Flights Review: British Airways B747 – First Class

To the point Feedback from a First Class / First flight in a British Airways Boeing 747 between New York and London Heathrow.

The long awaited moment! After a short flight from Montreal, I found myself at 7pm at New York JFK airport. My next flight will be in First Class on a British Airways Boeing 747 – the Queen of the Sky.

Flight British Airways BA116 – New York JFK – London LHR – First Class

My flight from Montreal landed in Terminal 8, and I have to go to Terminal 7. Although the terminals are next door, it took me a good 20 minutes to get there!

Within the New York JFK airport

Let’s go for long corridors in Terminal 8. No doubt, we are in New York.

jfk lhr british first001 — Terminal 8 JFK

jfk lhr british first002 — Terminal 8 JFK

Direction the AirTrain, the train allowing to go from one terminal to another.

jfk lhr british first003 — Direction AirTrain

In passing, I see a US Airways plane… a company that no longer exists since it was bought by American Airlines. They take a little time to repaint the acquired aircraft!

By the way, as you leave Terminal 8 – or “American Airlines Terminal”, a glimpse of the company’s various logos.

jfk lhr british first005 — American Airlines logos through time

Changing the terminal means leaving the “Security” area. If my stopover had been longer, I could have gone to New-York in a few hours. That will be for another time 😉

jfk lhr british first006 — Welcome to New-York

I finally reached the AirTrain, Terminal 7 is not far away.

And here I am, a short one minute trip and I’m in Terminal 7 or “British Airways Terminal”.

jfk lhr british first010 — Terminal 7 – JFK

jfk lhr british first011 — Terminal 7 – JFK

No doubt, we are here in New-York with the famous yellow cabs.

jfk lhr british first012 — New-York Taxi

Several signs indicate the paths to the different registration areas.

jfk lhr british first013 — Terminal 7 check-in areas

This is the business class area (Club World), with little traffic.

jfk lhr british first014 — Terminal 7 – Club World

I go to the first class area (British Airways First).

jfk lhr british first015 — Terminal 7 – First

jfk lhr british first017 — Terminal 7 – First

jfk lhr british first018 — Terminal 7 – First

Terminal 7 – First

It is now 7:45 pm. I decide to see at the check-in counter if I can change my flight. Initially, I was registered on the last flight of the evening (22:55 – BA182). But before this one, there are 3 other flights, all on B747 (20h15, 20h40, 21h30).

Since I am traveling on an award flight (paid with miles), there is normally a fee for any changes. The agent decides to go see his supervisor and I wait in the very “British” chairs.

jfk lhr british first019

5 minutes later, the agent comes back with my new boarding pass: I’m now leaving at 8:15 pm, in 30 minutes! And what’s more… in seat 1A normally reserved for the most frequent British Airways passengers (with a high Oneworld status).

A short passage through security (2 minutes) and I am faced with a difficult choice: which lounge to choose to relax in before boarding?

jfk lhr british first016 — Terminal 7 – Security

jfk lhr british first020 — Terminal 7 – Lounges

This will be the Concorde Room, exclusively reserved for First Class passengers.

jfk lhr british first021 — Terminal 7 – Concorde Room

In the Concorde Room – Terminal 7 New-York JFK

A small glimpse of this living room, with a style that I would describe as “old-fashioned British”.

jfk lhr british first022 — Terminal 7 – Concorde Room

jfk lhr british first023 — Terminal 7 – Concorde Room

jfk lhr british first024 — Terminal 7 – Concorde Room

jfk lhr british first025 — Terminal 7 – Concorde Room

jfk lhr british first026 — Terminal 7 – Concorde Room

jfk lhr british first027 — Terminal 7 – Concorde Room

There is the possibility to have dinner on the spot, I would only take 2 glasses of champagne and some cheese.

jfk lhr british first028 — Terminal 7 – Concorde Room – Alcohols

jfk lhr british first032 — Terminal 7 – Concorde Room – Alcohols

jfk lhr british first033 — Terminal 7 – Concorde Room – Alcohols

jfk lhr british first034 — Terminal 7 – Concorde Room – Alcohols

jfk lhr british first035 — Terminal 7 – Concorde Room – Alcohols

jfk lhr british first036 — Terminal 7 – Concorde Room – Champagne !

And I sit next to the Business Center to admire the view with a setting sun.

jfk lhr british first030 — Terminal 7 – Concorde Room – Business center

jfk lhr british first031 — Terminal 7 – Concorde Room

jfk lhr british first029 — Terminal 7 – Concorde Room – Open Skies

But it is already time to join my plane. To tell you the truth, I’m glad I moved my flight forward by almost 3 hours. I had planned to have dinner in the lounge to get as much sleep as possible during the flight, but I ended up having dinner on the plane! The visit of the other fairs will be done next time.

jfk lhr british first038 — British Airways 747 – My plane for tonight

First Class Boarding – British Airways

The boarding area is very busy, fortunately, there is a dedicated line for First and Business Class passengers. The order is scrupulously respected.

jfk lhr british first037 — Terminal 7 – Priority Boarding

A father and son boarded just before me and headed upstairs in business class.

As for me, it will be all the way to the left… towards seat 1A, with a brief passage in front of a business class section.

jfk lhr british first040 — British Airways Club World

Here I am, alone, in first class. So I take the opportunity to make a maximum of pictures.

jfk lhr british first044 — British Airways 747 First Class / First

jfk lhr british first045 — British Airways 747 First Class / First

jfk lhr british first047 — British Airways 747 First Class / First

jfk lhr british first048 — British Airways 747 First Class / First

jfk lhr british first049 — British Airways 747 First Class / First – My luggage

jfk lhr british first050 — British Airways 747 First Class / First

jfk lhr british first051 — British Airways 747 First Class / First

jfk lhr british first052 — British Airways 747 First Class / First – Seat 1A

jfk lhr british first106 — British Airways B747 First – A large seat (just before landing)

The hostess, seeing that I take a lot of pictures, offers to immortalize this moment, sitting in my seat 1A.

jfk lhr british first053 — British Airways 747 First Class / First – Your blogger 😉

Then she brings me back my “welcome kit” which is the product kit (for men) as well as a pair of pajamas in my size.

jfk lhr british first067 — British Airways 747 First Class / First – Welcome Kit

jfk lhr british first069 — British Airways 747 First Class / First – Welcome Kit

jfk lhr british first070 — British Airways 747 First Class / First – Pyjamas

A small tour of the menu and drinks that will be proposed to me this evening.

jfk lhr british first078 — British Airways 747 First Class / First – Menu

jfk lhr british first077 — British Airways 747 First Class / First – Menu

jfk lhr british first076 — British Airways 747 First Class / First – Menu

jfk lhr british first075 — British Airways 747 First Class / First – Menu

jfk lhr british first074 — British Airways 747 First Class / First – Menu

jfk lhr british first073 — British Airways 747 First Class / First – Menu

jfk lhr british first072 — British Airways 747 First Class / First – Menu

jfk lhr british first071 — British Airways 747 First Class / First – Menu

I open the blind that covers my two portholes to see that we are already leaving the door!

jfk lhr british first079 — British Airways 747 First Class / First – Portholes

I can stretch out my legs, savor my glass of champagne, we will soon take off. A Royal Air Maroc b787 is before us.

jfk lhr british first080 — British Airways 747 First Class / First – Royal Air Maroc

The First Class cabin is almost full. Although the seats 1A and 1K appear to be close on the cabin plan, I am still far from the young woman in 1K.

ac hotel gran canaria — British Airways 747 First Class / First – Seat 1K across from Seat 1A

Shortly after takeoff, I went to the bathroom to change into my “pyjamas first”.

jfk lhr british first084 — British Airways 747 First Class / First – Pyjamas

To my surprise, the toilets are not very big… but they do have a porthole 🙂

jfk lhr british first085 — British Airways 747 First Class / First – Toilets

jfk lhr british first086 — British Airways 747 First Class / First – Toilets

Back in my seat, the table is set: a new glass of champagne awaits me with appetizers.

jfk lhr british first088 — British Airways 747 First Class / First – Dinner

While eating, I take the opportunity to test the screen, very pixelated. It will only show the map anyway because I won’t be watching a movie tonight.

jfk lhr british first089 — British Airways 747 First Class / First – Screen

jfk lhr british first091 — British Airways 747 First Class / First – Screen

jfk lhr british first090 — British Airways 747 First Class / First – Screen

After the appetizers, the starter: lobster.

jfk lhr british first092 — British Airways 747 First Class / First – Dinner

Followed by a very tender meat as a main course accompanied by an excellent glass of red wine.

jfk lhr british first093 — British Airways 747 First Class / First – Dinner

This will be followed by a cheese plate. I won’t have dessert.

jfk lhr british first094 — British Airways 747 First Class / First – Dinner

The hostess offers to prepare my bed for the night.

jfk lhr british first096 — British Airways 747 First Class / First – Chair-bed

Comfortable no? In any case, it was because I was able to sleep a good 4 hours, which is rare for me on a plane! Actually, I was woken up by the stewardess 10 minutes before landing. She brings me a coffee, and I decide to open the blinds to enjoy the daylight and the landing. I missed breakfast (I’ll have it in the living room upon arrival!).

jfk lhr british first098 — British Airways 747 First Class / First – Coffee

And here we are, arrived in London! The two giants of the sky: the Boeing 747 of British Airways and the Airbus A380 of the Australian company Qantas.

jfk lhr british first100 — British Airways 747 vs Qantas A380

British Airways also has A380s.

jfk lhr british first102 — British Airways A380

After a short taxi on the runway, we arrived at Terminal 5, the one for the international flights of British Airways, full of B747.

jfk lhr british first103 — Terminal 5 LHR

It’s time for me to leave this British Airways first class to join the “Arrivals lounge” of London Heathrow before catching my flight to Amsterdam! A last goodbye to the plane that brought me here!

jfk lhr british first109 — British Airways B747

Bottom line

This flight was excellent. The first class… was a first for me. Some call British Airways First Class the “best business class ever”. It is true that I found the front of the cabin, in the nose of the B747, quite full (14 seats in such a small space while other airlines just put 6-9 at most).

On the other hand, the service was excellent, as were the meals and alcohol served.

I’ll soon have a comparable one when I travel on my return flight with Lufthansa… also in First Class.

The maps to make this trip

Here, I needed American Express with Membership Rewards (transferable to Avios miles) and my Scotiabank Gold American Express card (which allowed me to pay taxes with the Scotia Bonus points).

Come to discuss that topic in our Facebook Group!

Jean-Maximilien Voisine

Jean-Maximilien, President and Founder of Milesopedia, is a recognized expert in rewards programs, credit cards, and travel in Canada and France. Approaching forty and a father of two, he has travelled to over 100 countries, half of them with his children and his wife, Audrey. Specializing in top loyalty programs like Aeroplan, American Express Membership Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy, he guides travellers to maximize their benefits across North America and Europe.

All posts by Jean-Maximilien Voisine

Review type

Flights

Region

United States, New York

4.6 Milesopedia Rating