British Airways plans to improve its business class cabin
 

Extracted from http://www.ameinfo.com/news/Detailed/33358.html

British Airways has announced that Dubai has been included in their worldwide plans to trial a new business class service called Sleeper Service.

The trial, which takes place on BA106 flights between 12th and 15th January is designed to provide customers with a longer, more comfortable nights sleep by minimizing cabin disturbances and offering a more tailored catering service.

'We are looking to use the Dubai trial to gather as much feedback as possible from our Middle East customers, crew and staff. If the results show that our customers enjoy the service we will be looking to roll out the Sleeper Service concept on overnight flights in other Middle East countries,' said Debbie Frampton, Commercial Manager for Dubai & Northern Emirates.

The trial flights will include a choice of dining options as well as higher quality pillows and blankets aimed at maximizing comfort when sleeping on Club World flat beds.

Throughout the trials, customers can choose to enjoy a light 'nightcap' service after departure or if they feel hungrier, they can choose from a variety of substantial snacks from the All Night Deli, which is available at any time throughout the flight. Customers will also have the choice between a full Hot Breakfast on board or a full English or Continental breakfast at our Arrivals Lounge in London Heathrow.

'The aim of the Sleeper Service trial is to look at ways in which we can better meet our customer's needs for a longer nights sleep, enabling our business travelers to arrive in the UK feeling relaxed and ready to do business.

'Our Club World cabin is already popular with our customers and we continue to remain committed to looking at ways to further enhance our passengers' travel experience,' added Frampton.

This souds like Part 2 of the Sleeper service that was on the NYC-LHR run and trialled in November last year. I remember when plans for it were revealed in the summer we tore it apart as being a cost cutting measure

Maybe this is the response

Ughh... they should be improving Club World catering, not 'enhancing' it!! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

Or enhancing the cashews out of the bag... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

(ok, just something I have never understood from BA Business Class...)

Still, it is the seat why I fly business class, so food is just a bonus http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Can't wait - LHR-DXB was one of the few NCW flights on which I got almost no sleep.

I must admit that the 'AllNightDeli-Service' sounds like another 'enhancement' to me too.
Something along the lines of: 'BA is proud to announce a better nights sleep in NCW - in order not to distrub our customers we have done away with the noise of glasses plates and cutlery - a sandwich may be picked up in a soft tissue wrap in the downstairs galley' http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

In BA's defence as a former employee who did some work for NCW introduction, a "sleeper" service option was always part of the game plan. The thinking was to allow tailoring of the service to meet the needs of different types of travellers, those wanting to sleep all night, those wanting a conventional flight experience or those wanting to work as much as possible during the flight.

Whilst a big uptake of a "sleeper" service would probably save some money, it isnt a bad idea providing it isn't enforced upon all (not a strongpoint of BA's I fear). I definitely remember when I used to fly VS J to NYC that they used to do something similar in the upper deck of their 747s with a normal service in the main cabin, difficult to acheive this in a 777 though.

Minimizing cabin disturbances, eh? I wonder how they'd deal with the guy sitting next to me upstairs in NCW on Monday kept on smacking the screen between us with his hand when tossing and turning in his seat. And turning his redundant NCW overhead light on and off so that the privacy screen lit up like a bad amateur dramatics stageshow. Good for silhouette hand-puppets tho'. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

Then the ******* settled down and started snoring... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/rolleyes.gif

Slightly more on topic, it sounds like Virgin are rolling out a sleeper service in their new UC cots so this sounds like pretty close to the same arrangement.

Scott...

Perhaps the US Government have asked BA to cut back on food and drink at night to reduce nocturnal traffic to the toilets and further reduce q'ing?

I must admit that I have felt kind of guilty on some of my red-eye flights from the US to LHR when I've wanted the conventional full service while others around me were trying to sleep. On some occasions it's been that we've been working all day, and get to the airport with the bare minimum to check in, let alone pre-dine and the meal is the first solid food since breakfast. It would be hard to plan for those sort of occasions and ask for the eating or sleeping part of the cabin! Perhaps a seperate part of the cabin can be used as dining room!

I've also been the passanger that wants to sleep as soon as possible. AA offer a "Dine at Once" option where they present "starter" "entree" and a "specially prepared desert" served on one tray rather than course by course. However, the time I tried it, it took nearly as long as the standard service and in the rush to heat up my "entree" it was served luke-warm. Good concept, just need to work on the delivery a bit more.

It's been quite some time since NCW was introduced so IMHO it's going to need a lot more than a lame sleeper service to revamp it.

I'm thinking Limo service, better IFE, better food etc...

Do I sense a hint of sarcasm and cycnicism? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

I've always had good food in J, but then I am a student and my lunch today is toast with chocolate spread (EPC stuff though, its superb http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/tongue.gif)

I think VS can pull of the Limo service because it only flys the select routes. BA would struggle to keep on top if all CW passengers were brought to LHR by limo. Perhaps only for full fare???

I think there should be some distinction between the IFE in WT / WT+ / CW and F. I know there are some differences but I think its all got to the stage where its all pretty smiliar on BA flights. This didnt stop me trying to tear the IFE control panel out of the armrest in WT when I flew back from Washington. The cabin crew noticed me doing this as I was in an aisle seat just behind the galley and one young lady came back and said 'Sir back here they are fixed in the armrest' I looked sheepish and smiled back http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/redface.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/redface.gif

btw, dont EK now have some ridiculous number of channels on the A340-500 (the one with the doors in F) something like 500 channels http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/eek.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/eek.gif

I fear this proposal will end up like Virgin's Freedom Menu. The last time I took a VS late overnight departure I snacked in the Clubhouse with a view to getting some sleep. Didn't sleep much anyway and found the food inadequate. I'd rather have had a full service supper on board. I hope BA will pay attention to the service, it makes a difference.

Agreed - though I suspect that the best they could get away with would be a make over like the Kelly Hoppen one in First - otherwise it would be a complete fleet refit - and we haven't got rid of the cradle seats yet.

So better IFE as you say, a thicker cushion on the chair - maybe leather - with a roll over mini-matress come sleeping bag to put on top.

And full meal service if you want it whether it is night or day.....

Fraser You quite rightly did detect sarcasm above....but whilst it is the lowest form of wit...for us Brits I always thought it was often the funniest form of wit!! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif



[This message has been edited by edi-traveller (edited Jan 14, 2004).]

I'm not convinced about the Virgin limo service at LHR, to be honest. I've flown UC on Virgin a few times and I skip the limo into London as it's usually a nightmare. HEX and a taxi is faster and much less hassle than sitting parked in a queue of traffic 400 yards from the T3 parking garage exit. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif It's more useful in the US, but still not enough to be a deal-maker.

For NCW, I'd rather BA actually spent some time on the IFE tho'. Starting with upgrading the system so that it runs on, at the very least, a rack of digital video. I've lost count of the number of movies I've started watching only to have to abandon it halfway thu' because the tape's falling apart. These days, I'm usually carrying a couple of DVDs and watch 'em on my laptop instead. However, that only works when I'm travelling solo and not with The Boss.

As for extras, whatever happened to the Boeing Connexion internet trials on the NYC->LHR routes? Anyone use it? Getting internet connectivity on longer routes like the SFO->LHR would be a definite plus for the NCW cabin, I would have thought.

Scott...

And no prospect of getting rid of it on BMed flights to Central Asia, unless someone makes my day by knowing different?

Indeed http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thumbsup.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thumbsup.gif surely this is the 'bent British humour' that my girlfriends Mum refers to http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

PS. Why don't we export Alan Partridge to the US? They seem to have every other British programme on BBC America including ITV stuff http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/eek.gif but no Partridge http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thumbsdown.gif . If the American market can understand 'The Office' then I am sure Alan Partridge wouldn't get lost in translation

I did, briefly - it was on one of my overnight flights and I only used it for a short while before dinner to give it a try. It worked great, and I'd love for it to be standard. But the trial was this time last year, and since I've heard nothing more, I assume it wasn't heavily enough used to warrant the investment.

But thats the problem... it IS enforced on all, at least in these trials. And with future-size-and-shape-episodeIII about to come out, I doubt very much that a decision to implement would be any different...

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thumbsup.gif Good for those who want to sleep on planes!

I think the old LH C is really bad, BA is already miles ahead, so no need for further improvements... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Absolutely, but what about those that don't/can't or simply want to enjoy all the advertised features of the service they've paid £x,000 for first?

I think that if what we were seeing was a true enhancement it would be akin to Continental's Business First offering- where you can enjoy the full scheduled meal service or ask for the 'Executive' option at any time which is basically a single tray, quick to prepare with everything on it, so that you can scoff it all quickly and then sleep.

This is not what is being proposed.

[This message has been edited by dnw (edited Jan 14, 2004).]

It all comes down to choice and flexibility. If you've pad those multiple 000's for a J ticket I would like to be able to do what I want, when I want be that drink, eat, sleep or pull a muscle laughing at the office on the AVOD system. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

NCW has enabled me to sleep well on plane and I have few complaints about the drinks cart.

The 2 areas that need attention are catering (dnw's CO comparison is an interesting one) and the IFE is really quite poor in comparison to the leading edge. Both need re-developing to deliver that choice and flexibility.

This new service would work for me. I don't eat or drink that much on planes, and the extra sleep is what I want in NCW, especially if I have to do any work after landing. On my last trip, the crew served dinner pretty quickly after takeoff, and it was lights out after about 1-1/2 hours. Some enhancements to the IFE entertainment might be in order, but at some point that can become like the Bruce Springsteen song---500 channels and nothing is on.

So what really WOULD enhance Club World, especially if F is dropped...? multi-million pound cabin refits are not on the cards, but a few little things could add up to make a difference:

-Improved catering
-connexion on all ships
-AVOD & noise cancelling 'phones
-Improved seat padding (like the F makeover- wouldnt require a major refit)
-Better blankets and pillows

That would hit just the right spot with me, as a customer and a shareholder!

As above, but:
- Little duvet (VS style) instead of blanket would be dreamy (literally) http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif
- sleeper suits would be good (ok, maybe I am pushing it here!)
- wider choice of drinks at take-off.

I think some red-eye routes handle allowing passengers to sleep better than others...

My experience of LAX-LHR tends to be good: lights stay very low after take off, meal service served quickly and cleared quickly...

My experience of DEN/LHR (or, formerly, LGW) tends to be very bad: lights sometimes full on after take off, meal service and clear away taking about 3 HOURS (!) after take-off. Since this is a short flight, its a real pain.

Would like - as others have said - to see an quick meal offered on all red-eyes: so, if you choose (or have no choice through getting to the airport late) you can just eat quickly then sleep.

Think that BAs sleeper service is a good idea, providing it is not compulsory - otherwise some passengers may well vote with their feet... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

Hope that BA stays competitive and even gets a bit leading edge http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Boo

With carriers such as Emirates upgrading its F cabin and many others introducing flat beds in J anf F, BA should be taking a serious look at differentiating its premium cabins, to stay ahead of the game. I'm the first one to want a bit of shuteye on flights, but these catering 'enhancements' are just some cost-cutting bo**ocks conjured up by the marketing department.