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Snapshot: BA481 Barcelona to London Heathrow

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It’s time for another snapshot – this time focusing on the passenger experience aboard British Airways 481 between Barcelona El Prat and London Heathrow

For those of you who are new to the blog, we have two major travel writing styles:

  • Trip Reports – These are full deep-dive reports taking you into the experience and the small things… as well as the big things!
  • Snapshots – These are bite-sized reviews that show you the basic product in some nice gentle headlines (and normally, only images shot on the phone

So onwards with the experience.

Check-in

Whilst there was no physical need to check in as both of of us had boarding passes, we did need to check in for mobility assistance for my friend, who required a wheelchair.

a large airport terminal with people walking around

Considering this was requested on the day, it took around 20 minutes to show up.

Security and Emigration

I went through the priority security. No other passengers were in the queue. From there, it was a short walk on the same floor to passport control.

a large airport terminal with people waitinga sign in a hallwaya group of people in an airport

This was handled manually and quickly.

a sign in a building

Lounge

The Joan Miró Vip lounge was used. This is a multi carrier lounge at the airport (as it seems no carrier has their own lounge at this place – rather all lounges are operated by AENA).

people sitting at tables in a room with a wall of lightsa man standing in a room with a marble floor and a marble floora room with chairs and a tablea group of bowls of food on a tablea buffet with meat and sausagesbottles of wine in ice on a countera group of bowls of cereal and crackers on a tablea tray of pastries and a basket of bread on a countera tray of brownies on a tablea room with tables and chairsa glass door with a sign on it

Boarding

Boarding from gate D10. Priority passages such as wheelchair passengers reported first followed by premium passengers and then by group.

a group of people in a large airporta blue box with white text on it

The Aircraft

It’s an Airbus A320 that would be operating British Airways 481 between Barcelona and London Heathrow.

a plane parked at an airport

The Seat

The seat on this aircraft continues to be the Collins Aeropsace (B/E Aerospace) Pinnacle seat, pitched at 30″ seat pitch. The middle seat has a cocktail on it too.

a white towel on a black leather chaira black seat with a white object on ita black and white object on a seat

IFE

Apart from an overhead screen showing the map, none.

In-Flight Connectivity

None offered (compared to the previous flight)

Food and drink

A cold salad service was offered, with three options (two vegetarian, one chicken based). A full bar service was offered too.

a plate of food on a traya bowl of food on a tablea hand holding a cup of chocolate puddinga bottle and glass on a table

Landing

The aircraft executed a go-around at Heathrow Airport due to a gust of wind, leading to a landing that would be “too deep” of an approach. The aircraft successfully landed at Heathrow at the second attempt. The aircraft arrived at Gate 28 in Terminal 3 – a jetbridge equipped gate.

 

Ground assistance was waiting for my friend after everyone else disembarked, with wheelchair and buggy support between the aircraft, Immigration, customs, arrivals and finally the Heathrow Express to Terminal 5

a sign on the walla wheelchairs in a hallwaya man standing at a train station

 

 

The views

a plane on the runwaya sunset over a cityan aerial view of a city at nightan aerial view of a city at nightan aerial view of a city at night

The full trip report featuring British Airways 481 (and some of the best passenger experiance I’ve had aboard an aircraft) is coming soon.

 

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