British Airways World Traveller Plus (Premium Economy) – BA296 Chicago O’Hare Terminal 3 to London Heathrow Terminal 5
New Aircraft, Old Friends
To Fly, To Serve? Let’s see if British Airways can deliver… or can service failings put a service down?
In this Trip Report:
- Well, this year has been a pile of toilet so far
- Take the National Express, when your life is a mess, it will make you smile
- Heathrow Terminal 3 Lounges, featuring The Cathay Pacific and American Airlines Business Class Lounges
- AA087 London Heathrow to Chicago O’Hare – Main Cabin Extra
- Into the USA… and dealing with a Credit Card Fraud Call
- HOTEL: Holiday Inn/Staybridge Suites, Rosemont
- Airplane Art Extra from the Holiday Inn/Staybridge Suites, Rosemont
- HOTEL: Hyatt Regency O’Hare
- Airplane Art Extra from the Hyatt Regency O’Hare
- Playing with the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Camera around Chicago
- More Random Low-Effort Food Around Chicago
- Back to O’Hare Terminal 3
- American Airlines Flagship Lounge, H-K Lounge, Terminal 3
- BA296 Chicago O’Hare to London Heathrow, World Traveller Plus (Premium Economy)
- Buses and More Buses
- The Way Old Friends Do
BA296 Chicago O’Hare Terminal 3 to London Heathrow Terminal 5
British Airways
Boeing 787-10
Seat 22K, World Traveller Plus
3,953 Miles Flow, Revenue Value £304.28
2,435Avios earned, 305 Tier Points earned
After working through the queue that was boarding, I was welcomed aboard the Boeing 787-10 that would take me to London that night.
I was directed right and towards World Traveller Plus. This being a 787-10, it is one of the more “premium heavy” aircraft that British Airways operates with 8 FIRST seats, 48 Club World beds, 35 World Traveller Plus and 165 World Traveller (First Class, Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy Class).
I passed the Club World seats, which are the Club Suites (based on the Collins Aerospace Vector) and to my World Traveller seat, which had a window next to it.
The seat back
This seat is based on the Recaro PL3510, which is arranged in a 2-3-2 formation. These are finished with a fabric dressing, in a rather pleasant light blue.
A pillow and blanket were on the seat, as were the headphones and the amenity kit – one of the nicer benefits of premium economy aboard British Airways.
World Traveller Plus amenity kit.
Headphnes
Message from the ramp.
As well as the welcome beverage
What was not so nice was that a family had hogged the two overhead bins near me, so I had to scramble for space opposite. Considering we were nowhere near boarding complete, this did not bode well.
What also did not bode well was the amount of seat shifting going on, with people moving around. It seemed some couples wanted to sit together (when they were seated apart), the family wanted the middle segment… and so on. People were playing silly games, rather than sitting in assigned seats.
The worst part is that the crew had no grip of this situation – rather than enforcing the seating assignments, they were letting people swap around. As such, when people turned up, there were sour faces that they had to move.
It was… avoidable. With only one free seat that night, they could have done something when boarding was complete, but it dragged on through the entire boarding process.
With everyone finally settling down and finding seats they wanted, paid for, and so on, there was an announcement that we would be delayed before departure.
It’s time for an air vent check. Dirty as always.
A sigh went through the cabin as it was fast looking like that would be just under an hour delay. For me, that’s not optimal. Like the clock in San Demius in Bill and Ted’s Most Excellent Adventure, time was moving on for me, as I had a connection when I landed… that was now only getting tighter.
That would have to be a problem for post-landing Kevin to deal with. It sucks to be that person.
After a 59-minute delay, our aircraft began its pushback. Which means it’s safety video time. British Airways is still using the “May We Haveth One’s Attention” safety video – The Jane Austin/Period Drama video, which still raises more than a smile for me.
As well as the safety messages, there are some wonderful sentiments at the end.
And of course, an A350 passing overhead.
With that, the Boeing 787-10 began the long taxi around O’Hare – as regular readers know, one of the opinions I hold about this airport is a lot of taxiways, with an airport as an inconvenience.
At least it gave some nice nighttime views of various aircraft as we taxied around the field.
Terminal 3
United Regional tails
United 787 pushing back to go.
United 767 ready for the off
The back of a Lufthansa A340 Beast (count the nacelles)
United Boeing 737
Passing the O’Hare access road.
Eventually, our aircraft taxied over to the far north west of the field, before warming up its Rolls-RoyceTrent engines to propel the aircraft into the sky and onwards.
The distant terminal
<YT>
Up we go
Turning
The edge of Orchard Field
Into the night.
Red Lights and Cloud
Cabin during takeoff
Club World esconded away.
Shortly after takeoff, hot towels made their way around. Still nice to see that those haven’t been cut.
Tiny though.
Let’s talk about the IFE Experience. This aircraft is fitted with one of Paniasoc’s systems, which in this aircraft is a 12.1” screen in World Traveller Plus – not the largest premium economy screens (we’re seeing 13.3” now as standard, but 12.1” is more than big enough when there’s a 38” seat pitch,
IFE Main menu
Mapping is handled with the Panasonic ARC platform, which allows for fluid map exploration without any slowdowns.
Panasonic ARC Maps
Yup. Right direction.
As for entertainment, when I was on the ground, I kicked off with Lower Decks Season 4 (which was loaded as part of the Paramount Plus Partnership).
Because, Certios Strong.
Moopsy!
As the flight went on, I was out of Star Trek I wanted to watch, so it was time to hit the film library. Thankfully, British Airways came to resume here, with all the James Bond movies.
Oh hell yes.
Whilst Bond loaded up, I also connected to the In-Flight Wi-Fi System. This 787-10 was fitted with the SES 2Ku system (originally of Gogo), with some reasonable pricing if you need to be connected across the pond.
However, there is a nicety for BA Club members, who can access in-flight messaging for free. It’s better than nothing (although with Starlink coming, I suspect my next purchase will be a decent VPN tunnel).
At least I could be annoyed/annoy people via messaging if I was awake. Now, there’s a premonition.
The food and drink service was combined, which would save some time. For drinks… I think we all know what I went with.
In terms of the offerings, only the curry was calling to me. Butter chicken curry isn’t something the kitchen in the USA can louse up too much, so it’s normally a safe bet.
And it wasn’t too bad, with the rice not hard, and the chicken tender. The Greek salad was here or there to be honest… not my taste.
The moose was light and fluffy, with decadent chocolate. My sort of sweet treat. The bottle of water played its part with the crackers, too.
With the meal tray cleared, I was served another gin and tonic without prompting. Suffice to say, that minuture is in my increasingly growing collection at home at the moment (at home I’m simple, Canned Silm and Gin from Tesco is enough for a reasonable Saturday night).
Trust me, this is an upgrade from Tesco Slim and Gin (Although granted a Tanqary Gin and Slim is around £2.50).
With the service cleared down, I tried to settle down for the night.
And however much I tried – be it too much adrenaline in the system still, or my body refusing to cooperate, I could not get to sleep.
Thankfully, I had 007 to keep me going. I started with my favourite – Moonraker.
Ah. Bond. Product Placement Bond.
The “Hw I will rule the world speech”.
Moonraker 5… liftoff.
Stop groaning in the back. Space + Lasers + Shuttles + Bond + Roger Moore = Hilarity.
From there, it was onto Brosman. There are two good choices for him – Tomorrow Never Dies, followed by GoldenEye.
Going onto Sean Connery, there was only one choice – the camp as ever Diamonds are Forever. Oh, it’s camp, and we all know it. And it makes for a delightful film when your brain doesn’t need to think.
SR.N4 Hovercraft – The Princess Margert. Whilst it didn’t survive into preservation, The Princess Anne is at the Hovercraft Museum in Lee-on-Solent.
As to the Daniel Craig era? I only liked Skyfall. Make of that what you will
No doubt, you will make your own James Bond ranking, how you believe it – be it gritty and believable (like Craig and Dalton), the original (Connery), the soloish (Lazenby) or a little believing in the outlandishness (Moore and Brosnan).
With the sun coming up and the windows turning blue, we were starting to close in on the United Kingdom, with the aircraft making an approach over Southern Ireland, across the Irish Sea and down from Swansea and Bristol as it proceeded towards London.
This is the perfect time for a breakfast service. Croissants were the name of the day. Cold, of course, with a ham and cheese croissant.
Liquids are more important than ever, especially on long-haul flights.
I’ve tasted worse and had worse wrapped in plastic. Drinks were served alongside, with coffee and orange juice being the order of the day… as well as the Gatorade bottle I had filled with water in Chicago.
Breakfast blues
Dimming much? Not against the sun, kiddo.
More blue hues. This mid-blue is passable.
Let the sunshine in, the sunshine in.
Decesending
With the breakfast service cleared, the cabin was tidied for landing. The Captain informed us that the aircraft would be in a hold for a few loops before landing at London Heathrow, with the aircraft making a river north approach to Heathrow.
As such, I switched ot the map to watch our descent down to Heathrow.
After exiting the stack, our aircraft crossed South London before turning over South East London as it completed its final turn, giving me a view of Docklands, the city and London itself.
Banking for London.
Thames Barrier and South London
Millennium Dome and Canary Wharf
The City of London, Tower Bridge (that’s the one you want to buy) and The Shard (Good for Doctor Who villains to have a base).
The West end
The Mother of all Parliaments and the Wheel (Again, another Doctor Who villain base)
Buckingham Palace and West London
It’s a view I never tire of.
Low cloud
With ease, the Boeing 787-10 slowed and descended on the north runway at London Heathrow, ending the flight.
However, it seemed British Airways had prepared one more surprise for me.
The aircraft taxied off the runway and onto the main taxiway linking the terminals.
Approaching the T5 Complex
British Airways Boeing 787-9
Mother, I think the term is.
They wouldn’t… would they?
The aircraft turned left after a while, parking at one of the hard stands after a transatlantic flight. Yes. They wanted to send people by bus from the plane to the terminal, and not have them docked at a gate.
A turn… left? Uh.oh.
The aircraft then turned at T5C and the hard stands. I give up. I honestly give up at this point.
Parking up.
With the seatbelt signs extinguished, I grabbed my stuff, which was peppered in different overhead bins, as the family struggled to get themselves ready, because they desired to be on the first bus. And hold up everyone behind them.
Considerate.
Thank you, seat.
Eventually, they made their way forward through the cabin. I did too, as time was not on my side at that moment, and the sooner I was inside the terminal, the sooner things that had to be done could be done.
Club World Suites
Thermoplastics at work
Self-Service Bar
I thanked the crew and headed down the airstairs to the waiting bus.
Overall:
Like a lot of BA flyers, we’re evaluating our relationship with the airline after the latest round of changes to the loyalty programme. I’ve long faced the fact that I won’t be silver next year (Because 571 tier points out of 7500 isn’t going to cut it, kids).
And this flight showed some of the reasons. Yes, I can go on about the air vents, but it is a visible thing. The crew management of World Traveller Plus was a shambles (and that’s the only way to describe it).
Whilst the flight itself was well delivered, along with a service, you have the idiotic move of parking a long-haul flight at a bussing gate at the end of a flight – and getting over 250+ people off a plane and onto buses is a stupid idea, when passengers are tired.
I’ve said crew can change a flight – sadly, this crew didn’t change the opinion of a well-delivered flight, but fraying at the edges.
Much like a lot of how a lot of BA The Club Members are feeling right now.
Next:
Buses and more Buses. Oh, and immigration too
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