A new HKG-LGW Biz fare just out

http://www.xe.com/ucc/convert/?Amount=16600&From=HKD&To=GBP

Just under £1,400 at the moment. Not a bad deal. I presume this is the new HK Airlines club service.

http://www.hongkongairlines.com/club

No, £981 rtn in WT+ and includes tax (often the improved “new” WT+ in this route):

http://www.britishairways.com/travel/new-world-traveller-plus/public/en_gb

HK Airlines is £1400 but excludes tax (about £250 at a guess) for a non flat-bed business seat.

I think Hong Kong Airlines would be worth trying, but until we know what seats they are actually planning on using (with pictures) I’d be reluctant to part with any cash at this early stage.

I think this was missed as it came out during Christmas.
The HKA office in Hanoi have put their corporate presentation out on the web and it has a lot more info than you can get from the HKA website.
This is a link to the Powerpoint and it looks pretty good.

http://hanhx.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/ac-agency-corporate-product-presentation-london.pptx

Only one of the 2 BA rotations to HKG features New World Traveller + because it is operated by a 777 300.

The seats on Business Classic look like the old BA Club World Cradle Seats.

A quick look at the new WT+ cabin recently on a 777 300 flight would suggest the Hong Kong Airlines product to be superior.

VK, with respect, I think HK airlines club classic looks nothing like BA WT+. Not sure when you last travelled on WT+ but 51 inch is very different to what BA currently have (34% more to be precise). Im a regular traveller on the supposed ‘new seat embodied routes’ and have yet to find it. In fact, on checking in to Dubai recently, the check in agent swore blind the new seats dont even exist, as had never heard of them. The entertainment is virtually un-watchable the screens are so small / poor condition.

The HK product looks great and I wish them luck.

I enjoy your posts and you are clearly very knowledgeable, but to say this new planned product is akin to BA WT+ is ludicrous.

The aircraft which serve Dubai are the GE90 777s with the tiny unwatcheable screens in economy – these are currently being revamped, the CSD on my recent flight told me he had flown one on a Middle East route only last week, so the refurbished interiors are beginning to come online, and should be done by mid 2012…

HKG often has one of the four 777-300ER which has the new WT+ cabin; another two aircraft go into service very soon indeed. DXB never gets the -300ER.

I recognise that HKG Airlines looks like a nice Business Classic product; but they are untested, no air miles to be earned as far as I’m aware, and are planning on charging £1400 plus tax (assume about £250) return, and to Gatwick as well.

So for £1650 you get Club Classic, but for £981 – an almost 40% saving – you get a choice of daily flights, all the support of a oneworld carrier (lounges, interlining, miles and an LHR destination point) so it’s worth assessing the value of each product. I think new WT+ is 40 inches, so the difference to HKG’s 51 inches isn’t that great.

Don’t quote me out of context and suggest I’m saying that WT+ is better than Club Classic – it doesn’t look like it is. But I’m also not certain it’s worth the more than 50% premium price over WT+.

HKG Airlines will have to introduce keener prices if they are to win market share on this route.

These £1400 fares (plus £250 tax) are for Business Classic, which is akin to a Premium Economy product, with old-style cradle seats. For comparison BA can fly you to Heathrow for £981 (round trip) in a similar seat.

Club Premier will feature luxury suites in a 1-2-1 configuration which convert from a superbly comfortable seat to a fully flat 6’1″ bed.

Club Classic will feature extra wide and supportive cradle recliner seats in a very spacious 2-2-2 configuration, with a spacious 51 inch seat pitch.

The fare difference is not “a small surcharge over WT”. It’s £981 vs. £1650 – more than 50% more. Might be worth it for some people, but it’s not yet a compelling proposition.

I think competition is great, but more at the £1200 price point for Bus Classic old-style seat, and maybe £2000 for the Bus Premium flat bed offering.

HKG Airlines will have to introduce keener prices if they are to win market share on this route.

I agree with VK on that point, to pry pax from other carriers they wre going to have to be keener on price, even in the short term to get people trying them out