This full-service airline saps all the fun out of flying

British Airways flies non-stop from London to Mykonos during the northern summer.Checking inIt’s the performance art equivalent of a Russian doll. The first queue to the business class check-in (available to me due to my Qantas status – see below) leads to a bigger queue for the kiosks, which then leads to a bigger queue for the bag drop. Two bag drops are not working, but once I’m at the machine it’s swift and seamless.

The British Airways Club. Frequent flyers can earn tier points and “Avios” points on contributions to Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF). British Airways is part of the Oneworld alliance, as is Qantas. On this trip I earn 500 Qantas points and 20 status credits.

I pay extra for an Economy Plus fare, which allows one checked bag of 23 kilograms plus a handbag and cabin bag. Despite British Airways being a full-service airline, the Basic fare doesn’t include a checked bag. As my Qantas Gold status translates to Oneworld Sapphire, I get two checked bags up to 32 kilograms each, but only if I purchase the Economy Plus fare. Make it make sense.

Seats don’t recline and are wafer thin.Jenny HewettThere are 180 seats in this older one-class, single-aisle aircraft, arranged in a 3-3 configuration. There are no adjustable headrests, and the leather seats are wafer thin to an almost impressive extreme. As is typical for British Airways’ short-haul flights, the Club Europe business class section has the same configuration but with the middle seat unoccupied. I’m in an economy aisle seat in 15C, and my friend and I hit the jackpot with a spare seat between us. The seat is 18 inches (45 centimetres) wide with a pitch (legroom) of 29 inches (74 centimetres), and it doesn’t recline.

There’s no seatback entertainment.AlamyThere’s no seatback entertainment, but there is Wi-Fi to purchase on board as well as in-seat power. An announcement over the PA requiring travellers to use personal headsets with their devices effectively stops to the woman in front of us using her phone at full volume without earphones.

It’s refreshing to see two much older crew in the economy cabin, a nod to the airline’s diverse, inclusive ethos. Service is brisk but polite.

British Airways seems to have a bit of an identity crisis. Unless you’re flying business, the food offerings on board short-haul British Airways flights in economy are comparable to that of a low-cost carrier. We’re offered a small bottle of water and a snack of Hobnobs biscuits for the near four-hour flight. The trolley then comes around a second time for passengers to purchase items off the High Life Cafe menu, which is extensive and features sandwiches and toasties and alcohol, such as ready-to-drink Aperol spritz.

The airline is committed to reaching net zero by 2050 or sooner. They’re also a partner of The Earthshot Prize, which is an environmental initiative founded by Prince William that highlights ground-breaking climate and planet regeneration solutions.

A controversial move allowing passengers to make voice and video calls mid-flight was announced earlier this year as the airline rolls out Starlink fast Wi-Fi across its fleet.

From about $300 return for a basic fare.* See britishairways.com

It feels like all the fun has been sapped out of flying on the economy class short-hauls on British Airways, but we arrive on time and the Oneworld alliance is a nice way to boost your Qantas status points.

The writer flew at her own expense.

*For more information about air travel and sustainability, see iata.org

**Fares are based on those available for travel three months from the time of publication and subject to change.

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