I reviewed this product in 2023 on our trip to Ireland, but I always like to provide an updated review of these international business class flights because if nothing else, the meals and service will vary across routes and dates.

I boarded around 7pm for the 7:45pm departure and I had purposely selected seat 5A in the business class mini-cabin on this 787-10 aircraft which is rows 5-7. First Class was in rows 1-2 immediately ahead of the bulkhead in front of my seat. First Class passengers have their own restroom in the front and there’s a galley up there as well so there’s very little foot traffic in the mini-cabin. The rest of business class is behind Door 2L after row 7. That’s also where the business class restrooms are located.

I was able to pre-select my seat without charge because at the time of the flight I had BA Gold status. Otherwise, you need to wait until check-in to select a seat without charge on BA flights.

Here are some pictures of the seat and features. I know this seat fairly well as it’s almost identical to the AA 777 business class seat and between AA and BA, I’ve sat in it many times. The only real difference is the door.

I was welcomed aboard by the friendly crew and offered a predeparture beverage of orange juice, water or sparkling wine (it was probably cava or prosecco – let’s be honest here). I checked out the amenity kit which is pretty nice for a business class kit.

BA 174 JFK-LHR
Scheduled: 19:45-6:45 (+1 day)
Actual: 19:46-6:40 (+1 day)

As we were taxiing out at JFK, I perused the menu. BA has cut back on meal service in business class for post 9pm overnight departures (supper service) and pre-11:30am daytime departures (brunch service) but thankfully my flight still had the full service menu. Here’s the menu and wine list.

I would have gone for the swordfish but I don’t like olives so I ordered the ox cheek. Incidentally, if you ever see beef cheek or ox cheek on a British menu, it’s the equivalent of short rib, a cheaper, fatty cut of beef.

A great feature of BA business class service is that they take your drink order during the taxi out so it saves some time after takeoff and you get your drink fairly quickly. I ordered a glass of the single malt scotch with ice.

After a long taxi, which was not unexpected at a prime time JFK slot, we were wheels up at 20:19. My drink, along with packaged nuts, was served just 15 minutes later. The crystal glassware is a nice touch.

Around 40 minutes after takeoff, I received my appetizer, bread and salad. I ordered a sparkling water to go with it. During dinner, I was watching the latest season of Slow Horses on my iPad.

The salad was tiny, but the appetizer was good. Next up was the ox cheek and sides served about an hour after takeoff.

Even though I wasn’t super hungry after eating in the lounge, I did manage to eat some of this and it was quite tasty. I wasn’t sure how the chimichurri sauce would pair with it, but it was very good.

Dessert was served about 10 minutes after I got my main course as I got the attention of the flight attendant that I had finished with the dish. I ordered the toffee tart which was delicious.

I decided to start a movie and picked Monkey Man, an action thriller set in India. It wasn’t bad, but after about 1/2 hour, I was falling asleep, so I made up my bed and went to sleep. There was a mattress pad, duvet and large pillow.

The bed wasn’t too bad in terms of comfort. I slept on and off for about three hours. However, the cabin temperature was just too hot. I was wearing shorts and a T-shirt in anticipation of this, but without overhead air vents and with the door closing off some of the air circulation, I woke up in a sweat.

There was WIFI available on the flight for £18 for the full flight or less if you just wanted an hour or so of connectivity. There was also free messaging which was appreciated.

Around 5am UK time, they turned the lights up slowly and brought round breakfast for those who wanted it. As I was awake, I just had the continental portion and not the breakfast sandwich option.

Sorry for the blurry picture, but this probably encapsulates how I felt at that moment anyway. The fruit and yogurt was fresh and the chocolate muffin was tasty, although you can’t really see it here, but trust me it’s on the upper left.

I had a cup of tea with milk, as one does on British Airways.

A hot towel was delivered about 1/2 hour before landing and we saw a beautiful sunrise on the way to Heathrow.

We touched down around 6:34am local time and had a short taxi to a gate in the C Concourse of Terminal 5, which unfortunately led to a crowded tram ride to the main terminal. After entering the UK and clearing customs, It took me a few minutes to find the arrivals lounge where I waited out my wife’s later arrival from Atlanta.

BA Club Suites is a consistent product with generally friendly and professional flight attendants. The food is solid and the seat is comfortable both for lounging and sleeping. My biggest negative is the warm cabin (especially when the suite door is closed) and no overhead air vent. I would definitely fly this product again if the cash price or award ticket price was decent.

As for the 787-10, maybe I’m just imagining it, but I felt better coming off this flight than when I flew the same product on a 777-200. It’s supposed to be pressurized at a lower altitude and that is supposed to help with jet lag, which I really did not suffer from at all on this trip.

Up Next: BA Arrivals Lounge Heathrow T5 Review

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