[TominScotland]

Living in Scotland, I make quite a lot of use of domestic connections with BA, primarily via LHR and generally in Economy. So the move, a couple of years ago, to introduce Business Class on domestic routes was greeted with mixed feelings because it meant the end to breakfasts and drinks etc. But for a one hour flight, does that matter? I think M & S is now well embedded and works well, although I am not a regular buyer.

So this recent trip was paid by a third party in Business and allowed me to compare BA’s Club Europe product for a one hour flight with that of Korean Air for their similar length flight from Seoul Gimpo to Jeju – incidentally, the world’s busiest route with 13.5 million passengers in 2017 and a flight every 8 minutes during the day.

The BA Club Europe product is, as most folk know, is 3-3 with the middle seat blocked on a A320, something some posters object to but common practice in Europe. I was in 1A by the window on a morning flight and enjoyed attentive service, an excellent omelette, copious coffee and enough space if not luxurious seating. The flight left on time (piloted by 20 year old on his first run), took exactly one hour with no holding so I can have no complaints. The BA Lounge in Glasgow is a space I like, very well suited to service flights to three London airports and with good catering for what it is, both in the morning and during the day.

Korean’s one hour flight from Gimpo was on a 737-900. The Domestic Lounge at Gimpo is very basic (that is being kind) – bright lighting, plastic seats, coffee, juice and cup cakes – but fine as somewhere to sit away from what is a frenetic place. Business or Prestige Class seating is in Rows 7, 8 and 9 (there are no rows 1-6) and Economy starts at 20 something. Seating is 2-2 in Prestige and the seats were very comfortable and, of course, rather wider than on BA. The pillow, however, is not to be recommended!! Service was in Korean and English from both the flight deck and in the cabin. Catering was a choice of juice or tea/ coffee, with nothing to eat and the same as that offered in Economy. The flight was on time into Jeju where we were bussed to the terminal in a shared bus with Economy.

Which was better? For just an hour, which is more important, seating or catering? BA’s lounge offering is far superior to that of Korean at Gimpo. My Korean Air flight cost about £213 but my BA fare was bundled into my longhaul ticket. The pricing seems comparable with BA at the cheaper end of Club Europe options on the route. I have also flown Sydney – Melbourne which, in terms of time, is similar to these two routes and the Qantas Business offering includes good 2-2 seating on their 737 plus a meal according to the time of the day.

Any thoughts on Domestic Business – do we actually need it at all for such short flights? What do LH offer between, say, Frankfurt and Berlin or AF between Paris and Lyon?

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travelsforfun

[MartynSinclair]

There is more to this discussion than seating, catering and lounges. I have recently enjoyed ‘business class priced’ fares on both a shortish flight and also a train journey. The added benefit was the flexibility to choose any return subject to availability at no extra cost. These 2 tickets were the first fully flexible tickets I have enjoyed for many years and often it is more cost effective to buy flexibility in business class.

So, yes, i think business class fares do have a place in domestic travel, pity flexibility comes though at such a price… (and yes, on both occasions I did use the flexibility benefit).

[AMcWhirter]

[quote quote=944376]Any thoughts on Domestic Business – do we actually need it at all for such short flights? What do LH offer between, say, Frankfurt and Berlin or AF between Paris and Lyon?[/quote]

Domestic business class is I suspect aimed more at connecting travellers rather than those going point-to-point ?

BA introduced domestic business class to better compete with the increasing number of sixth-freedom carriers operating from regional airports.

They (and especially the long-haul carriers) can offer premium fare travellers a better experience throughout unlike BA before it launched this domestic business class.

Somewhat different in France and Germany.

There’s not the same amount of long-haul competition to Air France from the regions. Also both have high-speed (HS) rail links direct to their hubs at FRA and CDG.

Granted HS rail Berlin to Frankfurt Airport is an exception just look at how many foreign carriers fly long-haul from Germany’s capital city. Lufthansa itself, as we reported here some time ago, axed Berlin-New York and no longer operates any long-haul flights from Berlin (so everything is routed via FRA or MUC but the latter is not linked to the mainline rail network, only the S-Bahn).

In France, as we reported in our rail-air feature, there are TGVs running into CDG from many domestic points (plus Brussels).

[canucklad]

I stumbled across a You tube video about BA’s short haul business class that they don’t dare advertise.
It all had to do with researching the aircraft type and its scheduled rota

Apparently, if the BA flight is operated by Stobart Air there’s a couple of aircraft that are configured with proper business class seats because they were bought from an airline (Virgin Australia comes to mind) that had a proper business class cabin.

Not sure I’d invest time in researching just so I could plank my arse on a big seat for a short flight from EDI to LCY

[AFlyingDutchman]

In the USA the majors of course have their domestic First Class/Business Class, with excellent seating and free beverage service even on very short sectors. What amazed me, however, on a very early morning flight (05h00) from Boston to Charlotte, in First Class/Business Class on AA 737-800, the only ‘meal’ served was an ice cold bagel with a slice of turkey in side and that was it. That was breakfast?? Horrendous. It seems the majors only step up their game on their domestic trans-con flights. I had an only slightly better meal on a 4 hour AA flight from BGI to MIA in what they sold as Business Class but their domestic First Seat, being a banana and a box of cheerios. I was shocked. With regard to European domestic flights, have taken AF Navette a number of times, but no Business class offered. TK do have a proper Business Class seat on a number of domestic flights within Turkey, and Aeroflot between LED and SVO, a similar length of flight as the OP, have an outstanding Business Class seat/service.

[JJ]

Usually I fly long haul business class woth the other half. We did a mini break to Bucharest and thought its only 3 1/2 hours thought we’ll be fine in economy. Felt horrible on ther terminal just hanging around trying to find a nice space to sit, then moving each time when they used the gate. On board we were surrounded by a Romainian school group. Not as badly behaved as British kids but still annoying. Luckily the BA staff were good and found us seats within the adults after take off. Found the BOB food to be rubbish (too dry). The flight back was ok as got good seats on the A321 but still didnt like hanging around by the gate.

Our next mini break we went to Dublin – I insisted we went Club bases on the formentioned flight. BA lounge at Heathrow South was busy but civilised and the flight was just long enough for a champagne lunch on board. On the way back the flight was delayed so an excuse to have another G&T in the rather nice lounge at Dublin airport. On board we were front row so had our jackets taken and had a bit longer to eat our food. After landing we were first off – so door of aircraft to door of car was 10 minutes thanks to T5 pod parking.

So yes I’d always fly business for really short flights as long as the price is reasonable.

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alanred13

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