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Airline: British Airways
Flight Number: BA268
Route: LAX-LHR
Class: Club World (Business Class)
Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER
Registration: G-STBE
Delivered: December 2011
Flight Duration: 9 Hours 35 Minutes
Distance: 5,456 Miles
British Airways is usually regarded as a good airline for transatlantic travel compared to its US competitors, but is it really worth the hype?
What I liked:
The Friendly Service – The in-flight service from this mixed fleet crew was warm and the flight attendants were eager to please. The crew were also polished and delivered professional service during the flight. We were offered a pre-departure beverage service, which is unheard of on US carriers since the pandemic started.
The Catering – The catering by Do&Co was actually very good on this flight. The food tasted fresh and delicious. The chicken supreme that I ordered during dinner service was moist and flavorful, while the sea bream dish that my companion ordered was also delicious. The pre-arrival full English Breakfast dish was generously portioned and hearty.
What I didn’t like:
The IFE – BA Inflight Entertainment is somewhat clunky and slow. The IFE remote was located too close to my shoulder and I accidentally pressed it a few times during the flight. The IFE screen is a small-ish 12″ compared to bigger and brighter screens on newer planes. Also the media selection was rather limited. The noise canceling headphones is not the best, but sound quality was OK.
The seats – British Airways refurbished their original Club World seats a few years back and recently introduced the new Club Suite suites in business class. Sadly this flight still operated with the old seats that were originally introduced in 2006. The configuration is very tight at 2-4-2 with 56 seats in business class. One huge problem for me is the lack of storage space around the seat. You literally have to get up to stow your things in the pull out storage box. The seats turn into a fully flat bed, but they are quite narrow and uncomfortable for sitting and lounging. The window seats are definitely private, but may feel claustrophobic, especially for bigger folks. While the aisle seats are more open, but completely exposed to the aisle when people are moving about the cabin. But the deal breaker for me is the lack of direct aisle access for all seats. If you’re seated by the window or one of the honeymoon seats in the middle, chances are you’ll need to hop over someone’s leg to get to the aisle. 
It’s OK, I guess…
The Admirals Club in LAX – As a result of the pandemic, all OneWorld lounges at LAX’s Tom Bradley Terminal are currently closed, but we were allowed access to the Admirals Club in Terminal 4 via the terminal connector. The lounge offers plenty of seating, however the food and drink selection was rather limited.
The Amenities – BA does not offer business class passengers pajamas or slippers in business class, but I liked the black mini leather pouch by The White Company London. The bedding was also very good and included a mattress pad for when you make your bed. The lavatories were also clean and nicely stocked with toiletries.
Bottom Line:
If you’re a OneWorld flyer looking for a more polished and refined service with decent food in business class, then British Airways is the way to go. However, they really need to ramp up and deploy more of their newer Club Suites on thier planes, as the tired old club world seats really need to go. These seats are probably the most uncomfortable business class seats I’ve been on. It’s hard to move when you’re seated and you’ll have to get up to stow your belongings or convert your seat into a bed.
Otherwise, if seat comfort is more important to you, I would definitely go with the competition. American for example, offers much better seats in business class. Just don’t expect the service and food to be stellar…
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