BA TLV-LHR-FCO-LHR-TLV

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Member for

20 years 9 months

Posts: 460

Part 1:
14th July
TLV-LHR
BA165
1655-2030 (The UK is 2 hours behind Israel)
5h35m

Arrived at TLV at about 13:30, having underestimated the traffic on the usually packed highway from Jerusalem. After standing in a horrifically long line to get my passport checked (Israeli passsports don't take as long, they don't make you do so much) I checked in. A pass through border control, but hardly quick (another demand for me to become an Israeli citizen, I ditched it a couple years back), but at least I got through security with no hitches.

The plane boarded at 1630, 20 minutes late, and we left 30 minutes late.

The flight, while still having great views of central Turkey and great food (yummy, yummy seafood curry, I kid you not, on an Israel flight) was otherwise hell. Little kids running all over the place, and their parents not controlling them. Oy. I don't mind screaming babies and stupid passengers, because they stay put. When they imprison you in your seat, that's a whole other matter.

We landed at 2050. Quick run through British immigration, and off I was to the Hilton transfer hotel, to reunite with my mum and sister, who arrived in from New York.

Original post

Member for

20 years 6 months

Posts: 1,776

Little kids on a plane, I can talk about it.

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Swissair has been bankrupt for 2 years 8 months. SWEET!!! Thieves!

Member for

20 years 9 months

Posts: 460

Part 2:
15th July
LHR-FCO
BA548
910-1235 (Italy is 1 hour ahead of Israel)
2h25m

Arrived at T1 at about 0730, and as I had managed to get Club Europe on this leg, check-in was speedy (no line at all! :)).
I trapised around T1, buying Stupid White Men by Michael Moore (great book, you should read it) and spotting. The fire alarm went off in one of the concourses (anyone know of this?), and the entire concourse was closed.
Boarding took place at Gate 25. BA had changed the aircraft from an A319 to a B757.
The flight was very nice in all facets but one, I had found pre-chewed gum in my safety card (ick). The breakfast was eggs and sausage, very tasty, but the orange juice had no taste at all (I drank it anyway) Marvelous views of the French Alps.
Departure was 9 minutes behind schedule, Arrival was 15 minutes behind schedule.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 2,253

BA breakfasts are soooooooooooo much better than feckin All Day Delis...

Member for

20 years 1 month

Posts: 1,670

buying Stupid White Men by Michael Moore (great book)

I finished reading that book yesterday in miami, it was very good and funny.

Member for

20 years 9 months

Posts: 460

10 lovely days in Italy sadly came to an end........

24th July
BA557
FCO-LHR
note that I made a mistake: Italy is behind, not ahead of, Israel
1835-2110

Check-in was speedy at FCO, as was security and passport control. Had a jolly good time spotting- even got Ethiopian, Eritrean, Croatian and Air Plus Comet, as well as TWO Tunisairs and a Volare A330!

Boarding was 30 minutes late, as the A319 was delayed in London. We left at 1855, and landed at 2050. The snack was an All Day Deli box: sweet corn and tuna sandwich (good) and Nestle prepackadged LC1 vanilla pudding (disgusting, and when opened, half of it explodes all over you). In front of me, a little boy was giving full details of the journey to his dad over and over, while his dad was detailing it. ("From Bangkok to Australia!") My sister leaned over and whispered to me "and from Australia to the guillotine, if he doesn't shut up right now." Exactly how I felt, too.
The rest of the flight was spent reading Stupid White Men again. Landing was smooth.
Behind me, during taxi, a young boy was looking at the aircraft and identifiying them-"737, A320, 777, oh, there's a Jumbo over there!" His brother said "Don't be stupid they're all Jumbos!" While the boy was proving they weren't, I was desperately trying to hold in my laughter.
We got off, and my entire family, albeit my father, headed off to the Hilton LHR transfer hotel.

Member for

20 years 8 months

Posts: 3,539

Nice reports, did you not go into the BA CLub World lounge at LHR at all? Pure class and more free facilities than you can shake a jumbo at (whatever it may actualy be!!)

Member for

20 years 9 months

Posts: 460

No, on the single biz class leg we had, we didn't go in to the lounge.

25th July
BA163
LHR-TLV
2230-525 +1

After a glorious day spotting, walking (Heathrow Airport's four terminals checkin and arrival areas) around Europe's busiest airport, and reading, it was time to go home to Israel- to Ariel Sharon, falafel, and way too many hills for one's own good.
Checkin was quick at LHR, I used a Self-Check-In Machine, rather convienient. Security, and then a dinner somewhere- a sandwich. Ich. Airport food sucks.
Boarding is never, ever, a simple thing on a TLV flight. It takes twice as long to get to your seat than on any other flight. But I got there, having navigated through at least 15 Orthodox Jewish (aka religious) families.
The flight was hardly memorable. I slept the whole way to TLV, waking up 20 minutes before arrival. A smooth landing, out of the plane, then 20 minutes at immigration (immigration takes forever at TLV no matter what time of day). Yet another time I have to explain I'm a Belgian citizen merely living in ISrael temporarily, not pernamently- they wanted me to become Israeli again. Baggage claim, customs, and the shuttle to Jerusalem. That was the trip.