[Travel] BA

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

It’s been a long long while since I last travelled long haul with BA but I much prefer Virgin. And I recommend Virgin Premium as a minimum; the last time I looked through the curtain into economy it was like a zoo in there. There were children climbing over seats and litter covered the floor.

I flew to JFK with Virgin a couple of weeks ago and PE was no better for litter than economy. Always wonder why people treat their space on a plane like a pig sty

 

[wellquickwoody]

No because I'm disabled and have to have the room otherwise I can't fly

Disabled benefits stretch along way these days.........

 

[The Spanish]

Premium economy is the worst value for money cabin in the sky. It’s only worth it if you are relatively high status with BA and it will take you to the next cabin up if there is an op-up. But even then that’s a long shot. Would never book premium economy personally. Skint and fly economy, flush fly club world. The middle ground isn’t worth it.

 

[Chicken Run]

I flew to JFK with Virgin a couple of weeks ago and PE was no better for litter than economy. Always wonder why people treat their space on a plane like a pig sty

I say this as a parent of 3, people who take under 4’s on long haul flights are selfish, selfish to the children, selfish to their relationship, selfish to other passengers and selfish to the poor people that have to clear their rubbish up!

 

[Birdie Boy]

I say this as a parent of 3, people who take under 4’s on long haul flights are selfish, selfish to the children, selfish to their relationship, selfish to other passengers and selfish to the poor people that have to clear their rubbish up!

Oh my god. I took 3 kids to Australia when they were 2,4 and 6, there was no rubbish to pick up and when we got off at KL the people behind said how good the kids were and they didn't realise we had kids there. The second flight from KL to Sydney they slept the whole way.

I have done many many flights with my kids with no complaints or rubbish. Maybe your post says more about you and your parenting!

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

I say this as a parent of 3, people who take under 4’s on long haul flights are selfish, selfish to the children, selfish to their relationship, selfish to other passengers and selfish to the poor people that have to clear their rubbish up!

Trust me, most of the rubbish on my flight to JFK was left behind by adults - this wasn't a flight full of kids. Newspapers, magazines, water bottles, food wrappers, etc. The cabin crew even come around to collect your rubbish before landing so there is no excuse for it.

 

[Icy Gull]

Oh my god. I took 3 kids to Australia when they were 2,4 and 6, there was no rubbish to pick up and when we got off at KL the people behind said how good the kids were and they didn't realise we had kids there. The second flight from KL to Sydney they slept the whole way.

I have done many many flights with my kids with no complaints or rubbish. Maybe your post says more about you and your parenting!

Hard to argue with that, children being well behaved seems to be abnormal these days. There is no reason well brought up children should cause problems to other passengers. Maybe the occasional little issue but most are allowed to be brats in my experience

 

[dazzer6666]

Trust me, most of the rubbish on my flight to JFK was left behind by adults - this wasn't a flight full of kids. Newspapers, magazines, water bottles, food wrappers, etc. The cabin crew even come around to collect your rubbish before landing so there is no excuse for it.

Yup......people seem to think it’s ok to chuck rubbish on the floor....does my head in. On a recent flight I was on, a lady opposite me (in business) spent 15 minutes wiping every conceivable surface with wipes, then chucked the wipes on the floor.

 

[alfredmizen]

Depends on how much you value the difference. Would I pay 25% more, probably. Would that money be better used for a nicer hotel or dinner(s) ? Maybe.

It massively varies on the plane too

well that was helpful.

 

[Ernest]

Disabled benefits stretch along way these days.........

What a nasty comment , sums you up to a tee

 

[Mr Smggles]

Disabled benefits stretch along way these days.........

Some right snobby wankers on this thread, but you win the award for being the biggest prick.

 

[Chicken Run]

Maybe your post says more about you and your parenting!

Maybe your post says more about your inability to detect a fishing expedition, I knew I’d catch one Lilly Liver’d daddy, I bet you love mums.net? [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

 

[Chicken Run]

Some right snobby wankers on this thread, but you win the award for being the biggest prick.

Agreed, the current holder of the award [MENTION=1416]Ernest[/MENTION] can present it?

 

[Chicken Run]

And the view today from the Club World Lounge.

#badfan
#willbeatthesouthamptoneflcgame

 

[Guinness Boy]

And the view today from the Club World Lounge.

#badfan
#willbeatthesouthamptoneflcgame

How the other half live eh? Economy was great yesterday BTW. Had a kid in the window seat in my row who behaved perfectly. Maybe Indians just parent better than middle class Brits?

 

[Guinness Boy]

Does depend on the plane a bit - for Bangalore they seem to use one of the old/decrepit 777s most of the time, so probably not as good as it could be. There is definitely more leg room in PE, and the seats recline better and have a footrest so it is more comfortable. Biggest plus though is probably the smaller/quieter cabin though, avoiding the economy zoo as @HT says. If you know there is space in PE, it's worth asking the cabin crew if there is an upgrade available (paid) - they might offer you a better deal, and just occasionally they'll move you without having to pay because they can't be arsed with the paperwork.

I was offered a paid upgrade for £200 on the 'BA app which I declined. Got to Bangalore and was offered an upgrade when I checked in. Not a free upgrade however. I was quoted a price in Rs that, when I converted it, came to about £250. No thank you again..

As per above post, had a nice peaceful flight in Economy with no dramas at all. I suppose it helped that it was an all-daytime flight though.

 

[Chicken Run]

How the other half live eh? Economy was great yesterday BTW. Had a kid in the window seat in my row who behaved perfectly. Maybe Indians just parent better than middle [emoji106]class Brits?

Agreed they do! As an honest working class man who works at Tesco I save hard for my holidays

 

[kingcole]

Yup......people seem to think it’s ok to chuck rubbish on the floor....does my head in. On a recent flight I was on, a lady opposite me (in business) spent 15 minutes wiping every conceivable surface with wipes, then chucked the wipes on the floor.

In an ideal world I woulc agree, but the abonomal current CW seating on BA has literally no space for storage or surfaces. The drawer in the only thing and that’s inaccessable if the seat is a bed. Yes we have the table, but that has to be stowed for landing. So where is one supposed to put their rubbish?

 

[Guinness Boy]

Agreed they do! As an honest working class man who works at Tesco I save hard for my holidays

Caravan park and a business class trip abroad within two weeks of each other. Are you the bloke who doctors their accounts to make them look profitable? I thought an education at one of our city's finest comprehensives would do you better than Tescos though. It has for most in my year....

 

[kingcole]

Premium economy is the worst value for money cabin in the sky. It’s only worth it if you are relatively high status with BA and it will take you to the next cabin up if there is an op-up. But even then that’s a long shot. Would never book premium economy personally. Skint and fly economy, flush fly club world. The middle ground isn’t worth it.

The Op-up with status thing isn’t always true. I’ve been all tiers over the years within the BA Exec club and I can honesntly say as a gold I never got an op up. I did as blue and bronze (one 2 cabins).

That being said, golds do get upgraded, but I’ve not been lucky. There is some argument that there is little point BA upgrading the regulars as it would stop them paying for it, but an occasional traveller might be swayed to book the higher cabin next time......

There is a great online tool called Expert Flyer. If you are considering booking WTP with the remote hope of an upgrade, it’s worth checking Experty Flyer for the loads in each cabin.

As WTP is the smallest cabin on the plane and there are often twice as many Business class seats, this is clearly the cabin that Op Ups most often happen from.

If you can see on the BA website that there have say 4 seats left in WTP but when you check on Expert Flyer you can see it’s full, you know for certaintly there will be Op Ups. Clearly in this instance a less than full Business Cabin is ideal!

Expert Flyer is a subscription service but for the odd request, I’ll happily check a particular flight for someone.

WTP can be a godsend if chasing status in the next tier. New York for example rewards 80 tier points in the WTP (whether a cheapy or flex) where as the cheapest economy seat is 20, maybe less. 600 Tier Points is the magic number for silver which grants you and a guest lounge acesss, free seat selection at booking and an earning rate of 50% more avios plus other token benefits like business class check in, even when in economy.