British Airways announces long-haul economy flight improvements

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British Airways is bringing genuine improvements to its World Traveller economy cabin in the form of a new cushion and blanket design for passengers (photo below).

After the World Traveller Plus (premium economy) overhaul last year, World Traveller was up next for an upgrade.

The new soft product is now being rolled out across the fleet starting with Heathrow as of yesterday. Gatwick flights will get the new items from 1st March.

The new cushion and blankets replace the rather uninspiring existing ones: a brown fleece blanket and a thin square cushion in a plasticky single-use case. Apart from being really, really ugly (!) the old cushion and blanket bore no resemblance to the rest of BA’s design language.

The cushion features a similar herringbone design to the pillow and blanket in World Traveller Plus, albeit in all blue.

You can learn more about what you get from British Airways World Traveller on this page of ba.com.

PS. If you missed it, take a look at our recent article on the top 10 reasons to get the FREE British Airways American Express card.

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British Airways BA Amex American Express card

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British Airways BA Premium Plus American Express Amex credit card

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Category

British Airways and Avios

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

Polly says:

4 Feb4 February 04:18

Their intra Asia J product is lovely. Big comfortable armchair seats. Fine for most of these flights 1 to 3 hrs usually. They released just 2 x J seats today for HKT on 11/2, so we have now cancelled our Y seats, and bought them. Lucky timing or what.
And if we have to cancel due to virus spread etc, then no big deal refund wise. That’s the absolute beauty of these redemption seats. Flexibility, can’t put a price on it.
- BJ says:
  
  4 Feb4 February 05:27
  
  Did they charge you in £ though, these amex offers usually require that?£80 off £800 Qatar amex offer available today.
  - Polly says:
    
    4 Feb4 February 07:50
    
    BJ,
    Booked a BA redemption, so charged in UK£ on BAPP. Didn’t use their Amex offer yet. Don’t think we will get a chance to use. Cash price of these seats were over 400£ pp, so it could have been applied. But as Nigel says, the exchange rate is daylight robbery.
    Good value on those avios l think. Will cancel the BAPP once our 241 is earned, next week or two. Just upgraded it, but won’t get away with under a 2 month fee.
    - BJ says:
      
      4 Feb4 February 08:05
      
      Good stuff, this is one of several superb zone 1 redemptions on MH but unfortunately BKK is not one of them. If you think you might want to use others then it might be an idea to lock them in in the event MH leaves OW. Fares on MH have been very high lately smo I doubt the amex offer will be much use to anybody.
      - Polly says:
        
        6 Feb6 February 00:51
        
        There’s a point. MAS not doing so well, reason maybe fares are very high, as you mention.
        Will get onto our Kota Kinabalu flights today as there is availability for now, but only in Y. Means no baggage hassle with air Asia. But if they release J from KK will just change the tkts, as loss is so low. Just hope they stay in OW for now tho. Love their upgraded lounges now.
Gtellez says:

4 Feb4 February 05:33

On top of the Malaysian Airlines offer, I have another with Qatar in my Platinum Card: spend 800 and get 80.
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  4 Feb4 February 08:49
  
  Too bad the days of £895 return ex. Uk to the rest of the ME is no longer a thing.
  - TGLoyalty says:
    
    4 Feb4 February 08:50
    
    *business ofcourse. Transferring locally onto first so could use Al Safwa
  - Aston100 says:
    
    4 Feb4 February 11:33
    
    I remember when bread was 5p a loaf, and so was a quarter of cola cubes.
    - Rob says:
      
      4 Feb4 February 12:14
      
      I remember the Cola Cubes at 5p, I wasn’t buying bread at that age though!
    - RussellH says:
      
      4 Feb4 February 14:54
      
      Still get bread for 5p at 1540 on a lucky Sunday at local Morrissons.15p is usual though, there or Tesco, for a 400g loaf.
      
      The figure that sticks in my brain, for some reason, is my first paid job (Royal Mail parcel deliveries at Christmas) was the equivalent of 9.375p per hour, less NICs. So, when the local nuns tipped both me and the other lad half-a-crown each (12.5p) it seemed like a real boost!
    - Lady London says:
      
      4 Feb4 February 19:49
      
      Ahhhh….pineapple chunks too.
  - Polly says:
    
    6 Feb6 February 00:53
    
    Russell, we got a few of those flights, nearest thing now is our 1090 one bel to kul… not bad, but wish it were from a more conveniently accessible city!
DarloTraveller says:

4 Feb4 February 05:55

I was on the inaugural NCL-MUC flight yesterday and can confirm that NO cake was distr8buted (I suspect the cake was polystyrene). The airport laid on a nice buffet with Buck’s Fizz and all passengers were given some gingerbread and a commemorative certificate.
- BJ says:
  
  4 Feb4 February 06:05
  
  That figures, the bread on Lufty usually tastes like polystyrene too.
- Rob says:
  
  4 Feb4 February 08:15
  
  Thanks!
flood says:

4 Feb4 February 06:12

I have the Malaysia Airlines offer on my card but won’t be able to use it. If anyone wants to make use of it feel free to get in touch.
Waddle says:

4 Feb4 February 06:28

I have an Apple offer on my Gold. £399+ for £40 back. Offer says Apple Watch Series 5 but tapping on it just says spend at Apple…
- rams1981 says:
  
  4 Feb4 February 10:50
  
  likewise. I have this on my plat and SPG cards.
Paul says:

4 Feb4 February 06:48

You’ve got to love the PR pictures of BA economy class. Clean seats, just 2 together, diminutive passenger and the adjacent seat empty!
So far from the reality of cramped seats, 10 abreast, dirty and you fellow passenger spilling into your personal space. But the blue blanket makes all the difference😳
- Sapiens says:
  
  4 Feb4 February 06:56
  
  Agreed – the person in the marketing photo must be child sized (but dressed as an adult)!
  - Rob says:
    
    4 Feb4 February 08:14
    
    The pics are often staff. The couple in all of the Club Suite publicity pictures are a BA captain and someone from the PR team whom I know.
- Anna says:
  
  4 Feb4 February 07:13
  
  I have a 12 hour overnight flight in Y in April (J not worth it on that route IMO!) so we’ll see how good the blanket is!
  - Polly says:
    
    4 Feb4 February 07:52
    
    Which route Anna, didn’t think you would go 12 hrs in Y….
    - Anna says:
      
      4 Feb4 February 09:11
      
      GCM – LHR. I’ve done it in all classes now and decided Y is the best value, with exit seats paid for as soon as I book. There’s no airport lounge at GCM and the meal doesn’t get served until 5 hours into the flight, by which time I really want to be asleep!
- Peter K says:
  
  4 Feb4 February 08:31
  
  There are 3 seats together, they’ve just managed to almost hide one by the angle of the photo.
  All the PR photos of all airlines are like this though. The worst example of spin though I’ve seen was Nigel Havers comparing First Class with economy on BA. In economy they put him in the middle seat of an exit row with no other passengers! No wonder he said it was okay.
  - Anna says:
    
    4 Feb4 February 11:55
    
    Yes, they should have stuffed him next to the window in the back row where the seat doesn’t recline so you are utterly at the mercy of the person in front of you!
    - Polly says:
      
      5 Feb5 February 05:52
      
      Exactly, l thought he was quite pompous in his attitude..no way would he travel LH in Y… seriously, who are they fooling!
Anna says:

4 Feb4 February 07:09

OT – got 2 nights at The Langley in May, can anyone confirm if restaurant and spa spend there get 6 points per £ on the SPG Amex?
- Rob says:
  
  4 Feb4 February 08:11
  
  Both are run in-house AFAIK so will be OK.
- N says:
  
  4 Feb4 February 08:38
  
  Charge to room to be safe
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  4 Feb4 February 08:52
  
  Yep they do but just charge it all to the room and it all 100% will.
  
  Great place for a couple days over the weekend.
- Anna says:
  
  4 Feb4 February 10:43
  
  Thanks all! Looking forward to it.
John says:

4 Feb4 February 07:15

Not the greatest idea, as vaccines at least a year away. Although there’ll always be backpackers needing a bargain.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-01-31/virus-spawns-ultra-cheap-flights-to-u-s-with-layover-in-wuhan