707437 From United States of America, joined Nov 2003, 152 posts, RR: 1 Reply 1, posted (6 years 6 months 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 4358 times:
Actually I think that the BA Club Europe on the A319/320 is arranged 2-3 across instead of 3-3 across in economy. . . So it is a bit wider and the seat pitch is increased over economy. . .
and the service and food should be better etc. etc. . . .
VV701 From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2005, 6627 posts, RR: 17 Reply 3, posted (6 years 6 months 1 day 5 hours ago) and read 4223 times:
The front 'n' rows (where 'n' is a number dependent on the aircraft type) are convertible seats that have a greater pitch than the other rows. They are quickly adjustable from a Club Europe three-two row to a Euro Traveller three-three row.
If you are travelling EuroTraveller you therefore want to try to obtain a seat as near the front of the aircraft as possible. This will give you a seat that except for its width is effectively a Club Europe seat.
On the A319 the above arrangement is facilitated by 15 rows of adjustable seats at a 34 inch pitch and 6 (soon to be 7) rows of nonconvertible seats at a 32 inch pitch. This enables BA to adjust the seating arrangement on the 319 from C75 / Y36 (111) to C0 / Y126 (126) depending upon demand.
On the A320 the front 15 rows are again adjustable 34 inch pitch seats. The extremes are C110 / Y17 (127) and C0 / Y149 (149).
So yes. Many of the economy seats on many flights look just like the Club Europe seats. But the 'economy only' seats at the back of the aircraft are different.
By the way the current programme to add an extra row of seats on the 319s is being achieved by replacing the existing 'Y only' seats with the seats that are standard up the back of BA's A321s. These seats are thinner and are said to give as much leg room as the old seats they are replacing.
A340600 From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2003, 4103 posts, RR: 53 Reply 4, posted (6 years 6 months 1 day 5 hours ago) and read 4194 times:
Quoting VV701 (Reply 3): On the A319 the above arrangement is facilitated by 15 rows of adjustable seats at a 34 inch pitch and 6 (soon to be 7) rows of nonconvertible seats at a 32 inch pitch
Incorrect, the new pitch is 30 inches, like on the 321.
When I fly BA in Economy, like I did today, I always choose a seat thats club converter, especially the exit row as I have more legroom than Club and the same seat but not quite as wide.
Quoting 8herveg (Thread starter): What is the service like? Do they get a proper meal whatever time of the flight? Or is it just the morning breakfast?
On LHR you generally have more crew, on LGW unless its over 21 in club there is the purser only. The service depends on the band. All flights have meals throughout the day. The seats are wider than Economy, try to get an A or C seat as the B seat is pushed together and made into a place to put your newspapers etc. The following is a run-down of service, should answer all your questions:
Hot Towels
Hot or Cold Meal with 3 plates (bar some shorter flights)
Complimentary full bar with superior alcohol to Y including champagne
Tea/Coffee
Warmed Bread, Pastry pass
That is the basics and as the flight band increases you get slightly more, such as menu's on a band 4: full hot meal, additional bread/pastry pass, 2 bar services, extra hot towels before landing, Choice of appetiser (ex LHR) etc etc
The food is very good, here is an example:
Thanks,
Sam
Despite the name I am a Boeing man through and through!
VV701 From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2005, 6627 posts, RR: 17 Reply 5, posted (6 years 6 months 1 day 5 hours ago) and read 4175 times:
Quoting A340600 (Reply 4): Incorrect, the new pitch is 30 inches, like on the 321.
Of course you are correct. Thanks. But without actually quoting the pitch what I was trying to impart was that the perceived pitch of the new and old seats (as determined by leg room) is claimed to be the same because the two inches saved is said to be due to the reduced thickness of the back of the seat. Do you know if this claim is true or if actually there is a measurable reduction in leg space?
A340600 From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2003, 4103 posts, RR: 53 Reply 6, posted (6 years 6 months 8 hours ago) and read 3854 times:
Quoting VV701 (Reply 5): Thanks. But without actually quoting the pitch what I was trying to impart was that the perceived pitch of the new and old seats (as determined by leg room) is claimed to be the same because the two inches saved is said to be due to the reduced thickness of the back of the seat. Do you know if this claim is true or if actually there is a measurable reduction in leg space?
Hey there, very true, just a miscommunication between us. Due to the new thinner seats you can't tell the difference, but still go for the Club converters anyday!
Sam
Despite the name I am a Boeing man through and through!
Aidoair From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2006, 241 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (6 years 6 months 8 hours ago) and read 3821 times:
Quoting VV701 (Reply 3): By the way the current programme to add an extra row of seats on the 319s is being achieved by replacing the existing 'Y only' seats with the seats that are standard up the back of BA's A321s. These seats are thinner and are said to give as much leg room as the old seats they are replacing.
Has anyone got a photo of these new thinner seats that they are installing ?
Thanks
VV701 From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2005, 6627 posts, RR: 17 Reply 8, posted (6 years 6 months 8 hours ago) and read 3802 times:
Quoting A340600 (Reply 6): Hey there, very true, just a miscommunication between us. Due to the new thinner seats you can't tell the difference, but still go for the Club converters anyday!
Thanks for your further comment. Your clarification raises a wider issue. It is:
What is the value of comparing seat pitch between airlines when one airline is flying the same type of aircraft some with seats in a 32 inch pitch and others with a 30 inch pitch with both giving the same leg room because the thickness of the back of the seats is different?
A corollary to this quesation is:
Is there any valid measurement that actually defines leg room?
Paul From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2005, 374 posts, RR: 4 Reply 9, posted (6 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 17 hours ago) and read 3588 times:
Personally I think BA could do a lot more to accommodate their Club Europe guests. Especially when you consider that refreshments are free in economy and the service is regularly pretty good, all your paying for is two inches of legroom and a lounge pass. All for the very good price of £450 compared to £125 that it costs to fly in Euro Traveller.
Jonty From United Kingdom, joined Jul 2004, 226 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (6 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 17 hours ago) and read 3534 times:
I'm thinking of travelling in club europe this christmas and just have a few questions:
what are the bands you are talking about, is it how long the flight lasts?
the complimentary bar - is that all throughout the flight or 1 free drink with your meal?
will you only get hot food if you fly over lunch time?
also, just to confirm - are the club europe seats 34" pitch?
GBOAC From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2003, 221 posts, RR: 7 Reply 11, posted (6 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 16 hours ago) and read 3500 times:
And in other startling news, the Pope's a Catholic apparently
For Jonty...
Quoting Jonty (Reply 10): what are the bands you are talking about, is it how long the flight lasts?
the complimentary bar - is that all throughout the flight or 1 free drink with your meal?
will you only get hot food if you fly over lunch time?
also, just to confirm - are the club europe seats 34" pitch?
1 - yes.
2 - throughout. [Except on very short hops like CDG, AMS, JER, etc. where the only really feasible way to do the service is combined meal + drinks] A good crew will do a drinks run before the meal then offer you a drink with the meal service too. A lazy crew will sling a tray at you and ask you what you want to drink all in one go. Regardless, the bar is available throughout if you want more.
3 - depends on the route/time of day. Always a tray/meal but its contents (and the quality) can vary quite widely IME. I believe flights it's departing before 10:30 which get the nice full English breakfast of which I'm quite fond On short routes, you may get lumbered with some crappy cold salad mix (like GVA-LGW yesterday for me, despite it "just" being Band 2 according to the Purser).
Antonovman From United Kingdom, joined Mar 2001, 719 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (6 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 16 hours ago) and read 3472 times:
Quoting Paul (Reply 9): , all your paying for is two inches of legroom and a lounge pass. All for the very good price of £450 compared to £125 that it costs to fly in Euro Traveller.
The major thing you are paying for is for a fully flexible ticket which can be changed any way you want not a retricted unchangeable one in regular Euro Traveller
BFS From United Kingdom, joined Nov 2001, 734 posts, RR: 2 Reply 13, posted (6 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 16 hours ago) and read 3456 times:
As regards the complimentary bar, for us at LGW on most flights it is a limited bar with wine, beer, water and coke in EuroTraveller whereas in Club it is a full extensive selection. As far as I can remember anyway...
GBOAC From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2003, 221 posts, RR: 7 Reply 14, posted (6 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 15 hours ago) and read 3407 times:
Quoting Antonovman (Reply 12): The major thing you are paying for is for a fully flexible ticket which can be changed any way you want not a retricted unchangeable one in regular Euro Traveller
Not true. Unless you're buying a full J ticket (which typically costs more than 450 quid on most routes), you'll find the lower Club buckets are (ex-UK at least) far more restricted than any ET fares! Now all ET fares are at least changeable for 30 quid + fare difference before the day of departure, you'll find they're far more flexible than the IEUNBA (non-ugradeable, non-changeable) or CEUNBA (non-changeable, sometimes upgradeable) fares which fill the 'Business/Club (Lowest)' buckets...
A340600 From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2003, 4103 posts, RR: 53 Reply 15, posted (6 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 13 hours ago) and read 3293 times:
Quoting Paul (Reply 9): All for the very good price of £450 compared to £125 that it costs to fly in Euro Traveller.
It is down to personal or company choice, as with anything.
Quoting GBOAC (Reply 11): Always a tray/meal but its contents (and the quality) can vary quite widely IME. I believe flights it's departing before 10:30 which get the nice full English breakfast of which I'm quite fond
I thought the breakfast finished half hour earlier, I know that's definite for ET but not sure on CE.
Quoting BFS (Reply 13): As regards the complimentary bar, for us at LGW on most flights it is a limited bar with wine, beer, water and coke in EuroTraveller whereas in Club it is a full extensive selection. As far as I can remember anyway...
This 'lite' bar as I call it is offered on Band 1's and 2's ex LGW in Eurotraveller to help the crew have enough time for the service since the crew numbers have been cut. I travelled on a band 3 a couple of days ago and the purser brought the club bar through ET (minus champagne) whilst the other 2 crew brought a full ET bar from the back. Pax won't notice that the row in front of them is getting a superior alcohol, he was just helping out. For example both myself and my friend ordered a vodka and orange, I got black/blue label she got red. To put it simply- full bar in all classes minus ET on bands 1/2 ex LGW, though the quality differs. Domestic has the club bar (minus champagne) and still offers a full service as there are more crew.
Sam
Despite the name I am a Boeing man through and through!
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From United States of America, joined Nov 2003, 152 posts, 
On short routes, you may get lumbered with some crappy cold salad mix (like GVA-LGW yesterday for me, despite it "just" being Band 2 according to the Purser).
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