Apr 5, 2018, 3:58 am
Last edit by: Globaliser
In April 2018 BA announced that they had started a programme to refurbish the cabins on the Mid-J 747-400 fleet. In January 2020, this programme was completed.
As part of the refurbishment all of the aircraft involved have undergone a basic refresh which consisted of:
* Full aircraft deep clean
* Seats in WT/WTP refurbished with new seat foams and cushions as on Super Hi-J aircraft
9 of the aircraft received an ENHANCED refurbishment to bring the cabin up to the same standard as the Super Hi-J 747-400 fleet. This consisted of what is listed above plus:
* New carpets fitted throughout
* All curtains replaced
* New Panasonic IFE fitted in all classes
Note: It was initially believed that the enhanced refurbishment included LED mood lighting throughout, but this is not the case. All retained standard lighting. There were no plans to install WiFi to any Mid-J configured 747-400 aircraft.
Note: Aircraft that have undergone an ENHANCED refurbishment are shown in red
Aircraft are listed below in the order that they were refurbished and show return to service date, along with retirement date where applicable.
G-CIVU - 11 October 2019
G-BNLY - 24 November 2019
Mid-J 747 Cabin Refresh
Nov 1, 2018, 4:17 am
#212
Join Date: May 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 5,380
Hi all. I'm new to this forum but just been reading this thread with keen interest having just booked LHR - LAS (World Traveller) for April next year. It's almost certain to be a 52J for that flight but like everyone else I'm hopefully it will be one that's been through the refit. Although whatever the interior, keen to get what may be my last chance to fly on a 747, an aircraft that captured my attention as a child and still makes me stop and look up.
Some of the 52J's have been through a cabin refresh, but it looks like G-CIVO is the first 52J to get the Panasonic IFE, have I got that right? I'll be watching to see what routes it gets after its refit.
Some of the 52J's have been through a cabin refresh, but it looks like G-CIVO is the first 52J to get the Panasonic IFE, have I got that right? I'll be watching to see what routes it gets after its refit.
Nov 1, 2018, 9:32 am
#213
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 22
G-CIVO was in for just short of 5 weeks for its upgrade. G-CIVT is just coming to the end of its 3rd week in maintenance so I'd expect another couple of weeks........ no real basis to that other than what we saw with G-CIVO, others may have more insight.
Nov 4, 2018, 1:51 am
#215
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Nov 7, 2018, 2:19 am
#216
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 5
Just came back from a JFK roundtrip on CIVJ (inbound) and CIVP (outbound). Especially CIVJ is in a poor state. My IFE (bulkhead) was black/white only, my wifes went on and off randomly. In the end both were not usable. Flickering bathroom lights and a brown fluid dripping out of the frame of the basinett holder table thing underlined an overall very filthy experience. The inbound on CIVP was a bit better, but the worn out back of the seat gave me back pain instead of sleep. Additionally, I experienced the seat as extremely narrow. All in all this was really really underwhelming. These (plus LHR-FRA connections) were my first BA flights. If it weren't for the super attentive, friendly and overall superb cabin crew and servie I would never book BA again.
However if BA should be a thing for us in the future, I will do my utmost to avoid cabins like those on these mid-Js. Especially that CIVJ is not to be refurbished with new IFE is beyond me... The bird is 22 years old and my wife told me that from her memory the IFE was better on a Continental Airlines flight she made to the USA in 2004 (!). I don't think she's wrong...
However if BA should be a thing for us in the future, I will do my utmost to avoid cabins like those on these mid-Js. Especially that CIVJ is not to be refurbished with new IFE is beyond me... The bird is 22 years old and my wife told me that from her memory the IFE was better on a Continental Airlines flight she made to the USA in 2004 (!). I don't think she's wrong...
Nov 7, 2018, 2:30 am
#217
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Posts: 1,114
Nov 11, 2018, 3:41 am
#221
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
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Just to welcome you to Flyertalk and welcome you also to the BA forum Yvr4now. I hope we will see more of you here, so please let us know how it went. My own take on this that if UD on a 747 overnight then the difference from the refurb isn't so important, compared to further back+down, but presumably wifi will be there more much of the journey too. It's in WT / WTP where the Panasonic system makes a long flight a lot more interesting, and personally I think there are some good films on at the moment (Shape of Water, Leave No Trace, The Seagull). Jumbo Upper Deck was and is one of the gems of the BA product.
been an aerophile since I was 7 years old collecting airlines’ printed schedules...the love of flying has never left me.