Hi, dear flight-report members and readers!
In this retro-FR I'd like to present a detailed review of a now-long-gone British Airways Boeing 747-400 on a transatlantic flight from London Heathrow (LHR) to Mexico Benito Juarez (MEX), taken on 26 November 2016.
Intro
When I was booking a Lufthansa ticket HEL-FRA-MEX-FRA-HEL back in the summer 2016 for November-December 2016, I wasn't expecting that I'll end flying British Airways and visit Heathrow Airport on my way to Mexico. I couldn't even imagine that I'll even see a bit of UK from the plane. But it was 2016, when Lufthansa was prone to strikes (in Spanish strike = huelga, which sounds almost like a swear word for russian-speaking ear) and to my luck, when I arrived overland to HEL, I got to know that LH went on strike and all the longhaul flights from FRA on my date (26 November) was cancelled, including my supposed flight FRA-MEX on B747-8 (I eventually flew LH B748 twice - on the way back and then a year later from FRA to MEX, and I didn't like the experience in Y both times).
Thankfully, LH's staff in HEL had a couple of options on the same date instead: British Airways via LHR (arriving even a bit earlier than cancelled LH flight) and Air France + AeroMexico via CDG (arriving next morning). After some thoughts I decided for BA via LHR, received the new ticket and immediately went to BA desk to check-in (and was able to select window seats on both legs).
The HEL-LHR flight was on a dull A320, so nothing to write home about, but the descent and approach to LHR gave an opportunity to see some nice views of the London area. It was the first time in my life I when I saw London (eventually I became able to travel in UK only 6.5 years later).
The LHR-MEX flight was my first and last opportunity to fly an iconic BA B744 (so thanks to LH for its huelga). During the pandemic in 2020 BA shed off all its Jumbos, which were then scrapped and replaced it with new shining 4-class B787-10s and 3-class A350-1000s. Despite the renewal of the fleet, something special was lost from LHR when silhouettes of Jumbos disappeared.
As back then I was just the beginner in the flight reviewing activity, please excuse me for the imperfect quality of some photos and for some obstructed cabin views.
The last remaining B747-400 passenger operators
The B744 passenger fleets were the ones the most hit by Covid pandemic, as most operators of the type saw the opportunity to reduce capacity by retiring the old and inefficient Jumbos. For example, BA and KL retired their Jumbos completely, LH retired the most part of its B744s (though, later reactivated a part of them to cover the lack of capacity when passenger flow recovered).
Now, in late 2025, there are very few passenger operators of B744 left worldwide, and it would be useful to list them and their layouts.
1) Air China: 2 GE-powered units in 3-class layout (F10_C42_Y292). The F cabin has very nonstandard location - between 1L/R and 2L/R doors (first class suites don't fit in the nose due to their size).
2) Atlas Air (only chartered flights): 2 GE-powered units in 3-class layout (F10_C143_Y36) plus 1 PW-powered unit in 3-class layout (F10_C52_Y310) plus 2 GE-powered unit in 3-class layout (C14_W64_Y375).
3) Lufthansa: 8 GE-powered units in 3-class layout (C67_W32_Y272).
4) Rossiya Airlines: 2 GE-powered units in 2-class layout (C12_Y510).
London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
BA operates from T5 LHR, which consists from the large main building T5A (with limited spotting possibilities due to inability to get close to the windows) and 2 satellites - T5B and T5C, which feel quite empty facility-wise, but are excellent for planespotting, which in LHR is literally the best in the world due to variety of airlines from all over the globe. There is a train connecting T5A with T5B and T5C, but there is also a walking tunnel, connecting these buildings, which gives possibility to move between them in any directions while staying airside (but never use the train to get back from T5C or T5B to T5A if you want to stay airside - you'll be dropped to arrivals area!)
The Aircraft
My flight to Mexico was operated by 1999-built RR-powered (as well as all other BA B744s) G-CIVE with 4 class F14_C52_W36_Y235 layout (thanks to aerolopa for displaying some historic LOPAs, including all the variants of BA B744s!). It was my first time ever flying a true 4-class aircraft.
Boarding
The boarding gate was B35 in T5B satellite.
View of the wing and of the portside RR RB211 engines from the jetbridge.
The famous stair to the upper deck (little did I know seeing it that I'll be able to go upstairs after the flight!)
The Premium Economy Cabin
The premium economy cabin, a.k.a. "World Traveller Plus", consisting of 36 seats in 2-4-2 layout, was located between 1L/R and 2L/R doors.
A glance on this cabin. It will be shown in more details further.
The Business Cabin
The business class a.k.a. "Club World" in this Jumbo consisted of 52 forward- and rear-facing seats, distributed between 2 cabins: the larger one on the main deck, consisting of 32 seats in 2-4-2 layout and the smaller one on the upper deck, consisting of 20 seats in 2-2 layout. All the seats had direct aisle access.
A couple of views of the main deck business cabin. Note that windows seats were rear-facing as well as middle seats in central 4-seater blocks.
The Economy Cabin
The economy class consisted of 235 seats in standard 3-4-3 layout, distributed between two large cabins: the front one between 3L/R and 4L/R doors and the rear one between 4L/R and 5L/R doors.
Some views of the front economy cabin. Both cabins were packed to the brim on this flight.
The Economy Seat
My seat was 43K in the front part of the rear economy cabin, having 2 windows. I cannot identify the seat model. It was a very old seat with very generous padding (even though BA is a long-term loyal Recaro customer, this seat definitely looks non-Recaro), but felt very narrow (it definitely felt narrower than Safran Z300 seats in Korean Air B748, which have 17.3" width, so, I guess, this BA seat hardly had 17.0" width). The row pitch was… meh… not generous, but more or less OK for me (177 cm height). The headrest was adjustable only height-wise. Seating was comfortable, but very tight lateral-wise in the packed cabin.
The seat had extremely ancient IFE (thankfully without power box underseat!) with small screen and remote mounted in armrest (no USB or charging ports!), tray table and seat pocket. Waiting on the seat were thin pillow, blanket and earplugs with an envelope with charity advertisement.
The seatpocket content: safety card, inflight magazine and duty-free magazine.
The overhead panel (no airvents) was the true vintage classic…
… as well as the overhead bins.
The Flight
Pushback started about 30 minutes late and then there was waiting line before the runway. Eventually with unforgettable sound of 4 RB211s (the next time I heard this sound again came almost 7 years later, when I flew then-Icelandair B753 from KEF to CPH) our Jumbo started its long takeoff roll.
Climbing out of LHR while maneuvring.
Leaving the famous London's clouds below.
Flying over Wales' landscapes.
Leaving the UK with Snowdonia NP in sight.
Flying over Ireland. Mountains of Wicklow NP. Almost 7 years later, in July 2023, I was there and made one of the hiking routes near Glendalough.
Western Ireland as well as North Atlantic were completely covered by clouds.
Then the first meal service began. Chicken Pasanda, salad, dessert and bun. For drinking I chose Chilean wine and orange juice. Everything was tasty.
Needless to say that the crew were very nice and welcoming. I'd say back then they were like today's Korean Air's or EVA Air's crews (sadly, today's BA crew are a bit cold, as if something broke during Covid). They liked that I was making photos for flight review and, I'm sure, it played a role in what happened after the flight (you'll see)…
As there was nothing to see over cloudy North Atlantics, it was time to stretch the legs.
A view of the front economy cabin.
The lavatories were vintage.
A view of the outer starboard RR RB211 engine over North Atlantics. Lord, how noisy is B744 on cruise level!
When clouds ended, snow- and ice-capped spaces of North-East Canada immediately began.
B744 wing with RB211 engine over Canada.
Veil of thin clouds over Canada.
At that time the crew handed a mid-flight snack box.
Meanwhile we were approaching the Great Lakes.
For the first time in my life I saw the US (sadly, this is the only was I can see it, being inadmissible to enter the country). The middle states we were flying over are very dull from above, but the veil of clouds was absolutely beautiful!
Then I decided to sleep for a while (and overslept the moment we were crossing Mississippi river).
When we were nearing the Mexico airspace, the crew handed lukewarm pizzas as the last meal service.
When we started maneuvring on descent into MEX, the sun was already setting.
The sunset was beautiful.
Wing in landing configuration. How beautiful were those multi-slot flaps of old Jumbos! And how vast is Mexico metropolitan area - almost as big as Sao Paulo area!
Moment before touchdown. We made it at twilight, before the night fell on Mexico! If I flew LH B748, we would've arrived in the dark (proven a year later)!
Taxiing to our arrival gate of T1 MEX, we passed an Air France A380. AF was the first airline who retired all its whalejets (which had 4-class layout F9_C80_W38_Y389 with a small economy cabin in the rear part of the upper deck) due to pandemic. So sad I didn't catch a pre-Covid opportunity to fly one of these whalejets to MEX or JNB! But, thankfully, at least I got to fly Asiana A380 in the upper-deck economy on NRT-ICN in late 2024…
The Economy Cabin After The Flight
My seat 43K after the flight…
… and the overhead bin of my 3-seater block.
A couple of views of the rear economy upon disembarkment.
The front economy cabin in details upon disembarkment. Note that its front row had duo lateral seats, aligned to the aisle due to protrusion of 3L/R doors.
The Main Deck Business Cabin After The Flight
Some detailed views of the main deck business cabin ("Club World") upon disembarkment.
Then I reached the staircase, and it was the moment when the magic began. During the flight I asked the crew whether it would be possible to visit upper deck after the flight. But after the flight they surprised me saying that I can not only visit the upper deck business cabin, but also visit the cockpit. WOOOOOW!!! I was extremely grateful!
Tour De Cockpit
I went upstairs, and the Captain met me and invited to the cockpit, allowing me to seat in his seat. Amazing. Just amazing. Sorry for some blurry photos, but it were truly unforgettable moments. It was my only visit to a B747 cockpit. Through cockpit windows the AF whalejet was seen. From the cockpit of the legendary old Jumbo I was looking on the legendary whalejet!
The Upper Deck Business Cabin After The Flight
Then I had some time to look at the upper deck business cabin ("Club World"), featuring the same forward- and rear-facing seats as the main deck cabin, but in 2-2 layout and with lateral compartments (the distinctive 747 upper deck feature) for window seats.
Then it was time to go downstairs to explore the remaining cabins of the Jumbo.
The Premium Economy Cabin After The Flight
Some detailed photos of the premium economy cabin ("World Traveller Plus") with its massive and wide seats in 2-4-2 layout.
The First Class Cabin After The Flight
And, in the end, the most interesting part of the main deck - the first cabin, located in the nose and consisting of 14 suites and featuring electronic blue dimmable "screens", covering several windows. The cabin looked very smart and stylish!
And then it was time to say adios to G-CIVE (in March 2020 she was phased out and then scrapped in October 2020) and to the friendly and enthusiastic crew who made this flight unforgettable. The memories of this flight will linger forever. Never on my flights on Lufthansa I met such an attitude, and later only Korean Air crew allowed me to visit the upper deck (but not the cockpit) of the B747-8i on very memorable ICN-CDG flight in late 2023…
