British Airways 787-9 First Class Inbound Review: Mexico City to Heathrow in Seats 2E and 2F

British Airways 787-9 First Class Inbound Review Read Time and Rating

Our British Airways 787-9 First Class Inbound Review covers the return journey from Mexico City to London Heathrow, following on from our outbound flight review, [British Airways 787-9 First Class Review: A Comfortable Flight, But Not Quite First Class]. This time, we travelled overnight in the middle seats, 2E and 2F, giving us the chance to test the lie-flat bed, bedding, service, food and lounge experience on the way home.

The middle seats suited us well. Seats 2E and 2F made it easier to talk, share the flight experience and feel more connected during the journey. While the window seats offer more privacy for solo travellers, the centre seats work better for couples who want to sit together. The cabin still felt calm and exclusive, helped by the small First Class layout on the Boeing 787-9.

Check-In at Mexico City Airport

Check-in at Mexico City Airport was quick and simple. We found the process easy to follow, and the staff dealt with everything efficiently. This gave the journey a smooth start and avoided the stress that can sometimes come with long-haul departures.

For a First Class flight, we expect check-in to feel straightforward, and on this occasion it did. There were no long delays, no confusion and no unnecessary waiting around. It became one of the stronger parts of the ground experience.

Lounge Access in Mexico City

British Airways First and Business Class passengers had access to the American Airlines Admirals Club Lounge before departure. On paper, this sounded useful, but in reality, the lounge experience felt disappointing.

The lounge was crowded and lacked the calm, premium atmosphere we hoped for before a First Class flight. Seating felt limited, and the space lacked the relaxing feel that should come before a long overnight journey to London.

The food offering was also limited. What was available looked basic, and the quality felt poor. For Business Class passengers, this may have felt acceptable as a simple waiting area, but for First Class passengers, it did not match the standard expected before a premium long-haul flight.

The lounge was one of the weaker parts of the return journey. After enjoying the Concorde Room at Heathrow on the outbound flight, the difference in lounge quality felt very noticeable.

American Express Centurion Lounge

We also tried the American Express Centurion Lounge at Mexico City Airport. We hoped this might offer a better pre-flight option, but it was also very busy and had queues.

The lounge did not feel especially relaxing because of the number of people waiting and moving around. We had a Monterey Jack cheese, ham, lettuce and tomato sandwich, which was fine for a quick snack, but it did not feel like a memorable lounge dining experience.

The Centurion Lounge may work well at quieter times, but during our visit, it felt too busy to enjoy properly. Instead of offering a calm escape from the terminal, it felt crowded and difficult to settle into.

Seat 2E and 2F on the Night Flight

Once onboard, the experience improved. The First Class cabin gave us a quiet and comfortable space for the overnight flight back to London Heathrow.

Seats 2E and 2F worked well as a pair. They felt more sociable than in the window seats and made the flight easier to enjoy together. For couples, these centre seats make sense, especially on a night flight where you may want to chat during the meal service before settling down to sleep.

As this was an overnight flight, we made proper use of the lie-flat bed. The seat converted into a comfortable flat bed, and British Airways provided a decent pillow, a mattress topper, and a cover. These made a noticeable difference and helped the bed feel more comfortable to sleep on.

The bedding felt like one of the stronger parts of the onboard experience. The mattress topper softened the seat, the pillow gave good support, and the cover felt comfortable enough for a long overnight flight. It did not feel like a fully enclosed suite or an ultra-luxury First Class bed, but it gave us a good level of comfort and helped us rest during the flight.

The centre seats still gave us direct aisle access, useful storage and enough privacy once we settled down. They worked better for us on the return night flight than the outbound window seats did because they let us travel together while still having our own space.

Service, Food and Drink

The onboard service felt no better or worse than the outbound flight. The crew remained friendly and professional, but the service did not feel especially polished or memorable for First Class. It worked well enough, but it did not deliver the extra level of attention or refinement we hoped for.

British Airways served Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle Champagne before takeoff, which gave the flight a proper premium start once we were onboard. This was a positive touch and matched what we expect from a First Class cabin.

The main meal service, however, felt mixed. The presentation looked fine, and the crew served the meal at a steady pace, but the beef was overcooked. That was disappointing, especially on a First Class flight where the main course should feel more refined and better executed.

Overall, the food and service followed the same pattern as the outbound flight. Nothing felt poor enough to spoil the journey, but neither the meal nor the service reached a level that felt truly special. The champagne helped elevate the experience, but the overcooked beef once again highlighted that British Airways First Class can lack consistency.

Overall Ground Experience in Mexico City

The ground experience in Mexico City started well, but it lost momentum due to limited lounge options. Check-in worked smoothly, but neither lounge gave us the premium start we expected before flying British Airways First Class.

The Admirals Club felt crowded and basic, with limited food and poor-quality options. The Centurion Lounge also felt too busy, with queues and little sense of calm. This made the pre-flight experience feel far weaker than the outbound journey from Heathrow, where the First Wing and Concorde Room created a much stronger impression.

For passengers flying First Class, the lounge experience matters. It sets the tone before boarding and should make the journey feel special from the start. In Mexico City, that did not happen.

Arrival at Heathrow

The experience at Heathrow became one of the most frustrating parts of the journey. After landing at Heathrow, we waited more than two hours to retrieve our luggage, which felt unacceptable after a long overnight First Class flight.

This delay took the shine off the arrival experience. After a comfortable flight and a decent night’s rest on board, the long wait at baggage reclaim made the journey feel tiring and poorly handled.

Luckily, we had booked an overnight stay at the Sofitel London Heathrow before our flight back to Manchester the next day. Without that overnight stop, the baggage delay would have created far more stress and could easily have affected our onward travel plans.

For a First Class journey, the arrival process should feel smooth from aircraft to baggage reclaim. Unfortunately, Heathrow failed to deliver that on this occasion.

Final Verdict

Our British Airways First Class return flight from Mexico City to Heathrow delivered a mixed experience. Check-in at Mexico City Airport went smoothly, and the cabin on the flight home was comfortable. Seats 2E and 2F were a good choice for travelling as a couple, and we would choose them again on a similar overnight flight.

However, the ground experience in Mexico City did not feel premium. The American Airlines Admirals Club Lounge was crowded, the food choices were limited, and the quality felt poor. The American Express Centurion Lounge was also busy, with queues, making it difficult to relax before the flight.

Once onboard, the lie-flat bed improved the experience. The decent pillow, mattress topper and cover helped us rest, and the centre seats worked well for a couple on a night flight. Before takeoff, Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle Champagne added a premium touch, but the service felt similar to the outbound flight, and the overcooked beef main course disappointed us.

British Airways First Class still offers comfort and privacy in the air, but the journey from Mexico City lacked the polished pre-flight experience and refined dining we would expect from a First Class ticket.

The poor arrival experience at Heathrow, including a wait of more than two hours for our luggage, also reduced the overall impression. However,h our overnight stay at the Sofitel made the delay easier to manage before flying back to Manchester the next day.

Overall Rating: ★★★☆☆ 3 Stars
Expectation Level: Met Our Expectations
Best For: Couples choosing seats 2E and 2F, overnight comfort and Avios redemptions
Not Ideal For: Travellers expecting a premium lounge experience at Mexico City Airport or flawless First Class dining