Over the last month since 26 March BA have been operating long-haul configured 777s on the BA458/59 LHR-MAD-LHR rotation. It has been said that the substitution of a 777 here is to help transfer cargo between these two IAG hubs.

Initially (26 and 27 March) and on one occasion since BA have operated this rotation with a 77W configured for 297 passengers (F14 / J56 / W44 / Y183). On one occasion (28 March) they operated the rotation with a 772A configured for 216 passengers (F17 / J48 / W24 / Y127). Again early on (30 March) they flew a three-class 772 configured for 275 passengers (J48 / W24 / Y203) on this rotation. Recently everything appears to have settled down with this operation using on a daily basis a four-class 772 configured for 226 passengers (F14 / J48 / W40 / Y124).

Prior to 26 March BA operated an A 321 configured for up to 205 C / Y passengers on the BA458/59 rotation.

My questions relate to the seat sales on the 777 flights.

Those passengers purchasing a Y Class ticket presumably are seated in the Y Cabin. However will (or do) BA sell more than 124 Y Class tickets if there is the demand and 'upgrade' some Y Class passengers to W Class?

Where are C Class passengers seated? If the total number of passengers is less than the size of the Y Cabin (124) is the Y Cabin only used? Or are C Class passengers automatically seated in the W Class cabin or the J Class Cabin if there are more than 40 booked. Or is the J Class cabin never used on this flight limiting the total passenger numbers to a ,maximum 164, less than when the flight was operated by a 321?

Finally on BA458/59 are there any circumstances when the F Class cabin is used?

Thanks in advance for any insights here.

Flyertalk can answer all these questions, there is a big thread on this. Basically yes overselling Y leads to upgrades into W. Some reports of status guests being allowed into W also. Club Europe is J on this flight, if oversold then F is also used as J.

Yes it is interesting this route/aircraft. I am actually booked on BA458 in May in J. Aircraft shows 772 F14/J48/W40/Y122. BA booking only allow J & Y bookings so not sure when/how F & W get used. Maybe higher status customers will get get the benefit of a bump up although would be suprised if F is used at all ?!?

All I know is my seat is booked as Club Europe but I am in a rear facing CW seat on this long haul config aircraft. Which I am very happy & excited about even for a short two hours !!

I am flying this route tomorrow and Y was almost completely full when I checked in. I'm hoping for an upgrade to W, but we'll see.

¿BA458 will be always a B777 from now year around?

pabloeing wrote:

¿BA458 will be always a B777 from now year around?

The BA458 goes to A321 in November as per BA.com

I took the flight a few weeks back and it was a nightmare. I was nearly 2 hours late leaving as it was delayed coming in from BUE, then the cleaning and catering were late. I'd booked Y, but paid for an upgrade to business, had a boarding pass for a Row 4 rear facing seat, then at the gate it was changed to row 13 or 14 instead, and it was a horrible, I assume, Premium Economy seat that was not very comfortable with a tiny IFE screen and I wasn't impressed. The guy behind me wasn't either, so whilst I fumed quietly, he was rather vocal to the crew. The business seats were packed out, I assume I was moved back because I'd paid for an upgrade rather than an out and out Business fare. Anyway I was very glad to get off in Madrid, having flown LX 777, AF A380/787, AY A350 and IB A330/A340s all in Y, I'd take any of them every day of the week over that flight. Breakfast was nice though.

I've got a couple more flights on the BA777 to/from MAD before the end of the summer schedules, so hopefully the next one might be better.

n729pa wrote:

I took the flight a few weeks back and it was a nightmare. I was nearly 2 hours late leaving as it was delayed coming in from BUE, then the cleaning and catering were late. I'd booked Y, but paid for an upgrade to business, had a boarding pass for a Row 4 rear facing seat, then at the gate it was changed to row 13 or 14 instead, and it was a horrible, I assume, Premium Economy seat that was not very comfortable with a tiny IFE screen and I wasn't impressed. The guy behind me wasn't either, so whilst I fumed quietly, he was rather vocal to the crew. The business seats were packed out, I assume I was moved back because I'd paid for an upgrade rather than an out and out Business fare. Anyway I was very glad to get off in Madrid, having flown LX 777, AF A380/787, AY A350 and IB A330/A340s all in Y, I'd take any of them every day of the week over that flight. Breakfast was nice though.

I've got a couple more flights on the BA777 to/from MAD before the end of the summer schedules, so hopefully the next one might be better.

where's that trip report?

n729pa wrote:

I took the flight a few weeks back and it was a nightmare. I was nearly 2 hours late leaving as it was delayed coming in from BUE, then the cleaning and catering were late. I'd booked Y, but paid for an upgrade to business, had a boarding pass for a Row 4 rear facing seat, then at the gate it was changed to row 13 or 14 instead, and it was a horrible, I assume, Premium Economy seat that was not very comfortable with a tiny IFE screen and I wasn't impressed. The guy behind me wasn't either, so whilst I fumed quietly, he was rather vocal to the crew. The business seats were packed out, I assume I was moved back because I'd paid for an upgrade rather than an out and out Business fare. Anyway I was very glad to get off in Madrid, having flown LX 777, AF A380/787, AY A350 and IB A330/A340s all in Y, I'd take any of them every day of the week over that flight. Breakfast was nice though.

I've got a couple more flights on the BA777 to/from MAD before the end of the summer schedules, so hopefully the next one might be better.

Oh not good. I'm on this in a couple of weeks to connect with the LA789 to FRA so really hoping this does not happen on the day.

Hope you got some money back for the upgrade that wasn't honoured ?? I'm in J (reward flight) so looking forward to the CW seat on this short sector!

Long haul PE is better than regular club Europe, so I doubt he will get anything back. Sucks I know.

readytotaxi wrote:

n729pa wrote:

I took the flight a few weeks back and it was a nightmare. I was nearly 2 hours late leaving as it was delayed coming in from BUE, then the cleaning and catering were late. I'd booked Y, but paid for an upgrade to business, had a boarding pass for a Row 4 rear facing seat, then at the gate it was changed to row 13 or 14 instead, and it was a horrible, I assume, Premium Economy seat that was not very comfortable with a tiny IFE screen and I wasn't impressed. The guy behind me wasn't either, so whilst I fumed quietly, he was rather vocal to the crew. The business seats were packed out, I assume I was moved back because I'd paid for an upgrade rather than an out and out Business fare. Anyway I was very glad to get off in Madrid, having flown LX 777, AF A380/787, AY A350 and IB A330/A340s all in Y, I'd take any of them every day of the week over that flight. Breakfast was nice though.

I've got a couple more flights on the BA777 to/from MAD before the end of the summer schedules, so hopefully the next one might be better.

where's that trip report?

Actually a very good point.... I've never done one before I should really, I do enough flights. OK maybe next weekends trip to DXB I'll try and do one.

LupineChemist wrote:

I am flying this route tomorrow and Y was almost completely full when I checked in. I'm hoping for an upgrade to W, but we'll see.

How was the flight ? Was W being used and did you get in ? Any trip report ?

I flew this route in J yesterday. F cabin empty, J cabin about half full, Y was also pretty empty from what I could tell but it was a Sunday morning. There were people in W, if I remember from when I booked the W cabin was sold as Y. The crew were long haul 777 crew, and explained that they'd had difficulties getting used to the different class of service on Club Europe vs Club World, hence why the service was a bit slower. Overall a great flight and the full report will be out on Friday.

theobcman wrote:

n729pa wrote:

I took the flight a few weeks back and it was a nightmare. I was nearly 2 hours late leaving as it was delayed coming in from BUE, then the cleaning and catering were late. I'd booked Y, but paid for an upgrade to business, had a boarding pass for a Row 4 rear facing seat, then at the gate it was changed to row 13 or 14 instead, and it was a horrible, I assume, Premium Economy seat that was not very comfortable with a tiny IFE screen and I wasn't impressed. The guy behind me wasn't either, so whilst I fumed quietly, he was rather vocal to the crew. The business seats were packed out, I assume I was moved back because I'd paid for an upgrade rather than an out and out Business fare. Anyway I was very glad to get off in Madrid, having flown LX 777, AF A380/787, AY A350 and IB A330/A340s all in Y, I'd take any of them every day of the week over that flight. Breakfast was nice though.

I've got a couple more flights on the BA777 to/from MAD before the end of the summer schedules, so hopefully the next one might be better.

Oh not good. I'm on this in a couple of weeks to connect with the LA789 to FRA so really hoping this does not happen on the day.

Hope you got some money back for the upgrade that wasn't honoured ?? I'm in J (reward flight) so looking forward to the CW seat on this short sector!

Why wasn't the upgrade honoured? He hasn't paid for a CW product so wouldn't be sat in CW would he? Priority for the CW cabin would have gone to full fare and loyal customers, not upgrades. As someone else pointed out, the seats in WT+ and respective cabin are equal if not better than on short haul.

I take it all the other benefits such as enhanced Avios, tier points, separate check in/boarding, lounge access, onboard catering etc were all Club Europe standard, so unless any of this was missing then good luck with any kind of compensation.

"Why wasn't the upgrade honoured? He hasn't paid for a CW product so wouldn't be sat in CW would he? Priority for the CW cabin would have gone to full fare and loyal customers, not upgrades. As someone else pointed out, the seats in WT+ and respective cabin are equal if not better than on short haul.

I take it all the other benefits such as enhanced Avios, tier points, separate check in/boarding, lounge access, onboard catering etc were all Club Europe standard, so unless any of this was missing then good luck with any kind of compensation"

Apologies for my most ridiculous question !! but thought he had paid (money) for an upgrade to business and was seated in row 4 (his words) ?!?! Does that not get him into the business class section i.e CW cabin ? So having paid for the ugrade to business and then downgraded/seated in Y+ ...... am I missing something ? As nice as Y+ is, it's not CW. I understand there would have been full fare/loyal customers so why sell him the upgrade at all in the first place ? Oh well ...... move on !

The key point is that BA aren't selling CW on that route, they are selling CE. Which as you know is an economy row with a blocked middle seat. That is the standard that BA will be held to.

inflightVideo wrote:

The crew were long haul 777 crew, and explained that they'd had difficulties getting used to the different class of service on Club Europe vs Club World, hence why the service was a bit slower. Overall a great flight and the full report will be out on Friday.

The crew are actually Mixed Fleet crew who operate both longhaul and shorthaul services so they should not have any problem providing the service. The legacy WorldWide fleet would be unable to operate any shorthaul routes on a longhaul aircraft as it would mean BA having to scrap the Buy On Board service as none of the WW crew have received the training for it.

It seems a bit silly that they don't sell the classes that they have available on the plane and they just let it go to waste. I imagine quite a few people would be willing to pay for it.

This crazy. We're talking about a BA 777 operating to MAD and it gets like this !!

You can only book Club Europe & Economy for these flights just the same as all other European flights. Higher status customers may get bumped up but not even sure F gets used ? Maybe some one can clarify ?

theobcman wrote:

This crazy. We're talking about a BA 777 operating to MAD and it gets like this !!

You can only book Club Europe & Economy for these flights just the same as all other European flights. Higher status customers may get bumped up but not even sure F gets used ? Maybe some one can clarify ?

You're correct. But no need for the condescending tone that one person decided to introduce to the thread.

Baexecutive wrote:

theobcman wrote:

n729pa wrote:

I took the flight a few weeks back and it was a nightmare. I was nearly 2 hours late leaving as it was delayed coming in from BUE, then the cleaning and catering were late. I'd booked Y, but paid for an upgrade to business, had a boarding pass for a Row 4 rear facing seat, then at the gate it was changed to row 13 or 14 instead, and it was a horrible, I assume, Premium Economy seat that was not very comfortable with a tiny IFE screen and I wasn't impressed. The guy behind me wasn't either, so whilst I fumed quietly, he was rather vocal to the crew. The business seats were packed out, I assume I was moved back because I'd paid for an upgrade rather than an out and out Business fare. Anyway I was very glad to get off in Madrid, having flown LX 777, AF A380/787, AY A350 and IB A330/A340s all in Y, I'd take any of them every day of the week over that flight. Breakfast was nice though.

I've got a couple more flights on the BA777 to/from MAD before the end of the summer schedules, so hopefully the next one might be better.

I take it all the other benefits such as enhanced Avios, tier points, separate check in/boarding, lounge access, onboard catering etc were all Club Europe standard, so unless any of this was missing then good luck with any kind of compensation.

Yes but as a gold member of a leading one world airline it would anyway. Loyal customer?..if you call flying on someone on average 30+ times as year loyal, then yes perhaps. But BA is slowly loosing my custom anyway and whilst I take perhaps a easy going attitude to being moved and balance it up. I vote with my credit card ultimately.

Interested to know how the 777 flights have got on now it's been a month or two down the road. Could this be a regular thing when the 767s finally go.

theobcman wrote:

LupineChemist wrote:

I am flying this route tomorrow and Y was almost completely full when I checked in. I'm hoping for an upgrade to W, but we'll see.

How was the flight ? Was W being used and did you get in ? Any trip report ?

Sorry, just got back from the long trip.

Ended up having a problem with the tire, they couldn't find a 777 replacement, I was going to miss my connection so ended up on an IB 346 to MEX and connected from there.

So...no experience.