BA0043 Heathrow to Cape Town – aircraft used

[jennygray19]

Hi everyone, does anyone know what seating arrangement for business class is on this flight? Thanks

[Greygoose]

http://www.seatguru.com suggests this is a 777-300 with the older “yin and yang” style seating and not the new club suites. You don’t mention what date you are flying and with the continued upgrading of the fleet, you may find this has changed later in 2024.

At present, the later CPT flight, 059, is an A350 with Club Suites but the caveat to all of this is of course that a technical hitch on the day could mean a totally different aircraft.

Hope that helps Jenny!!

[ChrisBCN]

Look for your plane here (don’t use seatguru…)
https://www.aerolopa.com/ba

[tiriavpo]

A date would help, but it seems to be a 777 with club suites so 1,2,1.

If you do a ‘dummy’ booking at ba.com, you can pick a flight, either logged in or as a guest (and enter some spoof name/contact details), and the next option will be to choose seats where you can see the seat plan.

Seatguru is generally wrong at matching aircraft to routes. Once you have found out which aircraft you have there is some legacy value in the seat info and pictures but otherwise it is unreliable and not updated.

[Aardvark]

I was looking last night and I am on a BA043 in early Feb, it looks like they have changed the aircraft. I booked this 10 months ago and it was the new Club Suites (like the previous year at the same time)!
However it is now the old Club World, NOT GOOD!

[Amy C]

I’m also flying to CPT in early Feb and found the other day they’d switched my metal and put me in seats right next to a potential baby….wasn’t happy. Club suites on the return though, for now.

[Aardvark]

Interestingly, there is now First Class on this plane that is almost empty! Maybe if we complain, we could be upgraded! But then again Pigs may fly!

[Ihar]

Amy C wrote:

I’m also flying to CPT in early Feb and found the other day they’d switched my metal and put me in seats right next to a potential baby….wasn’t happy. Club suites on the return though, for now.

Is this “potential baby” already in the making, or are you expecting it might get conceived en route?? ;-o

[Ihar]

Amy C wrote:

I’m also flying to CPT in early Feb and found the other day they’d switched my metal and put me in seats right next to a potential baby….wasn’t happy. Club suites on the return though, for now.

Is this “potential baby” already in the making, or are you expecting it might get conceived en route?? ;-o

[Cosmo175]

It very much depends on the date, my flight on BA42 on 11 Jan was switched to old CW, all the other flights that week are CS, so seems like I got very unlucky.

[jennygray19]

Hi everyone, thanks for the advice so far. Flight date is Fri 8th Nov 2024 😀. I am returning on Fri 22nd Nov 2024 but from Johannesburg. I have a companion voucher I want to use for this “open jaw” arrangement.

I had an experience this year where I booked flights to Miami back in Feb I think – flight dates were a few weeks ago. When I booked, it looked like club suite, but when part way through the summer the plane changes to a380 and club world and it was a bit disappointing so I’m keen to try and get club suite option for next years hols…

[ekposh]

jennygray19 wrote:

Hi everyone, thanks for the advice so far. Flight date is Fri 8th Nov 2024 😀. I am returning on Fri 22nd Nov 2024 but from Johannesburg. I have a companion voucher I want to use for this “open jaw” arrangement.

I had an experience this year where I booked flights to Miami back in Feb I think – flight dates were a few weeks ago. When I booked, it looked like club suite, but when part way through the summer the plane changes to a380 and club world and it was a bit disappointing so I’m keen to try and get club suite option for next years hols…

So far out so who knows. I guess, statistically, more likely to be a CS but between now and then, who knows!!

[Cosmo175]

I think all the 777’s are due to be re-fitted by then, so as long as they don’t switch the plane type you should be ok. One of the daily flights is on an A350 at present which all have CS, so you could book onto that one to increase your chances of CS.

[tiriavpo]

jennygray19 wrote:

Hi everyone, thanks for the advice so far. Flight date is Fri 8th Nov 2024 😀. I am returning on Fri 22nd Nov 2024 but from Johannesburg. I have a companion voucher I want to use for this “open jaw” arrangement.

That’s fine, but unfortunately reward bookings don’t give you a seating option at the booking stage, so you cannot see the layout. As I said above, the way to check current plans is to do a dummy cash booking – that gives the seating options prior to the payment page.

Right now, the planned aircraft outbounds to CPT are a 777 and a 350, both of which (currently) have club suites. Returns from JNB are a 380 and a 789, both with old club world. Aircraft and seat arrangements may change.

[Garethgerry]

Prompted me to check ba43 on Jan 8 , still club suite.

[jennygray19]

Thanks for the advice guys… I’ll let you know how I get on…

[tontoro]

Interesting. I was flying this route on March 3rd, booked in CS. Changed to March 1 when a seat became available. This is still CS, but I see that the flight on March 3 is now an older CW plane.

[Not Long Now...]

14th March CPT 777 was changed to old from suite on Tuesday…

[RJM]

Just booked for Dec 2024, and the seat options that came up were for 1 -2- 1 in a Boeing 777 (77W according to BA.)

[jennygray19]

Hi all… By way of update just in case anyone’s interested, I’ve booked my flights now. Heathrow to Cape Town (BA0059) on 8th Nov 22:25 is showing aircraft is A350 and looks like 1-2-1 club suite. The return from Johannesburg to Heathrow (BA0054) on 22nd Nov 22:15 is showing aircraft is Boeing 787 but with the old club world seats.

I’ve reserved the best located seats on both flights, but I am wondering whether the return flight would have any availability to upgrade to first class, to avoid the old seats. I will keep my eye out for any availability for that… here’s hoping!

[Aardvark]

I have now complained to BA Customer Relations re my aircraft being changed and now the old Club World (Ying Yang). I then received a reply that they couldn’t facilitate an upgrade to 1st Class, I would have to contact the normal BA Exec Club Service Centre.
I have now just contacted the BA Exec Club!
I explained the background of my complaint to the agent.
That we booked on the understanding that the Business Cabin was the the new Club World (Suite), this was clearly evident on the seating layout when I booked.
If we had known that the aircraft was going to change, we would have chosen a different day or later flight!
There are currently 6 free seats in First! However, because I booked using Avios I cannot be upgraded. I even offered to make a contribution to the upgrade!
So no joy!
I then asked who do I complain to?
They informed me to contact Customer Relations, my first contact!
I have now gone back to them via email/complaints portal asking for due consideration (maybe a goodwill gesture) for us to be upgraded on this flight. Worth a go!

[Amy C]

You’re on a hiding to nothing. You buy a seat in a cabin, you don’t buy a particular type of seat. Aircraft changes are part and parcel of travelling.

[Aardvark]

Oh Yes I agree, but if you don’t ask you don’t get! Also in essence it is changing the product that is sold. We don’t accept changes when you normally buy products!

[JDB]

Aardvark wrote:

Oh Yes I agree, but if you don’t ask you don’t get! Also in essence it is changing the product that is sold. We don’t accept changes when you normally buy products!

The ‘product’ you have bought is Club World and the seat could be ying yang, Club Suite or a completely different seat on a wet leased aircraft. There are absolutely no guarantees about the type of seat so it’s rather unrealistic to expect BA to upgrade you to First because you don’t like the Club seat.

[Aardvark]

I think the issue is that is it deemed as a significant change. Some would see it is and some would see it is not. It is very subjective. But the way airlines treat their customers now re-cancellations and changes to departure times etc, some would see these are unacceptable. Maybe as passengers we all should move to be more demanding customers and not accept it as a fait accompli!