[Travelcruiser]

Just booked LHR-CAI in business for 2 Dec. This was always operated as a Club World service using at various times the 747 / 777 / 787 + the A321 Neo with the old BM throne seats. However I am horrified to see that this five hour mid-haul service has been downgraded to a Club Europe using regular CE seats. I am now actually wishing I’d booked Egyptair’s 777 and gone without the alcohol. Has anyone experienced this flight and is it as awful as I’m now worried it’s going to be? Two hours in that seat is enough but five?!

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FormerBA, Bullfrog

[Cheeryguy]

If you’re still within the 24 period, simply cancel for no penalty and book EgyptAir……or take a voucher and book EgyptAir all the same.
Top tip, during the booking process before payment, you can see the seat map as BA offers the option to select your seat before booking.

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Bullfrog

[SenatorGold]

Similarly, BA are now using Airbus A320s on the LHR to Amman route. They used to use the former BMI A321s with the throne seats on this route as well. Does anyone have any idea what’s happened to these A321s?

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Bullfrog

[Travelcruiser]

I really think it’s time BA looked at introducing a mid-haul business product. Or they could instal the WTP seats in the front on these flights. Even the American carriers offer a better first class seat than BA’s Club Europe. The gulf and Asian carriers have always done this. BA always had the lead on these services now Royal Jordanian and Egyptair offer wide body lie flat seats on the same routes. How do they expect to be competitive? Crazy.

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Bullfrog, sparkyflier

[AMcWhirter]

Travelcuiser – products offered by all European carriers to the Levant and Cairo have varied over the years in line with passenger numbers.

Back in 2019 BA announced it was deploying A321s on the Cairo route.

British Airways to deploy short-haul A321 on London-Cairo route

There have been changes with other carriers too.

When there was something akin to normality in Lebanon Air France deployed a long-range B777-300ER for BEY-CDG.

Low point was some time ago when KLM operated a B737 AMS-CAI with a business class that was little different to what one would expect in economy.

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Bullfrog, Travelcruiser

[Travelcruiser]

Thanks for this Alex. I honestly can’t see how BA can remain competitive on these mid-haul routes now when the national carriers are offering a more superior product.

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Bullfrog, AMcWhirter

[sparkyflier]

Interesting discussion… I have a BA cabin crew friend who finds the Cairo offering now as “simply so embarrassing”.

Indeed I feel not competitive. And to Amman why on Earth would you choose BA over RJ (apart from more Avios and depending on your needs the schedules)? Maybe BA should just give up on AMM and codeshare with RJ..maybe let them go twice daily.

Tried RJ a couple of years ago… flat bed seats on a 787 and superb food. And their J on A320s are also very comfy too.

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cwoodward, StephenLondon, Bullfrog

[Travelcruiser]

Oh I completely agree Sparkyflier. I had an excellent flight from Amman to LHR on one of RJ’s A321’s. Very comfortable recliner seat with footrest and TV’s that came out of the arm rest. Perfect for the five hour flight back. Delicious food and Jordanian wines served from a large bottle. Gracious service. I took these pics and posted on my instagram account I enjoyed it so much. Even Egyptair now serves food from a trolley and I heard a rumour they’re considering introducing alcohol.

If anyone from BA is reading this please take note!

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cybertravller, Bullfrog

[esselle]

I flew the A321 to Cairo a few times, and the throne seat was pretty OK. They also operated a 777 service on the route with a full J set up, which was nice.

My overriding memory though (and this is going back a few years), was the common use business lounge in CAI which had a large tin of instant coffee and a kettle………..and plastic spoons to put the coffee into the cup………….

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maxgeorge, StephenLondon, Bullfrog, SenatorGold

[SimonS1]

Maybe with a new CEO things will change, however under Alex Cruz/Willie Walsh ‘cheap and cheerful’ was the name of the game.

Economy seats, a bit of rag hanging between J and Y, add a toastie and some cheap plonk and call it premium.

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maxgeorge, Bullfrog, sparkyflier

[rferguson]

I think sometimes we can almost take things like what aircraft and product has been allocated to a route we are travelling on a personal level.

I recall reading about an african carrier that was banned from flying to a particular African country because the aircraft it had allocated didn’t have a business class cabin.

I’m reading on one of the Australian Travel sites the comments of people that cannot fathomn why BA is planning on deploying a dreamliner on the SYD route from March nex year instead of an aircraft with it’s Club Suites which commenters on this site feel is more befitting of their longest route.

The reality is usually that decisions like which aircraft to deploy and with what product are seldom taken lightly. Aircraft utilisation, yields, competition all factor in. It isn’t like the airlines draw the aircrft types out of a hat ‘it’s an A350 for TLV and a euro 321 for CAI’.

When I was crew at BA I operated CAI with everything from a 747 to a 767 to a 787. I know it was also periodically allocated a euro-cabin aircraft in the past. Particularly when demand waned due to terror attacks etc.

I’m guessing that currently most airlines are using a euro product on their CAI services and that many people will avoid flying with EgyptAir regardless of what type of seat the may offer. And it’s not just about watching the YouTube videos of their product but also things like connectivity and personal preference.

The great thing about buying a plane ticket is that we ALMOST always have a choice of who we want to spend our money with.

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cybertravller, red_robbo, IanFromHKG, Bullfrog, RomP, MartynSinclair, ASK1945, Johnnyg, AMcWhirter, TominScotland, Jacob

[AMcWhirter]

I think back to the time I first flew to Cairo in 1976.

I took Swissair from LHR via ZRH.

On the ZRH-CAI sector the flight was operated by a DC-10 configured first and economy.

Was just checking a couple of other airlines today.

LH deploys an A321neo ex-FRA.

AF rosters a B777-300 ex-CDG (according to the website). I presume AF means a B777-300ER.

What a comparison between the two carriers !

1 user thanked author for this post.

Bullfrog

[Travelcruiser]

I know for certain that many wealthy Egyptians enjoyed the First cabin with BA on this route. I doubt they’ll be using the Club Europe service. I notice today that Egyptair is now more expensive than BA for early December whereas previously you always knew they would be cheaper.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Bullfrog

[FormerBA]

Has anyone experienced this flight and is it as awful as I’m now worried it’s going to be? Two hours in that seat is enough but five?!

Sadly it will be worse!

I would have to look at a more circuitous route rather than endure this. I flew Santorini to LHR in August at just over 4 hours and it was appallingly bad on every level. Cramped no IFE and they ran out of everything as the catering is loaded in LHR. By the time you eat ex CAI the food will be at least 8 hours old!

I am not sure I’d trust Egypt air but RJ QR and other offer an alternative long haulish experience.

I agree with the post about wealthy Egyptians wont touch this……in 2000 it was a 747 and the F cabin was always packed. I used the route then and because I booked qute late rarely was able to get a seat. I appreciate much has changed but 4 cabin 747 to club Europe is bizarre

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Bullfrog

[esselle]

Another small thought about BA offering Club Europe flights to Cairo. Egypt is not in Europe!!

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Bullfrog

[Author]

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