New First Class
#76
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: BAEC Gold, EK Skywards (enhanced Blue !), Oman Air Sindbad Gold
Posts: 6,382
I don’t have precise percentage figures. A good number of people - have come across many myself in my travels - make regular use of CCR ahead of s/haul sectors which of course don’t carry F. Added to that are those CCR holders who choose not to book F when flying longhaul.
Whether or not changes to CCR eventually result - whether in terms of space / or eligibility for access - from changes to F class capacity remains to be seen. But with all else that’s going on, I guess that isn’t really top of the agenda right now.
Whether or not changes to CCR eventually result - whether in terms of space / or eligibility for access - from changes to F class capacity remains to be seen. But with all else that’s going on, I guess that isn’t really top of the agenda right now.
#77
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Arizona
Programs: BA (GGL G4L), AA (Gold), HH (Diamond); Marriott (Gold)
Posts: 3,011
The biggest reason to put eight rather than 14 seats up front, really, is to cram more CW seats into the aircraft body (plus that smaller F layout will quickly jump from A-fare availability to F-fare with a huge price). Although WT+ is probably a more lucrative area to increase capacity - as I've seen a lot of large companies drop business travel policy to premium in the last few years and those cabins are often rammed on many routes.
#78
Join Date: Apr 2008
Programs: Confirmed
Posts: 1,091
Frankly, BA F is worse than LH/AF/LX, it's always full, but it's not that expensive at the moment. I'm OK for CW+.
Which FTSE 100 company allows longhaul F class travel for most of its employees in travel policy? Name one please.
I used to work for a Canary Wharf based US firm in 2009 and our EMEA Chairman apologised twice to our CFO after said that he wants to retire because flying between NY and London is taking too much personal time, however Willie Walsh is a good friend and he thought BA First was great. And he was #2 or #3 person in the company. I remember "first class is generally forbidden" is written in travel policy.
#79
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: United Kingdom
Programs: BAEC Blue, Flying Blue Silver, Hilton Gold, Marriot Gold
Posts: 817
OP suggested that this 'BA senior chap in City' said it'll be cash only in future. Or did I misread?
Frankly, BA F is worse than LH/AF/LX, it's always full, but it's not that expensive at the moment. I'm OK for CW+.
Which FTSE 100 company allows longhaul F class travel for most of its employees in travel policy? Name one please.
I used to work for a Canary Wharf based US firm in 2009 and our EMEA Chairman apologised twice to our CFO after said that he wants to retire because flying between NY and London is taking too much personal time, however Willie Walsh is a good friend and he thought BA First was great. And he was #2 or #3 person in the company. I remember "first class is generally forbidden" is written in travel policy.
Frankly, BA F is worse than LH/AF/LX, it's always full, but it's not that expensive at the moment. I'm OK for CW+.
Which FTSE 100 company allows longhaul F class travel for most of its employees in travel policy? Name one please.
I used to work for a Canary Wharf based US firm in 2009 and our EMEA Chairman apologised twice to our CFO after said that he wants to retire because flying between NY and London is taking too much personal time, however Willie Walsh is a good friend and he thought BA First was great. And he was #2 or #3 person in the company. I remember "first class is generally forbidden" is written in travel policy.
#80
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: UK
Programs: Mucci. And BA Gold previous awards - Gold 11, Silver 7, Bronze 4.
Posts: 4,164
To be honest the only reason BA have had to discount it to fill seats is because the current offering is frankly crap.
They can kid themselves all they wish about 8 seat cabins and exclusivity but when they actually employ exemplary crew on every flight not occasional ones, when they provide high standard food and beverage not the cheapest option, when they provide chauffeur service etc then people may consider paying it.
The only people who have devalued First are BA and if they really think people are going to pay 7k-12k to have anything other than perfection then they really are stupid. And under this senior management team running it they are incapable of providing that as all they know is cost cutting and budgets.
They can kid themselves all they wish about 8 seat cabins and exclusivity but when they actually employ exemplary crew on every flight not occasional ones, when they provide high standard food and beverage not the cheapest option, when they provide chauffeur service etc then people may consider paying it.
The only people who have devalued First are BA and if they really think people are going to pay 7k-12k to have anything other than perfection then they really are stupid. And under this senior management team running it they are incapable of providing that as all they know is cost cutting and budgets.
#81
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA
Programs: Hyatt LT Globalist, Marriot LT Titanium, UA 2.4MM, HH Gold, AS MVPG
Posts: 3,399
It also seems that 8F vs 14 doesnt currently (always) impact award availability. For instance I wanted to get two LHR-SFO F awards, two flights both with 14F fully open at booking window, none available. But easily got SJC which is an 8F cabin.
#82
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club, easyJet and Ryanair
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: UK/Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold (GGL/CCR)
Posts: 15,882
#83
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Northants, UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 111
#84
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Northants, UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 111
OP suggested that this 'BA senior chap in City' said it'll be cash only in future. Or did I misread?
Frankly, BA F is worse than LH/AF/LX, it's always full, but it's not that expensive at the moment. I'm OK for CW+.
Which FTSE 100 company allows longhaul F class travel for most of its employees in travel policy? Name one please.
I used to work for a Canary Wharf based US firm in 2009 and our EMEA Chairman apologised twice to our CFO after said that he wants to retire because flying between NY and London is taking too much personal time, however Willie Walsh is a good friend and he thought BA First was great. And he was #2 or #3 person in the company. I remember "first class is generally forbidden" is written in travel policy.
Frankly, BA F is worse than LH/AF/LX, it's always full, but it's not that expensive at the moment. I'm OK for CW+.
Which FTSE 100 company allows longhaul F class travel for most of its employees in travel policy? Name one please.
I used to work for a Canary Wharf based US firm in 2009 and our EMEA Chairman apologised twice to our CFO after said that he wants to retire because flying between NY and London is taking too much personal time, however Willie Walsh is a good friend and he thought BA First was great. And he was #2 or #3 person in the company. I remember "first class is generally forbidden" is written in travel policy.
#85
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: Regarded as total and utter snob amongst the BAEC community.
Posts: 971
In which case I suggest people should strongly consider changing jobs if their family or personal time mean anything to them.
#86
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: US Air, UA BA LH AI DELTA MARRIOTT CHOICE SGP
Posts: 9,882
#87
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: BA - Blue > Bronze > Silver > Bronze > Blue
Posts: 6,812
OP suggested that this 'BA senior chap in City' said it'll be cash only in future. Or did I misread?
Frankly, BA F is worse than LH/AF/LX, it's always full, but it's not that expensive at the moment. I'm OK for CW+.
Which FTSE 100 company allows longhaul F class travel for most of its employees in travel policy? Name one please.
I used to work for a Canary Wharf based US firm in 2009 and our EMEA Chairman apologised twice to our CFO after said that he wants to retire because flying between NY and London is taking too much personal time, however Willie Walsh is a good friend and he thought BA First was great. And he was #2 or #3 person in the company. I remember "first class is generally forbidden" is written in travel policy.
Frankly, BA F is worse than LH/AF/LX, it's always full, but it's not that expensive at the moment. I'm OK for CW+.
Which FTSE 100 company allows longhaul F class travel for most of its employees in travel policy? Name one please.
I used to work for a Canary Wharf based US firm in 2009 and our EMEA Chairman apologised twice to our CFO after said that he wants to retire because flying between NY and London is taking too much personal time, however Willie Walsh is a good friend and he thought BA First was great. And he was #2 or #3 person in the company. I remember "first class is generally forbidden" is written in travel policy.
i doubt most FTSE100 businesses offer J travel to most of their employees.
I flew LH f last year from BOS, 6/8 seats full, 3 obviously businessman (all together), a seemingly old money type couple and me a redeeemer.
This I imagine would be the similar make up of BA in any new world. F to only a select few (10-12) destinations, where there is significant high value traffic. No sale discounting, the odd redemption seat.
This would easily allow a much better service, increase the exclusivity, while also offering the odd redemption seat at non peak times
Last edited by Cap'n Benj; Mar 1, 2019 at 11:27 am
#88
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: Regarded as total and utter snob amongst the BAEC community.
Posts: 971
#89
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold, A3 *Gold
Posts: 887
why do you care? If peoples employers dont mind them using miles for leisure travel why do you? I dont think it would be humanly possible for anyone to accumulate enough Avios for a an F redemption from travel their employer wouldnt want them to be doing anyway. The number of people who fly considerably more than they have to on their employers money must be incredibly small.
#90
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 3,190
Hello icegirl. I have to ask, why are you here? Not trying to be funny, but I would think that most people on this forum would like to have the option of redeeming their hard earned Avios for a trip in F, even if those opportunities were very few and far between - to help keep it exclusive, in the new BA World Order! But you appear to be saying that you think that F should absolutely be for paid tickets only. Why is that? That would seem somewhat contrary to the reason for being a member of an FF program. But maybe I'm misunderstanding and/or not appreciating your particular point of view.
rb211.
rb211.