The trip began with a British Airways first class flight from Vancouver to London, Heathrow. Check-in at YVR opened at 5:30PM and was a little disorganized, but took less than 15 minutes in total. British Airways have decided to use the premium Plaza lounge, and the only way to describe this is as a busy bus terminal; wall-to-wall people and pandemonium.

Boarding was somewhat of a cattle call, but once settled in, I was greeted by Sasha Hill, who would prove to be one of the most competent airline staff members I’ve ever encountered. During the entire flight Sasha was attentive, curious, and extremely professional and nothing would prove too much trouble. Champagne was offered as I unpacked my carry-on into the overhead bin and we settled in.

Shortly after takeoff we were presented with menus and I elected to start with the cauliflower soup, which proved to be delicious and piping hot. For my main course, I selected the porcini crusted beef tenderloin and it was cooked to perfection. Dessert consisted of a selection of cheese and was such a generous portion I unfortunately had to decline.

After a couple of hours Sasha made up the last flatbed, handed me my utility bag, and I laid down to get about four hours of sleep under the summer duvet that had been provided. Upon awakening I was offered breakfast but felt I had eaten too much the night before, so I just had coffee and a strawberry yoghurt and that satisfied me.

The in-flight service was its usual crisp, efficient self. The entertainment options were plentiful, and the noise cancelling headphones allowed for a pleasurable way to pass the time.

In summary, the onboard experience of this flight was up to British Airways typical first class standard, however the ground handling at both Vancouver and London Heathrow left a lot to be desired. However, the airline is not to be blamed for this and I would not hesitate to fly British Airways first class again.