the importance of safety, how seriously BA take safety matter and to listen carefully to the safety announcements. However, the automated safety announcement was not functioning so it was left a member of cabin crew to do it the old fashioned way. I don't think I have ever experienced such a badly delivered safety announcement - rushed and garbled by a non-native speaker reading from the script far, far too fast.

Despite the early hour, there was a fair amount of laughter mixed with surprise around me. The delivery reminded me of some of the worst examples from low cost airlies using foreign staff and should be of concern to BA as evidence of a real safety training failure. Because the flight was very busy, I did not have the opportunity to speak to the Purser in private but did mention it on my way through to the First Lounge before my next flight. The staff member on duty made the right noises, said he would pass the information on but made no effort to make a note of the flight or my name. Hence this post because I am not sure where else to raise this serious issue - advice anyone?

After that, the breakfast offering was an anticlimax but, in fact, the cooked vegetarian was excellent - a tasty Spanish omlette, spinach, mushrooms and tomato with the usual roll, OJ and coffee.

We landed without any hold just a couple of minutes late and disembarked straight into the domestic arrivals area.

A normal flight, a good breakfast but a disgrace of a cabin announcer who, incidently, proceeded to (I think) welcome us to London in a similar, incomprehensible manner.

trusman flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A319 (20/11/2012 04:44)

BA1404 A319 LHR-MAN 7.55pm

Got to the airport around 2 hours before departure and checked in. Check in staff very friendly as I checked in my bag and was through security within 10 mins! Heathrow terminal 5 as always a pleasure to be in! Boarding was called and I just sat and waited as I had my assigned seat and just a laptop bag for under the seat.

Friendly welcome on board however I could tell the crew were very busy trying to deal with all the hand baggage as every seat was taken on board. After take off a bar service began so I took advantage and had a couple of beers and a small packet of mixed nuts (other choices were small packet of ready salted crisps and 2 chocolate biscuits) whilst enjoying the conversation of the lady sat next to me. Seat belt signs were on just as the crew were handing out the last drinks and they efficiently cleared in the rubbish as they checked seatbelts.

Landed in Manchester a nice 2 mins early and as i was one of the last to disembarks my bag was already on the belt. Overall a very nice quick flight. BA still has to be the best domestic carrier with the free baggage allowance and free bar/snacks! Its actually an enjoyable oasis for half an hour after a days work and the frequent flight times are a massive bonus.

PeterRowland flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a B737-400 (19/10/2012 19:08)

The flight was delayed by over 2 hours, Aircraft was very worn with many of the seats damaged and tatty although they were comfortable. The snack provided was very poor a mozzarella and pesto roll. The drinks were quality items however the staff were unpleasant ignoring my wife when she gave our drinks order talking over her to ask me what I wanted.

Bath_VIP flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a B737-400 (19/10/2012 08:06)

Flew Gatwick to Glasgow departing at 2115. Checked in on-line with hand baggage only. First time I had redeemed Avios for a short haul flight and the cost was £15+4,500 avios.

The last time I flew from Gatwick must have been around 2004 so I was curious to see what had changed at the airport. I arrived by train from London Bridge where it is worth noting that the trains are actually 2 minutes faster and cheaper than the Gatwick express. Caught the transit to the North terminal where everything had completely changed. The most noticeable was the size of the check in area which must be 2 or 3 times what it used to be.

Security was quick due to the late hour and I had time to spend 20 minutes in the No. 1 traveller lounge using my Priority Pass. First time I have used this and my impressions were that it is impressive. Certainly made me want to come back there. A fruit salad & drink later, the flight was announced on the departures board and I walked down to the gate.

Like so many airlines, the boarding call was premature and everyone was hanging around for 10 minutes before boarding actually commenced. The flight was almost full and I was sat in seat 16D (which I had chosen on-line when checking in). I was surprised at the lack of legroom with the seat. I don't recall other BA flights I have taken in economy having legroom as bad as this so I wonder if this is an issue specific to the 737.

The plane itself was otherwise in good condition and service was efficient and appropriate to this kind of flight. Departure was a few minutes late and once airborne, I had a cup of tea. Only snacks were available rather than meals which was fine with me. Landed on time.

I was staying overnight at the Ramada hotel at Glasgow airport and the story of how I made my way there is a saga in itself!

andystock flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a Embraer 190 (16/10/2012 08:20)

Glasgow to London City on the E190. Long wait at security which is nothing new for Glasgow. Boarding quick and left on time. As usual for the BA E190 excellent leg room, 2 seats to myself. The cabin lighting looks smart of the E190 at night. Drinks service provided with a small snack. Landed 10 mins early and was sitting on the DLR train within 5 mins. I like how they exit from the front and back of the cabin at LCY.

BA Cityflyer one of the best ways to fly in the UK / Europe.

KeaneJohn flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A319 (22/09/2012 20:23)

Short delay at priority check in. Just 2 staff on duty and quite a few people waiting. Very clinical process with disinterested staff member. Used Gatwick Premium security. Pretty impressive , better than the Virgin Atlantic dedicated security channel at Terminal 3. Only criticism is no preparation area. but through in just a couple of minutes without any problems.

Headed straight for the BA lounge, noticed that the gate for my flight would be available 25 minutes after STD. Asked at desk if this meant a delay and was told delay of approx 1 hr. Headed into lounge, good salad bar section, wide range of sandwiches and a well appointed bar. Fizz was an acquired taste don't know what it was. but served politely and efficiently.

Unexpected approximately 75 minutes before revised time of departure the First Office for the flight came into the lounge and introduced himself. Explained why the flight was delayed and confirmed our routing and weather conditions. Also said that the lounge staff were aware that I was on the flight and in the event that a replacement aircraft was sourced (which was being looked into) flight would be brought foward. A most welcome initiative. I asked the lounge staff if this was new policy and was told that this was just a proactive flight deck crew. Pretty impressive.

Flight came up for boarding on the screens but lounge staff said wait 10 more minutes and head to the gate slowly. Did as they suggested and was horrified to come out of the lounge to see GATE CLOSED on the boards in the main departure lounge. Breaking into a sweat and a sprint got to the gate (55D) to see everybody waiting. Boarding staff said that this was Gatwick Airport's fault and the cabin crew had gone out of hours so a new crew were being sourced. Short wait at the gate before wheelchairs were boarded then prority boarding announcement.

Boarding formalities completed quickly and push back fairly quickly. Amazing cabin crew completed the service in a short while. Aircraft cabin was 2/3rd full.

Second bar service for passengers that wanted and cabin lockdown 10 minutes before landing. First office at door to bid farewells to passengers and bags delivered within 7 minutes of landing.

All in all an exceptional service considering the 1 hour delay to the flight. I am guessing the people without lounge access did not have as good an experience from the noises heard in flight and at baggage reclaim.

AlexanderRich flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A321 (24/08/2012 19:45)

Heathrow to Arlanda at 7:40 AM and a rather odd time to takeoff on my first flight over 2 hours in over two years.

I spent most of the time (including the landing) asleep but, about 40 mins into the flight I woke up becuase of breakfast, a rather dry bacon roll with very very sour orange juice although I got a glass of water that tasted fine.

There were especially comfortable seats and a very smooth landing or the touch down would of woken me up!

TominScotland flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A321 (18/08/2012 18:39)

Arrived about an hour before my early afternoon departure from Glasgow to Heathrow. As I had printed out all my boarding cards in advance, I dropped off my suitcase at the Priority check-in desk where it was checked through to my final desination (BNE).

Security took about 5 minutes and I made my way to the BA Lounge where I was able to relax for half an hour or so. Priority boarding was from the Lounge to gate 19 and I was quickly seated in 1C.

Pushback was on time and, despite some turbulence in flight, drinks service was prompt and frendly. We landed a few minutes early and had to hold for a while on the taxiway before pulling up at T5 on time. Disembarkation was swift and I made my way by bus to T3 for my onward flight.

TominScotland flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A321 (31/07/2012 21:10)

Flew from Glasgow to London on a busy flight. We arrived at the airport in very good time, checked in a bag (unusually for me on a short trip but my teenage son insisted on his full range of gels and the like!!) and proceeded through an empty security to the Galleries Lounge which soon filled up - clearly a flight in considerable demand from premium travellers.

There is a goodly range of snacks and drinks, appropriate for mid-afternoon (featuring sandwiches and scones).

The flight was called a few minutes late and boarding was smooth. We were seated in Row 4 and settled down for our short flight. Drinks service was prompt and cheerful. After a brief hold, we landed some 10 minutes late and were soon at the gate and off the plane.

At the baggage carousel, the wait began without any obvious explanation. After about 25 minutes, a BA announcement came to the effect that there would be a delay because of the need to off-load "high value cargo" before passenger baggage. What this was, we were not told but clearly more important than passengers!!

Bags arrived about 45 minutes after landing - not a great start to the evening but we were then on our way into London. Domestic arrivals in T5 was very quiet indeed.

Good lounge experience and fine flight. Odd experience with the baggage, however.

trusman flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A320 (07/07/2012 17:19)

AMS-LHR, A320 Euro Traveller.

Check in was smooth and agent was friendly at Amsterdam as I checked my bag in. After a very long 20 min walk from passport control to my gate boarding was called.

One thing I dont get with BA is that as soon as they call for boarding EVERYONE stands up and queues? I can understand this happening on budget airlines but with pre allocated seating i don't get the need? if im first on the plane my seat is the same if i get on last? Then again this isnt the airlines fault!

The greeting at the door was warm by the purser and was welcomed back by name. One negative point about this flight is for a 9pm flight when everyone is tired, there were at least 5 PA's in ten mins about hand baggage, where it could and couldn't go, some quite condescending "for the gentleman in the asaile please find a place for your bag now or face having it put in the hold".

I found this to be very rude, however i do thing the ground staff need to do more stopping these huge bags from being taken as hand luggage as I had to put my small bag under the seat infront of me because there was no space mean while other people have a huge wheely bag, a laptop bag, duty free bag and a handbag, with such a generous checked baggage allowance why not check the wheely in? One of my pet hates!

Flight itself was none eventful and very short. Saw hardly any of the crew apart from drinks service as a short flight but cant remember any smiling faces. Service was a small bag of pretzels with a bar service. Was OK, could have eaten more and got off the aircraft slightly hungry. If they have time to give out a sandwich in the morning why don't they after 10pm?

Overall the usual quality, efficient BA short haul bus service. Would recommend!

trusman flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A320 (07/07/2012 17:10)

LHR-AMS A320 Euro Traveller.

Check in was smooth and agent was friendly as always at terminal 5 and was going straight through an empty security by 7.30am for a 9.20am flight and proceeded to mill around the terminal and get some breakfast before finding a seat in the terminal.

Boarding environment was a little stressful, although they do try to board the aircraft from the rear forwards this doesn't happen as everyone just stands up and club/frequent fliers board as they please which in turn clogs up the cabin however the crew were in the cabin assisting and chatting to customers which was nice to see!

Flight itself was not eventful and very short and i just settled in with my ipod and watched the moving map. Breakfast meal consisted of a bacon and egg roll and a choice of tea, coffee, juice or water which was good.

Arrival in Amsterdam 10 mins ahead of schedule however a very long taxi and a 10 min walk to immigration went against this. Had to wait around ten mins for my bag. Overall the usual high quality, friendly, efficient BA short haul service. Would recommend!

MarcusUK flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a Embraer 190 (27/06/2012 19:58)

AMS-LCY This BA flight from leaves weekdays at 11.30am.

Mid daytime flights are not abundant from AMS as Airlines tend to run them mornings and evenings more, with Cityjet on the same route. I bought a one way a couple of weeks ahead at Euros 80 incl. a good price.

Schiphol Check in is in Terminal 3. Departure is in Terminal 2! You share the check in area with Iberia. It is a dull area, check in machines did not pick up the booking so I had to check in at the desk. You need to allow at least 20 minutes walk, plus security time at a core entrance point for some UK flights at the top of D terminal, so the gates are farthest away, add on another 20 minutes to clear security at busy times.

The Embraer 190 is a new very comfortable aircraft to fly on to LCY, and BA run 170 aircraft also.

The seats were comfortable leather, with good leg room, cabin pleasant and spacious and felt well aired. It was quiet and comfortable, about 70% occupied.

The flight left 10 minutes late with no explanations from the crew. Long taxiway on what they call "The Haarlem runway" 15 minutes taxi away and several Km's.

Service on Board is disappointing, with little effort made. Plastic 150mls of cheap orange juice or same water from a cheap supplier, with only a fatty savoury bag of snacks, or sweet offered. No hot drinks. No other choices of soft drinks or at least named suppliers of a good brand. No sandwiches. I left what i was offered.

Crew spent 15 minutes talking at the back..this not being the first time this happens. They could easily serve tea and coffee, as undoubtedly the overall taxi and flight takes over an hour.

We landed on time, 11.40am GMT.

Exiting was delayed by 10 minutes due to no stairs, and a waiting aircraft departing. Immigration was quite at this time, with officers being called out from their waiting room, as at LCY (they do not sit there the whole shift, some off peak times flights are scarce, but through in a few minutes.)

Baggage delivered within 5 mins and out to car parked nearby. Always a rapid exit from LCY one of the big benefits of time.

Comparing Cityjet (run by Air France Avro 85 Aircraft + Code share with for KLM).

As a Gold KLM Skyteam frequent flyer i get Intercontinental Lounge access, and Priority Skyteam check in, Immigration, and Security now throughout Schiphol, one of the EU's voted best Airports. This is a set of major perks making it much more serviced, pleasant and time saving.

On board the food and drink has been improved on Cityjet recently, with better sandwiches always offered, a full bar service soft drinks, and always tea and coffee. The crews are always busy serving everyone, and they work hard.

There is really little effort on BA, pots of water and cheap snacks do not suffice when fares can be as high as £300 one way for economy seats.

On Cityjet, Cleanliness of the windows, backs of the seats is getting very poor, with stains, and grime on the windows. The Avrojet feels smaller and more cramped and not as light, and on BA the Embraer jets are much more comfortable, spacious, relaxing and enjoyable. They are new aircraft and well cleaned. They are also quieter engines and a very comfortable plane for an EU flight compared to many Aircraft.

Prices tend to vary with Cityjet running more daily flights, and weekends also, where BA run one or two at weekends. City Airport closes from Midday Saturday until same time Sunday.

It is a shuttle service at 45 min flights. What you pay depends on off peak or high peak (weekends and mornings ... evening Cityjet flights from AMS are actually cheapest at 16hrs -19hrs.

Cityjet have 3 monthly roughly sales on this route, and fares have been as low as £80 / £95 returns, and they have included ALL flights at peak times also. But their standards have dropped, and they need to see to the basics such as hygiene and cleanliness.

BA offer the better plane, and you can find the odd fare that beats cityjet on a one way.
Always check both Airlines if you want the lowest price, as the difference can be dramatic.
You can also consider using Easyjet iLondon Southend to Amsterdam with 2x daily flights if you can get out there by train or car (1 hr from N ldn).
Fares run from as little as Euros 18.99 one way!

Pro's and cons, take your pick! I fly weekly, and use 95% Cityjet owing to the perks and miles.

LCY Parking TIP!

Car parking at LCY can be charged at around £48.00 per 24 hrs! This can add £120+ to your fare for an over 2 day trip! Many regular passengers park just down from the airport on a nearby estate without restrictions. There is a long road that does not impose residents, and the area supplies much work from the airport, both co-exist well. It is safe and a few minutes walk via the DLR underpass and station into the airport. You can save much in costs!

TominScotland flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A320 (22/06/2012 18:36)

I arrived at Glasgow Airport in good time for this flight to Heathrow. I had checked-in in advance to progressed quickly through a quiet security area and made my way to the terraces Lounge for my first visit since obtaining status with BA. Its a small area but very comfortable, with good facilities (including wifi), drinks and sandwiches. On arriving at the nLounge, I was asked whether i wanted to stand down for the flight in return for compensation. Given that I had a connecting flight, this was a non-starter so I refused.

Boarding was called in the Lounge and was efficient, using both front and rear doors, I was in 3C, a good location for exiting in London. We pushed back early and were soon airborne. Service was the normal drinks and snacks - perfectly adequate for the time of day and the duration of the flight.

We landed a bit ahead of schedule and, after ashort taxi, deplanned into Terminal 5 from where I made my way to my connecting flight from T4.

No complaints and nice to have Lounge access in Glasgow.

gazpodel flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A320 (18/06/2012 15:08)

Boarding: Done very quickly and efficiently and was impressed with the Athens Gate Staff

Seat: Quite a nice seat for sitting, like the shape-able head-rest but as the seat only reclined a few inches I don't rate these highly for sleeping in.

Service: Very good - complimentary drinks shortly after take-off and punctual service of other food etc during the flight.

I.F.E: Rated only 3/10 - this was due to no movie being shown and only scored 3/10 due to the clever in-flight map shown for the duration, otherwise I would not have scored this section.

Food/Drinks: Very nice food, nice & hot (Which was a meatballs meal) and the drinks were also v good.

Punctuality: Rated 8/10 only because we got slightly held up in an Air Traffic Control directed holding pattern over Biggin Hill.

Baggage: Scored 10/10. Check-in was very smooth and the attendant re-assuring regarding my weight of bags. By the time I was through passport control at heathrow (bout 20mins in total) my bag was waiting for my arrival to the baggage hall - a first!

Overall, my second experience of a B/A flight (the first being BA640 arriving into athens two weeks before at the start of my holiday) I have found them to be a very good airline - don't listen to all the scare-mongering you hear in the media.

MarcusUK flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a Embraer 170 (11/06/2012 03:11)

Embraer 170 LCY - AMS at 17.05 on a busy weekday.

No queues at BA check in.
LCY good as always in brisk security, checking in 40 mins before the flight.
Flight boarded on time, halps at LCY for boarding both front and back stairs, but left 15 minutes late with no explanation from the Captain.

The flight was about 60% full.
Light meal service announced for Club Europe, but a pot of water and an unhealthy fatty cheap snack for economy, which I declined. They had no hot or cold drinks. Service was poor as was the standards of things offered, compared to KLM or AF / Cityjet from London to Amsterdam.

Two crew could easily have managed for a hot drink service. Cityjet always do as KLM from LHR rushed as it is for them. More effort could be made for these sometimes expensive flights, short hop though it is.

The fare was good value at £80 single at a peak time, though booked 2 weeks in advance.

Embraer 170 is a nice new feel spacious aircraft to fly, but the service is not matched. A decent coffee and sandwich can always be valued on European flights these days, as showing some effort, and better standard than other Airlines. No in flight entertainment.

Seat not applicable for sleeping.
Not my first choice compared to Cityjet on the same route, or KLM from LHR where applicable.

Even Easyjet from "London Southend" I recently experienced, an airbus A320, and options of decent food and drink to buy, was preferred. Their fares start from £21.99 each way!

Andrew.Bartlam flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A319 (10/06/2012 13:51)

BA gives a consistently reliable and safe service. The staff are clearly well trained in both the technical and the customer service area. One area that myself and many other frequent travelers would like to see minimized is the incessant intercom babble.

I timed this on my last flight home from Orly o LHR and there was over 15 minutes of cabin announcements for a 45 minute flight. I appreciate fully the need for safety but so many business travelers just want to snooze. With a speaker over your head in most seats it's a pain to be forced to listen to anything non essential.

TominScotland flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A321 (08/05/2012 12:36)

This report relates to a return trip with BA GLA-LHR-GVA in economy.

I arrived in plenty of time at Glasgow, collected my boarding passes from the kiosk (printer at home is playing up....) and proceeded rapidly though Security. As it was Sunday lunchtime, the airport was quiet and we boarded very eraly for our Heathrow departure.

I was in 1C in order to ensure rapid deplanning in case of delays but I need not have bothered as we pulled up at T5 about 20 minutes ahead of schedule. Service on board was fine, a drink and snack served with smiles all round.

An early arrival gave me the opportunity to head for the First Lounge with my bmi Gold card. I has assumed another security check but domestic to international at T5 has straight access into the departures area - a bonus.

Given the timing of flights and my onward train journey (small town Switzerland does not do restaurants on a Sunday night...), I treated myself to an excellent Sunday lunch before heading out and to A15, 3 minutes walk away.

Although the flight was very full, boarding was orderly and we pushed back on time, only to be stalled in the queue for take-off because of runway checks. As a result we were running a little late but a repeat of the previous service made up for that.

We arrived some 20 minutes behind schedule in Geneva and, despite a long walk, I made my planned train from the airport station.

My return involved another train journey and, despite claims on this forum about rail pricing in Switzerland, it was certainly not cheap! Nor was service at the ticket office helpful or friendly........

In Geneva we boarded early and were away in very good time. No change in service - you could bet on it I think!!

Important discovery on the map BA have on their small overhead monitors. As we flew over the channel, we went into a 20 minute hold and I noticed that we were overflying Stansted, distinctly located south of the Thames somethere in Kent. Maybe this is a clever Government ploy to expand airport capacity? By relocating an existing airport and obliterating most of the garden of England, perhaps planning permission is not required. Anyway, if you live anywhere near Canterbury, expect Stansted 2 to appear on your doorstep soon.......

The hold meant an arrival on time and a very quick transit through the tender mercies of UKBA (only one person ahead of me), saw me in the Club Lounge in T5, unfortunately I gambled wrong and had to trapse back across to A19.

The final leg to Glasgow mirrored earlier rides with another ontime arrival. I could get used to this......

TominScotland flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A321 (03/05/2012 12:09)

I flew the return Glasgow - Heathrow, out and back on successive days.

For the outbound, I checked in on-line and printed my boarding card in advance. I was dropped to the airport at 15.15 for my 16.20 flight. With no luggage to check, I was through security in under 5 minutes and headed for the gate area.

I am on the cusp of my BA Gold card (via bmi) and, although I have applied for status match, did not have a BA card with me and so could not make use of the Lounge at Glasgow. Next time......

Boarding was early and relaxed, using the airbridge for front-seated passengers and steps for those boarding at the rear. I was in 4D and was aboard in quick time. The aircraft was very full - standby passengers were called which is something I have not seen for a while. However, we all boarded quickly and pushback was ahead of schedule.

Service was efficient and cheerful - I just had a coffee and biscuit but others were generously provided with 'doubles' for their G and T orders. The Captain kept us well informed of progress and alerted us to 10 minutes in a holding pattern which meant landing just 10 minutes early. A short taxi took us to the A stands for disembarkation. This too was efficient, with a short walk to the domestic exit. I was on the Piccadilly Line within 15 minutes of landing.

For my return, I used the Underground again and arrived at Heathrow at 18.00 for my 19.35 flight. I had not printed my boarding pass so used an automated kiosk to do so.

North security was closed so I was directed to the South area which was very quiet. As Glasgow flights usually leave from A1-A7, I headed to the Galleries Club Lounge at that end of the terminal and gained access, using my bmi card.

As I had (stupidly) left my laptop in my hotel (its en route back to me as I write this), I availed of the machines in there to catch up on the day and have a light snack from a good choice of hot food options.

The Lounge was not too busy at that time. I then noticed that my flight was due to leave from A19 at the other end of the concourse so made my way over to the First Lounge there. As Gold is bmi's top tier, i was allowed entry but was told that, for BA card holders, Emerald is required - different information to that given at Gatwick a week or so ago. Sounds as though i will need to keep using my bmi card as long as I can as my new BA card will only allow me to access to Business facilities. I enjoyed my brief visit to the First Lounge and noted considerably enhanced food offerings.

Boarding for my flight north was early and stress-free. This time I was in 10D, en emergency exit seat that does not appear to give extra legroom. The flight was probably 80% full and there was a free seat next to me, allowing the opportunity for greater comfort.

After a short taxi, we were airborne on time and headed through the cloud to the cruise. Service again was fast and friendly. views once we were north of Carlisle were fantastic - the pilot even talked of sighting Ben Nevis - and we arrived some 10 minutes ahead of schedule into late evening sunshine in Glasgow.

BA is increasingly giving me what I want on a short-haul flight - punctuality and pleasant service. My next trip will involve a change in T5 en route to Geneva with the horror of a return through the hands of UKBA to look forward to....... Watch this space!

TominScotland flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a B737-400 (24/04/2012 08:12)

This review relates to flights from Glasgow for a long weekend in Bologna via Gatwick, using AVIOS and just £27 in addition - fantastic value!! Left Glasgow on Day 2 of the status match for bmi Gold card holders so was looking forward to a quite visit to the Lounge in North terminal.

Glasgow departure was ion-time and we were seated in 4A and 4C, the wider seats on a 2-2 configuration at the front of the plane. Excellent legroom as well.

Tasty cooked breakfast although not sure when the scrambled egg had last seen a chicken??

Arrived a few minutes early and went through flight connections very quickly. Time for a quick visit to the Terraces Lounge and some decent coffee. My bmi card was welcomed and, on leaving, the attendant was very apologetic as he should have directed us into the First Lounge. Will know that for my next visit....

On the Bologna flight after just 80 minutes on the ground at Gatwick, we had the same seats (and the same captain), just behind the CE curtain. A tasty snack breakfast was on offer but not the cooked version this time.

Wonderful flight over the Alps and down into the Po valley for an early arrival. Two great flights, perfect Gatwick connection.

After a fab couple of days in Bologna, the return was similar in timing terms but the flights were rather fuller. No delays at all and into Gatwick on time. Service was drinks and snacks on both flights.

Queues at Immigration were horrendous when we arrived but must have been the end of the dinner break because they suddenly started to flow once we joined. The normal queue was much faster than the chip reader route!!

Made it out into Departures and back in through security without problems and had to miss out on the Lounge because of the tight timing. Despite a short technical delay before boarding, we were back into Glasgow bang on time.

BA's service could not be faulted on this routing, It will be great when they can upgrade the short-haul Gatwick fleet.

UKBA horror stories are building up at the moment and we had a wee taste of what is to come in future months, I think.

TominScotland flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A319 (26/03/2012 11:33)

I was under time pressure after the late arrival of my previous flight into T3 where I had chosen to collect my luggage rather than let the airlines transfer it. A calculated risk which i was starting to regret while I waited for my case in T3... and waited and waited .....

Rushed to the Heathrow Express Transfer to T5, doors just closed on me so another 10 minute wait for the next train. Got to the BA check-in somewhat frazzled but was calmed by the lady at check-in who quickly took me through formalities and sent my luggage into the system again. No queues at security and the flight started boarding just as I made my way down to A7.

This was the last domestic out of the evening and was less than half full. We pushed back early, the flying time was brief (but allowing enough time for a quick drink) and we landed in Edinburgh 20 minutes ahead of schedule.

TominScotland flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A321 (17/03/2012 20:35)

Review for my domestic flight GLA - LHR prior to transiting onto another airline for a long-haul flight. The journey was booked as two separate tickets so there was always the risk of a delay leaving me stranded at LHR.

Checked in at a ghostlike Glasgow Airport on a Saturday late afternoon - no queue for baggage drop and literally no other travellers in the Security Area - a first for me.

The in-bound was early so we boarded ahead of schedule. I was seated in 8A, an emergency exit seat so plenty of legroom. The flight was only about 40% full but seats to the front of the aircraft were blocked for trim purposes. Pushback was early. Service was drinks/ tea/ coffee and an acceptable nibble.

We landed without any delays in the approach and were at the Gate some 15 minutes early. However, the airbridge was playing up so a 10 minus wait ensued while rear steps were found and we exited onto the tarmac. My case was already on the carousel by the time we were in arrivals so I was i very good time to transit to T3 for my next leg.

BA make this hop painless and do so in a professional and friendly way.

KeaneJohn flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a Embraer 190 (04/03/2012 23:30)

Checked in about 90 minutes before departure after plans in Glasgow were curtailed due to the inclement weather.

Travelling on GLA-LCY/LHR-PRG Club Europe ticket with stopover between sectors. Check in agent on Premier counter again disinterested and accepted luggage and issued boarding card with little interaction and monotonous.

Went through security and headed to the lounge. On arrival at the lounge was told that my ticket did not qualify. Showed the ticket and itinerary which did state lounge access permitted. Staff made a phone call and then was told I could enter. Not sure if boarding pass beeped green or not.

Lounge was a bit disappointing, few plugs, and a bit dark and a limited amount of snacks. Lounge staff announced a short delay to flight. Refreshments range poor compared to Galleries but adequate for short wait.

Aircraft came in and turnaround was quick as flight had only 38 passengers aboard. Boarding completed in a few minutes and push back approx 20 mins late.

After take off, bar service with snacks was served quickly and efficiently by the 2 great crew. They spent the rest of the journey speaking to passenges getting 2nd and 3rd drinks. Was great to find crew members enjoying what they do .. looking after passengers.

Arrived on stand at STA and in the baggage hall a few minutes later. Bags were tagged as priority by agent at Glasgow and despite there being only 8 passengers with checked bags mine came off last. Would it really have made much of a difference to put the priority tagged bag on first ?

That said, walked out of the airport 9 minutes after STA onto DLR train pulling into the station as I joined the platform and walking in my front door 22 minutes after STA made for a perfect end to a pretty impressive flight experience.

DisgustedofSwieqi flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A319 (02/03/2012 05:12)

This was a short hop from LHR to GOT, 90 minutes.

The positives - on time departure, short taxi and early arrival. Pleasant and efficient crew. Communicative captain, who kept us informed of progress. Good selection of drinks from the bar.

The negatives - pathetic selection of 'snacks' and a tatty aircraft interior, with the seams of the seats in front of me having completely come apart, showing the foam inside and what looked like whitish mould, although I didn't get close enough to be sure, it could perhaps have been glue residue. However, someone had dropped food on the middle seat back and the stains/dried remnants were still there. Not at all nice.

Also, the side panels on the cabin were tatty and had threads hangin off the bottom.

The aircraft looked as it it needed all the old tattly seats and panels ripping out and replacing, as well as a fumigation.

A shame, as it left a bad impression of what was a good flight.

As Deming said, quality is 85% the responsibility of management and one cannot blame this good (heritage fleet) crew for the disgusting state of the seats.

KeaneJohn flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a Embraer 190 (01/03/2012 22:22)

Left home at 9.10 for the short walk to West Ham station for the direct DLR to London City Airport arriving about 30 mins before a 10.05 take off.

Nobody in the check in desk and formalities completed quickly. Headed straight to security and though with no delay. Headed immediately to gate just as final boarding sign came up and joined the end of the queue. 90 people on the 100 seater aircraft.

Ontime push back (or pull forward at LCY) and taxi to the end of the runway. Take off towards Canary Wharf with a sharp bank immediately over the Olympic site. Was very pleasantly surprised to see a full cooked breakfast served with a drinks run on such a short flight. Landed early but had to wait for stand to become available.

Still walking out the airport 12 mins at STA after reclaiming luggage which was already on the carousel All in all a very pleasant flight.

Morrs101 flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a B737-400 (01/02/2012 10:49)

This is a review of teh return journey from Gatwick to Jersey with BA on January 29, 2012.

I arrived at an abandoned Jersey airport at 1815.

I parked up the hire car in the main car park and deposited the keys and the car park ticket in the drop box, located on the left hand side on entering the terminal, next to a small coffee stand.

I then made my way to the BA desk. I had checked in online already and there was no queue so I went straight to one of the two available desks and handed over my phone, some ID and my case, which I had decided to check in this time as it was so quick off the carousel last time it wasn’t worth wheeling around.

I then passed through security, depositing a few items in my carry on before entering the walled off area, which was deserted. There were no hold ups in security and we were airside by 1830 only to be met by a 50 minute delay with the original flight time of 1940 moved to 2030.

Airside at Jersey airport there is a WH Smiths, large World Duty free and a cafe/bar/restaurant. I also managed to log in to a free wifi network, which was a bonus.

At this time in the evening, with our flight being the last of the day, I could count the heads airside. As soon as our flight was called all the shops started closing down for the day. I did some shopping in duty free and took a seat to read and wait for the flight to be called.

The flight was eventually called at 2000 and we went immediately. We were held at gate 3 for a short amount of time in a very small room before walking out onto the tarmac for a short walk to the stairs.

Me and my travelling partner were sat in 8A and B. The seats on this B737-436 were blue leather and very comfortable if not a bit tatty in places due to age. The seats also had small drinks tables on the two middle armrests. Due to the length of the flight there was no in flight entertainment but a couple of magazines provided. There was a small business section took up rows 1-6 with the middle seats un-sold and was separated by a curtain at the front.

The flight was no more than 25% full so after takeoff I moved to 8C so we could share the space afforded by the empty, narrower middle seat.

Following another short delay due to a change of wind and subsequent change of runway, we pulled back at 2030 and were airborne by 2040.

Food was served at 2055 and consisted of hot and cold drinks, including alcohol. I ordered a tea which came with a soft currant and dark chocolate cookie and my travelling partner had a water which came with a packet of dried cranberries and nuts, nothing more substantial was served.

We began our descent at 2100 and landed with a thud at 2115.

We de-boarded via an air bridge and went back through gates 55A-K which acted as a special channel, avoiding passport control and going straight to a set of carousels numbered 10 and 11. Our bags were off almost immediately and we were landside by 2130.

A great run despite the delay and getting out of the airport and away so easily makes getting home all the sweeter.

Morrs101 flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a B737-400 (01/02/2012 10:47)

BA, Euro Traveller, Gatwick NT – Jersey, Friday January 27, flight BA2770, 0835 departure time.

Arrived at the new look North Terminal at 0715 for our 0835 departure on the shortest of hops over to Jersey with British Airways.

I had checked in online and had my boarding pass sent to my phone as had my travelling partner. However she had a bag to check in where I did not so we went to the self service machines, scanned the mobile boarding pass and printed off a luggage tag. Once this was attached we went to one of the few empty desks and handed the baggage over after showing the phone and a driving license for ID to the attendant. We then moved on to security and were pulled out of our queue to a newly opened lane and were through with no issues by 0740.

It was quiet airside so we did some shopping (Ted Baker and WH Smiths) and then grabbed some breakfast from Eat, which was easily twice as busy as any other food outlet in the terminal. We were fortunate to grab a seat though and kept our eye on the board for a gate number. The gate opened at 0755 and we started walking at 0800.

Our gate was 55B which is located in a special separate section for gates 55A-K which I assume is for Channel Island and domestic flights. We showed our boarding passes and some ID. Boarding started immediately after we arrived and there was no queue either in the waiting area or on the air bridge. We were sat in 9A and B.

The seats on this B737-436 were blue leather and very comfortable if not a bit tatty in places due to age. The seats also had small drinks tables on the two middle armrests. Due to the length of the flight there was no in flight entertainment but a couple of magazines provided. There was a small business section took up rows 1-6 with the middle seats un-sold and was separated by a curtain at the front. The flight was no more than 25% full so after takeoff I moved to 9C so we could share the space afforded by the empty, narrower middle seat.

Pulled back at 0830 for a 0840 takeoff and breakfast was brought round as soon as possible, arriving at 0850. This consisted of a brittle pastry chocolate twist, a MOMA wild berry and oats low-fat yoghurt pot and a strawberry Actimel served with tea, coffee, juice and water. The day was clear offering good views of the coast and Isle of Mann during the flight.

Cabin crew soon cleared the rubbish away before taking seats for landing at 0905. We hardly had time to pick up a magazine between breakfast and landing on Jersey at 0920.

We disembarked in no time and there was no passport control so we waited for our bags to come off. Our bag was the first off and we were at the Avis car hire desk by 0930. Avis office is located off site so we boarded a bus with one other couple for the five minute journey to get our vehicle for the weekend.

annageneharrison flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A320 (17/01/2012 19:23)

Really charming and efficient crew as usual.

Free drinks in abundance but only packs of biscuits for an afternoon snack - used to be sandwiches!

Nice to get a free up to the minute newspaper.

TominScotland flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a B767-300 (European config.) (06/12/2011 12:57)

British Airways recently increased capacity on the Glasgow - Heathrow route (in response to the BMI withdrawal) by including one 767 rotation to complement the standard 320/321 equipment we are used to. By dint of bad planning, I was on this 09.30 flight out of Glasgow on two consecutive days so this review is an amalgam of both experiences.

Both days were awful weather-wise in Glasgow, snow on the first and ice on the second but both services operated to time, even though they were about 15 minutes late on the inbound to Glasgow. Boarding was via a single air bridge and was called by seat row number.

On the first day, there was no BAEC Gold and Silver priority call (I am Blue so did not upset me). However, a number of those exiting the Terraces Lounge were clearly upset at this slight to their self-importance and engaged the ground staff in extended argument, delaying boarding while they demonstrated this self-importance. Maybe some of the 'My BA - right or wrong' brigade who post on this site were among them - confessions anyone?

One aboard, everything was milk and honey - rather, bacon, sausage and eggs which remains the real treat of flying BA Domestic in the morning.

The 767 gives considerably more leg-room and this has to be one of the big pluses of this rotation. Neither flight was full so the comfort was enhanced. The cabin decor is a bit tired but that is not a major problem.

Cabin crew were great on both flights and information from the flight deck was plentiful. We arrived at T5A and disembarked via air bridge both times - not always the case with the A320/1.

The two return legs, by 737 from Gatwick and the normal Airbus from Heathrow were fine but not up to the feeling of comfort offered by the 767. A few more rotations, BA?

Devasish flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a B767-300 (04/12/2011 05:57)

Last year I purchased saperate return ticket connect with Singapore Air Lines flown all the way Dhaka-Singapore-London and London-Toronto-London I accumulate points total journey with BA only 500 points both ways which is totally stunning and outrages. Other hand Singapore Air Lines gave me for Aeroplan Points 18000. Where is only for British Air Ways I purchased the ticket cost me 2280 US dollars. If I would fly with Emirates, Etahad, Qatar Air Ways and Cathay Pacific it would cost me about 1400 dollars. 400 more add with Business class on CX. Service was too bad, food so so, seats like on the plastic toys. So rubbish. When I asked for 2nd time red wine..they did not serve me, despite of I gave the oriental little aged stewrdees 20$ as a tips. She never turn her face once on me even. So total trip Ticket 2280+ one night airport Marriott Hotel LH 350$ local airport shuttle 15$ and Food another 50$. God! Ijust waste the money choosing BA.

Grandhotel32 flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A320 (03/12/2011 05:48)

I last flew BA in 2004 and vowed never again. It was from BKK to Mel. It felt like what a Butlins holiday camp on a bad day must be like. As a rule, I do NOT fly western airlines such as BA, Qantas, AirFrance or any of the American ones. V poor service, cabin crew w bad attitude. Asian airlines are the best. SIA, MAS, Thai, Cathay, ChinaAirlines. Qatar is good, Emirates is acceptable. Thank You.

GordyUK flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a B737-500 (02/12/2011 11:01)

This was a BA/COMAIR flight.

We were bumped onto this flight 2 weeks before departure as our original flight was cancelled. I don't know why South African airlines (in general, not SAA themselves) seem to need to change every flight that is ever made in advance!.

Club was full and this Traveller class flight was the firm reminder why I NEVER do it. The plane was packed, the seats were excrutiatingly uncomfortable.

The food was so poor, that the passengers has to tell the crew the difference between the omlette and the savoury pancake!, although to be fair they looked & tasted identical so easy mistake to make.

This was a real case of "cancel the later flight and just cram them all onto the 6am one!

The only redeeming feature of this flight was that the crew were polite, and trying their best.

buster84 flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A319 (14/10/2011 11:41)

If you're a tall person, the Euro Traveller seats can be a tight squeeze, unless you are lucky enough to be seated in the front row.

Seatbelts can be a little bit too short if you are larger than the average sized passenger, but extensions are readily available from the cabin crew.

I would have expected a bit more from the meal service, but all in all it was not too bad.

Immigration was a breeze, I had actually expected to be standing there for ages.

Picking up my baggage leaves a lot to be desired. I was standing at belt number 3 for at least 45 minutes waiting, but nothing.

I then went over to the Baggage Enquiries desk, gave them my tag number, and was very annoyed when they told me that "your bag is on belt number 8, it's been there for at least 15 minutes".

Chocksaway flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a Embraer 190 (25/08/2011 14:43)

Edinburgh to London City.

Excellent legroom on this new airliner with a smart look to the interior. A glass of wine and a snack were just about appropriate on this 7pm flight, but if you've been stuck in meetings all day this might not be enough.

Otherwise pretty faultless, speedy boarding and embarkation and wonderful views over London on the approach.

cunardqueen flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A319 (27/05/2011 19:56)

A noon flight from Aberdeen to LHR T5 with an onward connecting flight to LAX alowed 90 mins to change in T5. with this in mind a seat was booked at the front of the aircraft to allow for a speedy exit.

Checkin at Aberdeen was swift, mercifully they now have some signage showing how long security takes which does give you an idea how long you have left in the main terminal building.

It was poring with rain so everyone was soaked walking to the aircraft, some of the suitcases were pretty wet as well, but that isnt BA fault
Onboard service was just the norm a hot drink and biscuit provided. the flight was full (as always) and the overhead lockers were jam packed.

A good flight to London with touch down earier than expected, even sop by the time we were parked up we were still 15 ins ahead.
The luggage was checked through so all l needed to do was follow flight connections and before you know it you open a door and are in the main departure concourse at T5, ready for the onward flight !!!

Inflight entertinment was the moving map

Scot1988 flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A319 (18/04/2011 09:59)

Recently flew to Aberdeen return from Heathrow. Checking in online and printing boarding card was a breeze.

Service on board was exceptional, made to feel very welcome. Had an exit row seat, which I selected through online check-in at no additional cost.

Flight was earlier both ways, and for a flight little over an hour the complimentary drinks and snacks were plenty.

A much improved BA service with no faults. Only slight downside was BAA's ineptitude at getting passengers to the terminal building at Heathrow after parking on a remote stand and waiting 20 minutes on the plane for the steps and buses to arrive!

InternationalConsolidated flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a B737-400 (01/03/2011 11:19)

London Gatwick (North) to Amsterdam Schiphol, dep Friday 06.20 arr 08.40

B737-400, seat 12D

I arrived at Gatwick South at 5am on the 4.30am Gatwick Express service from Victoria. My gate was due to close at 5.45am and I still had to get from South to North on the monorail. However, as it turned out I had plenty of time as the monorail runs every 5 minutes (approx.). I'd also checked-in online the night before, and printed out my boarding pass with hand luggage only.

Gatwick North is (in my opinion) a much nicer facility compared to South. There seem to be more shops, and the facilities are more modern. I had about ten minutes before my gate was announced, so I sat and caught up with a little work on my laptop.

At 05.40 my gate (62) was called. It's quite a walk from the main terminal concourse, so it's advisable not to hang around too long. The gate wasn't at all crowded, and boarding was on time and seemed to be completed pretty quickly.

I'd chosen seat 12D, a window seat on the second over-wing emergency exit row (the other being row 11). The plane seemed to be half full, the middle seat (3-3 configuration) was empty, as was the one behind me which meant I could recline without feeling bad about encroaching on anyone's space. The seat itself was upholstered in blue leather that, while comfortable, had seen better days.

The captain announced that because of fog at Schiphol, our arrival time had been put back. He estimated a take-off time of 06.50, half an hour behind schedule, and so shut down the engines to allow people to use their phones in case they needed to let anyone know (considerate, I thought). We took off a little ahead of his estimate, at 06.45, with an ETA of 08.45, not all that later than scheduled.

Because of my early start, I was soon asleep. When I woke, I found a small ham and cheese roll on my arm rest, a welcomed surprise as I'd missed my breakfast. This was tasty, and although small it was only a short flight. I'd expected no more than a bag of crisps or nuts.

I haven't been all that impressed with the attitude of BA cabin crew in the past, but on this flight it was much improved. Crew smiled, were friendly and attentive, which does make all the difference to the experience.

We arrived at 08.45, as predicted, but this was followed by a seemingly endless taxi to the terminal. I say endless, it was probably about ten minutes. Once at the gate, there was a short delay before doors were opened at we were let off.

There was a long queue at the two immigration desks, and once through quite a long walk to the arrivals hall from where I caught a train to my final destination.

InternationalConsolidated flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a B737-400 (28/02/2011 12:56)

Amsterdam Schiphol - London Gatwick (North)

B737-400, seat 12A, economy

Flight BA8112, dep 9.20 arr 09.30

I was slightly nervous about relying on public transport for my 9.20am flight, however my worries were unfounded because of the efficiency of Dutch trains and trams (train services run from Amsterdam Centraal to Schiphol every 10 or so minutes, from 6am onwards, while the tram from my hotel to the nearest train station runs easily every five minutes, again from 6am).

The airport itself is modern and vast, and a definite SkyTeam stronghold with staff decked in KLM blue dominating the check-in zones. Signs for partners Delta and Air France abound, however it was the British Airways check-in zone in "Departures D" that I was after, about a five minute walk from the trains.

I did not have access to a printer so couldn't print my boarding pass in advance, however I still decided to check-in online to secure my seat. As I had used someone else's smartphone to do it, a mobile boarding pass wasn't an option either. I knew that I would be able to use the self-service machines to get my pass, many of which were free. There were airport staff on hand to assist with the machines, but I found the process pretty straightforward and I had my pass in less than two minutes.

Boarding was due to begin at 08.40 from Gate D23, easily a ten minute walk from the check-in zone. Security scans are done at the gate, rather than immediately after check-in as with some airport, thereby avoiding a potential bottle neck. I was glad of this, as I was short of time before my gate was to close. As it happens, the inbound flight was about ten minutes late and boarding was postponed until 09.10.

I'd chosen 12A, a window seat on one of two over-wing emergency exit rows. The seat was of the older Euro Traveller style, in blue leather that has definitely seen better days. The same could be said of the rest of the plane, which looked a little rough around the edges. Still, the seat was spacious being on an emergency exit, and I was able to sleep very easily and comfortably. The recline also seemed quite generous.

My advice, if travelling in economy, is always to check-in online and go for an exit row seat. Try to get one with an empty seat behind so you can recline your seat guilt-free.

We pushed back at 09.30, ten minutes later than scheduled, but I can't say exactly what time we took off as I was already fast asleep by that point. A short time into the flight, however, breakfast was served. This came in the form of a cold bacon roll (wholemeal) with something that was more like tomato purée than ketchup. I was quite surprised to have got breakfast, especially on such a short flight - has BA scrapped its policy of only providing peanuts and crisps?

We landed at a fog-covered Gatwick North at 10.05, half an hour behind schedule. Disembarkation was quick, and the walk to arrivals was short. The queue at immigration was short, with lots of desks manned, and I had hand luggage only so no need to pick up a suitcase. Then it was just a 4-minute wait for the monorail to Gatwick South and a waiting Gatwick Express train, 30 minutes to London Victoria.

All-in-all, Schiphol is an excellent and efficiently-run airport. The BA flight was late, but the staff were friendly and I was pleased to get breakfast.

frustratedflyer flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a B767-300 (European config.) (14/01/2011 16:39)

LHR-FRA. Flight was 7.20 am. The seat layout was not as per the one shown on this site. It was fitted with old Club World Seats, World Traveller Plus and Economy starting from Row 16 in a 2-3-2 configuration. I managed to get 16D and had a bulkhead in front but more leg room. The plane was less than a third full with nobody in World Traveller Plus. We were late to take off so staff served water and orange juice. After take off orange juice, tea, coffee and a ham and tomato roll was served. It was pretty tasty. I requested a diet coke and whilst these were not on the cart the crew got one for me.

MakingTravelEasier flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a Embraer 190 (05/11/2010 17:06)

I fly a lot from Glasgow to London and the new Embraers are fantastic.

The 190 have much more leg room from my experience and the best seats to go for are row 2 D and E (on the right hand side as you look towards the nose of the plane). There is oodles of legroom in either of these two seats.

In row 1 (on the left hand side) there is a bulkhead dividing screen so not as much space there. However, on the 190's there is a load of legroom wherever you sit on this plane.

Even if you do have someone sat next to you there is still a reasonable amount of elbow room.

The majority of the time unloading at London City is two doors, so, often sitting at the back is a quicker way to get off, although it doesn't always work.

Only thing that spoils this plane is that the overhead lockers can be a little tight even for a standard sized wheelie bag. But that's a small quibble for a great plane.

GlobalTravellerTom flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A321 (ex-Bmi) (23/08/2010 13:19)

A short flight from LHR to NCE. I had thought about paying the extra for CE seating but glad I did not. The difference is minimal for the additional cost for just a 1hr 30min flight time.

The staff were polite and helpful, which was refreshing to see given recent disputes with unions etc. Food was simple for a morning flight.

No In flight entertainment other than the usual moving map and outside stat sheets.

Overall pleasant, on time and comfortable flight.

Rachelblackmore flew British Airways Euro Traveller (31/07/2010 13:38)

it was not the best service ever but it was ok

SiteAdministrator flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A319 (09/06/2010 11:17)

Flew LGW to CAG (Cagliari, Sardinia) in Eurotraveller May/June 2010 during the strike taking place at LHR.

The flight departed on time on Sunday afternoon with priority boarding for Exec Club members and those with children (pretty much the whole plane since it was half term). The aircraft was full, but boarding went fine. Drinks and sandwiches on offer, though it’s only when travelling with children that you realise that having mustard in the ham and cheese sandwiches isn’t going to play well with the under 10s. Drinks offered included all the normal soft options along with white and red wine, beers etc...

On the way out we were in rows 15 and 16 (E and F), after the emergency exit on the right hand side of the aircraft looking forward and there was plenty of leg room. The overhead IFE monitors just showed the route the whole way.

On arrival at CAG our bags took over 40 minutes to appear. Not sure who's fault that was, but no one was very impressed.

On the way back we sat in the first two rows of EuroTraveller in the DEF seats (we had E and F, there was no one in D).

Interestingly on this flight the curtain was after row 5 but row 6 had the squashed seat B between A and C and then it reverted to “normal” seating from row 7.

Similarly uneventful flight apart apart from Cagliari airport, where there are no check-in kiosks, no line open until two hours before the flight departure time, no lounge (closed for renovation) and you can’t go through security until 1900 for the 2025 departure.

frustratedflyer flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a Embraer 170 (25/05/2010 15:58)

London City was a zoo. Nowhere to sit, long queues at security and even difficult to walk around as so many people. Flight a few minutes late on leaving but time caught up. Service was swift. Food a roll and a hot breakfast of bacon, egg, tomato, potato and sausage. It was OK but I would not have paid money for it! Very impressed with the plane. Comfortable and put my bad under seat as it felt very spacious. First three rows were Club Europe. Good flight better than a 737 any day.

NeilGraham flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a Embraer 170 (10/04/2010 20:44)

Recently undertook a trip from LCY to EDI return. Outbound was on the older RJ100 and was full and cramped. Inbound flight, I had the pleasure - and I do seriously mean pleasure - of travelling on one of BA's new Embraer 170's. The aircraft was obviously very new and the 2-2 seating was very welcome compared to the 3-3 of the RJ100. The interior was very clean and also felt very spacious. The seat has one of the most generous seat pitches and one of the most comfortable seats I have experienced on any domestic or eurpoean service (of any carrier). The flight departed about 5 mins early, arriving in to LCY almost 15 mins ahead of schedule, in fact I was leaving the car park at our scheduled arrival time. During the short flight I only had a cup of tea but it was nice nad hot and served with a smile (and a seed / nut snakck). LCY is always an interesting airport to travel to and from but now BA have this new fleet operating from here means I will be looking to use it and cityflyer services alot more often. It will certainly be my first choice airport for London !

Stephen787 flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a RJ85 (30/11/2009 00:12)

London City to Madrid. Monday mid morning flight. LCY was busy as usual. Security staff not organised. Flight was half full so had 2 spare seats beside me for the 2hr flight. Rock hard packaged roll given as a snack. So hard I didn't bother unwrapping it. Smooth flight and problem free landing in Madrid. Great airport at Barajas.

frustratedflyer flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A319 (23/11/2009 21:01)

Seat 13D. Seemed a little less leg room that the A320. No food but full bar service with a snack - a bag of seeds, dried fruit etc which was tasty but a bit like bird food. Service was good.

frustratedflyer flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A320 (23/11/2009 17:14)

A egg and bacon muffin to eat for breakfast which was welcome. A prompt, friendly and efficient service far better than most lost cost carriers. No queue for FFP members though. Seat 12D just behind exit row as good as any on the flight. Leg room adequate

Daniel9 flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A321 (31/10/2009 08:19)

Seat 8c is the holy grail for short haul travel. When checking in on-line (a joy somewhat diminished due to the new charging policy for seat selection that can remove the best choices), it is not always clear what 'exit row' means. On my way up to Glasgow on an A319 it meant just a usual exit row seat, with slightly more leg room and the extra responsibility of being in control of the mini exit door. But on A321s the doors are bigger, which means your travelling pleasure (particularly for a man who "large" is the most used descriptor) is bigger.

8c is perfect in practically every way. As you are in the row next to the door, you have a distance to the seat in front twice the length of the aisle's width. You can stretch your legs out with impunity (although be careful not to trip over the steward when he is putting doors to manual and cross-checking).

A bit of overhead locker space is lost (as there is a gap in the bins for the door) and you won't have the pocket in the seat in front for your book and your newspaper, but it's well worth for it for the unlimited leg room without the responsibility of manning the mini emergency door.

However, my favourite part of the seat is that just across the aisle from your for take off and landing is a BA employee. This creates the fascinating opportunity to talk to them about the issues in the company, the seat charging, the changes in their terms and conditions and the lack of a snack on this short-haul flights.

Never ceases to amaze me how little they know about what's going in the wider corporate structure, but how they feel their ability to serve the customer "the BA way" is being diminished. 8c isn't a window seat, but it's comfortable and it gives you a window into the lives of the BA crew.

You will always see me in it - until people read this and buy it before I get to it at 24-hour check-in.

MarkCaswell flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a RJ100 (07/10/2009 10:03)

These Avro jets feel dated, but i believe BA is replacing its Cityflyer fleet in the near future, and i look forward to trying out the new aircraft next time i fly from London City.

freshairways flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a B737-400 (23/09/2009 13:51)

Flew on this aircraft from LGW to KRK. The aircraft seats were very old. My seat was also broken. The armrest had broken on the return flight, the window blind was also broken. We were delayed one hour on the way out due to the engine catching fire. But the crew were very pleasant. Food and drink were very nice.

UflyRight flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a B737-400 (13/09/2009 16:24)

When we went to Tunis from Gatwick we were expecting a better flight than what we got. The food and drink was nice and there was a 1h15m delay but that was not their fault as some other airline's plane broke down on the Gatwick runway. The seats were old and uncomfortable however the seat pitch was very generous at 32". Also the crew were kind and polite towards everyone onbaord

LondonCity flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a RJ100 (08/09/2009 11:01)

BA Cityflyer from London City (LCY) to Edinburgh in late August.

Is BA going through a punctuality drive? That's the question I asked when taking this lightly-loaded midweek 1400 flight out of LCY which departed five mins before schedule and arrived in Scotland 30 mins early at 1500.

I had been allocated window seat 7A on this BAe146 variant. This row doesn't offer much of a view thanks to the wing strut. Legroom was adequate but the lack of sideways space would be issue were the middle seat occupied on a heavily booked flight because seating adopts a dense 3-3 layout.

The three crew members provided efficient service. I was offered a choice of sandwiches (ham salad or cheese with roased red and yellow peppers) and a choice of drinks. Unlike BA's Mainline division at Heathrow, Cityflyer still continues to serve food on board but this policy was expected to change at the end of September 2009.

The rest of the flight was uneventful with an early arrival. The aircraft parked on the apron but adjacent to the new pier so no bus transfer required.

After a long walk along to the arrivals' area I found my bag already waiting on the carousel.

peoplesonrules flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A320 (Domestic) (13/08/2009 20:39)

Since we only went from MAN - LHR the flight lasted 35 mins. The servces were pretty good however it was bit crammed it all in half an hour. The crew were typically very nice but, they use 2 trolleys to carry the food and 2 for the drinks so there's no time to go to the loo.

djeacock flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a B737-400 (11/07/2009 20:47)

LGW to MAN, EDI, GLA – use online check in. Baggage drop at T5 is usually quick and staff are on hand to point out available desks. The security at T5 is slow and not as quick as advertised unless the airport is quiet. The hot breakfast on the first flights of the day are filling but avoid the very salty bacon! The aircraft are old. Exit seats are better for leg room.

djeacock flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a B757-200 (Config 1) (11/07/2009 20:46)

LHR to BCN, AMS - use online check in. Baggage drop at T5 is usually quick and staff are on hand to point out available desks. The security at T5 is slow and not as quick as advertised unless the airport is quiet. Old aircraft, the service is decent and the food on longer flights is ok.

frustratedflyer flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A319 (19/06/2009 07:44)

Outbund - Row 9 is the exit row and it has a lot more legroom that the other seat. The flight was not that busy so service was quick and polite. A mushroom and bacon roll was the food. Return flight was in row 6 which was the first row of economy on the flight. Service was still very good, seat legroom adeqaute and food a ham/cheese and tuna/sweetcorn sandwich and choc biscuit. No luggage but both flights on time or ahead of time.

TChesshyre flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A320 (20/03/2009 11:38)

Comfortable blue faux leather seat over looking the wing - window seat (12F). Adjustable headrest, table big enough for laptop. Very friendly service on BA854 from T5 to Prague.

frustratedflyer flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A320 (13/03/2009 08:00)

Seat 9D - third row of ecomony on this flight. This was just in front of the emergency exit so the seat does not recline. Looking into Business Class it seemed that the seats were now 3-3 all the way down the plane with the middle seat empty on both sides. Service was swift and the usual BA sandwich and breakaway choc bar provided. Plane felt pretty new.

frustratedflyer flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a B767-300 (European config.) (25/02/2009 07:17)

A last minute plane change meant was on this plane and just alloacted a seat. Was in 22B (aisle) which although just a normal seat seemed to have more legroom than the same seat on the Airbus A320. Avoid the seats to the back of the plane as they look like the old style long haul economy but the 2-3-2 config in the main economy cabin is great as plenty of aisle seats. Food was the usual sandwich and chocolate bar but service was with a smile!

frustratedflyer flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A320 (25/02/2009 07:13)

Seat 11C (emergency exit) to Munich with a bit more legroom. Seemed a pretty new plane. Flight delayed due to problems at Munich and crew kept us informed and even served drinks whilst waiting at LHR.

viking01 flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A319 (17/01/2009 20:42)

11A - busy flight. not much room as a result, particualrly since the overhead lockers were all full, so those who couldn't fit their luggage under the seats had to have it put in the hold - and didn't that go down well? Slowed down boarding as well. Short flight, but sandwiches (ham and cheese seemed to be the only choice) and drinks. Very cheerful service.

Mixing-with-the-best flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a B757-200 (Config 1) (09/01/2009 10:25)

BCN - LHR. Seat 19A. Iberia lounge in Barcelona is dreadful - extremely unimpressed. slim choice of refreshments and also no wireless internet.. and just one PC for the whole lounge.

Boarding was punctual. Flight was pretty cold, no blankets available. Not as good as the outbound flight to BCN, but would still take this BA flight, becuase of the oevrall value.

Mixing-with-the-best flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a B757-200 (Config 1) (09/01/2009 10:21)

LHR - BCN. Seat 17G. Terminal 2 BA lounge, thumbs up - great facilities and choice of newspapers, drinks and breakfast, comp internet. Boarding was a bit like cattle being herded into a truck - very little room and a slight delay.

Set was fine, plenty of room in euro traveller seats.. no need to take bus class for such a short flight. Provided with a sandwich breakfast which was actually really nice unlike the majority of unsavoury sandwiches, and also had a vegetarian option - bonus.

Flight was 149 GBP RTN (see rtn review) - Great value, good flight - would definitely recommend this flight.

As the route had a codeshare with Iberia - double check its a BA flight because it is much better.. esp the BA lounge

Braveheart flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A319 (07/01/2009 17:27)

GLA-LHR Seat 20 F (the return, and the same window seat toward the rear) It was still a public holiday + Glasgow Airport was fairly quiet. As I was on an onward OneWorld flight I had already checked in online for the route beyond LHR. BA staff immediately direct you to the automatic self check-in machines, however, they seem to have great difficulty handling multi-leg flights and the machine couldn't process my onward boarding card, which seems to take a lot of the convenience out of online check-in and the self-service concept. Can't OneWorld sort this one out?

After checkin my first shock was that GLA has completely revamped its security checks. Instead of the narrow, snaking queues to go through just two machines, now a whole row of security posts process passengers extremely quickly and courteously. It was a pleasant surprise. I headed for the BA lounge, which is always busy but a bit dour and nondescript. Desperately in need of a freshen-up. The flight was slightly delayed by about 15 minutes but boarding was speedy. Service was smooth and arrival at T5 and transfer to my flight at T3 went without a hitch.

Braveheart flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A319 (07/01/2009 17:18)

LHR-GLA Seat 12F, this is a window seat over the wing. I sat in the great T5 lounge for an hour or so before the flight to grab a sandwich and read the UK papers, the flight was called on time and we boarded easily enough. However we then had a needless 35 minute delay caused (according to the pilot) by staff shortages in Air Traffic Control. It was Boxing Day and presumably a few ATC staffers had over-toasted the Queen's Speech the day before. The pilot also mentioned that flights on the easterly side of T5 are more likely to be delayed as they have to taxi across the main runway. In the air, we were well looked after and while BA does get its share of complaints on the LHR-GLA routes I've found the FAs to be extremely friendly, the snacks surprisingly good and the drinks generous.

MakingTravelEasier flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A320 (Domestic) (18/12/2008 19:14)

Was in 2D for the flight back to Glasgow. We were called from the lounge really early for the flight and I double checked to make sure we weren't on a wild goose chase (how many times have you been called to the gate only to find no boarding!)

However, it was the case and as I was enroute to the gate I was getting "would the last remaining passengers for Glasgow" over the PA system! Asked at the gate about that and was told that once they have 2/3rds of people on board they tend to make the announcement.

We were away ontime but that was to be the end of the good news.

Seats at the front of the A320 in domestic configs seem to have a bit more legroom and a reasonably comfortable although on some planes (spot the 10 without the winglets which were inherited from BCal in 1987 and are 320-100 aircraft) although again this one was showing signs of needing a bit of a clean.

Sadly, the plane developed a air conditioning fault which the pilot assured us would take 5 minutes to fix. After about 30 mins with no further announcements (although they did find time to make an announcement to turn of mobile phones) the pilot came back on and said "when I spoke to you a couple of minutes ago" so clearly his grasp of time was not great! However, they had fixed it and we were on our way.

We were some 30 odd minutes late into Glasgow, however, this didn't warrant any apology either from the Captain or the crew.

Braveheart flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a B757-200 (Config 1) (07/12/2008 14:38)

BCN-LHR British Airways Boeing 757 Seat 15F BA passengers have access to Iberia's lounge at BCN, which is certainly more spacious than its Heathrow counterpart but equally dire in its food offerings. Some packets of plain crisps kept me going, waiting for yet another delayed flight (25 minutes in this case). Boarding was smooth enough with a long walk to the gate but, as the city had a major trade show, the flight was not only full but the overhead bins were too. I stick to the airline requirements to take on one bag or occasionally one bag and laptop case. Why don't other people? At the very least, BA could have put on larger planes than the 757 for the route on these days. I ended up putting my bag 15 rows behind me, forcing me to wait until most of the plane was cleared of passengers. It might have been more strategic of me to have booked a seat further back to save me time. A point I'll bear in mind next time.

flylite flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A320 (03/11/2008 10:02)

I flew from T5, which was quick and painless, to Bucharest. I sat at the back of the plane, as that was the only remaining window seat, but my seat didn't recline (because the toilets were right behind me). NB: I'm sure it was a 3-3 configuration in this final row, contrary to what is shown here. The food on the way out was not really appropriate, as we were leaving on a morning flight so were given an english breakfast, but we arrived after lunch, so missed out on lunch. The food on the return flight was much better - a chicken stew with potatoes.

GUYEGGLETON flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a B757-200 (Config 1) (21/10/2008 12:51)

A nice aircraft with good layout. I use this on a weekly basis between Barcelona and London. Leg room is good in economy, avoid row 11 due to legroom and row 12 window seats as its a bulkhead (no window).

FreshFacedFlyer flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A319 (16/10/2008 09:54)

Sat in 14F, or in other words by the window on the right of the plane, just behind the wing. Ever so slightly cramped, but width and legroom were both fine for the 1hr45 flight from Heathrow to Zurich. I'm 6" and I was pretty comfortable. Seats themselves are very comfortable in general, and the adjustable headwings were a great substitute for a pillow - I successfully managed to sleep for most of the journey. The sandwich, chocolate bar and drink selection were all adequate at no extra cost. Didn't really need much more for such a short hop. Oh and bring something to read if you're not going to zonk out like me, there's no entertainment.

loneflyer flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A320 (10/10/2008 05:19)

Service was good and managed to get an Exit Row (11). There are two exit rows and this one is the better as the seats in front do not recline but yours do!

loneflyer flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A319 (10/10/2008 05:16)

Row 9 which is an emergency row is my favourite as it has a lot more legroom. If not try for Row 7 (A or C) as it is the first row in the cabin. Whilst there is no extra legroom there is no proper middle seat (the seat is as in business with a 'mini seat which is unusable) so you get extra room to stretch and you are not cramped next to you neighbour. The food (a sandwich is OK) and there is a good drinks selection.

goswrang flew British Airways Euro Traveller, on a A321 (06/10/2008 13:35)

Oslo - London

Good seat for Economy, seems a bit wider than normal (?) Ok food and service, screens to follow flight, but no entertaiment.

flylite flew British Airways Euro Traveller (26/09/2008 10:09)

Flying from Gatwick to Turin, only one flight a day and at an inconvenient time - why is this?? The flight itself was good, although I was disappointed with the food onboard. It used to much better, with a hot sandwich, now it's a cold stale one.