Trip Report: British Airways Club World Upper Deck BOS-LHR
Updated: Jul 2, 2021
This winter has been challenging for fliers, especially those of us on the East Coast. The day of my scheduled departure on British Airways #214 from Boston to London was par for the course. It had been snowing in near white out conditions all day. In order to meet my driver I had to shovel a path down our driveway to the street so that I could roll my suitcase. I was completely plowed in. My car was twenty minutes late due to the road conditions, but luckily I had allowed myself plenty of time to get to the airport.
This particular flight offers Club World (business class) passengers what British Airways calls Sleeper Service. Essentially, the goal is to allow passengers to get as much sleep as possible since the flight time is usually only about five and a half hours. Therefore, dinner service is held in the lounge prior to departure. That way you can maximize the number of hours you have to rest before arrival in London. This flight is the last nonstop departure of the day from Boston to London on British Airways and so it most closely matches my preferred sleep schedule.
The lounges for all airlines at Terminal E in Boston are located in the basement and your expectations should be lowered accordingly. Although the service was nice and the food was good, it was not a “wow” experience. The American Airlines lounge in Terminal B is far more aesthetically pleasing.
The Club World Upper Deck cabin was perfect for sleeping because it is small and quiet. I selected seat 63A, which is a window seat. I spent a ridiculous amount of time on this decision because I was concerned about flying backward. This is not a sensation that I enjoy on trains, so I thought it would likely bother me on a flight. As you may know, I have a fear of flying which I have largely overcome, but I do try and ensure that I don’t do anything with my bookings that’s going to cause me unnecessary stress. However, there was no need to worry. After the initial odd sensation at takeoff, I didn’t notice it at all. I slept soundly for a few hours and selected to have a light breakfast prior to arrival.
The Fast Track immigration line was anything but speedy. This was the only truly disappointing experience. I must have waited for at least a half hour while they allowed carts full of people to pass through and seemed to spend an inordinate amount of time casually chatting with passengers. When I arrived at baggage claim, my suitcase was one of two left spinning around the carousal. Certainly not the end of the world, but it was not as “fast” as I expected.
If you are looking to book an overnight flight and want to help ensure that you arrive at your destination rested, or if you simply want to cross the experience of flying upstairs off of your list, I highly recommend British Airways Club World Upper Deck.
