London Heathrow

I decided to visit the BA Terrace Lounge and see if I can take a shower. I was welcomed at the entrance and the gate for my flight to Düsseldorf was not yet available. I headed for the shower desk and signed the list for the shower. Three people were ahead of me on the list and I was told they would page me. In the meantime I searched for a seat. The BA Terrace Lounge was quite busy, but there were a few seats available.

I just relaxed and half an hour later I was called to the shower reception.

The showers are quite nice, not as fancy as the arrival lounge at Frankfurt, but okay. Elemis shampoo and douche gel were offered and a shower with massage function. I have yet to try the arrival facilities but so far, the showers in the lounge were quite nice.

After I finished the shower, I felt refreshed and returned to the lounge.

The lounge was still quite busy, but nevertheless I was able to get a seat, unfortunately next to a somehow annoying young girl from Italy who spread over four seats, where giggling all the way while using Skype over the computer and searching for a working plug and pulled the cable over other passengers and did not care if she annoyed other passengers.

30 minutes ahead of scheduled boarding time I received a text message indication that my flight would leave on time but would arrive at DUS 30 minutes delayed. The signs at the board were not indicating this delay, but now showing the departure gate. I asked about the status of the flight at the information desk in the lounge but was told the flight was listed as on time. I left the lounge and headed to the gate, which was quite a bit to walk.

The gate agent also had no information of a delay, but as I showed him the text message he mentioned flightstats as usually well informed and reliable and phoned for information but was told, that the flight is ready to board.

13 June 2012
LHR – DUS
[London Heathrow – Dusseldorf International]
BA 944 (British Airways); Airbus A320 (G-EUUV)
Gate
17:00 – 19:20 [effective 17:06 – 19:16]
Business Class
Seat 04 F

G-EUUV was an Airbus A 320, which was delivered to British Airways on April 19, 2008, three weeks after its first flight. It was powered by the IAE V2527-A5 engines. Equipped with 162 seats in a single class configuration but the first rows of the cabin could be converted to slightly wider Business Class seats like it was done many years ago by Lufthansa as well.

Boarding was done by rows which a separate line for Club Europe and passengers with status in the frequent flyer program.
I stored my carry on in the overhead bin and took my seat. British Airways still uses the seat system LH has used in the past as well: This means on the left side of the plane (seats ABC), the middle seat squishes; leaving wider A C seats (an extra two inches or so). On the other side of the plane (seats DEF), seats are expanded giving around an extra two inches per seat.

The plane filled with passengers and the plane was quite full. No pre departure drinks were offered while we were at the ground. Doors were closed and it not earlier at this, as the captain came over the microphone and welcomed us on board and announced a slot delay, giving us at least an extra 15 minutes at the gate. A bit annoying, as this must have been know earlier, on the other hand, I have experienced it quite a few times, that the plane was boarded despite the already know delay. But in the end it was even a bit less than 15 minutes and we were pushed back what caused the flight attendants a bit by surprise and they played the safety video while we were pushed back and taxied to the runway.

The passenger in the row in front of me – a German – knew everything better and it was a bit annoying to hear him comment on everything. Unfortunately he was quite often wrong. He pointed out to an Air Lingus plane in retro livery and joking he would never fly in such an old plane. Well, it was a bit over a year old and the plane we had was much older. And Aegean Airlines is Greece and belongs to Star Alliance and not as he informed his colleague a Skyteam member like Emirates. Anyway, we taxied to the runway but had to queue for take off, before it was finally our turn and we left London Heathrow for our short 50 minute hop to Düsseldorf. Thankfully the passenger in the row before me stopped to explain everything. I am not sure, if he wanted to impress his – attractive – female colleague with his comments. Sometimes people have a strange behavior.

Aperitif

Tonic Water and assorted nuts

Once airborne the seat belt signs were switched off and the crew began the service. One flight attendant was serving Club Europe and first a beverage round was done.

Main Course

Salad

After this was finished she served the rows with a cold salad and offered a basket with bread and rolls as well before she did another beverage service. The salad was in fact more a plate with mixed antipasti but tasted good and much better than was I had on Lufthansa on a European flight in Business Class. The service was attentive and friendly, but done a bit in a hurry, which is not really a surprise given the short flight time. We already had begun our final descend into Düsseldorf as she began to collect the trays and to prepare the cabin for our arrival in Düsseldorf. We flew into Düsseldorf from Eastern direction over Essen and Ratingen and used the northern runway.

We taxied to our gate at the B terminal and I was able to leave the plane as last passengers in Business Class but ahead of all Economy Class Passengers and walked to Immigration and down to the luggage belt. After a wait of round about ten minutes the luggage was delivered and the Club World tag worked as it was delivered ahead of the regular luggage.

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Conclusion