Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > British Airways | Executive Club
Reload this Page >

Should there be a limit to where BA use NEO?

Community
Wiki Posts
Search

Should there be a limit to where BA use NEO?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jan 8, 2023, 5:29 am
  #1  
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Original Poster
 
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: 30,514
Should there be a limit to where BA use NEO?

Anyone sitting in the back part of NEO planes will probably know what I mean when I say they are really uncomfortable.

I know that AF will not normally fly their equivalent planes beyond a certain distance (initially they were intended for domestic only but this has now been extended to flights of up to 2hr30 I think.) not sure if lh has any such restriction. I’ve seen the neo flights regularly used to LCA and even saw them used to CAI. I realise it’s a commercial decision but spare a thought for people often spending 6 hours ((once you count boarding and de boarding) in those nasty seats…
orbitmic is offline  
Old Jan 8, 2023, 5:58 am
  #2  
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: UK
Programs: BA Executive Club - Gold
Posts: 257
Unfortunately, the correlation between the 'lightweight and therefore fuel efficient' seats fitted to the most fuel efficient planes and long routes make commercial sense, regardless of passenger experience, especially on routes where the competition (EZY / FR) have those seats throughout the whole cabin so I'd expect to see the NEOs deployed on the longer routes as a matter of priority.

At least with BA you have the chance to 'escape' into what we would consider 'normal' seats via CE / status / outright paying for seats.

The race to the bottom continues....

CB
IAMORGAN, bhomburg, becks1 and 3 others like this.
cbyrne92 is offline  
Old Jan 8, 2023, 6:12 am
  #3  
 
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
Most people sitting down the back are price driven on short haul, so the cheaper that BA can make those seats being fuel efficient, the cheaper they can commercially sell those seats for.

if you don't want to be sat in those seats, if you have status you can select seats further forward, or if not pay for one. Alternatively pay for J.
navylad is offline  
Old Jan 8, 2023, 7:01 am
  #4  
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: A3*G,BA Silver
Posts: 2,010
Originally Posted by navylad
Most people sitting down the back are price driven on short haul, so the cheaper that BA can make those seats being fuel efficient, the cheaper they can commercially sell those seats for.

if you don't want to be sat in those seats, if you have status you can select seats further forward, or if not pay for one. Alternatively pay for J.
Not sure how accurate this is. Have you flown recently on a neo beyond the emergency exits? The seats are terrible and we are talking for about half of the plane seats?

The neo seats are terrible with most airlines and you cannot really do more than 2,3 hours max at the back unless you are under 1,70cm.

Last edited by Prospero; Jan 8, 2023 at 11:42 am Reason: Remove inflammatory remark
ermis177 is offline  
Old Jan 8, 2023, 7:20 am
  #5  
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,936
Originally Posted by ermis177
Not sure how accurate this is. Have you flown recently on a neo beyond the emergency exits? The seats are terrible and we are talking for about half of the plane seats?
aren’t they the same as the new Easyjet seats which are throughout the aircraft? How do passengers on Easyjet cope?

I am not sure how terrible they are - I personally haven’t sat on them but have heard varying opinions from those that have - but unfortunately ba does have to compete.
robertf999 and bhomburg like this.
KARFA is offline  
Old Jan 8, 2023, 7:21 am
  #6  
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 3,589
Originally Posted by ermis177
Not sure how accurate this is. Have you flown recently on a neo beyond the emergency exits? The seats are terrible and we are talking for about half of the plane seats?

The neo seats are terrible with most airlines and you cannot really do more than 2,3 hours max at the back unless you are under 1,70cm.
Whether you agree or disagree, this is the reality of BA in 2023.

To guarantee seats in the front half of the plane (without knowing where the divider will be placed), where seats are more comfortable, seats recline and the legroom a tad more generous you need to consider Club. Alternatively you need to fly another airline where they take customer comfort in Economy more seriously than BA take it.
SxMan, AnaTravel, Ramos and 1 others like this.

Last edited by Prospero; Jan 8, 2023 at 11:43 am Reason: Amend quotation
1Aturnleft is offline  
Old Jan 8, 2023, 7:40 am
  #7  
 
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: UK. West Sussex
Programs: BAEC. Gold
Posts: 786
Originally Posted by ermis177
Not sure how accurate this is. Have you flown recently on a neo beyond the emergency exits? The seats are terrible and we are talking for about half of the plane seats?.
I presume that this is the 321neo?

By emergency exit seats, do you mean those around row 10/11 or those at row 23/24?
Fatdickie is offline  
Old Jan 8, 2023, 7:49 am
  #8  
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 122
Sorry for being thick, but are there two types of seats on the NEOs? Some which are less comfortable than others with the less comfortable ones being down the back and more comfortable nearer the front? And we don’t know where the dividing line is between the two?
BAAMEXPP is offline  
Old Jan 8, 2023, 7:53 am
  #9  
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: UK
Programs: BA GGL, BA Amex Prem, Amex Plat, Hilton Diamond, Sir Crazy8534 de l'ordres des aides de Pucci
Posts: 4,447
Originally Posted by BAAMEXPP
Sorry for being thick, but are there two types of seats on the NEOs? Some which are less comfortable than others with the less comfortable ones being down the back and more comfortable nearer the front? And we don’t know where the dividing line is between the two?
Yes, on the A321 Neo the non-reclining seats are from row 15 backwards.
I believe this means that the maximum size of the CE cabin is 14 rows.
On the A320 Neo the non-reclining seats start from row 13.

I too have never travelled in these seats- am I correct in thinking that they don't have adjustable headrests?
Are there other aspects that make them particularly uncomfortable?
Are they worse than the FR seats?
becks1, SxMan, Fatdickie and 1 others like this.
crazy8534 is online now  
Old Jan 8, 2023, 7:58 am
  #10  
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BA Pyrite
Posts: 179
I find the fabric covered Recaro SL3510s (the non-recliners) on EasyJet comfier than the BA faux-leather vinyl. Perhaps that's the difference?
Zzzap is offline  
Old Jan 8, 2023, 8:02 am
  #11  
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,769
Yes, the cover fabric is - which is very thin in both cases - is the only difference with easyJet's new seating, and few people would notice that, as kind of evidenced by the cagey responses upthread. There are also threads saying Pinnacle is more uncomfortable than easyJet.
crazy8534 and becks1 like this.
corporate-wage-slave is online now  
Old Jan 8, 2023, 8:10 am
  #12  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, SQ Gold, KQ Platinum, IHG Diamond Ambassador, Hilton Gold, Marriott Silver, Accor Silver
Posts: 16,348
I had this displeasure of 34A on an A321neo yesterday - very last minute booking (thankfully only to GVA), and it was the only window or aisle available. They are without a doubt the most uncomfortable seats I've sat on on an aircraft.





Compare to 11A on an A320neo. This is admittedly an exit row so don't get too distracted by the seat pitch - the padding on all aspects of the seat is the key comparison point here, as well as the eye-level iPad / literature holder and adjustable headrest.



Genius1 is offline  
Old Jan 8, 2023, 8:15 am
  #13  
Hilton Contributor BadgeHyatt Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,717
Presumably this discrepancy will be solved when BA move all their seating to the A321 standard in the medium term. It makes me think of the old 2x2 CE seats from earlier on in my career - I can’t even fully picture them any more.
BA or bust and SxMan like this.
EuropeanPete is online now  
Old Jan 8, 2023, 8:46 am
  #14  
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: A3*G,BA Silver
Posts: 2,010
Originally Posted by KARFA
aren’t they the same as the new Easyjet seats which are throughout the aircraft? How do passengers on Easyjet cope?

I am not sure how terrible they are - I personally haven’t sat on them but have heard varying opinions from those that have - but unfortunately ba does have to compete.
3 things. First of all BA is advertising itself as a premium airline. EasyJet does not. Secondly, BA offers some very “premium fares” for these terrible seats. EasyJet is cheaper or much cheaper most of the times. Last no offence but we seem to have a few people here that either never flew a product or haven’t flown for 20 years but always ready to comment. I have flown only a few times “at the back” of a neo and I can tell you it’s horrible. To be objective, I had the same experience with other airlines too not just BA.
ermis177 is offline  
Old Jan 8, 2023, 8:54 am
  #15  
 
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 7,236
Originally Posted by orbitmic
Anyone sitting in the back part of NEO planes will probably know what I mean when I say they are really uncomfortable.

I know that AF will not normally fly their equivalent planes beyond a certain distance (initially they were intended for domestic only but this has now been extended to flights of up to 2hr30 I think.) not sure if lh has any such restriction. I’ve seen the neo flights regularly used to LCA and even saw them used to CAI. I realise it’s a commercial decision but spare a thought for people often spending 6 hours ((once you count boarding and de boarding) in those nasty seats…
I flew Lufthansa to Baku on their NEK-equipped planes back a few years ago. I've also flown Wizzair from BUD to Astana. Ditto Ukraine Int'l from Kyiv to Almaty and back, several times, on their 737s with the thin seats. I knew what I was getting, I knew what sort of seats they had, and I knew it wouldn't be as comfy as, say, a flat bed. But it's not as if anyone forced me, or I was sold one thing and given another.

No one is forcing anyone to fly BA. If one doesn't fancy BA to CAI, well then there's Egyptair, or countless options with a transfer; out of London there's usually another player, if not two or more, for most routes. If BA doesn't give you what you need/want, then look elsewhere it's what I'd say.
13901 is offline  


Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.