The controversy has popped up into our social feeds and reignited a debate of fierce stances – should you ask to recline the airline seat or not or just go for it without warning?  I don’t normally jump into the “topic of the day” but here I am because I’m been the victim of the seat recline, rather my poor knees have been the victim of the seat back.

By now we’ve all seen the video of the guy pushing (or punching) the seat in front of him because the passenger in front of him leaned back without asking or providing any indication.  I’m not sure when we forgot to use our words and treat folks with respect.

The airplane seems to be the wild west of manners and attitudes. There has to be a common sense middle ground. We are all too “whip out the phone first” crazy for likes, cancel culture and viral attention.

This could have probably been settled easily without the escalation but alas it’s now in the social media sphere and being discussed.

In my opinion, based on what I’ve read (I’m sure there stuff I don’t know) both seem at fault.  The woman could have asked first to see that leaning back didn’t cause any obstacles or discomfort.  What if his tray table was down and he was working on his computer?  What if the seat recline hindered that ability.  What if this was a woman who did this or the reclining passenger was male?  So many what ifs.   So many opinions.

The woman in her tweets discloses a medical condition with her back/spine and says the incident caused more damage requiring a doctor’s visit, x-rays, lost time from work, etc. comparing it to “assault”.  So it seems there’s more to her experience that led her to go public with the incident. A few steps seem to be missing – tell the guy to stop, tell him you have a medical condition, ask to be moved to another seat, etc.  A lot of options at the time on board before bringing it to public scrutiny and opinion.

It’s reported that the guy did ask her to put seat up so he could use the tray table to eat, which she did.  She then reclined again. This was a two hour flight!  The guy was in the last row of coach and if you’ve ever sat there (I have many times) you know those seats don’t recline at all. So you could be pinned in depending on your body type.  The man pushes the seat a few times and instead of the woman with the spine issues saying anything to him, she chooses to film the man (did she get his consent to film him?) instead?!  That’s a bit crazy to me.  If someone kicks my seat once I get annoyed more than that?  I’m saying something, I’m not filming it.  I’m resolving it right then and there.

I think it’s safe to assume we’ve all been in this situation in some way or another. I’ve had kids kicking my seatback – I told the parent and the kicking stopped.  I’ve had situations where I’m on the aisle and the girl in front of me not only threw her long hair over the seatback (ewww!) but also reclined without asking thus pinning me in.  I pointed this out to the flight attendant (as the passenger and I had different languages) as her hair was offensive in my space.   She removed her hair but kept reclining and gave me a death stare mumbling under her breath (words I did understand in her language) when I needed to get up as it disturbed her flight.

Here’s the thing – I book an aisle seat as I’m tall and short waisted with long legs.  My knees are already likely pressing into the seat.  If you push back, my knees will likely push into your back and I will be pinned into my seat which is frankly dangerous for evacuation.  In order to stand up, I need to hold the seat in front to angle myself up and out (thankfully all that yoga pays off!).  Using the tray table is not an option when you push your seat back so I can’t work on my computer even if I wanted to nor can I eat (when or if the airline serves food, the flight attendant always has to ask the passenger to put their seat up so I can use the tray table).  I often try to sit sideways if the seat arm will push up but then I’m at the mercy of beverage carts (they will hit me all the time) and people walking to/from bathroom.

Now if you ask me if you can put the seat back, I will say yes (Catholic School guilt being nice) but disclose my issues above.  If you are ok with those conditions, go for it.  Most times folks will recline, feel my knees in their back, feel bad, say sorry and put the seat back in upright position.

A few times, I’ve been able to avoid all of this unpleasantness by paying for a choice seat (on American Airlines out of PHL)  for $35-50. The few times I’ve done this, I’ve ended up with a while row to myself.  When that happens, I will move to the window seat and stretch out.  Best use of money to upgrade to the seat others don’t want to pay more for.  Other times, if I can afford it, I’ll buy a first class ticket or upgrade with points for the extra leg and seat room.  Just take my points to let me stretch out in comfort.

The only answer to me is to politely ask (or notify) the passenger behind you first.  Be respectful if someone says no or offers up a reason why (i.e. working and using tray table, already poured into the seat and will be stuck, etc.).  The recline feature doesn’t do much in my opinion other than take personal space away from someone else.  The airlines created this mess trying to jam in more seats to maximize revenue.  The seat pitch continues to shrink as does the seat size for a growing population that spills into the seats and make the notion of neighbors that much cozier when you are thigh to thigh (or shoulder to shoulder) for a few hours.

Be Kind seems so simple – Treat others the way you want to be treated sounds easy – Life, however, has made us stuck in a bubble where all of our wants/needs are catered too with immediacy – Let’s start a bit of a revolution on the next flight with empathy and respect.  Please ask before reclining your seat.  It’s the right thing to do.

Your thoughts – should you ask to recline the airline seat or just push back at will?

We are now one step closer to my favorite things (Scotland version) – the Highlands, Whiskey and Shortbread Biscuits now that American Airlines launched their new (seasonal) direct flights from Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) to Edinburgh (EDI) this week.  For East Coast travelers that fly out of Philadelphia, this is great news as we don’t have to connect via London Heathrow (LHR) anymore.

What’s nice about this new service is that you can have two holidays (vacations) in one if you book a flight to Edinburgh and home from London on American Airlines (OneWorld partner of British Airways) or vice versa during the seasonal service period. There are frequent East Coast direct trains between Edinburgh and London which take you from city centre to city centre with no need to deal with airport security, baggage check and the stresses of the airport. So maybe consider a plane – train – plane option for your next trip to the United Kingdom.

So what to do in and around Edinburgh?  There’s a checklist of attractions for the first time visitor as well as many tempting private whiskey or golf tours to arrange.  Or you can choose to enjoy the food, drink and shopping. A few highlights from my last trip to Edinburgh.

Where to Stay in Edinburgh and What to Do

When trying to decide where to stay in Edinburgh, I consulted my go to guide at the Telegraph – Travel Section.  I saw that the Sheraton Edinburgh was rated highly and I had point to use so that was an easy decision.  Using my Marriott hotel points, I booked an award stay at the centrally located Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa Edinburgh.  The Edinburgh castle view room was perfect base for exploring the city by foot.  Lining the main road outside the hotel were restaurants, pubs, a movie theatre and other convenient shops.  Walking ten minutes in one direction took you to the shopping of Princes Street and the pedestrian zone.  Ten minutes in the other direction you arrive at the Royal Mile.  At one end is the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official residence of the Queen in Scotland (not to be confused with Balmoral, the Queen’s privately owned home in Scotland) and at the other end is Edinburgh Castle where you can explore with a guide or do it yourself.   In between these two castles is a street (the Royal Mile) full of life day and night.  Tourists trying to get the best selfie, lining up for ghost tours or bus tours of the Highlands.  Other visitors are exploring The Real Mary King’s Close (a quirky visit into a hidden street and life of residents in the past), St. Giles cathedral and a plethora of souvenir shops.

Day Trip to the Scottish Highlands

I was tempted to book a whisky tour but since I had done that on a previous trip, I decided to book a day trip to the Scottish Highlands and Stirling Castle with Timberbush Tours. The small tour bus held a maximum of twenty passengers but wasn’t full that day.  Our driver and guide was retired from the government where he held senior level and dignitary roles which made him more than qualified (really overqualified really) to lead us around town and out of the city. When he wasn’t talking, he regaled us with Scottish music that added a lovely bagpipe background to the views going by. Along the highway we passed the Kelpies art sculptures.  We would visit Stirling Castle, which I preferred over Edinburgh Castle, as it was less crowded and had actors reenacting castle residents telling tales of the fashion, architecture and life of a castle resident. It added a bit more color to the self-guided visit.

A leisurely boat ride on Loch Lomond was the perfect entry point to the calm and serenity of the glorious nature and natural beauty that is Scotland. The final stop of the day was to visit Fiona, a Scottish Hairy Coo (Cow).  Like a dog running to see its owner, Fiona only needed to hear her name to come over to see our guide with the carrots for her. You can’t pet her but you can get close enough for a selfie if you dare.

Day Trip to St. Andrew’s and St. Andrew’s Golf Club

You can join an organized tour from the city or take the local train to St. Andrew’s for the day.  The high street is filled with shops and restaurants.  At one end of town the famous cemetery is open to visitors and a twenty minute walk near the center of town is the legendary home of golf at the Old Course at St. Andrew’s Golf Club. You need to reserve your tee times and qualify to play on the Old Course.  If you want to learn more about the origins of the modern golf tournament and learn who was that guy in the cemetery who passed on Christmas Day, then find the 2016 movie “Tommy’s Honour“

In Search of Loch Ness Monster

The legend and the lure of Loch Ness.  Over twenty years ago, I endured the very, very, very, long bus ride (3.5 hours each way give/take) to Loch Ness which is a lake far, far, away from Edinburgh. There, you can ride a boat on the lake in search of Nessie.  Maybe you will have better luck than I did.  For those short on time, Loch Ness can be skipped because a 12+hr tour day with nearly 8+ hours on a bus isn’t the best way to explore Scotland in my opinion.  I’ve endured it (in the time before smartphones, headsets and playlists) so you don’t have too. But if you absolutely must, be prepared for a long day on a bus (or in the car) – bring entertainment and some snacks. Scotland’s beauty is the stunning nature and you will see that at least at Loch Ness.

Train from Edinburgh to London

Once you have had a bit of the city (Edinburgh), the country (Scottish Highlands) and your fill of whiskey, it’s time to stock up on the shortbread biscuits and board the East Coast train to London (or points in between).  The four hour journey has a few stops but otherwise is a lovely way to spend the day watching the world (and sea) go by. From city center to city center, the stress of the airport journey is all gone and you can use Wi-Fi to keep up with the world on social media or escape to a streaming or downloaded movie. When do you ever get four hours to just chill?  Enjoy the train, the scenery and prepare for the vast difference in cities.

Now that Philadelphia to Edinburgh is a possibility, it also opens up the world to your award points and miles.  If the flight to London doesn’t have any award seats, consider a one way to Edinburgh and then search for a flight home from London.  Edinburgh can be a quick getaway (three days in Edinburgh is a good Scotland sample) or longer if you add other Scottish cities in (easily reachable by train) or venture further afield to London for a few days.  Ah the possibilities…..

Sometimes, I make travel mistakes – dumb mistakes – where I should know better but somehow I just fail at being a fabulous (ha-ha!) traveler. The universe caught me this time with a six hour layover at London Gatwick.  I also thought British Airways would know better (or be better) but alas, they were not and I was taught a lesson, thankfully not an expensive one or one that disrupted my travels. So this travel mistake (there are more stories to tell) is Flying on Separate Tickets with Checked Luggage (JFK-LGW-AMS)

I clearly remember combining separate tickets in the past, however, when checking in to my British Airways flight in JFK, I wasn’t able to route my bag to the final destination, Amsterdam.  I was flying on separate tickets – an award ticket from JFK to London Gatwick and then a cash ticket to AMS (I needed to credit the flights for status and there were no awards available).  At check in the staff member wasn’t friendly about it at all – she said “no, I can’t do that” and dismissed me after she tagged my bag. Thankfully, on hindsight, I had a six hour layover so was told I would need to go through immigration in Gatwick, collect my bag and then go to the check in desk to bag and tag it (i.e. – do the airlines work for them).  I asked if she could link the tickets and have the bags connect but she was done with me and said “no, have a good flight”.  I don’t expect much in JFK based on past experience so this was about right – sad to say.

How to Collect Your Bags in Gatwick (LGW) and Recheck Them with BA

I wasn’t happy with this predicament but had time to do it and thankfully am a member of the UK Registered Traveller program (similar to the U.S. Global Entry program) so I could quickly get through immigration.  When I arrived in Gatwick (my first time at this airport), I made my way easily through the UK/EU gates by slotting my passport in the reader and looking at the camera.  The gates opened and I was quickly at the baggage carousel waiting. When my bag arrived, I exited through the “nothing to declare” lane which passed by the duty free shop and spilled out to the arrivals terminal.  Bypassing all the signs with names on them, I walked through the terminal toward the Departures counters which were on the same floor and in the same terminal (no transfers required).

British Airways Check In at Gatwick (LGW)

London Gatwick BA terminal is small but easy to navigate.  The premium area is on the left with the regular check in on the right. I had arrived from JFK in Club World (business class) but was flying World Traveller (coach) to Amsterdam so I approached the normal bag drop counter on the right side of the British Airways check in area.  The BA staff member checked my boarding pass (on my BA app) and said I could use the priority desks on the left side of the terminal to check in as I was Silver elite member.  Priority desks would bag and tag for me but I needed to keep awake so I did the bag and tag on my own.

From there, I made my way up the escalators to the Gatwick security (noting to drink the water I had in my carryon bag) before I was on my way to the departures British Airways lounge (which required twists, turns and an elevator).

Flying on Separate Tickets What to Know (When to Worry)

Separate tickets work best with carry on only luggage or when you have a stopover in the city (i.e. – overnight or longer). Given that I’m not a good carry on only traveler, I’ll need to make sure I allow enough time to do immigration, collect & recheck bag and go through security. Three hours+ should be good at most airports but do your research.

If you choose to fly on separate tickets with the same airline or with different airlines, keep in mind:

Connection Times – the online system might think the connection is legal but is it realistic? If you are arriving international and departing domestic or arriving domestic and departing international – will you have enough time to collect bags and recheck them and go through security lines (if applicable)

Terminal Changes – does the airline fly from same terminal or do you need to take the bus, train or other to the new airline?

Security Lines – what are the wait times for the connecting airport – will you have enough time allocated?  I almost missed this on my one hour connection in Manchester Airport.  With only six people ahead of me and one security scanner, the non-travelers were beeping and requiring additional screening thereby holding up the line.

Carryon Bags (especially if the weight or allocation differs on connection) – will your carryon bag be ok on the new flight?  This is tricky if using low cost carriers (LCCs) in Europe or if your boarding number is near the end and the bins are full.

Delays, Flight Interruptions, Cancellations – If your first flight is delayed/interrupted/canceled/etc. for any reason, the connecting flight on the new airline won’t know, won’t wait and code you a no show.  If you miss your flight, your options may vary to rebook – you might have to buy new ticket.  Consult your travel insurance to see what coverage may be extended to your flights.

Reader Question: 

Do you have anything to add to help folks who choose to buy & fly on separate tickets?  What is your experience flying on separate tickets?

Last week I was out at sea when the United incident occurred. When I reached port the next day, it was all over the news and I was surprised by all the mis-steps taken by the airline and local airport security.  I’ve always known that the airlines oversold the seats hoping to maximize the space and revenue for no-shows, missed connections and cancellation.  Over the many years of traveling, I’ve only been on two flights prior to last week where the airline gate staff announced they were looking for volunteers to give up their seats.

In one case, I was on a business trip to New Orleans.  The announcement started at $600 to give up your seat and while I was tempted because it would have been a bonus to me since I hadn’t paid for the ticket, I was flying first class and had checked my TripIt Pro app to see when the next direct flight to Philly was (eight hours later) and how many seat were open (zero first class).  The agent eventually got a volunteer at $600 and we quickly boarded the flight home.  I wondered if they knew how long the wait would be prior to saying “yes”.

AA & Delta Volunteers to Give Up Your Airplane Seat at SJU

Fast forward to this past Sunday in San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU).  As I was walking to my gate, I heard a Delta agent sheepishly announcing that the flight was oversold and she was looking for volunteers to give up their seats for a voucher.  She sounded nervous and opened at $400.  I mumbled to myself “no way at $400” as I quickly boarded my American Airlines flight to Philadelphia.

This AA flight was a definite bonus as I booked first class, which at the time was about $200 more than coach, and during online check in realized that AA changed equipment so that my seat was on the A330, their international configuration of 1-2-1 flat bed business class seats. I had a flat bed, full entertainment system, aisle access and loved it for my four hour flight!

When boarding was complete, the AA gate agent boarded and announced they needed just one volunteer to give up their seat.  In more than twenty years of travel, I experienced the “at the gate” version of this and now in one day, I had two instances – one onboard.  The gate agent started at $600 and no interest.  He increased the compensation to $800 and the Captain exited the cockpit with his hand raised to show he had a sense of humor and gave us a nice laugh.  At this point, the coach cabin had banned together and chanted $1,000!  Now I was thinking “hmmm, would I take that as my family is on the next flight”.  The young guy who expressed some interest at $800 and for whom the coach cabin chanted “higher” took the deal.  Folks were clapping and as he exited, I heard him say “that’s enough for a few flights” which might not be true.  I’m not sure who the guy was that needed to board but he put his bags in the first class overhead and went back to the open coach seat.

I stretched out and reminded myself that I was not flying to London, just home to Philly on the spacious window seat. I texted my sister who was waiting for the next flight and told her the story of the $1,000 offer just in case they had the same offer on her flight.  Later when she landed, she said her flight was also looking for volunteers but found one at the opening of $600.

The Captain welcomed us and instructed us to introduce ourselves to our neighbors as we would all be in this together as travelers.  His words were kind, funny and appropriate and I wondered if this was his normal speech or if it was modified in light of the United incident.  Either way, it seemed that a new normal had emerged as travelers learned that their seat might not be their seat, passengers worked together to get the best deal and others contemplated what their time (and seat) was really worth.

My 5 Tips to Consider Before You Give Up Your Airplane Seat

So with all of the information flying around social media and the news channel related to travel, what’s your price?  How much would it take to get you to give up your seat on the airplane?  Would you now do due diligence to know if it’s worth it?  Always be ready with information that benefits you, not the airline.

My 5 Tips Before You Say Yes and Give Up Your Airplane Seat:

1. Find alternative (direct) flights home and know what time(s) the flight is scheduled to depart as well as the flight number – you can do this with TripIt Pro (yearly subscription), Google Flights or the airline’s website. You need to have information ready at hand, don’t rely on the airport gate agent.
2. Use TripIt Pro (or ask your travel agent), to see how many seats in each class are available.  F = First, J = Business, C = Coach, so you know what leverage you have.  If giving up a coach seat, I’d request the first/business seat on next flight (they can only say no and stick you in coach). I met a guy on my flight to San Juan who was scheduled to fly from Philly to Chicago but bad weather canceled his flight.  He requested that they fly him PHL-SJU-ORD, basically a free flight to San Juan for the weekend on the long way home.  He had family to visit so it was a free flight for him in Business class.
3. Check to see if the airline has a lounge at the airport (in case the wait is long you can request to wait there, they may say no, but it’s worth the try). I’d rather spend time in a relaxing place than sitting at the gate.
4. Request cash!!!  Vouchers are filled with small print of exclusions, black out dates, minimum spend/fares, etc.  Imagine giving up your seat, waiting hours for the next flight only to find out you can’t use that $600+ voucher!  Say no to vouchers and yes to cash! 
5. Hotel and/or Food vouchers should be provided if the next available flight (with an open seat) is a long wait or the next day. Research what hotels are nearby so you can request a property if needed.  You want a full service hotel with a restaurant on-site at a minimum.

So, while I’m tempted at $1,000, realistically if #1-3 were all good options, I would probably raise my hand at $1,200 if cash, however, given that others buyout rate is lower, I doubt that I’ll get to take this gamble.  In the European Union (EU) they have explicit rules stating what happens if you are denied boarding against your will after the airlines fail to find a volunteer – you may be entitled, according to my Passenger Rights app, to €125 – €600 compensation depending on distance of flight and delays experienced.  During your wait, the airlines must provide care for you such as food, telephone access, hotel and transit between hotel and airport.  The EU has spelled it all out, why is the US so woeful in catching up to passengers rights for travel – air, train, bus and boat?

Have you ever volunteered to give up your airplane seat?  How much did you get and what was the experience like for you? Would you do it again?

It’s been a while since I’ve flown British Airways First Class so when the opportunity arose to redeem my Avios points on Mom’s trip directly home from London to Philadelphia, I figured why not give Mom a First Class finish to our luxury Paris & London trip. I already knew what to expect but seeing Mom’s reaction all day was so much fun.  Sadly, many travelers (including me) forget the simple pleasures that airlines do offer as they become hardened road warriors who want, need, expect more from the flying experience.  At the end of the day, airlines have a contract with the traveler to transport them from point A to B – how the airline chooses to make that experience special (or not) is what keeps passengers loyal and happy (or not). Below is our experience with British Airways First Class from London to Philadelphia.

British Airways First Check in at Heathrow Terminal 5

If flying BA first from Heathrow and arriving by car/taxi, make sure to tell the driver to go to the end of the terminal road so you don’t need to walk a long way inside (you’d think BA would have a special arrivals lane outside but they don’t).  The First Class check in is a private dedicated space at the end of T5 terminal.  Staff greeted us at the desk to check our boarding passes before we entered the area to find a check in desk. There’s not much special here other than a wall around the desk area with a welcome desk and a seating area to wait.  As we had checked in online already, it was a quick bag drop.

Fast Pass Security at T5

The Fast Pass Security area consists of automated lanes as well as a live person if you can’t figure out the boarding pass scan.  Surprisingly, the “fast security” is often slow with only two lanes so be prepared for a queue (sometimes I’ve seen regular security be quicker as they have more lanes to choose from).  The two lanes are directed by staff so they do move but the line when you are traveling First Class is a bit annoying if I’m honest.  Luckily, we didn’t pay the $5k-10k for our tickets so we could be patient.

The Concorde Room (aka Millionaire’s Door)

Since the fast pass security is at the end of the terminal, you can only turn left to get into the main terminal.  If you turn right, you will be met by British Airways staff and you better have a first class boarding pass.  If you do, pass GO and collect your welcome glass of champagne in The Concorde Room, like we did (my review of the British Airways Concorde Room at Heathrow).

British Airways First Class Priority Boarding

British Airways likes to greet passengers at the door and if flying First a staff member will personally escort you to your seat.  They do this when you are boarding priority, if you choose to wait and board with general boarding, then you are on your own. But you are a big boy/girl and I think you can easily find 2A as I have in the past (although staff did apologize for not escorting me to my seat that time).  It’s always a (rare) treat for me to turn left as they say so I led Mom to our seats with the FA following behind us.  We were instantly greeted by the cabin crew and offered champagne, juice or water (custom in both First and Club World Business).  I should have been surprised but, after two glasses of champagne in the Concorde Room, wasn’t when Mom said “I’ll have champagne”.  I chose water as I normally do for boarding.  The head of the cabin crew for the flight came by to introduce himself and welcome each passenger to First.

The British Airways First Class Seat

I already knew what to expect but Mom didn’t so that was fun to see her reaction at having the whole window seat to herself – not sitting backwards as she did in Club World we me on the other side of her.  She started playing with the knobs and trying to figure out what’s what.  The FA came by to happily explain it all to her as Mom was pretty excited with her seat.  I told the FA that this was Mom’s first BA First flight as an end to our luxury vacation.  The FA was doting on Mom (probably happy to have a newbie onboard) throughout the flight and kept me updated.  I expected nothing less of the BA crew as they were fabulous to my niece on our flight years ago.

The BA First Seat is arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration with all aisle access.  If you choose a window seat, you get two windows and a small (actual) window seat to have someone sit facing you if they visit or want to chat (I’ve never seen this but it’s an option – I’ve thought about it but the tv doesn’t flip to allow me to enjoy the window seat space.  During the flight, the window screen covers the windows and changes colors from blue to orange during the flight.

The storage locker has a space for your bags below and includes a hanger to hand a coat or light jacket (in Club World the FA still offer to take your coat).  The seats convert to flat beds with the turn of the dial which I like (unlike pressing and holding the various buttons in Club World).

First passengers receive a warm blanket and Bose headsets to use during the light but they are not to keep just to use in flight.  I mention this because on Mom’s first flight to Germany two years ago she kept the blanket in coach because everyone else did too.  I told her that these are not takeaway items but that the toiletry kit and the pajamas were hers to keep.  The FA kept Mom’s pjs in the plastic.

The British Airways First Class On Board Experience

When you fly BA First, you not only get the option to pre-book your Elemis Spa treatment (28 days in advance) but also the option to pre-order your meal (different from the standing special meal request in my profile).  The BA site was easy to use to see the entrée options and I picked the steak for Mom. I was back and forth whether to keep my special meal or try my luck onboard – I chose the onboard steak too.

After the champagne welcome onboard, warm towels are distributed after take off followed by a round of drinks and a bowl of mixed nuts (in Club World you get same but the nuts are in small package not served in dish).

If you have the BA app, you can see in advance the movies and entertainment schedule for the flight to plan accordingly.  With a flight time of seven hours and a bit to Philadelphia, you need to keep a good schedule so the flight goes by quickly.  For me it is eat/drink, walk around, movie, repeat.

The meal service is in three parts – starter, main, dessert with the bread basket making two appearances.  I skipped the starter so was brought my entrée when the service started – no need to wait until everyone finishes their starter.  On my past First flight, I brought my own food and the FA kept filling my wine glass and bringing chocolate.  For airline food, BA serves good dishes in my opinion.  The steak was tender and quite good (red meat in the sky can be tricky).  The wine, as always, was outstanding for me.

The FA kept me up to date on Mom who was seated behind me.  I forgot she was with me at one point when Mom tapped me on the shoulder to tell me “I had the Pinot Noir with dinner because I heard you order it in Paris” oh boy!  I was glad I pre-ordered a wheelchair assist in Philly because Mom was definitely enjoying the free drinks for a woman who generally hits the Diet Coke pretty hard.

The crew was attentive throughout but not overly so or intrusive in any way.  They moved about in an orchestrated dance setting up tray tables with white linen, serving drinks and saying “yes”.  When I asked about the pre-boarding champagne I missed, the FA brought me a tasting flight of champagne which I paired with the fancy chocolates I bought in London.  I was happy we had a car picking us up in Philly because I rarely drink this much on a flight preferring gallons of water.

Sadly, the BA First Experience was over too quickly, funny how the thought of an 8 hour flight is gruesome until you have the freedom to move, eat, sleep at will (Mom did all three in between playing games on her IPad).  When we landed in Philly a bit late due to a traffic hold at Heathrow, we were met by a wheelchair assistant (BA had called ahead from the Concorde Room by adding it to Mom’s reservation).

This was the first time using the PHL wheelchair service and we were totally impressed.  Our guy pushed Mom from plane to curb, which in Philly is a long walk.  There is a wheelchair lane for immigration so that was quick (I didn’t use Global Entry as I was traveling with Mom). This was Mom’s last luxury for the day and the trip – we tipped him $20 because it was such a stress free way to end the journey. We were going back to our real lives but the one day of First Class from beginning to end with British Airways was definitely memorable for Mom. She’s still telling the stories to her friends who are in disbelief – a flat-bed on a plane?  Champagne? Steak?

British Airways First Class from Heathrow

So there’s three ways to look at the BA First Class From London to Philadelphia

1. Mom’s Perspective – It was Awesome!  Free champagne, steak and a bed on a plane!
2. My Perspective – It’s a really a nice way to fly home from London with privacy, champagne and service
3. Road Warriors/Flight Bloggers – It’s just US Domestic First Class and not as special as x, y, z (usually Emirates, Singapore, etc.)

For this day and this flight Mom’s perspective wins – it was awesome way to end our amazing luxury 10 day trip to Paris & London using my BA Avios points with the Chase BA Travel Together certificate.  Now Mom will never go back to coach!

The first time I visited the British Airways lounge JFK at Terminal 7, I was with my niece and we had just fled the city that was gridlocked due to a Presidential visit in our own version of the Amazing Race.   I was stress out upon arrival while my niece was eyes full of wonder at all the food and the fact that it was free. Despite having come from dinner, my niece filled her plate with mini sandwiches, nuts, M&M’s and, to placate me, a piece of fruit.   For my return visit to the lounge, it was a less stressful arrival with Mom.  Our flight was the last one of the day near 11 p.m. and Labor Day weekend the lounge wasn’t as crowded as it could be.  We Mom walked in and saw the food stations, she like my niece had wide eyes and asked “is this all free?”, “Yes, all free”.  It was the start of her luxury holiday to Paris & London.  So let’s explore the British Airways Lounge JFK and see what Mom liked.

Arrival

The lounge is located upstairs from the gate/terminal area.  When you arrive in the terminal from the special Business/First security area, you need to follow the signs past the boarding gate and small food court and make a right.  You go up the escalator and into the lounge lobby.  The staff was pleasant but not as welcoming as the ladies at the BA lounge in Philly.  Our boarding passes were scanned and we were directed to proceed into the business class lounge area.  We passed the luggage storage area and an empty room with work stations.  There is also a children’s play area in the lounge.

The British Airways Lounge JFK

When you arrive you have two sides of seating area with the bathrooms and food stations in between, almost an H shape.  There is a surprisingly water feature in the middle of the room which can be relaxing or annoying depending on how you treat the sound of falling water. Scattered about are lounge chairs which are a bit low (as evidenced by having to help Mom stand up), couches, small tables for groups and outlets in the side tables and along the wall.  It’s rather a large lounge but no natural light and low ceilings so it feels smaller depending on how many people are milling about.  The set-up and decor is similar to that in Heathrow, Manchester and Philadelphia so there isn’t much to distinguish it from others in my opinion.

There is a window but you get to look over the check in area down below which at the late hour didn’t make for any good people (or celebrity watching).

The British Airways Pre-Flight Dining Room

For British Airways customers (the lounge is also used by OneWorld elites), there is a pre-flight supper served where you can sit down and enjoy a hot meal prior to boarding.  I generally take advantage of this in Philadelphia when I fly the sleeper flight (soon to disappear, sadly) but since Mom & I had just come from dinner, neither of us was interested in another meal.  We were greeted by the hostess who showed us the menu and told us to come back at any time.

The Food Stations

British Airways lounges are pretty consistent in my experience with enough of this, that and the other to satisfy your snacking or light meal cravings.  You won’t go thirsty as the drinks bar is fully stocked with soft drinks, juice, water, beer and liquor to help yourself. If you have a food thing like me (no dairy, no gluten) then you will need to settle on fruit and nuts and look to eat in the dining room.

At the British Airways Lounge JFK the fruit is in the middle of the aisle hopefully prompting passengers to take a healthy snack on the way to the plane (we picked up bananas).

The buffet had a small sandwich selection, cheeses, meats, yogurt and such.  Packets of snack foods like potato chips (or crisps as they say in the U.K.) were offered along with the snack jars of M&Ms, nuts and cookie (I still miss the Walkers shortbread I used to stock up on).  In the far corner if you are walking the interior perimeter, you will find the Pub area with beer on draft, juices and snacks.

The British Airways Elemis Spa at JFK

Years ago, I lucked out and was able to use the BA Arrivals lounge in Heathrow to experience a complimentary spa treatment only because I was on the first plane to land and arrive at the lounge. All the visits after that they were booked up. British Airways has offered free spa treatments to arriving and departing passengers in Heathrow and in JFK it is offered to departing passengers.  For First Class flyers you can pre-book up to 28 days in advance, for the rest of the lounge guests, it is first come, first served.  Treatments last just 15 minutes but can really make a difference pre/post flight.

Since my niece was only eleven at the time of our first visit, I wasn’t able to use the Elemis Spa and leave her alone. This time, I could definitely leave Mom alone as she was enjoying all the free food, drink and Wi-Fi.  I walked to the other side of the lounge to inquire about appointments and there were two left (the last of the night) so I booked Mom & me for chair massages.

I walked back to Mom who was comfortable enjoying her first luxury lounge experience and said “time for our spa treatments, let’s go”.  She looked at me and without questioning said “ok”.  This was the start of the luxury treatment from British Airways on our trip (we would visit the T5 Concorde Room on the way home).

Our massage therapists were both male (if that’s a problem for you let the desk know when inquiring) and the massage treatments would be in massage chairs with clothes on.  If you think that’s a deterrent from a “real massage” you would be mistaken. You have a few choices when booking – Calm, Serenity, Energise, Rebalance treatments which are listed and noted face up or face down.  You will need to sign a release form as with any spa treatment.

I told my therapist that I usually do sports massage and that my neck & shoulders prevent any massage from being relaxing.  He started with asking me for my aromatherapy preference for my face down treatment and then for the next fifteen minutes, he worked out (best he could with limited time) the knots in my neck & shoulders and put on an icy hot type of gel on my neck once he was done.  Mom chose the face up massage and sat in a massage chair the entire time which her therapist was able to provide a relaxing treatment.  Both gave the soft sell on Elemis products but didn’t push as I said we were limited to 100 ml as we had connecting flight at Heathrow.  The spa has products for sale to anyone interested. We tipped our therapists and were ready for our flight to London (connecting to Paris) collapsing into the nearest comfy chair trying not to fall asleep as we were both so relaxed from the massage treatments.

Final Thoughts – BA Lounge JFK

I’m not a fan of JFK airport as it is old and the gates cramped but relaxing at the British Airways Lounge JFK before the flight does make it less stressful.  With the plethora of food and drink options, you won’t go hungry.  With the spa treatments, you can definitely add a bit of luxury and relaxation before your journey begins.  It is a nice way to spend a few hours before your flight.  Mom loved it and she had no idea what was next, namely a Club World flatbed seat with a return on First Class and the British Airways Concorde Room at Heathrow.  For now, she was happy just like my niece before her traveling and relaxing in style at the airport.  Now that she knows about airline lounges, how will she ever go back to waiting at the gate for a coach flight?

When the amazing British Airways deal popped up for two days in October, I was a bit too slow to jump on a direct flight to London so I ended up with a British Airways codeshare flying Philadelphia to Manchester UK on American Airlines (formerly USAirways) connecting to British Airways onward to London.  The upside is that the former USAirways business class cabin is a 1-2-1 configuration with only twenty seats in the cabin over five rows (for comparison, the British Airways First Class is 1-2-1, while their Business Class called Club World is 2-4-2).  American Airlines does have a swanky new business class seat and cabin to London but it’s not available out of Philadelphia – you can find it on the B777-300ER planes from JFK, LAX and some flights from MIA and DFW. The downside of my flight to London was the unknown change at Manchester that gave me one hour and fifteen minutes (I’m not a fan of connections especially tight ones – would I make my flight to London?). Before I worried about that part, I had time to relax in the lounge.

The American Airlines Lounge at PHL

While I was on a British Airways codeshare flight flying American Airlines out of PHL, I was entitled to use the massive American Airlines Lounge prior to the flight or the much smaller British Airways lounge.  I’ve reviewed the lounge in Terminal A West before when it was was part of USAirways. Not much has changed except the name.  The lounge was pin drop quiet for the most part and relatively empty giving me plenty of seating options.

The A330 Cabin & Seat

Since I’ve flown this type of cabin before on the A330 from Paris (then called USAirways Envoy),  I booked the window seat, 4H,  which gave me plenty of space. The last row was empty and no one was across from me.  I was welcomed by the flight crew with champagne or orange juice as is customary on all business class flights I’ve flown thus far.  The flight attendants offered a selection of newspapers as well as a Bose headset to use during the flight (collected an hour before landing).

The seat contained a pillow and duvet in a sealed bag.  The amenity kit was left on the shelf.  The seat is on an angle and has a heavy duty padded seatbelt.  The side pocket has a place for a bottle of water but unlike the Paris flight which had a bottle of water at the welcome, my side pocket would stay empty the entire flight (annoying to have to ask for a bottle water).  The seat had all features needed for a comfortable flight – reading light, remote, charging area.  Be careful not to lose your devices in the space between the wall and the seat.  I didn’t use the IFE (in flight entertainment) this time as I was content to catch up on magazines and books that I brought with me.

AA Business Class Meal Service Philadelphia to Manchester UK

When I fly international airlines, I tend to order a lactose free (aka take your chances on what you get) or low calorie meal (usually a simple chicken)  but flying American Airlines, I didn’t have this option so I ate a sandwich before arriving at the airport.  How surprised was I that not only was I hungry when the food was served after the 9 p.m. takeoff but that I ate it all!  I said yes to the wine and nuts.

Yes, to the Thai chicken with pineapple appetizer (a refreshing start).

I passed on the salad option and ordered the Almond crusted chicken with spinach and rice.

I definitely left room for dessert which was chocolate mousse (I had to pass on the ice cream or cheese plate) accompanied by Lactaid pills.

Paired with a French red wine and a pretzel roll (one of five bread choices and a popular one), my dinner was quite good. I was already taking indulging in my mantra “no calories on vacation”.  My business class meal was simple and quite tasty which is a rarity for me to find on flights. It might not be a foodies paradise but that’s perfect for me. Here is the rest of the menu.

The table was a bit unstable when trying to cut my food as it moved up and down a bit so be mindful of that.  I was surprised that the table didn’t move forward enough so I adjusted my seat position to be closer to my food (leaning into it).  I still managed to drop the butter as I misjudged the edge thereby watching the butter slide down the front of my legs onto the floor. But hey, no rice mess which is a miracle!

I passed on breakfast as I had brought a banana and almond butter packet with me.

The American Airline Heritage Amenity Kit

American Airlines is celebrating their heritage with special toiletry kits to remember all nine of the airlines that now make up it’s employee base.  My kit, a cool grey felt exterior which when emptied can carry a computer tablet, was orange and grey based in honor of American Airlines. The bag contained all the usual items – toothbrush/toothpaste, mouthwash, socks, sleep mask, tissues, ear plugs, tissues, a pen and red flower cremes that USAirways previously provided.

The Philadelphia to Manchester UK Business Class Cabin Crew

The crew were friendly in business class but not overly attentive – they were pretty militant about it all keeping on schedule and following the agenda.  When I jumped ahead to say “no breakfast”, I was told, she didn’t ask about that yet and would do so later. She pink highlighted my dinner choices and was off. After welcome aboard drinks, there was the hot towel distribution followed by pre-dinner drinks & nuts before dinner service started.

Dinner was served quickly and didn’t last for hours as other airlines I’ve flown has and this was actually welcome.  I was a bit surprised by having to ask for a bottle of water once the lights went out for sleeping as other airlines automatically give you this.  I was even more surprised that water wasn’t automatically at my seat in the water bottle slot.  The American flight crew didn’t ask questions, didn’t try to ply me with unlimited wine or try to get to know me the way British Airways staff does. They got the job done and were only a call button away if needed.

Connecting at Manchester, UK to London

I called British Airways before I booked my ticket to ensure that the short connection time (under two hours) would suffice and was told it would be ok.  I was skeptical so packed carry on (hand baggage) only not wanting to arrive without baggage. I also made sure there was another flight to London as alternative in case we were late and I missed the connection.   Luckily, I had my onward British Airways boarding pass on my phone using the BA app in order to make the connection (you need to have your onward boarding pass in order to make the connection as you won’t see anyone from the airline to help).  Look for the upcoming post on “How to Connect in Manchester”.

Overall Impression

The business class flight from Philadelphia to Manchester UK on American Airlines was fine for my jaunt over the pond to London.  The American Airlines flight to London via Manchester is a good alternative to the often higher priced direct British Airways fares for their Club World business class product.  You do need a bit of patience and sense of humor with the connection and hand baggage policies but if you find a great price like I did to London, $856, or want to use miles/points, the AA PHL-MAN-LHR is a good option.

When it comes to finding the travel deals (and travel hacking) you need to be ready.  There have been so many times when I was shut out of a great deal because I wasn’t a member of the frequent flier club of a particular airline, didn’t have this credit card/membership or wasn’t quick enough.  This time I was ready and waiting for the deal… the British Airways $2,015 Business Class Sale to Europe.

I woke up to a plethora of emails, tweets and Facebook posts declaring the great two day business class sale to Europe from British Airways which was good until July 2016! A business class flight to Madrid from Philly could be had for $362!!  How could I not try to find my own deal? While I’m looking for a job (which I could do from anywhere on my laptop), it made no sense to plan out next years’ travel so I focused on the short term holiday – Thanksgiving (and my birthday). Every year I tend to travel for my birthday (last year Iceland, the year before Australia RTW) so I looked at my options (less than a month away).  Having spent three months earlier this year on travel sabbatical in Europe I wasn’t sure where to go to celebrate in November.  Should I visit the cities I missed because of my foot injury (Brussels, Bruges and Ghent) or should I keep it simple and catch up with friends in London?

London Always Wins

It’s my birthday so rather than spend it alone, I decided to be with friends in London, and it doesn’t get better than that (although the sun would have helped a bit).  I also applied for a press pass to The Taste of London food event at Tobacco Dock as well as a hotel site visit at Z Hotels in Soho.  A mix of blog business and pleasure.  So how would I make this work because I didn’t have $2,015 to spend?  I read a few posts from The Points Guy and One Mile at a Time because they are generally the first to fill my social media stream and they offer step by step “how to” take advantage of the deals. I was so tempted to buy tickets for summer 2016 but without job certainty, I couldn’t risk it as the tickets in I class were non-refundable and changeable for $500 fee + fare differential.

My Travel Hacking Tools

To know why this $2,015 fare sale was a BIG DEAL, you had to be prepared to whittle the fare down with everything you had available.  I had the following:

1. I was a member of the British Airways Avios program
2. I had a Chase British Airways Visa card for the 10% online booking discount
3. I had my new AARP membership card (ok, I resisted this one for a while as I’m not old enough but there’s no age requirement) for the British Airways discount of $400 in business class

Finding a Ticket to London

I logged into my AARP account (my best friend tortures me about this but it’s a savings tool) hours before the end of the sale and clicked on the British Airways link. From there I could search fares and the discount was automatically applied to the prices on the screen. For a business class ticket to London, the discount is $400!!! (Membership fee is as low as $16 a year, I’d say totally worth it. Discounts vary by class) so the fare was showing as $1,600 and change.  That’s still a lot of money with or without a job so next I had two options

1. Use my 10% online discount with the Chase BA Visa card for $160 savings and a net fare of $1,460. Again a fantastic price when compared with the normal $5k fares from Philly to London or against the high summer coach fares
2. Use the “pay with Avios” feature to reduce the cost of the fare. If you choose this option, you can’t stack the 10% option as the code is invalid. There are many points options to reduce the fare, I chose the largest option.  For 30,000 Avios points, I received a fare reduction of $743 which meant the ROI on the points was about 2.5%

Final Pricing

So I found the Philly – London ticket, via Manchester, on a British Airways codeshare with American Airlines. The bonus to the American Airlines flight is that due to the merger with USAirways, the plane equipment (USAirways) has a configuration of 1-2-1 on business class.  The BA flight (Club World) has a 2-4-2 configuration (BA First Class is 1-2-1).  So the American flight gave me a window seat and aisle access as if I’m flying in First Class (sadly no pajamas).  I would also have lounge access in Philadelphia, Manchester and London Heathrow on this ticket as well as earn full mileage points on British Airways.

The flight to London via Manchester meant a change of plane so I decided to go carry-on (hand baggage) only.  I called British Airways to confirm that the connection time was legal and that I wasn’t going to need to run through the airport (I made sure there was a later flight just in case of delays/missed connection).  Connection times are very important as I wasn’t familiar with Manchester airport and the time was less than two hours to go from international through immigration to domestic. I was told it’s a small airport and I should be fine (it was a bit nerve wracking, but that’s a separate post to come).

I used the AARP price and reduced it further with the “Pay with Avios” feature so that with taxes, the final business class flight to London cost $855.71.  By comparison the coach flight was about $650 so my business class ticket is $200 more.  Not a bad birthday present to myself.

London Hotels

I’m decided to use my Starwood SPG points for the hotels in London finding the newly added Great Northern Hotel and the newly renovated (still under construction) Sheraton Park Lane for only 12,000 a night (ROI of 2.5% as the rooms are over £200 per night/$300+). I broke up the hotels with a stay at a friend’s house outside the city so my total time in London would be 11 days.

Costs for 5 Nights Trip to London

• Business Class flights on American Airlines (1-2-1 config) – $852 + 30,000 Avios
• Three Nights (Couchette Room) at The Great Northern Hotel – 36,000 Starwood points
• One Night (King Room) at The Park Lane Sheraton – 12,000 Starwood points
• One Night (Standard Room) at The Sofitel at Heathrow due to early flight – $200
• Airport Train from Heathrow via the London Underground Piccadilly Line – estimate $30 with Oyster Card
• Miscellaneous – Chocolates, Cupcakes, Food, Wine, Pub, Fun

So are you ready for the next fare sale to pop up?  Where will you go?