A Very British FIRST CLASS | London to New York on British Airways New First Class Suite
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- Опубликовано: 29 сен 2024
- WELCOME to Wandering Scholar, a 20 years old frequent flyer from Shanghai. To all my subscribers, it is my pleasure to welcome you back !
London to New York is the world’s most lucrative airline route. It witnessed the evolution of commercial aviation and cultivated the financial capitals of the world.
Among the oldest contenders to the route is British Airways, and the airline’s first class is also the most premium product offered when crossing the pond in a commercial jet. However, British Airways’ first class has always been relegated as the world’s best business class due to its reverse herringbone design that draws similarity with prevalent business class seats in the market. I arrived at London Heathrow with the expectation of flying business class. But I cannot resist the urge to become BA’s frequent flyer upon disembarking in New York Kennedy.
British Airways introduced a “New” first class seat in late 2020. In line with the airline’s new Club Suite business class seat, the modified version of first class now contains a sliding door that can be closed to enhance privacy. Together with the airline’s solid inflight service and industry-leading Concord Room, the British First Class is charting its path to become the best transatlantic first class.
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Ok so at 06:20, when you boarded the bus with the non-First plebs you felt relieved when someone with Emerald status was sharing the bus with you? My gosh...haha
Thank you so much for sharing this experience!
I enjoyed the choice of music in your video, especially the song right in the beginning. BA looks excellent in this config. Really enoyed this video. Thanks for posting.
This was one of the best videos I have seen in a very long time. Please keep up the good work
I just flew from NYC to London after finishing my vacation there and I used BA First Class, amazing experience.
"...most inconveniently a shared busride" :)
Great review. British Airways has really found its feet again and has returned with a fabulous product. Well done on turning things around! Having recently flown Singapore Airlines and BA, I am shocked to find myself saying that Singapore Airlines standards have slipped during Covid, whilst BA's has vastly improved. Who would have thought!
Well blow me down! I could never imagine sub par service aboard Singapore Airlines! SQ was pretty close to heaven in Business Class before the plandemic. Haven’t flown it since 2016 on several segments of an around-the-world trip. (IAH-DME; PVG-SIN-NRT-LAX. Intervening segments DME-DXB-PVG were accomplished aboard Emirates in its acclaimed First Class “Suites”!)
Great video, totally enjoyed your indepth review. When I can afford to travel 1st Class I will definately go BA. Thanks again.
Very comprehensive and detailed review. Thank you very much.
Great Vlog , really enjoyed all the insights you high lighted , well done .
I do love the color palet of the concorde lounge. Brilliant designer put that togeather and not all boring matchy matchy or over the top like the middle east carriers like to do. Now the breakfast was hardly 5 star but the Brits have never been known for their food.
amazing!!!
exceptional
Great review, thank you. I was expecting a rubbish review, but good to see BA have maybe raised their game. Although bus to the plane in 1st class, especially on LHR-JFK - really? Come on BA, you had Terminal 5 built for you. When will you learn BA?
I do think this is a definite bucket list item - travel 1st class at least once in your life....would I want it all the time? No, because it wouldn't be special then would it....
I'm spending my birthday (13th March) in the air on Etihad Airways 1st Class to Abu Dhabi (from London Heathrow). It's a family tradition. Strange but I can't complain 😄
First class and no personal transfer to the plane lol, but I really like to watch how BA first class evolved. Nice food options❤️ thanks for the video
I'm finding it several thousand dollars cheaper than Air France La Primere class across the pond; I can walk.
That breakfast certainly did not look top quality - cheap sausages, baked beans and hard scrambled eggs? And who drinks alcohol at that time of the morning...
The 1 thing I hate about flying business or 1st is when I see a young person with a boom mic over a cell phone. I know they won't shut up during the flight so I pray I don't sit near them for the $4k ticket price 😂
This guy doesn't book first class to be comfortable - he does it to be pretentious. Why don't you buy your own champagne and stop wasting your parents' money?
Really enjoyed this, great review mate. I still find it bemusing, BA's shocking procedure for F pax, having to take a train and walk to the other side of the airport. All whilst you have LH and AF offering luxury personalised airside transits. They could at least use their Concorde Jag or London Cab to transfer F pax to a remote gate 🤦
Totally agree with you. If a BA premier pax in F can’t even qualify for a Jag I don’t see the point of having them at all 😅
TREK TRENDY! My favorite youtuber!
@@ShanghaiFlyer How do disabled passengers (those using wheelchairs) embark on a flight such as this one? Am looking to travel abroad but hoping to have an easier transition to the aircraft. Cheers and thank you!
To answer the question about disabled passengers : airlines are not allowed in law to provide assistance - the requirements lie with the airport itself. You would book special assistance via your airline, who would inform the airport's provider. A mixture of wheelchairs abd buggies are used to take those needing it to the gates.
@@jonreed5431 you go on a lift. It attaches, normally to the back door or front door. I am a wheelchair user and that's how I got on flights.
"I get to skip the first class lounge flooded with emeralds" the shaaaaaaaade !! 😸😸😸😸😸😸
"High Tea" refers to a meal eaten in the evening. The term you want is "Afternoon Tea". It's a mistake many people make.
Looks amazing. I'm scheduled to fly BA in March, but in Economy though :( lol
The sense that a substantial amount of the pleasure derived from this first class experience is that others aren't having it (the "emeralds", an apparently lower form of life to be avoided at all costs, is the dead giveaway) tells us a lot about ourselves.
It’s truly sad. Those whoever who can see how sad this is though should be grateful for their insight.
i didn’t understand this part?
@@helencastillo665 just listen to some of the words of the narrator
He is beyond pretentious and a snob. Looking down on those who he feels are less worthy than himself 🤮
Of course! If you are paying for First Class you want it to be exclusive. Why is that snobby? If people who payed substantially less are getting the same amenities then it's not a special experience. If it's too snobby for you perhaps you should be watching reviews for economy class experiences?
And FYI, the champagne is pronounced Ci-Yel not CiKel (French, YEAH?), no clue what a Bourgeoisie experience for 1st class passengers mean, guess you wanted to sound smart? And a stratified experience...well honey that's not English...Your name should really be Mr. Obnoxious "Scholar"
I flew NYC to London first class on BA a few years ago due to a family connection. We had crazy tailwinds so the flight was barely 5.5 hours. In any other circumstance I would have been happy with the quick flight time, but I was so pissed off!
I've always thought this route is not worth it, especially as you say if you get a mega tailwind on NY-London run. I did it once in about 5hrs, yeah.
@@bigmaxy07 yeah, I think economy to premium is worth the cost, but premium to business isn’t, and first is irrelevant to me as I’ll likely never be able to afford to do it again. Obviously business is preferable and if money we’re not object I’d always go business, but I’ve never felt it’s quite worth the extra $$$ for a 5-7 hour flight.
We had a tail wind too. Shorter flight. But I'm a pleb. What you gonna do ask mother nature for a refund? Don't complain about a shorter flight. Act of Goddess.
Hmmm. I believe that First on a 777 has 8 suites, not 6 as mentioned (11:50). BTW, how can you actually lay down and take a nap fully-clothed (13:10)? Overall, a rather odd and stilted review - appears to really want to impress viewers as worldly and sophisticated, in my humble opinion.
Flown BA First out of LHR 2 or 3 times and completely agreeing with this review. The check in/security experience is swift and pleasant and the Concorde room really is the best airport lounge IMO.
On board, I always appreciate the class of BA with its lack of ‘chintz’ alongside the very polite and attentive cabin crew, plus, on around 80% of the flights I’ve had in BA First, the captain came and introduced himself, which I thought was a lovely touch. I agree on the gate transfer being a little weird though, you very much get used to the first class treatment, then you find yourself just travelling through the terminal with everyone else.
I will also add that I’m so disappointed that the 747 is being slowly withdrawn from the fleet as the 1st class cabin situated in the nose cone of the 747 was just brilliant, it’s hard to even explain how quiet it was when positioned that far forward of the engines.
Didn't the 747 phase out quite some time before your comment? Might be wrong
@@imapoketrader You are correct, I thought they still had a few left but the last ones were retired back in late 2020. I don’t frequently travel in First(I save my air miles up for the upgrade), so I’m glad that I managed to fly BA First in their final year of the 747(end of 2019) as it’s still my favourite commercial aircraft.
I’m an Asian and I’ve watch many travellers videos.
Can I just say I can’t stand his pretentious “accent” and trying to act high class, nitpicking about every single thing as if the whole world is supposed to revolve around him just because he is flying first class.
I’ve seen first class passengers behave much better than this dude.
Remember, if you want to act like you are travelling first class, you shouldn’t behave like the people travelling business class.
Business class: not there yet, almost there.
First class: There. The little things don’t bother them.
His accent sounds really forced. Like he’s trying too hard to sound British which you can tell because his accent sounds a bit off.
Why don’t you say ‘faux’ instead of ‘full’? It’s not a faux lunch service, it’s a full lunch service.
One of the world's best airport? Really??? guy have you gone to other parts of the world or are you living in a fishbowl? Heathrow is dated airport that needs a bad overhaul across the different terminals. Terminal 5 is the newest yet it isn't as highly rated as other new airports built in the last 2 decades. Asian airports beat most European airports HANDS DOWN! You being Chinese its bewildering for you to call LHR the world' best airport. Concorde is spelt with a 'e' at the end not Concord. 🙄
Have just returned from a BA flight from Seattle to LHR, travelling 3rd class! However, I arrived at the same time as 1st class! 😎
Clever, mate!
It’s really poor welcome when you enter inside the plane nobody even told you welcome are you are in the first class are they serious such a poor experience
Not a ‘first world problem’, just a problem for the 0.01%. That being said if you pay such a premium you should get a seriously premium service. I do think people like this are completely out of touch though, if he lost his trust fund I’m willing to bet he would be hugely underprepared for this world... like the fact that having money to fly from London to New York in economy is a huge once in a lifetime luxury to most.
It is utterly shocking that a first class passenger has to get on that bus. Oh humanity! My first class arse should only be carried onto the said aircraft as it is utterly special and must never be nowhere near other “emeralds” and some such folk.
Is this an objective review or paid for PR / advertising for BA? Most of the review comes across and incredibly biased in favour of BA…
Thanks for the great review, it's very comprehensive! It seems like a solid product, better than when I last flew in their F cabin 9 years ago. However, they are still missing key elements to compete with the top F products like AF: perhaps an improved (Michelin-star) cuisine in their lounge, a personal airside car service to the plane, and a slightly larger suite onboard? That said, given the fact that Virgin doesn't offer First Class and AA has a very embarrassing F product, they have little pressure to go more upscale on the North American routes; Asia (when all Covid restrictions are waived) might be a different story. It would also be interesting to see if AF's super upscale strategy to compete with private jets (with literally private jet connections on the tarmac at CDG to the final destination) will pay off financially for the airline. BA's strategy may just be good enough and more lucrative in the end?
am English what the heck is English scrambled eggs.. scrambled eggs is scrambled eggs
I recently flew on BA economy from Orlando to Heathrow - and the service was, as ever, excellent. Flew from LHR to Malaga Spain, also very good. Sadly our return trip on American Airlines (Star Alliance nonsense) was so awful in just about every respect that I have no intention of taking another AA flight anywhere. The Brits really really are top notch when it comes to service. US airlines need to take a much needed lesson.
It is interesting you say this as I don’t find American too bad. I fly a lot from LHR to Charlotte which is operated by AA. I don’t find the economy service any different, perhaps the food isn’t as good. I find the lounges on offer for ‘Gold/Silver’ members whilst travelling via AA from LHR better than BA’s own ‘first’ lounge at T5.
AA is a oneworld airline, not star alliance.
Slightly pretentious you tube creator.
I went on the No 39 bus into town today. I felt totally underwhelmed by the experience...
A pity. No. 40 is the better ride.
No one from The U.K. would rate BA for business or first class…. 😂. And I’m sorry your experience of traveling from Concorde Lounge to the plane as a horrendous experience. Appreciate the video but it feels overly rated.
Hahaha pfffff your comment 😂
Heathrow one of the words best airports?? That’s hilarious, is chaotic, extortionately expensive and frequently subject to horrendous delays..
The irony is, BA are usually late vs Easyjet and Ryanair. IF BA wasn't a UK national airline it would have gone out of business a long time ago if the government didn't bail them out. If you travelled overseas to out first class lounges T5 is not impressive at all, pre covid on a morning is feels like a Pret when there are so many members who doesn't fly first but are eligible to be in the lounge. The toilets are dated and TBH is feels like a lower class business lounge than first. If you been to Qantas in Sydney or the WIng in Hong Kong, this lounge feels like a "nice" European hotel for breakfast
BA were privatised in 1987. I own shares in them. They’ve never ever had a government bailout or subsidy. Also “Quantas” is spelt ‘Qantas’.
Unhealthy combination of foods, esp. after that huge breakfast in the lounge, prior to boarding.
British Airways is truly dreadful They sold me a First Class return to Dubai and then put me on business class air Belgium on the way home. They are appalling in their customer service and their product is second rate compared to middle eastern and far eastern airlines never fly them they’re a waste of money
Great vid! BA have really stepped up their cabins and service. Hopefully see a more widespread roll out too
British Airways is not even in the top 10 best airlines in the world.
This guy is beyond pretentious. Complaining because he had to walk? The HORROR.
First class or not, good on planes is always terrible. The complex multi course menu’s are a waste of time and energy imo, they are always gross, even in first. They should save their energy and focus on simplicity and freshness.
*food 😁
Definitely looks more like the modern day business class…
I wonder how the experience is with the restrictions being lifted. Today, BA has 6 daily flights to JFK! Amazing. Also, a very elegant, eloquent, and easy-to-follow flight review. Great job.
Excellent review of a quality product. All us sophisticated flying American wankers choose it! 😇
I got turned off by the swirling of the wine 'Wandering scholar' Pretentious tag.
Great video! How much wine and champagne did you have over the course of the whole journey from the lounge to your nap?! :D
Not as much as I expected since they’ve still got a few bottles left after the meal service hahaha. The wine program was definitely a highlight for sure.
You can tell this guy has a huge sense of self-importance and a giant ego to match.
Mmm that’s what I was thinking to, it came across very self entitled especially when he didn’t like sharing a bus with I guess the economy passengers
@S he’s 18, he lives the high life out his parents pocket
@S You're parents pay for your life too then ?
You can take the man out of China but cant take the China out of the man!
Nothing new here, Chinese students who go abroad come from families that are in the vast majority very well off. At least he has an interest in aviation and actually makes really high quality content.
great video! Glad to see BA have upgraded! What did the attendants feel about you recording? I wonder if that changes the service
Terrific review! My last flight with BA in 1st was late 2018. They look to have improved significantly since then.
oh heaven forbid you have to take a bus like a mere peasant would 🤦🏼♂
An EXCELLENT overview of the fabulous BA First Class flight experience that I had in that lounge and in-flight early 2020. Can't wait to do so again.
A shared bus ride!!! How did you ever survive!?
I recently visited the Concorde room, not impressed at all, to say the least. The decor is similar to what you can find in the Galleries (business) lounge, so it is not impressive at all. The polished metal room dividers, skirting boards and guardrails give a cheap industrial look. The toilets are worth visiting: they are the biggest let-downs, I think budget hotels have better facilities. Showers: forget it, unless you pre-booked one of the miserable and small private rooms, aka. cabana. :D It is shocking to see what Freakish Airways offers to passengers that easily pay 5000+ GBP on first class. To be frank, the Cathay and Qantas business lounges have much better interior design at Terminal 3. Regarding the food and drink selection: the a la carte dining is nice, but if you are short on time and just want to grab something quickly, this is not your lounge. No buffet, no drinks on display, not even nuts. A small buffet, offering light but quality bits would make a difference. Again, both Qantas and Cathay lounges have buffet and a la carte options. When it is time to board the plane, BA offers nothing but a walking exercise to first passengers. No limousine service, no direct access to gates, not even a buggy that takes you to the plane.
Lot may disagree or hate for this, but I believe this "product" is a disappointment. Do not forget, this lounge is in the heart of their main hub, reserved exclusively for passengers travelling on first class or reached the highest level or loyalty. Let's forget the Middle or Far East airline lounges in their main hubs, just compare to the European big brands: Swiss has a Whisky bar in Zurich, offering hundred and something different whiskies, a limousine service to the plane and a proper, bookable double bed hotel room within the lounge. Air France: limousine service to CDG, a chic lounge with buffet and a la carte dining. Lufthansa: valet parking, personal assistant through security, lounge and check-in, cigar lounge, then limousine service to the plane...
Thank you Sam Chui for another first class video 👌👌
Nice review i found u to be very honest not scripted getting ready for my flight from ghana to Washington buisness and first class cant wait.
1:05
Even trying to speak proper HEnglish using big words 😂😂😂
His accent seems really forced.. like he’s trying too hard to sound British
Lovely video, well done. Sorry, your experience at the Concorde Boarding area was less than it should have been. It has been a few years ago since I was there, but it was not like that.
A very nice review, but even with my glasses I could not read all the information on the screen as the front was so small. Perhaps you would consider enlarging the font for us old folks and the sight impaired. Thanks!
Dreadful airline with very poor customer service
Love your channel and this review; there is definitely something special about BA between LHR and JFK.
A comment before I watch this video.
I am enthralled by the idea of flying first class, and I have manifested the idea of travelling this way.
I recently had a holiday in California for 2 weeks (from the UK) and flew economy from LHR - LAX direct, vice versa. Which, to say the least, was unpleasant at best.
That return ticket was around £640.
A first class return ticket from LHR - JFK is around £2400, which as of December 2022, is looking at flights in august 2023.
So let’s see if it’s worth it
Edit: I enjoyed your commentary on this experience, including but not limited to, your seemingly unbiased opinions throughout the journey, a pleasant encounter with British hospitality.
Moreover, your ability to engage me as a viewer, from voiceover to descriptive captions, to “live” commentary.
All in all, with the aviation industry catching up with the large influx in air travel throughout 2022, airlines must accommodate first class travellers accordingly.
I cannot wait to be a part of the finest way to travel
Great video bro. I might take this product at Christmas. Looks really good, except for the bus ride!
The most boring review I've ever, ever come across.
The new BA club seat which I have flown in. They are great for privacy and no one walks over you, they are also great on a flight where you do not sleep.The problem is when you want to sleep. If you look the space under the monitor is where your feet and legs go, there is very little foot space. You cannot raise your knees and there is very little room for a person who sleeps on their side. To get out of the bed you have to raise the seat to the take off position and to lay flat, lower it again. Also the foot stool is not adjustable for height, well at least it is not on the BA seat. On the BA seat when the seat is flat there is a bump right where the arch of your back is for a 6ft 1 person. It does not fold dead flat.
My daughter and family flying business class BA right now to the US. Looks amazing 😀
huh so BA have actually upgraded their suites.... interesting...
What did the part about the man having an emerald and nothing else mean?
That breakfast looked cheap 🤣🤣
早餐几乎算不上 5 星级，但英国人从未以他们的食物而闻名。很高兴看到 BA 保持高标准的服务，而许多航空公司却以大流行为借口来削减它。我同意远足到 LHR 卫星终端的费用并不高。如果 BA 有更好的方法让头等舱乘客离开那里，那就太好了。我一直觉得协和厅非常令人愉快和低调。唯一真正令人失望的是过境乘客的小屋。概念很棒，一个带卫生间和淋浴设施的私人房间以及一个带沙发和电视的小区域。家具看起来非常疲倦，靠垫下垂，边角有缺口。老实说，这是一个你想一直穿袜子的地方。
I really apprefiated this review, very detailed, precise and professionally done.
Exactly what's required.
Please do more with varying departures and destinations. Please 🙏 f you could focus on the Caribbean and Asian countries also, as well as Europe and middle east
x2
I fly business class and its much better on the BA 777 you have a privacy door and its much better
Well, as usual not all trips are good. I paid 26k for four seats 1st class to London from Chicago. I did this in June. It is December and I have yet to recieve my refund for a cancelled and degraded coach seat for 13 hours. The custeomer service is sh!t and India is the only people that will talk to you. Email only and asked to be patient for 6 months! Save your money!
Want Dhaka flight review!🇧🇩🇧🇩🇧🇩🇧🇩
P.s. GGL is not the highest, there are two statuses above that. Gold for Life: This requires you to have 35,000 lifetime tier points (my status) and there's also GGL for Life: This requires an astonishing 100,000 lifetime tier points!
It's way past rime to retire the phrase "first world problem." Even the word "woke" (which I hate) would better..It smacks of Marie Antoinette"s "let them eat cake" phrase, or worse---the days British colonialism.
Unfortunately the seat is very narrow, it looks like a coach seat surrounded by a large piece of furniture, I didn't see any differences with Business Class. The catering is good but could be better since the LHR JFK route is one of the most competitive in the world. You have not shown if they gave you Pijamas, an Amenity Kit and if they gave you what brand it was.
No big change at all. Still the SECOND best BUSINESS class product (Just after Qsuite of Qatar)in the world /:(
I'd disagree.. Turkish Airlines is superior to both and more friendly..
Quality video mate, not many know the difference between the styles of UK vs US gastronomy, I am guessing that you would have received the US version of eggs due to your destination.
What an amazing flight review. Very easy to follow and format stylish. Thanks
Hi WS, I am Raj Panjabi from CA. Really liked your BA First Class experience. from LHR to JFK. Wanted to let you I am I flying this Saturday from JFK to LHR on BA First Class on 777-300ER and will have access to Concorde Room at JFK so looking forward to that. Have you used the Concorde Room at JFK? My flight is a 8pm looking forward to good drinks and meals on board. Will let you know of my experience once the flight is completed.
I'm confused- did the captain say it was an overnight flight? How can that be? There are no overnight flights heading west from Europe.
I do love that soundtrack on your review when you say 'let the orchestra begin'. You are going to do well.
On my bucket list to travel first class in any airline. One day.
wait-- how are American scrambled eggs different to British ones? Just asked my British spouse and he has no idea
Lmao as far as I’m concerned there’s no difference 😂😂 what he filmed was an omelette, not “American” scrambled eggs
Americans put milk in theirs and make it fluffy and the British don’t, it’s just egg alone and scrambled
@@nericemc oh my god you’re right!!! I completely forgot.
@@nericemc weird, because my partner is from England and he puts milk in his scrambled eggs and I (an American) do not. In fact, I actively detest milk in scrambled eggs because that's just not how I'm used to having them
The Concorde Room has gone down a few notches in its food offerings. The inflight meal looked ordinary. Hopefully the high tea and the wine tasting made up for it. But its definitely not the best first class in the world by a mile.
BA will never have a 100% exceptional First Class until their male attendants stop wearing short-sleeved dress shirts and serve jacket-less. It degrades the presentation.
You should make this video again, post Covid as things are “normal” again..
Like your review style
I hope they have fixed the boarding debacle. I would have demanded that I be driven from the lounge to the boarding terminal in a golf cart. 😂😂😂😂
Awesome review mate! Very thorough and informative even on the smallest things you go into fine detail. Subbed
I see from your description you've been flying for a long while. How do pop your ears? To remove the annoying pain??????
Concorde.