I know what you might be thinking, you hate British Airways and yet here you are flying on one of their flights. Well, I am going to surprise you, it has shot up the list of “best flights of the year” and may have clinched the top spot.
I was in London and needed to return to Glasgow and found myself choosing between easyJet and British Airways City Flyer. As I had Avios points to spend I decided on BACF from London City.
Flight Details
- Flight Number – BA8730
- Origin – London City
- Destination – Glasgow
- Date -5th September 2022
- Aircraft Type – Embraer 190
Without any further delay here is my full review of British Airways CityFlyer.
Who are British Airways CityFlyer?
BACF are a wholly owed subsidiary of British Airways that are based at London City Airport. Alongside this the airline also operates charter flights on behalf of TUI from regional airports such as Glasgow and Belfast City.
Their fleet consists of 22 Embraer 190 aircraft with 98 seats that are one of the few aircraft approved to land at London City Airport.
London City Experience
I arrived at the airport 90 minutes before departure and used one of the automated check-in machines to collect my boarding pass.
With this in hand I made my way upstairs to security. During this short walk I was pleasantly surprised to see multiple airport staff on the concourse greeting passengers and answering any questions.
Security took just two minutes and the staff were very friendly interacting with every passenger and providing assistance when they could. Despite being stopped for a pat down I was in the departures hall within seconds of this.
I took a seat and passed the time reading a book before making my way to gate eight for boarding.
Boarding and Safety Demonstration
Boarding began twenty minutes before departure and was well organised by the gate staff.
Upon boarding a member of the cabin crew was standing at the door greeting passengers. They welcomed me onboard and I responded by asking how their day had been.
I quickly found my seat and placed my bag under the seat in front of me. I was surprised at the legroom available and I had no issues getting comfortable.
Before we left the gate the cabin crew performed the safety demonstration. This was a pre-recorded announcement with the crew doing the physical demonstration. My only issue with this was both crew were at the front of the cabin and it was difficult to see them from my seat.
When this was completed we had a short taxi to the runway, and we departed at 1947.
In-Flight Experience
Despite a full flight and a short 56 minute flight time, the cabin crew worked nonstop throughout the flight to interact with passengers and serve us.
The in-flight service began with a drinks service offering hot or cold drinks. I did not request a drink as I had my own with me. When this was completed the crew then offered us a choice between crisps or chocolate brownies. I took a bag of crisps and saved them for later.
As I continued reading my book the crew did not interact with me further so I could read in peace.
The captain then announced that we were beginning our decent and that our flight time would be longer than planned due to a last minute runway change at Glasgow.
Our decent into Glasgow offered some fantastic views from the left side of the aircraft, however, by the time we landed the sun had completely set.
After landing we had a short taxi to our gate in the middle pier of the airport. When leaving the aircraft most of the crew were saying goodbye, and I thanked them for the service during the flight.
Glasgow Airport Arrivals Experience
For those who have read my Flybe review then you know the problem I am going to outline, however, I will give an overview here for those who have not.
Glasgow Airport is located approximately 1.8 miles from the closest train station (Paisley Gilmour Street) which has services to Ayrshire and Inverclyde. The airport and station are linked by bus, however this only runs once per hour in the evening.
Furthermore, the last bus to Glasgow departs at 2300, despite flights landing well after this time.
This means you face a choice, wait in line for a taxi like everyone else or walk to the train station. The second of those options are hardly safe for someone travelling alone and walking at night.
Therefore, I am calling on the airport to discuss this issue with me, and provide passengers with an assurance they will fix this problem.
Overall Opinions
Overall, I was impressed by British Airways CityFlyer and would happily fly with them again. A smooth experience in London and a fantastic flight crew made this a genuinely enjoyable experience and made me feel valued as a customer.
Despite the issues raised about Glasgow Airport I would have no issues booking this trip again and I would recommend them to you.
George Nugent Travels 