For the last portion of my review trip, I flew British Airways’ Airbus A380 first class on the eight hour flight from London to Chicago. While I recently flew British Airways’ ”new” 777 first class, I was looking forward to checking out the carrier’s A380 first class for the first time in roughly a decade.
Continue reading: Review: British Airways First Class Airbus A380 (LHR-ORD)
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Ben, an unrelated question here:
Do you have any idea whether Aman offers any type of discount to airline staff or travel agents?
I think the question is, is it worth any $ premium to pay over business class.
Remember, nobody thinks “it’s the world’s best business class” is funny or creative. Find something new to comment.
Thanks for the review, Ben. Was looking forward to it.
Well the interesting thing is that BA frequently prices F at a much lower premium to J than most airlines, which I would argue in the A380 is most definitely worth it, considering their dismal CW seats.
On the 777s (which afaik all of the ones in a 4-class configuration feature the new Club Suites), it's a different story... I would only go for F if there was a minimal price difference and needed the extra miles / status points or if F was priced lower than J (which surprisingly enough I have witnessed in the past). Otherwise it's pretty much the same across both cabins.
That's because the moment Q-Suites and The Room were introduced, BA F lost that title. 3rd/4th best J is debatable, considering SQ's existence.
I'll be flying BA First LHR-DFW in A380 in February. I got it for under UKP 2800 incl. onward flight to San Diego with AA, which will give me BA's Gold Status (oneworld Emerald) having already flown first to SEA in a 777. The only other time I flew A380 first was with Thai pre-pandemic, which I think is still the best first experience I've had. Too bad Thai dropped the A380.
To be fair, because most of BA's revenues come from transatlantic traffic they're only competing with the American airlines and maybe Virgin, so they don't have to be all that good, and they offer lots of bargains. Under 3k to San Diego First is probably hard to beat. I still think BA First compares favourably to Lufthansa, although Swiss is a better product than both, so BA is definitely in the middling range.
To add to this, F/J in the 788s and 789s falls under the same category as the A380s, with the caveat being that these planes are at least in the process of being retrofitted with the new Suites...
I flew BA F on the a380 almost 4 yrs ago to date. While it’s not a bad product and definitely a step up from Club World it’s certainly not a good product.
Another outstanding OMAAT review but I think the ratings system has been off. Too many 5 stars given out and unless you plan on flying AA Flagship F before it goes out of service and give it a dumpster fire score I can’t see justification for 4 stars here. A critic should be critical.
Very fair review based on my last experience. I flew LAX-LHR, and on a long overnight flight the spaciousness of the cabin was fantastic. I slept for 10 hours - like nothing I have ever experienced on a flight. Zero aches or jetlag the next day. For this reason, I think it is better than even the latest 777 F because the space is so much greater.
Where I disagree is that BA 'get away' with a meh first because of their position at Heathrow. They are competing against the best F products in the world. You have Qantas, CX, SQ, QR, EK, ANA, JAL.... It's one of the most competitive first airports in the world. BUT, London is rich and I am amazed how many people with serious means now fly private transatlantic or even to Maldives etc. So BA isn't chasing the very rich. I think BA engineers their F product perfectly because it is a very affordable trade-up from J. Often the price difference is zero (a bit less flex), and it's rarely more than £1k per leg. Avios availability is good. I have regularly bought F on BA, but every time I have looked on LH, CX, EK etc the pricing is not justifiable for me. I don't need caviar - just space to have a really relaxing flight. BA delivers on that.
Your review is spot on. I regularly flight BA F and prefer the 777. The A380 is in need of an update. As BA has now achieved financial stability post-COVID, refurbishment *needs* to happen.
PS - Former CEO Alex Cruz's intense focus on cost-cutting decimated BA's reputation for quality . . . and morale. When COVID downsizing hit, he focused on the seasoned (expensive) cabin crew. The result was a cabin crew without the historical service level.
Honestly, BA first is embarrassing. Compare it to any other first class and it seems more like business. Flying them from Singapore to Heathrow. 3 hours out from London, I woke up and asked for a coffee only to be told breakfast starts in an hour and that I should wait.... Laughable!. ANA, Emirates and Thai just crap all over them.
Ben, I love your “worlds best” articles and this review made me wonder if you could do a more specific angle of “best way to cross the Atlantic” etc (and how to book). Would be curious where BA F would rank vs something like SQ J to Frankfurt in your eyes.
That's bizarre. Some of their staff can be quite junior, but I've never had anything like that with BA crew. An obvious answer is 'maybe check that answer with you Cabin Service Director'. I'm sure he/she would be mortified.
Serious question: Why does BA have so many of these seats? I was trying to think this through, and I can imagine 4 types of people flying in this F:
1) Nonrevs, op-ups, very-high-tier elite upgrades
2) "Purchases" with FF miles
3) Business flyers with agreements to fly in the highest class of service
4) Individual discretionary purchases
#1 has almost no direct financial benefit to the airline, and the financial benefit from #2 must be pretty modest. I imagine airlines' decision to have this cabin comes down more to #3 and #4.
Is it just that there are enough people flying F on some company's nickel to justify this? Or do more people see enough incremental value over J to buy F than I would guess?
Or is there another explanation I haven't thought of?
"Find something new to comment." The comment on the comment is itself neither funny nor creative. 🙂
If flying out of LHR and using points for First Class, would you rather:
1. Fly direct with BA
2. Take one stop with Lufthansa, be picked up in a Porsche and driven to the lounge, get to relax in a much better First lounge, then potentially driven to your next flight
One thing not noted in the review is that I like that there are customized festive/Christmas elements to the menu -- the Christmas beer, the yule log, the chestnut turkey, etc. Seems like a nice touch I haven't seen in other products.
75 mins without a top-up of your drink is a bit wild.
I wish - for the sake of reviewing - that you'd order more of the red meat dishes on flights. I understand you do not eat pork, which is totally fair, but sometimes it would be good to see how the steak and lamb options pan out on board, for lack of a better term.
Yeah slots isn't the explanation. The explanation is that carriers based in Europe and the Americas have a different labour market and airlines have different labour costs. Emirates can afford to put a "shower attendant" on board and BA can't possibly get F toilets cleaned inflight. This is not an anti-union rant. My prescription is: strong unions, generous contracts and high staff morale, innovation by management (biggest item lacking IMO) to solve problems like inflight lavatory cleaning, service flow issues. How does management know when the cappucino was served to Ben? Currently they don't, cuz nobody's watching over the person that took too long.
I agree with your assessment that F cabin space (vs. J) can be a value on BA.
Except the seat is larger and the F&B better
Stop repeating the old line lucky used 10 years ago, it wasn't accurate then,
One thing that Lucky probably doesn't take into account that BA's first class pricing is typically cheaper than alot of other airlines
There's quite a few people who don't care as much about the hard/soft product as we do. My relative pays for her flights and just flew J on Cathay, and went to rather contract lounge rather then the Pier etc.
Op-ups allowing them to oversell the other cabins, the odd absurdly high last minute fare, and being able to tempt EU flyers away from their home airlines by selling 'first for the price of business' (I suspect that works quite well with those who have to connect anyway).
My wife and I are London based. Both Gold card holders. And I think you have covered the 4 there - we and our friends always fit into one of those categories, and cover them all. Sometimes upgraded, sometimes a deal with BA/agent to upgrade J at booking, sometime Avios, and sometimes the price difference just makes sense. It is rarely companies buying F directly, and it isn't seen as a big 'caviar and chauffeur deal'. It's just 'nice if you get it, and sometimes I really need a better night's sleep'.
When I look at the prices of F on other carriers, it's always way higher priced and not a price I would justify over J. But with BA, we probably get F over J 30% of the time, and appreciate it. I much prefer that BA continue this strategy, assuming it is profitable for them.
Fully agree that US and European carriers can't be compared to Asian due to staff cost, but I do think AF and LH put on a bit more of a polished show. But that comes at a much higher price, and a much smaller F footprint.
Always fun to see the BA a380 at ord. I believe it’s the one and only A380 that’s ever been of regular service there.
Flew out of SYD to AKL yday and saw an asiana, emirates, two sq and two Qantas a380s. Still love seeing these giant birds.
Great review and I can’t imagine why you’d ever want to fly sq or even qr biz over this far more spacious seat.
No surprise that the airlines based in countries that support hatred and genoc*de against Palestinians and love Israel and Epstein have terrible hospitality (USA, Canada, UK, Australia).
How daring of you Ben to mix it up this time by ordering the pasta dish instead of the usual fish. That turkey dish description looked ravishing BTW.
Arguably, this website makes money off referral links to various miles and points products. The goal is to be "aspirational" and make you want to collect more of those points and click more on those links and buy more of the associated products.
The cash value of F at BA is of little relevance*: points redemption for BA's F are similarly priced as other carriers of the sane alliance. So if you want to be very "aspirational" you'd only look at value for points and BA's F is not the best in that perspective.
Ben I don't really understand what you write 'so British Airways doesn’t really have to compete with product, at least for those traveling to or from London.' You are absolutely right that they don't have to compete with any UK carrier, but they do have to complete with the likes of Emirates and Cathay Pacific and other world class airlines who fly out of Heathrow.
I have recently booked with BA flying First Class from LHR to JNB on 21/1 returning 12/2. I've never flow this Class so am more than looking forward to the experience. Reading your review however gives me some concerns
"Invest a bit more in its first class product" only makes sense if BA can generate more profit, and what we know about all the blogger-approved F products is that they only make sense to sell on a limited route network or with very few seats, which is completely different than BA's strategy of a relatively more accessible F price point that is not as luxurious and is available across much of its network.
We will never use British airway again. 10 years ago we were stranded at Heathrow 12 hours after being rerouted from LA to Newfoundland (overnight) missed flight to Dublin due to airline. Mom and 2 daughters ages 7&9) were stranded and they didn’t off anything.
Today my 19 year old is stranded 24 hours with no clothes, toiletry bag because the first flight missed the connection by 1 hour delay! BA knew it’s tight but they checked bags anyway. Many people were stranded in the middle of winter in London with their clithes and coat in checked bags. She’s in line hoping to get a hotel voucher. Never again on British air.
Last year I flew Qsuites and BA F back to back DOH-LHR-SEA and I disagree. QR is very good, but not up to the service and food and champagne I’ve had on BA F. Only 4 flights QR and 2 F on BA, but that’s my experience.
It is more available with points than other on carriers though, no need to be an elite member to redeem and bigger first cabins operating more routes
Possible but completely the exception to the rule to refuse to serve a coffee anytime when asked (unless during turbulence)
When I was reading the menu I thought to myself I really wish Ben would order something other than the fish for a change and to my surprise you did! Thanks!
There is something I dont understand. When I try see space LHR-MIA in business class on AA.com there are fairly stiff fuel surcharges for business class flights. I cant remember the last time I saw available space in First. Were your taxes and fees less becuase you started in Jeddah and not London? Wondering any suggestions to mitigate the high fuel surcharges and the MIA-LHR route for BA.
The point is BA First is probably the easiest / cheapest / most available award first seats to a premium destination. (Sorry I’m not risking going to an Arab or communist country without international rules of law.)
There are only 8 seats in the cabin (ok 14 on the handful of a380s), so don’t compare it to a 50 seat biz cabin. Bathrooms have far less use and FA to passenger ratio is 1/4 at least. Food and booze is premium and unending. Yes service can be uneven, but when it’s good it’s amazing. There are some amazing, dedicated employees at BA.
Then you have the lounges (peasant screens as I call them). Game changers. If you’ve had a 5 hour layover in the concord room at LHR you know what I mean.
Comparing BA first to a carrier that has little to no award availability is pointless. If you’re paying full commercial fare ($40,000 for two round trip) then of course fly AF Premier.
The LPGS is a couple hundred bucks a bottle retail. Certainly good enough. The Johnny Walker Blue is as well.
Flying first on Lufthansa using points is a highly unlikely scenario for almost everyone. Especially if booking more than two weeks out.
It’s fairly easy to do on BA. Have reached the point where we only fly BA in first now.
And far more reward availability. I could never afford to fly first on another major carrier. In BA we fly first ALL. THE. TIME.
I think the posters who say “the Etihad apartment with private shower and chef puts BA first to shame!” are morons and probably have never flown first, or tried to regularly find first award seats.
Not even close to the same. Food, booze, service, lavs, seats, privacy, amenities, storage, noise, LOUNGES. And 48 seats compared to 8 seats? Thanks I’ll sit in first.
Just arrived back from Europe to OHare last week. Signs in customs said cellphones must be turned off.
Recently flew from NYC to the Maldives and back on QR in business. Two flights on B777 and two on A359 Bathrooms were tided and cleaned on all 4 legs.