BA new Club World Product.
 

I understand that British Airways are going to start replacing their existing Club World with a totally new product (presumably still called Club World).
I understand that the upgrade will start quite shortly (i.e this year) and that it will include a new design of seat.
I really like BA's current Club World cabin, and although the seats are not ideal ( I find them a little too short and a bit on the narrow side for sleeping) they are generally very nice. It is great being able to face your travelling companion, assuming that you know them of course.
The current IFT (in my opinion) is pretty poor compared to some airlines (even compared to some economy cabins), and I understand that this is to be upgraded (possibly throughout the entire aircraft).
Does anyone have any "real" information and better details on the new product, such as what it will consist of and roll-out dates?
Thanks :)

British Airways will upgrade to Rockwell Collins' TES (total entertainment system) on its 57 B-747s, 25 B-777s and 14 B-767s with AVOD (audio/video on demand), daily digital news and audio jukebox capabilities.

The upgrade, which should be completed by December 2007.

The new New Club World seat is still a closely-guarded secret but will begin to be rolled-out across the fleet from March this year.

Quite a lot of crew have been getting to see the new product, as I understand it, but only after signing a strict confidentiality agreement. Those who have seen it seem to be pretty enthusiastic.

Only thing I've heard is that you wont be able to fly backwards anymore with the elimination of the hurdle over the aisle seat from the window seat - which suggests a virgin style cabin layout. We shall see.

Oh, please no. I love the facing pairs - great for couples. Even if a CSD did once threaten to throw a bucket of cold water over us. :D

Iv heard the rumour alright that the seats are going to be in a herribone config similiar to VS. Im dreading the thought of not being able to look out the window without a very sore neck. I too think that the rear facing config is rather nice, a nightmare to work in mind you, my back is always ten times more painful after working in club with the current layout, crew almost need to be acrobats. That and im always forgetting the the poor person in by the window whenever the divider is drawn.Nothing personal, I promise!!!

Any word on the installtion of Connexion internet access, as thats pretty much the only area in which BA lags behind with its biz product? Is there still a 744 flying around with the trial version in or has that stopped now?

Hi Spanish Flea, unfortunately that trial has ended so we dont have any wireless onboard at present. Also Willie Walsh is on record somewhere as saying that he feels the likes of inflight wireless are standards for the next generation of longhaul aircraft such as the A380/787/747-8 etc. He does not see a sufficient business case for installing systems on the current fleet. Now, thats his opinion, make of that what you will! :}

I understand the seat will essentially be based on skeleton of the EOS seat which is built by BE Aerospace. BA are anxious to address the various issues with their current design and the fact that the VS seat is outperforming them so they are going for what is essentially an off-the-shelf design which will be cosmetically altered.

Look out for BA's PR machine spinning in to action to differentiate their 'new' seat from the EOS design!

I hear that each new seat costs give or take a fiver - £10,000 (yep you read that right - ten thousand.)

Yeah but when you think about it, this amount will be paid off after about 3 sectors!!!

Although 10 grand sounds rather eye-watering, you can easily spend a couple of grand on a domestic leather recliner with lots of electronics built in. Seating for an airliner is built (I sincerely hope :)) to a much higher standard.

On the other hand, BA are buying 1000-off ...

A bit more than that, even! On the assumption that the 744s are evenly divided between 38J and 70J, that's an average of 54J per aircraft.

So:-
744: 57 x 54 seats = 3078
777: 43 x 48 seats = 2064

That's not allowing for the 767s that have or are having longhaul J put in.

Saw this today at:
http://www.travelbiz.com.au/articles/86/0c038986.asp

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Mid-2006 launch for new-look BA business class
British Airways will introduce its new long-haul business class cabin - upgraded at a cost of GBP100 million ($241 million) - from mid 2006.
The airline said the new cabin would build on the success of its existing Club World flat bed, and would set new standards for the business traveller.
BA will revamp all aspects of the journey – both on the ground and in the air - and upgrade in-flight entertainment system across all classes.
Ceo Willie Walsh said: “This is the first major product investment British Airways has made in five years - in part because of the success of our strategy to reduce costs during recent years.
“Our new business class cabin will be, without doubt, the best in the air.”

16 November 2005

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However the same site also quotes from here:
http://www.travelbiz.com.au/articles/91/0c03de91.asp

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At the same time, the airline will invest GBP200 million developing a new Club World seat, on-demand in-flight entertainment and upgrading its online presence.

10 March 2006

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Does anyone have any photos or more info?

Next Generation Club World is being kept under pretty tight wraps at the moment. I believe that any staff who get to see it have to sign a secret squirrel agreement first, and nobody I know who claims to have seen it is prepared to say a single thing about it. Not even whether or not it maintains the forward-backward pairing arrangement.

They must have some high cost marketing outfit telling them to keep it a big secret and build up the suspense for some major PR gig where all the luvvies turn out and go 'oooooo' while the smoke machines are pumping and the lasers are beaming.

Then, on closer inspection, it will be a seat that goes flat and which they try to persuade you is called a bed, which is far less comfortable than the one you have at home, the TV is far less interesting than the stuff you have at home, the food and drink is FAR worse than what you have at home. This they will pitch at £3000 for a night (think what you could get in a hotel for that) - and it will get to your destination less than a second before the rabble behind you who spent £150 to get to the same place as equally jet lagged.

One just cannot wait to see it :)

slimslag, you don't half have some flannel sometimes.

maybe all you say is true but to be honest if my bed at home wasn't more comfortable I'd be some kind of masochist. If I can't get a drink to my own liking at home then god help me. One thing my home can't do is get me to New York in 7 hrs ish, and neither will your hotel.

Haven't you seen some of the deals? BA will get you to New York in 7hrs ish for less than £100 right now (ex taxes), in the back. Now that is impressive. I'm just wondering what the fuss is about about a seat :)

Dunno either!!! However, I am just grateful that people (or in most cases, their employers) are still paying First and Club fares because it is only through them that you are able to enjoy your £150 seat down the back! It is also largely through them that Bealine and his pals still have a job, otherwise BA would have disappeared shortly after 09/11!!!

Having said that, and having travelled in both cabins, I have yet to feel jet-lagged when I get off the aircraft from a Club seat! I even flew LGW-IAH IAH-SFO in Business First (Continental) and drove 300 miles immediately afterwards without flagging! I doubt if my cramped seat in 35E (the one that normally has my name on it) would have left me feeling quite so fresh!

It's horses for courses - if you're paying for travel yourself and you've got a bit of time to adjust at the other end, fine - a £150 seat will do the job! If you have to go into meetings firing on all cylinders within a few hours of your arrival, Club /First seating is the preferred option for most - and thank God it is!!!