In 2019, British Airways introduced its new Club Suites business class, featuring direct aisle access and doors. This marks a massive improvement to the carrier’s business class experience. As is always the case when new business class products are introduced, the big question is the timeline with which seats will be rolled out.
Continue reading: British Airways Retrofitting Boeing 787s With Club Suites
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Just flew BA 380 business class from Washington to London. Horrible. worst business class seats out there. not even sure it is up to the level of 3 Star airline today. food inedible, took 1 1/2 hours to get luggage. sad.
A380s have the original business class seats. Of course, they're not up to current standards. As a whole, BA food in J is fine (but not great). If you are Alan the Troll whom we know and love, then BA delivered your bags late intentionally. If not, can't tell you why.
In May, we flew British Airways ORD to LHR on the 777 in business class (new seats). Of all our flights, we like those seats the best. The American 787 business class seats were a close second, with Finnair A350 business class seats being unimpressive (they did not recline on the back upright but you could do extensions to go flat on the legs). British Airways service was also the best. It will be nice to see these seats roll out on the 787 fleet.
After Alex Cruz's disastrous tenure as CEO, BA is in the process of restoring service and product. In spite of things, BA offers a decent F and J product. Emirates or Singapore it ain't. But, for those who are grateful for life's blessings, it'll due.
Anyone know anything about the AARP BA discount? The link has been missing from AARP’s site for several days, and the AARP support is worthless.
I was curious, does anyone know what happened to "The nice Paul" who would frequently comment on this site? I miss his insight on all things British/UK related.
Not offended. If you hang around here long enough, you'll see certain names do nothing but bash the subject airline. Never a positive comment. One is named Alan. This particular comment seemed to fit the shoe.
"That'll do" is exactly the passenger attitude that has led them to be so sluggish with improvements - the rusted-on frequent premium-cabin flyers in London and North America who've tolerated a second rate product for so long because they're irrevocably enmeshed with Executive Club and the service experience always had a slight edge over the competition.
I remember this chap. This is same "The nice Paul" who openly mocked and made jokes about the unfortunate tourists who died excruciatingly painful deaths (burned and scalded alive) in the 2019 NZ volcanic eruption. Yeah, I don't miss that pig named "The nice Paul" at all.
Most of these 787s 900. Don’t even have Wi-Fi and are running long flights. Based on my last few flights Ba is still not great The old seats are a nightmare in biz.
@John — I don’t think I did. It doesn’t seem like me. Maybe you’re confused?
I’m still here. Signing-in is such a palaver I don’t comment very often.
This, BA used to be prestigious, synonymous with good service and class. It's a shame their First Class is so mediocre, and their service is miles behind many world class airlines. I guess it's also a sign of the times and the decline of British culture.
Is BA still charging BC passengers extra if they want to choose their seat? That alone is enough to ensure that BA is the last on my list of preferred airlines. Plus the fact that their current BC seating arrangement is ridiculous.
Flew both the new business class and the old one last week. The only half decent seat on the plane with the old business class is the true window seat in the back of the cabins with direct aisle access. I think there are six total on an A380. There's loads of storage - think the old reclining window seats with the storage cabinets on the wall. It's tolerable as long as the aisle seat is empty. Everything else about the seat is far below the current business class standard - not surprising since the design has been in service for 25 years. Can't wait until they get the whole fleet updated.
The FAs on this flight were above average for BA, which means that only one was actively rude and a couple were actually almost human. But stll, the service standards are awful on BA. I mean, on a good day AA is better, and that's going some.
I flew the 787-8 from PDX-LHR in the old business class seat and it was awful. There was no storage other than that odd drawer at the bottom which you can't access when reclined. The seat was literally falling apart, the monitor wouldn't stay in place and the armrest was wobbling which was very annoying as your arm moves with it and can't stay still. The food, however, was surprisingly good and the service was excellent. Every time the FA brought me something they did it with a genuine smile and was proactively topping up my drinks. I've previously read many negative reviews about their service so very low expectations going in. My onward flight to LIS was also fantastic, there was one FA who was hustling the whole time serving a full meal for a short flight which I appreciated and enjoyed.
Over the past 10 days, 2 of BA’s 787-8 returned to LHR following engine issues and haven’t flown since. G-ZBJG and JI.
I wish they would update the A380 already- I love flying that plane so much but the business class seat is so terrible I actively book away.
Same comment about the service! Just flew LAX-LHR in the new suites (which were great). The service was excellent. Even though I declined dinner to sleep, the flight attendants kept checking on me the whole flight - every time they saw me awake, they asked if I wanted something.
I've heard some pretty rough reports on the old seats recently - many where the footrest is broken and won't stay in place, completely negating the benefit of a lie flat seat. They've got to get these replaced asap!
They can't blame everything on the pandemic. They are simply the worst transatlantic carrier IMHO and their business class product is sorely lacing. As far as European flights go, maybe one day they'll move into the 21st century and have wi-fi on their flights out of LCY.
Not only are they still doing it, but AF recently joined them. Won't be shocked to see KL do so as well, if they already don't. 🙁
Just don’t take any BA flight from LGW. There are no plans to refurbish any aircraft at that airport. It seems to be where BA aircraft see out their final days.
After rolling out Club Suites in 2019, BA has promised to conclude the longhaul fleet upgrade program by the end of 2026. That's SEVEN YEARS, and as a practical matter when BA says 2026 we should count on things dragging on into 2028. Pandemic or no pandemic, longhaul frame shortage or none, taking almost a decade to implement a middling improvement -- one that vaults British Airways into the ranks of B-minus-grade business class products -- is ridiculous.
Most trans-atlantic BA routes have an AA equivalent, so book on a code-share flight via BA or AA.com if its cheaper (quite often) and fly AA business class. Guaranteed to get 4 across seating, good food and wine both in larger portions than BA, service varies from average to great, but avios and Executive tier points earned are the same. Simple!