Having just arrived at LHR T1&3 I had to then catch the free HEX connection to T5.
I arrived reasonably early (around 10:30) given the flight was not till 14:30, but I wanted to sample the differing catering BA had in it's lounges as I tend to typically go through LHR/LGW only during the pre-8am breakfast spread.
2 steps back, check-in wasn't needed as I had already OLCI'd and had my BP sitting in the BA App on my phone so it was straight off to fast track security which saw me through in probably just under a minute! I got there just at the right time with there being no line, however after I went through they then opened up all our lanes to the general public and suddenly the line was 30 deep. Phew, made it just in time! Having entered through the north part of T5 I decided to take a few more steps and enter the Galleries Club North lounge.
The hot items are removed at 9.30am so on arrival I was greeted with toast, pastries, porridge (yeh yeh, hot, I know! But the bacon butties are removed at 9.30am
), fruit, yoghurt, etc. The usual spreads sans bacon butties basically. Did the job and was enough for a late breakfast to fill the gap. The lounge was quite busy when I arrived but by 12 was really starting to fill up.
The lunch items had been placed out which considered of a nice salad bar (5 bean salad, baby new potatoes salad, spicy cous cous (delicious!) and your usual salads), some hot dishes (pretty ordinary....) and baked potatoes, amongst other things. Again, did the job and filled the gap. The North lounge had now transformed into a zoo so it was time to move. I headed over to the Galleries Club South lounge and squatted there for an hour before meeting up with another FTer just before we had to leave to get to the gate. Being the A380 we were on the C gates (C63) so it was a bit of a trek - we had to get moving pretty quickly!
After all that we didn't end up having time to nip through Starbucks and claim our moneys worth, so it was straight onto the plane with both classes boarding through the 1 door, being handed a letter explaining that we would be travelling on the A380 as we boarded.
Upon boarding the CSM greeted us and asked whether we were surprised to be on the big bird, to which I replied with "No, not at all ... I booked this flight yesterday because it was the A380's first day!" to which she chuckled and then responded with "Ah! You must be one of those FTers. Yes, I read, I know where you guys are sitting!". All good fun.
Club Europe (intra-Euro business class) was today using the Club World (international business class) cabin and Euro Traveller was using the World Traveller cabin. I was in 20H (exit, aisle) so it was a short trek through the CW cabin through to ET and off to my seat.
Euro Traveller Cabin on the lower deck
Obligatory feet shot
The view from the exit row .. no window!
The main thing I noted about BA's incarnation of the big bird is that there are cigarette trays (never noticed them on QF?) and no personal air vents. Typical BA!
