While I've flown BA first class several times before, including from London to Los Angeles, London to Seattle, and Seattle to London, this was my first time flying British Airways in first class out of New York. It's their second largest longhaul station, and aside from London Heathrow, the only airport with a Concorde Room.…
Continue reading: Review: British Airways Concorde Room New York JFK
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Don't comment often, but a note to thank you for this review and your work in general. Well done and very helpful.
"And I refuse to try to dance". That sounds suspiciously like something a hipster might say.
The guy in the picture is the JFK BA manager in that documentary you wrote about
I do not understand BA! I feel they are trying to hard to disappoint their clients 🙁 So much so that I am considering QF F SYD-DXB-LHR CXF LHR-HKG CX J HKG - SIN just to avoid their First Class between SYD-SIN 😀
Funny, I was there about three weeks ago and had the exact same meal. Same starter, then the filet mignon and the chocolate hazelnut torte.
@ Lucky - I was just thinking about that, mine was pretty good. Also, yours looks fairly dry (from the picture), mine wasn't like that.
Don't mind the twins. Anyone with real money flies privately and wouldn't be caught dead in a Rolex. They're the Donald Trump of watches.
I wouldn't be so hard on the twins. As you get older you find yourself more tolerant of even the douchiest people; you realize we're all in this life just trying to get by the way we know how. And hey as long as they're not spoiling your time, live and let live!
They tried to warn you about the Filet when they stated it was "grass fed". Its the corn feed that makes US Prime beef so tender and flavorful. Grass fed is slang for dry, stringy and flavorless.
I was at the exact the same place last place to take a picture of T7 exterior with Club World sign but a ground staff yelled " no picture allowded" Also happened to me at JFK Virgin Atlantic say no picture at drop off spot. Does this ever happen to you or it is such a big deal?
despite the frumpy decor, the dining area and food looks better than at Heathrow. Also, they only had Taitinger Rose there on Wednesday, so JFK beats that with both LP selections. How were the showers in the spa? The ones at Heathrow defy belief - absolutely disgusting - so grungy and moldy with pipes making all kind of nasty sounds! Unbelievable that they haven't done anything about them!
@ Shannon -- Interesting, can't say I've ever had that happen in the US (though a few times abroad). Actually in the Concorde Room the guy encouraged me to take pictures.
Thanks for the review lucky - always great to hear! Was just passing through this lounge some days ago and nearly had the same menu as you; well, took the crab cake twice - and yes, the filet looked better 😉 I might be biased due to my CCR-card, but I really do value this lounge as it's quiet most of the times and less crowded than the Virgin Clubhouse, so it lets me calm down after a hectic day at work. The staff is great, very attentive and most of them are definitely way better trained than in the average lounge, e.g. one of the duty restaurant mangers could be the host at a nice city restaurant.
But I do agree that it's really a pity that the CCR in JFK has no showers, that's really something that needs to be addressed!
The reason for so many different lougnes is there used to be boarding inside the concorde room for concorde flights in both london and nyc. When it retired they just kept the "concorde room" room for first class passages of course over the years it has been upgraded.
To me, pretentious would be to try to have such a conversation loudly enough that others nearby can hear their topics of conversation. Otherwise... that's just what's important to them in their lives right now.
I love when you highlight peoples behaviour like the sweater story and the chinese shirtless and those boys conversation. It adds so much joy on reading the trip report.
The Concorde lounge at LHR is disgusting along with the spa, cleaning and hygiene are not a priority! Loud mouthed people regardless of age talking about possessions are referred to as "Bogans" the English know it well.
NO SHOWERS! That's a disgrace............and to expect the Brits to prepare ANY food correctly is an unreasonable expectation. Thanks for taking one for the team.........what were your fuel surcharges?
As mentioned above, the photo you snapped was of Alan, the BA manager for JFK terminal 7 featured in the BBC documentary A Very British Airline.
So judging other people from partial snippets of conversation or watch preference (perhaps a gift) isn't a sign of prententiousness or at least inverted snobbery. Much prefer when this blog sticks to main subject matter, which is normally artfully crafted, rather than snide adolescent judgement.
I find everything about BA to be sub par. The JFK CCR is as you stated just not that grand in anyway. Last time I also hung out in that back area. Stuffy and loud. I find the F lounge better.
@Robert Hanson - coming from a family of beef cattle ranchers it's refreshing to hear you say that. Lots of factors influence the quality of meat, but to many grass fed = new/trendy = good with little further thought.
Thx for sharing your experience with us! I always wondered what the JFK Concorde room was like. Do you prefer the Concorde Room at JFK or at Heathrow?
@Shannon, the lady at the entrance of JFK Virgin Clubhouse also told me not to take a photo (though I was allowed to take pix inside.)
@ Joey -- That's a toughie. In absolute terms I prefer the London one I think, but compared to the other lounges at the airport, I think I prefer the New York one to the London one.
Just flew JFK-LHR first class with BA. Nice but not the best. Your review of Concorde room is spot on. I found as a young guy who easily passes as a regular economy class flyer some staff weren't holding back their surprise of me being there. The attitude of the waiter in the Concorde room waiter was very telling almost as if he wanted to say "what are you doing here?" Other than that the place was just dead boring.
The documentary is nonsense though. The condition of checkin security etc is nowhere near the standard they make it out to be. For example plenty of scuffs were visible on the floor. Not that I mind but in the documentary they show the manager looking out for them and having them cleaned instantly.
For first class experience I have yet to fault Emrirates in A380 and their lounges. Lucky for BA/Virgin et al that Emirates can't do LON-NYC
My experience in the Concorde Room at JFK today has been mixed. The staff in the dining area have been excellent and the food quite good. The staff at the entrance, however, have been unprofessional, even rude. When I entered, Ms. Eleni greeted me by yelling, "THIS IS CLOSED!" and then proceeded to yell at me and interrupt my speaking at every turn. There was no sign saying the hours and the door opened. I think a simple "good afternoon" would have worked. Even when I tried to explain that this was not the best way to start my travel experience she yelled and argued back. Later when I returned she offered the same caustic attitude, blamed me for the problem, and never apologized. This single encounter will deter me from contemplating future BA First flights.
Is the Concorde Room at JFK the actual one used when BA operated it's SST service between LHR & NYC? Or is it just a space they've badged as the CCR like the one in T5?
Great review, thank you.
One comment however: the pretentious conversations that you overheard almost certainly came from British 'new money' rather than old. Classically British 'old money' families wouldn't dream of having pretentious or ostentatious conversations in public that might be overheard. All part of the famous British reserve and embarrassment of being thought of as 'posh'.
'New money' families on the other hand, can't wait to let everyone know how much money they have. As the 'old' families would say: really quite vulgar.
Thanks again for the great review and photos!