[Anonymous]

[VintageKrug]

“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.
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[CMoir12]

This is good news for gold card holders travelling on economy tickets. This will mean the row behing the curtain will have the same configuration – which can only be pre-booked with gold card holders.

[MakingTravelEasier]

From what I’m told, changing the seat configuration is really easy in the current design. Main reason, so I understand, that an engineer “has” to do it is good, old, fashioned, demarcation.

Maybe BA will have that on their negotiating agenda to bring them into the 21st century on their working practices!

[FrequentTraveller]

If true this is good news. I already have a club Europe flight booked for October 2009. The seating plan is still showing 2-2 seating.

[VintageKrug]

There shouldn’t be any difference from the current seatmap:

“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.”

[IanDLang]

I started this correspondence some time ago. Hooray and Hallelujah!! I liked Vintage Krug’s remark about a newly responsive BA. Things are looking up. I must add that on my flight a few days ago to Nairobi, the food was the best I have ever had in BA including the times I have travelled in First. Let’s hope they keep up the good work.

[VintageKrug]

Seems this is now being moved back three weeks to September 2nd, but it does look like it is “on the cards” for certain.

[VintageKrug]

BA have indeed relented, an excellent diagram in the link below sets out what CE will look like from September 2:

http://www.britishairways.com/travel/wider-club-europe/public/en_gb

I will be booking CE once more, probably in the soon to commence BA Sale.

Dear VintageKrug

As you may know, in February this year we changed the seating configuration in Club Europe so that every customer would have an aisle or window seat and benefit from greater privacy. We did this by adjusting the seats and ensuring we kept the middle seat free.

Over the last few months we have asked for feedback about the new seating plan. Many of our customers have told us that, while they like always having the option of a window or an aisle seat, they would prefer to have a little more personal space.

We have taken this feedback on board and will be making further enhancements to our Club Europe cabin by widening the seats and reintroducing the original configuration*, as of 2 September 2009. And to ensure you always sit in an aisle or a window seat we won’t book customers into the middle seat.

We hope that you appreciate this change to Club Europe and will continue to fly with British Airways. We look forward to welcoming you on board soon.

Warm regards,

British Airways

*Changes apply to all British Airways and CityFlyer operated services excluding Boeing 767 aircraft that currently operate 2:2:2 configurations in Club Europe.

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