I am tall, 196cm to be exact. That's why on a recent flight from London to Brussels I couldn't face being crammed into a microscopic economy seat. Instead I decided to pay £385 to fly in British Airways "Business" class. What a mistake!
On arrival to Heathrow's Terminal 5 it became quite obvious that I had walked into a cathedral dedicated to passive aggression. I tried to enter the queue at zone B as directed by one of the information signs. I was told that the staff had decided to close that so I had to go somewhere else. Anything for the convenience of the staff I guess. I joined the queue at "C" instead but was told when I got to the front that business class checked in at "Haitch". "Aitch?" I confirmed. No "HAITCH!"
Checked in I made my way to British Airways business class lounge expecting to be able to relax - WRONG! It was a crowded, dirty mess with wet smelly bathrooms that looked more like a run-down bus station that an airline's lounge. The place was wildly understaffed which meant that there were used plates, cutlery and half eaten food littering every sticky table in the room. It was far less crowed in the rest of the terminal which is where I waited for my flight.
The gate was announced and I made my way to gate 10C. Instead of an aircraft there was a bus waiting for us. My fellow passengers and I were loaded aboard a standing room only bus cattle fashion and driven to the remote stand. Not long now before I can relax in my expensive but now longed for business class seat.
On release from our truck my fellow livestock scrambled up the airstairs for the cabin. I found seat 3D. It was not a business class seat at all but an economy seat with almost zero legroom. The whole point of spending £385 was legroom and I didn't have any. I asked the flight attendant if anything could be done. He explained that the only legroom seats available were the over-wing exit seats. They were in economy and he therefore couldn't transfer me.
I arrived in Brussels only slightly late but with no feeling in my lower legs and initially unable to walk.
My advice is unsurprisingly AVOID BRITISH AIRWAYS. BA would not have been my choice anyway but I do understand that given tight schedules and limited choice sometime you are forced to fly with a particular company against your better judgment. In that case don't make the same mistake as me. British Airways' Business Class is A CON. read more