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

A travel blogger has filmed his extraordinary experience traveling in the 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 twin-jet aircraft with engines that are the most powerful in the world and nearly the same diameter as a 737 fuselage. It is designed to cross vast oceans and continents.

But Andrew McFadden, from Derry, who blogs about travel under the name ‘FlyingDerryMan‘, he flew on one operated by British Airways from Heathrow to Dublin, a distance of just 280 miles.

BA occasionally uses twin-aisle long-haul aircraft for short trips as a result of the extra demand for cargo, much to the delight of often surprised passengers.

Mr McFadden, 30, tweeted that the extremely rare experience, on March 5, was “totally surreal” and told MailOnline Travel: “Everyone was in shock.” Even non-enthusiasts were surprised by the deployment of such a large aircraft in a commuter sector of the Irish capital. Upon boarding, he would say that most people had their phones out taking photos and videos.

Mr McFadden, 30, tweeted that the experience on March 5 was “totally surreal” and told MailOnline Travel: “Everyone was in shock.” Even non-enthusiasts were surprised by the deployment of such a large aircraft in a commuter sector of the Irish capital.

‘There was a lot of excitement and chatter amongst the cabin crew. It was certainly a first for them.

Mr. McFadden’s first-class seat would normally cost around £6,000. How did you end up in it?

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

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

“Luckily, I was able to reserve one of these seats at no extra charge.”

Mr. McFadden revealed that he was flying on business, but was able to reserve a seat in the first class cabin of the 777 (above) at no additional charge.

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

Mr McFadden said “the crew was excellent and the plane was clean” but thought the food (above) 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 Mr. McFadden.

Travel blogger Andrew McFadden

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

Mr McFadden, a lawyer, revealed that “the crew was excellent and the plane was clean” but that the food, he thought, was “lacking in quantity”.

But he added: ‘The [lie-flat] Seat was very comfortable and would be amazing 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 fly a wide -bodied plane in such a short flight’.

British Airways does not have any two-aisle aircraft scheduled for the Heathrow to Dublin route at the moment, but we can reveal the dates the airline will use them for Heathrow to Frankfurt services, courtesy of the aviation analytics firm. Candle – March 11, 16, 23, 24, then March 3, 4, 5 (x2), 7, 10, 11, 12 (x2), 14, 17, 18, 19, 21, 24, 25, 26, 28 of April.

For more information from Mr. McFadden, please visit his social media channels: Tik Tok, Youtube, Twitter and instagram.

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