Heard of Altitude Academy?
When you fly, are you: an escapist, a dreamer, a connoisseur, or a go getter? American Airlines and British Airways have created an immersive event in central London, designed to help you figure out just what type of flyer you really are, and realistically – to show off their business class amenities, dubbed “best of both worlds”. Aside from the fun of free food and cool immersive experiences, you should care because they’re giving away free business class flights to the USA…
British Airways and American offer up to 70 flights a day between the US and UK. That’s bonkers. The airlines want to showcase their two “unique” premium product offers, and to do so they’ve created four “zones” in Jubilee Plaza at Canary Wharf which *in theory* will feel like crossing the Atlantic in style, just without a passport or boarding pass. While passing through these zones, you *may* discover what type of traveler you are, at least when you’re seated in business class. Basically: expect to see some plane seats, some amenities, maybe sample some food, and most importantly…
When people say free business class flights, we perk up. Guests (anyone can join) can participate in the “Great Transatlantic Plane Race”, and while we have absolutely no idea what that entails, winners will receive round trip business class flights to the USA, on American or British Airways. That’s worth heading to Canary Wharf for….
Altitude Academy is free to the public and open from 11AM-7PM on the 19th of September, and 7AM-7PM on Thursday the 20th. You can find the Altitude Academy at: Jubilee Plaza, Canary Wharf, London, London, E14 5NY. Food and drinks will be supplied by American Airlines first and business class lounge caterer, hospitality group “Rhubarb” and will also be free. So yes, to summarize: free food, potentially free business class flights, and at the very least, some photo ops that make it look like you’ve flown business class across the Atlantic, even if you’ve yet to experience it. Oh, and as an added bonus, we’ll be there when it first opens on the 19th!
Why on earth would BA want their inferior J product sat right next to AA’s for everyone to see?? I guess they don’t care on the transatlantic routes because of the JV but still…
Look at it this way. The odds of winning this might be better than finding award seats on AA metal yourself. But this begs the questions of 1. If I did win this would I have to search for sAAver space to us it & 2. If I won and used it on BA would they charge me $1,000’s in YQ surcharges?
I went to the event. It was very disappointing. I thought it was going to have some business class seats to try out and trays of food to try out etc.
Firstly groups of four people had to play a fairground type game. The winner only got to enter their name and email into an iPad to be put into a raffle for a pair of return Biz flights to LA.
Then there was a room with pillows and quilts to sit on (so no business class seats to try), you were then sent to another room that had posters of films (IFE zone) where you used a code you were provided to try and open a safe for potential prizes (£15 Netflix vouchers) and finally ‘try out the business lounge’, you sat on a bar stall and offered a single canapé and soft cocktail.
Just don’t go out of your way to get there. FYI it’s located at the top of the main escalator at Canary Wharf underground station.
Does anyone know if the winners have been notified yet? Similarly, do you think those who haven’t won will receive an email saying so?
I don’t expect to win but would be nice to know if I have or haven’t…