VintageKrug - 01/07/2009 20:40 GMT
"Snug" Europe is No More from Glorious 12th!!
BA's Club Europe shorthaul service was changed from a 2-3 layout to a 2-2 layout in the early Spring.
This sounded like a good idea, as those seated on the DEF side no longer had to run the gauntlet of having someone sitting next to them or get saddled with a middle seat.
The move to 2-2 was presented as an "enhancement" by BA's propaganda department.
However, the doublespeak failed to mention that this was all possible due to stopping the previous policy of "converting" those seats to be wider than regular economy, thus removing genuine differentiation from Euro Traveller, the shorthaul economy product.
Thankfully it seems our complaints have been answered, and this policy will be reversed from mid August. The 2-2 layout will be retained, with converted seats and the E seat will remain unsold.
BT may be able to confirm this with BA; it would be interesting to ask the supplementary question while on the blower to them, if the new airbuses which are being delivered to replace the older LGW 737s will have the convertible seating which facilitates this widened seating, as it was rumoured they would not? Would also be interesting to learn if converting seats is possible on the new Embraer fleet replacing LCY's BAe146's from October this year.
The narrow seats are less of a problem on the airbuses/airbii as these cabins are marginally wider and the sidewalls less slopey; it is the 737s where the narrow seats feel especially oppressive and decidedly unClub.
Doubleplusgood news from the newly responsive British Airways!
My letter of complaint is reproduced below:
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I wrote to BA on this matter:
May-09 GATWICK LON - KRAKOW (C/I) BA2774
May-09 KRAKOW - GATWICK LON (C/I) BA2775
I just wanted to register my dissatisfaction about the new "enhanced" narrower Club Europe seating arrangements.
Though you state in your publicity that each passenger has "more individual space" in fact the new "non-converted" seats are EXACTLY the same width as those in EuroTraveller.
On longer sectors when it helps to sleep, or recline and read the paper, being able to stretch out and sit slightly diagonally makes all the difference.
For the more amply furnished businessman, the new seats are a significant regression in comfort. I know because they have told me so.
I have taken almost 40 flights with you since 1 January, on a mix of long and shorthaul, all in paid, premium cabins. I usually enjoy the excellent on board service and professional crew.
The right thing to do would be to continue not selling the middle E seat on the DEF side, except when capacity demands it, and retain the widened convertible seats as was the case previously.
Thankfully you have ditched the ridiculous propoganda ''magazine rack" doilies which graced the seat backs of the newly emptied middle seats.
As a shareholder, I fail to see where this new arrangement creates any value, as you now lose the potential sale of one CE seat in each row, which surely reduces the overall capacity of the aircraft,.
This must be a particular frustration to those high value last minute flexible CE ticket customers who cannot get a seat on a busy Friday afternoon flight home, where before they might have stood a chance.
Surely this revenue offsets the cost of an engineer performing this work, or even a redesign of the seat on your new airbus aircraft which would allow the crew to convert the seats themselves.
The inbound sector was a perfect BA experience and the excellent crewmember in CE (Christina?) went above and beyond the call of duty, making regular passes through the cabin, on top of dealing calmly and professionally with an unwell passenger and another on board emergency. I would be most grateful if would would pass on my thanks to her - well done!
I do very much hope you will take comments of people like me into account when you are reviewing this policy of 2+2 in Club Europe, especially in the 737 fleet. ---------------------------
