British Airways’ new World Traveller Economy and World Traveller Plus Premium Economy seating was unveiled last month and will be fitted on new deliveries of the Boeing B777-300ER aircraft, as well as the carrier’s forthcoming deliveries of the B787 Dreamliner and Airbus A380 superjumbo.

So what can passengers expect?

World Traveller

The new Economy class product is still in a nine-across configuration (3-3-3 in each row, A-B-C, D-E-F, H-J-K), which is good news in these straitened times, when so many airlines are introducing 10-across seating on the B777. On all of the B777-300ERs, Economy is split into two sections – a smaller cabin offering up to 63 seats across eight rows and then a larger cabin with 122 seats across 14 rows.

The new offering is marginally wider (17.8 inches/45.2cm compared with 17.5 inches/44.5cm) and has adjustable headrests, a larger seat-back literature pocket with more personal storage, and upgraded soft furnishings including new pillows and fleece blankets. The amenity kit supplied is unchanged.

There is also a new Thales inflight entertainment (IFE) system with a seat-back screen of 8.9 inches, 35 percent larger than the existing Economy screens.

World Traveller Plus

The new Premium Economy cabin on the B777-300ER has up to 44 seats across six rows in a 2-4-2 configuration (A-B, D-E-F-G, J-K). The product has a 38-inch (96.5cm) pitch – the same as before – and fully adjustable head and foot rests. The headrest sports a new “hammock” style that consists of two fixed side wings with a fabric and foam support stretched between them – it is designed to provide more neck support and can be adjusted in height.There are also upgraded soft furnishings, such as fleece blankets and new pillows featuring a heritage design. Services include free newspapers, hot towels, amenity kits in a reusable pouch and an increased baggage allowance on selected routes.

The personal video screens measure 10.6 inches, 60 percent larger than the existing Premium Economy ones, and all seats have individual power sockets compatible with UK, US and European plugs, two USB ports and an RCA port so customers can link their electronic devices to the IFE system.

Inflight entertainment

The new Thales system is being fitted across all cabins and features more than 230 TV programmes, 70 films and 400 CDs – 50 percent more movies, and double the range of TV shows and music options. It also features plug-and-play technology with the remote control allowing passengers to play games against each other.

What we think

It’s important to understand that these are new seats, but the service is not. The food remains the same, as does the seat configuration. What has changed is the seats themselves and the inflight entertainment on the aircraft, and both are a great improvement. Note also that the IFE has improved in Club World (Business class) and First.

BA isn’t claiming that the new World Traveller product gives flyers more room – seat pitch remains constant at 31 inches (78.7cm) – but from sitting in it, it is clear that the new design does give more space, whether because of thinner but more efficient cushions, or simply clever ergonomic design.

The entertainment boxes are under seats A and C, D and F and H and K, so for maximum legroom avoid those, and be aware that there are some washrooms on the port side of the aircraft in rows 34 and 35, so the seating is 34 D-E-F, H-J-K with A-B-C omitted – if you are sitting in 34D or 35D, you will be beside the washroom.

It would have been very easy for BA to put 10-across seating in these aircraft. It has the economic justification to do so, it is something competitors such as Emirates and Etihad have done, and it would have undoubtedly helped profitability, at least in the short term.

However, chief executive Willie Walsh was clear that the airline wasn’t going to do this. The rotation of the B777-300ER fleet through the network, initially on its Mumbai, New Delhi, Dubai and Chicago flights, means sector lengths vary, but Walsh said that as a premium airline 10-across seating wasn’t something he wanted to see on board. BA should be congratulated for that.

The World Traveller meal table folds out in two halves, allowing it to be used for drinks without taking up the whole area in front of you, and is adjustable so you can pull it closer. There are plug sockets between the seats – so two for every three passengers.

As with Economy, BA isn’t claiming that the new World Traveller Plus seats give more legroom, and yet the impression given by sitting in the seat is of more space – again, perhaps because of the thinner cushions, or maybe the extra inch of recline (now up to eight inches/20.3cm).

Having sat in all of the seats in the cabin, my advice would be to avoid B and J. The IFE boxes are under A, B, J and K – for the window seats A and K you can simply put your leg alongside the seat in front for extra room, but if you try this in aisle seats B and J, it will cause problems. The best seats are A-B and J-K in row 22 as they are at the front of the cabin and the doors would be in front of you.

The footrest seems good and strong, and when folded back up under the seat in front it doesn’t get in the way of your legs. When you are sitting upright with the seat in front fully reclined, the IFE screen can be tilted so that it is still possible to watch – although taller travellers will probably choose to recline their seat to lower their line of vision.

British Airways’ existing Premium Economy product is tired and needs this refresh, and the new seats are a great improvement. They give the aircraft a more consistent feel in terms of design and general aesthetics, are comfortable and roomy, and again benefit from the upgraded IFE system (for more on this, see our November issue).

The downside is that the majority of the existing long-haul planes will never see this product. It will be installed on six B777-300ER aircraft, with three coming this year and the remainder by 2012. Towards the end of next year there will also be a retrofit of 18 of BA’s B777-200s (those that have the GMIS audio-video IFE system, which does not allow you to stop and start the entertainment).

But even after all of this has been completed, this will only comprise 24 aircraft out of a long-haul fleet of 123 – 57 B747s, 46 B777-200s, 14 long-haul B767s (BA has 21 in total) and the six B777-300ERs. So if you are flying on the other 28 B777-200 aircraft, or any of the B747s and B767s, you will still encounter the old seats. Experts may be able to tell you which aircraft featuring which products are on which routes, but for the general flyer, you won’t know until you board.

BA is not the only carrier with inconsistencies – Emirates, for example, flies with four different types of Business class – but for regular BA users, it is likely to be a source of frustration that the investment is not being made across all of its economy and premium economy seating.

The other planes will see a refresh in these cabins – so seat cushions will be replaced – but other than that the product will remain the same, as will the IFE. For those travellers stuck with the older Rockwell Collins system, the wish will be that improvements come sooner rather than later.