British Airways » A318 » User reviews

nigelbrinklow flew British Airways Club World, on a A318 (04/10/2011 13:35)

I flew on BA001 on Thurs 22nd Sept 2011 from LCY to JFK. The lounge at City is quite small, but is restricetd to BA001 passengers only. There was champagne, wine, soft drinks, tea, coffee and a small selection of warm canapes and buscuits.

Boarding was very smooth and the interior cabin was clean and bright. The cabin crew on the flight were wonderful. They were friendly and helpful. The food was among the best I've had in the air. I would normally avoid steak on a flight, but seeing as the contract for the supply of catering is with Roast I gave it a try. I was not dissapointed.

The seat is much wider than the regular CW seat and I think it is also a lot more comfortable. The controls are easy to reach and operate and there are plenty of options to choose from to get comfy. The seat folds down to a completely flat bed.

The IFE system was an iPad. I had read some iffy reviews of teh previous system and the cabin crew confirmed that the old system was not up to scratch. The iPad was pre-loaded with lots of films, TV shows and a couple of games. I was perfectly happy.

The short stop at Shannon was fine and we were back on the plane in no time. There was no queue in the immigration hall and for the first time I saw a US immigration officer smile!

The flight over to JFK was smooth and went by too quickly. The high tea that was offered before landing could probably be improved on. The scones were nice, but I didn't like any oif the sandwiches. The alternative salad was very small. However, as we were not in New York for business we were not too bothered as we knew we'd be going out for food in the city.

Disebmarkment was hampered by a fault with the airbridge, but once the ground staff had finally rememembered how to work the thing we were off and skipped past the 100's of people queuing in the immigration hall, as we had already pre-cleared immigration.

All in all I would definately recommend this flight. I did worry before hand in case it was too forcussed towards business passengers, but I needn't have worried. The crew tailored their service accordingly.

I am saving for my next trip!!

rodders flew British Airways Club World, on a A318 (09/10/2010 03:00)

what a great service BA is offering from LCY to JFK, love the gate lounge at LCY, easy to board, and then a short 1 hr hop to Shannon, where US Border Protection formalities were completed within 30 minutes, and then off to JFK. Staff were friendly, service was good, and plane only 2/3rds full, disembarking at JFK as a domestic flight was just a breeze.Top marks BA for running this service.

SimonP01 flew British Airways Club World, on a A318 (21/05/2010 14:23)

My new wife and I flew the BA001 on Wednesday 12th May 2010. I was very impressed with the overall product . It really is like flying in a business the jet- a most unique experience helped by the fact we were only with 8 other passengers . The design of cabin was excellent - more space than normal club world and lots of privacy from any else around. The new aircraft was calm, tranquil, clean, contemporary, slick and stylish. I suppose like flying used to be. That's the summary now a bit more detail.

London City experience - this was my first flight through there. No waiting at check-in, no waiting at security and straight to the lounge with plenty of beverages available. This was already open when we got there (11:15 for a 12:50 flight). Read previous review saying the lounge only opened at 11:30 so BA have addressed this. Very prompt boarding, personal welcome from the captain (we were in row one!) and with minimal taxi and a very sporty take-off.

Seating: We were seat 1j and 1k. They were fine - no lack of space due to bulk heads. I would say all other seats were fine but make the comment that seat 1b is next to a toilet and is a bit exposed into the aisle. Rows two and three have a missing window position (out of the three windows at each seat) which is a slight problem in row three especially if you want a relaxed view out of the window. I didn't notice any difference in noise between the front and back.

Service: All very good. No pre-flight drink in LCY (but you get one in JFK). However, you don't have time for one due to near immediate taxi and go. Within minutes the excellent cabin crew start their excellent service starts. Fine wines and champagne with a starter en-route to Shannon. Main course and dessert follows departure out of Shannon with (if you're still hungry) an excellent afternoon tea about 1.5 hours of JFK. Read a previous review saying sandwiches ere plastic wrapped - ours weren't. This tea competes with some classy London hotels so enjoy. Having 3 cabin crew for the 10 passengers on our flight made for the best possible service. The portable entertainment system offers the same range of films/tv/music at the larger fleet but you don't get flights maps. The On-Air - text/email service wasn't working for our flight.

Seats: I'm not a regular business traveller but have done BA (Pre Econ and Club World) and Virgin PE recently. I would rate the Club_world London City seats at the best airline seats I've ever been in. Bit wider than I'd expected - excellent support and adjustment. They advertise the seats with a fully flat 6ft bed - I'm 6'3" and didn't feel constrained. They also have extra buttons next to your head when reclined to make it easy to return to the up right position - nice touch.

Shannon stop: Within a hour you're landing here. The stop was barely noticeable. Touch down to take off in just under an hour. You have to take your hand baggage off and then go through a queue-less US immigration. Within 10 minutes we were back on-board. Same cabin crew but they change the Captain/First Officer due to restrictions on their overall daily operating hours. So we were personally welcomed by our second Captain (a very amiable Cpt Hart) and off we went.

The flight: Thought a smaller aircraft might be a bit bumpier. We had some dark clouds above LCY and SNN so a little turbulence on take-off but nothing different thereafter. I've experienced some severe turbulence in 747-400s so size doesn't matter on this one !! Flight time of 6hrs 40 mins SNN to JFK. We were at the JFK taxi rank within 15 minutes of engine stop even allowing for checked baggage so take all of that onto account when doing you're sums on time difference with LHR flights.

I am an aircraft enthusiast and wanted to experience this flight and living in east London it was a no brainer for me. But even for others the ease of transit to LCY and rapid check-in- security and intimacy of the airport surely make for a winning product for anyone wanting to get to JFK in what is a near First class cabin at Club-Class prices.

Well done BA.

AndrewFlyer flew British Airways Club World, on a A318 (03/03/2010 12:55)

Flying from New York's JFK to London City on British Airways' Airbus A318 non-stop service is the best option for travel to London, in my opinion. I travelled on BA004, departing JFK Terminal 7 at 22:00, and scheduled to land in London at 10:15 the following morning.

Check-in at dedicated desks at T7 took less than one minute, and the dedicated fast track security meant I was airside in under three minutes. Staff reminded me that there was a pre-flight dining option in the Terraces Lounge, and London City flights are now full-service flights offering a starter, three main courses and a "Goodnight Express" sandwich/salad combo plus dessert / cheese / cookies / fruit and chocolate. Because of heavy snow-fall in the NY area, I departed Manhattan well in advance, so had plenty of time in the lounge before departure.

Boarding was called 30 minutes prior to departure, and with an aircraft slightly more than half-full, the doors were closed at 21:44 and we pushed back three minutes later. We were airborne in five minutes, so slightly ahead of our scheduled departure time. It sure made a difference to the 1-hour plus taxi time I've had on a 747 at JFK! Our flying time was scheduled for seven hours exactly. Since my visit to New York had been brief, I was tired and reclind my seat back 15 minutes after take-off, and was soon enjoying a lovely slumber on a very comfortable 180-degree flat bed with a light cotton duvet to keep me warm. Luckily, the crew on this flight kept the cabin cool (and dark), ensuring customers could maximise their rest. The next thing I knew, I was awoken with the wonderful "30 minutes to landing, sir" and "here is your cup of morning tea." Crew also handed out a variety of breakfast options to customers (smoothies, fruit, muesli, pastries and warm bacon rolls), though a few opted to take the "City Breakfast" option off the plane with them (juice, fruit and pastries).

It was interesting flying over North London on approach to London City, and watching many larger aircraft in the stack waiting for clearance to land at London Heathrow. We just zipped along and made the steep angled approach into London City for a perfect landing, touching down nearly 20 minutes ahead of schedule. Immigration was fast (with a very pleasant officer who welcomed us with a hearty "good morning"), and bags were on the belt six minutes from the aircraft door opening. I declined the offer to shower at the nearby Marriott West India Quay since I live nearby, but timed my arrival home (via cab) at 33 minutes from aircraft door to my front door.

Arriving in London does not get any easier than at London City - it is a very efficient use of time, and the BA Club World London City service offers a maximum opportunity to rest in preparation for a long day at the office in London. A winning service. And are there any negatives to this flight, you may ask? I'd prefer to have something to change into on the overnight return flight (I often use hand-luggage, so bringing extra PJs isn't always an option), and a larger pillow would be nice. The "bing-bong" of the on-air system registering between satellites can be annoying, and there is a bright green light by the power port (taking both US & UK plugs) which can be annoying if you aren't wearing eyeshades. Otherwise, everything else works very well!

AndrewFlyer flew British Airways Club World, on a A318 (03/03/2010 12:23)

Evening BA003 service from LCY to JFK. I departed my office at Canary Wharf at 14:20 for a 16:00 departure to New York, and the DLR took 14 minutes to reach London City Airport. Check-in took less than one minute, and with dedicated fast-track security only for this JFK flight, I was through in three minutes. I made my way to the Gate 24 lounge, only used by British Airways for the two, dedicated LCY-JFK flights. There were 26 customers on this flight (out of a total of 32 seats).

Boarding was simple and leisurely, and we were warmly greeted by the crew. We departed ten minutes ahead of schedule, and we were airborne four minutes after pushback. Our journey time to Shannon was one-hour and five minutes, in which time the crew served an appetizer and offered a full bar service.

In Shannon, we were quickly through the newly refurbished part of the terminal into the US Immigration and Customs hall. Bags go through a scanner (laptops out, shoes off) and security staff performed a manual baggage inspection. We proceeded through US Immigration / Customs and then onward to a waiting area dedicated for Club World London City customers. The Irish duty-free is under renovation (removing the Stalinist-era shop of old). The crew re-boarded, and within five minutes passengers were back on board and we were under way - a full 20 minutes ahead of schedule.

Supper service commenced shortly after take-off with another round of drinks, followed by a salad, a choice of five main courses, cheese or dessert and after-dinner drinks. Apart from an average wine-list, there is no description of what is available from the bar, so you have to ask what they have, which slows service down a bit. Portable video units are used on this service, with a fairly decent amount of programming with recent films. BA's new association with BAFTA may up the level of content on these units. Most passengers either caught up with work (esp. when the OnAir Connectivitiy was available for blackberry connections - note TMobile users still are not able to connect), or slept or watched a film. The Captain came through the cabin and spoke to every customer that so wished - a nice touch.

The seats, in pairs, are contemporary, sleek and very comfortable. In bed mode, I find them more comfortable than regular Club World on 747 & 777 aircraft. The Cabin ambiance (thanks to mood lighting) is pleasant and serene.

A la carte "afternoon tea" was available upon request from 90 minutes prior to landing (but after a good supper catered by London's Roast restaurant, there were not too many takers) - note only basic tea or herbal tea is offered, no Earl Grey / Darjeeling, etc. which would be a nice addition to this premium flight. We landed at a snowy JFK nearly 40 minutes ahead of schedule (there had been massive cancellations in NY due to the snow, so approach was direct and fast), with a record two minutes from runway to gate 9 (not the normal arrival gate at JFK T7). From Gate 9, it took three minutes from the door of the aircraft to getting into a cab, and a further 30 minutes to reach my hotel overlooking Central Park (hardly any traffic). Arrival was so quick, in fact, I managed a light supper with friends after landing - and this is after the later of the two daily flights from LCY-JFK.

Overall, this flight is a truly winning proposition from British Airways. It takes so much of the hassle and wasted time of current travel out of the equation, that customers are happy to pay the premium charged for this boutique and special service. The added perquisites of being able to connect onboard, and landing as a domestic customer at JFK really make this an optimum choice.

StephenLondon flew British Airways Club World, on a A318 (13/10/2009 18:00)

I have just returned from a business trip to New York JFK, and rather than my usual returns from LHR, I decided to try the new Airbus A318 all-Club World service from London City. It was fantastic. I am now a convert, and have switched three future trips to this new and very comfortable service.

Bag-drop took less than a minute, LCY had dedicated security for the JFK flight (and took less than one minute), and two minutes later I was sitting in a brand new lounge at London City, uniquely used for this New York JFK service. Fantastic. I've never gone from check-in virtually to plane door in such little time, and with no hassle.

Boarding was swift, the plane is new and has a different seating layout to usual Club - seats in pairs both facing forward. The crew were very friendly, used my name a lot, and were very attentive. We took off (early, as it happens) and were on our way to Shannon. About 10 minutes after take-off, I was able to use my blackberry, meaning I was still in perfect touch with my working day. An hour later (and after a delicious appetiser and glass of wine) we touched down in Shannon. We were processed in a very bright and spacious US immigration and customs facility and through to yet another BA lounge in less than eight minutes. Within 20 we were back on board the plane, and within 30 minutes, we were en route to New York.

BA offered a full Club World lunch (though the quality seemed to be more upmarket that the LHR or LGW offerings of late). Once again, after 10 or 15 minutes, I could work. The flight (6 hrs 35) seems to pass by very quickly. Afternoon tea was offered (but after a copious lunch, I declined all but the tea and, sadly, the plastic wrapped sandwiches - the only let-down of this very glamorous service).

We landed at JFK early, and as we were already through US formalities, we meandered thru the domestic arrivals and I was in my car 5 minutes after exiting the plane. I didn't have 155 emails waiting for me, since I conquered them on board. There was no anxious rush to beat any queues, etc. Everyone was just relaxed and mellow. I made it into Manhattan quickly and was fit and able to enjoy a nice business dinner with colleagues. I felt no fatigue having flown across the pond. This is a hugely winning proposition. With max of 32 pax (we were about 24, I think), it is calm, tranquil, clean, contemporary, slick and stylish - like flying out to be. The lack of hordes of pax made for a super experience.