British Airways has been touting improvements in the World Traveller Plus ‘soft product’ (food, bedding etc) for some time. I’ve now managed to get hold of some information on what is coming as well as some not-seen-elsewhere promotional images of the new meal service.
The changes will come in two phases. The first phase, starting on 1st February, involves the new food options. The second phase later in the Spring will involve new soft furnishings and a brand new amenity kit.
Here is a new World Traveller Plus menu, which has been redesigned:
There will be three main courses to choose from, including one vegetarian option.
The starter and dessert will be improved and will no longer be taken from the Economy / World Traveller meal. This puts BA on a par with Virgin Atlantic which serves a totally different meal in Premium.
Both the main meal and the second meal will be served on china and with ‘real’ glasses. At present only the main meal uses glass.
Here is another mock-up:
The image below is a typical ‘second meal’ for a longer flight. Hot food will now be guaranteed for the first time, instead of the pre-packed sandwiches often provided at present. On shorter flights it will be a hot hand-held snack and on longer flights you will get a hot meal tray, with a choice of two options, such as the one pictured below.
If the second meal is breakfast, it will come like this:
I need to confess that I have never flown Premium Economy on British Airways, Virgin Atlantic or Norwegian so I am not sure how this compares to what the competition offers. It certainly appears to be a major improvement on what BA is offering at present.
Regular HFP readers will know that British Airways is rolling out a new World Traveller Plus seat. It is currently being installed on the Boeing 777-200 fleet, initially on the Gatwick aircraft. This is the smart-looking seat you can see in the photo above. You will also find a version of the ‘larger TV’ seat on the A380, Boeing 787 and Boeing 777-300ER fleets, but not all of the Boeing 747 fleet.
These ‘soft product’ changes do not fully close the gap with Virgin Premium, however.
We did a comparison last year of British Airways World Traveller Plus vs Virgin Atlantic Premium, which you can find here. In almost all respects, the Virgin Atlantic product is better. Norwegian also offers an impressive Premium service which we reviewed here, although Norwegian is no longer offering lounge access on Premium Economy tickets unless you buy a flexible one.
New food may be welcome but, based on the analysis we did last April:
Virgin Atlantic offers free seat selection in Premium whilst BA does not
Virgin Atlantic has a 2.5 inch wider seat than BA
Virgin Atlantic offers dedicated Premium check-in desks, whilst BA does not
Virgin Atlantic offers priority baggage handling to Premium passengers, whilst BA does not
Virgin Atlantic has dedicated cabin crew for the Premium cabin, whilst BA does not
In my view, the best reason to book World Traveller Plus is to upgrade it to a flat-bed Club World seat using Avios. The cost to upgrade is the difference between a Club World and World Traveller Plus ‘100% Avios’ redemption plus any additional taxes. New York, peak dates, is 120,000 Avios for a Club World return flight and 80,000 Avios for World Traveller Plus. An upgrade from WTP is therefore 40,000 Avios return or 20,000 Avios one-way. This is excellent value.
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About Head for Points
I fly ex-LHR WTP quite often and that catering is a welcome change. Not so sure about the seat design though – those movable armrests make it look worryingly like a slightly larger WT seat. Hope they don’t come to Heathrow
I think the last (8th) picture of seats with moveable armrests is the new 3-4-3 economy seats, not the new PE seats.
In PE, the tray tables are in the seat arms.
OK, I give up 🙂 2nd picture removed entirely.
This is the new WT+ seat
http://mediacentre.britishairways.com/image/details/106827
Looks like they might also have an improved WT+ seat on some 787s?
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://www.britishairways.com/assets/images/MediaHub/Media-Database/Royalty-free-RF/Cabins/World-Traveller-Plus/180304NM_LGW777-0053_1200x675.jpg&imgrefurl=https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/destinations/nashville/flights-to-nashville&h=675&w=1200&tbnid=kf-DdSuRy6vzsM&tbnh=168&tbnw=300&usg=K_FUzTUdf7_7SdOvj6ZDD_IZdSKkA=&docid=uqkmmMHUPk5iqM
I’m also thoroughly confused now. My last post can’t be a 787 as it has window blinds, although the picture was linked to Nashville? Who knows.
Rob, would be nice to get clarification and the correct picture from BA
And we all know you don’t know what an economy seat looks like in long haul! 🙂
The Daily Mail has used the same seat photo, so if it is a WT seat then they are wrong too – https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-6602741/British-Airways-rolls-huge-premium-economy-changes-6-5BILLION-investment-plan.html
(And, now I look at it, it IS WT because the row at the back has 3 seat)
Lol not sure I’d go with the Daily Mail if looking for accurate impartial evidence of anything 😛 😀
I don’t think that last picture is WTP; looks like WT to me too. In the background, across the aisle, there are 3 seats; 1 with a solid back, 2 with TVs. That would make the configuration 3-4-3, at least forward of that row, which isn’t WTP.
I took too long to type…
I’m a regular user of both BA and VS PE. IME the VS seat is much wider and feels a lot like the old first class on American carriers. BA had the chance to raise the bar when the 787s arrived and IMO still fail to compete with the VS offering. Virgin wins hands down in almost every aspect of PE for us, save for the smaller tv screen. Apart from 64k in CW on the jumbo, our favourite seats are 24H/K in the bubble on VS. Will be a sad day when the 747s leave the fleet.
Each to their own. I def agree on 64K, although I’d add 64A and 62A/K. This along with all the comments on Rob’s picture and which WT+ seat you’ll get shows how important it is to research things as much as you can, all seats are not equal, certainly in CW. Of course you’re always at the mercy of short notice aircraft swaps, but so many seats in a given class are just poor compared to others. You learn what you like, but flying an airline in a particular class is not representative of how much you’ll enjoy it next time if you’re not in the same seat on the same aircraft type. There’s a lack of consistency that’ll not disappear any time soon. 24HK in the bubble would certainly seem wider, this more as a result of being a pair, and the space between the fuselage wall and the seat, how would you feel about 17E/F 🙂
I agree. Closest thing to a private jet the PE upstairs, wide aisle and cubby by the window do make it feel spacious. I believe VS are bringing out a new PE seat on the 350s. Often we take 19A/C on the westbound to get off first but have always found it just as pleasurable!
Sounds good be interesting to hear if it’s actually delivered!
At least with Virgin you know what screen you’re gettign, BA are still flying many PE cabins with occasionally partially functional Rockwell 5″ screens from the late ’90’s and let’s not get started on BA’s Beyond Abysmal cleanliness, catering or customer “service”
I booked WT+ via Amex Travel to get the Amex offer, so cannot upgrade in theory. Has anyone managed to upgrade using Avios by phoning BA or at the airport, ie last minute availability?
I remember seeing someone who had been hit by this – Amex Travel seem to be selling T class fares I think? They managed to pay £5-10 for Amex to reissue the ticket in a class that could then be upgraded (they shouldn’t be selling them as standalone tickets anyway, only as part of a package!)
T class is an upgradable fare.
Sorry I meant IT ticket, see this discussion…
https://www.headforpoints.com/2018/12/19/british-airways-work-experience-scheme/comment-page-1/#comment-311089
Interested in this too, anyone know the valid WTP fare codes for airport upgrade?
This happened to me a few weeks ago. They sold me an unpublished fare at the same price as BA and only when I called BA did they tell me what happened. Called Amex and the lady knew what I Was talking about immediately and put me on hold and then told me to pay £1 extra to convert it into a published fare. Couple hours later ticket was reissued and BA was able to process the upgrade.
Ahh thanks, it was your case I was remembering – I just couldn’t remember the precise details!
O/T I don’t know if this has been covered but Virgin have a newish promotion with Avis, 1000 flying club miles per day plus the base 1000 for a 7 day rental. The reservation period is 9th – 31st January 2019. The rental period is 1st February – 31st May 2019.
Covering tomorrow, looks good if the rate comes out ok
Mentioned the Avis deal the other day, Alamo is cheaper in FL, if it’s your $$$
Good to see Rob covering it.
do you use book and upgrade feature to fly in. business class or is there another way of doing this…
Due to a tight corporate travel policy I tend to spend a lot of time in WT+. Improved meal service (although the current is not actually that bad) is welcome as well as an improved bedding and amenities pack both of which are very poor and I hold onto my CW set for dear life.
But VS and CX have wider seats which in all honesty is why i fly Prem Economy.
Why do airlines, particularly BA, serve Bocconcini with every salad. It’s truly evil stuff.
It depends on the Bocconcini. Fresh ones eaten where made can be lovely.
The ones British Airways and other airlines probably buy in are likely to be made by a firm whose name begins with G. that makes any mozzarella-type cheese taste like chewy plastic.
Why are you leading this story as exclusive pictures, there were pics on twitter and BA Flyertalk yesterday Jan 16.
I also thought that VS have removed dedicated crew from BA, whilst BA now have dedicated PE crew on reconfigured aircraft.
Er …. not these pictures. No-one has these pictures, inc breakfast and the curry.
… and the bun.
Just booked LHR>JFK in WT+ and went to select my food outbound. Need to wait a few days for the return journey. Here are the choices for the 11th Feb
Braised British beef with roast new potatoes, onion soubise, carrots and bourguignonne sauce
Roasted guinea fowl with braised red cabbage, green beans, roast potato and mustard and chive jus
Rigatoni pasta in a creamy garlic and herb sauce with leek , pumpkin and baby spinach
Yum.
Isn’t an exclusive where it’s only you publishing. Other outlets published this before you.
Go get your anorak and take it to the dry cleaners
It doesn’t say the article is exclusive. The headline says the PICTURES are exclusive, which they are. I still haven’t seen any other shots of the curry or the breakfast anywhere.
Since ten years ago amidst much fanfare BA launched a new WT+ seta that in 2019 is STILL not available, think this is their standard marketing Bait and Switch… Market and promote a new product and deliver the old one for the majority… Anyway, these changes even if implemented as described will only bring them close to what’s offered by Lufthansa, Singapore, Virgin. They remain poor for comfort, service and value in the marketplace