Flying British Airways Club Europe (business class) is not glamorous, but still a treat. Here’s a review of my short Airbus A319 flight from London to Basel.
British Airways A319 Club Europe Review (LHR-BSL)
I’m thankful that British Airways offers competitive shorthaul Avios redemptions and booked this ticket for 9,750 miles and 65 USD the day before departure when it was retailing for over 550 USD for coach and 800 for business (of course, I would never pay that, but walk-up one-way tickets on network carriers in Europe can be very expensive).
Check-In
Heathrow Terminal 5 is admittedly not my favorite terminal (I’d rank them 3 > 2 > 4 > 5 in terms of my own preferences, mostly based on lounges) but British Airways does an excellent job of offering a dedicated area for its Gold members.
In addition to a private check-in area, there’s a private security lane that empties out directly into the Galleries First Lounge.
Boarding
I tend to straggle when it comes to boarding in LHR T5 because the gate areas are so congested and just because a flight shows “Boarding” does not mean that it is actually boarding…
Here, I showed up at 8:51 pm at the gate, which was showing “Flight Closing” in red…
…but by 8:56 pm it was back to the green “Boarding” indicator…
We were delayed over an hour due to air traffic control congestion (the weather was pleasant) but took off around 9:30 pm. With the time change, that would put us into Basel at around midnight.
British Airways 756
London (LHR) – Basel (BSL)
Sunday, August 4
Depart: 8:15 PM
Arrive: 10:45 PM
Duration: 1hr, 30min
Aircraft: Airbus A319
Distance: 448 miles
Seats: 3F (Club Europe Business Class)
I was one of the last passengers onboard and took my seat in 3F. I had the entire row to myself.
Seats
Like other carriers in the region, British Airways has a variable business class cabin. The seat is no different than economy class, with only a blocked middle. Legroom is tight at 30 inches.
This aircraft had no power outlets (A/C or USB), which was the first BA flight in quite some time that did not have it.
There’s nothing
Food + Drink
Although not proactively offered, I like to request the snack mix on British Airways (rosemary cashews and almonds with chickpeas)…a nice little salty treat. These always seem to be availbale on request.
I was offered a very delicious salad of avocado, quinoa, radish, cucumbers, broccoli, and green lima beans…very refreshing. Warm bread and a raspberry chocolate mousse crumble on the side.
I concluded the meal with some peppermint tea…I had far too much coffee during my lounge hopping.
I wasn’t in the mood for any liquor, but noticed BA had Aperol Spritz’s from the buy-on-baord menu.
IFE + Wi-Fi
No IFE on the flight and no wi-fi…kind of sad.
Service
The cabin crew were cheerful and attentive. I was offered drink refills until we began our descent into Basel, which is something I appreciate when flying on BA considering (as SAS just reminded us) there is not even free coffee in economy class.
CONCLUSION
We landed in Basel and alighted the aircraft via jetbridge, but then were directed downstairs via stairs to the immigration area.
One cool feature about EuroAirprot is that you can choose to enter France or Switzerland. In fact, the airport has three codes, EAP, BSL, and MLH.
I’d rather have a larger seat on a US carrier than the meal on a European/UK carrier, but this was a fast and comfortable flight. I did enjoy the meal and the friendly service onboard and since I have now lost my oneworld emerald status, flying business class is my only way to gain lounge access in the jungle of Heathrow Terminal 5.
In addition to lounge access the other nice OWE benefit is free seat selection on BA that includes exit row seating. And the exit rows actually have extra leg room, which I value more than the meal on a short flight.
What’s with the horse lamp? Lol
That’s the Galleries First lounge.
I have been very impressed with the freshness and quality of BA Club Europe meals in the past few years. Really delicious. US airlines should take note. Also their buy on board menu in coach is really good.
Was that A319 brand new? It’s rare to not score wi-fi and a variety of plugs on BA. In fact, their wi-fi is usually cheap and works great. I find that aircraft that have recently entered service don’t have it, but I am on A320s way more than I’m on 319s. In fact, I can’t recall my last A319 flight on BA, so maybe they’re the ones that suck.
I believe the youngest BA A319 is just under 13 years old.
Wait, does LHR charge five quid to drop someone off at the airport??
It’s pretty common at many UK airports.
I get the logic. In Sydney and Brisbane, for example, it is expensive to ride the train to the airport (it was expensive to build). Why not recoup that by charging for people who don’t use the train (at drop-off fee) instead? You’d rather have more train and less car use to/from the airport. I’m not taking a stance on whether the policy is right or wrong, just speculating on why it’s used.
It’s actually a solid idea as pre-booked cabs from out of town often turn up very early and cause congestion in and around airports. When I have friends or relatives to pick up or drop off at LHR or MAN, I normally prefer the park and ride approach- parking for free in a nearby suburb and taking the bus/train/tram/tube.
I’ve had my misgivings with BA’s decline over the last 10 years or so. But there is always a sense of familiarity with them that keeps me going back.