When my husband Tony and I learned that British Airways would begin direct service from San Diego to London on June 1, we let out a sigh of relief and rushed to purchase our tickets for a trip to Munich, via London, as part of a long-awaited Bavarian holiday.

As avid travelers to Europe, we knew that this direct connection would shave off at least five hours of travel time to Munich. Back in 2000, when British Airways last offered non-stop service from San Diego, we took advantage of the direct flight for a trip to Rome and never forgot the ease of boarding in San Diego and arriving in the Eternal City with just one stop.

Our departure to London from San Diego's Lindbergh Field on June 3 had to be one of the most pleasant flying experiences we've ever encountered. Since our flight was scheduled for 8:15 pm, we had the entire day to take care of the odds and ends one needs to attend to before leaving home for a two-week vacation. How we appreciated not having to get up in the wee hours of the morning to catch our flight, which always resulted in our feeling exhausted even before the long journey began!

Our shuttle picked us up late afternoon and deposited us directly in front of the British Airways terminal. Our immediate impression was one of calm, enhanced by the personal attention afforded us by attentive British Airways personnel. As we approached the ticket counter, we were greeted by the smiling face of a British Airways representative who was just checking in on whether all was well and asked if we needed any assistance.

Thankfully, we did not. The otherwise hectic ordeal of being processed through security seemed very easy and almost even pleasant this time around. There were no long lines and in a few minutes, we found ourselves comfortably seated in the quaint rocking chairs that lined the windows in the British Airways passenger waiting area. Since Lindbergh Field offers free wi-fi, I was able to read and respond to emails and surf the net as we waited for our flight to board.

Boarding was a breeze, and we soon found ourselves nestled in our seats in the sleek Boeing 777-200 which would be our home for the next nine hours. The San Diego-London route offers three classes: Club World (business), World Traveler Plus (enhanced coach), and World Traveler (coach). The World Traveler seats are more spacious than standard, so even travelers on a budget can be assured of a more comfortable voyage than usual, with World Traveler Plus offering even wider seating. 

Business travelers will more than welcome the comfort of Club World, which boasts an environment that will ensure a pleasant night's rest upon arrival in London. Spacious cubicles offer a wide variety of media and audio entertainment in a living room-type environment. Food and beverage service is exceptional, featuring gourmet dinner entrees accompanied by fine wines and spirits. Of course, the conversion of seats into full beds is the ultimate in business class luxury, and British Airways again excels in creating the ultimate sleeping environment for the business traveler.

We observed that service in all sections was top-notch, with gracious flight personnel attending to the passengers' every need.

Furthermore, it was immediately evident upon take-off that this new Boeing 777 was one of the most quiet, yet powerful, jets we had ever experienced, and we learned that this particular aircraft can definitely be categorized as "green" for its fuel consumption and earth-friendly, limited emissions.

We landed in London's Heathrow on time and made our way through security without much fuss, though the lines were definitely longer than in San Diego. We found our connecting flight to Munich quite easily and in 90-minutes, arrived at our destination in truly "record" time.

Tony and I are convinced. Save yourself time, stress and hassle, and book British Airways from San Diego for your next flight to London and destinations beyond.

Photos © Joanne DiBona