Trip 2, Day 4: Flight 6 May 22nd 08.00 LAX-HNL

Day 4 LAX-HNL 08.00

Boeing 757

First

Tier Points:  210

After a very refreshing albeit short sleep I’m on the shuttle to LAX. Breeze through the priority ticketing and security. The American terminal at LAX is pretty brilliant in terms of time from check in to gate. I’ve always been through in 15-20 minutes which for an airport of its size and passenger flow is impressive.

I head to the admirals lounge and get a card to access the flagship lounge (oneworld emirates get this access even though AA’s own exec platinums to not).

I really like the Flagship lounge at LAX, I’ve never seen more than 5 people in here and they have yoghurt and fresh berries (as well as premium spirits and a buffet). I write some blog and eat some berries.

Boarding goes smoothly and we are off to Honolulu on time.

Breakfast is a sausage quiche, pretty poor stuff and I’m glad I ate at the lounge, and I pretty much sleep through the flight.

It’s worrying that a 6 hour flight has become pretty bearable to me by now.

We land in Honolulu and I’ve planned an overnight here as turning straight around last time absolutely destroyed me.

 F22's in paradise...

Trip 2, Day 3: Flight 5 May 21st 20.45 JFK-LAX

Day 3 JFK-LAX 20.45

Airbus A321T

Business Class

Tier Points:  140

You snooze, you lose. I booked this particular fight a week later than trip 1 and as a result was ticketed into business class and not first on this 3 class 321T. That meant 140 tier points instead of 210. I asked to upgrade at check in as I need the TP’s but was told on check in that it’s a full fight.

I have a 6 hour layover and as I’m a oneworld emerald (because I’m now BA gold) I was granted access to the AA flagship lounge at JFK, its nice, quiet and had a decent selection of food and drink (grilled chicken and spinach salad, cheese board etc)

I check some emails and get some work done and have a chat to a man from Brazil who is a captain for LAN on his way home to Rio. He’s a very nice chap and explains to me how the 777’s and 787’s don’t need winglets because the wing shape is so efficient.

I also do some reading and note that the first production Trent XWB has left the Rolls Royce factory and is headed to Toulouse for the first production A350.

We board on time, I actually prefer the business cabin on these A321T’s, especially if I was travelling with a partner. The chap next to me works in finance and I heading home to LA for his son’s birthday. A light snack (cheesboard and grapes) is served and we have a competition for who can work the longest before falling asleep. At this point its 22 hours since I woke up in London, although I did get a 2 hour nap over the Atlanic. He’s clearly had a long day as he falls asleep with his hand jammed on the down button of the laptop leaving it scrolling through the mother of all PDF’s.

I climb over his seat without waking him for a natural break then get the seat into bed mode and get a couple of hours sleep myself.

The cabin temperature has been all over the place and I overhear a regular flyer saying that the A321 was not designed with a 3 class configuration and there are only 2 air con systems, one for First and one for Economy which results in the Business cabin often being far too hot. I’m unsure if there’s any truth in this or if it’s was a load of hot air (you may laugh).

We get off around midnight, and I get the shuttle over to the Westin. I’ll be up again in 5 hours.

Trip 2, Day 3: Flight 4 May 21st 09.45 LCY-JFK

Day 3 LCY-JFK 09.45

Airbus A318

Club World

Tier Points:  210

I’ve been reading on flyertalk recently about technical problems with one of the A318’s (there are only 2 fitted out with all business seats from city) causing all sorts of problems with passengers being transferred to 744’s from LHR. Thankfully there was no hint of this today and BA001 was on time.

I left the Travelodge at 8.50 and walked to the terminal, I was ticketed and at the gate 24 lounge by 9.15. Just time for a quick yoghurt and water and it’s time to board.

The flight seems quite full, I’ve got seat 8A (back row window seat, all the cool kids sit on the back seat innit) which is my favourite seat on this plane. The purser tells me there are 28 passengers (32 seats is a full plane) and luckily I’ve got a spare seat next to me. I really do like this service better than a seat in First if you have a seat pair to yourself, it feels incredibly spacious.

The purser comes down and says that because I’m on the back row he’d like to make sure I get my first meal choice (assume because I’m now gold, if that’s the case it was a nice touch). I order the prawn curry on his recommendation, he’s a Scot and insists I can blame him if I don’t like it – I guess they are not all bad north of the border (that’s tongue in cheek to all the PC police out there).

Stop for immigration in Shannon, it’s a bit of a wait as there are other flights clearing at the same time, the BA flight is offered a shortcut to the scanners by the attendant.

We board and are off again on time, dinner is served and it was fantastic. A nice salad, prawn curry and then sticky toffee pudding. A great cabin crew on this fight, and probably the best in flight meal I’ve had.

I recline to bed position and get a couple of hours sleep.

I wake up and before too long it’s time for afternoon tea – sandwiches and a scone. We hit some turbulence just as they are serving and as I’m trying to make sure I don’t spill my tea while chatting to the flight crew the sandwich tray slides down the side of the seat, toast butter side down style.

I scrape the sandwiches from the floor one by one and the tray is swiftly replaced. Afternoon tea on a plane is one of those quinticentially British things which when BA do them well gives the airline a real sense of identity. It’s the type of thing that a traveller from another part of the world would be able to identify as ‘BA’.

A quick trip to the toilet before landing and as I open the door I walk in on a chap in full flow having forgotten to lock the door. I of course apologise and we both have a chuckle as he leaves the ‘cubicle’.

We land in JFK on time, I’ve got a 6 hour layover now until my LAX connection.

All in all this flight was another great experience, it feels really special and is an example of BA being pretty excellent when they get things right. The return flight was not as special last time, mainly because I just slept through it. I think a good option would be to take ba001 out and get a 744 upper deck back to LHR for the return as a redemption/holiday.

Trip 2, Day 2: Flight 3 May 20th 16.00 HEL-LHR

Day 2 HEL-LHR 16.00

Airbus A321

Club Europe

Tier Points:  80

I have a 5 hour layover in HEL, it’s a lovely day and a shame to stay in the airport but I have some work to attend to so stay air side and head down to the new Finnair lounge at gate 36. It’s a lovely lounge, the food was a bit iffy (good salad bar, little else). Helsinki airport has free wifi everwhere for everyone, brilliant.

A very productive few hours of work later and it’s time to board the next flight.

I’ve been ticketed into seat 1C which is the worst seat I’ve ever had on a plane, it’s the front seat in the aisle and looks straight into the galley and all manner of cupboards and cloak rooms open up into your feet. People boarding also drag their luggage straight into you.

Luckily 1A is not occupied so I shift over.

A butternut squash curry is served which is passable and I pop out the travel pillow and get some sleep.

We land on time at LHR and I meet a university friend who I’ve not seen for 7 years, he saw my facebook status and messaged me saying he was working in T2 stress testing it before it opens.

We meet at the arrivals gate and head into London for a drink and catchup.

After some food I take the tube/DLR to city airport travel lodge (and remember to touch out my Oyster card this time!)

BA001 tomorrow.