British Airways business class
The new Club Suites promise comfort and privacy with cocoon-like pods and hidden design details. Here’s our verdict.
British Airways’ new Club Suites in First and Business class promises comfort and privacy with cocoon-like pods complete with sliding doors and thoughtful design details. Aviation editor Robyn Ironside boarded a Boeing 777-300ER from Sydney to London via Singapore to see how it stacks up.
The seat
British Airways’ new Club Suites in First and Business (aka Club World) have something I’m yet to encounter on any other airline – a mirror in the side table vanity. It seems so simple, I can’t help wonder why all premium suites don’t have this feature. It’s a clever innovation; British Airways realised passengers would spend less time in the toilets if they could spruce up while in their seat. Another notable feature is the angle of the suites in a 1-2-1 configuration. Even without the sliding door closed, they feel private. There’s no sight of the 47cm inflight entertainment screen across the aisle, making it easy to stretch out and sleep in the lie-flat bed under a warm duvet from The White Company. If further assistance is needed to get some valuable shut-eye on this lengthy flight, there’s an eye mask in the amenity kit plus a “relax” potion of lavendar, clary sage and peppermint to dab on pulse points. Other goodies include a toothbrush and paste, The White Company lip balm and hand cream, soft grey socks and a pen. Storage space is plentiful with a deep foothold swallowing up handbag and shoes, in addition to the cavernous overhead lockers.
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British Airways business class review
The new Club Suites promise comfort and privacy with cocoon-like pods and hidden design details. Here’s our verdict.
Tech talk
Inflight wi-fi is available to all passengers and complimentary for those in First Class. For the rest, including Club World passengers, it’s about $9 for an hour, $20 for four hours and $42 for the entire flight. Signing up is straightforward and the speed is good – certainly sufficient for emails, texts and social media. A USB port is also installed in the side table for charging phones and tablets.
On the menu
Taittinger Champagne, orange juice or water are offered pre-flight along with a hot towel, setting the tone for what is a largely restful experience. On the first leg from Sydney to Singapore, the “lunch” choices include an extraordinarily fresh seared tuna, grilled fillet of beef with brandy mustard sauce, a vegetable and coconut curry, chocolate and caramel layer cake and tiramisu. Cocktails such as Buck’s Fizz and Kir Royale are available and there’s a selection of wines, spirits, beer and soft drinks to accompany the meal. The bread rolls are fresh, the butter real and portions generous, all of which contributes to a satisfying post-meal sleep. After declining a second meal on this leg, I’m ready for dinner when the Singapore-London flight gets airborne, with a very cheesy cauliflower soup to start followed by a slightly dry roast chicken. Breakfast before landing into Heathrow is superb. Options include the whole shebang of bacon, eggs and sausage; a very British baked eggs; or pancakes with syrup and berries. Eggs served on planes are often watery and bland, but these could be straight from the hen.
Entertainment
The inflight entertainment selection can make or break a long-haul and in British Airways’ case, it’s a definite delight. Films range from current releases to golden oldies with plenty of foreign films, documentaries and children’s movies to boot. I’m surprised James Bond doesn’t get a look-in, but Kill Bill, Thor and the entire Jurassic Park series are available. Television shows are just as diverse, with comedy, drama and perhaps the biggest range of box sets I’ve come across, making it easy to while away the hours binge watching And Just Like That. For those who prefer to be soothed to sleep with music, audio-only options include the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Eurythmics live and Adele. The snug-fitting headphones provide excellent audio quality and double as earplugs for the noise-sensitive.
Service
Cabin crew on the Sydney-Singapore leg are charming without being overbearing. They appear genuinely proud of their airline and particularly the new cabin product. After a crew change in Singapore, service levels take a bit of a turn, perhaps due to the full business cabin and the length of the flight, which is extended by a 70-minute wait on the tarmac at Changi Airport. The dinner service is perfunctory and then I don’t see a crew member until I go in search of a much needed coffee 11-hours into the flight.
On the ground In Sydney, eligible British Airways’ guests can access the Qantas lounge, which is perfectly functional, if constantly busy. Despite having only 40 minutes before re-boarding in Singapore, a trip to the British Airways lounge at Changi reveals a stylish, clean and quiet space, with plenty of shower suites – well worth the dash to and from the gate.
The verdict
British Airways has raised the bar with its new premium cabin product, which is at least equal to and probably ahead of most similar suites. It would be great to see the airline add other Australian ports to its network but there are no plans to do so.
Robyn Ironside was a guest of British Airways.
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