‘Totally surreal’: travel blogger films his journey in FIRST CLASS on a BA 777 from Heathrow to Dublin

A travel blogger filmed his extraordinary experience while traveling in a first-class cabin of a Boeing 777 on a flight that lasted just 50 minutes.

The 242 foot long 777 is the world’s largest twinjet aircraft with engines that are the most powerful in the world and nearly the same diameter as a 737 fuselage. It is designed to traverse vast oceans and continents.

But Andrew McFadden, from Derry, who blogs about travel under the name ‘Flying Derry Man‘, flew in a British Airways plane from Heathrow to Dublin – a distance of only 280 miles.

BA occasionally uses long-haul twin-aisle jets for short journeys due to additional cargo demand, much to the delight of the often surprised passengers.

McFadden, 30, tweeted that the March 5 experience was “totally surreal,” telling MailOnline Travel: “Everyone was shocked. Even the non-enthusiasts were shocked by such a large aircraft deployed on a commuter sector to the Irish capital. I would say most people had their phones on board to take photos and videos.

McFadden, 30, tweeted that the March 5 experience was “totally surreal,” telling MailOnline Travel: “Everyone was shocked. Even the non-enthusiasts were shocked to see such a large aircraft deployed on a commuter sector to the Irish capital’

“There was a lot of excitement and chatter among the cabin crew. It was certainly new to them.’

Mr McFadden’s first class seat normally costs around £6,000. How did he get into it?

It was a free upgrade that came with his business class ticket, costing around £220 for the Heathrow to Dublin route – normally operated by a single-aisle A320.

He explained: ‘I was booked in the Club Europe – business – cabin. However, as the aircraft was configured for long-haul flight, it had a first-class cabin used for Club Europe passengers.

“Luckily I was able to book one of these seats for free.”

Mr McFadden revealed that he flew business but was able to book a seat in the 777’s first class cabin (above) at no extra cost

Mr. McFadden’s first-class seat for his 280-mile journey. He said, ‘The [lie-flat] seat was very comfortable and would be great for a long haul flight’

Mr McFadden said the ‘crew were great and the plane clean’ but the food (above), he thought, was ‘lacking in quantity’

“As an avid travel blogger, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to fly a wide-body aircraft on such a short flight,” said McFadden.

Travel blogger Andrew McFadden

The business class cabin on a short-haul BA flight has rows of economy-style seats with the middle seat blocked.

Mr McFadden, a barrister, revealed that the ‘crew were great and the plane clean’ but the food, he thought, was ‘lacking in quantity’.

But he added, “The [lie-flat] seat was very comfortable and would be great for a long haul flight.’

As MailOnline Travel previously reported, Google Flights reveals the aircraft type for upcoming flights, and Mr McFadden knew his trip to Dublin would be on a 777 – ‘as ​​an avid travel blogger, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to cover a wide – body aircraft on such a short flight’.

British Airways currently has no two-aisle aircraft planned for the Heathrow to Dublin route, but we can reveal dates when the airline will use them on services from Heathrow to Frankfurt, courtesy of aeronautical analytics company Cirium – March 11, 16, 23, 24, then April’s 3, 4, 5 (x2), 7, 10, 11, 12 (x2), 14, 17, 18, 19, 21, 24, 25, 26, 28.

For more from Mr McFadden, visit his social media channels: TikTok, YouTube, Twitter And Instagram.

BA flights from London to Dublin are usually operated by a single aisle A320 (above)