BA A350 - No first class cabin [initial deliveries 3 class, with 4 class to follow]
Nov 4, 2018, 3:34 am
#17
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Brisbane
Programs: BAEC Blue/Bronze, Krisflyer, Qantas
Posts: 417
the prem econ trend started long before AA and most would argue that the US are late in that game.
Of course Middle East carriers struggle filling F seats, unless coming from the ‘sticks’ no one who can truly afford F (I mean buys last minute/always flexible) wants to connect in the Middle East. That’s why LX, LH, CX can afford to keep an F cabin because their home markets dictate the cabin and in a similar vein why BA should be able to too. Of course in a slimmed down offering, reduced route network which is of course the path they’ll go down.
Nov 4, 2018, 4:37 am
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 12,046
BA will gladly sell F seats that would otherwise go unsold at CW plus a small delta, and at some points in the booking window even appear to deliberately over-price CW vs. F so that passengers who don't have access to corporate discounts will pay a little extra and take F instead. Meanwhile BA are aggressive with AUPs and Avios availability too, but only when the seats would otherwise go unsold. Hence BA F cabins are indeed full of redemptions, AUPs and upgrades. But that does not really matter, because when necessary they are also full of real mccoy fully flexible F-paying passengers too.
There may in fact be a polarisation of the perception of reality among BA F passengers in the sense that if you are a true F passenger you will take flights mainly only with other true F passengers as these are the flights that true F passengers demand. Meanwhile if you an A-fare payer, a UUA-er or buy AUPs then maybe it is more likely than not that your flight will be busy in F with other similar passengers. Of course here on FT we tend to find the latter.
The ME3 have not yet learnt how to do F pricing like BA. There might even be political pressure at home to keep F yields up too even if seats go unsold, viz "this seat is representing my emirate", says the Sheikh, "we can't let it go too cheaply otherwise that will make us look bad"...
Nov 5, 2018, 1:31 pm
#20
Join Date: May 2013
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Nov 5, 2018, 2:02 pm
#21
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: United Kingdom
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Jan 12, 2019, 1:50 pm
#23
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
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Jan 12, 2019, 2:03 pm
#24
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: UK
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Jan 12, 2019, 2:12 pm
#26
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,246
Business: 46 (flat bed)
Premium Economy: 32
Economy: 256
It seems the BA CW seats may extend into a small non-dorm cabin in the second section of the cabin. Just a guess really.
Last edited by FlyerTalker39574; Jan 12, 2019 at 2:18 pm
Jan 12, 2019, 2:24 pm
#27
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC GGL/GFl, HH Diamond, BW Diamond, Virgin Voyages Deep Blue Extra, Blue Peter Badge Holder
Posts: 3,937
If we compare this with CX https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_...a350/1000.html
Business: 46 (flat bed)
Premium Economy: 32
Economy: 256
It seems the BA CW seats may extend into a small non-dorm cabin in the second section of the cabin. Just a guess really.
Last edited by navylad; Jan 12, 2019 at 2:30 pm
Jan 12, 2019, 2:28 pm
#28
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,797
If we compare this with CX https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_...a350/1000.html
Business: 46 (flat bed)
Premium Economy: 32
Economy: 256
It seems the BA CW seats may extend into a small non-dorm cabin in the second section of the cabin. Just a guess really.
Jan 12, 2019, 4:08 pm
#30
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: U.K.
Programs: BA Exec Club Gold, Hilton Honors Diamond
Posts: 277