November 13 Vancouver

I am so used to flying on Alaska Airlines. I know every routine, every announcement, every amenity, every uniform. So an international flight on British Air is an adventure, especially when flying Business Class courtesy Alaska air miles that Mike has been saving up.

Check-in, customs and security clearance were easy with no lines. They told us the Prague airport was small, but the duty free area was enormous and opulent. Gift stores with high end Czech souvenirs competed for your remaining Czech korunas with a grocery store and individual name brand luxury shops. Mike and I had noticed a store in Amsterdam called Fjall Raven that sold beautiful travel gear, and found this same shop in the airport. I circled around a red zippered bag that cleverly converted to a backpack. When we came back Mike kindly bought it for me. I spent my last karunas on a wool pullover with elbow patches and a Scandinavian design for him. I found an advent sausage in the grocery store that made me laugh out loud. It fit nicely in the red bag.

In Europe, boarding a plane in groups is so calm compared to how it goes in the U.S. You are placed in groups and told to stay seated. A group of attendants check your passports and you calmly enter. Our first flight between Prague and London was on a smaller jet. We had seats in row 2. Seats were configured six across but the middle seats were blocked out with a permanent tray. After take off, we climbed above the clouds and sunshine streamed in. The cute English attendant offered us a choice of ploughman’s lunch or afternoon tea. We both chose the tea; sandwiches, apricot cake and a hot scone with clotted cream. And tea of course. We loved it.

Our big flight from London to Vancouver was on a 747. Do you remember when the 747 was introduced and we saw ads for a bar in the hump up front? That’s where we were situated; up the stairs, in the business class cabin. The seats are really pods, or modules. Mike sat by the window facing backwards. Separated by a little curved wall, I was next to him facing forwards. We could look romantically at each other or a screen could be pulled up to separate us completely. The seat could recline flat, or be set sort of like a recliner. It was so complicated that a trifold brochure was provided with instructions.

We were greeted with champagne, and enjoyed a very nice three course meal after cocktails. I did not want to miss any of this luxurious flight so I just set my watch eight hours back and stayed up. I finished a book and watched a movie using the fancy noise cancelling headphones. I enjoyed the giant pillow and one of the three blankets provided, as well as the little amenity kit with lotions, socks and air freshener. The one weird thing was that, when the footrests were down, the people in the window seats had to climb over the sleeping folks in the aisle seats to go to the loo.

I took a walk around the plane. The nice attendant (who addressed me as “luv”) took me to see the new Premium Economy Section (like the premium section in Alaska), and then to the First Class cabin, with bigger, more luxurious and more spread out pods. He had me sit in one, and yes, it was pretty comfortable.

The flight was nine hours. The upgraded seating sure made a difference. I think it’s 6 am in Prague and I’m hitting the hay at last, glad to be back in North America, and hoping for a great night’s sleep.