Down Low

As well as the "enhancements" described in Can I help you's thread, during August and September BA will be trialling a couple of new initiatives in Club World.

For two months on the upper deck of the BA54/BA57 (JNB) Club World customers will be offered a mattress topper, duvet and pillow from First. If it proves to be successful then the plan would be to source these items permanently for Club World. Breakfast cards will also be offered.

Also on LHR-SAN and LHR-ORD (BA295 only) crew will deliver a hand run meal and drinks service, rather than the trolley and also do a mid flight club kitchen basket pass.

Success will be evaluated through analysis of Customer Voice scores.

To Eat.To Drink

Excellent. Mattress topper would be a great improvement, as would a decent pillow.

LondonElite

Thanks for posting. It's hard to imagine how that can be unsuccessful.

Gomac

Wow that would be a real improvement for CW!

I was thinking this on BA4 last week, it would make such a difference to have proper bedding and it cant cost too much more if they already have it for F.

mikeyfly

Wow this sounds a fantastic enhancement !

shobday96

The mattress topper (depending on it's quality) could make a real difference! I hope it does roll-out, although I have to admit I've never found the CW seats uncomfortable for sleeping?
Not sure about hand run meal service, especially on shorter flights if it's implemented fully? Could just make it take unnecessarily longer?
Still, excited to see them both tho, especially as I'm LHR-SAN next month

corporate-wage-slave

Yes, sounds like a good idea, it will certainly improve the comfort and sleep quality of CW. Has the pillow already been cascaded? I'm sure I got a First pillow in CW from LGW last week. (Was a three class 777 so it could just have been a loading error).

ratypus

if this is true and is adopted in Club World throughout, it would be HUGE - I love Club World set-up on most counts and think it is a really great blend of privacy & comfort for a day flight, but on an overnight I never sleep 100% well whereas in F I really do - proper duvet/pillow/mattress at least on overnight flights would be a game-changer for me.


Without wanting to wish it away, you do wonder how BA will then differentiate and sell F? I mean, the food & experience is very nice, but the only time I would genuinely think about paying of MFU to F (rather than an op-up or free one way promotion upgrade) would be for either a special occasion or on a night flight for quality of sleep - if this is now the same in Club World I don't see much incentive to spend extra for F over the upper deck Club World


but thanks BA and this is an AWESOME enhancement if it comes through

mikeyfly

I'd certainly prefer duvet, mattress topper & decent pillow over ice cream and starter choice !!

stevie

Welcome development, at last, if it is rolled out.

710 77345

Will the topper fit?

BahrainLad

Very good for CW. Not so good for the longevity of the F cabin.

Tobias-UK

Or a sign of potential (definately needed) improvements to the F product?

flatlander

Since flat beds became commonplace in the business cabin, first class (on any airline) has not been about a much greater absolute level of comfort (compared to economy) but about more space, greater feeling of isolation (so privacy), service delivered as the passenger wishes it rather than as the airline wishes it, prestige of being in the "First" cabin, and so on.

So I don't see making CW more comfortable removing those distinctions. I do see making CW more comfortable being a way to make CW more attractive than other business class products, especially to offset the customer perception that the less dense herringbone layouts or those airlines with more prestigious ancillaries (wines, car on the ground, etc) are better.

Business class core market is people who want to sleep well. First class core market is people who want a prestige service experience.

(of course the peanut gallery will make comments about how lacking BA First is in prestige, but that's not my point)

Hoch

Finally! I've been telling BA for years to include some sort of mattress topper for the CW seat.

I would encourage anyone that flies during the trial to send feedback (provided it's positive, of course).

H