Review of British Airways flight from London to Lyon in Economy

MY BRITISH AIRWAYS ANALYSIS THROUGHOUT 2012-2019

Hello Everyone and welcome to this flight between Lyon and London, a routine that was about 7 years long.

I usually left from Heathrow, I had to go to the funerals of someone close to me, so it was a last minute flight and I did enjoy the cheaper fares from gatwick (BA opens also a route to Lyon from Gatwick in the winter for the Ski season).

You may have noticed I lived for a good couple of years abroad.
I have kept some pictures, emails and documentation of the flights throughout the years, and I have been flying on the same route, at identical periods (Christmas, Summer holidays, Easter…).

I thought I could do something different, instead of posting FR sporadically I am suggesting to pick up one flight per year, so that we are able to compare and note the evolution of the product offered by BA.

My aim is here to analyse the evolution of service legacies have offered over the years. 

For the 2012 report it is HERE
For the 2013 report it is HERE
For the 2013 incident report it is HERE 
For the 2014 report it is HERE 
For the 2015 report it is HERE 
For the 2016 report it is HERE 
For the 2017 report it is HERE 
For the 2018 report it is HERE 
For the 2019 report it is HERE 

At the time, the fare included (for free):
A cabin luggage
Complimentary meal and drinks (incl alcohol)

so free seat selection at booking and checked-in luggage no more! 

For the quality and level of service detailed above, the average price ticket I paid of a SINGLE flight on the LYS - LHR is:

£56 for 2012
£49,6 for 2013 (including a flight redeemed with Avios)
£57 for 2014 (including a flight redeemed with Avios)
£65 for 2015 (including a flight redeemed with Avios)
£50 for 2016 (including a flight redeemed with Avios)
£52 for 2017 (including a flight redeemed with Avios)
£17 for 2018 (including 3 flights redeemed with Avios) - hence the lower average ticket price
£94 for 2019 (including a flight redeemed with Avios)

the flight itself

In 2016, the terminal 1 was closed and the BAW flights that were departing from there were transferred to the T3.

Avios Miles earned with this flight: 250
Status earned: 5  

British Airways App was extremly robust, and I must say well ahead of its european competitors.

I - almost - always flew on the A320, BA very rarely operated any other A32X family members.

at london _ heathrow airport

I arrived at London Heathrow with the Piccadilly line trains as usual; but unlike the T1 that was much closer to the tube station, there is a good 10 min wlaking distance from the tube station to reach the outside bit.

But the good thing of the T3 is that the BA/Delta/Virgin check in counters are right passed the entrance doors.

The FIDS displaying my flight.
As you can see I was super early! 

And no unecessary wlaks to reach the security checks as it is just up this escalator.

But, like most airport noawadays, a compulsory walk through the duty free is compulsory.

Finally arriving at the food court, where the offer is really large.

The great thing about the T3 is that you can get really close the birds and especially the queens!

onboard the a320

My partner and I were first seperated, he bought his ticket way after I did.
Nonetheless here is a left picture and with another A320. 

Aircraft: Airbus A320-232
Registration: G-XXXX
Engines: 2x IAE V25200
Age: XX Years
Layout: Y180

But we managed to swap seat with a lovely Lady.

And I managed to swap seats with my lovely partner for the windows seat!!

Off we went taxiing. 

As you can see the flight wasn't full!

on the 27L edge.

amd take off!

Impressive T5 buildings

When you take off from this runway and heading south, there is a strange bit when the plane just stabilises at a given altitude before climbing further, it is to avoid flight paths from and to Gatwick.

Hence the first part of the flight at low altitude. 

And the higher cruise

Now over the channel when the service started.

The service was complimentary, still for the last year. 

It included a ham and cheese croissant and a soft drink. 

It also included some booze for free, if required.

We had a bit of a laugh with the crew and they even offered us to drink from a real glass glass. 

The super friendly crew.

Time for the magazines review: British Airways offers the Highlife magazine, an additional Business life and a last one for onboard duty free magazine.

Let's start with the duty free shop. 

Even selling Marmite erk

And the usual High life magazine

at lyon - saint exupery airport

And we arrived at the brand new terminal!