Flying business class with British Airways, which planes have the new Club World Suite and which do not
Our discerning readers will have noticed from reading our reviews that carriers often do not have a single set-up [...]
British Airways
Oneworld
Our most attentive readers will have noticed, reading our reviews, which often carriers do not have a single cabin layout, but--depending on the model and seniority--there can be even huge differences between the configuration of even the same airplane.
In this article:
This happens in all carriers. For example. ITA Airways has, on long haul, two set-ups.: those of the new A350s, which entered service as of last June, And the old A330s, formerly Alitalia, which with still offer what was called the Magnificent class.
From Emirates to Lufthansa, from Qatar to Air France, this is commonplace. Today we discussBritish Airways, one of the leading carriers for the Italian market, and how to plan a comfortable trip on the new Club World Suite and not the old Club World.
The difference between the two booths
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The first point to be made is. there is no cost difference between the two products, indeed at the marketing level the only difference is in the word Suite that identifies the new seat as opposed to the old one. This was added to emphasize the newness and to make the passenger understand that a door has also been included in the seat, turning the seat into a small personal enclave, separate from the rest of the plane.
British Airways' new business class
The configuration of these cabins is 1-2-1, all passengers then have direct access to the aisle. The seats are comfortable and provide plenty of personal and storage space. The IFE is of the latest generation. But the main aspect is that a door has been installed that isolates from the aisle and gives more privacy and quiet.
Club World's old cabin, on the other hand, has a 2-4-2 setup, Needless to say, only 50% passengers have direct aisle access, but more importantly, twice as many travelers are seated in the same space. This translates into less personal space, less comfort, and virtually zero privacy, or almost zero.
British Airways' long-haul fleet.
The British flag carrier has retired its fleet of 747/400s, but despite this Still has a varied array of dual-aisle models he uses for long-haul routes.
BA currently has 115 aircraft for intercontinental flights:
- 13 A350/1000
- 12 A380
- 44 777/200
- 16 777/300
- 12 787/8
- 18 787/9
- 2 787/10
With this article I want to help identify which models currently have the new cabin installed and Which will have it by the end of 2025.
Which models have the new cabin
All Airbus A350/1000s and the two Boeing 787/10s. were born with the new cabin and so they are the only ones where you are guaranteed to fly in this seat.
Which models do not have the new cabin
The A380 does not have the new cabin and will not be reconfigured with the Club World Suite, barring incredible surprises. BA is was one of the first companies to reignite the engines of its giants of the skies, but this is only to cope with high demand and the need to handle more passengers in fewer flights.
To date, no 787/8 and 9 has the new configuration, the restyling will begin, according to the company's statement, no earlier than 2024, so for much longer the business class cabin will be configured with the old seats. Given that nearly 1/4 of BA's fleet consists of this model, it is likely that you may end up in this cabin.
Which models have both cabins
On the other hand, the situation aboard BA's 777s is being simplified.. The smallest version, namely the 777/200s, is almost completely reconfigured with the new cabin, to date only 3 planes are missing and will be ready by the end of the year.
In any case, By the first half of 2023, the entire fleet of 777s Will be completely renovated. And the only difference you may notice will be the IFE remote control: it will remain the old one, so there will be no new touch screen.
In conclusion
If you plan to fly British Airways next year, you may find yourself on a beautiful cabin or a lousy one. If you fly on the 777 your experience, for the same cost, will probably be significantly better than if you fly on an A380 or Dreamliner. Be careful, though: remember that a change of machine can always happen and that you have no protection in case the carrier decides to fly a route with a different model Than that provided at the time of booking.
If you want to be sure to fly comfortable, Try taking, with Avios points, an upgrade to first class And then it will be (almost) impossible to be disappointed.
