Why I won't fly British Airways premium economy again.
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- Опубликовано: 20 май 2024
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Welcome to Heathrow - and watch me as I fly to Johannesburg after Christmas and find out whether British Airways World Traveller Plus is my cup of tea. ☕️
0:00 Introduction
0:24 British Airways Terminal 5, and the First Wing
1:00 Galleries First Lounge T5
2:03 Preparing for this trip
3:16 Surfshark integrated ad
4:10 Boarding our Boeing 777-300ER
5:22 World Traveller Plus
6:05 Taxi and takeoff
7:34 Wifi
7:48 Seat tour
8:30 Amenities
9:06 World Traveller Plus meal service
9:49 IFE
10:20 Sunrise over Africa, and "breakfast"
11:41 Descent and landing
12:20 Conclusions, fare paid, thanks, and goodbye
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Date of Travel: 27 DEC 2021
Airline: British Airways
Livery: British Airways standard
Route: LHR-JNB
Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER
Flight Number: BA 57
Miles: 5639
Airborne time: 10h50m
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Had it for years now thanks to you Sam Chui and several others
Been quite happy with it
I use it at home as well,as when traveling
I flew PE on BA’s brand new A350 to Dubai and it was certainly much better seat (larger screen and leg rest), food and service. Although, BA service is a hit and miss.
"Premium economy" on BA feels like what economy class _used_ to be about 15-20 years ago.
Not sure what airline you were flying 15-20 years ago but economy really hasn't changed much.
Yeah but what you don’t understand is premium back then used to cost the same as business class
@@welshjim22 Seat pitch today is 2" shorter and seat width is 1.5" narrower than it was in the 1980's. Budget flights have forced airlines to cut costs (food, amenities, etc) and fit more passengers into the same space to increase revenue.
@@richardthrust1126 1980s is 40 years ago
It's a very classic thing across many industries.
Tone down what you used to offer, then sell the old product back again as an 'upgrade'
To me it's not worth it's price bump. Business class food in an economy seat would be a worthwhile upgrade.
I flew this premium service from South Africa to London with BA. I can tell you as a tall person, this was really heaven compared to economy.
for a extra £129 for the extra space on such a long flight is something that would interest me for sure. Important to say I think that world traveller plus is just economy with more room, better food including proper plates and cutlery and a increase in legroom with a smaller cabin. all in all it is not a bad product I think but thoroughly enjoyed your video as always Paul keep them coming
I'm never going to fly long haul but I'm fat so if I did I would certainly pay the extra for the extra seat width.
I’ve only ever flown to JFK from London - but the extra room at that kind of cost would be something I’d be more than happy to pay.
@@Courtneyburns90 Business class is the only sure way of getting extra width. Premium economy is like being shoehorned into a tight space.
@@esthergreig739 Disagree, PE means you are definitely not 'shoehorned'. 38" leg room, smaller cabin, food on china etc if you are travelling as a pair then the 2 seats on either side of the cabin make for a much more comfortable flight than 'down the back'. Actually I thought £129 as an upgrade for this flight was pretty good for a flight of that length, but as with everything, everybody's idea of what is value differs.
We flew from Phoenix to Heathrow two years ago on BA, and it's the worst trip I've ever taken on a flight in 40 years of flying. The staff were fabulous, but they were very upset that the company had just cut their pensions. The seats were terrible and cramped, the food was awful, and we vowed and declared we'd never fly with them again, and we're English and wanted to support the flag carrier. The flight was terrible from start to finish. In contrast, Virgin Atlantic have been great and their Premium Economy is well worth the upgrade - a very fine product which we heartily endorse. I don't quite understand why so many people still like flying BA. The staff told us the asset strippers had got hold of the airline, and every amenity had been cut to the bone. I'd like to hear whether things have changed for the better. Perhaps things are much better now.
I've flown BA Premium Economy a few times now, mostly when I visited family in Sydney because at 6'4" (1.93m) I didn't fancy 22hrs sat in standard economy. I've never had any issues, plenty of leg room even with the seat in front fully reclined and mine not. The food was better than standard economy but obviously not as good as the service in business. To compare I have flow BA long haul economy and paid for the exit row seats for the leg room which is cheaper but the seats are not as comfortable or as wide as Premium.
I've never had any problems with BA
Long haul to Australia before the pandemic we were flying business class on Chinese Airlines. It was cheaper than BA premium economy on 3 of our last 4 flights to Oz, and within 10% on that flight. For your money we got lie flat beds, cabin crew who cared and tried even if they knew not much more English than I do Chinese. Lie flat bed seats and an extra 3 hours flight/connection time beat brand loyalty a few avios and a large economy seat every time.
I flew to Sydney and back mainly in BA PE some years ago, but with the first leg back to Singapore on Qantas PE. That experience was much, much better, in all respects.
For me the only benefit of premium economy is the extra room. I'm not fussed about the food or ground services. It's all about getting a better sleep.
I agree. Paying for PE should always be about the hard product first and if everything else is good then thats a bonus. I recently flew Delta's premium select from LHR - JFK and I found the seat to be very comfortable and every seat has a calf and foot rest, not just the front row which was great to see; great storage too.
I regularly use premium economy from London to Tokyo. Business class on that route is ££££, but premium economy isn’t that bad and the extra space is welcome. I never care about ‘amenities’ since I watch my own movies on my iPad and use my own noise cancelling headphones (don’t most frequent travelers do this?).
Best thing about premium economy if you have some sort of executive club level is the high chance of being upgraded to business for free. I’ve been upgraded for free a couple of times… BA up sells regular economy folk to premium, but doesn’t have enough seats - so if you’re a card holder in PE they’ll bump you up to make space.
Noise cancelling headphones, yes. Always using own tablet for entertainment, not really.
At least for me, I prefer to use the personal TV than my own tablet first just because I don't have to worry about battery draining (sometimes outlets don't work...or there aren't any) and the PTV is already at eye level so I don't have to look down the whole time to watch something.
I do bring my Surface with pre-downloaded shows/movies no matter what though as a back up. Saved me once on a flight from AMS to LAX with KLM where none of the TVs worked in economy. Even better, the built in kick stand fit perfectly in the gaps around the TV so it was at eye level too.
This upgrade has never happened to me and I find it astonishing people upgrade themselves. I recently flew from Heathrow to Boston and they quoted me an extra £600 to upgrade to PE. My whole return flight was £700. The most criminal thing about it was premium economy and business were only 50% full. They could have easily sold those seats for £150 more.
I travel extensively and solely with BA. It seems the only thing the loyalty has got me is a ‘Thanks to our frequent flyers’ announcement throughout the flight.
On some occasions the BA flight os operated by AA and I have to say their overall level of service beats BA hands down. Also, the lounges at terminal 3 blow BA’s at 5 out of the water.
Its a shame. BA need to up their game but I guess they always know they’ll be bailed out.
@@jeffcobb8151 Delta is the best economy product from LHR-BOS
Good point about the upgrade. I book premium just so there’s a chance of business. Worked a couple of times for me and even though that club world layout is shocking it’s still worth a free upgrade!!!
@@jeffcobb8151 bailed out by who? Seats are generally empty because no one booked a seat on that flight. You clearly don't understand the economics and how airlines work.
I am a very infrequent long haul flier. I chose premium economy on both legs of a return trip from LHR to PHX in March 2020 and was highly satisfied with all aspects of the experience. I'm repeating the trip in three weeks and am flying premium economy outbound and have splashed out on business class on the return leg this time.
Depending on the price paid, the PE looked worth it. I would definitely prefer that over Economy for a long flight. Seems like someone is too used to business/first class travelling
Agree.... Hahaha....
But if you're going to spend so much extra for it, why is the meal so mediocre?
@@largol33t1 hint, it's appeal is not the meal....
I always fly Premium Economy with BA when I fly from Vancouver to LHR round trip as the extra room makes all the difference for a 9 1/2 hour flight. Before the pandemic, I would travel 2 to 3 times per year to the UK. I also really appreciate the smaller cabin and the fact that you don't have hundreds of people walking up and down the aisles like you do in Economy due to the limited room. Plus, paying a bit more earns me more Avios which I then put towards a Business Class flight about every two years. Despite being Canadian, I have never had luck with Air Canada so can't compare the two airlines in this regards.
I've always thought the main benefit of Premium Economy is the extra leg room, which comes in useful if you're a taller person, especially on long haul flights. Whether or not it's worth the extra price is subjective to each passenger - personally, I'd rather save the money and sit in regular economy.
I’m of the taller persuasion myself and often find it’s possible to pay extra and get a seat in economy with more legroom for much less than the cost of PE. Of course you have to bank on getting in there first and the costs may vary by airline.
When I flew to the US in Virgin in 2019, my seat with extra legroom in economy was £40 there and £45 back.
Last time I flew out with Virgin in early 2020, I got a free upgrade to a more legroom seat. When I tried to book it online it said all those seats were reserved, as was a lot of the cabin. However come the day of the flight, the cabin was practically empty and the stewardess, noting my being uncomfortably crammed into my seat, had a word with the plane manager who had no problem letting me sit in an extra legroom seat. Best guess it was because we were starting to hear about COVID spreading and a lot of people cancelled as a result. Either that or the booking website was having a moment…
Anyway, I flew out to the US in October 2021 (my wife is a US citizen and thus I was exempt form the restrictions on non-citizens entering the country) by BA this time and the extra legroom seat was £95 each way!* I took it but took my chances for the return leg, luckily I got a row to myself but I could spread out. Even at over double the cost of Virgin, it was still much cheaper than PE.
I don’t know what other airlines charge for extra legroom seats in economy and how much price difference is from PE (or the equivalent) so sound off if you’ve paid for such on another airline. It’d be interesting to see the differences in price.
*Being cynical, the reason for the much higher price might have been BA trying to recoup losses incurred during the pandemic. The base ticket price was also higher than my previous flight to the US on Virgin by around £150.
@@WardyLion Once upon a time seats in the economy emergency row were free of charge. I'm 6'3" and on long haul flights I always tried to be seated in a row with extra leg room until BA became the very first airline to introduce an exorbitant charge for sitting in the emergency row. It wasn't long before most other airlines followed BA's money grab although there are still a number of airlines who choose not to apply a charge for these seats. These are the airlines who now get my business and moreover I make a point of never flying with BA.
As a tall person you get used to the lack of space.
unless your knees are legitimately bad. suck it up.
Great video Paul! I have flown BA PE once before and I found it to be a good product. I am 6'2" and well built so the extra legroom/width is a bonus. The meals don't really matter that much to me. Another bonus is there tends to be less passengers in the PE cabin so the overheads have plenty room. Safe travels and I look forward to the next video.
I paid for an upgrade on BA from LHR to SFO several years ago and the seat (since been replaced with a better design) was one of the most uncomfortable I've had on a long haul flight. That, combined with abysmal service (I was never served an entree with my lunch along with surly flight attendants), has kept me from booking BA again. I've flown in PE on Cathay, AA and JAL many times, with JAL having the most comfortable seat and best service.
Fantastic review Paul! Looking at the food service, if you’re worried about leg room, I’d just pay a bit extra to reserve an exit row seat in economy!😸
(That being said, the upgrades to Premium Economy from Economy are always nice!)
I've really enjoyed flying BA Premium Economy on the A380 from LHR to SFO. It's always great to be on the A380, and the experience was better than in economy for me. Would definitely pay a little extra over economy for it on that trip, especially as the delta from PE to Business on that route is usually huge.
I whole heartedly agree that looking ahead to a planned trip is often the best part!
Definitely agree, looking forward to the trip is the best part!
I think you need to consider the time and duration of the flight in your assessment. I am a regular on the Accra-London-Accra route. It is around 6.5 hours. Outbound is an overnight flight so I take business with a flatbed (A350 if lucky). But return i usually fly PE as the flight is 2pm to 8.30pm so unless the upgrade is pennies, PE is fine for me.
Very interesting in regards to the premium economy crew member. I flew out of Heathrow for a major UK airline, and senior cabin crew members during pre-flight briefing would always offer to go in this cabin as its generally a quieter shift, as at times may only be half full, so much easier than working your butt off down the back with all the rows in the economy section which is always full to capacity regardless of the time of year. I have to admit during my first years I had a low seniority number so I would always get put on the aircraft where I was told, and very seldom did I ever get the choice. I have been lucky to work in premium and have at times worked with lazy crew members who are looking for an easy workday. So I can fully understand your frustrations. Luckily, this was not the norm, and most of the crew were very friendly and extremely hard working, although you do always get the odd entitled lazy crew member.
The best thing about world traveller plus is the extra tier points (90 vs 20 on a normal economy fair)
We regularly book into premium economy, with the sole intention of using avios for an upgrade to club world! I find that can often be the cheapest way to get into business on the more pricey routes! ✈️
Always fly BA WTP/PE LGW to Tampa & every single flight outbound & inbound have been superb, I'm 6'4'' & have a spinal injury from military service & I have always found the seating to be very good.
As there are 2 of us we always book window & aisle which makes the flight more comfortable.
The extra cost is definitely worth it for us & we grab the return flights as soon as the return date is released so plan ahead fellow travellers !
We also book an SUV with the flights & as BA flying club members it's just a minimal deposit until much nearer your vacation 👍
We sometimes fly LHR to San Diego also direct with BA but pay for Business class/Club World for that distance & that cabin & flat bed/seat are superb though about 4 inches short for me when flat 😂
The prices tend to be very good if you get them early enough & maybe we have been lucky but we didn't pay much more than Premium on the California run !
Once we grab our seats & pay we book assisstance, phone BA & they kindly refund the extra seat choice money which TBH most if not all airlines do but it's very much appreciated by us.
The food is what it is people, do you really expect a 5* gourmet meal as opposed to something that's at the very least decent & edible ?
Your on a plane not in a posh restaurant & how long are we up there ..... You'll live !
Like most of you we book for that bit of extra space, legroom & width & that little bit more privacy but that said our last flight the food was steak from business class & it was superb !
One more thing & maybe it's my "past" but if there isn't an actual PE check in desk just use business, they don't mind but remember be polite & respectful & check the name tag on the person your speaking with & call them by their name & thank them, manners maketh man...... As someone once said !
BTW if your flights within an hour departure & landing of its scheduled time then that's as damn near on time as is possible when you think of herding passengers, luggage loading, flight slots, weather etc...
Safe travels 👍
Used to fly BA Premium Economy a fair amount in the 2010's when flying between LAX and London a lot and it was likely a very similar plane (if not the exact plane!) and I always found it a bit more comfortable than regular economy. I think the small amount of extra comfort is actually worth it on long haul flights, especially as Premium Economy fares aren't insane. And the smaller cabin adds a little bit more as well. Of course, as you say, Club World is wayyyy better for both being able to lie flat and the privacy.
I’ve only had good experiences with BA but everyone’s experiences are different. Air France was the worst for me.
Same here.
One factor I’ve noticed over the past six months is that WT is often emptier than WTP. With Covid, lots of people seem to have unused miles and also like the comfort factor of just a bit more elbow room between you and your neighbour. However, having a spare seat beside you in economy is arguably better than a full premium economy cabin, especially as you say, there’s not a huge difference in service.
I've flown in the business class shown at the beginning of the video. Those seats are extremely uncomfortable, especially because the divider wall narrows around your legs (which restricts leg movement both seats and when lying flat).
The premium economy seats looked a lot more comfortable then the business-class seats, even if they don't lie flat.
You know I never really considered it until this video but both Business and PE have 8 seats across on this 777 - so the seat widths are so marginal as to not make much of a difference. I actually like the old Club World (new one is waaaaaay better of course!) but only because it's quite private if you get one of the direct aisle seats. I couldn't defend the product in old Club but I like it against all reason!
I fully understand your disappointment in this BA flight. Paying the upgrade wasn't worth it and the one bad flight attendant didn't help. I would have probably booked regular economy or if feeling flush with money would have paid business class.
Thanks Paul for sharing your experience😀😀♥️♥️
Thanks for the Review 👍
Another great video Paul 👍
I have long legs, so the "premium" seating would have value for me on a long haul flight. I would also consider the amenities kit and the headphones as extras above and beyond standard Economy. The catering looked like the standard Economy fare. Perhaps BA should describe this as "extra space" rather than premium, but for me, if I could afford it, the legroom might be worth it.
I flew BA premium economy on a 777 flight to the United States just before covid. I got a very good deal on the upgrade from economy, the cabin crew were excellent, seat comfortable and I liked the smaller cabin. The food was good, not brilliant but perfectly acceptable, we did have 3 choices of main meal, that may have been as no covid then. I would fly BA premium again, I think you were unfortunate with the crew as a good crew can really make a great flight!
How much was the upgrade from economy?
@@Amacatelina84746 The return flight from London Gatwick to Orlando total cost £1550, that was for both my husband and myself. When I first looked at prices it was about £2300 but I just kept checking online and the price suddenly dropped, you have to keep checking. We flew in October 2019, pre covid. The world and flying have changed so much since then, so I don't know how that will affect today's prices. We did enjoy the World Traveller Plus experience on British Airways.
I'm flying Premium Economy (WT+) to Barbados in January - have flown it before - and am very happy to pay the extra for the additional comfort. Flew Club World on the same route in March 2020 - the last flight before lockdown. Because the catering companies were closed, a small tube of Salt & Vinegar Pringles, a cheese and lettuce sandwich and a small pack of shortbread was all that was available for an 9 hour flight (!) BA crew were great though. Unfortunately, the Club World lounge was also closed at Gatwick due to the pandemic.
I completely agree! I am traveling internationally for the first time this summer, going to Paris (from the USA) and I don't leave for 4 months and I've already watched tons of videos about my seat (United Polaris on a 777-200, business class seat), tons of walking tours about the places I want to go when I'm there, etc.
Getting ready for the trip is always just as much fun as going for me.
Flown BA premium economy several times, generally to the USA. I have never been able to fault the service, much more legroom, storage bins, good meals, proper cutlery, the whole experience was excellent and well worth the reasonable increased cost. Maybe you were unlucky?
I’ve flown premium economy from Heathrow to Phoenix (10 hrs). I thought it was totally worth the extra money. Just the big seat was worth it. I wasn’t expecting the food to be any different from economy. I would definitely do it again (I’m a Yank) Good flying 😁😎
I'm definitely with you on the planning! For us, it's half the fun, although too much knowledge can lead to disproportionate expectations. Even so, we love researching,.even over researching our trips away. We haven't amassed gold status yet, and are still hovering on Silver, but we still enjoy BA, and have flown with them half a dozen times over the last 2 years. We're looking forward to actually visiting the busines lounge at LHR for the first time in January, when we fly to Vegas. Really enjoyed your journey, thanks.
I flew Premium Economy (LAX-LHR) on an older A380 (double decker) and loved it (pre-pandemic) - both directions (return). Worth it for me - better seating, unlimited alcohol, and food choices. I did use Amex points to upgrade from Economy....
I always thought premium economy was basically just a slightly bigger seat and more legroom ? However for an overnight flight full enough that I'm not going to have 2 or more seats to curl up on, I definitely consider a PE upgrade. But a semi empty flight where you can lie down in the middle 3 or 4 seats is better!
Having just flown Premium Plus on United from IAD to BRU last week, I am reminded that this middle class of seat is not generally worth it for me, but for other reason than Paul. United's seats on a 787 in this class are also wider, but the hard sides containing the tray tables extend further forward, which confines my lower thighs considerably. Also, their tray tables do not extend as far forward as on BA, meaning they stick in my gut whilst trying to eat. Finally, the footrest tends to just get in the way more than providing a lift for my legs. So different airline, but same bottom line decision - not worth it unless it gets me an upgrade to the true business class seats in front. Luckily, United has Economy Plus seats with a larger pitch than normal on its flights, and with the reduced load under current conditions, I don't think I'll have a neighbor on my flight home this week.
Thanks for sharing
We used Tui premium economy to and from Florida 5 years ago and thought it was worth every penny. Lounge access / fast track through security / private check in desk / priority boarding / priority disembarking / better luggage allowance / better seats / better IFE / better service and meals
Excellent review, having had a similarly disappointing experience on my BA Premium Economy seat from San Francisco to Heathrow, 18 November, 2021. I was so looking forward to what I hoped would be a bit more premium flight than coach. Sadly, nothing about my flight was premium, other than the the comfortable seat, 22B. Meal service was rushed, and cabin crew did not offer a entrée choice for meal service. Was informed the entrée was a Curry, which turned out be a mystery dish of what I think were potatoes and cauliflower. Absolutely awful, as I love good Indian curries, but this was anything but.
I almost never saw cabin crew during the entire 10 hour flight, and we were thrown a breakfast sandwich before landing.
Aircraft was dirty, clearly old, and worn. I am a total plane geek and love the sound of the GE90 engines spooling and the takeoff, so I made my own entertainment. Having to pay for WIFI was just icing on the poor cake.
All airline food is precooked… better to eat in the terminal mate. It’s all about the room and quieter cabin that’s it. Sounds like a poor crew but I don’t think they get treated well and then they probably aren’t bothered. Good old days are gone. I buy what I need from the terminal - self sufficient 😆
I feel like Japan Airlines' Premium Economy might be worth it. The benefits of JAL are not just the larger and well-designed seats, but the fact that you can recline without bothering the person behind you. For me, that's worth its weight in gold. Plus JAL Premium Economy pax get lounge access as well.
Of course JAL's basic economy product is so good it's still questionable whether the upgrade is worth it - I find 12 hour day flights in JAL's 787 Skywider economy seat quite comfortable as it is. A later afternoon flight though, or perhaps on aircraft with a 3-3-3 economy configuration, I might be tempted to JAL Premium Economy.
After 747 flight from sfo in 2011, i pretty much never flew long haul with them again except i did book a flight in nov 2020 which got cancelled just before the gov announced travel bans. I only dare to take them for short haul now because no other airline flies where i need.
Thank you for showing me, it is interesting to learn for me. Ready my travel plans 😊
I flew with Air New Zealand in Premium Economy a few years ago and it was excellent from service to food and seats .I felt I was being treated as a business class passenger.
I agree, where Air NZ gets it right is that premium economy has business class catering. But I do miss the space age seats they had on the 777s when they were swapped out for fairly standard premium economy seats. And there is nothing quite like Air NZ’s cabin crew.
@@paulcarpenter1420 You're right. Air NZ really are a cut above the rest. Only Qatar and Singapore Airlines have them beat overall; however for premium economy specifically, Air NZ wipes the floor with even these two aviation behemoths (np. Qatar don't have PE)
Yes I have flown both Air NZ and Qantas PE. Both are noticeably different to standard economy. Air NZ especially I felt like i was in business class too.
Flew Premium Economy Auckland to LHR return with Air New Zealand just before they stopped flying to. LHR. Superb service. My frequent flyer point allowed me to upgrade to business class for the Akl Lax leg. The lie flat bed was nice, but honestly, I found the PE was excellent value
I had a similar experience when I flew to the Caribbean with BA. The FA was so rude I decided I would never fly lh with BA ever again.
Another brilliant video Paul .
Great video as usual, saw the steam train at the end I hope we are getting a video on that.
My wife and I travelled BA Premium Economy on two trips to China (and back) to visit family in recent years. The extra space was well worth the extra money, as was the extra free baggage allowance (we were taking things for our family). The service was good, but the food was nothing particularly special. BA's in-flight catering has definitely gone downhill in recent years.
As a bloke of lets say, larger stature, I will only fly Premium Economy. Having suffered BA WT on JFK-LGW in their densified config, it was just too uncomfortable. Business Class being too far out of my reach as a normal every day peasant, Premium Economy is the only option if I need space. Even extra legroom seats aren't much more comfortable. I feel BA let themselves down though, on the hard product. TUI, for example, often charge less than BA for their premium product, yet does include seat selection and lounge access. Why a legacy carrier such as BA, still charge for seat selection in supposedly premium cabins, and don't offer lounge access, is beyond me. I've just booked LHR-DXB with BA in WT+, and the seat selections alone come to a third of the overall flight cost... It is ridiculous.
Great Video! I got the same seats as you, do they recline all the way back or does the wall behind limit it?
We flew BA Premium Plus last week from India to UK and although the A350 was new the service from staff was lacking . Emirates Premium economy is much awaited .
I flew with BA in World Traveller to New York at Christmas on a 777 and the flight was good and meal was delicious (rare for food on a plane) but this is strange for premium economy considering you got a mediocre breakfast
I entirely agree in general as the hike in cost is not reflected in the extra product from economy. One exception was Cathay Pacific however, who went quite far in making it extra special, especially at meal time. JAL premium economy was good too and included lounge access!
Friends who flew BA premium and JAL economy on code share flights before COVID said that JAL's 787 economy was better than BA's 777 premium economy.
I used JAL's economy on both fights, and it was very good. From what I gather BA's cabin seemed to be on it's last legs and needed replacing.
I have used BA premium economy in the past. The service and food were great. The seats, not so good. But that was quite a few years ago now.
I was shocked when you said plane was 10 years old because it looked like 20-30 years old to me.
What a great video and honest review.
Keep up the good work.
Really surprised by the surly staff. Have flown BA Premium Economy a lot on transatlantic routes, and found staff always excellent. The food though is often much worse than you got - the breakfast things are properly inedible (and I'm not a fussy eater).
*For 2021 and most of 2020 all my flights were 75 percent empty at the back on long haul flights so i could just stretch across all the seats*
they’re not like that anymore on most routes
Cheers for the input, I best brush the dust off my Delorean and go back to 2020 then...
@@nnniiiaaallllll You made me spit out my drink laughing mate.
@@bo7250 They still are short haul for budget airlines in Europe. My last 3 trips since new year on wizz air, I got the entire ROW across the plane to myself. With the exception of my last flight with 1 person in the opposite window group from me... that was Ryanair of course.
How considerate for the new passengers. Always people like you on flights.
I’ve just traveled long haul to San Diego. I chose to go premium both ways and loved it. The foot and leg rests were incredibly comfortable and the seat tilted back a good distance. China crockery, metal cutlery and a linen napkin go a long way. Cannot fault the BA staff. Oh and screens were absolutely fine. We had quilted blankets plus the pillows were so soft. My granddaughters loved the toiletry bags which I saved for them. I slept on the red eye flight which I normally am not able to do. Now considering upgrading for Orlando in October.
I’ve flown BA premium economy from the northeast US to London a number of times. The even older 777-200 cabins have seats with footrests, which I like better. My experiences with crew and meals were much better than what you describe. The last time I used it, both my wife and I were upgraded to business, which definitely was better. For someone with long legs, like I have, premium economy is very much worth the extra cost.
No Premium Economy is worth it except Air NZ trans Pacific. Whose seats are incredible wide - almost like old BC seats. But other than that the cost versus benefit is not there on any airline.
It is on EVA (admittedly the only PE I've tried).
I am pleased with SAS premium economy on their trans-Atlantic flights. Their A330 aircraft premium seats are wider than regular economy and have 38" pitch. The meals are also different and quite tasty. Additionally, their premium economy tickets grant you access to their airport lounges.
I personally wouldn't buy *any* ticket on BA unless I had no options. They have worked very hard to plumb the bottoms. Their First, is, well, the World's best Business Class although it is shaping up to challenge AA's Flagship First as at least BA has kept full table service, while AA tries its own First Class race to the bottom.
It's not even the best business class tbh
Came across your channel today insightful
Thanks for showing. I've flown BA Y+ once - on that occasion it was actually cheaper than regular economy! JNB-LHR, the A380 was subbed for a 747 so our pre-booked seats were all over the place. Very similar to regular eco, but for me (quite tall) the extra legroom is easily worth a few £. And for someone who has only flown business a few times, the little uplift was certainly welcome! And as for delays, very often JNB is the chosen route to sub the aircraft from, as it sits on the ground for the day, so swapping an aircraft from another route and moving the delay to JNB to eat up the time is relatively common. With family in SA I've flown this route a lot!
I think it depends on the airline. On some it's worth the extra money and on others it's not. Best to look at reviews like this when making the decision.
Hi Paul, greetings from Bremen/Germany. I just had to write to u. I found your RUclips videos about 1 year ago n follow u ever since. In my humble opinion you are one of the best transport (air n rail) bloggers. I hunger each day for a new report. Thanks for keeping us all informed n entertained.
Marc
I always look forward to the build up of traveling it’s the best bit
Thank you for the video
Paul you absolutely need to give Air New Zealand's premium economy.
That is an entirely different PE experience
You got there before me, I used to Fly Air NZ when traveling to LA and PE made the trip so much more bearable. We all know BA like to cut corners, just look at the Bus. Class layout...!!!
I was very on-board with your criticisms until i saw the fare breakdown. An extra £129 for the extra space on an 11 hour flight is something i'd be very tempted by. I think overall you got a good value flight for the distance travelled.
£258 extra return?! Defo is not worth it. That could be used on your actual holiday.
@@johnguidetti5839 extra £258 for a return journey of 11 hours each way, especially during the Christmas hols, would definitely be worth it hands down, even with BA's utterly mediocre and underwhelming PE product. The price Paul paid on that route where competitor, South African Airways, pulled out a couple of years back is a steal. It was easily worth it. But horses for courses I guess.
I have just recently flown PE from Vancouver to London and back.The food was good, the seats were comfortable and roomy. i have no complaints.
Lovely video I have flown the Johannesburg london Johannesburg route many times with BA and generally the crew have been fantastic 👍 thanks Paul
Many thanks James!
BA are now well behind rivals, in a number of service areas. I’ve also flown BA for decades and have always been underwhelmed, in any class.Enjoyed the video, and now subscribed.
😂
As I would expect from BA (sadly, a once-great airline) there is nothing “Premium” about this Premium Economy product.
It’s an economy product with added legroom, it’s hardly much more, this guy moans too much
That’s not how it’s advertised though.
This will continue until they have the full complement of crew again.
That’s why they’ve temporarily removed menus and upgraded meals from WTP. They’re also currently serving Club World meals on one tray also.
Will be April or May when full service returns.
Flown all other cabins with BA several times (last week I experienced both the old club world and club suites within 6 days of each other so that was an interesting comparison). Flying premium economy in October due to limited availability in club (787-8 so very limited options) so although not my preferred choice I am looking forward to checking off the final cabin choice that BA offer.
Loved the Spoons comment Paul, ironically i was in Wigan last Friday to get the train to Birmingham to do a day trip to Warwick races, went to the Spoons in the town for breakfast due to my Seatfrog plan being a crazy price and was told they couldn't because they had no staff in because they had no food to cook any!
Thankfully the Station Cafe on Wallgate fed me nicely, did try the at seat delivery service on the Avanti West Coast train but found it's actually quicker to walk and buy it yourself.
‘Service is better that Wetherspoons’ lol. I would hope so!!
Actually Wetherspoons has yet to cock up an order for me!! ☠️
@@Paul_Lucas Nobody likes a show off Lucas 😂
Premium economy on Virgin just outmatches BA in every way. In fact, every cabin on Virgin destroys BA - they are so lagging, embarrassing. That’s just one airline comparison, there are so many more…
We had a BA Premium Economy flight a few years ago from Gatwick to Tampa. To our surprise, we were upgraded to Business Class at checkin. I still remember that flight…it was great!
Irrespective of the food, the extra room is what I pay for in Premium. Also the smaller cabin is also less distracting and easier to get a bit of shut eye on. The group 3 boarding also ensures you get your bag in the overhead bin. That being said, I've always found the service and the food to be very good in Premium!
The BA lounge - "better than Wetherspoons" says Paul. But the fights aren't as good in the lounge.
I think the food that was served during your premium economy experience looked dismal and as you noted, was not much better than standard economy fare. As you made your way through business class, I noticed the bizarre arrangement of adjacent seats aimed towards each other, which forces passengers to stare into their nearest neighbor’s face. I’d hate that, particularly if I’d paid thousands for the seat.
There's a barrier that can be lifted, so that if your neighbour is a stranger you don't have to look at eachother, but if your neighbour is a friend / family member, you can chat.
I think it's not a bad design.
The main problem with the club seating arrangement is that if you’re sitting in a middle seat and the person next to you nearest the aisle has their seat flat into a bed, you’ll have to try and step over their legs to get out if you want to go to the toilet or get a snack from the club kitchen…..awkward
The new club suites are best in class.
The old product which this is does have screens which come up between the seats
Air France 777 Business is a great product and the individual pods are very private.
can't wait for that train video
very interesting. I love watching different people fly over the world. I enjoyed your honest report, and the fact you pointed out that BA are usually ok, but this particular flight had it's flaws; Thankyou and safe flying x
I was upgraded to Premium Economy Chicago/London. While I enjoyed it, as I told some friends, I would have been disappointed if I had to pay.
Great video btw.
The B 777-300 fleet is undergoing a comprehensive midlife refresh.. new club suite, first, and a tighter 10 across in economy. .. you travelled on a B777 awaiting refresh... Sorry to hear crew not great on this trip, they should know you were a gold cardholder and made extra effort.
BA seem to have a policy of only upgrading by one cabin class, and WT+ is a small cabin, I think £129 is a bargain... I have been upgraded 3 times from WT+ to Club World due to over sales, which would not have happened had I been in Traveller....
Thanks that’s great view of BA I m thinking flight out of lhr to fll but can’t seem to get a BA flight on first leg , can you tell how to ? When I check always AA operate that route
I flew WTP on the 777-300ER about a year after this video was uploaded and happily they’ve refreshed it - lighting, IFE etc.
We tried the new premium economy from BA before Xmas, never again. The photos you see do not ever show the seat in front reclining, I now know why. It was an awful experience with mediocre food and pretty much nothing premium. Luckily we paid for a new Club World seat back and it was fantastic. Don't waste your money on PE, save it for Club and actually enjoy it.
Premium economy seems like the business class that was on 747s in the 90s. I was able to fly business international as a kid in the 90s so it reminds me of those seats. I was able to afford it as someone else was paying lol.
a little like concorde business but you get to emjoy the experince for twice the length of time
More like the mid - late 80's and very early 90's. I recall travelling in the 2 X 4 X 2 C class arrangement on LH SR and JL 747''s. Change to 2 X 3 X 2 came in the early 90's on the 747's although I recall the 'new' 7 abreast Club World seating from a BA 747 YYZ-LHR in 1989.
@@jonasgeist7779 Concorde did not offer business class. It was a single class configuration, R (supersonic) class priced at a slightly higher level than subsonic F (First) class.
Hi Paul, just subbed. I have never flown before and wanting to go to Japan yes a 12 hour flight lol, any good pointers for first time flyers? And thank you for a great vid
Thank you Paul🌞
Well, never considered booking Premium Economy on any airline as a normal passenger. It is the most overpriced and useless travel class when paying the regular price (not upgrading etc.) in my opinion. I really don't get why Premium Economy is so popular at passengers and why every airline is introducing it. Premium Economy isn't so much better in terms of comfort and especially service to justify the price difference to Economy. It's better to pay a little more for Business Class and have a completely different travel experience. The price difference from Premium Economy to Business Class isn't often that big as the price difference between Economy and Premium Economy. The value for money ist just so bad. Stick to Economy: better value for money. Pay more for Business Class: better value for money.
Tell me you're rich, without telling me you're rich. 😂
On Delta (and I think also United, and probably some other airlines) long haul flights the premium economy is equivalent to domestic first class, so I think it’s worth it on those airlines
@@kevinmclennan I mean you’re probably rich too if you want premium economy. Normal people want economy, rich people want business, no one wants premium economy
don't know where you're based, but flying out of Canada the pre-Covid rule of thumb was that premium economy was 1.5x to 2x economy, and business was another 1.5x to 2x past that.... post-covid, business is way, way more of a jump up from premium economy than economy is to premium economy...
Can't agree - For example : EVA LHR-BKK economy £650, Premium Economy £950, Business £2850.
That's a moderate increase in fare to PE, but a massive jump to Business.
As for " isn't so much better in terms of comfort and especially service", you clearly haven't tried the two.
Premium Economy two word's that shouldn't be together let's be honest.
My family and I really enjoy your videos, I can’t believe we were next door in the Concorde room at the same time you were in the First lounge!!
Ahhhh I am jealous now!
Hi there we watched your video flying to Jhb. We did the Jhb to Ldn BA Premium Economy flight on 5th Feb this year & eere also so disappointed. The lack of service, not much extra leg room & terrible food was also what we experienced. Flying to OZ Premium Economy is different class. Personal treatment from airline staff on board, service was excellent & food choice & quality was superb. We'll worth the extra payment there but definately by comparison never again on BA!
Great review! I flew BA Premium Economy on the A380 from London to Chicago just before the Covid outbreak. It was a wonderful experience with fresh meals, excellent service, and clean aircraft. I would like to do it again, however with your review I am hesitant to pay the extra money for no benefit if this is what is going on now. Thank you for the review.
The premuim economy on virgin Atlantic to manchester to las vegas was excellent, great service food n drinks
Cold continental breakfast (for a 10 hr flight) + flying out/into Gatwick + everyone allowed to/jumped the queue when the flight was called. Tbf don't drink so take off bubbly n/a. So that means the premium price for separate cabin + proper cutlery.