New Club World (Genuinely something new)
#948
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: United Kingdom
Programs: BAEC Blue, Flying Blue Silver, Hilton Gold, Marriot Gold
Posts: 817
#949
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: LHR, LGW
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 3,355
For example the QSuite is a variant of a seat by a manufacturer however it has a lot of additions, edits and bespoke features. Im no seat manufacturer or even in the industry but I cant see this being a standard off-the-line product.
Maybe Im wrong, I hope not for the sake of FTer expectations
#950
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: AMS
Programs: BAEC Silver, Flying Blue Gold, TK M&S Nobody
Posts: 2,413
I know, but thats completely irrelevant to what I said: QR are taking five to eight years for the new Y because theyre not pulling frames in to refit especially for this. BA are likely to do so, I would think?
The seat manufacture rate is a limiting factor, but is not necessarily the defining one (I suspect it is for BA, but is not for QR - which was the post I was responding to).
The seat manufacture rate is a limiting factor, but is not necessarily the defining one (I suspect it is for BA, but is not for QR - which was the post I was responding to).
#951
Join Date: Jan 2019
Programs: BA Exec Club
Posts: 932
Just to give a general update and what I think is going to happen here.
So BA's A350 has just been moved to station 40 of the production process which means the tail fin and the wings are now being installed. First picture of the tail fin is out. (All over twitter)
Now once station 40 is done the aircraft will be moved to station 30 to get the new seats installed. Now at this point I believe BA will announce the seat because it is essentially no longer behind closed doors as it's now being installed.
(Would've posted a picture myself but I'm not yet allowed to post URLs)
So BA's A350 has just been moved to station 40 of the production process which means the tail fin and the wings are now being installed. First picture of the tail fin is out. (All over twitter)
Now once station 40 is done the aircraft will be moved to station 30 to get the new seats installed. Now at this point I believe BA will announce the seat because it is essentially no longer behind closed doors as it's now being installed.
(Would've posted a picture myself but I'm not yet allowed to post URLs)
Last edited by opus99; Mar 9, 2019 at 9:59 pm
#953
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,797
Just to give a general update and what I think is going to happen here.
So BA's A350 has just been moved to station 40 of the production process which means the tail fin and the wings are now being installed. First picture of the tail fin is out. (All over twitter)
Now once station 40 is done the aircraft will be moved to station 30 to get the new seats installed. Now at this point I believe BA will announce the seat because it is essentially no longer behind closed doors as it's now being installed.
(Would've posted a picture myself but I'm not yet allowed to post URLs)
So BA's A350 has just been moved to station 40 of the production process which means the tail fin and the wings are now being installed. First picture of the tail fin is out. (All over twitter)
Now once station 40 is done the aircraft will be moved to station 30 to get the new seats installed. Now at this point I believe BA will announce the seat because it is essentially no longer behind closed doors as it's now being installed.
(Would've posted a picture myself but I'm not yet allowed to post URLs)
BA also takes delivery of some aircraft without seats as it prefers to install them themselves. Anyone know if this is happening with the A350?
#955
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: London
Programs: BA, VS, HH, IHG, MB, MR
Posts: 26,865
Has there ever been a time before when BA and Virgin have launched 'once in a generation' new seats within a few weeks of each other? This is going to be quite a historic few weeks. No guarantee I'll live long enough to see the next iteration of CW / Upper given the 20 year lifespan of the current one!
#956
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: Some
Posts: 5,161
I think there are a lot of people here waiting with bated breath for the answer to this!
To me it's probably going to be the most competitive East Coast routes at first where they'll make a difference to the attractiveness of BA in a very competitive market (BOS? EWR?). Helps counter VS too, of course, which BA seem to like. It needs to be business traveler heavy routes where BA can charge a bit of a premium for the (presumed!) lost density and also the fact that the East Coast is a 6-7 hour flight that maximizes utilization is surely a plus too. I think it would be weird for JFK to be on the list at first though as BA are then risking cannibalizing demand for the one route where F probably actually makes decent money. Can see it going to DXB/AUH early too, since BA's lunch is being well and truly eaten on those flights (EK just announced their 11th daily flight to London this morning for those who haven't seen that yet). I could be totally wrong, though!
To me it's probably going to be the most competitive East Coast routes at first where they'll make a difference to the attractiveness of BA in a very competitive market (BOS? EWR?). Helps counter VS too, of course, which BA seem to like. It needs to be business traveler heavy routes where BA can charge a bit of a premium for the (presumed!) lost density and also the fact that the East Coast is a 6-7 hour flight that maximizes utilization is surely a plus too. I think it would be weird for JFK to be on the list at first though as BA are then risking cannibalizing demand for the one route where F probably actually makes decent money. Can see it going to DXB/AUH early too, since BA's lunch is being well and truly eaten on those flights (EK just announced their 11th daily flight to London this morning for those who haven't seen that yet). I could be totally wrong, though!
#957
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: BA - Blue > Bronze > Silver > Bronze > Blue
Posts: 6,812
Has there ever been a time before when BA and Virgin have launched 'once in a generation' new seats within a few weeks of each other? This is going to be quite a historic few weeks. No guarantee I'll live long enough to see the next iteration of CW / Upper given the 20 year lifespan of the current one!
#958
#959
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: BA - Blue > Bronze > Silver > Bronze > Blue
Posts: 6,812
#960
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: LON
Programs: Mucci, BAEC, Eurostar
Posts: 3,260
Actually I was thinking about that, and in a fully speculative way: I find it interesting that the new seats will probably won't be on BA's flagship route (LHR-JFK) for a while since so many of the flights are on 747's. And since the A350s don't have F, they won't be used on the JFK route either. Will they retro-fit 777s first and risk customer backlash for having an inconsistent seat on their most regular route?
Interested in other people's thoughts...
Interested in other people's thoughts...