Jaunted

Flight Attendants / British Airways / Airlines / Flight Reviews / LHR / BUD / LAS / → All Tags

What You Need To Know About British Airways' New Mixed Fleet

How to identify BA's mixed fleet cabin crew: they smile

You may remember the saga. First we were die hard British Airways haters. Then a flight to Vegas changed all that. It was our first experience of BA’s new mixed fleet (in operation for a year now) and boy, did it make a difference. We were entranced. Was it a one off? We prayed not.

Our return flight from Vegas had just as nice a crew (a full review on that another time). But we wanted to wait until we’d taken a couple more flights until we declared an official crush on the new mixed fleet. Now, though, since our trip to Budapest last weekend, we've seen enough to declare ourselves: British Airways appears to have transformed under the mixed fleet crews.

Staff are friendly, smiley. They give the impression of wanting to help you. They give the impression that they are happy to be on board, and that they actually like each other. They are as far away from the dour crew of old as Rick Perry was from knowing his government agencies. They are great. So because they’re great, we’ve got the lowdown on them. Here’s your mixed fleet 101.

more ›

Airport News / Airports / London Travel / LGW / LHR / → All Tags

London's New Multi Bajillion Dollar Thames Estuary Airport Hits a Snag

Not too long ago we were going on and on about the possibility of London building a pretty darn huge airport within the Thames Estuary. Well this is certainly still a possibility, but now that accountants and financiers have started to run the numbers and sort the spreadsheets, the bottom line is getting out of han.

Someone must pay for all the construction costs, costs which would be passed on down to the planes and passengers arriving at the new airport. Landing fees could be as high as £100 per passenger for the new airport—oof—a fact which may make the new airport—despite all its bells and whistles—a pretty hard sell. The thought is that the new airport could cost anywhere between like £50 and £80 billion to build, which is way more than what London-Heathrow is even worth (around £12 billion).

more ›

Flight Reviews / Airlines / British Airways / Economy / LHR / LAS / Holiday Travel / → All Tags

The Day Pigs Flew and British Airways Rocked a Long-Haul Flight

You might remember our surprise (understatement: we nearly had a stroke with shock) when we flew British Airways from Heathrow to Vegas on Christmas Eve, and were confronted, instead of the usual sullen frowns and can’t-do mentality, by smiles, extra booze, cheery greetings and an atmosphere that didn’t send us screaming for the emergency exit handle.

Back then, we told you about the crew, and promised more on the flight later. Sorry about that&3151;it’s taken three weeks to process the shock of a pleasant BA flight. But anyways. Did the flight-our first longhaul in BA economy for a couple of years-live up to the crew? Let’s see.

more ›

Holiday Travel / Flight Reviews / Airlines / British Airways / New Year's Eve Travel / LAS / LHR / New Year's Travel / Flight Attendants / → All Tags

Transatlantic Time Hop: Skipping the New Year on British Airways

Comedy hats and smiles. Two things you don't normally expect to see British Airways staff wearing

When we told people last week we were flying British Airways from Las Vegas to London overnight on New Year’s Eve, they were aghast. Why weren’t we partying? Why were we flying alone? Why were we leaving Vegas on the best night to be in Vegas?

We told them they were wrong on several counts. First, NYE in Vegas is horrendo, period. Second, after the Christmas Eve mini party we experienced on our flight out, we suspected the return journey could actually be fun. Thirdly—since there are few things we enjoy less than forced festivity—the idea of spending NYE at 40,000ft watching crappy movies was highly appealing.

And fourth, we coolly assumed we’d fly past loads of fireworks and cross so many timezones that we’d witness the year turning about six times before we reached London.

So how was it?

more ›

Travel Snapshot / British Airways / LHR / LAS / Flight Attendants / → All Tags

Is British Airways' Christmas Gift to Everyone Flight Attendants Who Actually Smile?

Oh hai Christmas flight attendants, you look fun! You also look like you're in the wrong uniform. That nail varnish, lipstick, smiley faces, santa hats indicative of a fun disposition...you belong on Virgin Atlantic, right?

Wrong, because, and you may need to sit down for this, we snapped this on our Christmas Eve flight from London-Heathrow to Las Vegas on British Airways. Yes, BA of the grouchy staff who fling inedible food at you and snap if you dare to ask for so much as an extra glass of water. But these British Airways FAs were different—oh so different. In fact, they were the highlight of the flight.

more ›

Flight Reviews / Airlines / British Airways / Premium Economy / LHR / SAN / → All Tags

The Only Plus to British Airways' Premium Economy? Being Up Front

Flying coach: not good. Flying business: very good but rarely affordable. Flying premium economy: fast becoming our preferred method of transport, when we have a little extra cash. Over a crazy six-week period a couple of months back we made eight transatlantic flights (mainly West Coast-London). Most were in economy, buying seats with extra legroom. So when we saw a deal to fly British Airways’ premium economy product, or World Traveller Plus as they call it, for the same amount of miles as an economy ticket, we cashed right in, and bought a Heathrow to San Diego ticket.

After all, BA's WTP seats usually sell for around double the amount of their economy seats; plus we’d flown premium ec on both Virgin Atlantic and Air New Zealand, and found them both the shiz. Tough acts to beat, but we were sure BA would measure up in some respects. Wouldn’t it?

Sadly, no it didn’t. At all. In fact—flying premium economy was one of the biggest wastes of money we’ve ever experienced. And yes, we say that having technically paid no extra. Here’s why.

more ›

Airport Transportation / Airports / LHR / LGW / JFK / CDG / NRT / FCO / Travel Tips / → All Tags

Can't Get a Ride? Other Ways to Reach Six International Airports

Just because Thanksgiving has passed doesn't mean that travel will dwindle much; Christmas and other holidays are now less than one month away, and of course travel to wherever you're heading for them will start sooner. If you're heading home or on vacation, and you can't convince someone to come pick you up from the airport, we might be able to help.

Throughout December, we'll be adding more guides on how to reach airports around the world via both public and private transportation, but for now, here are six guides we've already got for you:

· New York-JFK

· Paris-Charles de Gaulle

· Rome-Fiumicino/Leonardo da Vinci

· Tokyo-Narita

· London-Heathrow

· London-Gatwick (just the Express train featured)

[Photo: pro-zak]

Shopping Travel / UK Travel / LHR / Airplanes / Boeing / British Airways / Airlines / Airline News / Holiday Travel / Layovers / London Travel / → All Tags

Buy This: Time in an Official British Airways Boeing Flight Simulator

Perhaps you have people on your holiday shopping list for whom you completely dread finding gifts...or maybe it's you falling into that category on your loved one's lists. Whatever direction the holiday shopping stress is coming from, British Airways has a solution.

Last week, BA decided to spice up Black Friday and tweeted about gift ideas, like vouchers for the general public to get into their Flight Simulator Experiences.

It all sounds like something right out of the Nieman Marcus Fantasy Gift section in their catalog, with prices to match. Normally reserved for their own flight crews, the simulators are offered to any self-proclaimed aviation geek. Vouchers are available from £399 for a 1-hour flight on a Boeing 737-400, to £1,347 for a 3-hour flight on a 747-400. Sorry Airbus fans, aircraft options are limited to Boeing only and also include 757-200, 767-300 and 777-200.

more ›

Travel Alerts / LHR / LGW / London Travel / Strikes / Travel News / → All Tags

A Major Strike Will Gum Up the Works at UK Airports This Wednesday

Heading to the UK this Wednesday, November 30? Bring a book, a snack and loads of patience because for the second time this year, the UK Borders and Customs employees who stamp your passports will be on strike.

The last strike by the PCS Union was exactly five months ago, on June 30, and we just happened to fly into London-Heathrow and get stuck in the middle of it (and the line's 17 switchbacks). Although Heathrow had obviously prepared well by handing out both bottled water and kid activity packs, the nightmare of standing for nearly three hours in the most boring, bureaucratic environment ever still happened. Just listen for your flight crew to warn you about "industrial action," as our Virgin Atlantic FAs did, just to make sure we were aware what exactly was the holdup.

more ›

Airport News / Airports / London Travel / LGW / LHR / → All Tags

London May Get a Whole New Airport: Isle of Grain International

When it comes to airline and passenger traffic, airport and government officials have realized that London is going to reach capacity around 2030. That means it’s time to start thinking about some creative ways to expand the city’s airports, but instead of bumping up the ability of Heathrow or Gatwick, there’s one group with a slightly different suggestion.

Out to the east of the city—like 45 minutes or so—sits the Isle of Grain and the Thames Estuary. The plan on the drawing board is to create one of the biggest airports in the world, so large that around 150 million passengers per year would use it. Apparently that’s like twice as many people that use London-Heathrow each year, so you can imagine the airport’s size and potential.

more ›

Airport News / LHR / London Travel / Airports / Jet Lag / Hotels / → All Tags

New Bedrooms Land at London-Heathrow Airport for £20 Per Hour

There’s plenty of airports (like PHL and NRT) with rent-a-room spots, where travelers may pay for a few hours to take a nap or just to escape the hustle and bustle of the terminal, but now the concept has crossed the pond.

Thanks to the creative airport engineers over at No.1 Traveller, there are now private rooms available airside for rent for just a few pounds. Open to one and all—assuming you have the cash—they're found in the airport’s terminal three. In total there are 12 rooms from which to choose, and each comes with television, free internet access, free telephone, and of course a shower to freshen up. There’s even a room service option, but unfortunately they don’t do wake-up calls—so don’t forget to set your alarm!

more ›

Space Travel / Virgin Galactic / Travel Snapshot / Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse / Virgin Atlantic / Virgin / LHR / → All Tags

The Little Virgin Galactic Surprise in Virgin Atlantic's Heathrow Clubhouse

Where in the world is Richard Branson? He's in the Mojave Desert today, for the official dedication of Spaceport America, the base and building for all the fun of Virgin Galactic.

Here's the thing, though—Spaceport America has already been "open" now since May, when their three-hour tours began. Today was just all the official pomp and circumstance, plus a little show-off flight from SpaceShipTwo and WhiteKnightTwo.

more ›