Terminal 4 of LHR is well kept, interesting and clean - fantastic kids lounge
Disadvantages:
Expensive, can be inflexible, complacent . Can't book UAs on the web
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
SEE BOTTOM FOR UPDATE
Flying History ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ For someone who doesn't fly on business (and who is permanently broke), I fly a fair amount. You see, I've moved around a bit. I am originally from NY - I went to university in Oregon, Junior Year abroad in Munich, took a holiday in the UK, met and married an Englishman, had a daughter and made a home here in London.
I have therefore flown 'cattle' (coach) class quite a bit, both with and without children. I have flown (amongst others) TWA, Air India (that was interesting), Dan Air (defunct), Lufthansa, USAir, Piedmont (now part of USAir), Allegehenny and, of course, British Airways.
"But then," you ask, "why just review BA? 1. It's the only airline that flies directly from London Heathrow to Philadelphia. 2. (And here's the upshot) - I have entrusted my treasure - my little girl to their care. Thrice. This year will be the fourth time.
Therefore, just to be different, this essay is specifically about how they look after unaccompanied minors (abbreviated to UM) (although I will touch on other bits at the end.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Before the Flight - booking ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When you book your flights, you inform your travel agent or the airline that there will be an unaccompanied minor. Keep in mind that the airline won't except very young children (certainly not under two, and only under five with specific prior arrangement).
Either your agent or BA will then (eventually) send you a form with LOADS of carbon copies (on year I'm sure there were over 10 carbon copies). This you fill in with your child's details, including language spoken, any dietary requirements, and, very important who will be dropping the child off at the airport, and who will pick the child up. You keep one copy, the child carries one on the flight, you give the airline or your travel agent the rest.
Make sure that the person you name on the form really IS the person picking the child up and that they bring picture ID. The child will NOT be released to anyone BUT the person named on the UM form.
Unusually, British Airways still gives the child discount to UMs - many airlines don't.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Big Day - At the Airport ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Especially when sending your child(ren) off to fly alone, really DO ensure you get to the airport two hours before the flight. There are two reasons for this.
1. Who wants to rush around with a small, excited child? Who needs the panic?
2. If your child is flying out of Terminal 4 at Heathrow, there is a (and I quote my daughter) "really cool" lounge for the UAs. No adults are allowed past the booking desk except for BA staff. There are video games and crisps (potato chips, for the Americans in the audience) and sweets AND - NO PARENTS - child heaven. At least my daughter thought so.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On the Other Hand - a caveat ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The first year my daughter flew to Philly on her own, the flight went from Terminal 3. There, the waiting lounge for the UAs was just a bank of chairs. Not quite so much fun.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On the Plane ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Obviously, I can only report on this section second hand - after all, my daughter was Unaccompanied :) In the last three years, there were around 8 or 10 children flying unaccompanied on my daughter's flight, ranging in age from around 6 to around 12. They are all seated together near the back of the aircraft, and a member of the cabin crew is assigned to look after them.
They are all given a 'play pack', including a bag cum backpack (I can't TELL you how many of these we have - all kids get them, not just the OAs) which have age appropriate toys and games within. The staff assist (especially) the younger children with the customs and immigration forms, and generally keep an eye on them and look after them.
The downside is that the children don't automatically get a child's meal (which comes in a colourful cardboard box and has a boxed drink instead of a glass - which is great, since the drink can be saved for when the child is actually thirsty), instead of a pudding, it contains candy bars, and is generally more child friendly than the standard miles.
I DID order a child's meal for my daughter last time, but the booking seems to have been lost in the system somewhere, for she didn't get one. She was a bit miffed, but not devastated (of course, like every mother, I have a perfect child *grin* - well, maybe not quite....:).
The first time she flew she was on a Boeing 777, which had seat back video screens for all. Well, all except for my daughter. Her's didn't work. She told me: "I pressed the help button, and the stewardess came and pressed some buttons, but it still didn't work. She wasn't much help, really." (cheeky sausage).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Arriving at your Destination ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The children are escorted through baggage claim, Customs and Immigration. Each child (I think, as I said, I wasn't there) has his or her own member of staff. As mentioned before, the adult meeting the child MUST be the same as that named on the form, and must prove his or her identity. And that's it - the adventure is over. At least for the child...but grandma's is only beginning!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Unaccompanied ADULTS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As promised, a brief word for unaccompanied adults We've been lucky - we follow our daughter to the States a couple of weeks after she goes. We've (touch wood, cross fingers, rub rabbit's foot - do all this for me) been upgraded all three times - twice to Club Class and once to BA's new 'Economy Plus Class'. Club is very nice. Now there's a style to which I could become accustomed. OK, it was just the cradle seats, but my husband is 6'5" - it beats cattle class!
Economy Plus has the same service as economy (World Traveller in BA speak), but the seats are bigger and there is more leg room and butt room. The extra room IS nice, again, especially for my husband. As an aside, I am astonished that there are now FOUR classes on international flights - I remember when airlines only had two classes - First Class and Cattle Class.
The food in Club Class is nice. You get real plates and glasses. The food in economy is edible - presented on one tray (so you have to juggle a little bit and eat in order), and there is usually a choice of two main courses - the side dishes are identical for both choices. Usually, one of the choices is their 'well-being in the air' selection - lower fat and supposedly better for you. Whatever.
Coming back from Philadelphia, you also get breakfast. I don't like the breakfast much - re-heated scrambled eggs, generally. We've never been upgraded coming home, because we are flying with my daughter, and they won't upgrade children unless they have to.
Very shortly now, (as this essay is getting rather wordy), we are mostly happy with BA. I was not impressed when they charged me a small fortune to go home in a hurry when my father was dying, but, there you are.
I have had good and not-so-good customer service, but I think this is true with most service industries - it really depends on the personality of the person or people serving you.
BA have never lost luggage (TWA have - twice). They are fairly reliable (we've only been over an hour delayed once, although that was VERY unpleasant, since we were stuck on a plane in an East Coast summer with no air conditioning).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To Finish ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I fly BA largely because I have to (unless I want to drive the hour and a half to Gatwick). However, it is better than most of the American carriers I have been on - in fact, the only airline I have flown that I would say beats it is Lufthansa.
The best thing is that they look after the unaccompanied minors superbly. For me, that is crucial.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UPDATE...UPDATE...UPDATE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Well, another year, another holiday over. We flew BA yet again. On the way out to the US, we were upgraded to World Traveller Plus - same service as economy but more leg room.
However, on the way back, we were stuck in cattle class - 31" seat pitch (no fun when you're 6'5" as my husband is), and boy, has the service declined.
*****No Breakfast**** - as I mentioned above, the breakfast was always pretty naff, but I would drink the tea and OJ, and eat the fruit. Flying dehydrates you - I got thirsty. This time, NOTHING - I had to ask for a drink before landing. Also, the child's breakfast was always cereal and FRESH milk - my daughter is usually still asleep at this point, so we'd bring the milk home. This means tea on arrival home, with milk. No more.
******No drink on take-off***** Now I don't mean champagne here - remember, we're talking economy. However, you used to get a little plastic container of water or juice. No more. What is it with BA and liquid??
******No kids' pack***** BA used to give children under 12 a neat little tote bag with toys, pencils and the like to help keep them amused during the long flight. No more. Now, my daughter's a little old for that anyway, but there were loads of younger children on the flight. There was nothing to occupy them except that which the parents had brought.
*******Perfunctory Service****** Don't get me wrong - the staff were friendly enough. Just not around. My daughter has a log book which the pilot signs and logs the miles she's travelled. This time, we gave the log book to the attendant (trips to the cockpit are a thing of the past since 11/9), but he just...well...forgot. So no log.
The service was still friendly, but BA have clearly cut back drastically on the service for economy passengers. Next year, I think I'll try Virgin. Shame, really.
Cheers, Kate
More details
Class flown most frequently
Economy
How often do you travel with this airline
Regularly
Where did you book
Travel Agent/Tour Operator
Safety
Good
How well does it cater for disabled people
Don't know
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