BA new Club World Product.
What is the current status on this upgrade program?
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Join Date: May 2002
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Just wanted to see if anyone knows the latest state of the upgrade program?
Flying to Johannesburg next month (May) and was wondering if they have been used on that route yet?
Also any experiences from anybody who has travelled in the new cabin?
Cheers
Flying to Johannesburg next month (May) and was wondering if they have been used on that route yet?
Also any experiences from anybody who has travelled in the new cabin?
Cheers
Join Date: Sep 2004
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Flew to JNB last month on a 747 and it was still the old Club world. BA seem to have gone rather quiet on whats happening with it. No updates are being sent out to exec members and last weeks trip over the Atlantic the CD I asked had no idea what was happening. Dare say one of the insiders here can shed more light.
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BA have made it official to staff that they will not be heavily promoting the New Club cabin until at least 25% of the fleet is configured with it. Newly configured aircraft are entering the fleet every week however. I only flew on it for the first time last week however and Im crew for the airline! LOL!
None of the 777's have been configured as yet however and I think 2 of the Jumbos now are in the "mid-J" config. You will also find that at most of the gates at LHR disembarking is taking place (as of the 1st of April anyways) at doors 1 on the jumbos so that they dont encounter the problem of WT+ passengers getting off the plane before First!!!
I would say wait until the summer time and BA will be promoting it more. At this stage it is just pot luck if you get a new club cabin! And remember, the 767 is remaining with the old cabin!
www.newclubworld.com
None of the 777's have been configured as yet however and I think 2 of the Jumbos now are in the "mid-J" config. You will also find that at most of the gates at LHR disembarking is taking place (as of the 1st of April anyways) at doors 1 on the jumbos so that they dont encounter the problem of WT+ passengers getting off the plane before First!!!
I would say wait until the summer time and BA will be promoting it more. At this stage it is just pot luck if you get a new club cabin! And remember, the 767 is remaining with the old cabin!
www.newclubworld.com
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I shall be travelling in BA CW to EZE this year however looking at pictures of the cabin (not upper deck) it looks to me as if the cabin is rather cramped especially with the 2-4-2 config.
As I suffer slightly from claustrophobia I am having some doubts about going CW with BA and going Business with Iberia instead.
Does it have a cramped feeling or is it just the pictures?
As I suffer slightly from claustrophobia I am having some doubts about going CW with BA and going Business with Iberia instead.
Does it have a cramped feeling or is it just the pictures?
Join Date: Apr 2001
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Hi,
The upper deck is preferable as it is only 2-2 seating rather than 2-4-2 on the main deck.
It does look a little cramped but it is not too bad ( esp if you will be sleeeping or watiching the movies). I would avoid the 4 in the middle though and try to get a seat in the 2 seats at the side.
Regards
TBS
The upper deck is preferable as it is only 2-2 seating rather than 2-4-2 on the main deck.
It does look a little cramped but it is not too bad ( esp if you will be sleeeping or watiching the movies). I would avoid the 4 in the middle though and try to get a seat in the 2 seats at the side.
Regards
TBS
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TBS
Thanks for that, the upper deck is probably out of bounds for me as a Blue but hopefully the wife and I can get the 2 seats at the window.
BA must have one of the highest density Business cabin layouts amongst all the longhaul carriers with that 2-4-2 config?
Thanks for that, the upper deck is probably out of bounds for me as a Blue but hopefully the wife and I can get the 2 seats at the window.
BA must have one of the highest density Business cabin layouts amongst all the longhaul carriers with that 2-4-2 config?
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Hi,
That is the problem with the new seating policy of BA ( no seats in club assigned until T-24 unless you are Gold/Silver or full fare).
Even though I'm Gold I'm not that impressed with the seating policy ( I started as a Blue member and I'm fortunate to be able to fly enough to reach Gold- one day i will be back to blue.
I'm travelling with my parents to SFO in October in CW and as they are Blue and on a separate ticket ( they are coming back 2 weeks after me) they cannot get seats assigned.
I would OLCI ( online check in )at T-24 and choose the seats then .
Good luck!
Regards
TBS
That is the problem with the new seating policy of BA ( no seats in club assigned until T-24 unless you are Gold/Silver or full fare).
Even though I'm Gold I'm not that impressed with the seating policy ( I started as a Blue member and I'm fortunate to be able to fly enough to reach Gold- one day i will be back to blue.
I'm travelling with my parents to SFO in October in CW and as they are Blue and on a separate ticket ( they are coming back 2 weeks after me) they cannot get seats assigned.
I would OLCI ( online check in )at T-24 and choose the seats then .
Good luck!
Regards
TBS
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I flew LHR - IAD today (upper deck on a 744) and it had the new club world product. Seats were wider and more comfortable than the old Club World and the whole deck felt much lighter and roomier with the brighter colour scheme.
I did get my first choice food from the menu, which is the first time in ages. I suspect that was more luck than the new product, though.
I would love to comment on the IFE but it was having "teething problems". It was out of service completely for a fair portion of the flight as the crew tried various times to reboot. When it was on line, they were just running the normal 12 channel service. Disappointing to have to rely on my ipod for IFE at £3.5k return.
I did get my first choice food from the menu, which is the first time in ages. I suspect that was more luck than the new product, though.
I would love to comment on the IFE but it was having "teething problems". It was out of service completely for a fair portion of the flight as the crew tried various times to reboot. When it was on line, they were just running the normal 12 channel service. Disappointing to have to rely on my ipod for IFE at £3.5k return.
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Hi alex009,
Before the New Club world product was rolled out BA had two classes of 747-400 ,one with 70 Club world seats and one with 38 club world seats.
BA decided for the 38 club world 747-400 seat aircraft to put WT+ into the " B zone" ie between doors 1 and 2 where CW used to be and put more CW seats behind door 2 to maka a total of 52 Club world seats ( 20 on the upper deck and 32 on the main deck)
The 70 seat 747-400 aircraft are not affected by the switch ( and neither are the 777s)
Regards
TBS
Before the New Club world product was rolled out BA had two classes of 747-400 ,one with 70 Club world seats and one with 38 club world seats.
BA decided for the 38 club world 747-400 seat aircraft to put WT+ into the " B zone" ie between doors 1 and 2 where CW used to be and put more CW seats behind door 2 to maka a total of 52 Club world seats ( 20 on the upper deck and 32 on the main deck)
The 70 seat 747-400 aircraft are not affected by the switch ( and neither are the 777s)
Regards
TBS
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Many thanks, just interested. Do you know what routes the "new B zone" world traveller plus seats are own. From what I have heard they send there 70 business seat planes over to the states more.
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Hi,
I guess it depends on how busy the premium cabin routes are for what type of aircraft to be allocated.
For example SFO & PHX tend to be the " new B zone" as they have had the 38 J seats when i have been on the routes
HKG ( 3 flights a day ) has 2 with the 70 seats and 1 with the new B zone.
Maybe someone with more knowlegde of BA ops can help.
Regards
TBS
I guess it depends on how busy the premium cabin routes are for what type of aircraft to be allocated.
For example SFO & PHX tend to be the " new B zone" as they have had the 38 J seats when i have been on the routes
HKG ( 3 flights a day ) has 2 with the 70 seats and 1 with the new B zone.
Maybe someone with more knowlegde of BA ops can help.
Regards
TBS
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Now flown back from IAD and decidedly unimpressed by the new club world product. The flight back was overnight, so I was looking forward to getting some sleep.
The seats themselves are much more comfortable, with the extra width making a big difference. However, the seat frames feel a lot more flimsy than the older style, and you often find yourself being disturbed/shaken by the person in the adjoining seat if they move about. Also, the seats are very noisy when moving - fine when its yours but very disturbing when it is someone else
I wanted to watch a film before sleeping - at least this time the on demand software was working and this is a definite improvement. However, we had some very minor turbulence on the way back. The TV screens don't appear to lock into position and the turbulence was was enough to make the TV continually fall back into its housing. It was annoying to have to keep pulling it back out. I'm sure this was a fault with my individual seat, but that and the general flimsiness as noted above just gives the impression that it's all a bit cheap.
All IMHO anyway.
The seats themselves are much more comfortable, with the extra width making a big difference. However, the seat frames feel a lot more flimsy than the older style, and you often find yourself being disturbed/shaken by the person in the adjoining seat if they move about. Also, the seats are very noisy when moving - fine when its yours but very disturbing when it is someone else
I wanted to watch a film before sleeping - at least this time the on demand software was working and this is a definite improvement. However, we had some very minor turbulence on the way back. The TV screens don't appear to lock into position and the turbulence was was enough to make the TV continually fall back into its housing. It was annoying to have to keep pulling it back out. I'm sure this was a fault with my individual seat, but that and the general flimsiness as noted above just gives the impression that it's all a bit cheap.
All IMHO anyway.
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10bob...I am taking notes on what you said and intend on writing them down on our onboard forms!!! I am hoping these are just teething niggles much like the old plastic dividers on the old seats when they were first introduced!
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My experience in NCW
I recently traveled JFK – LHR and return in club. LHR flight had old club world seats and featured “sleeper service;” haven eaten dinner in the club lounge, I attempted to get to sleep directly after take-off. Despite acquiring a seat in the quiet upper cabin, donning eye shades, etc, I managed only 90 minutes of fitful sleep. After a couple of restless hours, I noticed that the second showing of The Departed was just about to begin and spent the remainder of the flight engrossed in the film. While fully-flat, the old Club World seats are a bit uncomfortable and leave me tossing and turning – I think that they rise up in the center, sloping down on the sides. And the fabric is a bit itchy. 
The JFK flight featured New Club World, and I had tons of fun playing with the new buttons, switches, drawers, etc.
I agree with the previous poster who mentioned the “lighter” look of the new design – seats and décor are a dark beige, as opposed to dark blue. The new shoe drawer is much more convenient; the new window shade is wonderful and fully blocks out the person sitting in the next seat; and I found the new seat-adjustment buttons with pre-set configurations convenient. The AVOD IFE system was greatly appreciated, as I was able to start my movie-of-choice exactly when I desired (and the streamlined look of the new movie screen did not go unnoticed). The new tray tables are also a significant improvement - extremely easy to unfold, adjust, and return to storage position. The only two things I missed from the old Club layout were (1) the little drinks coaster and (2) the little cubby hole on the side of the seat.
The new seats are exponentially more comfortable than the old. As a testament: I started my movie selection (Casino Royale) directly after dinner and fell asleep just after Bond hit the casino – the next thing I knew, the FAs had switched on the cabin lights in preparation for our pre-landing snack! Considering my normal in-flight sleep patterns (i.e., little to none, regardless of time of day, length of flight, class of service, or state of exhaustion), this is nothing short of a miracle, and I attribute it to the new seats’ softer feel, shape, and material.
In the future, when traveling BA Club, I think I will be slightly disappointed if my flight hasn’t been re-fitted with the new seats. As an additional observation, it seemed as though the Cabin Crew were very enthusiastic about the new Club product – and that enjoyment permeated through to the service. Can any BA staff comment on whether this is the standard reaction or if I just had a particularly cheery crew that day?
The JFK flight featured New Club World, and I had tons of fun playing with the new buttons, switches, drawers, etc.
I agree with the previous poster who mentioned the “lighter” look of the new design – seats and décor are a dark beige, as opposed to dark blue. The new shoe drawer is much more convenient; the new window shade is wonderful and fully blocks out the person sitting in the next seat; and I found the new seat-adjustment buttons with pre-set configurations convenient. The AVOD IFE system was greatly appreciated, as I was able to start my movie-of-choice exactly when I desired (and the streamlined look of the new movie screen did not go unnoticed). The new tray tables are also a significant improvement - extremely easy to unfold, adjust, and return to storage position. The only two things I missed from the old Club layout were (1) the little drinks coaster and (2) the little cubby hole on the side of the seat.The new seats are exponentially more comfortable than the old. As a testament: I started my movie selection (Casino Royale) directly after dinner and fell asleep just after Bond hit the casino – the next thing I knew, the FAs had switched on the cabin lights in preparation for our pre-landing snack! Considering my normal in-flight sleep patterns (i.e., little to none, regardless of time of day, length of flight, class of service, or state of exhaustion), this is nothing short of a miracle, and I attribute it to the new seats’ softer feel, shape, and material.
In the future, when traveling BA Club, I think I will be slightly disappointed if my flight hasn’t been re-fitted with the new seats. As an additional observation, it seemed as though the Cabin Crew were very enthusiastic about the new Club product – and that enjoyment permeated through to the service. Can any BA staff comment on whether this is the standard reaction or if I just had a particularly cheery crew that day?
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BA have sent out a flyer to exec club members that advertises the new product as being used on LHR - JFK.
I presume that this means all a/c on that route will have the new seats.
As for other routes, who knows.
Hoping though
I presume that this means all a/c on that route will have the new seats.
As for other routes, who knows.
Hoping though
Scourge of Bad Airline Management!
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I posted this on another forum some time back - might be useful to someone!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
I don't know whether this trip report adds to anyone's store of knowledge, but if it does, great!
I've just got off the BA26, operated by 'LN, with NCW. I thought I'd share some thoughts with you as someone who has fallen out with the Exec Club, but who has a respect for BA and their crew. I do prefer EK though, so these comments should be read in that context.
The Good Points:
1. The cabin looks very nice. The colour won't appeal to everyone, it is the sort of stone/whitey colour that computers are frequently finished in, but to me it looks contemporary, spacious and modern (albeit a bit like a server farm!!) The unusual lightfitting (very 1960s!) looks great as well, as does the illuminated Speedwing. Carpets are new, mid blue.
2. The meal table - a million miles improved on the old one, easier to open, doesn't foul the monitor etc, slides nicely back and fore. Could do with a slightly lipped edge though, to stop things sliding off.
3. The laptop drawer - brilliant idea!
4. AVOD - great screen, very easy to use, and on my flight faultless - the AVOD engineer had a quiet time. Although the choice of films and programmes I thought was a tad limited...
5. The seat is VERY comfortable, especially when down as a bed. Slept for over 8 hours last night, which I never managed in OCW. Feels much more padded, and the head rest is firmer and higher. The armrests drop down nicely as well.
6. It feels much more private than OCW - I was in the front row window seat on the lower deck - 12K - and it felt very private.
The Not So Good Points:
1. The seat, when it is upright, feels narrower than OCW. It may be the "wing" on the seat.
2. The dividing screen - made of a sort of translucent plastic. If your "other half" has the light on, it glows badly - would be much better if more lightproof.
3. The footstool is now part of the next seat, rather than anchored to the floor. My footstool fell down during the night, and the shockwave this put through the next seat woke the guy up - not so good.
4. It all feels a bit fragile, to be honest. Everything wobbles, and compared to OCW, it feels much flimsier. Also, the reclining mechanism is quite noisy and "clunky" - it helped to get off the seat to adjust it, or at least raise my weight off it.
5. The colour doesn't hide dirt.... the cabin had many grubby fingerprints apparent. Also, those new pillows are ghastly - dated and look downright grubby.
6. The reading light is downright fiddly - and they have dispensed with the overhead light entirely, which doesn't help.
7. The new Raid the Larder thing was pretty uninspiring - a few honey flapjacks, Twix bars and drinks....
TA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
I don't know whether this trip report adds to anyone's store of knowledge, but if it does, great!
I've just got off the BA26, operated by 'LN, with NCW. I thought I'd share some thoughts with you as someone who has fallen out with the Exec Club, but who has a respect for BA and their crew. I do prefer EK though, so these comments should be read in that context.
The Good Points:
1. The cabin looks very nice. The colour won't appeal to everyone, it is the sort of stone/whitey colour that computers are frequently finished in, but to me it looks contemporary, spacious and modern (albeit a bit like a server farm!!) The unusual lightfitting (very 1960s!) looks great as well, as does the illuminated Speedwing. Carpets are new, mid blue.
2. The meal table - a million miles improved on the old one, easier to open, doesn't foul the monitor etc, slides nicely back and fore. Could do with a slightly lipped edge though, to stop things sliding off.
3. The laptop drawer - brilliant idea!
4. AVOD - great screen, very easy to use, and on my flight faultless - the AVOD engineer had a quiet time. Although the choice of films and programmes I thought was a tad limited...
5. The seat is VERY comfortable, especially when down as a bed. Slept for over 8 hours last night, which I never managed in OCW. Feels much more padded, and the head rest is firmer and higher. The armrests drop down nicely as well.
6. It feels much more private than OCW - I was in the front row window seat on the lower deck - 12K - and it felt very private.
The Not So Good Points:
1. The seat, when it is upright, feels narrower than OCW. It may be the "wing" on the seat.
2. The dividing screen - made of a sort of translucent plastic. If your "other half" has the light on, it glows badly - would be much better if more lightproof.
3. The footstool is now part of the next seat, rather than anchored to the floor. My footstool fell down during the night, and the shockwave this put through the next seat woke the guy up - not so good.
4. It all feels a bit fragile, to be honest. Everything wobbles, and compared to OCW, it feels much flimsier. Also, the reclining mechanism is quite noisy and "clunky" - it helped to get off the seat to adjust it, or at least raise my weight off it.
5. The colour doesn't hide dirt.... the cabin had many grubby fingerprints apparent. Also, those new pillows are ghastly - dated and look downright grubby.
6. The reading light is downright fiddly - and they have dispensed with the overhead light entirely, which doesn't help.
7. The new Raid the Larder thing was pretty uninspiring - a few honey flapjacks, Twix bars and drinks....
TA