B.A World Traveller & Traveller Plus?

[J32/41]

Hi

Just wondered if anyone has flown on both on what they thought of it, is the Plus worth paying extra for?

Thanks

[jack_essex]

We have flown World Traveller to New York JFK, Newark and Orlando with BA. We have always liked the BA product and think the service in World Traveller is great for the money. Considering that all you get extra in World Traveller Plus is a slightly larger seat, for almost double the amount of money we could not see the point in paying the extra. You get the same entertainment and the same inflight catering so for us personally, we would prefer to spend the extra money once we arrived at our destination. We also found the seats in World Traveller very comfortable. Even more so when we flew back from New York as we had 3 seats for 2 people so could stretch out. Of course this was just luck though.

[lexxity]

I flew WT+ to JFK in December 2004 and it was so comfortable, after working an early shift, jumping on a shuttle to LHR and flying from there the extra room was most welcome. I would always try and fly WT+ from now on if I was flying BA.

[Cyrano]

J32/41:
It also depends to a large extent on how tall you are. In other words, if you're on a long flight in Economy and the pax in front reclines their seat, how badly does that affect your quality of life? If the answer is "only slightly", then WT+ may not be worth it. If on the other hand when the bloke in front hits the recline button it means an involuntary double patellectomy :cool: for you, then there is a lot to be said for acquiring extra legroom in one way or another. WT+ is one way. An exit row seat is another: cheaper but typically harder to guarantee in advance.
C. (6'4")

[computer jockey]

I regularly travel BA between UK and India, usually WT, but have on several occasions been upgraded to WT+.

I find WT is good, better than most European/US airline's economy class in terms of comfort & service, although I do have my favourite seats which give me a bit of extra personal space (52B/J in B744 & 39B/J in B777). Seat pitch is 31" in WT, whereas WT+ is 38".
WT+ gives you a bit more space - the seats are 2-4-2 on a 747 as against 3-4-3 in WT, your seat has all sorts of adjustments, but as someone said, you still get the same entertainment and food as WT (although that isn't bad). One thing though, if you do go WT+, make sure you get a window or aisle seat because if you get stuck in the middle seats, you're no better off than if you had been in WT.

Certainly, if you have got a long flight and can get a window or aisle in WT+, it is worth the little bit extra.

[10secondsurvey]

WT+ is worth every penny IMO on long haul, and in many ways, is almost what business class was (except the food/trimmings) just over a decade ago, in terms of seat comfort. It gives you around seven more inches seat pitch, which aside from giving you more room to read/work/eat, it also means the cabin feels more spacious. There are fewer pax/less luggage/quicker off the plane.

Just to compare with Club world (business on BA), if you count the seats across the cabin you'll see that club has just as many seats across as WT+. Of course Club has full sleeper seats, and is rather excellent, but in terms of overall cost, when bought in advance, the price difference for WT+ over economy is very much worth the extra cost, and represents value for money. Some business travellers use WT+ for daytime flights to east coast USA, with club (for the beds) on overnight return.

Of course Virgin was the first long haul airline to offer 'premium' economy, and in some ways I prefer their service (but that's a personal thing). The Virgin premium seats are much wider than BA WT+ as well. Virgin are about to introduce new seats in their premium economy cabin, which I have already tried, and they are much comfier than either of the current offerings.
I currently regard the seats in BA WT+ as amongst the best of any premium econo class I've flown in.

[Globaliser]

Using some rough back-of-the-envelope calculations, I once worked out that you get something in the region of 50% more space per person in WT+ than in WT. It's not all in your seat or the legroom, of course, but things like the gap between the window seat and the sidewall all add to the perception of room and the psychological comfort. One other "soft" benefit of the WT+ cabin is that it generally has a calmer and more sophisticated feel about it than the main WT cabin, which is often chock-full of almost-palpable nervous energy and excitement - not very relaxing if you just want to chill out.

That said, whether it's worth the extra money does depend on how much the extra money is. For a long time, the cheapest WT+ seats were generally available for £200 per sector more than the cheapest WT seats. I think that is worth paying because of the lack of hassle and stress. Sometimes this theoretical differential reduces because you can't actually get the cheapest WT fare on the flight that you want; if you end up getting WT+ for a much reduced actual premium on what you would have paid for WT, it can be a real bargain.

Now, the price differentials have become more, er, differentiated. There are some routes where it's routinely £150 per sector; others where it's gone up to £235. And Oz is a two-sector flight so the premium is obviously more.

One thing to look out for is reduced premiums during fare sales. There can be some real bargains to be had then.

But if you have to pay many hundreds of pounds extra to go in WT+ because the cheap WT+ seats have sold out, then it may very well not be worth it.

You do actually get a little extra entertainment in WT+. I think that where games are available on the IFE, they're active in WT+ but not in WT.

Plus, of course, you get a free copy of the Daily Mail. Now there's a bargain.

[silverelise]

You do actually get a little extra entertainment in WT+. I think that where games are available on the IFE, they're active in WT+ but not in WT.
Plus, of course, you get a free copy of the Daily Mail. Now there's a bargain.
Small point, but I flew BA WT between Gatwick and Orlando International and back a couple of weeks ago. The games were certainly active on the IFE, and on the return sector the staff at the gate were handing out free newspapers to everyone (they even made an announcement to come and collect your free newspaper).

I booked the flights about 4 months ago, and WT+ was £400 per sector more than WT. Just not worth it IMO.

[jack_essex]

I booked the flights about 4 months ago, and WT+ was £400 per sector more than WT. Just not worth it IMO.

Completely agree. When we were booking our New York flights, World Traveller was £220 return and World Traveller Plus was just under £700. £500 for just an extra 7 inches seemed just a waste of money. You can book return flights with Maxjet in business class for £599 now. Now that seems an awful lot better value for money.

[apaddyinuk]

Small point, but I flew BA WT between Gatwick and Orlando International and back a couple of weeks ago. The games were certainly active on the IFE, and on the return sector the staff at the gate were handing out free newspapers to everyone (they even made an announcement to come and collect your free newspaper).
I booked the flights about 4 months ago, and WT+ was £400 per sector more than WT. Just not worth it IMO.

I assure you that the newspapers at the gate was a treat as this is not normal even for Orlando. But glad to hear you had a nice time!

[Hartington]

Well, I like WTP. I'm 6'2" and I appreciate the extra leg room and width. I've made the decision that when I travel long haul in future I will go WTP.

One thing to bear in mind - an involuntary upgrade from WT will get you WTP. An involuntary upgrade from WTP gets you Club. I have heard it suggested that one reason why BA implemented WTP was because they wanted to be able to upgrade people from WT but that WT to Club was too much of a leap. I have no idea how true that is, just a rumour.

[silverelise]

BA Club is certainly a big step up from WT but then it should be for 10 times the price. I can only afford to go club class when the company is paying :(

[Globaliser]

I booked the flights about 4 months ago, and WT+ was £400 per sector more than WT. Just not worth it IMO.I'd be inclined to agree with this. You do have to look at the price, and the price differential, carefully.You can book return flights with Maxjet in business class for £599 now. Now that seems an awful lot better value for money.It's a good price for the Maxjet product, but whether it works depends on whether STN is any good for you, and whether their schedule works - you have to fly when they fly, not when you want to fly. Maxjet is no good for a trip like my last trip to NYC, for example, where I worked almost a full day on Friday and was back at my desk at 9 am on Monday.

[CHIVILCOY]

I suppose if you need to ask it means you can't really afford it.

I would travel World Traveller and with the few hundred pounds I saved pamper yourself at the other end with a nicer hotel and splash out on dinner.

[Globaliser]

I suppose if you need to ask it means you can't really afford it.In all seriousness, no. Most people I know who travel WT+, even on a regular basis, always ask how much more it will be and whether it's worth the extra money.

[gdiphil]

I have to say that in my experience WT since Sept 05 is the worst economy product I have used. I travel regularly to Sydney from London and 31" for my average 5' 10" tall medium build frame is just awful. What makes it worse is that the entertainment boxes can be at one's feet so there is even less room for moving legs, or storing something small. Qantas or SQ at 32" is bearable but the 34" on Malaysian was perfect last Sunday. I've never before complained about BA economy but since they have "upgraded" their cabins last year I find what is on offer intolerable. I will not use WT again. I had the dubious pleasure of experiencing Thomas Cook Airlines to Pafos and back in August and it would appear they are taking a leaf out of BA's book since their seating is as bad with an extra little twist in that their seats don't recline. I've not travelled WT+ but if the price is right then I would use it, but as yet no decent deals to Oz when I go.

[Jimlad1]

I'm 6'2 and flew in WT+ on a return flight to JNB from LHR overnight. Very glad I did so - for an 11hr flight having the bigger seat and quieter cabin made a huge difference. On our 747, we had 26 seats / 16 pax in our WT+ section, while the smaller WT bit behind had 40 seats / 40 pax in an area the same size. The main WT was full too - in future I'm only flying WT+ on long haul.

[CHIVILCOY]

In all seriousness, no. Most people I know who travel WT+, even on a regular basis, always ask how much more it will be and whether it's worth the extra money.
Yes maybe I was generalising a bit but not knowing how old or tall the traveller is or how far they are travelling it's often the way that we tend to answer according to our own needs.
I just think that for an extra 7" it for me wouldn't be value for money and would rather fly Club (if I had a few quid) or carefully choose another airline which may offer more space in economy.

[All Ahead Full]

I would agree, that if the difference is not too great WT+ is worth the extra, as long as you avoid the middle seats, also as someone else mentioned - if you are in WT+, if you are bumped up, you will find yourself in Club, as once happened to me on a trip to SFO, and the difference between WT+ and Club is significant, but if you are paying then not worth the extra (approx. 3 times the price).