Earlier in the week, I returned from a short trip to Vienna on British Airways flight BA701, one of several daily flights between the Austrian and British capitals. Having initially booked a basic economy ticket using a voucher from a previous canceled trip, I opted to take up the limited-time offer of a €108 ($118.50) upgrade via the BA app to experience the Club Europe cabin. Let's see what it was like.

The flight in question

Vienna-London is a busy aerial corridor between two important European cities. Consequently, there is significant competition on the route. In terms of flights to and from London Heathrow, BA's multiple daily services are accompanied by several by Austrian Airlines (with whom I flew to Vienna). Away from Heathrow, Vienna also has direct links to London Gatwick (Wizz Air) and Stansted (Ryanair).

As far as flight BA701 is concerned, FlightRadar24.com shows that this flight operates at one of several departure times, depending on the day in question. When I flew on Monday, April 4th, the scheduled departure time was 13:30 local time. With arrival at LHR planned for 14:50, this gives a block time of two hours and 20 minutes. Unfortunately, our flight wasn't quite as punctual.

British Airways Airbus A320
Several short-haul routes including Gibraltar, Vienna, and Oslo will continue operating out of Terminal 3. Photo: Jake Hardiman | Simple Flying

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Indeed, the late arrival of the inbound aircraft, which was reportedly down to a technical issue that needed checking before it left London for Vienna, delayed pushback by around 45 minutes. Nonetheless, despite using busses and stairs at a remote gate, boarding was completed relatively promptly. The flight was eventually airborne at 14:24 local time, having departed from runway 29.

Onboard

Due to not traveling with checked baggage, I had had ample time to explore the delights of Vienna Airport. The highlight of these was, of course, the recently opened Vienna Lounge, which I have reviewed separately in greater detail. Although I had eaten lunch there, I was still looking forward to sampling Club Europe's catering.

British Airways Club Europe Lunch
Despite my first choice not being available, I was still satisfied with the light lunch offering. Photo: Jake Hardiman | Simple Flying

My only previous trip in Club Europe was a return trip from London Heathrow to Gothenburg and back in the summer of 2020. Back then, catering was limited to pre-boxed cold meals. My flight's offering was more comprehensive, with a choice of two light lunches. However, being seated near the rear of Club Europe, there was just one choice by the time the trolley reached my row.

As seen above, this was a green bean and potato Nicoise salad. While I had had my eyes on the smoked salmon option, this refreshing and light option, served with a bread roll and chocolate mousse, was still a very pleasant choice. A comprehensive drinks service was also available, and I paired the dish with a glass of champagne, which the crew were happy to refill later on.

British Airways Club Europe
BA's A320s have a flexible configuration to accommodate varying amounts of Club Europe passengers. Photo: Jake Hardiman | Simple Flying

Sitting near the rear of Club Europe also had its perks. On my flight, seven of the Airbus A320's 30 rows were designated for this cabin, with a blocked middle seat in each set of three. While the first five rows were more or less full, I, being seated in the sixth, had a block of three seats to myself. The extra space this provided was a welcome bonus, although the legroom remained on the tight side.

Making up time

Despite the late departure, a fairly short taxi at both ends of the flight meant that we only arrived on stand at Heathrow's Terminal 3 around half an hour behind schedule. After a brief wait for the jetbridge to be connected, Club Europe passengers were the first to leave the aircraft. Passport control wasn't especially busy, and I was on a train back into London half an hour after landing.

British Airways Parked Planes
We passed several parked BA jets just before landing on Heathrow's runway 27R. Photo: Jake Hardiman | Simple Flying

Overall, I felt that the enhanced passenger experience in Club Europe was worth the cost of the upgrade. While row 6 on G-EUUY (which, funnily enough, is also operating flight BA701 today) was slightly lacking in legroom, and it was a shame not to have had my first lunch choice, the friendly service provided by flight attendants Wesley, Rebecca, Neil, and Paige still left me feeling satisfied with the trip. I would certainly think about upgrading again on future trips if the price was right.

What do you make of British Airways' Club Europe product? Have you ever flown on flight BA701? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments!