V-Flyer

Does anyone know if BA are upgrading their First class cabin anytime soon? EK et al. are seemingly getting ahead of them (BA - the pioneers of the flat bed seat).

I think it will be next as the new club clkass will be spread throught the fleet and I would think when that is finished the new first will be introduced

With BA being somewhat conservative in comparison to VS, what innovative features do you think BA may incorporate into their new product?

Well considering they didn't do too much to upgrade their CW cabin, I am sure it won't be that different! [:?]

Is there any point to "First Class" anymore? Unless you are going to have a Private Cabin then it seems to offer pretty much the same faciliites as Business Class?

Originally posted by MarkJ
Is there any point to "First Class" anymore? Unless you are going to have a Private Cabin then it seems to offer pretty much the same faciliites as Business Class?

Please don't take this the wrong way Mark.

Unless you have flown in a true international first class you wouldn't know the difference.

It is kind of like the difference between UC and Y.

A lot more personal attention, lot's more space and better everything.

In BA's case there will be new seats, AVOD and I am sure better food.

If you have the $$$ or miles to do it it is well worth doing.

Got to agree with Scrooge - First is VERY different to Business/UC.

Whilst I enjoy Club World and UC (when the service is good;)), I'd much rather be flying First!:)

Mrs D

Got to agree with Scrooge - First is VERY different to Business/UC.

Whilst I enjoy Club World and UC (when the service is good), I'd much rather be flying First!

Mrs D

Ditto

No wrong way taken at all... and whilst I did once fly in BA first it was back in 1990 so dont really remember too much about it.

So more space - I can get that, but if you are going to sleep or want to watch movies then how much better can it be?

I agree Dave - the best way is to give it a whirl one day!!

but if you are going to sleep or want to watch movies then how much better can it be?

Go to sleep in first class wash your mouth out:DI always enjoy the hospitality totally before becoming comatose.

How dare you make such a blasphemous comment, Mark[}:)];)

Bit more space and a many more "extras" in my opinion.

45.

Everyone is talking about "extras" - but like what??? - someone take us though what makes 1st Class so appealing and worth the money?

Do any airlines offer a concierge who checks you in, takes you to the lounge, and then escorts you onboard to your seat?

Originally posted by Decker
http://v-flyer.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7852

Thanks Decker - excellent level of detail.

Personally though I am not sure that the "extras" warrant the extra cost!! Suppose if you can get a good deal for the seat then its worth having the experience.

Originally posted by NS
Do any airlines offer a concierge who checks you in, takes you to the lounge, and then escorts you onboard to your seat?

From experience, Virgin do if your a Z-list celebrity.

Originally posted by fozzyo

Originally posted by NS
Do any airlines offer a concierge who checks you in, takes you to the lounge, and then escorts you onboard to your seat?

From experience, Virgin do if your a Z-list celebrity.

I've actually had this once with VS, coming back from YYZ in J, not long after they launched that route (I was also on a full J fare as well as back then you couldn't book anything else other than full fares online). Also I guess with it being a new route they where doing everything by the book, although the lounge they used at YYZ was really really not good at all.

Regards

Originally posted by MarkJ

Originally posted by Decker
http://v-flyer.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7852

Thanks Decker - excellent level of detail.

Personally though I am not sure that the "extras" warrant the extra cost!! Suppose if you can get a good deal for the seat then its worth having the experience.

You see the thing is, the average person sitting in first can afford to pay more for the ticket, cost is not an object for them, what they are looking for is a little privacy and to be well taken care off.

However for nuts like ourselves we are looking for all the perks..hell I know I was..at least on the outbound leg..on the in bound I was rather jaded.....time to build up some miles again me thinks.

I'm sure many travel F more for the prestige rather than the actual product; those who simply coudn't bear to be seen in anything else.

45.

With the QF First class (A380 version) being announced when are we liklely to see the BA version - rumours on a.net are cabin re-fit starting next year?

I find it amazing that BA only have jim jams in First and not Club World, another plus for Virgin there, as the BA flights to orlando don't have a First Cabin

As a regular FIRST user I notice a definate difference in service and standard of the cabin between high revenue routes such as LAX and New Yrok and between low revenue route such as Middle East - Dubai etc. My guess would be that they will update the former routes first.

Originally posted by hackneyguy
As a regular FIRST user I notice a definate difference in service and standard of the cabin between high revenue routes such as LAX and New Yrok and between low revenue route such as Middle East - Dubai etc. My guess would be that they will update the former routes first.

Anything in particular?

In my experience:

Drink: On High revenue flights champagne perrior jouet belle epoque is served (yum !)- whilst to middle east it is Piper Heidsieck (Yuk). Lower qualitity spirits too - no Tanquery 10 just Tanquery and I would be suprised if they carried JD etc.

Food: Whilst better than J in BA or Virgin, lower revenue flights tend not to have the true al a carte experience which is fab - but a much reduced selection and served at set times - going to LA I could order soup anytime etc but not to ABu Dhabi. Being a lot of non drinkers on board these routes there is a better range of soft drinks and special arabian coffee & dates etc which is a nice touch.

Service: Although good certainly CC less attentive to middle east - when I queried this last week they put it down to lots of op ups on these routes rather than full fare J (which FIRST is full of to LA). Also there is no VOID or CD players - they have the tape players on these older planes but the quality of the films is not as good. ALso had to ask for my bet to be made up twice and for it to be put away - normally the purser is much more on the ball and attends to this whilst pax in the wash rooms.

Put it this way, IMHO, it is a good service but not as polished in many ways as it could be compared to other routes I use requlary, althoguh, ofcourse, much depends upon the cabin crew and their mood.

Originally posted by Mrs Decker
Got to agree with Scrooge - First is VERY different to Business/UC.

Whilst I enjoy Club World and UC (when the service is good;)), I'd much rather be flying First!:)

The biggest things for me are the exclusivity and the personal attention. With a 4:1 pax/FA ratio on a full flight it's tough to be ignored too long, although it has happened to me on BA and EK in F when I have dared to use the bing bong attention seeker device in my seat. Still, it was hardly a chore to get up and wonder 15 feet to the galley.

I have come to the stage of my life where I don't do queuing, and, if I'm honest, one can never have enough quality brown nosing.

I think that they seriously need to look at innovative things like the Frankfurt F terminal. I am sure that a lot of top earners have switched to private jets since 9/11 due to the hassle at airports. To have to line up with the hoi poloi when you've blown ten grand on a ticket leaves a rather nasty taste in the mouth.

Then again, they might just do what CO and DL did ten years ago and dump F altogether. Even some long haul flights on some routes BA do have no F: for example, one of the two daily BA flights to Toronto has F, the other doesn't as of about five years ago. Hardly surprising as the two times I'd taken that flight in F the previous year there were only two of us in F.

Howard