RECENTLY, I happened to experience the romance between the British Airways (BA) and The Langham, London, a royalty that is one of the world’s best hotels. And as they say, birds of a feather flock together. I witnessed the relationship between the highly revered United Kingdom’s air vessel and a destination hotel, which is five-star in the real sense of the word.
My vacation which is happening for the second time in my entire work life, offered this priceless experience that “planted” me on a BA’s Business Class, otherwise referred to as the Club World. As I regaled my way through the Muritala Mohammed International Airport’s fast track, I could not but remember actress Funke Akindele’s Jenifa character; and at that moment, I wished I could see a detractor trudging along the clustered economic passengers’ queue, and then scream some scornful remarks. But, of course, I was only an “opportunist”-permit me to be rude to myself, should you find the word derogatory.
The Club World provided yet another enthralling pre-flight moment in an executive lounge, where I met my “peers”, some of them government functionaries, top NNPC officials reeking of “oil” perfumes, businessmen and women, among others. Safe for a journalist colleague, Azuka Ogujiuba of Thisday , I didn’t get to meet others in my team until at the arrival lounge in Heathrow, the next morning.
But the aura of the Club World lounge at the MMIA, Lagos is not as strong as what you get in BA’s Heathrow’s Terminal 5. Obviously, Heathrow, which in itself is a community larger than some cities, provides the needed space for all the pre-flight comfort which is like home in transit.
There are six lounges within the exclusive British Airways terminal: the Concorde Room, the First-Class lounge, three club lounges and an Arrivals lounge. Interestingly, Terminal 5, as I later gathered, allowed BA to radically overhaul its airport lounges.
Touted as the epitome of elegance and luxury, these lounges, otherwise called galleries, were reportedly built at a cost of £60 million and are capable of hosting up to 2,500 people. There is also a 100 percent increase in the number of showers and bathrooms, a 60 percent increase in washrooms, 25 percent more customer service desks and a total of 166 personal computers installed to make life easier for customers.
I never really kept awake on a long flight, especially at night, until I flew on BA’s Club World cabin to London. It was not the first time I was flying a Business Class on the same route; in fact, I had flown First Class of some airlines, but with less satisfaction.
The beauty of the Club World is not something a first-timer will let slip away. There is so much to behold that I kept myself busy, toying with the ‘z’ bed position that extends to six-foot, six-inches and allows the body to assume a position similar to that in zero gravity. As I was trying every position, I was also saying yes to every offer of meal and beverage: after all, it was a vacation trip and a starter in a series of intended trips I call a multiple course meal.
I was bowled over by the Club World’s offering of flexibility to sleep, work or relax, so that passengers can arrive refreshed and ready for the day ahead. It is not surprising that the product is unique because the company holds a patent on the ‘yin-yang’ forwards/backwards seat design, and is the only airline to offer a seating arrangement of this type.
The current Club World cabin has been rolled out across the vast majority of the fleet, with the main exception being certain Boeing 767 aircraft (some of which continue to offer our previous Club World seat).
After what I call a fine dining on board, of a three-course meal designed by top chefs, part of my vigil was a stint at the club’s kitchen which is available in-between meals, with a selection of snacks and treats provided by names such as Waitrose and Cadburys as well as a range of smaller local producers. There, I helped myself to some glass of quality wines before falling back, flat on the bed.
There were up to 100 films, TV programmes and play games on a 10.4-inch digital screen. I thought of watching every film. It was a crazy idea, as I hadn’t been to the cinemas for a while, ever since my work routine changed- a situation that confines me to the production desk on a daily basis. It is not the best for the kind of exposure my job requires, but it is certainly the most responsible thing to do at the moment.
I played a bit of every movie, but settled for two films which I saw from start to finish; the Oscar-winning 12 Years a Slave, and Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. Although I had seen both films before, it was a pleasure seeing them all over, and being able to reflect on these two historical films by drawing inferences from Nigeria’s Half of a Yellow Sun, the much- publicised Biyi Bandele’s adaptation of Chimamanda Adichie’s Orange Prize novel of the same title.
Part of the Club World’s features is the possibility of shutting yourself out to others in the cabin. I did, using the electronically-operated privacy screens with an innovative opaque material, with which I created the seclusion. This newly refreshed interior features new lighting and a softer colour palette of neutral warm grey, navy and blue to create a relaxing and stylish environment.
Comfort in this cabin is enhanced by thicker pale taupe quilts, new linen and pillow fabrics in the traditional Osborne and little damask design.
But the story of BA’s trendiness is not reflected only in exquisite lounges, innovative cabins and warmth of Heathrow’s Terminal 5, but in the gaiety of The Langham Hotel, a five-star partner, and London, a city which, in the axiom of William Sansom, is “a bad habit one hates to lose.” This inscription, like many of its kind, you would find as you are about to climb the 72–floor Shard tower, which offers an exciting aerial view of London and its remarkable spots.
I find this phrase by Samuel Johnson particularly thought-provoking. It says: “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.” I’ve decided to keep this analogy close to my chest, until I get back to work and double check with two of my colleagues: David Adejo and Seun Akioye, both returnees who have sworn never to make the UK their permanent residence again.
But of course, if the words of John Berger are anything to go by, London comes across as a city that owes no one an apology. He says: “London is a teenager, an urchin, and, in this, hasn’t changed since the time of Dickens.”
The walls of The Langhan are a preservation of culture and physical identity. This is what you find of most structures in London, which remains an ancient but not rustic city; a modern ambiance of greenery and artistry beyond colours; a city with a rare of yellow or red, but whose buildings, if painted at all, range from off-white, brown, kaki green, brick stones and other reticent colours, priding on quality and royalty.
Thus, apart from the flags hanging on The Langham, the portrayal of a true London’s colour, for me, began with the politeness with which the hotel officials helped us out of the car on arrival and delivered the luggage to the rooms upon check-in.
For two days, The Langham, located on 1c Portland Place, Regent Street, London, provided the home we were so eager to return to, each night, after a tour of the city. The team also had Delores Aghedoh (TW Magazine), Nike Sotade (The Guardian) and Lawal Lanre-Idowu (Ebonyife TV).
The cuddle-feel effect of the bed in London’s erratic weather, the soothing holistic day treatment at the Chuan spa and the traditional afternoon tea at the Palm Court was equal to none. The afternoon tea, especially, is an indulgence, which I learnt was born over 140 years ago, and has gone ahead to win the ‘Oscars’ of the Tea World; The Tea Guild’s Top London Afternoon Tea 2010 and Service of Excellence 2013 for three consecutive years. The tea party provided an insight into The Langham’s enviable feats, through our interaction with an amiable gentleman, Nick Barrington-Wells, the hotel’s Director of Marketing Partnership.
The hotel, I must say, has an unrivalled location in the heart of the West End, sitting between four of the city’s most sought-after areas: Marylebone, Fitzrovia, Mayfair and Soho. With access to the bustling shops and restaurants of Regent Street and Bond Street to the south as well as the professional and residential communities of Marylebone and Fitzrovia to the north and only a short stroll to leafy Regent’s Park, making The Langham perfect for both leisure and business travellers.
With our host, Camilla Barrett, BA’s Deputy Head of International PR Europe, Africa, Asia Pacific and Middle East, there was no dull moment after the brief snap. In no time, we were at Jo Malone, the flagship store for hand and arm massages, where we had a fragrance consultation with the brand’s experts. This visit, including our view of the iconic London from The Shard and the Western Europe’s tallest building, is an exciting experience. This, no doubt, is a story for another day, plus the Westfield shopping experience, the ultimate luxury shopping and leisure destination, where Nigerians are the biggest spenders.
Looking back at London now, even as someone who has been there several times, the British Airways/Langham tour experience, I would say, offered new insights and pleasure. With an enduring nostalgia, I reminisce on the wine gallery, work and entertainment zones, the Elemis travel spa, the leading skincare expert, which offers customers a spa treatment as part of their travel experience, and the lounge’s glow of a Swarovski crystal chandelier.
