I can hear echoes of your famous comment a few years ago "The best seats for long haul travel are on another airline". Genuinely love how classy you are with your critique. Love how you called the seat a "museum", classic Dennis! Great video as always mate!
British Airways seems to be stuck in the late 1990s early 2000s cabin design wise. It’s an overpriced and poorly serviced product. For the same amount of money you would be best flying with Qantas, Emirates, Air New Zealand, Qatar or Virgin Australia if I’m honest. Any of these other airlines are by far better in all classes compared to British Airways. I’ve never had a good experience with B.A. flying anywhere, always delayed because of technical problems or some other nonsense. The food is fine but I’ve had better on other airlines (in all classes). Oh and lost baggage seems to be a specialty with British Airways (I’d say it was my bad luck but it’s only ever happened with British Airways and Delta).
@@scottishadonisoh my. How delicious. You actually put Qantas and VA in the same class as Qatar. I would not touch either for BC and it’s a fact Qantas treated passengers the same way for years. They only introduced seat back videos well after almost every other Asian and ME airline had them.
Have to disagree. Have found them more than helpful, although the business product on 787 and 380 is way out of date compared to many other major airlines.
Just like the BBC hate real Brits, as an Aussie with English heritage i love the Brit's, Welsh, Scottish and Irish more then the BBC and many of it's pollies...
The comparison to a Nokia 3210 is very apt! This Business cabin product truly a jaded experience for an airline who once prided itself on bring ahead of the pack! Looks like the food saved the day!
I am British and have to admit after a number of appalling long hall flights with them in recent years, I would not fly with them again….there are so many better business class products out there costing less
@@ajwb2001 You do not get what you pay for with B.A. in my experience. I only fly with them if it’s literally the only flight home I can get at that time and even then I’d put my trip home back a day if I can to get on another airline and I’m not with work or on a timetable that requires me to be back in the office that day.
Last century we flew a daylight flight from Capetown to Heathrow. We find even today the British haven't embraced air-conditioning like Australians and South Africans . The plane was hot and stuffy.( 747 400) My wife said she wasn't feeling great, stood up for air. We were sitting in two seats at back of the plane. Suddenly she collapsed onto the floor. Everyone around us pushed the call button. In no time at all air hostesses had her on oxygen . They asked her name etc. The. Captain came through to see her. They dropped the cabin temperature. All through the flight the magnificent BA staff came to check up on her. We.were staying at the Hilton at Heathrow and British airways staff phoned to see if my wife was OK the next morning before we left. Great staff
I worked in the airlines for many years, turning up the cabin heat is a typical tactic for sending passengers off to sleep so cabin crew don't have to deal with them. 🇦🇺
Using those seats on such a premium route is unforgivable. I've travelled on the 777 in club suites from the UK to Syd twice, and the journeys have been excellent.
I flew BA from Vancouver to London Business Class in 2018. My thoughts: lazy staff who provided no service for most of the flight. The flight attendants’ constant chatting, while I was trying to sleep; on the most uncomfortable ‘bed’ made the trip unbearable. I paid over $1000 to upgrade (talked into it at checkin) thinking it would be a nice treat. Money down the toilet! Never, ever again.
I am still surprised that anyone thought a 2-3-2 business class was a good idea, even back when they designed it. If I remember rightly, Virgin set the standard way back in the 90s with a 2-2-2 on an A340, so why would anyone go for more? Must have been an accountant who never flew business class.
My daughter in law is from Merimbula i love Australia despite i have never been in your country :) Steve Irwin was the one who made me fell in love in your country Greetings from Oslo, Norway
These seats are a disgrace. My bed was made up when I realised I had nowhere to put my glasses. I spoke to a crew member but she looked at me as if the issue was new to her. I’ll certainly be glad to see the seats replaced.
Took this flight Singapore to Sydney June 2023 after an amazing business class experience on Air France Paris to Singapore. The BA flight was an absolute disgrace because of that seat. My foot rest kept breaking. Tv screen kept swinging, seat was uncomfortable and the attendants passing food trays past my face to the passenger next to me was fucking ridiculous. The fact that anybody has to step over a sleeping person is a joke and extremely dangerous. Were the designers smoking crack when they designed this seat? An utter joke. The storage compartment is a joke , food was shit and the flight attendants didn’t give a shit. Yes BA clearly hate Australians . Avoid at all costs. Worst business class ever. Economy would have been more comfortable
Great video Dennis. Your analogies and disclaimers are all spot on. Peeps who're paying top dollar expect a top product. BA should upgrade everything especially if they're charging premium rates and not leaving the fancy cabins for the busiest routes. Also, I may not comment this on every video, but thanks for continuing to post in 4K. 😊
The aircraft changes are down to demand (787 is smaller than the 777), so BA puts a smaller aircraft onto the LHR-SYD service over the Australian winter when demand is lower, also the larger planes are deployed on transatlantic routes which are most profitable and easy to fill . When the Brits travel to Australia there’s enough demand to fill a 777-300 much larger that has the new Club Suite. The 787s are already being fitted with club suites so all business class will be consistent and the same by 2026. Not many airlines can claim their business class is consistent across entire fleet… most have multiple different generations and configs for business class seats.
Agree many airlines have multiple generations of business class - unfortunately BA skipped a couple of generations :) I also believe if they flew the 777 with Club Suites year round they would fill them - most Aussie business class travellers avoid these old seats like the plague because there are just so many other better options available ex-Australia during those months.
The main issue is just how long it’s taken to retrofit the 787 fleet, which was hugely delayed due to Boeing’s issues delaying the certification of the config. It’s not that BA hate Aussies, it’s that they don’t have the demand to fill a 777 in the Northern Summer (as most Aussies will usually prefer Qantas), but do in the Northern Winter (as most Brits would prefer BA). And because the 787 still hasn’t been refitted due to the aforementioned delays, that means using the old CW. 788s are in for refits now, and the 789 should be done by end of 2025, at which point it will be year round club suites for SYD On the service, BA do seem to be taking crew training more seriously now, and their decision to drop GateGourmet for DO&CO was a huge improvement
And the pandemic/supply chain issues, as well as the delay to the 777X certification. BA will be ending Club World (old) from all Heathrow Aircraft by the end of the 2026 - when the last A380 is refurbed.
It’s Not just That Aussies prefer Qantas, but if you’re a QF member then you can fly Qantas, Emirates or Qatar Airways and still accrue FF points.If you are not part of a FF program, then you could fly Singapore, Thai or Etihad to Europe from Australia Singapore would be my preferred airline.
BA have strung out the introduction of Club Suites to best suit themselves, and to hell with the customers. They allowed Covid to further delay the introduction rather than seeing it as a unique opportunity to get ahead when so many aircraft were out of service. With every micro aggression the management prioritise shareholders over customers. It's not a binary choice.
In my view though, they shouldn’t have even needed to be retro fitted. They have wasted a hell of a lot of money not developing a new seat for the 787. They knew what the competitors products were at the time and still somehow decided either theirs weren’t broken.
As someone who totally recognises the shortfalls of the old product, I'd chose it every day of the week over the other options solely down to the crew, they make it seem you've just stepped into your own home.
Thanks for pointing out how tight it can be getting into some seat configurations, as a larger traveller is great information and there should be more of it from other flight vlogers. I recently flew Emirates business and my husband and I found we could only just squeeze into the middle seats, you just don't get a feel for how tight these spaces can be from watching videos.
Great job from the cabin crew, really looking forward to having new cabins and IFE systems on the 787-8 and 787-9 fleets as well as the upcoming upgrades to the A380. Fantastic video as ever. Safe travels.
How can anyone or any country hate Australian's, i have friends from Australia and they're the nicest people I've ever met, never had a problem with any of them 🤔🤷🏼♀️❤❤❤
Ae always, Dennis, entertaining and what I have come to expect, truthful. Your polite approach to pointing out problem aspects of a service but not missing quality outcome deliveries provides viewers with what I consider a genuine review needs to be, balanced. Of course there are sometimes serious fails or fabulous and outstanding things to comment on when reviewing any product. Your reviews reflect that reality but no could ever say that you are not fair. I am not a big BA fan but I liked the fact that at least one crew member must look at reviews to see how things are or indeed to be improved and presented better. So good on them for harnessing the rest of the crew to engage with you. Clearly, that was a positive. I do remember your somewhat notable comment but hey at least this BA team did the best to overcome an historical negative. Keep producing great content.
The one advantage of this product is the open ottoman (preferable for those with large feet) instead of those dreadful footwells found in most Business Class products.
I love the fact that some comments below don't understand your tongue in cheek remarks ! We only fly BA in Europe (from LHR), and they have certainly upped their game in terms of catering and service. We are lowly Blue members of their Executive Club, but were still greeted by name on a hop from London to Stockholm. They just need some newer planes. Useful video as looking at London to Sydney next year and BA are competiviely priced.
Always love a Dennis B vlog and this review is spot on. BA Club World was a innovative product 20 years ago but time moves on and BA didn't...until now. At last BA are rolling out their Business Suites product which is very good.
Great review, completely accurate. I just flew this too from LHR to SIN, absolutely zero storage when it comes time to sleep. Had to keep my tray table out for my glasses and phone.
I agree, these old seats really do not help in getting more bookings during Aus winter. People avoid this product like the plague. I had a choice of choosing this product last month but changed my mind when I realised that the new seats aren't available between April and October in BA15/16 to/from Sydney. The new seats are well overdue for this route. Come on BA, Aus is a wealthy country with lots of premier travellers. Why choose this when we have all the great Asian/Middle Eastern carriers with fantastic business class products?
Another great video thanks Dennis, always informative content! Wonder whether it’s possible for you to get a sneaky Hawaiian Airlines review Sydney to Honolulu so I can dream of such a vacation!!!
I’ve flown BA once, to and from UK, never again, these days I tend to fly to the US for a week or two, then to Europe and give UK a miss. I’ve grown fond of the Euro Rail network, more relaxing than flying AND if you use it cleverly you save heaps.
Great video Dennis - there are two hideous business class products- this one and NZ’s ..I think Virgin Atlantic may still have some as well - the food looked ok
I did Singapore to London on that business class set up about 15 years ago. It was awkward to say the least. Surprised it’s still around given better offers on any other airline
I’ve just flown my first long haul in years from Sydney to London via Singapore, on Qantas. I can’t believe how much better the Qantas business class seats are. Very well designed with heaps of storage. The BA food looked better though.
I love your trip resorts so thanks as always for sharing. BA just doesn’t have enough demand to fill a 777 in the Summer Months which is why it switches to the 787 and yes I do agree it’s old Club World has seen better days when compared to the new Club Suite. I promise you we don’t hate the Aussies and watch this space, BA is currently retrofitting it’s Dreamliners with the new Club Suites. I have had amazing service from BA cabin crew recently and they take a bit of bashing in some forums for being so young which I completely can’t agree with, the food is also much improved but their IT is still bloody terrible. 😊 safe travels
Nice video Dennis. I’ll be flying to Sydney in November and whilst BA will at that time be using the ClubSuites, I didn’t even consider flying them. The Middle Eastern carriers were no more expensive and with a far superior product and service, it really was a no brainer. The only thing that BA has going for it these days is its still impressive route network but when a stop off to Oz is compulsory, there is no reason to consider them.
Thanks for another great review Dennis. Unfortunately, these days I demand a lot more for my business class dollars. I recently flew RTW with Singapore Airlines for $8400 aus and there is simply no comparison. The sooner BA ditch those old seats the better ( and the crew agreed with you )
It’s always a good time as a plebeian traveler to listen to someone who regularly flies business/first class complain about the paltry conditions they must endure.
Haha, have been looking forward to this one! To defend BA very slightly, the change to the 787 is driven by lower demand on the route in the UK summer time. Yes Aussies travel over but the demand is dictated by a far larger UK population and thus travel market in the UK winter. The 787's should be updated soon but, more than a fair critique to say that they should've been been done years ago. Lovely to see the BA crew giving you a warm welcome, that cockpit looked fab! Keep them coming Dennis!
As stated, the lower demand is only due to the fact that they're using this old plane, and its old Business class... while other airlines have far better options. Sorry to say there are way more Aussies going to Europe in that time, than brits to Australia. Its a false demand issue
I recently flew long haul BA PE. I've travelled BA BC plenty, so I know what to expect. I had a chance to upgrade for a fairly modest amount of money which I could afford and I decided not to, purely because the old-style BC cabin just isn't worth it, not least because I would have probably ended up in a dreaded middle seat. In the PE I was at the back in a block of two with the seat next to me free. I was supplied with copious alcohol on demand (BA specialise in that, at least) and the food was not bad. The seat reclined a fair amount and I dozed on and off quite happily. It was the right call not to bother with an upgrade. However, for the new BC product, I would have done.
Looks like a pretty decent experience! I flew clubworld last week SFO - LHR on the A380 and was in a similar seat with no obstructions to the aisle, the entertainment screen kept moving all over the place and it was a very smooth flight, the map was not working sadly which I always like to look at during the flight. The most annoying thing was being given dirty cutlery which had another ones desert stuck on it.
Fair point Dennis about good and bad seats in business classs but one must also remember there is a huge discrepancy in the fare between say a Q suite on Qatar and say Sri Lanka airlines business class seat. So that should also be a consideration
To expensive and im surprised they did not show you the holes in the floor for you to stick your legs through so the could extra speed down the runway lol.
Yes I concur having put up with this antiquated seat configuration a few times. But worse is the fact they are charging the same price as airlines offering a proper business class seat.
I had a very bad experience with BA cabin crew in 1981 and swore I would never fly with them again. Now 43 years later and I have kept that promise to myself. Hundreds of flights on Qantas and Emirates, never looked back.
They’ve finally started to fit club suites to 787s which will leave a380s which are getting new first but no idea if that will get the club suite. Personally for sleeping I still prefer the old ba seat as my feet don’t get trapped
That seat looks like a nightmare. I'd be suffocating. Coffin came to mind when I saw it. Looks very awkward to get around for the flight attendants too.
Good summary of an outdated product. I have only used BA on long haul a couple of times and I also had a window seat like this and also struggled with the lack of storage space.
The fact the poms only fly into sincity I wouldn't touch them. Surely Melbourne has enough scope at least twice a week. I'd rather lose a foot than transit through Sydney.
The advantage of the older seat configuration is that you can at least see your partner during the flight and get a window seat. So many newer configurations of seats mean that, if you want a window seat, you can’t easily sit with your partner. From a couple point of view, side by side business seats are best (assuming you want to converse with your ever-loving).
Apologies if you already answered but what is your favorite long haul business class product? Thanks for your excellent reporting and opinions! And I liked your report being focused, short, and to the point!
Thanks! I'd put Qatar QSuite at the top followed by Emirates A380 business class. The next tier is JAL, ANA, Cathay, Etihad, Singapore Airlines and Qantas
Your old comment about the best seat for solo or business travellers in the old style cabin, remains the funniest ever aviation blogger comment on RUclips. "and for those travelling solo, the best seats are on another airline " hahahaha !
I’m 6’7 I flew BA J class from LDN to DFW on the A380 Essentially the same seat as Dennis but had the bins on the side which was very handy. Being tall not having a footwell is a real bonus, I slept like a baby. I don’t know maybe because of the uniqueness of these seat I really like them.
I thought that food looked awful. Entrees, there was nothing I’d eat, mains, sick of the sight of salmon, I call it the fish of the skies. I hate salmon and it seems every airline serves it. There was no red meat dish on offer. The seat looked terrible. I’d never get business on British airways going on this review.
I think the new CEO of BA wants to take them back to its “The World’s Favourite Airline” days. As Brit I wish him well but judging from your video there is a lot of work to be done.
I don't know what has happened to UK prepackaged food, be for airlines or on hospital. I was recently in hospital for 10 days where my doctors forced me to eat carbohydrate (I'm Carnivore) but the food was really, really good. They have a budget of around an aussie dollar a meal, but they still offered really diverse options plus speciality diets that tasted really great. Britain is the home of utterly awesome and diverse food. I was watching a vegan food channel (I used to be vegan till it gave me type 2 diabetes) and they were commenting on the amazing range of vegan food in our supermarkets. And I agree, very occasionally I have carb out day and eat all the fantastic vegan food I miss. Or go on the Carb trail round my home town Oxford, where you sample from the 45 patisserie and bakeries we have. I know you run tours you really should think about running an Oxfordshire foodie tour
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Really???? Go coach then.
Or, if you have Google Fi Mobile then you get mobile service everywhere in the world that I have been. Usually at 5G speed.
I can hear echoes of your famous comment a few years ago "The best seats for long haul travel are on another airline". Genuinely love how classy you are with your critique. Love how you called the seat a "museum", classic Dennis! Great video as always mate!
This comment is still true
The 20 year old seats still apply on half of the long haul planes.
Thanks mate.
British Airways seems to be stuck in the late 1990s early 2000s cabin design wise. It’s an overpriced and poorly serviced product. For the same amount of money you would be best flying with Qantas, Emirates, Air New Zealand, Qatar or Virgin Australia if I’m honest. Any of these other airlines are by far better in all classes compared to British Airways. I’ve never had a good experience with B.A. flying anywhere, always delayed because of technical problems or some other nonsense. The food is fine but I’ve had better on other airlines (in all classes). Oh and lost baggage seems to be a specialty with British Airways (I’d say it was my bad luck but it’s only ever happened with British Airways and Delta).
@@scottishadonisoh my. How delicious. You actually put Qantas and VA in the same class as Qatar. I would not touch either for BC and it’s a fact Qantas treated passengers the same way for years. They only introduced seat back videos well after almost every other Asian and ME airline had them.
As a Brit, I can assure you that BA hates us too. Terrible customer service too.
Sounds like your unlucky. I always fly BA.
Have to disagree. Have found them more than helpful, although the business product on 787 and 380 is way out of date compared to many other major airlines.
Just like the BBC hate real Brits, as an Aussie with English heritage i love the Brit's, Welsh, Scottish and Irish more then the BBC and many of it's pollies...
They are ok but stuffy
Certainly not the worst "national" airline out there in 2024
Equal opportunity for all to get poor service. What is wrong with that? Meets modern standards.
The comparison to a Nokia 3210 is very apt! This Business cabin product truly a jaded experience for an airline who once prided itself on bring ahead of the pack! Looks like the food saved the day!
I am British and have to admit after a number of appalling long hall flights with them in recent years, I would not fly with them again….there are so many better business class products out there costing less
Watch Flip Flop Traveller for Qantas.... and rethink.
@@ajwb2001 You do not get what you pay for with B.A. in my experience. I only fly with them if it’s literally the only flight home I can get at that time and even then I’d put my trip home back a day if I can to get on another airline and I’m not with work or on a timetable that requires me to be back in the office that day.
Last century we flew a daylight flight from Capetown to Heathrow. We find even today the British haven't embraced air-conditioning like Australians and South Africans . The plane was hot and stuffy.( 747 400) My wife said she wasn't feeling great, stood up for air. We were sitting in two seats at back of the plane. Suddenly she collapsed onto the floor. Everyone around us pushed the call button. In no time at all air hostesses had her on oxygen . They asked her name etc. The. Captain came through to see her. They dropped the cabin temperature. All through the flight the magnificent BA staff came to check up on her. We.were staying at the Hilton at Heathrow and British airways staff phoned to see if my wife was OK the next morning before we left.
Great staff
Great service, glad to see all was well with your wife.
That was great work by the crew. All air crew's first priority is passenger safety and great to see them coming through. Glad your wife was okay.
Perhaps I should collapse next time. But there’ll never be a next time. 😂
I worked in the airlines for many years, turning up the cabin heat is a typical tactic for sending passengers off to sleep so cabin crew don't have to deal with them. 🇦🇺
"last century" is brilliant
no BA hates all customers
Using those seats on such a premium route is unforgivable. I've travelled on the 777 in club suites from the UK to Syd twice, and the journeys have been excellent.
I flew BA from Vancouver to London Business Class in 2018. My thoughts: lazy staff who provided no service for most of the flight. The flight attendants’ constant chatting, while I was trying to sleep; on the most uncomfortable ‘bed’ made the trip unbearable. I paid over $1000 to upgrade (talked into it at checkin) thinking it would be a nice treat. Money down the toilet! Never, ever again.
IMO there is no business class with 2-3-2 that is worth the money. I only spend the money when there is a 1-2-1 configuration available.
I agree. That seat capsule thing looked like a coffin, and all the other 2-3-2 configs can't be that different.
I am still surprised that anyone thought a 2-3-2 business class was a good idea, even back when they designed it. If I remember rightly, Virgin set the standard way back in the 90s with a 2-2-2 on an A340, so why would anyone go for more? Must have been an accountant who never flew business class.
Precisely, I'm not paying premium for 2-3-2.
Agreed.
@@bishwatntl That's hardly an accounting decision, that's not what accountants do.
"I assume the coconuts came from one of the colonies" 😂
Brutal
@@dfgndfghdfghdfgh almost certainly.
😂😂😂
Too funny
😂😂😂
A masterclass in how to pull no punches while still being kind and decent!
My daughter in law is from Merimbula i love Australia despite i have never been in your country :) Steve Irwin was the one who made me fell in love in your country
Greetings from Oslo, Norway
Merimbula is beautiful!
Make no mistake, many of us Aussies love Norway too, have a bloody wonderful year mate.
Does British Airways hate all Travellers? Yes. Yes they do.
That's what I was going to say! Absolutely yes!
Nonsense
That’s right, BA don’t discriminate, they have contempt for all it’s passengers !🤣
Can’t say I disagree with that! 😂
😂
4:22 I bet you were envious of that SQ 380 😂
These seats are a disgrace. My bed was made up when I realised I had nowhere to put my glasses. I spoke to a crew member but she looked at me as if the issue was new to her. I’ll certainly be glad to see the seats replaced.
Got it in one. No storage. You might lie flat but there is nowhere to put anything. Not even a pocket.
This configuration is comical 😂. Glad you did experience some improvements.
United's config on their old 777-200's is even worse!
2-4-2 in a yin-yang setup similar to that one of BA.
Took this flight Singapore to Sydney June 2023 after an amazing business class experience on Air France Paris to Singapore. The BA flight was an absolute disgrace because of that seat. My foot rest kept breaking. Tv screen kept swinging, seat was uncomfortable and the attendants passing food trays past my face to the passenger next to me was fucking ridiculous. The fact that anybody has to step over a sleeping person is a joke and extremely dangerous. Were the designers smoking crack when they designed this seat? An utter joke. The storage compartment is a joke , food was shit and the flight attendants didn’t give a shit. Yes BA clearly hate Australians . Avoid at all costs. Worst business class ever. Economy would have been more comfortable
Even when new this seat was a joke, I can't believe they are still charging a fortune to travel in it.
Great video Dennis. Your analogies and disclaimers are all spot on. Peeps who're paying top dollar expect a top product. BA should upgrade everything especially if they're charging premium rates and not leaving the fancy cabins for the busiest routes. Also, I may not comment this on every video, but thanks for continuing to post in 4K. 😊
The aircraft changes are down to demand (787 is smaller than the 777), so BA puts a smaller aircraft onto the LHR-SYD service over the Australian winter when demand is lower, also the larger planes are deployed on transatlantic routes which are most profitable and easy to fill . When the Brits travel to Australia there’s enough demand to fill a 777-300 much larger that has the new Club Suite. The 787s are already being fitted with club suites so all business class will be consistent and the same by 2026. Not many airlines can claim their business class is consistent across entire fleet… most have multiple different generations and configs for business class seats.
Finally someone making sense
Agree many airlines have multiple generations of business class - unfortunately BA skipped a couple of generations :) I also believe if they flew the 777 with Club Suites year round they would fill them - most Aussie business class travellers avoid these old seats like the plague because there are just so many other better options available ex-Australia during those months.
Spot on, a bit of BA bashing going on here. I have never had a problem with BA down the years and can't wait to try their new offering.
@@totesgeneYeah, given a choice between quality and consistency, always pick consistency. Sad.
Thanks for the review + video!
Thanks for the review Dennis! By the time BA gets through with the remodel, it will be time to remodel all over again. Ha! My best wishes-
My husband and I used Airalo on our recent trip to Indonesia. It's so easy to use. No more queueing at telco counters on arrival at your destination.
Another cracking video Dennis!
Excellent video Dennis, I loved it! And as always, very funny and entertaining! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks mate, this one was fun to make 😊
Qantas probably hates Australians more than BA does, everything is relative 😂
A business class product that's almost a QUARTER OF A CENTURY old!? Come on BA! Great video.
The main issue is just how long it’s taken to retrofit the 787 fleet, which was hugely delayed due to Boeing’s issues delaying the certification of the config.
It’s not that BA hate Aussies, it’s that they don’t have the demand to fill a 777 in the Northern Summer (as most Aussies will usually prefer Qantas), but do in the Northern Winter (as most Brits would prefer BA). And because the 787 still hasn’t been refitted due to the aforementioned delays, that means using the old CW.
788s are in for refits now, and the 789 should be done by end of 2025, at which point it will be year round club suites for SYD
On the service, BA do seem to be taking crew training more seriously now, and their decision to drop GateGourmet for DO&CO was a huge improvement
And the pandemic/supply chain issues, as well as the delay to the 777X certification.
BA will be ending Club World (old) from all Heathrow Aircraft by the end of the 2026 - when the last A380 is refurbed.
It’s Not just That Aussies prefer Qantas, but if you’re a QF member then you can fly Qantas, Emirates or Qatar Airways and still accrue FF points.If you are not part of a FF program, then you could fly Singapore, Thai or Etihad to Europe from Australia Singapore would be my preferred airline.
BA have strung out the introduction of Club Suites to best suit themselves, and to hell with the customers.
They allowed Covid to further delay the introduction rather than seeing it as a unique opportunity to get ahead when so many aircraft were out of service.
With every micro aggression the management prioritise shareholders over customers. It's not a binary choice.
In my view though, they shouldn’t have even needed to be retro fitted. They have wasted a hell of a lot of money not developing a new seat for the 787. They knew what the competitors products were at the time and still somehow decided either theirs weren’t broken.
@@paulsz6194 BA are also part of Oneworld, so a QF member will accrue FF points on BA, and vice versa
Such a good honest review 😊😊
As someone who totally recognises the shortfalls of the old product, I'd chose it every day of the week over the other options solely down to the crew, they make it seem you've just stepped into your own home.
If your own home is a squat or tin hut! 😂
Blink twice if you’re under duress
Great to see you hope you and your family are well - Kevin & Cyndy UK
Thanks for pointing out how tight it can be getting into some seat configurations, as a larger traveller is great information and there should be more of it from other flight vlogers. I recently flew Emirates business and my husband and I found we could only just squeeze into the middle seats, you just don't get a feel for how tight these spaces can be from watching videos.
Great job from the cabin crew, really looking forward to having new cabins and IFE systems on the 787-8 and 787-9 fleets as well as the upcoming upgrades to the A380. Fantastic video as ever. Safe travels.
Good review. The hard product may be really dated but it’s good to see a much better service than I have experienced in BA J class in the past
How can anyone or any country hate Australian's, i have friends from Australia and they're the nicest people I've ever met, never had a problem with any of them 🤔🤷🏼♀️❤❤❤
It’s clearly Aussie-Brit banter.
He was just having some tongue and cheek Aussy banter.
British are jealous of Australians
@@troybe76 Not really mate. Their houses are shite and they’re shit at rugby and cricket
Great video. I love it when the cabin crew notices and goes the extra mile. They looked like a fun bunch.
Great review. You are funny 😊
Ae always, Dennis, entertaining and what I have come to expect, truthful. Your polite approach to pointing out problem aspects of a service but not missing quality outcome deliveries provides viewers with what I consider a genuine review needs to be, balanced.
Of course there are sometimes serious fails or fabulous and outstanding things to comment on when reviewing any product. Your reviews reflect that reality but no could ever say that you are not fair.
I am not a big BA fan but I liked the fact that at least one crew member must look at reviews to see how things are or indeed to be improved and presented better. So good on them for harnessing the rest of the crew to engage with you. Clearly, that was a positive.
I do remember your somewhat notable comment but hey at least this BA team did the best to overcome an historical negative.
Keep producing great content.
Thanks mate
Great post, thank you
Thank you very much, Dennis, for sharing your video with us.
2007 is hardly museum piece... and you're on a 787, so a new generation aircraft... puh-lease !
Not the aircraft, the seating is the museum piece
The one advantage of this product is the open ottoman (preferable for those with large feet) instead of those dreadful footwells found in most Business Class products.
I will never forget your original review of these seats lol, great video Dennis!
Cool about the wing flex - very good illustration.
And good comments re: why they change from 777 to 787
Great review Dennis, great to know there are two different levels of aircraft used by BA.
I love the fact that some comments below don't understand your tongue in cheek remarks ! We only fly BA in Europe (from LHR), and they have certainly upped their game in terms of catering and service. We are lowly Blue members of their Executive Club, but were still greeted by name on a hop from London to Stockholm. They just need some newer planes. Useful video as looking at London to Sydney next year and BA are competiviely priced.
Always love a Dennis B vlog and this review is spot on. BA Club World was a innovative product 20 years ago but time moves on and BA didn't...until now. At last BA are rolling out their Business Suites product which is very good.
Great review, completely accurate. I just flew this too from LHR to SIN, absolutely zero storage when it comes time to sleep. Had to keep my tray table out for my glasses and phone.
Great review!
I agree, these old seats really do not help in getting more bookings during Aus winter. People avoid this product like the plague. I had a choice of choosing this product last month but changed my mind when I realised that the new seats aren't available between April and October in BA15/16 to/from Sydney. The new seats are well overdue for this route. Come on BA, Aus is a wealthy country with lots of premier travellers. Why choose this when we have all the great Asian/Middle Eastern carriers with fantastic business class products?
Well said
Another great video thanks Dennis, always informative content!
Wonder whether it’s possible for you to get a sneaky Hawaiian Airlines review Sydney to Honolulu so I can dream of such a vacation!!!
Thanks mate, would love to fly Hawaiian one day but sadly nothing coming up soon.
Hello, Dennis!!❤❤❤
I’ve flown BA once, to and from UK, never again, these days I tend to fly to the US for a week or two, then to Europe and give UK a miss. I’ve grown fond of the Euro Rail network, more relaxing than flying AND if you use it cleverly you save heaps.
Yes if you are 60+ (enter on booking) you get a huge discount on Eurostar.
Looking forward to the Swiss Airlines review!
The seating set up is one thing but when taking into account the number of passengers flying at the time, it can make a huge difference.
Good review which hopefully motivates the BA management to update their seats
Great video Dennis - there are two hideous business class products- this one and NZ’s ..I think Virgin Atlantic may still have some as well - the food looked ok
I did Singapore to London on that business class set up about 15 years ago. It was awkward to say the least. Surprised it’s still around given better offers on any other airline
Great video Dennis & some very good points around BAs poor service
I’ve just flown my first long haul in years from Sydney to London via Singapore, on Qantas. I can’t believe how much better the Qantas business class seats are. Very well designed with heaps of storage. The BA food looked better though.
I love your trip resorts so thanks as always for sharing. BA just doesn’t have enough demand to fill a 777 in the Summer Months which is why it switches to the 787 and yes I do agree it’s old Club World has seen better days when compared to the new Club Suite. I promise you we don’t hate the Aussies and watch this space, BA is currently retrofitting it’s Dreamliners with the new Club Suites. I have had amazing service from BA cabin crew recently and they take a bit of bashing in some forums for being so young which I completely can’t agree with, the food is also much improved but their IT is still bloody terrible. 😊 safe travels
Nice video Dennis. I’ll be flying to Sydney in November and whilst BA will at that time be using the ClubSuites, I didn’t even consider flying them. The Middle Eastern carriers were no more expensive and with a far superior product and service, it really was a no brainer.
The only thing that BA has going for it these days is its still impressive route network but when a stop off to Oz is compulsory, there is no reason to consider them.
Thanks for another great review Dennis. Unfortunately, these days I demand a lot more for my business class dollars. I recently flew RTW with Singapore Airlines for $8400 aus and there is simply no comparison. The sooner BA ditch those old seats the better ( and the crew agreed with you )
You were really crossed not having the new suite. Well, welcome to the club.
It’s funny how BA and Qantas the commonwealth OW carriers are always playing catch up. Great video Dennis as always
It’s always a good time as a plebeian traveler to listen to someone who regularly flies business/first class complain about the paltry conditions they must endure.
Glad to be of service :)
At least they’ll be refitted over time. Would love to see you take a transatlantic Aer Lingus flight ☘️
Haha, have been looking forward to this one! To defend BA very slightly, the change to the 787 is driven by lower demand on the route in the UK summer time. Yes Aussies travel over but the demand is dictated by a far larger UK population and thus travel market in the UK winter. The 787's should be updated soon but, more than a fair critique to say that they should've been been done years ago.
Lovely to see the BA crew giving you a warm welcome, that cockpit looked fab! Keep them coming Dennis!
As stated, the lower demand is only due to the fact that they're using this old plane, and its old Business class... while other airlines have far better options. Sorry to say there are way more Aussies going to Europe in that time, than brits to Australia. Its a false demand issue
I recently flew long haul BA PE. I've travelled BA BC plenty, so I know what to expect. I had a chance to upgrade for a fairly modest amount of money which I could afford and I decided not to, purely because the old-style BC cabin just isn't worth it, not least because I would have probably ended up in a dreaded middle seat. In the PE I was at the back in a block of two with the seat next to me free. I was supplied with copious alcohol on demand (BA specialise in that, at least) and the food was not bad. The seat reclined a fair amount and I dozed on and off quite happily. It was the right call not to bother with an upgrade. However, for the new BC product, I would have done.
Great video Dennis, loved it as always!
I LOLed at 6:28 😂
Great review. Thanks!
not one but two coat hooks!! 😍👏🏻
Looks like a pretty decent experience!
I flew clubworld last week SFO - LHR on the A380 and was in a similar seat with no obstructions to the aisle, the entertainment screen kept moving all over the place and it was a very smooth flight, the map was not working sadly which I always like to look at during the flight. The most annoying thing was being given dirty cutlery which had another ones desert stuck on it.
Having worked for BA I agree about the seats.
Thank you for the video!
The backwards seat would have done my head in lol.
That card was a sweet and nice touch!
Fair point Dennis about good and bad seats in business classs but one must also remember there is a huge discrepancy in the fare between say a Q suite on Qatar and say Sri Lanka airlines business class seat. So that should also be a consideration
To expensive and im surprised they did not show you the holes in the floor for you to stick your legs through so the could extra speed down the runway lol.
Yes I concur having put up with this antiquated seat configuration a few times. But worse is the fact they are charging the same price as airlines offering a proper business class seat.
Some important critique about the British Airways seat and lacking storage space.
The class system is strong in this one.
I’ve been on a similar business seat to Barbados I felt quite claustrophobic. Very narrow. Awful food too.
I had a very bad experience with BA cabin crew in 1981 and swore I would never fly with them again. Now 43 years later and I have kept that promise to myself. Hundreds of flights on Qantas and Emirates, never looked back.
Yes. Next question.
They’ve finally started to fit club suites to 787s which will leave a380s which are getting new first but no idea if that will get the club suite. Personally for sleeping I still prefer the old ba seat as my feet don’t get trapped
That seat looks like a nightmare. I'd be suffocating. Coffin came to mind when I saw it. Looks very awkward to get around for the flight attendants too.
Good summary of an outdated product. I have only used BA on long haul a couple of times and I also had a window seat like this and also struggled with the lack of storage space.
The fact the poms only fly into sincity I wouldn't touch them. Surely Melbourne has enough scope at least twice a week. I'd rather lose a foot than transit through Sydney.
when does BA upgrade their business class? I throughly enjoyed that video.
The advantage of the older seat configuration is that you can at least see your partner during the flight and get a window seat. So many newer configurations of seats mean that, if you want a window seat, you can’t easily sit with your partner. From a couple point of view, side by side business seats are best (assuming you want to converse with your ever-loving).
Apologies if you already answered but what is your favorite long haul business class product? Thanks for your excellent reporting and opinions! And I liked your report being focused, short, and to the point!
Thanks! I'd put Qatar QSuite at the top followed by Emirates A380 business class. The next tier is JAL, ANA, Cathay, Etihad, Singapore Airlines and Qantas
Your old comment about the best seat for solo or business travellers in the old style cabin, remains the funniest ever aviation blogger comment on RUclips.
"and for those travelling solo, the best seats are on another airline "
hahahaha !
I’m 6’7 I flew BA J class from LDN to DFW on the A380 Essentially the same seat as Dennis but had the bins on the side which was very handy. Being tall not having a footwell is a real bonus, I slept like a baby. I don’t know maybe because of the uniqueness of these seat I really like them.
I thought that food looked awful. Entrees, there was nothing I’d eat, mains, sick of the sight of salmon, I call it the fish of the skies. I hate salmon and it seems every airline serves it. There was no red meat dish on offer. The seat looked terrible. I’d never get business on British airways going on this review.
Thanks for the review
Trying to fly out of Heathrow, stuck on the tarmac for 7 hours, no food, a bottle of water and no updates - never again BA (Bloody Awful)!
Hi Dennis, I hope you make a premium economy review with Swiss one day, as this is rather new cabin inn their refurbished aircraft.
I think the new CEO of BA wants to take them back to its “The World’s Favourite Airline” days. As Brit I wish him well but judging from your video there is a lot of work to be done.
I don't know what has happened to UK prepackaged food, be for airlines or on hospital. I was recently in hospital for 10 days where my doctors forced me to eat carbohydrate (I'm Carnivore) but the food was really, really good. They have a budget of around an aussie dollar a meal, but they still offered really diverse options plus speciality diets that tasted really great. Britain is the home of utterly awesome and diverse food. I was watching a vegan food channel (I used to be vegan till it gave me type 2 diabetes) and they were commenting on the amazing range of vegan food in our supermarkets. And I agree, very occasionally I have carb out day and eat all the fantastic vegan food I miss. Or go on the Carb trail round my home town Oxford, where you sample from the 45 patisserie and bakeries we have. I know you run tours you really should think about running an Oxfordshire foodie tour