Is British Airways getting rid of the Club Europe business class console table?

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On Wednesday we wrote about the plans by British Airways to cap Club Europe at seven rows due to the lack of galley space on its new and ‘to be refurbished’ short haul aircraft.

Our article was reposted at Flyertalk and confirmed by other crew members. In a detailed reply, one crew member made a new revelation: British Airways is to remove the Club Europe ‘middle seat’ tray tables.

If this crew member is accurate – and the comment was made as part of a detailed post which appears correct in all other details – then this is being done purely to save a very small amount of weight.

I admit that no other European airline has these. However when I flew SWISS Business Class the other week I was disappointed to see that they didn’t. I have grown used to being able to put my drink or tray on the console table. I even remember thinking that BA isn’t always behind the curve on everything ….. a bit of a mistake there clearly.

Removing the console table will also make it very difficult to work on the drop down table and have a drink at the same time.

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Category

British Airways and Avios

This article is closed to new posts. Discussion continues in the HfP Forums.

krys_k says:

23 Feb23 February 10:05

Has there ever been a chair design that expands economy into business? I’ve seen all sorts of weird and wonderful options, including double decker business class seats.
Bach says:

23 Feb23 February 10:21

OT – reg Avis Iberia/BA Black Friday offer. Just off the phone with Avis customer service, the IT issue should be resolved as of this week and points should start showing on the account by mid-March…
Still missing 20k avios from these offers so will be monitoring closely 🙂
- HappyHarry says:
  
  23 Feb23 February 10:42
  
  I have given up on Avis tbh.
  
  I went for a number of promotions and getting the promised Avios was an excruciating tooth-pulling nightmade 🙁
  
  So now I rent from Hertz instead and everything just works !!!
  - Mikeact says:
    
    23 Feb23 February 14:31
    
    Tel me about it..you want to take a look at my long history of clicks and purchases not showing. Total shambles and excruciating to try and get any sense out of them….sadly, they come across as just not believing you which infuriates me.
  - mutley says:
    
    23 Feb23 February 15:14
    
    Agree harry,
    
    I am still waiting for 10000 emirates skywards points miles for an Avis hire from weeks ago.
  - Bach says:
    
    23 Feb23 February 15:55
    
    The thing is, these offers are unbeatable if you need the car… I’ve always got the points in the end even if it wasn’t always easy – although this black friday problem is the worst I’ve had.
    I don’t own a car and rent 30/40 times a year – so I always jump on these deals because I can normally get 3 days for 55£ so pretty much free car if not better. Combined with the 9000 bonus for the long week end offer in November, I will get 14k avios for 55£… so paid to rent even with conservative avios valuation.
    I’d certainly not bother if I didn’t need the car though.
    - Cate says:
      
      23 Feb23 February 16:30
      
      Agree they are very profitable. They’re also an easy way to get star alliance points if you’re saving for a redemption or want to keep your pot alive.
Scottydoggiom says:

23 Feb23 February 10:31

The Club Europe product is not that different from normal seats further back . Perhaps if they took out the 3 seats and exchanged them for 2 big seats like the ones from Premium economy from a long haul flight , then perhaps people would want to pay extra for that .

i realise that this is adding weight and is against what they are wanting to do , but it shouldn’t all be about cost cutting !
- James says:
  
  24 Feb24 February 07:55
  
  Agree 🙂
Brian says:

23 Feb23 February 10:56

OT – apologies, but I can’t seem to find a definitive answer and am sure one of you knows the answer: does one have to pay the resort fee in NYC for reward bookings? Thanks.
- Darren says:
  
  23 Feb23 February 12:08
  
  They charge resort fees in NYC?
  
  The worlds gone mad.
  
  Seriously though, which hotel? Does it not state the details in the t&c’s?
  - Rob says:
    
    23 Feb23 February 12:17
    
    About 50 do now. It is a growing scandal. Hilton is doing it at a hotel THEY OWN so it is not rogue management.
    - Darren says:
      
      23 Feb23 February 12:41
      
      Another revenue stream and hidden charges.
    - James says:
      
      24 Feb24 February 08:07
      
      Utter disgrace.
  - Anna says:
    
    23 Feb23 February 12:30
    
    It must be to cover the beach towels loungers, lifeguard services and poolside yoga sessions which feature widely in NYC hotel stays…
    - Rob says:
      
      23 Feb23 February 13:03
      
      See https://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2017/11/28/hilton-new-york-dumbest-hotel-fee-ive-ever-seen/ and http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2018/02/04/grand-hyatt-new-york-destination-fee/ and http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2018/02/03/sheraton-new-york-destination-fee/
- Rob says:
  
  23 Feb23 February 12:21
  
  Yes
  - Brian says:
    
    23 Feb23 February 12:57
    
    Thanks Rob. Had been hoping to avoid it by using points. Given that it tends to include things like ‘free wifi’, which you get as a member anyway, I wonder how much luck one might have disputing it, or parts of it?
    - James says:
      
      24 Feb24 February 08:08
      
      Can you avoid it using points ?
Cate says:

23 Feb23 February 11:42

Well to be fair we all knew that the difference between economy and biz seating was the blocked out seat in the middle and the little curtain. And to be really fair we all knew they were tongue in cheek biz class seats. I wonder how long it will be before BA stars selling these middle seats as premium economy 🙂
totaltool says:

23 Feb23 February 12:55

Are you sure you sent them to correct account. Last time round I posted the avios.com instead of the intended BEAC. They went through quickly but I kept checking the wrong account!
Ana says:

23 Feb23 February 13:26

Hi, another question on referral bonus. Can I refer the same person to different AMEX cards (BA Amex and Nectar AMEX) and get the referral bonus for both?
- RTS says:
  
  23 Feb23 February 13:36
  
  yup. so long as they are successful/approved.
Brian says:

23 Feb23 February 14:18

Shouldn’t that be 315 Avios to take into account the 5% bonus?