Finally! I fly the BA Club Suite. Heathrow to Sao Paulo
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- Опубліковано 2 лип 2024
- After 4 cancelled bookings, I finally flew on BA's "new" club suite - new to me although it's been in service for 5 years.... After revolutionising the business cabin in the year 2000, providing lie-flat seats to all business class passengers for the first time, BA sat on its laurels for the next 18 years, allowing their competitors to catch up, and in many cases overtake them. Then in 2019 they launched this new cabin layout offering lie flat seats with all-aisle access and a few other changes which improve the customer experience.
In this video I'll review this seat on an 11-hour flight from London to Sao Paulo.
⭐ #flightreview #britishairways #MattsPlanet ⭐
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⏰ Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
1.55 - Heathrow T3
3:55 - The Plane and the Seat
8:02 - The Flight
13:32 - Sao Paolo
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I love the new intro simple and right to the point while still giving off the same feeling of the previous one
Thanks! Not sure I'm 100% happy with it yet, but its exactly 15 seconds long so is just one click of the fast-forward button!
@@MattsPlanet I think it might end up being on of them things you aren’t 100% on and will always want to slightly tweak and improve. I didn’t even think of it being one tap too fast forward. I do love how it still shows the map with all the flight
@@MattsPlanet sound levels in the intro are a bit off tho, at least by these ears.😀
It is a joy to have someone who is 3 inches taller than I reviewing aircraft seat space.
I'm the same height as Matt, so paying even closer attention.
My channel does seem to attract a higher than average viewership from tall travellers! We're always at a disadvantage!
Hi Matt,
Thank you for your lovely video this week. It reminds me why I don't fly with them anymore. I spend money with companies that are going to make me feel special. The towel without a little tray, snack in a packet, basic food, cheap wines, understocked loo, pre flight drink without a napkin,....it is so NOT premium it hurts......
No bells, no whistles...
As usual, good job Matt, hope you are keeping well!
Thomas
You make an excellent point Thomas - BA doesn't do that badly against a lot of their Euro competitors, but none of them make you feel special in the way some airlines used to in the past, and how some Asian airlines still do...
The passport photos intro is back! And so are the fiery zingers directed at BA! Hahaha!
- Red
The photos are back! As are the fiery, but still friendly zingers!!
I really like the new intro! Short, concise and to the point - also highlights the main purpose of this channel.
Thanks! Still a bit of a struggle to get it under 15 seconds but I'm quite happy with it!
Good video. Impressed by the actions of that employee who recognised you. Or has a chastened BA issued wanted posters?
The BA safety videos annoy the heck out of me.
Looking forward to your Rio coverage.
Thanks! I hope there aren't wanted posters at every gate!! Rio was great...
Intro definetly better, good work
I don't like the way BA turn their safety vids into some kind of huge joke, using 'celebs' that many of us don't like and would ignore as soon as we see them on screen. BA didn't think this through.
B.A. try to be funny/cleaver with their safety videos and fall flat on their face, distracting and annoying. I previously used their Business product on my regular long haul to South America, always found it comfortable enough though the new 1-2-1 layout is far preferable. Service was always good. I’ve switched to a rival now who offer me a better product at a more competitive price. No more B.A. for me
@@TheVaughan5 I agree, BA turn important safety briefings into a joke.
I think it looks great and can't wait to try it myself. Thanks for the info + video!
Cheers Jimmy !
PULL THE RED HANDLE! The wings fall off. LOVE the new intro (and miss the old one) yes, very helpful feedback eh?
It was so tempting.... I suspect its an ejector seat.... And in other news, the old intro will still be available on every previous video I've ever released!!!!
Love that you were allowed on the plane first, you know you've made it when this happens 🙂
Do you know who I am???
Great vlog and over- view Matt. New intro refreshingly sharp!!
Thanks Richard. Getting more comments about the intro than the video!
Great content love your English sense of humour….keep up the good work
Thanks - glad you enjoyed it
Great review, very in depth and honest. Love your work.
Thanks for watching!
Great video as always. Nice to board first to record. Well done to the guy.
Thanks - it felt awkward to push past everyone, but I quickly got over it!!!!
Very concise and professional Sir.
Thanks!
Great video Matt. Thank you. Agree with what you’ve said, and taken away some new points. Look forward to seeing the return leg! :)
I wasn't going to make a video of the flight back as it should have been similar, but BA's lack of consistency meant it wasn't!!!
Lovely video Matt and like mentioned on Whatsapp, great revision of the intro. I'm flying on this product to Vegas in the summer so looking forward to trying it out. All the best.
It's a very good hard product and if the service behaves, it's a great experience overall!
I discovered this channel today and I’m already subscribed! I love how straight forward and easy to understand these reviews are
Thanks and welcome!
Great review, review, thanks for sharing your thoughts. Hopefully as you say, BA "optimise" some of these shortcomings still further! Great work on the new intro too.
Thanks! Not sure the intro is quite settled but its a big leap forward! BA is close to something quite good here....
I think BA has improved its customer service. On a short hop to Stockholm recently, we were greeted by name in the cabin and service was excellent. Well done BA..........at last !
Good to hear!
I appreciate the shorter intro. Glad to see you are back on the road to wrack up the miles and reclaim your gold status. Excellent flight review, and a great flight. Sometimes being just good enough is good enough. It takes a lot more to exceed someone's expectations, so offering an experience that is just good enough will often return the highest return on investment, at least in the short term.
Thanks! Gold should be back in hand in about 6 weeks.... I fear BA has long given up on delighting their passengers and "good enough" is now the motto.... Disappointing, but as you say, probably the most profitable approach!
Loving the new intro. Great video as always, very informative. 😀
Thanks Mr H - took me a while but the new intro came together eventually!
Good to know the amenity kit still has The White Company products! I love the fragrance and TWC says they don't have it for sale -- you basically have to fly BA for it.
I didn't know that - I'll give it a closer sniff next time!
Yeah baby. Flying this product for the first time on Thursday. Thoroughly looking forward now after this video
Have a great time!
Great video, we’re just about to fly on the a350-100 to from Heathrow to Denver in the BA club suite on Tuesday. I’m excited to give it a try!
Have a great time - nice and brisk in Denver this time of year so have fun!
New year, new intro and a haircut! A sign of great things coming to your channels in 2024 😊. BTW, there’s something about that terminal, as your extra-T3 opening thoughts are my most favourites.
Thanks - my head was flaming cold as I filmed that bit!
Great new intro! Still impressive.
Nice and honest review of the flight!
Am thinking of going up and down to Brazil next year, book full economy, and use my avios to go premium out and business back.
Cheers ! Until the next one !
Good strategy although (I'm sure you know this) you can only upgrade one cabin with avios - you'd need to buy legs in economy and premium to then be able to upgrade as you wish. I'm sure you knew that, and its a great strategy!
Ótima resenha! Sou de São Paulo e voei há pouco com a BA. Same thoughts! Great channel
Muito obrigado por assistir!
I approve of snacks in their packets. You know what you are getting, what ingredients are in them, and know they haven't been sneezed or coughed over!
That's a very valid point, but that doesn't happen with any other food offering. Perhaps if the packaging was a little more premium it wouldn't feel so cheap!
Be good if airlines (or, rather, their caterers) gave more details about what's in their food. For those with intolerances or worse, this is potentially vital information.
@@broadsword6650 I guess they think the special meals handle this, although they don't give an ingredient list for them either....
@@MattsPlanet I'm diabetic and follow a low carb diet. Eating food with hidden sugars (often in sauces) can leave me feeling very unwell, and eating a normal catered meal and simply leaving the carbohydrates (potato, rice, pasta, bread) is usually not practical or satisfying. It's very hard for me to eat at all on a plane or in lots of other travel circumstances where everything is high-carb (sandwiches/burgers, pasta dishes, everything with chips or rice). So, if someone gives me a snack in a packet with a list of ingredients I'm happy. Or happier, at least! 😄
💯 this
Sao Paulo is so much fun this month, enjoy ...bit cool though just 20/22 and a bit rainy at the moment, Welcome to Sao Paulo xx
Thanks - sadly on this occasion I was straight in and out of Sao Paulo but it did look nice from the airplane windows! Rio was lovely though....
Your videos are great mate. Your commentary is fantastic.
Thanks for watching!
Great video and review! Thanks for that, agree almost everything, probably the one time where being short for me is an advantage and I don’t have to worry about any cubby issues but they should provide a thicker mattress topper
Thanks Nick. Many advantages to being tall - airline seats not being one of them!
Love the new intro Matt, great video too nice to see a review on the A350K
Thanks Brandon!
Hi! Liking the new intro. I'm glad to see you review the Club Suite. Thank you! And for explaining about the door, as I couldn't close my door when I last flew this product. I think maybe the crew didn't unlock it? Then again, it took me a while to work the table 😂
Thanks! Entirely possible that the door was just broken - something similar happened on my flight back....
Great to see travel video. Hope all is well Matt
Back on the road! All good here thanks!
I love your new intro and great video!!
Thanks - the intro was overdue!
Great video. The ceiling panels are out in T3 check-in to facilitate the security expansion works on the floor above - they'll be going back in in time.
Thanks so much - fascinating insight. Those scanners are heavy!!!!
New intro - yay! Well done Matt :)
Happy New Year to you all!
the 2-4-2 United IPTE ( unveiled 2004) was meant to eclipse Club World. The IPTE United First suite of the time went from 14F in the 744 nose to just 12F. Guess who still placed 14F “F suites” in their 747s in the 2010s…lol yes BA. Point being, UAL IPTE got a bad reputation when it was really world class when you consider the era it came to market. AND both legacy club world and IPTE had beds for those that were tall:). Man love that United F Suite
Thanks for that. Planning a video on this actually - BA's flat bed was revolutionary and Virgin's "slanted coffin" seats were a direct response to BA and were also pretty revolutionary at the time... Even though both are now derided! Good into on United's response... Still took them 5 years to react to BA though!
Excellent video, as ever. I agree! BA Club Suites are nice but not super premium - not that I've travelled Business on Qatar etc. I quite enjoyed it well enough last summer flying return from LHR to SIN (my first time in Business, + using Companion voucher). I've just booked two return flights (Club Suite) LHR-TYO for October, using a Companion voucher. For two people, 150,000 Avios and £1,540 taxes. The cash equivalent fair was £7,607 for two, so I make that 4p per Avios value. I'm rubbish at Maths and used a table you provided in an earlier video to work it out! So, it works out at just £846 more expensive than the equivalent Economy fare (£2,195 for two). A direct flight is a must, as I'm travelling with my mum again! PS - I'm just about to in two minutes release two return LHR-SIN J class flights (13-June to 1st July). Let's see how quick Seat Spy takes to notice!
Tokyo is a remarkable place - sounds like great value... 4p is great value. I think BA has control over whether redemptions go back into the general pool so it may not show up on seatspy but its always fun to look!
Club suite is way better than the previous generation of Club World. The price BA charge for this product is scandalous on some routes which I use regularly between LHR-SJC and LHR-SFO which I get are busy routes but BA's competitors are way better priced so I often end up flying with KLM or AF which products are just as good if not even better. Nice review.
Thanks Alex. Weirdly, I expect there'll be lots of French and Dutch travellers who think KLM or AF direct are overpriced so fly via London on BA!
Great video Matt, I’ve flown the club suite a number of times and it’s a definitive upgrade but as you say not into the top level. One thing BA has quietly done is really reduce the quality of the wine. It’s now sort of mid tier supermarket stuff whereas it was previously really good. Knocking out the bourbon and the cognac is more of the same, really for club class there should be some premium spirits and a good selection of them.
Thanks Jonny. Another commenter suggested BA was scaling back club to make F feel more premium, which is a plausible theory but I really hope its not true....
Great video.
Thanks
Flying on it for the first time to Bahrain this week. Looking forward to it. Was interested in your choices on Term 3 Lounges - l’ve seen your ‘7 Lounges’ report but will watch it again; l thought that Qantas wasn’t very (staff) friendly but prob got that wrong.
By the way Matt, thank you for you last ‘personal’ report - very best of luck Matt and thank you for highlighting the issue.
Thanks! Qantas is a bit sterile when its not busy but I popped in for the last hour before the flight to Singapore departed so there was a full offering and a bit of an atmosphere in the place
Good video Matt
Unbelievably I flew this product before you and enjoyed the experience - the flight crew were excellent both ways
On the new scanners I have some inside information-all fast track at terminal 3 have the new scanners but I still wouldn’t risk liquid roulette
Take care
Good for you Tim - I enjoyed the experience but was a little frustrated that BA couldn't get the last 10 yards right.... When T5 F wing reopens with the new scanners I'd probably risk the liquids but even then there's going to be a risk...
I'm flying to São Paulo next week in club world, this video is an interesting insight for me who's curious about the product.
Have a great trip! Make the most of the lounges - not too much though so you also enjoy the on-board catering!
We have had 9 flights in the Club Suite and overall it is a massive improvement over the Club World seat, especially when awake. The A350 is a lot better as a passenger vs the B777 as it is quieter and has a more comfortable cabin pressure although the front toilet was blocked during our flight back from Sao Paulo. The best way to make the bed comfortable is to use the protector and then lay on half the blanket with the other half covering you. Agree on the utterly uninspiring choice wine comment, I mentioned it to one of the crew on the last flight and was told that it would be improved soon - let's see. Thanks for another great review again.
Sounds like I was lucky for the loo to only be out of action for an hour on my flight! Coming back from Rio the flight originated from BUE and I think the catering was loaded there - that'll feature in a future video as lets say the choice was even narrower than usual....
The most realistic and accurate review of the BA Club World Suite I've seen. BA A350 and Dreamliner cabin crews seem stressed. Too little space to work in. B777 crews are more relaxed.
I was on a 777 back and it did feel like a more relaxed experience! Thanks
Excellent video and review of the Club Suite. Having flown on both, the Club World and Club Suite, I do prefer the Suite as the Club World seats are now very dated and having to jump over another pax if you are seated in the Window seat or middle seat is just crap. Wish BA would refit the rest of the fleet faster.
Thanks - I agree with you almost completely - as a taller sleeper there were a handful of seats in the old layout (in the back row) where you didn't have to vault your neighbour and the window seats were very private.... And upstairs on an A380 you got the window panniers too which solved the storage issues.... But for 95% of the seats I do agree!
Flew Club Suite for the first time LGW to KIN last year when a hardware change worked in our favour. Not so much luck on the way back however. I echo your thoughts, as travelling as a couple even with the partition open between the middle two seats you’ve seem a long distance apart and it was too noisy to converse easily.
The old ying ang yang seats for couples made the journey quite, dare I say it romantic, on previous trips and there was the added frisson of not knowing who you were going to climb over to get to the loo.
Club Suites to Cape Town and return next up but from T5 so no chance of the Quantas Squid/Gin Bar frenzy but I can live in hope. Keep up the good work.
Thanks! The old seat gave the single traveller a similar frisson in seeing who you'd be awkwardly staring at through the flight!
new intro! good work :)
Finally! As the thumbnail says...
Thanks Matt for another wonderful 16 mins of escapism-off JER to EDI & Return next weekend for a quick 160 TP run, so though a lot shorter it’s got me excited for just the experience of travelling-funny how never seem to get many T3 departures nowadays when flying from Jersey-is it me? Desperate to do the lounge crawl!
Thanks - have a great trip. The T3 departures must have some logic behind them but its hard to detect... San Paulo, Vegas, Bahrain and a few others.... Short haul there's a few more but it is a random selection!
By the time I get to Phoenix, i'll be wasted.....
I flew the clubsuire to and from EWR in September 23, and I have to say I really love the seat in "day mode" with the lounge position of the seat plus the enhanced privacy, especially upgraded from the aisle seats of the old club world seats... But I had to admit, for some reason I had better sleep on the plane in the old club world seat for whatever reason... But overall I like the club suite...
The aisle seats on the old config really were exposed... But those window seats were perhaps even more private than the suites and the openness of them did make for a decent kip....
Oooooh - new intro! I like it!
Thanks! Finally, I hear you all cry!!! Exactly 15 seconds long too, so one click of the fast forward button.... I do listen to you all!
I have to laugh at the airline marketing of "suites" on aircrafts - it's a seat with a sliding door - a roomette at best. Stayed in a suite once at the Peninsula Hotel in HK - that was a suite! :-)
Indeed - a suite for me means more than one room - only the Residence on Etihad qualifies on any aircraft and this seat certainly doesn't. Although many "suites" in hotels are just large single rooms.... I'd imagine the Peninsula did things properly though!
I flew in one a few months ago from PDX to LHR and it must be said they are pretty decent. Since I was flying on AA miles, it was even better.
Decent is a great word - not bad at all but also not excellent....
Matt. Love the new shorter intro, although I didn't mind the old one. I flew the new club suite when it first arrived on the scene and even then I had issues with the door. Like you I love a Cognac and I am really disappointed that BA will not bring it back on board although they do serve something called Seven Tails in the lounges. Apparently the Savoy stock the XO version in the American bar. BUT, it's not the XO that BA use. When I fly out of T3 I use the Qantas lounge as they provide a nice Hennessy Cognac and yes, that salt & pepper squid is delicious. I've not tried the Cathay lounge. Maybe next time.
Love all your work and the help the video's provide and I look forward to watching the Sao Paulo vid.
Steve. C.
YNWA.
Pity about Klopp leaving.
Cheers Steve. Cognac is something I like but I'd never buy, so I always look out for it when travelling. Rarely drink it in a lounge though as it feels like an "end of session" treat rather than a "party starter"! Klopp leaving is a real shame although watching the guys last night, it seems to have fired them up!!! #YNWA
I flew to yyz in a350 plane B in club suite when the plane was about a month old. They had staff on flight with clipboards presumably feeding back on the new plane
If they noticed that the doors don't work, they've not done anything about it in 4 years!!!
@@MattsPlanet virtually every person touched the red handle as it seems intuitive to do so. I think they wanted it to be red to stand out as safety use but it reads as standing out saying pull me lol
Love the new intro Matt
Thanks mate
Great video! I just took a flight on the A350 in club to San Diego. I was seated in the last row, 17A, but managed to get all my first meal choices for both services. My lunch menu was exactly the same as what you had for dinner. The crew actually wheeled trolleys down to the club kitchen area around door 2 and served the second club area from that space (although everything had to be initally heated and stored in the forward galley). Also for the whole flight the front toilet was out of action.
Thanks! I saw some empty trolleys go past me in row 1 so it makes sense they constructed a staging point in that galley. Closing the toilets for the entire flight is really tough....
@@MattsPlanet Yes, especially when premium economy also comes through and uses them.....
Great vídeo
Thanks!
Nice video!
Thanks
I love it
I quite loved it too!
It was good to get your insight into the Club suite prior to the wife's and my upcoming trip to Cape Town in a few weeks on the 777 version, the 300 outbound and 200 inbound. It would appear that BA, from your review, has in fact lost it bearing when it comes to delivering the special experience and premium feel of travelling in Business Class, at least in the few areas you mention. There is still an excited anticiaption in any case that I hope to enjoy the experience mostly, if not fully. Thank you for the insight.
Thanks Olly - flew a refurbished 777-200 back from Rio and it was a very similar experience - its still a great experience, and hopefully I haven't taken too much of the edge off of the anticipation!
Love the new intro.
Thanks!
Great watch as always Matt. I’m in the minority here but I actually prefer the old seat… not many agree with me but the sleeping experience is just so comfortable with no restrictions on legs/feet (I’m quite tall also)… you can properly stretch out on the old seat
Also when travelling with a buddy the old seat is so much better for a conversation or eating together
Storage is the issue though.. club suite does very well to fix that. Hope you had a great trip
I may make a video about that! The old layout, A380 upper deck window seat (so you have the panniers which solves the storage problem), last row (so you could get in and out without gymnastics) - it was a pretty good seat....
Completely agree with all points. In particular I’ve definitely found it’s a lot easier to sleep in the old club world seat. I found the foot cubby a bit restrictive, the cabin was too hot, and in 1A the noise from the galley was a lot (especially when they forgot to pack amenity kits so no ear plugs!). Your assessment of the middle seats is accurate too, a lot more difficult to chat than it is in the old club world
Thanks Charles - I didn't find the galley to be too noisy, although when I take my hearing aids out I don't hear much of anything!
@@MattsPlanethow did you find the temperature? I often find on aircraft these days it’s too hot, gone are the days when they used to be cool
@@nickf619 I thought it was ok - not too hot for me
I've flown the new club suite twice from the UK to Sydney and its great. I'm only 5ft 9ins so have plenty of room to thrash about.
That would be a good seat for a route that long....
I flew EZE LHR via GIG last week on 777 (3-class plane). Cabin crew were great and the smaller cabin at the front of Club World gave a more quiet and relaxed feel to the flight. While not perfect (I still prefer Qatar's Q-Suite), the Club Suite removes the need to step over or be stepped over that you experience in the ying-yang seating arrangement. It is an improvement overall. Will be flying Club Suite again to New York soon.
Thanks - its a very good product but BA still manages to find ways to add friction to the experience! Literally, when it comes to that flaming door!!!
Thanks for another informative video. I'm not sure how I'd feel about a business class mirror held together with tape. 👀 Regarding the sort of clothes that can work when going to/from climates that are 20+ degrees different, I've found that travel clothes from firms like Rohan can be useful. I have a very lightweight, windproof, padded jacket that has done duty on trips to California and Jamaica. Great for the cold bits and packs away easily for the warm bits. Not cheap, but they have sales.
Thanks Steve - I was HBO for an 8 night trip which is pushing my packing skills so the volume was the biggest issue - the jacket I was wearing scrunches up pretty small.... I survived though!
Great video as per Matt, T3 at Heathrow doesn't look the greatest but if you are flying somewhere who cares.
I liked the new suite comparing it in my head to the old forward/backward having to step over the person to get out seats but then again that would not be difficult, I suppose they will get the little issues sorted out like the doors eventually but if this suite has been in place for 4-5 years then maybe not.
Thanks - I'd seen rumblings about the seat from day 1 so for it still to be such an issue after 5 years is a real issue! I flew back on a retro-fitted 777 which presumably would have been supplied after the issue was known, but it still broke!
So lucky you didn’t get a last minute aircraft change this time Matt 🙏
I wasn't certain until I saw it at the gate!!!
Flown on it once in 2023 and was booked to fly it twice (on a return journey) this year although one of those journeys has been changed to the old layout. I look forward to flying it again.
If BA's service can match the design of the seat, it should be really quite good!
@@MattsPlanet I wonder how long it will take them to refresh all long haul business class cabins. The old layout is so outdated it’s embarrassing for it to still be on planes!
12:06 had no idea how to apply the small thin mattress topper, although on my last flight the lovely cabin crew did help when they saw me puzzled at 1am
The doors do keep breaking, but the crew recommended I complain and got 10000 avios for the inconvenience
Still not convinced those toppers make any difference as they're so thin! And flying BA is a fairly reliable 10,000 avios as something will go wrong!
Hey Matt 👋 Great video and happy to see you back on the road. Hope you’re doing well with your health🤞. The seat and the cabin look nice, however I think it’s lacking in quality. I can’t believe they make the flight attendants run 🏃 everything out of the forward galley. That’s insane!!! Even the passengers in the second cabin are served from the forward galley? 😳 FA’s at Delta complain about the forward galley. It’s very small. BA’s look bigger but that’s a long schlep to the mini cabin aft of the 2 doors. Hope you had a great time in GRU and RIO. Back in the day sometimes we’d get 7 day layovers in RIO if it was a charter flight ✈️
Really enjoyed all our destinations in Brazil 🇧🇷 👍 Look forward to the next one ☝️ and I’m praying and send you good health energy 🙏✈️
Thanks mate. Health good and its great to be back out there again! I flew this plane first in PE and that's served from the rear galley which is an even longer schlep for the crew. I dinged the bell a few times and the crew never made it to me - they always got hijacked by a passenger between the rear galley and the PE cabin. Really not a well thought through plane
@@MattsPlanet that’s even more insane. When I flew on the 747 we had 4 galleys on the main deck the one in the aft was just a dry galley for extra carts and supply’s. I’m surprised at Airbus but not surprised at BA for equipping its A350’s like that. Who knew 🤷♂️😂 thanks mate and glad all is well health wise 🙏👍✈️
@@Lad7478 Airbus let BA order A321's with toilets removed and galleys shortened to get more rows of searing in.... The consequence neither party anticipated is that the plane can tip back if the rear rows are filled first on boarding....
Okay, I am again wondering, and that can get me in trouble sometimes. But this time, I doubt it. When you are talking about what you are going to be doing standing in the terminal, have you thought about it, written a script, or are you winging it? You do it so very smoothly. And that little smile when you say, so stick around, always makes me chuckle a bit. It was bound to happen, becoming a celebrity that is ;-{).
Hi Mikie. I generally know what I'm focussing on in a video and mentally rehearse what I'll say on the way to the airport. Then when I film myself I'm quite well prepared and it usually comes out ok... I've got good at standing really still too to make the edits less visible, although people moving in the background do tend to give me away! Still waiting to be asked to do Strictly Come Dancing....
Great video Matt. Another very frustrating cost saving measure BA made with the a350 was getting rid of the built in cameras :( Takes away so much from the flight experience
No air vents, no cameras, no mid-cabin galley, no cognac, no napkin with the PDB.... It's a long list!
Something I somehow managed to do before you!! Albeit, I got a unicorn plane, with the new club suite from JFK-LGW, not a usual thing to happen I understand! Great to hear your thoughts!
Wow - getting a club suite to Gatters is an unusual event!
So no more climbing over sleeping neighbours from the center seat in the 2-3-2 configuration, amazing
Your neighbour is now distant and remains un-interfered with when you need to exit the seat! Welcome to 2024!
we had a trip booked on an A350 with club suites for next april, i spotted the seat change a month or so ago and it was back to a 777 and the old seat. Needless to say we decided to move the trip.
It really is tough for BA to feel they can switch and swap configurations without passengers reacting...
@@MattsPlanet and now the new trip has been downgraded to Club Europe! not impressed. Also wondering what the taxes would be starting in Inverness?
It still amazes me that travellers go through this ritual of having to touch everything, just like young kids of wondering how everthing works.
BA (BOAC)was left behind when Pan Am was on the go and they have NEVER caught up
I am like a young kid wondering how everything works when I'm on a plane!!!
Nice
Thanks!
I notice they still have Aviation Gin on the menu. I love that but both my BC flights to and from JFK in Sept, it wasn’t available and the crew stated they believed it was being withdrawn 🙃
They'll have to reprint a lot of menus if they do withdraw it! Although on my flight back from Rio the menu was no guide to what they actually had on board...
Good video as always Matt. You are right that claiming Club Dorm is better for sleeping is probably controversial! I really struggle to sleep on planes no matter what the seat is like, and the only time I have been able to sleep is on a BA First seat in a 777, and that was in the daytime, mainly aided by too much booze in the CCR!! In Club Suite and Club Dorm I can never really get comfortable, so on red-eyes I tend to stay up all night watching the IFE whilst the rest of the cabin is asleep.
For flights during the daytime however I vastly prefer the Club Suite. I know BA is retrofitting their fleet with it but the Club Dorm is a really disappointing product. On a recent 777 flight to LGW the Club Dorm cabin was really showing its age - some of the footstools wouldn't stay in place and my neighbour's IFE screen (notably much smaller than the one offered in Club Suite) would not stay in place either, the crew had to fix it in place with electrical tape, which whilst is better than nothing, isn't really acceptable for a flight they possibly paid thousands for. My table was on the wonk and the tray balanced on it rather precariously.
BA is my default airline because they fly everywhere from London, but going forward I think I'm going to try different airlines business class products, because so many other airlines do it better, as you mentioned.
As for the food , it seems hit and miss for me. I've had some fantastic meals along with some inedible ones. Small touches make a big difference, in First they always gave snacks in a bowl or on a plate like crisps and nuts, in Club not as much attention is given. I had a rice dish given to me where the lemon wedge had been left inside whilst it was cooked, resulting in a rather disgusting overpowering taste to the whole dish.
Finally whilst I like the Silver Top champagne they are serving on Club World now, I feel the rest of the drinks menu is a bit of a let down nowadays, they seem to just save all the nice stuff for First. The dessert wine is always that Ruby port which I can't stand, would be great if they offered a tawny port on board - it really doesn't cost much more!!
Great summary - I agree that sleeping through a business class experience is a bit of a waste, but these days I need my sleep so going sleepless for a night is very painful! And it is now daft for BA to be able to charge the same for a club dorm seat as they do for this new club suite
Good detailed review, and sorry to say, it doesn’t encourage me to add this experience to my list of wants…. Thanks.
Thanks Paul - happy new year to you and yours. It's a solid, respectable business class. Better than economy!
Great video Matt. I've not flown this product before (never really been much of a BA man as I don't live in the southeast or surrounds) so this review was particularly insightful to me. The frustrating thing is it seems BA is close to having a very good offering and some relatively simple adjustments to the seat and the service would make all the difference. Removing Robert Peston from the safety video would certainly help; I wouldn't want to endure that every time I flew BA - no wonder the crew looked a bit haunted. As for Terminal 3 at LHR, surely that's next in line for a major upgrade/demolition? I flew out of there on BA to Gibraltar last summer and it reminded me of some of the worst US airports I have endured on my travels.
Cheers Nick. I pick on Peston a little as he's an easy target so nice to get some support! And once you're through security T3 does open out a bit but it opened in 1961 so is really outdated!
The great thing about T3 are the great lounge offerings and I love flying out of there vs T5
Another great video Matt! I am planning to try this in May and quite curious to experience.
Do you have any plans to test Cathay Pacific business class?
Hi Sergey - I have a plan to get to Asia in a few months and a pile of avios to facilitate that and Cathay and JAL would be the ideal combo out and back.... Just a question of finding reward availability
@@MattsPlanet I was connecting in HK on a way from Thailand a few weeks ago (although in economy), and cannot recommend it enough (after a few flights with BA...). The airport in HK is incredible! The Cathay flagship lounge is brilliant - I didn't try the cognac, but I saw they have quite a varied choice.
@@sergeyontheroad Indeed - I do like a nice cognac!
While I found my long flight in CW to SIN good in B773 a massive improvement would be a better matress topper it’s too thin and some PJ’s would be nice
A better mattress topper wouldn't be a difficult project for BA - I think PJs in business class is never going to happen!
I have always have good experiences in that club cabin.
Has it ever been an exceptional experience though?
No, not exceptional. I was thinking about you strangely got an SL7 bus from, Heathrow central. Just take it to Hatton Cross Station, get on the upper deck and the view of the planes is awesome.
@@RandomLifeProductions Top tip!
"The cognac had been enhanced away" LOL. Originally BA said this was a supplier issue, which always seemed a but hollow an excuse. Brandy and ginger ale was was flight drink of choice, not least because of the lack of caffeine. Ho Hum
That worldwide Cognac shortage we hear about on the news every day... Not!!!
I quite like the new suite and I am 6'3" I have flown it a few times. The continued absence of cognac/brandy is something that I don't understand. I think the whole product has been neutered to keep the existing 1st ahead. As it is, for me, on revenue flights 1st is now only worth a £50-60 per hour premium now and some of that is the availability of the Caol Ila 15 Cask Strength whisky 😀. I hope once they redo 1st they can tweak business including the ways you suggest. The wi-fi now is good value but, given the low price, it might be a nice perk to add to gold executive club.
Thanks - its a very interesting theory - that they are dumbing down club to extend the difference to F - disappointing if they are as it extends the difference to the competition and to loyal customers' expectations!
@@MattsPlanetIf this is the route they’re going down, it speaks volumes for all the platitudes we get from Sean Doyle for making BA a premium airline
Yes more: Those seats, absent the door, look exactly like the seat in the geriatric AA 777-200s, storage, seat controls, armrest, etc. Don't recall the manufacturer.
Collins Aerospace is the maker - I think Qatar's "2nd best but still very good" business seats are this make too - shows how much customisation is possible.
Once again an extremely good video. I have not yet flown in the Club Suite largely due to booking in F but must try it if I can find the right route.
Sorry to hear bourbon-congnac no longer available. Its the niggly down-grades I hate eg smoke salmon is no longer traditional but a mis-mash that looks awful and helpings-portions of anything are like being on a weight loss course.
Thanks - as you say, I could have eaten 6 of those trout starters....
I very much like the Club Suite, apart from the rather crummy door. I've always thought BA long haul service very good.
The door is a problem for sure - otherwise it is a good product
Having flown the A380 in first, I think I prefer the club suite. The new first on BA's 777 is good though.
I think the food is certainly elevated in First class, and F doesn't have those foot cubbies, but I understand your argument!
Love the new intro, do you still earn TPs on redemption flights like this one?
Hi Harry. No TPs or avios on a redemption. Virgin is the only airline I can think of that does give status points for a redemption
Thanks!
Matt, it’s widely accepted the 350 is a brilliant aircraft from a technical and flight experience but to work on it, as you identified is ‘squeasy’ from a cabin crew perspective. The forward galley is way too small for purpose which can lead to friction whilst trying to manoeuvre in close contact… if you know what I mean !! I have sat in 1A too going to Vegas and found the opening and shutting of the galley storage compartments really annoying especially when trying to get to sleep or being woken by the constant utilisation and banging when being open and closed. I’d opt to go half way down the aircraft next time as a note to self. It’s annoying BA didn’t buy the options of tail cam and other ‘extras’ but like the removal of cognac etc. they have chosen cost saving over a really premium experience. I’m still playing ‘ABBA’ when I fly and any body but BA will do but while they have Heathrow as their Jewell in the crown and Avios as their equivalent equine ‘fluffer’ it is hard to see past them sometimes. Recently went to Miami on them, two return trips all in First. Two sectors were sensational, beyond exceptional while the other two sectors were complete garbage which highlights BA biggest issue … consistency ……. in my view.
Thanks so much - an old friend of mine has just signed on as flight crew so I have an ambitious to do something with her on what it's really like to be crew - "squeasy" was a good word when I passed through at breakfast and it must be crazy during the dinner. And your summary of BA is good - can be exceptional when the planets align but too often they can be poor
Gosh you were lucky. I always think of the LHR T3 (so-called) Fast Track as infiniti track, since you never actually know when you'll get through.IMO it's a disaster most of the time.
Mid afternoon is a good time to transit most airports in my experience - far fewer business oriented flights scheduled then
So that’s what a 50th of a bottle of Champaign looks like.
I had already taken a sip before that shot - perhaps 1/40th of a bottle!
Please try Iberia new business on A350! Great review
OK!
Lovely video Matt. An opportunity has arisen for me to travel to Brazil in November. I’ve BA silver status, but don’t want to fly BA (disappointed with its service and bad food , that led me to food poisoning on a recent flight to Istanbul). I would love to fly First class, and wondering if I should try AA as a carrier (not sure if they would still have First class in their repertoire in November) ? I would love to have your opinion and suggestions if you don’t mind me asking 🙏🏼
American is decent - their First isn't a massive step up even if it still exists come November.... Plus the hassle of entering the US to transit.... If you're looking at Sao Paulo then Firsts on Swiss, Lufty or Air France may come into consideration, although budget may be an issue!!! Rio is a little less well served.... And if you've got infinitely deep pockets (and plenty of time) then Emirates and Qatar service GRU which is not a bad way to get there....
@@MattsPlanet Thank you so much for getting back to me. I did look at the three options- Air France’s LaPremiere looked refreshing, Lufthansa has the B747 Charm (not sure about their First Class option on an old aircraft, and looked dated , but has the nostalgia factor), and Emirates has the A380 charm and the product is brilliant. La Premiere is around £10k whilst Emirates is around £11 k. I’m spoilt for choices 😅🙏🏼
@@VicTheflyingDentist If you have the money, there's no bad choices really! Once you've eliminated Lufty.... And Swiss....