BA confusion: CW roll-out and laptop power

[Pinkman]

I'm a big BA fan :) but one thing is REALLY ticking me off as I do my monthly longhaul flight somewhere or other :ugh:. I am sick and tired of not being able to work on a flight or having to beg an adaptor from the crew because I never know ahead of time whether the aircraft has new CW with 115v power or the old CW Empower system. I am fairly sure that all the 747s have now been converted to 115v power. But I never know whether a 777 will or will not be one or the other.

In December 2007, the BA website said, and I quote: "You can currently experience the new Club World cabin on board the majority of aircraft on the Heathrow to New York (JFK) route, excluding flight BA 173. We anticipate the roll out to be completed by the end of 2008. Until then you can still enjoy the award-winning original Club World cabin on our remaining aircraft".

In October 2008 the website said: "New Club World is rolling out across the fleet. We aim to have the new Club World cabin on all 747's and 777's by the end of October 2009. Some routes will continue to offer the award-winning original Club World cabin, featuring the world's first ever fully flat bed". I assume this latter applies to 767's?

And on Saturday, flying to Doha on G-ZZZB, the CSD said he understood that BA engineering now felt the GE powered 777's were not able to be upgraded. So whats going on? Are you as confused as I am? :confused:. Any BA sparkies or spanners in the know?

And before you suggest it, no, I refuse to take a half a crate of adaptors and inverters in my hand luggage.

Pinkman

[PAXboy]

When I had finsihed reading your post, I looked down the page for the button to return to the forum and noticed the advert that was prominently displayed in large letters and a nice yellow box. Directly under your rant was:
Laptop AC Adapter
Power AC Adapter For Top Brand Laptops. No Hassle Returns!


Do you think PPRuNe is trying to tell you something Pinkman??? :p

[Pinkman]

I think the ads are context based, so shows it works!

[raffele]

Does indeed! Ads not got anything to do with PPRuNe - Google scan the pages and advertise accordingly.

As for resolving the problem - the only thing I can suggest for now is that you take the adapter that you're more likely to use. Hopefully someone from BA will come on and give you some more useful information. Sorry I can't be of more help!

[apaddyinuk]

Most of the LHR-JFK flights are indeed operated by 747's which means you will have the NCW as all 747's are now embodied. However the LGW-JFK service will not as none of the LGW 777's have been embodied.
At present there are only 4 or 5 777's flying around with the NCW product so it will be some time before you can make a reliable guess as to which aircraft you will be on.
Now I think what the CSD was saying was not so much that it was a GE electric aircraft but that it was fitted with the GMIS IFE system (recognised by the smaller screens and different handsets) which is not to be upgraded to AVOD. This is because the system is out of date for an upgrade and would be too costly to refit.
Now these aircraft are indeed getting the NCW seat but I am unsure if this will include the laptop power point. Nothing has been told to us about this. But as soon as I hear anything I will try and let you know!
Hope that helps!

[Pinkman]

APIUK

Aha - thanks - that kind of makes sense. I think you're right, that probably is what the CSD meant.

Cheers

[apaddyinuk]

LOL, Sure you know yourself, a lot of the CSD's are from before the computer age so are liable to get their information juggled up with all the new fangled technology! LOL!