Luckily on my last day, the rain stopped and the weather seemed to be getting much better, typical, just as I'm leaving!I'd checked in online on Sunday. 16 people has already nabbed seats, but as I have no status I had to wait till T-24. It had selected 8A, the back row, which I decided to keep as most people seemed to want to sit at the front. I can't see it makes much difference on this plane, except there's no overhead storage at rows 7-8A/B. I also thought I might get two seats to myself that way.
Made my way to JFK T7 by NYAS bus from Grand Central. It took less than an hour, so I got there a little earlier than I thought. No queues at the self check-in kiosks, so quickly printed my BP and went to bag drop. Couldn't see any dedicated CW desks, but no queues here either, so seen immediately, where my bag was whisked away and given instructions as to how to get to the lounge. Very small security screening section, not much room to remove shoes and then put them on again, but through quite quickly. Into the Terraces lounge, which was quite large, and informed that pre-flight dining would open at 5.30pm. Quite empty at this time, but by the time I left it was full. The usual lounge offerings were on display. Pre-flight dining was ok, but looked quite pre-prepared and that it had been under a heat lamp too long, despite only opening a few minutes earlier.
Flight was called at 1930, 20 mins before it was timed to depart. The crew member at the door looked shocked to see me as she didn't hear me coming, saying that she usually hears peoples cases rolling down the air bridge, but I'd checked mine in. I guess most people don't want to wait at LCY for a bag.
23 pax on board. Seemed someone had got 8B, but the crew member standing at the back asked him if he wanted 8K as that side was free, he took the offer.
Hangers were on the back of all the seats with seat numbers attached, so no need to find your BP again, and coats taken away. Before take off, we were asked what we fancied for dinner. I didn't like the look of anything so said I didn't really fancy anything, and was told "ok" and she quickly moved on, no offer of an alternative, if I just fancied a desert or something. Ah well. Breakfast orders also taken, or you could sleep longer if you wanted to.Seat 8A/B:
Pushed back exactly on time at 19:50, but the captain told us that due to one runway being closed, there would be a delay and wheels up was 20:40. ETA was 07:45, later than usual due to the 4 hour time difference at the moment.
Once up in the air, there was a drinks run and then the meal run. I had to ask for my media player, as they seem to think everyone will bed down for the night and not want anything else. They don't seem to do drinks runs either, as people are sleeping, but not offered anything else till breakfast. A bit poor I thought, as they knew I was awake.
The menu can be seen here:
A good selection of films and TV shows on the media player, which attaches to a bracket held between the seats. It's then plugged in between the seats to provide power. Seemed to work very well, more shows than I was expecting. Touch screen was not that responsive, needed a bit of prodding sometimes to get it to respond.
I did try out the flat bed, which I didn't find that comfortable, a bit hard where the sections join, but everyone else seemed fine with it. I guess it was a bit bumpier than a 747, but not by much. For some reason people kept using the toilet at the back, despite being sat nearer the front. There are two at the front, but maybe they didn't realise. Something to include in the announcement at the beginning maybe?
This was the view out of my window as we were about an hour out of LCY:
Breakfast was served about an hour out from LCY. Had a croissant and a muffin, as well as a smoothie, was very tasty.
Menu:
Soon time for landing, and came into LCY from the East so didn't get to see my flat. Wheels down was at 07:40, a smooth landing and soon at the gate. Here's where sitting at the front may help. We all then queued up for one immigration agent. Most pax were on foreign passports so it took a while to get through. I think two lanes here would be good, and get the UK ones through quicker, even if it's still one agent, make them wait I say. JFK T7 seemed to have more agents at the US residents desks than visitors. Took about 10 mins maybe, so once through, my bag was spinning away happily on the carousel on its own. Left via the 'nothing to declare' lane though I imagine it's easy to walk through the 'EU Green lane' by mistake here. Someone was having their bag searched so I made it through ok.
According to Oyster I touched in at the DLR station at 08:00, so not bad at all.
Overall, it was a great flight, and I'd do it again if I could, and I'd love to try out BA0001 to JFK, maybe next year for that one. Very handy if you live in East London or need to get into the City or the Wharf for work. Sorry for waffling on so much!
