As part of our journey to Jordan, my wife and I flew from London Heathrow (LHR) to Amman (AMM) on British Airways. Given that British Airways is a well-established carrier, we expected a comfortable experience for this five-hour flight. Unfortunately, the reality was quite different. From the poorly designed seating to the lackluster meal service, this flight was one of the least comfortable segments of our trip.
The Seats: No Recline, No Comfort
One of the biggest issues with this flight was the seating. The aircraft used for this route—a narrow-body Airbus A320neo—had seats that did not recline at all. For a short-haul flight, this might have been tolerable, but for a nearly five-hour journey, it was miserable. Being forced to remain upright for the entire flight made resting difficult. As the flight progressed, discomfort set in quickly. That discomfort resulted in enduring discomfort for the first several days of my vacation.
We have flown in Economy on various airlines, and while limited recline is common, a complete lack of it was a first for us on a flight of this length. The seat pitch (legroom) was also fairly tight, making it difficult to find a comfortable position. If you’re planning on taking this flight, be prepared for a long and rigid experience.
Meal Service: A Cold Box Instead of a Hot Meal
Another disappointment was the meal service. Many international carriers serve a hot meal on flights of this length. British Airways provided only a boxed meal with cold items. While some of the food options were acceptable, it was underwhelming for a five-hour flight.
Given that other airlines, such as Royal Jordanian, operate on this same route and offer a better dining experience, it was disappointing that British Airways cut corners in this area. A hot meal might not have made up for the lack of seat recline. However, it certainly would have improved the overall experience.
Overall Experience: Would We Fly British Airways Again?
After this experience, I would not choose to fly British Airways on this route again. The lack of seat recline made it one of the most uncomfortable flights we’ve taken in recent years, and the limited meal service only added to the dissatisfaction. If we were to fly this route again, we would strongly consider alternative carriers like Royal Jordanian, which appears to offer a more comfortable experience with better in-flight services. I will talk more about the failures of British Airways during this trip in a later post related to our return trip, so I will leave it at that for now.
For travelers planning a trip to Jordan from London, my advice would be to research your options carefully. If comfort matters to you, it might be worth looking beyond British Airways for a better experience.
