The return trip from Victoria back to Seattle seems to take for ever. We have a strong current working against us, so that eventually the trip takes nearly four long hours. The fact that it’s dark outside doesn’t really help because it makes for a rather boring trip.

I spend my last night in Seattle at the Marriott Seattle Waterfront, mainly because it’s close to Pier 69 where the Victoria ferry arrives. And now today, I continue my journey to London.

Getting to Seattle Tacoma

From the Marriott it’s a walk of about twenty minutes, mostly uphill, to Westlake station. On the way I briefly stop at the original Starbucks outleft for a latte.

I catch a line 1 tram from Westlake to the airport. The journey costs USD3.- and takes about forty minutes to complete. From the airport stop it’s roughly another five minutes on foot to the main departures hall.

The tram stop is connected to the terminal through the parking garage. There are five bridges that connect the garage to the terminal. The closest bridge for the British Airways counters is bridge 1, which is the last one coming from the tram stop.

Check-In

I’ve already checked in online and have my boarding pass. However, I receive a message from BA telling me I’ll have to stop at a check-in counter at the airport to have my passport checked.

Once we’re done, the check-in agent hands me an invitation to the British Airways lounge and sends me on my way with directions how to get there.

Security is easy and efficient. I take the escalator one floor down to the rapid transit that will take me across to the S gates in the satellite terminal.

The British Airways First Class Lounge Seattle

The British Airways lounge is located above the gate area. The stairs and lift leading up to the lounge are adjacent to gate S9. I enter the lounge and the lady at reception is obviously already expecting us. She takes the gate invitations off us and asks us to follow her to the section of the lounge that is reserved for First Class passengers. Basically, it’s just a few tables by the windows with a reserved sign on them and an à la carte dining service. Alternatively, there’s an extensive buffet in the main lounge.

The lounge is nice and looks as though it was only recently renovated. It’s a good size and doesn’t feel at all crowded, even when, like today, the flight is full. What’s also rather cool is the view of the ramp from up here.

Boarding

The flight is running about twenty minutes behind schedule. So I decide to go for a bit of a walk about while we wait for boarding to start.

Boarding eventually starts at 13h20 for a 13h55 departure. After boarding group 0, it’s boarding group 1’s turn. Boarding group 1 is First Class passengers and Executive Club Gold members. Boarding is through the L2 door, as there is just the one airbridge.

The Cabin & Seat

To access the First Class cabin I pass through the forward Business Class section. While the Business Class cabin has been refurbished, the First Class cabin has remained unchanged on this aircraft. The net result is that the Business Class cabin is more private as it has a sliding door. The First Class seat offers very little privacy.

However, the seat is very spacious and comfortable and feels like sitting in an armchair. There is a small wardrobe in the side of the seat. Seats 1A and 1K have the most spacious wardrobes, with enough space to store a change of clothes, coat, and shoes. I’m seated on 1K.

The Service & Crew

As soon as I’m comfortably installed in my seat, one of the two cabin crew working the First Class cabin comes to welcome me aboard and inquires if I’d like a glass of champagne. This is served with a small ramekin with nuts, one with small puff pastry flûtes, and one with olives.

Shortly after, I’m also brought an unscented hot towel and the menu for the flight.

The crew on this flight are a delight and absolutely lovely. They manage to be attentive and highly efficient at the same time. Their interaction with passengers is respectful but relaxed. As a passenger you’re made to feel very welcome.

Amenities

There’s a big fluffy pillow and a thin, long cushion for lumbar support at my seat. Fastened onto the footstool is a wool blanket and the earphones.

After the champagne I’m also brought the gents’ amenity kit, pajamas, and slippers. The vanity kit is excellent! Kudos to British Airways for this. Unlike most airlines, which seem to just dump random cosmetics in their amenity kits, the British Airways one actually has things in it that make sense and could be useful, for example a deodorant.

The pajamas and slippers are very nice and rather comfortable. I usually don’t take anything with me at the end of a flight, but I’m happily willing to make an exception for the slippers.

Eventually, we push back at 14h00. The flight time to Heathrow is eight hours and 35 minutes.

The Meal – Late Lunch

Just before take-off the crew pass through the cabin taking orders for lunch and drinks. I order the non-alcoholic Royal Fizz which is made with apple juice and ginger ale.

The menu for today’s flight has some interesting options. I decide to have the leek and potato soup for a starter, followed by the vegetable yellow curry.

The table is set up for the meal, with a small dish with olive oil, butter, and salt and pepper. It’s a nicely laid table.

We start with an amuse bouche of yellow beetroot with olives and goat cheese in olive oil infused with orange and rosemary. This is a very elegant dish that is full of subtle flavours.

And then comes the soup, which is very nicely presented. The flight attendant brings me a soup plate with a dollop of crème fraîche and sage. She then poors the soup from a pot into the plate. The soup is absolutely divine. It has a lovely homemade taste and a beautiful, velvety texture.

The yellow curry for the main course is rather unusual. It’s very creamy and has a nice hint of coconut. I rather like it!

For dessert, I can’t resist having the gorgeous peach and raspberry bread and butter pudding. This is a dessert British Airways just does so, so well. It hits the spot perfectly. Once I’m done, the cabin crew tells me she’s still got some cheese left, in case I’m interested.

Well, if she puts it like that, who am I…? The cheese is served with grapes and a selection of savoury biscuits.

Once I’m done, the crew come to clear everything away and make up my bed for the night. They bring me a bottle of still water and inquire if I would like to be woken for breakfast. Two hours after take off, the meal service is concluded. I change into my jammies and sleep for nearly five hours.

Second Service

The second service starts about ninety minutes before our planned arrival in Heathrow. When I return from changing in the toilet, the bedclothes have been removed and the crew have brought me a coffee with warm milk as requested.

They dress the table again for breakfast, bring me another hot towel, and inquire what I’ll be having. I decide to start with the plate of fruit, followed by the full English.

The plate of fruit is just lovely and very refreshing. Miraculously, the fruit have stayed fresh, juicy, and full of sweetness.

The full English is very nice and even comes with English bacon, even though the flight was catered from Seattle.

Arrival in London Heathrow

Forty minutes out of London we start our decent into Heathrow. The cockpit crew report a clear but icy cold sunny day in London. Our approach is from the east and we’re treated to a spectacular view of London’s West End on the approach. We make our turn to line up with runway 09R over Tower Bridge. Despite our departure delay, we touch down in Heathrow at 06h58, twelve minutes ahead of schedule. However, our aircraft parks on a remote stand, which is, in principle, not an issue. The problem is that once the doors are opened, the captain comes on to inform us that they have received notification that it will be another twenty minutes before a bus can be dispatched to the aircraft to collect passengers. Half an hour later exactly one bus pulls up next to our aircraft. Luckily, being in the forward cabin means that I make it onto that lone bus. I have no idea how much longer the remaining passengers would have to wait…

The bus brings us directly to the A concourse of Terminal 5, so at least we won’t have to take the crowded shuttle train. The arrivals concourse is very busy, and I’m wondering exactly how long immigration will likely take if it’s like this. Much to my surprise, though, the e-gates for biometric passports are all open and working properly. Within fifteen minutes of entering the terminal, I’m already at the luggage belt waiting to pick up my bag.

Conclusion

This was a very pleasant flight in British Airways First Class from Seattle back to Heathrow. I rather enjoyed it. Even though the First Class cabin was full, it was a quiet flight with an unhurried service. The British Airways First Class product has clearly been designed for functionality and practicality. It’s obviously also a product that has been designed for the masses and not to create a wow effect. There’s nothing really exclusive about the experience and the seat is now a bit dated, mainly in that it completely lacks privacy.

On the positive side, where British Airways clearly excelled on this flight and the outbound to Seattle in Business Class, is the service and food. The former was just very professional on both flights I took and very efficient. The crew have obviously been instructed to keep the service as short as possible so passengers can max out on the rest they get during the flight without having to miss the meals. Of course, one might assume that this would result in a somewhat rushed or hectic dinner service. But that was definitely not the case. The crew took their time and found time to interact with the passengers. But they were also very focussed. And the food? Well, catering by Do & Co is quite stupendous on British Airways. To be fair, I expect I’m likely biased because I know typically English fare from my childhood. And it’s nice to get that when travelling. But even if you’re not familiar with British cuisine, the meals served on British Airways in Business and First Class are nicely planned and well cooked.