New BA World Traveller and Plus revealed

[galanjal]

so the new BA World Traveller and World Traveller Plus cabins have been revealed. What do you think?

[Alsacienne]

an in-seat power socket to power your devices throughout the flight .... from world traveller info

Could anybody please give me some technical specifications for this as I need to use CPAP in flight ... will this also require an EMPOWER connection or is it simply AC or DC?

[Hartington]

If you need CPAP you MUST advise your airline in advance and they will tell you what power options you have.

As for the new cabins they seem to be only on the 4(?) new 777-300s with no indication when they will spread to the rest of the fleet. My first impression was "so what?" - it's almost as if the existing seats are no longer available so they've gone for the newer replacements.

[Alsacienne]

Whilst I agree with you that the other enhancements seemed rather unremarkable, I am really after the power drawing availability from the new sockets.

I travel regularly with my CPAP, hence know that I need to contact the airline in advance, but usually rely on batteries as I often find that the the power supply is not adequate.

I know my current machine would be unsuitable with the present power supply in the current World Traveller Plus, but if the new points were to be more powerful I'd be happy to reuse my Empower plug ... IF that's the system that will be still in use, or to find out whether BA are going over to an AC system, hence my need to ask for a technical spec.

[Hartington]

Well, it's only the 4 new 777-300 at the moment so unless you fly the routes BA have in mind for them (whatever they may be) you'll have to rely on battery a while longer. And, even if you do fly the right route/flight I suspect that even a call to BA reservations might not be very enlightening yet to find out what you need.

[backseatjock]

If VS operates the same route, it’s Premium Economy seats beat BA’s WT+ hands down and there is power to every seat too. A much better level of service all round IMHO

[manintheback]

Cant say I really see any real difference. Same seat, different upholstery. Slightly larger TV?
Indeed BA WT+ is a much inferior product to Virgin PE, but from past experience it usually costs quite a bit more.

[Timothy Claypole]

It's an entirely different seat from the existing WT/WT+ seat.

[Ancient Observer]

This is simply spin. They've got 4 of these planes on order, only one will arrive this year.
They have explicitly stated that this "new" bit of cloth and a slightly less awful screen will only apply to the new planes.

The rest of the old, tacky, (but well maintained) planes with very tired interiors will continue to fly.

Spin. Huh! Won't get fooled again.

Even Alitalia has better looking interiors than BA.

I agree about the Virgin product being far superior to BAs lhr product.. AND - Virgin give you hot towels for each sector. bassa don't allow BA out of lhr to do that.

[bjones4]

This is simply spin. They've got 4 of these planes on order, only one will arrive this year.
They're getting 6 777-300ERs, the second is already in Cardiff and will enter service along with a third before the year is out.

They have explicitly stated that this "new" bit of cloth and a slightly less awful screen will only apply to the new planes.

The rest of the old, tacky, (but well maintained) planes with very tired interiors will continue to fly.
The 18 oldest 777-200s (G-ZZZ-/G-VII-/G-RAES etc) which currently have the GMIS IFE will also be receiving these new cabins - that should be completed before the end of 2012.

Thats still only a handful of the longhaul fleet though, until the A380s and 787s start arriving and displacing those older aircraft.

[Ancient Observer]

bjones
thanks for correcting my numbers. My error.............6 instead of 4. That retains the point. It's a tiny number.

As to some of the oldest possibly being refurbished - by 2012, that is a different message from the one I heard, so my hearing/reading must have been in error.
As you say, a small part of the long haul fleet.