[Binman62]

I have always thought it outrageous that BA charge for seat selection on a club world fare. I cannot think of any other major airline who does this.

cX QF TK and almost all others with updated products offer direct aisle access to 100% of passengers paying these fare levels……without the need for acrobatics, crampons or even a hop skip or jump……

The only hyperbole here is from BA marketing department pushing a product who’s life cycle has well and truly passed ( new club world) or the rehashed First which is described and various forums as the worlds best business class!

[BeckyBoop]

Binman, CX, QF, AA etc are all now 2nd possibly 3rd rate to Qatar with their new business seat. Watch their CEO demonstrating it….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raUFRswGQPM

http://www.ausbt.com.au/photo-tour-inside-qatar-airways-boeing-787-dreamliner

[Alextpa]

Do ba have any preplans for what routes they will be using the a380 on? I did hear the Orlando summer route would be on of the routes. But I guess far east will be the key routes and NYC?

[BeckyBoop]

Only 12 A380’s on order and will replace 747’s. I suspect they will be on premium routes like JFK, HKG, SIN etc…

[LeTigre]

There was one leasing company CEO who recently said something along the lines of “once BA get some A380s there’s no way they won’t want more”, something like that. Coming from someone who would stand to profit from a purchase, one would take a pinch of salt, however, after citing BA’s lack of widebody replacement orders as well as new long-haul routes soon to be launched, the argument became far more convincing!

CAPA recently stated that they believe the main routes for the A380 will be Asian ones like PEK, PVG, HKG and potentially SIN, where BA faces slot restrictions as well as capacity demands. JFK is also very likely not just because of capacity, products, etc., but it is useful for an airline to operate shorter sectors to improve fleet utilisation.

For example, a daily flight to JFK on an A380 only requires 1 A380 as it could easily operate BA177 followed by BA176 with comfortable turnarounds.

I understand this is partially why having 5 A380s a day at LHR is so useful for Emirates: it balances out longer routes, which gives Emirates its much publicised efficient scheduling.

As for the biz seat…if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! But I would certainly love an end to grey plastic in return for higher quality materials, perhaps a few First-esque tinted windows?

[AnthonyDunn]

After reading the litany of complaints about CW sleeper seats, I am minded to suggest that some contributors could do with a “get a life” trip back down to the back of the plane to reacquaint themselves with a sense of perspective and reality. After years in cattle class, my (paid for by me) recent experience of WTP (and a CW upgrade) makes me extremely grateful not to be putting up with that anymore.

This is, yet again, starting to resemble Jeremy Clarkson off the back of his Top Gear funded lifestyle (paid for by fellow licence payers)…

BTW, for those of you who don’t like the ying and yang, then consider yourselves lucky that you never had to fly as a member of HM Armed Forces because if you had had to fly “Ascot” in the “Good Old Days”, all the seating faced backwards because it was (and is) safer that way.

[Bruce98]

Anthony Dunn

People who can afford to pay for business or first class travel tend to have high expectations about the products and have earned the right to critique them.

You got lucky with an upgrade and enjoyed it, good for you, but It doesn’t sound as if you travel in premium classes enough to be able to differentiate between the different products on offer.

If I criticise certain aspects of my BMW 8 series compared to a Mercedes, does that mean you will opine that I should be grateful I don’t drive a Mondeo?

Well, I’m not. I worked very hard and sacrificed a lot to earn some comfort in my life.

[BeckyBoop]

Anthony, dont worry babe i know where you are coming from 😉 xxx

Bruce do you really drive an 8 series?

http://www.businesstraveller.com/discussion/topic/how-do-ya-roll

[Bruce98]

Only when I’m not in my Cayenne 😉

[BeckyBoop]

Cayenne??? ….YUK… VOM 🙁

but if you ever want to sell the Beemer let me know.. might have a buyer

[Binman62]

I have frequently flown catttle class and today find myself in the fortunate position that I no longer have too, but may choose too.

It is perfectly reasonable for me or anyone else who pays for such travel to critic it and there is no need to be grateful or thank my stars that Iam not in the forces.

I criticise BA because I like BA, and because I want to keep flying with them. If their prices are high or comparable to others then the on board product must be equal too or better than,the competition.

I have stopped paying for First though will use my avios to do so. I stopped precisely because the product has deteriorated so much and the prices for non corporate clients have become silly.

My last club world was 14 months ago and was poor. More recent travels on CX,KLM and Qantas has shown me that there are products out there which meet my needs and at prices often many hundreds of pounds less than BA. Why I or anyone with a choice would pay tha difference I cannot understand.

If BA really do plan to put the current F and J products on the A380 and 787 then it will not be providing a compelleing product and certainly not one I would choose….unless the fare was substantially lower.

Edited to correct spelling and grammar.

[AnthonyDunn]

Hmm, I do detect a note of defensiveness here…

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