Now Flying: British Airways’ First 777 With Club Suites

Now Flying: British Airways’ First 777 With Club Suites

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British Airways’ first 777 featuring their new Club Suites business class and slightly modified first class is flying as of today!

British Airways Club Suites Business Class

Historically British Airways has had a pretty outdated business class product, as they’ve had 7-8 seats per row.

British Airways’ old business class

That’s why there has been a ton of excitement surrounding British Airways’ new Club Suites. These are fully flat and feature direct aisle access.

British Airways’ new business class

These are reverse herringbone seats that also have doors, so this is the first time an airline has put doors on these kinds of seats.

The Club Suites debuted on the A350-1000 (which are newly delivered), but the airline also plans on reconfiguring existing 787s and 777s with these seats.

British Airways’ A350 Routes

The airline has scheduled the A350-1000s featuring new Club Suites on the following routes so far:

  • London to Dubai on the BA107/106 frequency (since September 2, 2019)
  • London to Toronto on the BA93/92 frequency (since October 1, 2019)
  • London to Tel Aviv on the BA163/162 frequency (as of December 1, 2019)
  • London to Bangalore on the BA119/118 frequency (as of January 1, 2020)


British Airways’ A350

British Airways’ First 777 With Club Suites

For quite a while now British Airways has scheduled 777 flights with their new Club Suites, though it looks like the first plane is reconfigured ahead of schedule.

For anyone who wants to track the first 777 with Club Suites, it’s a 777-200 with the registration code G-RAES (it just flew from Cardiff to London yesterday).


British Airways’ new business class

Starting today (October 9), the following New York frequency will feature a 777 with Club Suites:

BA173 London to New York departing 11:20AM arriving 2:05PM
BA112 New York to London departing 6:30PM arriving 6:30AM (+1 day)

As the airline reconfigures more 777s, the plan is for more of them to be put on the New York route. You’ll always want to check the seatmap for your flight to make sure it matches the new configuration, as the schedule remains subject to change.

Clearly this is intended as a competitive response to Virgin Atlantic. They also have a new business class product on the A350-1000, and they are flying it exclusively to New York for the time being (they’ve already scheduled 4x daily flights).

Virgin Atlantic’s new business class

How To Tell If You’re On A Reconfigured 777

Beyond the above route, how can you tell if your flight is scheduled to be operated by a reconfigured 777?

The reconfigured 777 features just eight first class seats, which are almost identical to British Airways’ old first class seats.

Meanwhile in business class the configuration goes from 2-4-2 to 1-2-1.

Bottom Line

It’s exciting to see British Airways’ first reconfigured plane with their new Club Suites. This should be great news for the New York market, where competition is really heating up between British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.

The reason British Airways isn’t putting the A350 on the New York route is because it doesn’t feature first class, and New York is a market where there’s first class demand. So that’s why the 777 is the perfect plane for the route, since it still features a smaller first class cabin, but also has the new business class.

Conversations (15)
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  1. Mark Guest

    I’m flying ba173 a few times in next few months and it was scheduled to be 777 but now it’s a 747 on all of ba173 flights until March at least as just had email changing seats.

  2. Tucsonbabe Guest

    My husband and I flew in this plane from Madrid to London last week. BA is using that short route to test the aircraft. It is head and shoulders above the current atrocious BA business class seating. Unfortunately,it will take years for them to replace the entire fleet.

  3. schar Guest

    what about the first class? whats the difference?

  4. Alan Guest

    Cardiff is their major maintenance base, so that would explain the short flight (they don't do scheduled services from there)

  5. Noah Bowie Guest

    Why is no one talking about the updated first class?

  6. hanchicago Guest

    Will the retrofitted 777-200s fly between London and Madrid (BA flights 460 and 461), as one 777 usually does most days (if not every day?) of the week?

  7. Lara S. Guest

    I've never been able to access the seating chart on BA before I purchase a ticket or at least until Ive selected the flights and gotten pretty far into the process. How can anyone tell when looking at different flight options which they will be getting on any of the new routes? Thx.

  8. Rico Gold

    Wake me when they start flying the new configuration to Seattle. Otherwise, I'd rather save my miles and $600+ and pay to fly Norwegian premium (if they're still in business).

  9. duck ling Guest

    They aren't changing the First Class seat at all. Kinda disappointing.

  10. JamesP Guest

    Seems like there are some TLV flights with this aircraft as well. I see availability in March. Maybe other dates as well.

  11. Aaron Diamond

    TPG has reviewed both new seats already, for what that's worth...

    So I guess on these 777s, the only advantage now to the seat in First is that someone can join you while dining...

  12. Daniel New Member

    Is the new business class of BA more private then the First class?
    The first class does not have doors and business does???
    Seems strange

  13. JB Guest

    Are they updating any part of first class?

  14. The nice Paul Diamond

    @Lucky
    When are you flying the Club Suite? We need your review - preferably a comparison review with Virgin's new product!

Featured Comments Most helpful comments ( as chosen by the OMAAT community ).

The comments on this page have not been provided, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser, and it is not an advertiser's responsibility to ensure posts and/or questions are answered.

Mark Guest

I’m flying ba173 a few times in next few months and it was scheduled to be 777 but now it’s a 747 on all of ba173 flights until March at least as just had email changing seats.

0
Tucsonbabe Guest

My husband and I flew in this plane from Madrid to London last week. BA is using that short route to test the aircraft. It is head and shoulders above the current atrocious BA business class seating. Unfortunately,it will take years for them to replace the entire fleet.

0
schar Guest

what about the first class? whats the difference?

0
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