Speculation on new F hard product
Mar 18, 2019, 5:33 pm
#16
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: BA - Blue > Bronze > Silver > Bronze > Blue
Posts: 6,812
I guess it may make a difference with sleeping, will it even protect your laptop screen from prying eyes walking past though?
Mar 18, 2019, 5:50 pm
#17
Join Date: Jun 2015
Programs: BA Silver, Skywards Silver
Posts: 113
Would be very happy with:
* A bigger, more luxurious version of the new J "suite" - more space, higher walls, bigger and more comfortable chair / bed, more storage space, high quality screen and IFE, "the door".
* Fewer seats in the cabin (i.e. 8).
* Bigger toilets.
* Free fast wifi.
* Ground services (e.g. limousine service, taking to gate from lounge, etc.)
* A bigger, more luxurious version of the new J "suite" - more space, higher walls, bigger and more comfortable chair / bed, more storage space, high quality screen and IFE, "the door".
* Fewer seats in the cabin (i.e. 8).
* Bigger toilets.
* Free fast wifi.
* Ground services (e.g. limousine service, taking to gate from lounge, etc.)
Mar 18, 2019, 5:54 pm
#18
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: BA - Blue > Bronze > Silver > Bronze > Blue
Posts: 6,812
Would be very happy with:
* A bigger, more luxurious version of the new J "suite" - more space, higher walls, bigger and more comfortable chair / bed, more storage space, high quality screen and IFE, "the door".
* Fewer seats in the cabin (i.e. 8).
* Bigger toilets.
* Free fast wifi.
* Ground services (e.g. limousine service, taking to gate from lounge, etc.)
* A bigger, more luxurious version of the new J "suite" - more space, higher walls, bigger and more comfortable chair / bed, more storage space, high quality screen and IFE, "the door".
* Fewer seats in the cabin (i.e. 8).
* Bigger toilets.
* Free fast wifi.
* Ground services (e.g. limousine service, taking to gate from lounge, etc.)
Your idea for the seat basically sounds like the 787 F seat with a door bolted on the side. I suspect this may ultimately be what they head for, with perhaps a slightly bigger footprint
Mar 18, 2019, 6:09 pm
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,540
I’d say the current seat in an F cabin with at most 7 other pax will still feel a lot more private than a shoulder height door closed in a cabin of 56.
I guess it may make a difference with sleeping, will it even protect your laptop screen from prying eyes walking past though?
Of course, it does not prevent the fact that the F seats are and will remain a lot more spacious (the new J seat looks excellent but quite a bit less spacious than the Q Suite for instance) so I think that those who favour space will still prefer F.
I also personally do not mind foot boxes, so that aspect of the new J seat is not a problem for me but I know that some regular posters dislike them very much so again, the people who mind that will still choose the F seat.
So I'd say that if you stick to current F, you'd have:
F: more space, more exclusivity, no box, but
J: could feel more private and has a sleek and modern design which some people might prefer
I personally suspect that with BA having gone the "door" way for J, they will ultimately offer either doors or removable curtains a la AF for F, but that is pure speculation on my part.
Mar 18, 2019, 6:24 pm
#20
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: BA - Blue > Bronze > Silver > Bronze > Blue
Posts: 6,812
I think that the smaller cabin with only 7 seats will definitely feel a lot more exclusive, but I'm not sure about more private. In fairness, I already find CW window seats more private than with the F seat but I find other CW seats very "un-private" whilst with the new CW that will change drastically.
Of course, it does not prevent the fact that the F seats are and will remain a lot more spacious (the new J seat looks excellent but quite a bit less spacious than the Q Suite for instance) so I think that those who favour space will still prefer F.
I also personally do not mind foot boxes, so that aspect of the new J seat is not a problem for me but I know that some regular posters dislike them very much so again, the people who mind that will still choose the F seat.
So I'd say that if you stick to current F, you'd have:
F: more space, more exclusivity, no box, but
J: could feel more private and has a sleek and modern design which some people might prefer
I personally suspect that with BA having gone the "door" way for J, they will ultimately offer either doors or removable curtains a la AF for F, but that is pure speculation on my part.
Of course, it does not prevent the fact that the F seats are and will remain a lot more spacious (the new J seat looks excellent but quite a bit less spacious than the Q Suite for instance) so I think that those who favour space will still prefer F.
I also personally do not mind foot boxes, so that aspect of the new J seat is not a problem for me but I know that some regular posters dislike them very much so again, the people who mind that will still choose the F seat.
So I'd say that if you stick to current F, you'd have:
F: more space, more exclusivity, no box, but
J: could feel more private and has a sleek and modern design which some people might prefer
I personally suspect that with BA having gone the "door" way for J, they will ultimately offer either doors or removable curtains a la AF for F, but that is pure speculation on my part.
Current BA F isn't really any better, you do have a fraction of people likely to walk past however.
Same seat on VA -
Mar 19, 2019, 1:12 am
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,540
I suspect that the photo is actually taken from a substantively higher vantage point than a standard human pair of eyes and from centre stage. In practice, i certainly don’t remember seeing quite as much as that. I’m sure one can see what people watch on their tv if one wants (I’ll admit I don’t!) but I’d expect it to be unlikely you’d see the people themselves especially in recline mode and with doors closed,
Mar 19, 2019, 1:59 am
#22
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Newcastle/London & Worldwide
Programs: BAEC Gold, Virgin Flying Club Silver
Posts: 818
I believe we should be expecting nothing more than a rollout of current 787-9 First with a few tweaks and a door - I guess the focus from an innovation point of view will be in soft product.
Mar 19, 2019, 3:07 am
#23
Join Date: Oct 2005
Programs: BA GGL & GfL, AA LTP, Marriott (sigh) Ambassador, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,237
agreed with above--the F seat is pretty great and the cabin quite spacious. personally i dont care for enclosed seats but if they would just up the food offerings, wine offerings, improved bedding and the like--i'd be a happy camper to continue F over J.
Mar 19, 2019, 4:05 am
#24
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 1,347
That's certainly what Mr Cruz seemed to be implying when he was talking about an evolution of the current best F seat.
Mar 19, 2019, 4:21 am
#25
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: London
Programs: plenty - ggl, ccr, etc, etc.
Posts: 1,704
It definitely wont be anywhere near as private as a CW window seat. Looking at these pics from VA, its clear that anyone walking to the Loo, will have a very clear view of what you're up to, door closed or not. I think the door will increase the feeling of privacy a lot though (which ultimately is the important thing for most), esp when sleeping and is obviously a huge step up over a current CW aisle.
Current BA F isn't really any better, you do have a fraction of people likely to walk past however.
Same seat on VA -
Current BA F isn't really any better, you do have a fraction of people likely to walk past however.
Same seat on VA -
what do people get up to in CW that no requires doors and privacy screens? The mind boggles.
Or or is this just ‘door envy’?
To me the seat comfort and leg space matters far more than a door in F or J. The QF and JAL F seats are perhaps the best commercial F seat out there (non me3). No doors and that rubbish- just a great seat and F+B.
I suspect that while aspirational F travellers like doors etc, regular users and payers might have other priorities.
ps for all the talk the A380 and 777 F seats already have a lot more room and width than even this new club seems to have.
Mar 19, 2019, 4:22 am
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 21,170
It is not about the money, it is not about the ease. I can't think of an airline with F and WiFi that does not offer it for free. And I can think about some offering it for free in J. So it is about not coming across as nickle and diming the passengers in F.
Mar 19, 2019, 5:39 am
#27
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: London and Brussels
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 170
I would be amazed that the new first does not offer more privacy than the brand new CW product ....there we see privacy between passengers but not privacy towards the cabin crew. I hope this was deliberately done in order to offer full privacy in the new first cabin.
just to be mischievous
Mar 19, 2019, 10:23 am
#29
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: OSL
Programs: BA Gold | SK Gold | A3 Gold
Posts: 4,553
A better hard product on the ground - especially getting from transfer security to CCR, the fact that CCR is loud and noisy, and the horrors of a transfer between T5 and T3.
In the air - I really like on the 747 in 1A, not having anyone walk past. But that is 1-2 seats on one aircraft type. On the 380 there is a lot of traffic, although it is nice not having a seat opposite. There is more square footage, but the design is quite poor and the space badly used.
I suppose they can't realistically place all restrooms aft of the F cabin on all aircraft, but as mentioned up thread it would be nice to have some differentiation to the C/Y restrooms.
A more spacious (and wider) seat, with privacy doors (like what LX has), without a reduction of width at your feet while sleeping. So not any drastic changes, really.
In the air - I really like on the 747 in 1A, not having anyone walk past. But that is 1-2 seats on one aircraft type. On the 380 there is a lot of traffic, although it is nice not having a seat opposite. There is more square footage, but the design is quite poor and the space badly used.
I suppose they can't realistically place all restrooms aft of the F cabin on all aircraft, but as mentioned up thread it would be nice to have some differentiation to the C/Y restrooms.
A more spacious (and wider) seat, with privacy doors (like what LX has), without a reduction of width at your feet while sleeping. So not any drastic changes, really.
Mar 19, 2019, 11:10 am
#30
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: BA - Blue > Bronze > Silver > Bronze > Blue
Posts: 6,812
Lufthansa are one for starters