V-Flyer

Apols if this has been covered before but I thought this may be interesting reading for some (from the FT today) - cant wait to see what they think they can do to improve their service and narrow the gap with Virgin UCS....

"British Airways is expected to announce shortly the next phase of its “seat wars” with its long-haul competitors by outlining an ambitious investment in upgrading its Club World business cabins at a cost of more than £100m.

It is understood that it has selected B/E Aerospace of the US, the world’s largest manufacturer of commercial aircraft seats, to produce the new generation of business class seats in a move that delivers a blow to Britax International of the UK, whose Contour premium aircraft seating division has supplied BA’s present Club World seats.

BA led the industry six years ago with the launch of the world’s first fully flat bed for business class travellers, but it has since faced a wave of investment and product innovation from other leading international carriers in their lucrative premium cabins including Air France, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, Qantas and Emirates."

Well I havenÕt seen it before so no need for apologies. Interesting. I guess we will have to wait and see what they come up with, but if its good enough could it be exec club for all of us?

There was a discussion on this somewhere, although I can't find it.

It will be interesting to see what they come up with. They'll have to put some unique characterisitics in there if they want to increase their popularity.

A new name too could be helpful - will this be New New Club World or New New New Club World?

Mat xxx

Originally posted by fozzyo
A new name too could be helpful - will this be New New Club World or New New New Club World?

New New Club World is the latest pillows & soft matresses. This would be New, New, New Club World... [ii]

(Did they really fire their entire Marketing Department? [:?])

Soft matresses, to me that sounds a nightmare! Matress and soft are two words I don't like to associate with each other.

Mat xxx

Well, so far I haven't seen a bar or an IFBT on any of my BA flights so unless BA come up with something spectacular, their product is still going to be behind.

And I know how important the bar is to some of you...[}:)]

Cheers,
VS045

according to a.net the new seats will still top & tail one another, and there will be a small self-service bar.

should be interesting to see.


The good news is that, with BA upping its game, VS might have to improve other areas to win pax, such as Food, Food, or possibly even Food

The good news is that, with BA upping its game, VS might have to improve other areas to win pax, such as Food, Food, or possibly even Food

Did you mention food, Richard?;)

Although, as you said, I'm sure this will encourages VS to buck up its ideas.

Cheers,
VS045

I got to try the NCW last sept..yes the beds are hard as a rock.,yes there is no bar or ifbt,or avod,but they do have something over VS for me..the price of PE/WT+ to upgrade.

Im in the middle of figuring out a family trip for next year,having more than enough miles to up myself,wife + inlaws on VS I was interested to see what an "s" would price out at...well it came back at $2400...WT+$1k..uumm,while I love the idea of flying in a suite,I somehow don't see the extra $2800 as being worth it..oh wellif it comes down to it I guess I could just book a couple of seats in "y" then upgrade,but as the inlaws are paying for this trip that wouldn't be right.....would it[V][n]

More on the plans here - seems they will be keeping the ying and yang style and not going for a Virgin look, they will have AVOD but still no wifi or mobile connectivity even when refitting. I hate the idea of mobiles but wifi surely should be an option (and it's so much less intrusive that telephones!).

Originally posted by slinky09
More on the plans here - seems they will be keeping the ying and yang style and not going for a Virgin look

The pic in that article is of the current CW "Coffin".

Given that they are going with B/E Aerospace for the new seat, and they are the manufacturers of the EOS seat, my guess is that it will be a similar product - no more travelling backward, yay!

Cheers,
Mike

no more travelling backward, yay!

Sorry to disappoint you mike...

chief executive Willie Walsh said that the 5,400 Club World seats in the fleet would be arranged in the same ying/yang configuration

Sorry Mike,the plan is to still have the ying/yang design,though to be honest the seats we had lasttime 14 e+f were great,no need to fight your way past the person sitting on the aisle.