LGW to Kingston on BA

[muppetdodger]

Bit confused here. We are booked on 8th March to Kingston Jamaica on BA from Gatwick, and when booking there was only the option of Business, Premium and Economy but oin booking our seats we have got 14a and 14b in business which suggests our plane is a four class 777 which I thought didn't fly to Jamaica. If it does, what happens to first as they don't advertise it as a price option when booking? Do they just leave it empty?

Sorry to be a bit dim, but I don't get it.

TIA

[rog747]

Bit confused here. We are booked on 8th March to Kingston Jamaica on BA from Gatwick, and when booking there was only the option of Business, Premium and Economy but oin booking our seats we have got 14a and 14b in business which suggests our plane is a four class 777 which I thought didn't fly to Jamaica. If it does, what happens to first as they don't advertise it as a price option when booking? Do they just leave it empty?

Sorry to be a bit dim, but I don't get it.

TIA

I gather a couple of 4 class 777's are or will be at LGW
Your KIN flight is selling only C/W/Y so I may think top flyers (Gold etc) may get seated in F or they leave it empty...

[muppetdodger]

I gather a couple of 4 class 777's are or will be at LGW
Your KIN flight is selling only C/W/Y so I may think top flyers (Gold etc) may get seated in F or they leave it empty...
ah that is what I was thinking .I guess they oversell business and promote some people. I did also wonder if it was being put on to accommodate a special vip, for example royals??. That being the case am I right to assume the four class planes aren't the revamped cabin s? On our return 18th March we are clearly on a three class plane as only a few business rows.

[wiggy]

I'm not a LGW "expert" but I suspect if it's genuinely being sold as three class only then if F just happens to be bolted on the front it will be left empty...if you leave it open to "ad hoc" on the day upgrades BA will have to crew and cater the F cabin accordingly;

That said be interesting to see what the OP gets.

[jijpc]

I think that there have been 1 or 2 4 class 777s at LGW for some years. I believe that Barbados services have F class on some flights and that these aircraft are also used on other Caribbean routes at times.

[S.o.S.]

Welcome to the cabin muppetdodger. Actually, it was a very good good question! When you see a response that says:

That said be interesting to see what the OP gets
The 'OP' means Original Poster to you as the thread starter. Do stay around and be sure to tell us what you found out on the day.

[muppetdodger]

Welcome to the cabin muppetdodger. Actually, it was a very good good question! When you see a response that says:


The 'OP' means Original Poster to you as the thread starter. Do stay around and be sure to tell us what you found out on the day.
Will do . Were going for a holiday of a lifetime and it's my other halfs half century to boot so may get in early and see if they are feeling generous! What does f class give you that business doesn't out of interest?
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[Impress to inflate]

Look on Seatguru.com for your flight and it will show what classes are available

[muppetdodger]

Look on Seatguru.com for your flight and it will show what classes are available

Yeah did that and it says if we are in 14 in business then it must be a four class 777, but BA not offering first as an option in booking flight. Just wondered if a)they leave it empty, b)they overbook business and if everyone turns up they move people up or c)maybe the queen is going to Jamaica that day! Haha!

[Double Hydco]

I've flown to BDA from Gatwick a couple of times, one sector was on a three class 777, and the other three were on (the same) four class airframe.

DH

[RealFish]

Bit confused here. We are booked on 8th March to Kingston Jamaica on BA from Gatwick, and when booking there was only the option of Business, Premium and Economy but oin booking our seats we have got 14a and 14b in business which suggests our plane is a four class 777 which I thought didn't fly to Jamaica. If it does, what happens to first as they don't advertise it as a price option when booking? Do they just leave it empty?

Sorry to be a bit dim, but I don't get it.

TIA

This happened to Number one Son's flight to Cancun last year when a four class 772 was substituted for the usual three class aircraft. He and his partner (both BAEC Silver) found themselves 'upgraded' to the very front, but all services (food etc) in that cabin remained appropriate to their CC booking.

[Tocsin]

RealFish has it right - IF booked numbers in Club class justify it, then the First seats may be opened up (usually to the higher 'levels' of frequent flyer first), but with Club levels of service. Often referred to as 'Flub class'! Thought I had got it for Mrs T and I a while back, changed the seats on the booking, but got knocked back - luckily to our original seats - a couple of days later :( The flight went with a fairly full Club cabin and empty First.

[Hartington]

Any airline wants to get maximum revenue from a flight. They will sell ALL the seats, even the ones in the first class cabin. So who gets the first class seats? That's going to depend; if the flight has at least 14 seats still available on departure it is very unlikely anyone will get an upgrade. Beyond that it depends very much on how the load is balanced. They will start by moving people from World Traveller to World Traveller Plus and that will push people into Club and that will push people into first class seats with club service. Then again if there are seats available in World Traveller but Plus is oversold then the some Plus passengers will be moved to Club etc. etc. As others have said the first choice for upgrades are "premium" Exec Club members but that's not the only criteria. My "best" upgrade on BA was when I was coming home from Denver before Plus appeared; I had THE cheapest economy ticket, no status and I wasn't the best dressed yet there I was in Club. I can only guess they only needed one upgrade. I've had upgrades from Plus to Club when I've paid Plus out and Club back, still no status. I have wondered if some of those have been an attempt to tempt me to buy Club round trip (it's worked, very occasionally I've done that).

I think the most obvious example of selling ALL the seats was in the short period when BA were operating Manchester/Los Angeles. Until about 2 days before departure the flight was full. Then 2 seats appeared available for sale in about 3 or 4 selling classes. I did a little experiment. It didn't matter which class I booked the number of seats went down in all of those classes being shown as available for sale. In other words BA reckoned the could accommodate 2 people and just wanted to fill those - they'd work out who to seat where on the day.

[muppetdodger]

Well trip completed. Going out to Kingston we did indeed have four classes. A few passengers were moved up to the first cabin but as was mentioned previously they had business service. Who moved up? Not sure but we met a couple in our hotel who were separated in the seating and with it being their anniversary they were moved up so that they were together. Other than that don't know, but first was not full. The four class plane, which I think was G-VIIV had the old style business class which frankly was a bit tatty, and the three class plane G-VIIU was the new updated in flight entertainment etc. Pretty good flights, but both pretty chocker, especially the return and the food service was pretty rubbish, especially coming back. Sitting in row three our food options were poor when they came round to say the least.

Overall not bad, but it was a good deal so difficult to complain really!

[S.o.S.]

Thanks for the update muppetdodger.