I flew in economy on British Airways' Boeing 777 from New York to London. It was a fine option for crossing the Atlantic, but the food needs work.

Taylor RainsMar 25, 2024, 14:48 IST

I flew on British Airways' Boeing 777 in economy from New York to London. It was fine, but I'd bring my own food next time.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

British Airways ranked third to last of 17 airlines in a recent customer satisfaction survey.
I flew the airline for the first time since 2018 to see how it compares to other long-haul options.

British Airways is undergoing a $9 billion "transformation" to revamp its operation.

The airline's Airbus A320 and A321neo planes, used for short-haul flights, are getting new seats while its massive Airbus A380s are getting upgraded first-class cabins, for example.

The investment comes as British Airways struggles with poor reliability, dated cabins, and faltering customer service. The latter landed it third-to-last in a ranking of 17 airlines' customer satisfaction on long-haul flights from a British consumer advocacy group published in February.

Despite the reputational challenges, I thought my economy experience on a recent nonstop between New York and London was fine in terms of comfort and entertainment — but catering needs some work.

In March, I flew from New York to London Heathrow on a British Airways Boeing 777 in economy.

The Oneworld alliance lives mostly in Terminal 8, allowing members to better streamline flight connections. Taylor Rains/Business Insider

With just a carry-on, I headed straight to security. But there were plenty of kiosks and agents to assist with check-in had I needed it.

The British Airways check-in at JFK Terminal 8.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

American and British Airways' premium customers can take advantage of exclusive check-in areas tucked away from the crowds.

The private check-in room for American and British Airways' most elite customers.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

I only had an economy ticket, but I whisked through security thanks to TSA PreCheck and made my way to the British Airways lounge.

The author's boarding pass and passport.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

I experienced the Soho Lounge, where I indulged in a giant breakfast before heading to my flight. The cabin-like feel was a good start to the day.

The overall design, including the furniture and colors, made the space feel almost like a mountain cabin.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

My flight boarded out of Gate 20. Instead of an agent checking my passport or boarding pass, a monitor scanned my face.

The monitor next to the gate is for facial recognition.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

The biometric tech worked like a charm. I boarded the 777 plane and went to seat 26A — an exit row window in the first section of coach.

I was randomly assigned seat 26A, which had an unaligned window. Still, I could easily see outside.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

The seat came with the regular bells and whistles of economy on most major global carriers, including an inflight television, a headrest, linens, and power ports.

I watched a new John Cena movie called Freelance.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Although I didn't plan to sleep on the daytime transatlantic flight, I was happy with the headrest — a must for me when sleeping on airplanes.

The adjustable headrest is on every economy seat.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Moreover, I thought the seat was better padded compared to others I've experienced.

The fabric of British Airways' seats made it more enjoyable than that of United, for example. I found BA on par with Delta.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

I did have a few issues with the seat, however. For one, the exit door juts out — abruptly blocking the otherwise endless legroom.

I'm 5'3" and about 150 pounds, so I fit in virtually any airline seat.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

I also had to deal with the location of the tray table and the TV screen — one reason I typically avoid the exit row on long-haul flights, if I can.

The screen popped out of its side-seat cubby.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

The screen is below and to the side of the seat, while the tray table is inside the armrest. Both I find inconvenient.

The armrest was bulky with the tray table and ate into my seat space. The screen is attached to the front of the armrest.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

And my personal items had to be stored during takeoff and landing to keep the exit row clear. Luckily, the window seat had a little wall pocket.

I could fit my chargers, headphones, and Kindle in the provided "seatback" pocket.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Despite my gripe with the exit row, I don't really need the space. I can imagine taller travelers would happily sacrifice a convenient TV for more legroom, though.

The lavatory was right next to my exit row seat. This can be bothersome to many travelers, but I didn't mind.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

The exit row's various inconveniences are the reality of many long-haul airlines and are not a British Airways issue.

I had a similar seat on a recent Finnair flight (pictured), but it wasn't in an exit row; it was just an odd configuration I wanted to test. It wasn't my favorite then, either, aside from the legroom.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

After settling in my seat, I killed time reading before takeoff. Then the flight attendants started the breakfast service.

It was a cloudy day in New York on the day of my flight.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

I opted for the egg and sausage dish, which also came with veggies, yogurt, a muffin, a croissant, juice, and coffee.

Customers had other options for drinks, too.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

This was the only proper meal we were served onboard, the second being a small pastry. We were also given a light snack.

The pastry and corn nuts.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Neither of the meals was particularly great. The eggs fell short, as expected, though I thought the sausage and veggies in the breakfast were OK.

The food was at least better than the notoriously bad economy meals on United, though it was not as good as the coach food on Finnair or JetBlue.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Meanwhile, the pastry tasted fine, but I didn't like the texture of the filling.

The pastry filling wasn't good.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Despite the mediocre food and the inconveniences of the exit row, the flight wasn't any worse than some competitors I've flown.

The seats on United are slimmer and harder than British Airways. And, United didn't give me a blanket on the red-eye, only a flimsy pillow.Taylor Rains/Insider

I've had worse food on United and Air Canada, and Britsh Airways' 777 pitch for even standard seats offers plenty of legroom. Plus, there were great movie options.

The less-than-stellar food I had on Air Canada from London to Montreal.Taylor Rains/Insider

With a different assigned seat, I'd easily book British Airways again if it was cheaper than other airlines. I'd just bring my own food next time.

It's also possible an upgrade to premium economy would improve the meal experience.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

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