I packed my bag and went over to the Hilton to take back a hire car. On leaving the Sheraton I requested a late check out only to be told that the latest I could have the room was 1pm. I asked the concierge about my SPG Gold benefit that gives 4pm late check-out but I was told strictly 1pm. I thought I’d try again later so I headed out for a last wander and got myself some lunch. I came back to have a shower and so I quickly checked online and sure enough it is 4pm for SPG Golds so I had a quick and curt call down to the desk to which they suddenly agreed to a 4pm late check out. Just after my shower I had housekeeping knock at the door asking to clean the room, I said to them to come back later in the day and put the do not disturb sign on. About 30 minutes passed and housekeeping knocked again, and then again 20 minutes later (three times in all – and this was after agreeing a late check out1). After the next knock at the door I couldn’t bear it any longer so I packed my things up to evacuate the room – and gave the front desk a piece of my mind. I checked out and left the bags there while I killed a few more hours. I thought I would go and see the ‘Bodies: The Exhibition’ show that is over the road from the hotel. The exhibition is set up by the same company that do the Titanic show and is a rival of the original Bodyworlds by Dr Von Hagens. The show is very small and not really that great. Very interesting reading about the claims that the bodies (which are all Chinese) have no records to prove their origins and are suspected to be ex-prisoners.
After the exhibit I headed back to the hotel, grabbed my bags and took a cab to SEA-TAC airport. The airport was very quiet and only two other people checking in at the Economy line. I went straight up to the desk and got my boarding pass for my pre-requested seat; 10B. At check-in I was advised that due to the strike action there would be no hot meals onboard tonight and the food options were cold plated salads. I wasn’t happy about this, but at least they are actively informing you so you know to eat beforehand if you wish (although the options in SEA-TAC are limited). I was also advised that the flight had been pushed back from the usual 6.45pm departure to about 7.30pm. I then went swiftly through security using the premium line and was very quickly on the train to the S gates where BA depart from.
The BA Terraces lounge at Seattle airport is not much to write home about. Its small and has no free-pour bar. Instead there is a hatch manned by a staff member and you need to go up and request your drink. There are snacks provided, crisps, popcorn, biscuits, cheese, nuts, fruit and some sandwich triangles alongside a proper coffee machine. To be fair, its not a bad selection in comparison to a Servisair lounge, but its not a Terraces and not really ideal to serve a flight that will have no hot food. And so this was to be my home for the next few hours. The thing that most bothered me was that after munching through a cheese square I notice that the wrapper talked about rBSE which is a drug that is pumped into cows to increase their milk production and is banned in Europe and the UK on welfare grounds. I felt slightly ill and had the realisation of the utter crap that Americans just tolerate in their food. The message said that the FDA found no proof of birth defects or any other side effects from consuming the by-products of cows given the rBSE hormone but I really have to wonder what went wrong with the US that they have to pump crap into everything? I ordered some spinach in a restaurant the other day expecting spinach just lightly cooked as all the menu said was ‘sides – spinach’ but no, this spinach came smothered in mash potato, cheese and butter. No wonder a third of the population are clinically obese. I just wanted some greens. I really looked forward to getting home and getting some organic fruit and veg – and seeing some happy free range cows. </rant>
Initially the lounge was very quiet. It is shared with a couple of other airlines and last time I was here it was packed to the rafters. So I enjoyed about 40 minutes of peace and quiet using the free WiFi that is provided. After this time the lounge started to get busy, and a group of six youngsters (of the ‘spring break’ age) came in. It didn’t take them long to ravage the lounge of the offerings available. We then had a PA announcement reminding us all that there would be no hot food onboard the BA flight and that the lounge staff were putting out a tray of sandwiches. The spring breakers got up and like a pack of gannets pretty much cleared the tray. One gentleman got up, got a plate and then had to sit back down again as there was nothing left. Fortunately the staff spotted this and brought out some more sandwiches. I grabbed a salmon and cream cheese triangle and a small vegetable wrap thing and went to get a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. As I headed back to my seat past the sandwiches I noted that once again they were near enough depleted. Damn youngsters eating all the food!
The spring breakers continued to chat utter nonsense at an audible volume for the next hour. How do these kids get into the lounges? They had no parents with them and I cant believe that they can all afford to fly in business? And if they were not bad enough there was a French couple with a small child in the lounge and in a caricature of French style the parents talked loudly to each other while drinking red wine and ignoring the child, who was walking around reading a book entitled ‘What’s wrong, little Pookie?’ (how American!) and randomly sitting in chairs around the lounge with complete strangers and attempting to strike up conversation. I don’t find children at all ‘cute’ but I did feel sorry for the little one as her parents didn’t appear to be too interested in her and allowed her to inflict herself on other passengers.
A short while later one of the staff in the lounge came around to all the passengers with a tray of cakes. She offered a selection of chocolate, strawberry, lemon & banana flavoured treats so I sampled one (well, it would be rude not to!). I thought that was a nice touch as I know these are not usually available. As she plated up a small cake she said that these were special treats for the BA passengers to try and make up for the reduced service. As I was about to devour my cake another staffer came round with a tray of champagne glasses, offering free bubbly. I thought it would be rude not to partake.
I have to say that BA did get it right here by trying to offer a few sweeteners in the lounge. Its not going to solve the problem but it does show willing.
We had an announcement in the lounge that we’d be boarding in about 10 minutes, so after a quick trio to the restrooms it was time to board, which was perfect timing as little miss with the Pookie book had just paid me a visit. I packed up my things and headed down the stairs to gate S10 to find the area completely empty. Turns out that BA had boarded Y and W first allowing J and F to stroll on at their leisure, which was a good move, plus it meant that I could stealthily slip into 10B without seeing any colleagues.
I boarded to a warm welcome and settled into my seat. Newspapers were brought round, though I had snaffled a small stash from the lounge. I then noticed that the French family were also in row 10, much to my displeasure. A boarding drink of water or juice came round and we very quickly took off from SEA-TAC – one of the benefits of boarding last I guess.
The seatbelt sign stayed on for a short while but the crew quickly came around with the first drinks round. I opted for a G&T. Then the food service started – the only choice (AFAIK) was a cold seafood salad. I greatly dislike cold meat or fish salads so it was a simple no from me. I noticed a number of ‘no thanks-you’s’ in the cabin and I estimate only half the J cabin took the meal. No other food choices were actively offered and the crew did not proactively remind passengers about the Club Kitchen which I thought was poor as I am sure there may have been the odd irregular passenger who did not know about the facility. I wondered what the crew were thinking during the meal service, they were very impersonal and non-engaging so I wondered whether they were embarrassed about the meals or whether they were replacement staff. I would have thought this was a prime opportunity to get out there and try and turn things around, to try and give a stellar flight under difficult circumstances for loyal passengers (who could have cancelled to a full refund and moved to Star Alliance or Virgin). Sadly, there was none of this. No extra drinks runs either which could have been a nice touch.
From what I saw of the trays they contained a very small appetiser, the salad and a strawberry pudding. Rolls were also offered. The meals were very much like a Club Europe offering really. Champagne and wine was served in individual bottles instead of the large ones. From reading FT it was the same in First as well, something to do with making service easier for the reduced crew compliment.
I had my drink and the small packet of macadamias. I turned on the IFE to realise that again we had non-AVOD. Grr. As all of the films had started I flicked through to look for some documentaries and found a program about skiing in the mountains. I got out my laptop instead and decided to watch some of the videos that I had recently downloaded, so I started with the latest episode of Lost and then some Blackadder. I also had to drown out little miss Pookie, who was watching the IFE and kept shouting to her parents as she had her headphones on. Grr.
I grabbed a bottle of water from the club kitchen and had a quick stock check of what was on offer. No soups but small cheese plates, tubs of pasta and lots of sandwiches, so slightly different offerings to usual. I thought that the crew really ought to have been more forthcoming about the contents to passengers during the meal service.
I went back to my seat and watched a last episode of Blackadder before reclining my seat and trying to get some sleep. The cabin hadn’t been completely darkened so I found it hard to switch off, then I became aware of what is probably the worst thing possible on a red eye – the snorer. He was lying on his back and grunty snoring very loudly. I tried my hardest to block it out but couldn’t so had to resort to wedging the ear plugs from the amenity kit into my ears – and they didn’t completely do the trick. Grrrr.
I spent the next 4 hours or so having a fitful sleep. I put my iPod on to drown out his noise but then I had that uncomfortable bud in my ear so was limited on where I could put my head down on the pillow. I noticed that there was still a dim overhead light in the cabin instead of the usual total black-out.
A while later I was woken by the cabin lights going on, and this wasn’t a gentle fading as I have seen before but a ruthless full beam which roused pretty much everyone from their slumber. I went to the restroom and saw the breakfast trolleys waiting in the galley.
Breakfast was served about 10 minutes after the light going on. We were served a bowl of fruit (grapefruit & orange slices, pineapple and strawberry), a yoghurt, a croissant and a muffin with a choice of a smoothie or orange juice and tea or coffee. I had tea and a berry smoothie.
Breakfast is usually a hot item after the fruit and smoothie so they had obviously bulked out the tray with the bread items. The fruit was nice, very refreshing as was the smoothie. I neglected to eat the yoghurt after seeing the number of food colourings in it. Its yoghurt FFS! Its supposed to be natural. Why on earth are there three different food colourings in it? Grrr.
The muffin was nice but the croissant was solid having probably been frozen in a previous life, so I left most of it. I drank my tea and was offered a refill before my tray was cleared away. Landing cards were offered around the cabin before we secured for landing. The phantom snorer started again after breakfast and continued till we landed.
Once we were on the ground and were bussed to the terminal as seems to be the norm for BA these days. I really hope that their claims are true that when T5c opens the bussing will cease. The pilot said that the bus would drop us off close to immigration so in fact it would be quicker. Perhaps what he doesn’t realise is that the busses sit there for 15 minutes while the ground staff try to squeeze the maximum number of people on. I can walk faster.
Fortunately there was no queue at IRIS when I arrived so it was straight through, and my bags were in amongst the first lot to come out. I went straight through and had intended on going home as I didn’t feel too good. I hadn’t pre-booked a car so I went outside to get a cab to take me back to Reading but they wanted £100 for the trip. Ridiculous! I called our corporate cab firm and went to BA Arrivals to wait for them. The lounge closes at 2pm and it was 1.30pm by this time so the arrivals lounge was empty. I saw only one other person in there, apart from the cleaners. All the breakfast items had been put away which sucked. Why close at 2pm when if by 1.30pm you have effectively closed? Why not tidy up after all the passengers have gone? I grabbed a glass of water and waited until I was called by our car firm who charge £42 for a Heathrow-Reading journey. I picked up my car from the office and was home in an hour, as was Richard.
All in all this wasn’t the best flight I have ever had. Given the circumstances I should be glad it wasn’t cancelled and that I was put on a non-direct flight with another carrier I guess. The lack of a hot meal was bothersome and it wasn’t just the meal that was lacking, some of the other finishing touches that are part of the normal cabin service seemed absent – like the lights going straight on instead of being faded and the crew really not delivering any great service. The experience felt sub par for Club. I dread to think what those in First must have thought. They also had cold meals and frankly you expect a certain level of food and service when you are paying upwards of £6000 a ticket.
I greatly appreciated the lengths that the staff in the Seattle lounge went to in giving passengers a few sweeteners in the form of the cakes, sandwiches and Champagne. A small gesture but they had tried, I guess that is what I felt was lacking from the flight.
I got my 120 tier points and 8381 miles and it would be nice to see a little bonus from BA to thank me for not cancelling my flight. Next time there is a strike I may do just that.
