Dave_C

The BA fleet currently consists of the following aircraft:
Airbus A319
Airbus A320
Airbus A321
Avro RJ-100’s
Boeing 737-300
Boeing 737-400
Boeing 737-500
Boeing 747-400
Boeing 757-200
Boeing 767-300ER
Boeing 777-200
Boeing 777-200ER
Embraer ERJ-145

The BA website shows which plane will be operating your flight if you click on the flight number on ba.com during the booking process. You can also work it out from ‘Manage My Booking’ (if your booking permits seat pre-selection).

The mainstay of the longhaul fleet is the 747-400. These are currently all based at LHR. There are two versions, one of them has 38 Club World seats, and the other has 70 Club World seats. It’s a fairly even split between the two types (often referenced here as ‘38J’ or ‘70J’).

The other main longhaul aircraft is the 777-200. BA has three different types, which are configured in four different seating plans. They have three of the oldest 777-200’s which are powered by GE engines. They have FIRST (17 seats), Club World, a three row World Traveller Plus cabin and World Traveller. The main bulk of the fleet are GE-powered 777-200ER’s which are also four class, but have three less FIRST seats (14), and five rows of World Traveller Plus. BA more recently took deliver of some RR powered 777-200ER’s. These are split fairly equally into a four-class variant, and a three class variant. The three class plane has Club World, World Traveller Plus and World Traveller (no FIRST). There are also some three class GE-powered aircraft based at LGW (the 777s are the only longhaul planes based at LGW). All RR-powered aircraft have large TV screens and an 18 channel IFE system. Some of the GE-powered 777s unfortunately have an older (GMIS) IFE system which has 12 channels, much smaller screens and a huge, retro-looking 1970s control pad! Sadly, it is pot-luck as to which type of plane you will generally get.

The 767-300 does both shorthaul and medium to longhaul. The shorthaul version is configured with Club Europe and Euro Traveller. The longhaul variant has Club World, World Traveller Plus and World Traveller. All the 767’s are LHR based, just like the 747s.

The mainstay of the shorthaul fleet at LHR is the A319/20/21 fleet. They are configured with convertible seating as described in ‘Travel Classes’. The 757 fleet is much smaller than it once was. BA used to operate over 40, but now is down to about 12. It is the same seating as described for the Airbus fleet. Note that from 2008 when BA move to Terminal 5 at LHR, the 757s will be operated exclusively on routes to Spain.

The 737 fleet is all based at LGW and in theory BA plan to replace them all with A319/20/21 planes over the next few years. Again, the 737s feature the same seating as the Airbus.

The ERJs and Avros are part of BA Connect (was ‘BA CitiExpress’) and they are operated from BA’s regional bases.

BA’s franchise partners operate a varied fleet. GB Airways (code ‘GT’) operated A320’s and A321’s in a standard Club Europe/Euro Traveller configuration. British Mediterranean (or BMED, code KJ) operate A320’s and A321’s fitted with old Club World cradle seats in addition to World Traveller.

What's the best seat?

This is a question which comes up time and time again - and quite understandably too, particularly for newbies looking to make the most of their first time in a particular cabin. I think we all remember that initial excitement of our first trip in FIRST or Club World The purpose of the rest of this post is to collate the 'collective wisdom' on the topic to try and prevent the same question coming up over and over again.

The first thing to remember is, like upgrades, there is no definitive answer! A lot of this comes down to personal preference and circumstances. The following are some general tips and advice, by plane and by cabin.

There are also two sites which can prove useful:

http://www.seatguru.com/
http://www.seatexpert.com/

The latter currently has more detail and is widely referenced in this post.

Rule 1 - Know Your Plane!
As described above, BA operate several different types of plane and several different types of configuration within each plane type! Yes, it's confusing. However, you can normally get a good idea of which type of plane you are on from the layout you see in 'Manage My Booking'

Rule 2 - Shorthaul Is Easiest
The rule on shorthaul is pretty simple.

Club Europe
On anything but the 767s, get on the left hand side in Club Europe (the A or C seat) which has the most space. The DEF seats are wider than in Euro Traveller and OK if the 'E' seat is empty, but you can't always guarantee that. On the 767s, try for the middle seat pairs (D and F) because the 2-2-2 format in Club Europe vs. the 2-3-2 format in Euro Traveller means these are actually the equivalent to the AC seats on the other aircraft already mentioned (i.e. 3 seats which have been collapsed in to 2 for Club Europe). The window pairs on the 767 in CE are especially poor. They do expand – but only by around 0.5 inch. Some like the bulkheads as there is nobody to recline into you but others find the reduced legroom irritating (especially if you are 6ft plus). The only exception to this are certain 737-400’s operating from LGW which have loads of room on the AC side.

You can pre-assign (on most routes) Club Europe seats in 'Manage My Booking' to try and reserve these in advance. If the left sided is not available, the right side is much of a muchness, though obviously avoid the 'E' seat at all costs! Some excluded routes pre-assignment include DUB and JER (and SZG it seems).

Whether or not you want to be in Row 1 is personal choice. Some people don’t like having their feet against the bulkhead (although 1C often has no bulkhead in front) whilst others like not having a seat in front of them (and therefore running the risk of having that seat recline).

Euro Traveller
You can't pre-assign seats in Euro Traveller, so will have to get the best you can at check-in. In general, the seats closest to the curtain are best because they have the Club Europe seat pitch, if not width (or service!) due to the way the convertible seating is installed. On flights where Club Europe does not stretch very far back, this means you can get extra legroom in Euro Traveller by sitting towards the front of that cabin.

Additionally, on anything but the 767, the very first row of Euro Traveller on the left is still in Club Europe format (for safety reasons, so the crew can emerge with the trolley through the curtain and not hit anyone's legs!). These are the prize seats (as long as you don’t mind having the curtain right in front of you!) and often assigned to Premier/Gold/Silver cards by the airport before check-in officially opens.

On the 767, the best seats are on either of the left or right side 2-blocks, but again get as far forward as possible - right at the back, the seating which cannot be converted to Club Europe is cloth not leather and has less pitch. You need to be forward of the second emergency exit to benefit from the CE seat pitch - but beware that row 13 and 14 are missing windows!

On the 737-400, any seats in Row 11 or 12 have extra leg room due to the emergency exits located in these rows. The exit rows on all flights have additional legroom, and these are clearly marked at OLCI if you wish to select one of these seats.

The 737-300 and -500 have the emergency exit at row 9.

On the 757, beware of 12AF and 14AF. These window seats have ‘blankers’ in place and as such offer less elbow room and can feel more claustrophobic.

UK Domestic (Shuttle)
BA Golds and Silvers (or oneworld equivalents), as well as those who buy fully flexible tickets, can pre-reserve seats on UK Domestic services (subject to BA’s usual pre-allocation limit). Generally, the best bet is to bag a seat at the front of the cabin, as you’ll invariably be in a position to get off first. “B” seats are to be avoided at the front of the plane, as often your aircraft will have come off of a European trip, and the conversion back to regular domestic seating can often leave the “B” seats a touch on the narrow side.

Rule 3 - Longhaul Will Vary

The good news is the mainline fleet now all have at least Club World flatbeds, World Traveller Plus and World Traveller, and some aircraft retain FIRST too. The bad news is, the setup varies by aircraft:

747-400 (70 Club World Seats)
FIRST: 1A or 1K are deemed by many as the best seats in the house. They are close enough for 2 people travelling together to chat quietly without disturbing the cabin and offer a great sense of isolation. However, some dislike that isolation and thus swear by 2AK instead (though the gap is too large for a ‘quiet chat’ if there are 2 of you). Also, 1AK have no overhead locker (but there’s no shortage of storage space in F anyway) and are next to the cupboard at the front. Again, some report ‘excessive traffic’ to this during the night and find it disturbing, others report no issue with this at all – it seems to be a risk, but a small one. Note if there’s more than 2 of you, the staggered layout means that 3AK are set much further forward from 4EF (3A can just about see 3E’s feet if they look sideways), so the only row you can really aim for which is ‘aligned’ is row 5, however some report seats in row 5 can experience excessive noise from the galley directly behind these seats. All of F is now available to Golds/Emeralds to pre-assign (1AK are held back for them). There are bassinets at 1AK. 4EF and 5EF are nice if you are travelling as couple and want to share the experience, though some complain about the exposed position of row 4 which is somewhat more 'open' to the rest of the cabin.

Club World (Upper Deck): The best place to sit in Club World! It’s smaller, in 2-2 configuration and has a very ‘private cabin’ feel. Seats up here are second only to F in most peoples’ opinion. 62AK and 63BJ are exit seats and held back to OLCI, as is the bassinet 64A (unless occupied by a parent and child). Rows 60 and 61 are available to all, the rest are available to Emeralds only until OLCI. Wisdom dictates that 62AK are prize seats (as exit rows, for ease of egress – i.e. you don’t need to step over anyone to get to the aisle due to the extra space) as are 64AK for the same reason, though some complain 64K can be disturbed by the toilet and/or light and noise from the galley. Note that despite being on the emergency exit, you do not get any additional legroom when reclined in 62AK because the end of the bed is still constrained by the seat moulding in front of the exit door.

Club World (Main Deck): 14AK are widely regarded as excellent seats because of their privacy and the fact you do not have to climb over anyone to get out. Other seats are much of a muchness – though the standard ‘rule’ of avoiding the EF seats (unless you’re a couple together) applies, in which case 14EF are the best seats for ease of egress once more – though beware these are bassinets so may not be available to you if occupied by a baby. In the second cabin, 20AK offer similar advantages to 14AK – though with the caveat that they are closer to the WT+ bassinet. Again, 20EF are a bassinet too.

World Traveller Plus: The prize seats for the lone traveller are 28BJ since they are single seats with nearly unlimited legroom. Second best are 29AK because there is no seat in front, so they also offer excellent room. The other seats are all much of a muchness. The last row has the same recline as the other rows, so this is not a concern. Note that 28BDEFGJ and 29ABJK are counted as exit rows so cannot be pre-assigned, even by Emeralds

World Traveller: Exit rows are the prime seats for the extra legroom - however, sadly you cannot pre-assign these (even an Emerald) until OLCI opens. Even when OLCI does open, note that these seats may have been taken by someone on a connecting flight who would have been allowed to check-in earlier, so don't be surprised if you still can't snag them at T-24. If travelling alone, 29A or 29K are great seats as they’re next to a window but have nobody sitting in front of you and you can therefore simply get up and walk forwards out of your seat. If travelling with others, any seats in row 28 are nice due to extra legroom. Other than row 28, 51BC, 52BC, 51HJ and 52HJ are the only pair seats in WT. Apart from the advantage of extra privacy if travelling as a couple, these are slightly roomier due to the ‘missing’ 3rd seat and the rear curvature of the plane. However, the downside is these suffer from being close to the toilet queues and since you're right at the back of the plane, you’ll be right at the back of the queue for immigration upon arrival which can be a real pain (especially to the USA).

747-400 (38 Club World Seats)
FIRST: As above.

Club World (Upper Deck): As above.

Club World (Main Deck): As above (but without the second cabin advice!)

World Traveller Plus: 17AB and 17JK are bassinet positions which offer good legroom and privacy when not occupied by babies. The other seats are all much of a muchness. The last row has the same recline as the other rows, so this is not a concern.

World Traveller: 33ABC and 33HJK have the advantage of extra legroom on the 38J plane. However, they are also bulkhead seats which can mean there is a risk of crying babies. The ‘pair seats’ at the rear of the plane are subject to the same advice as above.

777-200 (4-class)
FIRST: The centre rows (1EF, 2EF, 3EF) are good for couples – none of the other seats (e.g. 1A and 1K) are close enough like on the 747. Beware of the window seats in Row 1 as they only have two windows so can make some people feel slightly claustrophobic. Others, however, still like the privacy they offer.

Club World: Row 10 is held back for Emeralds (but opens up at OLCI to everyone if the seats are still free) and 10AK are seen as the best window seats, with excellent privacy (and slightly less engine noise). The best aisle seats onboard are 10B, D, G or J as these seats have nobody climbing over them to get to the aisle. 15AK or 15EF are good for ease of egress, but are right next to the WT+ bassinets so there is a slim chance of disturbance. 15AEFK are also the Club World bassinet positions. The rest of the seats in the 4-class 777 Club cabin are much of a muchness, and the cabin tends to be least popular amongst FTers because of its large, unbroken nature. That aside, the seats are still very good, as should the service be. Row 11 has a missing window because of the way the plane is built, so avoid the window seat here if possible.

World Traveller Plus: All seats are much of a muchness, although row 21 has slightly more legroom. However, they are also bulkhead seats which means there is a risk of crying babies.

World Traveller: Any feedback or wisdom welcome!

Note: there are 3 planes configured with 17 FIRST seats. These are 'A' Market planes and most often used to the Middle East and sometimes on the New York routes. These all, sadly, have the older IFE and the tiny screens.

777-200 (3-class)
Club World: 4A an excellent seat with a high degree of privacy and easy egress (on the LGW 3-class planes, this applies to 4K too). The bassinet positions are 3EF and 11EF.

World Traveller Plus: Any feedback or wisdom welcome!

World Traveller: Any feedback or wisdom welcome!

Note: the seatmap above relates to the LHR based configuration. For the 3-class planes based at LGW, they are generally used on shorter routes so do not have the crew rest area shown at row 4 on the right above - 4JK are valid (and very good, like 4AB) seats.

767-300 (3-class)
Club World: Uniquely in the fleet, this plane has a forward facing window seat in Club World. As such, 1A is highly sought after and offers a little extra legroom to boot. 4K is also very good, though some find the window seats a little claustrophobic owing to the smaller 767 cabin. All seats facing the bulkhead seem to offer a little more legroom.

World Traveller Plus: On the 767 WT+ is configured 2-2-2 (like Club World) compared to 2-4-2 on the other widebody longhaul planes so this is often considered the best WT+ cabin on the fleet.

World Traveller: Any feedback or wisdom welcome!

For completeness, here are some shorthaul seat plans from ba.com – though note they will rarely resemble reality since the curtain is moveable:

757-200, A320 and 737-400 Club Europe seating plans from ba.com
http://www.britishairways.com/travel.../en_gb?divseat

757-200, A320 and 737-400 Euro Traveller seating plans from ba.com
http://www.britishairways.com/travel.../en_gb?divseat

Note: if you can find seating plans for the A319, A321, the 737-300, 737-500, 767-300 (European Version) or the 777-200 with only three rows of WT+, please let us know! Other seating plans that are missing at the A320 and A321 operated by British Mediterranean. They have OCW seats in a 2-2 configuration with no plans to upgrade to NCW. Bulkheads in the Club cabins of the BMED planes offer good legroom and decent privacy. The A321 also has a solo seat in row 6 on the right.

GB Airways A321
There are 2 exits between rows 7 & 8 and 20 & 21. The bulkhead row is row 1 and seems as tight for legroom as the mainline Airbus fleet. Pitch in rows 2-7 seemed a little tighter than the CE norm (although some have said something similar about the mainline A321s too). The other seats with Club Europe pitch are rows 8-13 and they feel significantly more spacious. 9D is a weird seat - behind the crew position in row 8. More knee room, but less space to really stretch your feet out. Row 20 has seats in the BD and DE positions. 20A and 20F are rear facing crew seats. If you want to go for an exit row, 8 is much more generous than 21 plus 8EF is nice pair because of the crew position. The seat pitch from rows 21 backwards seems very tight, plus you get a huge queue for the toilets forming after the meal service. Avoid!

Below is the full fleet breakdown as of March 31st 2006, according to the 2005/6 annual report..

You can usually find a full, current fleet breakdown from the official BA accounts on the BA shareholder site.