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Traveling from EDI to LHR last night, I upgraded to club for £89 as I needed to take luggage and thought the extra space, lounge etc would make a pleasant change.
All was good, except on board I noticed the dividing curtain between Club Europe and economy had gone. There weren’t even fittings for it. The middle seat table has disappeared too.
A first world problem for sure, but it did mean those in row 1 had people traipsing through and queuing next to them for the toilet, and it certainly leads to a less cosy cabin.
Any ideas – maybe this is so those in economy can now literally see what goes on on the other side of that curtain to tempt them to upgrade??
The table went years ago. Sounds like the curtain had broken and been removed maybe as that’s still a “feature” of the CE cabin.
The curtain isn’t respected anyway. I was on AF short haul J recently and despite the curtain having 3 velcro-sealed sections, every few minutes a ripping sound and a member of the Y cohort merrily bobbing up to the front toilet/standing around row 1 awaiting a free toilet.
One brought a kid with them and upon seeing the empty middle seats in row 1 said “You sit there, I’ll sit here while waiting.”
Another slowly walked back to her seat (I suspect had had a few drinks before take off) eyeballing the J passengers and saying “Middle seat free, eh? All of you must be very sly about how you chose that when checking in. Seat hoggers!”
I’ve heard Virgin Australia use a rope that hangs across the aisle. Has to be clicked open to pass through and comes with a sign facing the rest of the plane saying only J passengers and crew beyond this point. From what I’ve heard online, this results in better compliance.
On my NCL/LHR flight yesterday they specifically stated that the front toilets were for club Europe only.
This was the same on my flight LHR-ATH last week . The crew didn’t even know where CE ended and were openly saying “where does this end..?” when giving out breakfast. And of course meant there was a steady stream of people filing up and down to use the toilet.
On my NCL/LHR flight yesterday they specifically stated that the front toilets were for club Europe only.
Was it enforced though? If it was, it might give pause for thought to the bantz ladz who get on board close to the end, having come straight from morning drinking and not had a chance to stop in a loo on their way from pub to gate. In 1 of every 2 flights I seem to get one if them who shoots right up through the curtain the moment the seat belt sign goes off, then unhelpfully inserts himself in the crew prepping and serving the J cabin.
Was it enforced though?
Yes it was: there were 10 rows in CE so little aisle space for those cheeky enough to try and tbf not many drunken ladz on this early flight to LHR
The table went years ago. Sounds like the curtain had broken and been removed maybe as that’s still a “feature” of the CE cabin.
I still see the middle table on most of my flights between Glasgow and London
Indeed, it’s been about 50/50 for me the past year or so whether there is a table or not between GLA or EDI.
I flew recently on a Finnair operated BA flight. There were only 5 of us in CE which consisted of about 6 rows. Once the curtain was closed, the curtain police stood firm. No one was allowed to use front toilet if they weren’t CE.
The table went years ago. Sounds like the curtain had broken and been removed maybe as that’s still a “feature” of the CE cabin.
I still see the middle table on most of my flights between Glasgow and London
I believe the middle table was not added by BA on the A320 neo planes which have been arriving for a while. Few other disadvantages (toilet size, leg room after row 13(?)) which Rob covered in an article a while ago I think.
The table went years ago. Sounds like the curtain had broken and been removed maybe as that’s still a “feature” of the CE cabin.
I still see the middle table on most of my flights between Glasgow and London
I believe the middle table was not added by BA on the A320 neo planes which have been arriving for a while. Few other disadvantages (toilet size, leg room after row 13(?)) which Rob covered in an article a while ago I think.
Indeed, the newer the plane, the worse the experience. Apart from the new, larger, luggage lockers.
Never not seen middle table in CE, but then I rarely do domestic UK flights.
I usually tuck my Panama hat under it to prevent graunching from the hordes who believe that trolley cases deserve priority in overhead lockers rather than hats, coats and other light portables.
Last month on a CE flight from MXP to LHR I discovered a toddler’s half full anti-leak tippee cup lurking beneath the table. Clearly missed by the cleaning staff.
That, the attitude of the cabin crew member when I asked that it be disposed of, and a few other minor disappointments were a sobering reminder of customer experience of “business class” with BA relative to operators like QR who looked after us supremely well on the rest of our trip to and back from Australia.
Never not seen middle table in CE, but then I rarely do domestic UK flights.
I usually tuck my Panama hat under it to prevent graunching from the hordes who believe that trolley cases deserve priority in overhead lockers rather than hats, coats and other light portables.
Last month on a CE flight from MXP to LHR I discovered a toddler’s half full anti-leak tippee cup lurking beneath the table. Clearly missed by the cleaning staff.
That, the attitude of the cabin crew member when I asked that it be disposed of, and a few other minor disappointments were a sobering reminder of customer experience of “business class” with BA relative to operators like QR who looked after us supremely well on the rest of our trip to and back from Australia.
Tray tables are definitely slowly disappearing.
It’s most airlines’ policy that wheeled cases have priority in the lockers and many of us don’t want to spend ages waiting for checked bags to emerge.
Rather than comparing to QR and their generally long-haul product a comparison to other European airlines’ J product may be more accurate.
“ It’s most airlines’ policy that wheeled cases have priority in the lockers”
There’s a biblically long thread on FT about the carry on bag size madness. It covers the peverse impact of asking those who boarded early to remove their soft sided bags from the overhead compartments and place under their seat. By doing so, airlines encourage everyone to bring full size hard sided cabin cases on board so as to not have one’s footwell occupied.
If airlines move to Airspace XL bins or similar this won’t be an issue. Or indeed stop charging for check-in bags or make the charge nominal. Although, to be fair, that wouldn’t change my personal behaviour, but perhaps it would make others check their bags.
If airlines move to Airspace XL bins or similar this won’t be an issue. Or indeed stop charging for check-in bags or make the charge nominal. Although, to be fair, that wouldn’t change my personal behaviour, but perhaps it would make others check their bags.
Pete i have created a fresh thread inviting blue sky thinking on describing from scratch an optimal boarding and cabin bag system
If airlines move to Airspace XL bins or similar this won’t be an issue. Or indeed stop charging for check-in bags or make the charge nominal. Although, to be fair, that wouldn’t change my personal behaviour, but perhaps it would make others check their bags.
Pete i have created a fresh thread inviting blue sky thinking on describing from scratch an optimal boarding and cabin bag system
My brain is working overtime coming up with clever ideas! 🙂
Surely it makes for much quicker disembarkation if your carry-on bag is under the seat in front? If I only have a small one I’ve even been known to select a non-exit row seat so the bag is at my feet ready to grab and go on landing! But I have short legs so don’t need to put my feet under the seat.
Surely it makes for much quicker disembarkation if your carry-on bag is under the seat in front? If I only have a small one I’ve even been known to select a non-exit row seat so the bag is at my feet ready to grab and go on landing! But I have short legs so don’t need to put my feet under the seat.
I’m not tall either but I could get quite panicked if I couldn’t stretch my legs out under the seat in front. It’s a small piece of humanity I feel isn’t unreasonable to expect on board.
Well – we have our first ET flights for several years in a few weeks (MAN-LHR-VIE, didn’t think it was worth the extra avios for CE given we can get in the Qantas lounge with my Silver-ness), so I may re-evaluate the foot room situation!
Well – we have our first ET flights for several years in a few weeks (MAN-LHR-VIE, didn’t think it was worth the extra avios for CE given we can get in the Qantas lounge with my Silver-ness), so I may re-evaluate the foot room situation!
Where are you staying in Vienna? IMO it’s the best city to use the Amex Plat overseas dining credit as many cafes and reasonably priced places are included. We had starters, mains, desserts, wine, pre-drinks and tea and coffee afterwards for 3 of us and only just scraped it at £156.
I just had an A321 out to DLM and an A320 back today. Out had a curtain, back didn’t. Having seen this thread I asked why no curtain today. The simple answer was that it was broken 🤷🏻♂️
Agreed, if I have paid to check in a bag, and only bring a small bag with me on board, I have to put it under the seat and limit my leg room while people who didn’t pay to check in their luggage get full leg room with their bag in the overhead? I don’t think so! My small bag goes in the overhead when I board in Group 1 and if Group 5 passengers who didn’t want to pay to check in a bag can’t find room, that’s not my problem.
@BWS, at the Hilton Vienna Plaza, I stayed there on my last visit and really liked it, managed to get a good deal on a penthouse junior suite this time, plus 2 x Amex £50 cash back. Hoping breakfast is as good as it was pre-pandemic.
We are on a break from Platinum at the moment but as you say there are many reasonable options for eating and drinking. Not to mention the cake shops on every corner!
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