The quiet giant: My London – Miami experience on a British Airways A380 Airbus

For such a humongous piece of flying metal piece, passengers would naturally expect that an A380 Airbus would have roaring and loud engines to propel it into the skies, and would dread the level of cabin noise.

I got the opportunity to fly on a British Airways A380 Airbus, on an inaugural flight from London to Miami, USA, in a Club World cabin.

The double-decker plane has two Club World (Business class) cabins – one on the main and the other on the upper deck. I couldn’t help but notice the rear facing middle seat on upper deck which offers additional interior storage space for a laptop or iPad and an additional flat surface for drinks and magazines. It also provides privacy for working and sleeping with aisle access in either direction. It was incredibly spacious.

The most striking feature

I dreaded the irritating cabin noise which typically does not allow passengers to enjoy the inflight entertainment such as the latest movies, good music, audio books among others. By the time we were in the sky, and breaking through the clouds, the cabin was dead quiet! The A380’s quietness in the air is its loudest feature. It does not force passengers to shout in chit chats and allows them the maximum relaxation throughout the journey.

Currently, British Airways is operating the A380 between London and Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Johannesburg, Singapore, Washington, San Francisco and Miami. British Airways ordered twelve A380 Airbuses and expects all to arrive by 2016. This particular aircraft forms the centrepiece of British Airways’ £5bn investment in products and services to benefit customers.

Club World 

You can work or sleep in peace in this cabin. Passengers can operate the privacy screen to prevent sometimes, uncomfortable stares from passengers close to you. If a passenger happens to choose a window seat, there are side storage areas that run the length of the aircraft, offering customers extra stowage capable of storing a laptop and other items. However my favourite feature was the two USB sockets providing power for personal devices. I had used up my battery power before take and I was concerned about my phone when we touch down, but it was all sorted out with.

The shortest 9-hour journey

Mid-way through the flight, I decided to take advantage of the quietness and have a nap. It was actually an attractive thought because the seat could recline into a fully flat 183cm bed with a memory foam headrest and quilted blanket.

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By: Nana Boakye-Yiadom