Review of British Airways flight London → Washington in Economy

Report No: 2019-102E

Ladies and Gentleman,
Welcome to this short series of Flight-Reports which would be basically including two flights on British Airways, both on routes that I've reported before on the Euro/World Traveller cabin. However, I've decided to report these two flights to show members and visitors the progress of BA since the last two months.

I would share the links of my previous IST-LHR and LHR-WAS reports below so you would also have the chance to compare them.

The second flight of this series would be the report of the additional BA flight to Washington which is only served three days a week in the winter season. While, you are reading the report, you would notice that the service onboard is the same as the later BA flight to Washington (BA293) which departs 1 hour later than this flight. I have reviewed that flight in the past in World Traveller so if you want to check that report as well you could click the link under the routing section. This flight was usually scheduled to operate with a Boeing 787-8, but after a last minute equipment change, it was operated with a Boeing 787-9. This report would also contain a review of the British Airways Galleries Lounge in Terminal 5B.

So I hope you enjoy this small series of flights. The routing is available just here;

You could click on this line to see my past flights on British Airways on the exact same route from LHR to IAD.

Pax for this flight

Club World: No idea
World Traveller Plus: %95-100
World Traveller: %85-90 

London Heathrow AIRPORT - LHR

After arriving from my previous flight from Istanbul, I had headed to the fast track lane for security before my next flight to Washington. After showing my boarding pass to the BA agent over there I have scanned my boarding pass at the automatic doors and then headed upstairs to the North Security checkpoint. Then I realized that the door between the regular boarding pass checkpoint and the priority lane was open and non-priority passengers were directed to the North Checkpoint as the southern one was full because of the heavy amount of passengers joining at London. 

That meant that I was going to be directed to the same lane if I didn't have priority access. In normal cases, only the passengers stated below are allowed the use the lane leading to the North security checkpoint. However, I was not in a rush and the security check took around 10-15 minutes which was acceptable.

After doing some shopping at some of the stores, first, I have headed to the Galleries Lounge at the southern part of the terminal. Unfortunately, there were no empty tables and the lounge was packed. My only option would be to sit with a stranger at the same table if I decided to stay at that lounge but I went to the service desk and asked if my departure gate was at concourses B and C. Sometimes I have seen some A10's ( bus gate ) for 787 aircraft so there is no certainty that wide-bodies depart from concourses. The agent replied me that my flight was going to depart from gate C53 and warned me that I would need to use the transit twice, if I wanted to use the B lounge.

Before a transatlantic flight, it's good to stretch legs and have a walk so that day, I've decided to walk to concourse B to use the lounge over there.

The lounge entrance

British Airways GALLERIES LOUNGE TERMINAL 5B - London Heathrow AIRPORT

The lounge at concourse B was less crowded and I had easily found a set of couches to relax. As the offerings in all BA Galleries Lounge's are the same, being in a less crowded area makes me more peaceful especially before a long flight.

Today's main courses

Salad bar

Pork pies served with piccalilli sauce

Soup selections

Finger sandwiches available that day

The only dessert in the lounge: a cake with cappuccino

Coffee bars are located at several locations within the lounge. Hot water is also available for those who prefer to have tea. These bars also have coffee snacks as well.

Later on, I have decided to have a shower before my flight. As the showers in concourse B isn't that crowded, I haven't waited and I was directly assigned one of the rooms. Before entering the shower, the employee asked me if I needed a toothbrush, toothpaste, a comb, a razor or shave lotion. This was a nice touch as these were being offered to me for the first time.

After having a shower, I have done some work at the business corner. The photocopy machine was fast and efficient but it's strange that you must e-mail yourself the document that you want to print and use one the lounge computers to send it to the printer.

Later on, I had a notification from the BA app that my gate has changed to B34. Also I've noticed that my seat had been changed to 42K instead of 22K. Later on, I went to the service desk at the lounge for a better seat but only middle seats were available so I have sticked to the seat that BA assigned me. Our aircraft was visible from the lounge

GATE AREA & BOARDING

After, the boarding notification appeared from the BA app, I have asked the lounge staff for a paper cup for my tea that I was enjoying at that moment. They were happy to help me. Then, I have proceeded to gate B34 for boarding. A shot of our aircraft

While I arrived to the gate, they were boarding groups 1&2 and I was the only one in the group 2 queue. I was welcomed by the gate staff and then invited to board.

After being invited to board, the gate agent printed me a new boarding pass with my new seat number on it. Here is my old boarding pass

And my new one

Like all BA flights departing from Heathrow, newspapers were available at the gate

BA 231 LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT TO WASHINGTON DULLES AIRPORT

After being welcomed by the crew I have taken my seat and asked the crew in my area if they could notify me if there would be a window or aisle seat available in the front section of the cabin. They told me that they would check. Few minutes later, boarding was completed and they told me that an aisle seat was available three rows ahead of my seat. As the passenger at 42J didn't show up and I had an empty middle seat next to me I have decided to stay at my original seat. There were lots of passengers changing seats as some of them were separated from their party and some of them got middle seats while they were originally seating in window or aisle seats.

However, I would continue the report by sharing my seat for the next 8 hours. Pillows, blankets and earphones were available at each seat.

BA 787-9 are equipped with the Thales IFE system

Earphones that were available at each seat

Overhead panel

This Iberia A320 was our neighbor. That bird was going to head to Madrid.

Some route information before takeoff

We had started our push back on time,

And at that time, the safety video was being monitored

And as we head to the runway, the spotting experience begins with this 777-300ER which would head to Hong Kong that afternoon

His neighbor was this 787-9 which would head to Toronto

G-BGYC was parked at concourse B for before heading to New York JFK as BA 179

G-ZBKH parked at a remote stand. This bird would operate the later afternoon service to IAD as BA 293.

Another BA 787-9 that would head to Beijing that afternoon

VH-OQG waiting at a remote stand for its flight to Sydney via Singapore as QF2

G-CIVT parked at Terminal 3 for its flight to Miami

Another BA Queen of the Skies at Terminal 3, this time it would head to Las Vegas

The BA Queen of the Skies assigned for the YVR flight alongside with the American 777-200 assigned to AA 135 to LAX

PIA 787 getting ready for its flight to Islamabad alongside with the RJ aircraft next door which would head to Amman.

B-KQK was being taxied to Terminal 3 from a remote stand as that bird arrived in the morning and it was going to return in the late afternoon 

TC-JJN parked at Terminal 2. I have also spotted this aircraft that morning in IST.

Terminal 2 mostly having Star Alliance flights; this UA 777-200 would also head to Washington Dulles as UA 925.

Later on we had entered the runway and it was our turn to take off.

The carparks around Heathrow

Some shots after takeoff

And we're over the clouds

IFE - BA 231 London Heathrow AIRPORT TO WASHINGTON DULLES AIRPORT

As I don't like sleeping much on westbound transatlantic flights I was awake for the whole flight. Here's how to IFE system looks like

In BA aircraft having the Thales IFE system, there are more content than those aircrafts that are equipped with the Rockwell Collins IFE system and those equipped with the Panasonic IFE system. However, the IFE system that BA offers is not the best within European carriers.

My movie selections for the day

Just to remind that all seats have a USB port and a power source which is located under seats

The seat pocket contained the same things with the previous flight. The safety card

The High Life Magazine

BA North American destinations

After BA removing their overhead monitor movie service from their narrow body fleet, the entertainment section is only available on long haul flights.

The High Life Shop Catalogue. Inflight shopping was available during this flight.

Shortly after takeoff, the aperitif service has begun with pretzels and a choice of drink.

Also the cabin crew asked for wine orders for the lunch service which would commence shortly. Before the lunch service had begun, immigration cards for the US was distributed by the cabin crew.

A shot from the window at that time

LUNCH - BA 231 London Heathrow AIRPORT TO WASHINGTON DULLES AIRPORT

Shortly after the aperitif service the meal service had begun. There were two options. The first one was chicken and the other one was mac&cheese. I opted for the pasta option but there weren't any pastas left at that time. I told the crew that I was OK with the chicken option but he checked the galley and brought me this gnocchi which was actually a Premium Economy meal. It tasted delicious and it was one of the best meals that I had on an airplane. In addition, even though it's looked simple, the salad was also tasty. The tray also contained bread, crackers, butter, cheese, a pudding, a bottle of water, milk and a cup for the upcoming coffee & tea service.

While I was enjoying my gnocchi, the cabin crew came once again for the tea & coffee service. I have opted for a cup of tea.

Shortly after the trays were collected I have adjusted the window to dark mode

And the window started to darken shortly and was completely darkened within 5 minutes.

The route map at that time

Later on, I have visited one of the lavatories. They were clean at that time

After I left the lavatory I have checked the snack basket at the galley but couldn't find one. Then one of the crew members told me that the snack basket was only available from flights from the US, not to the US. However, he told that they were going to serve ice-cream shortly. In addition to that, the crew had made drink runs every 30 minutes which had water, orange juice and apple juice as an option. Other soft drinks could be requested at the galley.

The route map which I finished my second movie and while the ice creams were distributed

SNACK - BA 231 London Heathrow AIRPORT TO WASHINGTON DULLES AIRPORT

Before arrival, a snack box was served to passengers. The box contained a tuna mayonnaise and sweetcorn wrap alongside with a Cadbury chocolate. This was the same box that they offered on my previous LHR-IAD flight which was two months ago.

Route map at that time

After the boxes were distributed, the cabin crew came for another drink run, this time with the cart and I have asked for a tea alongside with a cup of water

Later on, the crew made their final checks before arrival and then we had landed to IAD ahead of schedule.

United Express aircrafts at A gates.

A6-BLC getting ready for it's flight to Abu Dhabi as EY 130.

Later on, we had parked to gate B38, which isn't the actual BA gate at the airport. As this flight is an additional flight we had parked to the SAS gate.

WASHINGTON DULLES AIRPORT - IAD

After saying goodbye to the crew I have left the aircraft and then took this photo.

As I was sitting in the rear World Traveller cabin, I was in a hurry to catch the first moon buggy to the immigration area but unfortunately, it got filled before I reached the station so I needed to wait 10-15 minutes for the second one to depart. The second moon buggy waits for all the crew and all the passengers needing assistance to deboard so for a shorter wait at immigration and leaving the terminal earlier, it's essential to catch the first one. The last shot of our aircraft from the moon buggy.

Even though the government shutdown was active and there were only 5 employees calling people from the visitor lane, I had waited around 15-20 minutes and then took my baggages from carousel 20 which were already there waiting for me.

Later on, I have called an Uber and left the airport as I had two bags and there was a snowstorm at that time.

This report and series has came to an end.

I expect to see you in another report. Thanks for reading and take care.