CLTRob

Comparing the two airlines B787, since they both fly this aircraft, they both have a 38" pitch; however, Virgin's seats are 21" wide compared to BA's 18.5" wide seats. Virgin's PE sections resembles more of a business class section than BA's WTP.

TravellerFrequently

MK19791980

Does anyone know if the flight from BOS to LHR (BA0202) on April 6 has the new WTP seats? I assume the 747's from LHR to ACC have the old WTP seats

Can I help you

The BA202 on the 6/04 is a B777 with the new WT plus seats.

MK19791980

Oh that's great! Thanks!

Calchas

I am not sure I agree.

The BA Black Amex gives 1.5 points for every pound you spend and 3 points for BA bookings.

The Gold Amex (if converted to Avios) gives 1 point for every pound ... except travel bookings (hotels, rail, restaurants, flights, forex) which get 2, and for the first year, supermarket spend and petrol spend also gets 2.

So yes if most of your spend is on BA and the rest is on non-travel, non-restaurant, non-supermarket, non-petrol, and in the UK, the BA Amex may be better. But actually I think for the first year the Gold Amex is pretty good.

But then the first six months of the Lloyds Avios Amex card gives you 2.5 points for every pound (up to some limit), and there's no forex fee. So for £22 per year, and the first year gets refunded from one of those cash back portals, it's not a bad deal. And there is a voucher for a WT+ to J class upgrade on ex-UK Avios bookings on BA metal.

Of course with the BA card you get the companion voucher, which may tip the scales. For me it is of no use as I have no companions

Globaliser

Are those cheaper flights on published fares, though? ITA will return only published fares, but is very good at finding the cheapest if you set reasonably narrow search parameters. However, there are search engines out there that also return consolidator fares that may well be cheaper but are a different kettle of fish as far as T&C are concerned. If you're not bothered by that (as a great deal of the market for those fares isn't) then that's not a problem - but a wise consumer always knows what they're actually getting before they buy.

IanAsiaTraveller

Just to go back to the point about whether it's worth paying for CW rather than WTP, every traveller will have their own view about this. I know someone who says that the extra 7 inches of legroom transforms the flight for him and he would never pay for anything more. On the other hand I look at Premium Economy fares (on BA and other airlines) and find they usually sit somewhere roughly midway between Economy and Business. To me there's no way that WTP is half way towards CW in terms of space, service etc so for me it's always business class at the best price I can get. As already said though, it's very much an individual decision.

zeel

It's true that it is very much a personal decision and i would party agree with you.

In terms of space and comfort WTP isnt anywhere near CW- For someone who has a restricitve company travel policy when I do mange to fly long haul CW it makes a world of difference and having the lie flat seats really transforms the flight HOWEVER in terms of actual service between the 2 classes I dont think there is much between them..

Admitedly being silver helps as I get to use the same premium check in lines , fast track etc. however the actual service on board i dont see much difference:

As a business product the catering is extremly poor for both main and breakfast meals.- limited choice , doent feel like premium quality. WTP you get almost the same choices of food.

CW kitchen has seriously diminished making it almost worthless.

You may get a slightly better drinks selection but i have found when i have had a decent crew (not so much recently) in WTP or even in WT by asking nicly they have provided me drinks from the CW selection.

Attitude wise of the service I found in my last 3 CW flights and 2 WTP flights the crew were miserbale - When I had simple request like an extra bread roll or something they would say yes and walk off and 'forget' to bring me a n item. Generally no freindlyness but just curt and moody grunts throughout the flights..

If I had other options (less restrictive corporate travel policy) I would probably avoid BA where I could as they seem to have lost any 'premiumness' to them.

shorthauldad

I've just been looking at BA prices to JNB for the end of May. In round figures:

~£380 in WT (ex OSL), ~£730 in WT+ (ex FCO), ~£1840 in CW (ex AMS)

I can think of so many better ways to spend £1100 than that T - I fare difference!

Tim1975

It is a personal choice as to whether the WT to WTP step is worth it on BA, but to my mind it really depends on the plane.

On a 747 the WTP seats are old and tatty and not much better than a WT seat. On a 787 the WTP are new and lovely and the WT seats are horrendously cramped so I value the step up more.

johnspenceruk

You are certainly right.

A psychology professor asked his students: "What do you think is a better tool, a hammer of or a screwdriver?". Roughly half of the students raised their hands for the screwdriver, and half for the hammer. And then there was an awkward silence, as people realized "Better FOR WHAT?". If you have a nail to screw, you'd better use the screwdriver. If you have one to nail, better use the hammer.

Likewise, there is no "one size fits all" way about it. Personally, I don't care about T&C's - an airline will look after me and/or compensate me (not to mention travel insurance). The thousands (tens of thousand?) of £££ saved over the year certainly are a benefit worth the minuscule risk.

Sam Bee

I have the choice to make of WTP ex AMS or WT ex LHR that will have two big legs (routing via SIN/HKG or KUL - probably A380 via SIN on way out, back via KUL on the 772).

I'll probably hit Bronze, so nothing to shout out about. I am 6ft6 - so if I had to go WT i'd probably pay for Exit Seats (possibly on SQ..)

Still torn - 6 hours of positioning for 2 x 12 hours of extra comfort...? Thoughts?

(And am I right in saying I should look to get WTP in this order: 787 (not possible I don't think going East), 380, 77W, 772, 747).

I have lots of routing options, but looks like 77W has been pulled from SIN?

:D!

I flew WTP for the first time a few weeks ago and it happened to be on BA. I'd booked various Y+ tickets before but kept getting upgraded

I'm in my 20s and just shy of 6 feet.

As a child and teenager I used to fly frequently, always in Y and never had any trouble sleeping. Once I started getting status and flying J, I stopped being able to sleep in Y. I'm talking about overnight flights here where I've been awake for 15 hours before boarding, so would expect to fall asleep. Instead I stay awake for 24 hours and then need to be awake at my destination too.

On the WTP flight, I was able to sleep properly.

I have now realised that this is because I can actually lie straight in the WTP seat. In the Y seat I'm forced to bend my knees and this prevents me from drifting off. So if sleep is required then I'm going to have to continue booking WTP from now on


For me it would depend on whether I wanted the TPs, and whether I could spend those 6 hours doing something more useful like sleeping on the ground, which means that sleeping on the plane isn't as important.

ankomonkey

I've just flown QF premium ec; I usually fly BA premium ec but couldn't get the flight back I needed so switched. I've done BA premium ec on the Dreamliner, so suspect I've experienced just about the best BA premium ec product. Afraid to say QF blew BA away in terms of food, wine, service and space...