Starting from my home base of Newcastle, day 1 was all about positioning over to Dublin for the start of the main Tier Point run itinerary. I could have flown directly or simply via London Heathrow, but in order to squeeze another 80 tier points out of the day I decided to fly NCL-LHR-EDI-LHR-DUB for a total of 160 Tier Points.
When I was planning this itinerary the extra side trip to Edinburgh seemed like a good idea but, in retrospect, it was madness. Any future plans for this sort of tier point run will see me position over to Dublin and then back to Heathrow the day before the transcontinental flight. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
Newcastle to London Heathrow
Arriving at Newcastle Airport bright and early, my first stop had to be the check-in desk. I needed a stack of those old-fashioned paper boarding passes since online check-in decided to behave like a sulking teenager. On the bright side, the club queue was empty. Straight to the front of the line for me! That said, the chap at the head of the economy line wasn’t exactly thrilled. He threw me a look that could sour milk, muttering something that I’m sure wasn’t “Bon Voyage.”!
Stack of cardboard in hand I headed up the escalator and into security, the morning’s theatre of absurdity. My jacket and rucksack trays were flagged for secondary, and it was the same story for nearly everyone else. We all stood there, tray after tray being pulled aside like naughty schoolchildren.
Then, the pièce de résistance: the swab machine was out of order. The staff had to grab each swab and hike over to the next available machines to run the tests, eventually my iPad and wallet had been sufficiently scrutinised and deemed harmless, I was eventually through to departures.
First stop was Aster and Thyme, where the runway views stretch all the way to the tower. It was time to start the day with a glass of champagne courtesy of priority pass and the £18 food and beverage credit.
Having lingered over a the champagne at the blissfully quiet Aster and Thyme, I finally tore myself away and headed for the Aspire Lounge. Standard greeting from the ever-cheerful staff and the usual morning spread awaited me. I could’ve walked this route blindfolded by now.
The lounge was busy, but thankfully not a total zoo. A quick glance around, and my rough headcount put it somewhere north of 30 guests in the Luxe section. I checked ExpertFlyer to scope out the Club cabin for my upcoming flight. Eight rows this morning, with just two free seats. One of those was a seat block on 1A, which meant I might just be neighbour free for the journey.
There was nothing more to do but settle in, relax, and wait for boarding. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to live it.
NCL-LHR
BA1325
G-EUUP
Departure: 09:51
Arrival: 11:00
As we waited for the gate to open, we were serenaded by a series of announcements: “Passengers arriving on BA1324 from Heathrow, if you’re still waiting for baggage, please go to the baggage desk.” Oh, what a lovely start to the day for those folks. I could almost feel the frustration radiating from the other side of the terminal. Nothing says “Welcome to your destination!” quite like a missing suitcase.
Right on the dot at 9:00, the gate finally opened. There was an elderly gentleman pushing his wife in a wheelchair, clearly managing on their own since no special assistance was in sight. And of course, some eager-beaver passengers started trying to barge past. I played the blocker, clearing the way for them to make it safely onto the plane at their pace.
The crew, meanwhile, were a cheerful bunch this morning. Turns out they’re on flight two of three for the day, with Munich up next for an overnight stay. The mention of Munich sparked a sudden craving for a proper Maas of Pils. Isn’t it funny how easily one can be swayed by suggestion?
Perched on the 1B tray table to dodge the ‘backpack in the face’ battering that accompanies seat 1C and my earlier hopes of a neighbour free journey had been dashed. Ah well, such is life.
All aboard with 15 minutes from departure, the burning question of the day was, would we be blessed with an ATC delay?
Well, color me shocked—a 15-minute ATC delay. Honestly, by this point, I’d be more surprised if we didn’t have one. Still, if that was the only delay we were dealt today we would still make it to Heathrow pretty much on time. I’ll take that as a minor win.
Boarding wrapped up at 09:27, and I have to say, it wasn’t the fastest show in town. The process slowed to a crawl towards the end as the great overhead bin baggage space hunt began. Every time it’s the same scramble: “Oh, surely my carry-on can fit here… no, there… wait, maybe I’ll just keep holding it?” Ah, the rituals of BS short haul.
We finally got the show on the road with a pushback at 09:40. The flight deck had promised we’d be airborne soon after, and they weren’t far off—just a casual 20 minutes behind schedule. Could be worse!
The lady in 1A next to me turned out to be a BA employee from Waterside, and we ended up chatting away for the entire flight. I got so caught up in the conversation that I nearly forgot to take my usual trip photos! As for breakfast, the kosher meal was as delicious as ever, especially the sweet bun, which is the main reason I order this special breakfast!
I have to hand it to the crew, they were nothing short of stellar, especially the Cabin Manager, who truly went above and beyond. A golden ticket will be coming their way.
We eventually landed right on the nose at 11:00 and had a mercifully short taxi to gate A3. It was a quick dash landside and then back through security for round two. Never a dull moment!
Introduction: Trip Report: A grand Tier Point Run on British Airways, American Airlines, Alaska, and Iberia
Next Instalment: Day 1, Flight 2 – London Heathrow to Edinburgh