EVA Business Class Review LHR-BKK November 2022(& May 2023)

[davidge]

1 minute ago, mercmanrob said:

The Lufthansa lounge is shit at best, not even the United an option? 

It’s closed in the evening. I walked past it on the way to the gate. The check in bloke was clear though, he’s been told that Eva have a contract with Lufthansa and he should send everyone there if at all possible.

[davidge]

Boarding was a little disorganised as usual but was on time. Everyone boarded and doors closed 20 minutes before scheduled departure but the usual LHR waiting around meant we took off about 25 minutes late. Flight time shorter than scheduled but we were put in a holding pattern at Bangkok so landed about 25 minutes late as well at 3.30pm.

Gate was close to immigration and immigration was quiet. Baggage area much quieter than in November. Short wait for my bags and a short wait for my taxi to come to the exit but I was away from the airport just over 30 minutes from the plane door opening.

Not much traffic on the motorway and Sukhumvit wasn’t too bad until we passed Tai. It was gridlock from there to the Thepprasit turn off and slow all the way along Thepprasit due to the construction.

Got to my condo in Jomtien about 5.45pm.

 

I’ll post about the flight tomorrow.

[davidge]

As usual with Eva the cabin crew were excellent. They’re always friendly, helpful and efficient.

I had my preferred window seat on the left hand side near the front so it’s easy to get to the loo, get off the plane and be served first.

The movie selection could be better but I ended up watching two movies that both involved a bloke about my age being told they only had months to live. Just the thing to cheer me up! The Bill Nighy one was quite good and the Russell Crowe one was complete shite.

I managed to rest/doze for 5 hours or so which is about the norm.

The main meal was served quite soon after we’d reached cruising altitude. The salad course and soup course that I was served in November have disappeared but still more than enough food.

The appetiser wasn’t bad:

 

The starter was ok but not wonderful:

 

Usual bread with more brought around later:

 

As in November the lobster was inedible but the cod was very good and I really liked the light lemon sauce:

 

A cheese and dessert selection to finish. I really enjoyed the cheeses and managed some of the fruit and cheesecake:

 

The French red wine was absolutely excellent.

 

I just ask for croissants, fruit and yoghurt for breakfast so no pics.

I’ll be very happy to use Eva again next trip though I have contacted them to make my views on the Lufthansa lounge abundantly clear. 

[penboy]

How full was the flight?

[davidge]

7 minutes ago, penboy said:

How full was the flight?

There were 5 or 6 empty seats in Biz. I didn’t see the other cabins.

[mercmanrob]

Glad you had a nice flight, keep us informed about the lounge situation please 

[davidge]

I fly home in a few days so have chosen my main courses. Lots of pics below of various menus for those interested. The first 2 are the choices for main courses including the ones not available on board, the rest are from the onboard menus which are available to check online before the flight.

 

[Snowbird99]

I’ve travelled EVA BC on a couple of occasions and will probably do so again next month. The food is pretty good but have to say I’m not on the plane for a dining experience. What I’m really interested in is ease of check in, security/immigration fast track, lounge access and, critically, a comfortable full flat seat. 
 

LHR to BKK sector is evening departure and all I really want to do is get on the plane and go to sleep as quickly as possible and for as long as possible. The food service is, for me, something I can do without. Confuses  the crew when I say I don’t want the evening meal but am interested in the pre arrival food.

Am glad when the disturbance of the meal service is over and the cabin lights are dimmed and the cabin is calm. 

[tt2008]

EVA Business at LHR is easy and good for Check in, fast track and there is a choice of lounges (not sure if all open for evening flight). I prefer Singapore and United lounges at LHR myself. Air Canada is a bit small and food not as good.

I usually eat in lounge and then sleep all the way on the Eva flight. Not flown Eva since Covid, I've been on Thai as I prefer the earlier flight.

Eva flat seat is fine. If anything I slightly prefer Eva over Thai except for the flight out timing. On return both Eva and Thai have a lunchtime flight which I prefer.

 

[mercmanrob]

Thanks for making the effort to do this, I really enjoy flight reports

[neilri2001]

On 20/05/2023 at 06:38, KyleReading said:

Cant fault Eva

Flew them the first time out of Gatwick (yep lol) around 1993 when they stopped in Vienna on the outbound leg

I can even remember what I paid which was £440 via that Thai Adventures crew from Guernsey with Brian Kelly and Nick Hurn

30 years ago lol hard to believe because can remember it like yesterday. First airline to intrduce premium economy as well and have 4 classes on their 747's of that era

I liked the Combi's they used which had the evergreen deluxe seating (Elite now) in the nose cone massive legroom in the scattered seats

Just seen this post and it brought back a lot of memories for me. Some of my early trips were with Nick Hurn and Brian Kelly flying  premium economy on Eva initially via Vienna. I bumped into Nick in Pattaya several times over subsequent years although i read that he had passed away three or four years back. EVA business is still my favourite way of getting to Thailand although i have never been a fan of the day flight back.

[davidge]

 

Brief summary of return journey:

 

Taxi arrived 5 minutes early. Nice SUV. Slightly fast driver got me to airport in 1 hour 20 minutes, arrived exactly 3 hours before my flight.

Called straight to an empty check in desk with Eva and friendly and quick check in.

Fast track was busy. Queue for security moved slowly but steadily then I, typically, chose the slowest immigration queue. Walked to the Eva lounge at F gates and got there 35 minutes after arriving at the airport.

Lounge same as ever. Not too busy this time. Staff friendly and helpful and the usual selection of food and snacks. Mainly Asian, understandably, but with fruit, sandwiches and a western soup. This time the soup was broccoli so I took pity on my fellow passengers and didn’t have a bowl. 💨 

My usual routine is to go to the gate about an hour before take off, 30 minutes before boarding. As usual, boarding was well organised though a few minutes late. 

Very warm welcome aboard from cabin crew who took my hand luggage, showed me to my seat and out the luggage in overhead locker. Brought me drink and socks (I don’t like the slippers) and checked my meal order and the drinks I wanted throughout the flight.

We took off about half an hour late, but expected flight time was shorter than scheduled so due at LHR on time.

Attentive and friendly service, though not quite up to the usual Eva efficient standard at times. They also rushed the meal service for the main meal clearly trying to get through it quickly, bringing the next course at the same time as clearing the first - I felt they were waiting impatiently for me to finish the last forkful 😊

The food was all good, without being outstanding. One thing that had changed was instead of the combined dessert plate they’ve been using since Covid they’d gone back to the dessert trolley where you choose which items you want.

Fairly disappointing IFE. Not the biggest choice on Eva.

Second meal was again fine. Nothing special but no real complaints either.

Landed on time, usual long taxi to gate, usual long walk to immigration. E-gates were very quiet, only 4 or 5 people and a dozen gates to choose from so straight through. Waited 20 minutes for my luggage then through Customs - half a dozen staff but I wasn’t stopped, though a couple of people from me flight were pulled aside. Met driver outside 50 minutes after plane touched down.

Longer than usual drive home due to 2 overnight motorway closures, one quite long the other shorter. Arrived home at midnight, 21 and a half hours after leaving Jomtien.