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Hi guys,
I have been reading a fair bit on here about club suites and wish I got my head around it before booking my upcoming trip to LA but I wanted to ask what you would do in this situation.
I have flights booked GLA-LHR-LAX (02/03-14/03/23) via Barclay’s upgrade voucher and paid 95k avios with £450. I am going to be in club world. The flight I am booked on is in the afternoon and is on a normal club world fit but I see that there is a flight earlier that day that has RFS seats still on that route but for now, is on a club suite fit (same on the return flight).
I know planes get changed all the time and last min etc but if you were in a similar situation would you pay the RFS change fee of £35 to get moved on to this earlier flight for the chance to get a suite? I have never flown CW yet so was wondering if it’s a good gamble or not.
I chose my flights based on their timings and not because of what lane might be operating on the route – which as yiu acknowledge can change on a regular basis but there are others who would do the reverse.
If hypothetically one could reliably choose CW vs CS, would go by the following:
Solo – CS.
Couple- If night flight/rather not talk to/see each other then CS, and vice versa.
With kids – CW if kids under 7/8.
Although ours slept very well as cocooned by the CS doors closed (which was a bliss!), it was difficult to reach even for minimal childcare.@duggie, I would just leave it as either or both may end up getting changed. Incidentally, I have been having a right old time trying to get a MAN connection added to my BC booking for later this year, remind me how you managed it?!
I’d pick the A380 operated flights.
100% Club Suite – I’ve just changed a Toronto > LHR flight from CW to CS and happily paid the fee for the much better flying experience. CW is cramped (for a business seat) and tired.
As a first time CW traveller I was very happy with the old CW, travelling with wife. We tried both a window pair and an aisle/centre (F/G) pair.
It is a world of difference to economy.I can see why for people accustomed to business cabins, particularly those who’ve tried other products see CS as superior- especially those travelling solo who don’t want to exchange glances with a stranger or step over legs to get out from a window seat.
Initially I was disappointed I wouldn’t be able to try CS on my own trip, but looking back I have no regrets. The 2 minor issues I had in CW- nowhere to put phone / headphones while sleeping and “Mr floppy IFE screen” are addressed in CS, but also seeing reports on FT of issues with doors and trim on the new suites which might be just as bothersome.
Thanks all, solo travel. I might just leave it as it is as would annoy me if I changed the booking then nearer the time changed the plane or my original booking then got changed to CS fit (I know it’s only £35 but I would be ragin ha).
@NorthernLass – had to call BA for them to add it on, they did it for free and no extra avois.I have another upgrade voucher so when I get the extra 100k BC offer credited I will maybe look at club suite then
Thanks – clearly you got a more accommodating agent than I did this morning. When you use your other voucher I’d suggest calling to book the whole thing in one go in case you have the same experience as me – demanded full avios plus fees for the add on!
If hypothetically one could reliably choose CW vs CS, would go by the following:
Solo – CS.
Couple- If night flight/rather not talk to/see each other then CS, and vice versa.
With kids – CW if kids under 7/8.
…I was very pleased to be told by BA that this weekend’s CS flight has been switched to CW for just that reason.
I personally think that, despite the adulation of the travel press, BA has been backing the wrong horse with the latest iteration of seats, as both F and Club are becoming considerably less couple-friendly. There is seemingly a big swing away from business travel (which will probably never recover to pre-pandemic levels) toward premium leisure travel, and leisure travellers tend not to travel solo. Privacy is overrated if it stops you talking to your spouse or children, and BA may live to regret its CS design.
My wife is very clear that she would prefer to travel in PE on a daytime flight of up to ~9 hours than be isolated in a prison-like cubicle.
Has your wife actually been in one of these cubicles (or indeed, in prison)?! You are free to get out, walk around, lean over and chat to the person next to you or in front of/behind you, and you don’t have to close the door. Much nicer than having someone reclined into your face in PE, if you can’t get the bulkhead seats. Some of us like to catch up on film-viewing, reading, etc, while flying and talk to our spouses when we arrive lol.
For £35 I’d switch out to CS every single time (and switch back if it changed again), but only if everything else works just as well with your plans – it’s not a life-altering experience worth disrupting other things in your life for.
My wife loved shutting herself away in her cubicle. Not sure what that says about our relationship… 😉
In all seriousness, yes it’s not great if you want to talk. However if you don’t want to be disturbed whilst you catch up on films / sleep / do whatever else you want to do on a long-haul flight it’s perfect. 🙂
They have many uses, including providing perfect screening should you need to change your lower garment in the event that a Lindt ball accidentally melts in your lap during a post-prandial doze 😂
Some 787-8 flights now showing with CS from October as reported on Flyertalk.
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