Travel YouTuber Hannah Ricketts paid £10k out of her own pocket for a British Airways first class ticket from London to New York but said it was a "waste of money"Liam McInerney Content Editor 09:34, 27 May 2026A travel YouTuber forked out a staggering £10,000 to experience first class on a British Airways flight from London to New York — only to brand it a waste of cash.‌Hannah Ricketts covered the hefty cost herself in a bid to deliver the most genuine review possible for her 476,000 YouTube subscribers.‌Touching down at Heathrow Airport, her expectations were sky-high, telling the camera that British Airways was once regarded as the "height of sophistication and customer service".‌Her eye-watering ticket provided entry to the plush Concorde Room inside Terminal 5, where she tucked into what proved to be a "fantastic" full-English breakfast.Yet after stepping aboard the aircraft and making her way straight to first class, she observed that her cabin was "really small" and bore little difference to business class.‌Just a few hours into her transatlantic voyage, Hannah started airing some concerns.She said: "I will be honest with you. I have been on the plane for two hours. I did say I didn't want my meal until a bit later. They haven't come round and asked if I want another drink. I've had one drink of water."I know they're cooking meals, but there's only eight passengers (in first class) so I think the service, although they're really lovely, I really don't know. I feel like even in Club (World), you'd get offered more than one drink in the first few hours. Would you not?"‌As expected, there was a variety of dining choices available, and Hannah was able to peruse a menu featuring pricey champagne before settling on a three-course meal, naturally included with her ticket.For her starter, she opted for the marinated lobster but, despite its attractive presentation, she remarked: "This is so bad. It is so chewy. I mean, that sauce is lovely. I got the hacksaw out for the bread. Like two out of 10. Not good."‌Things took a turn for the better with her main, a herb crusted Welsh rack of lamb, followed by a substantial serving of salted caramel and chocolate dessert.Throughout her meal, she watched a film on an entertainment screen, which she praised for being exceptionally sharp, though she remained underwhelmed by the overall experience, having been thoroughly impressed after flying first class with Emirates several years earlier.Reflecting on the meal afterwards, she commented: "I'm reviewing this based on it being like 10 grand.‌"But yeah, I could do with some water, it's been a while. I finished my dessert some time ago. There's eight people in this cabin. All the staff are lovely, but I don't know, the service just isn't there. I can't really rate this as a very good product."It's not magic, it's not chic, it's not, you know, understated. I feel quite disappointed. I mean, yeah, like I said, get the violin out, but I'm actually quite p***ed off about the money I've spent. This video has cost me a lot of money to make.‌"I genuinely thought I was going to make this video and say to you lot, if you can save, you've got to do it, try and do it once in your life, you know, if you can. Just don't bother. It's pointless."Despite feeling let down by the overall experience, there were some redeeming qualities, as Hannah did appreciate the cabin's dark, moody aesthetic.There was also a wardrobe for hanging jackets along with generous storage space for belongings such as clothes and handbags.‌First class additionally offered complimentary wifi and a handy footrest that could be lowered at the touch of a button.A wash bag was a welcome touch, packed with treats including lip balm, pro collagen moisturiser, hand and body lotion, an eye mask, a collagen face mask, a pen, a small mirror, deodorant, a toothbrush, and toothpaste.She was equally impressed by the Temple sleeper suit and slippers, and spoke highly of the spacious bed on offer — though pointed out the absence of a duvet.‌Hannah also noted that British Airways was rolling out updated first class cabins from the middle of this year, which she described as looking "stunning", and expressed an interest in trying them out down the line.As for this particular experience, however, she suggested it would have been far wiser to "save nine grand and sit in economy", going on to declare "this is such a waste of money".‌Prior to touching down in New York, Hannah claimed that not once did any member of staff enquire whether she required for some time before landing.Rounding off her thoughts, she said: "And just like that we have ten minutes until we land. Although everyone's lovely, it was pretty inconsistent. The food was quite inconsistent, let's be honest, I don't like the 'what do you want' and I think I need prompts."She went on to say: "For me personally, I wouldn't spend the money on this ever again unless there was some crazy sale or I had tons and tons of points.‌"I think business class is something that is wonderful. To go away is amazing anyway but I would not recommend saving your pennies to come on a British Airways first class flight at all unless you are absolutely minted."Following the upload of the video, which you can watch in full here, one viewer responded: "Flight attendant here. That was ridiculous service! You should have had a few drinks and been checked on, had warm nuts etc... those first few hours! That was the worse first class service I've ever seen."‌A second remarked: "I would have been bitterly disappointed, leaning towards angry if that was my First Class experience."A third chimed in: "Could have bought a Chanel bag , had an Itsu and flown economy and you would have still been quids in."While one sarcastic commenter quipped: "Thanks Hannah you've saved us all 10 grand if any of us had 10 grand to waste."Article continues belowBritish Airways declined to comment.