The app is hugely improved. We had clear updates on the flight status, aircraft, online check in and then gate and baggage updates via push notification, whatsapp and email.
BHPian ads11 recently shared this with other enthusiasts:
Wanted to add our own experiences with this particular flight recently, this time in premium economy. Overall with the new planes, if I had to answer the titular question of the thread, it would be a cautiously optimistic yes.
Some of our observations:
- The app is hugely improved. We had clear updates on the flight status, aircraft, online check in and then gate and baggage updates via push notification, whatsapp and email.
- Like that the app gives details of the plane you’ll be flying on.
- Self check in at LHR was a bit of a mixed bag. It only printed one of the luggage tags but it was swiftly solved when dropping off the luggage.
- The cabins are a HUGE upgrade over the old offerings. As my partner exclaimed “oh look, the screens work”.
- About 3hrs in all the IFE systems went down and required rebooting. Allowed me to notice that it’s a Panasonic system and it’s basically an Android app that we use for the interface.
- I think I had just about the nicest bread roll ever during the main meal service. It was heated.
- Big fan of the nifty tray table design – not come across it before. Press the release button, pops straight up, you slide and unfold. It had a nifty folding section on the underside that when folded out allowed you to prop your phone/tablet along it.
- Seat was very comfy, with plenty of recline and crucially legroom. Particularly appreciated the big leg rests.
- Headphones were provided in a nice fabric bag and then collected an hour from landing with replacement earphones provided instead.
The small details that stood out to me:
- I like the narrow, frosted plastic cup design, very grippy.
- Speaking of grippy, the meal service trays look outwardly like those clear plastic trays you get Diwali gifts on but in fact the upper surface was quite grippy without being sticky. This was welcome, stopped stuff sliding around.
- Out of habit I would turn right from my seat and walk all the way down to use the loo – when passing through economy during the night, I noticed the crew walking the aisle picking up detritus.
- The cabin crew in our section were very proactive, one of them was very attentive to this toddler who was in our section. Totally unprompted by the parents. Was very pleasing to see.
- Not just one air freshener in the loo, but two!
- I noticed a camera on our IFE systems (didn’t notice in econ). When asked about it, the crew were cryptic, they said there’s features incoming that’ll use it. What for?
The less good:
- Boarding was extremely rapid at LHR, a full 45 mins before the time displayed on the screens initially. We were at the gate so it wasn’t an issue but if we were across the terminal at the lounge, you’d end up legging it for no reason.
- Flight departed on schedule but arrived slightly late, took ages to find an airbridge.
- Luggage took too long to arrive at the belt.
- Since we boarded so quickly but had to wait for remaining passengers, the tannoy system incessantly reminded about keeping seatbelts unbuckled during refuelling. It got jarring after a while.
- At least in prem. econ, the width of the seat base meant it took trap the remote for the IFE if it’s coiled cable hadn’t fully retracted before it was clicked back into it’s recess.
The flight details interface on the app – like it!
Forgive the shoddy photo, but if you peer closely you can just about see the camera on the IFE system. Any clues folks as to its purpose?
They had air fresheners on the counter top and the door in the loo
You can just about see where the remote could get wedged in due to the seat base and unretracted cable
Overall, very promising!
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