I do not understand why the Yelp rating is so low here. I had a flight from San Francisco to London…read moreBA284, on an A380-800 airplane, and it was such a lovely experience. Everything went smoothly. The check-in process was so easy and pretty chill. When it was time to board my flight, the cabin crew greeted me warmly and showed me to my seat, pointing out the features, the menu, and in flight entertainment system. Wifi was included with the flight. Pillows, blanket and headphones were already there. They offered pajamas, asking what size you need, plus slippers. And there was an amenity bag with eye mask, socks, toothbrush & toothpaste, lip balm, mirror, lotion, deodorant, ear plugs, and a few other items. The bag is pretty and can easily be reused for other purposes. Plenty of storage overhead, and also additional space in a cabinet that is accessible from the aisle (big enough for me to place my backpack in there for easy access during the flight). I chose champagne for my pre-departure beverage, which was served with some nuts, olives, and crisp crackers.
There is meal service and you can dine anytime. Just let them know when you'd like your 1st meal and also your 2nd meal (breakfast, before arrival). They are so meticulous about setting the table and placing the napkin on your lap. Each course is served separately. Some of the dishes were good, and others were misses. I loved how tea was served in a teapot! They were also very good about topping off the wine glass.
The lay flat bed made the 11 hour flight more bearable. It was also very easy to stand up and stretch my legs within my "pod" seat and walking in the aisle to the restroom. Just let the cabin crew know when you're ready for bed, and they'll set it all up wit the mattress pad and blankets. I definitely felt less "beat up" by the time we landed, and walked off the plane feeling pretty good despite being on London time. Before arrival, we were given a "Arrivals Fast Track" card for getting through immigration & customs.
The IFE was pretty good with a wide selection of movies & shows, many were new. I managed to watch 2 full movies, get a little sleep, and then wake up to start another movie while having breakfast. Do make sure to ask for breakfast early enough so that there is time to eat it before the crew needs to pack up everything to get ready for landing. I felt well rested and less "beat up", from such a long flight, by the time I landed. It was relaxing to lounge in pajamas, not worrying about accidentally spilling food or drink on my regular clothes.
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