FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - READ THIS FIRST >>> The Ultimate BA Guide!
Old Aug 4, 2007, 3:18 am
  #5  
Shuttle-Bored
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,929
Travel Classes

BA has four different classes of travel. They are:

First
Club World and Club Europe (Business Class)
World Traveller Plus (Premium Economy)
World Traveller and Euro Traveller (Economy / Coach)

Note: From July 2006 AVOD (Audio Video On Demand) began rolling out across the fleet, in all classes of service. From early 2007, New Club World (www.newclubworld.com) began rolling out across the 747 fleet, which is now complete. The first 777 went in to be fitted in Early May 2008 and commenced service at the end of that month. Rumour has it that the 777 embodiment will run over the course of a year or so. The 767s have all received AVOD but none will ever receive the New Club World seating.

Even more important note: there is NO WAY to predict or plan for sure whether your particular 777 flight will have New Club World! Aircraft are being refitted gradually and there is an effort afoot to track which routes these planes appear on the most, percentage wise – see http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=633240 for more details but do bear in mind there is no way someone can tell you for sure what configuration your plane will have until the entire fleet is finally converted. The only ‘guarantee’ is that all 747 operations are New Club World now .

First (Picture) is on all 747 equipment, located in the nose, and on some 777 aircraft. The 747’s have 14 seats, the 777’s have 13, 14 or 17 depending on type. It is a 6’6” bed that goes totally flat. Also there is an ottoman, which, if travelling with a companion, can be used by them to sit on, allowing you to dine facing each other. The seat also features EmPower which is what most airlines use for providing in-seat power. There is a video screen, which gives access to the 12 or 18 channel entertainment system on the aircraft (or AVOD if available). Additionally, on 777’s that have not had AVOD installed as part of the ‘NGCW’ upgrade, there’s a Hi-8 video player allowing you to watch movies supplied by the crew (this has now been removed from all 747’s). On some routes (primarily 777s which have the “small” video screens) your crew will also provide a portable DVD player and a selection of DVDs for your use. You also get a nice amenity kit, with an Anya Hindmarch designed BAg (with Kiehls toiletries). The ‘turndown service’ is now available on all bar a few of the short fifth-freedom flights (BA72/73, BA124/125 and BA246/247), with a mattress pad, duvet and pillow, a pair of slippers and the dark blue pyjamas (emblazoned with the First logo). Good crew should offer to make up your bed at the appropriate time!

BA has a flash animation that shows the product’s features in more detail:
http://www.britishairways.com/travel...c/public/en_gb

Club World (Picture) comes in two varieties these days! The first is New Club World – the newest variation (sometimes called ‘NGCW’ for ‘Next Generation Club World’ on here). See above for some further background.

The second is what ‘used’ to be called ‘New Club World’. Confusing, eh? This configuration is probably just best referred to as CW or ‘Club World’ now. This is the minimum level of product you will find on all BA Mainline aircraft (i.e. 777 and 767). It offers a 6-foot, fully flat and horizontal bed. Like First, it also features Empower and the same IFE options, though there is no tape player. The seats alternate forward and backwards facing to fit together in an almost yin/yang like shape. The ‘New Club World’ product offers incremental and evolutionary improvements to this ground-breaking seat, and retains the same physical layout.

Currently, all Club World amenity kits feature Elemis products in a nice brown ‘foldover’ bag.

BA has a flash animation that shows the product’s features in more detail:
http://www.britishairways.com/travel/cwexp/public/en_gb

World Traveller Plus (Picture) is an improved economy product, and definitely not a downgraded business class. It features eight abreast seating (6 abreast on the 767), instead of nine or ten abreast, and a 38” pitch. They are new seats, specially designed by Recaro and have foot rests and extra recline. They also have Empower. The discounted WT+ fares are typically around £400 more than the cheapest WT fares (£200 each way). WT+ passengers receive the same food as World Traveller passengers, but do benefit from being served first (oh, and getting a real glass not a plastic cup for their wine!). There is no stated benefit of dedicated check-in desks for WT+ but gradually more and more airports are offering them (e.g. LHR T4, LAX, IAD at least). In general, however, WT+ passengers check in with the rest of World Traveller. Note that you get no rights to use the Fast Track security lane at LHR or LGW with a WT+ ticket.

BA has a flash animation that shows the product’s features in more detail: http://www.britishairways.com/travel...p/public/en_gb

World Traveller (Picture) is standard economy. It’s 3-4-3 on the 747, 3-3-3 on the 777 and 2-3-2 on the 767. It’s got a 31” pitch and each seat has a personal TV with either 12 or 18 channels depending on the aircraft (or AVOD if present). There is no at seat power.

Club Europe (Picture) is the European business class seat. On the narrow body planes, it’s configured with convertible five-abreast seating. This means on the left hand (ABC) side of the aircraft, the B seat squishes, leaving wider A C seats (an extra two inches or so). On the right hand (DEF) side, they expand giving around an extra couple of inches per seat. If the flight is busy, BA will sell the E (middle) seat. The front two thirds of the aircraft can be converted like this according to how many Club passengers they are expecting. The curtain also gets moved to wherever the divide is that day. Club Europe has around a 34” pitch, so not particularly generous, but adequate. Some newer Airbuses have 120V European style plug sockets, although there aren’t too many of these. The new A321’s should have them. On the 767 aircraft, Club Europe is configured 2-2-2 with the ‘collapsed’ seat being in the middle block (DF).

If you’re travelling ex-LCY on the BA CityFlyer services operated be the BAe 146 aircraft, a similar principle applies except it’s the right side which is convertible (i.e. Club Europe is 3-2 seating).

The diagram below (created by jamespvg) illustrates this convertible seating:

Code:
1 A---C   D--E--F
2 A---C   D--E--F
3 A---C   D--E--F
-----CURTAIN-----
4 A---C     D-E-F
5 A-B-C     D-E-F
6 A-B-C     D-E-F
7 A-B-C     D-E-F
etc...
Here, rows 1-3 are Club Europe, row 4 is the first row of Euro Traveller (with the AC seats still in Club Europe format) and rows 5 and onwards are standard Euro Traveller.

BA has a flash animation that shows the product’s features in more detail:
http://www.britishairways.com/travel/ceexp/public/en_gb

Euro Traveller (Picture) is the European economy class. On the narrow bodies, it’s in a normal 3-3 configuration, while on the 767, it’s 2-3-2. Again it has a 31” pitch. One side effect of the convertible seating on the narrow body aircraft is that the very first row of Euro Traveller, on the left hand side also features this A C configuration, with no B seat. They are the best in Euro Traveller.

UK Domestic (aka Shuttle) is the single economy class available on all UK routes using Airbus A319/20/21 and Boeing 757 to/from LHR; Boeing 737 to/from LGW. These types feature 3-3 configuration throughout. London City services operated by subsidiary BA CityFlyer feature Avro (configured 3-3). All BA flights still retain ‘full service’ in all cabins (i.e. complimentary catering).

On the Domestic RJ-100 operations, the window seats are extremely cramped. Seats in the middle are slightly larger...but at the price of overhead locker space. The best seats may be at the back (18DF) since there is no middle seat. Also, when flying into LCY at least being at the back is better since you will actually be slightly closer to the terminal when disembarking than at the front.

Last edited by Shuttle-Bored; Jun 2, 2008 at 2:27 pm Reason: June 08 Update
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