British Airways, London City - JFK

British Airways, London City - JFK

Ba  3 LCY-JFK 04/05/2010

Departed LCY @ 1600 (L) – on schedule

British Airways launched their brand new, all business class service from London City Airport to JFK, in the early part of 2010. The service is operated twice daily (once on Sundays) and carries the flight numbers originally pre-owned by Concorde.

Following in the foot-steps of many un-successful, all business class carriers, the service offers 32 passengers a pleasant transatlantic crossing, on a flat bed from the heart of London’s Business district. Every last detail taken care off, from ultra efficient immigration clearance to the most serene in-flight experience.

Short flight to Shannon – 40 MINS, appetizer and drinks offered, introduced to the menu by a delightful team of Cabin Crew. Enough time to complete immigration related literature, finish a swift glass of champagne and then head of to US pre-clearance.

Arrived into Shannon, whizzed through US immigration, greeted by the most humble US border officials, a refreshing change to say the least. Back on board and off to JFK, all within 20mins. The whole experience, expeditious and logistically convenient! The protocol surrounding US immigration can be an inconvenience at best and almost intimidating, period! Shannon offers a most productive immigration, pre-clearance process, the most fantastic juncture between the UK and US immigration. All of which avoiding the horror of the Kennedy immigration hall, whilst saving valuable time and stress induced hormones! British Airways have sole use of this brand new facility whilst their aircraft is on the ground at Shannon, so no chance of joining a queue there!

On initial perception the cabin interior is reflective of the target demographic, in as much as, Pin Stripes dripping off soft furnishings and herringbone detail signaturing comfortable accommodation, similar to that of the city. Viewing the cabin from the reverse, the ‘suites’ appear uncommonly retro and almost private. From the rear of the vessel the cabin is predominantly white, decidedly pleasing on the eye from the seated position. The offerings are similar to that of the British Airways generic Club World product, slightly enhanced and presented to you in an environment, which bleeds exclusivity. The cabin has only 8 rows of seating, each showcasing 4 seats abreast and accommodating a remarkable clientele. The service has been designed to tender a convenient connection between the Big Smoke and the Big Apple, targeted chiefly at the business traveler, connecting Canary wharf and Wall St, whilst accommodating the more discerning leisure traveller.

Three Cabin Crew members are on hand to prosecute your every demand, selected from BA’s 14,000 crew community based on performance, to ensure you receive the most attentive, remarkable experience. The service offers the finest English inspired cuisine from a menu designed by Lawrence Keogh, head chef from, Roast, London. The options are seasonal, fresh and beautifully presented. A wine selection fit to tackle any wine aficionado, compiled by Jancis Robinson, author of ‘The World Atlas of Wine,’ complements the provisions faultlessly.

No need to worry about the content of your inbox on arrival, OnAir, a brand new in-flight concept, allows you to use you mobile phone throughout the flight to text, email and browse the web, echoing the convenience of the whole experience. My Twitter page ‘Tweeted’ the journey live. Note to self, roaming charges are pretty scary, go easy!

Stupendous service, reflective of how flying was 50 years ago!

The Epitaph’s of Maxjet, Silverjet and EOS now retrospectively read, “Didn’t quite make it, left it to the experts!”

BA 001 LCY - JFK

BA 002 JFK - LCY

BA 003 LCY - JFK

BA 004 JFK – LCY

www.ba.com

British Airways was the first scheduled carrier to launch an App for the iPhone. The functionality of the app was pretty basic, but never the less, still impressive, allowing you to view live flight information and schedules from the palm of your hand. In July 2010, BA will launch a new App which takes on all the original features of its pre-decessor, but brings some awesome new features including, reservations, live flight info, view all your current bookings and even see which gate your flight departs from. Oh, and no need to print your boarding pass anymore, that’s on there too! This revolutionary App is ba.com in the palm of your hand.