Review: British Airways Business Class (LHR – MSY) – Needs Improvement

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tl;dr – I flew British Airways Business Class home from London to New Orleans after an unexpected delay. It was only an OK experience. 

I flew from London to New Orleans on British Airways Business Class for the final leg of my trip to Brazil and South Africa. While I’m always grateful for the opportunity to fly in a premium cabin, this experience was lackluster. The service wasn’t strong, the cabin felt cluttered, and the menu – though I didn’t sample anything myself – didn’t look incredibly inviting. Let’s jump into it.

Booking the Flight

I booked this flight for 57,500 American Airlines Advantage miles and $687.20 in taxes and fees. I didn’t originally want to fly through London to get back to the United States, as the award surcharges are always high, but as this flight was direct to New Orleans—one of only five international routes to/from MSY—I was essentially building my own one-stop back from Africa.

Boarding 

Heathrow is a wild airport. No matter how often I fly through there, I’m still amazed by how the place functions. After posting up at the British Airways Galleries First Lounge and the Concorde Room, I left for my gate with a full belly. After scanning my boarding pass at the gate, I boarded the shuttle bus for the plane. 

The 787 business class seating format features seven rows, each row except the last one, featuring a window seat on each side of the plane sandwiching two Club World seats. The last row had just the two window seats. Mrs. Blackbeard and I decided to sit in the middle next to one another in row 10. There’s also a first class cabin with just eight (tiny portion of it is viewable in the photos below).

Though booked for a 10+hr journey, my in-flight entertainment monitor revealed that we’d be back in NOLA in just over 8 ½ hrs. 

The Seat and Amenities

The seat was OK. Far from the most spacious, it had a very office-like look, and there wasn’t too much storage space, which isn’t an issue if you’re a light packer.

Each Club World seat comes equipped with easy-to-use seat adjustments and a convenient reading light that isn’t obtrusive to fellow passengers.

The bedding and amenities are from The White Company and both were basic. Lacking comfort, the bedding was rather thin and not the best for getting some rest.

Within the dopp kit, you had lip balm, lotion, a roll-on essential oil, earplugs, socks, an eye mask, and a toothbrush. Bose headphones for your enjoyment during the flight.

After settling in, the flight attendants came by with some towels and sparkling wine.

Dining, Entertainment, and Service

Admittedly, I was still full from my meal in the Concorde Lounge, so I opted out of a full dinner. Here’s a peek at the full in-flight dining menu, including beverages.

I enjoyed some wine and soup, both of which were fine but nothing memorable. I love that BA had an Old Vine Zinfandel on the menu – Lodi holds a special place in my heart. 

Mrs. Blackbeard did have a full meal service and felt her meal was decent, but there was nothing to write home about. 

The service was fun on this flight. Flight attendants felt absent for most of the journey and quite reserved. This is a stark contrast to the warm service from the team on my British Airways First Class flight from JNB just a day earlier. I will note that there was a ton of coughing on this plane, and I’m not talking about clearing the throat here or there. This was a flight full of those ‘damn did we travel back to Medieval times type coughs’ where if a Maester isn’t onboard, all hope is lost. As I noticed a few flight attendants seemed to be under the weather themselves, it’s fair to wonder if the other team members were keeping their distance.

The in-flight entertainment was solid—new releases, some classics, games, everything you’d expect. I watched one full movie and watched parts of another. 

Regarding the facilities, I don’t think I visited the bathroom the entire flight – which brings me to my next point. This flight went by rather quickly. I can’t remember another 6-hour+ journey that felt like nothing more than a moment in time. 

Conclusion

My British Airways flight from London to New Orleans was, for lack of a better word, routine. The service was reserved, the food (via Mrs. Blackbeard) was average, and the seat wasn’t the most comfortable, though the journey was a breeze. Direct international service to New Orleans is rare – there are only five destinations – so while it isn’t the most lavish business-class experience, there is something to say for its convenience. That said, British Airways Business Class is not where I’d choose to redeem AAdvantage points (in addition to paying hefty surcharges) in the future.