I really think BA should give up calling this business class. Firstly, it really isn’t. Secondly, 90% of the soft benefits are already in the bag for status passengers but finally, this policy means there is a higher rate of APD when you are travelling in the same goddam seat!

When travelling with kids it’s worse as they are exempt from APD in Y but pay the full rate in J.

Considering airports now sell lounge access and fast track. Airlines sell food on board and extra baggage, there is nothing that even a non status pax can easily pay for, apart from maybe blocking the middle seat, but even for status pax this happens frequently anyhow.

For less than £100 one can add lounge access, fast track, an extra bag, some grub and some booze to have exactly the same experience as somoene who has paid for a J ticket. For a status pax that costs falls to £10-£20 depending on how much they want to drink, but this person will likely have a better experience than those up front as they will have bagged the extra legroom seats.

Then if the ariline thinks there is a market for proper business class then have it on all but the 319’s 6 on an A320 (a. Loss of just 6 economy seats) and 24 on a 321 (with the loss of 14 economy seats) All with at least 38’pitch.

I would pay a premium over current CE pricing for these seats.

If an average economy ET seat sells for say £100 before APD then the premium BA would need to charge over current CE pricing would be £100 in my example on the 320 and just £58 on the 321 example.

There is arguably a loss to the airline when there are fewer J seats than they could sell, but most of these are surely to connecting pax moving onto a long haul sector.