BRITISH AIRWAYS: Singapore and Sydney get Club Suites business class on Boeing 777’s

ET is reporting that Sydney and Singapore routes flown by British Airways will be getting aircraft with the new Business Class Club Suites installed as of October 30, 2022.

The Club Suites will replace that absolutely horrific ‘sardine’ layout – that is – replacing a backward and forward 2-4-2 layout with an all-forward 1-2-1 layout. Remember, my husband, banned me from ever booking British Airways long-haul business class again, however cheap it was after our 2013 trip in ‘coffin class’ from Sydney to London. It wasn’t just the seating but also the horrific service and food.

The new Club Suites have privacy doors, more space, and the much preferred direct aisle access and will grace the BA15/16 flights between London Heathrow and Sydney via Singapore.

The new British Airways flight schedules also show another London to Singapore flight (BA11/12) also on a Boeing 777, which might end up getting a 787-9 instead.

British Airways suspended its flights to Australia during the pandemic, only resuming the Kangaroo route in March of this year.

Singapore Lounge open

BA has also re-opened its lounge in Singapore, but who would head there if you have access to the superior Qatar or Qantas lounges which are both now open.

Earn Avios

Don’t forget that British Airways has re-opened its Executive Club frequent flyer scheme to Australian residents, and that has the advantage of getting you to Gold and higher status more quickly than the Qantas scheme, depending on your pattern of flying. BA credits you with more Tier Points – which are like Status Credits on Qantas but are more generously granted. Also in the scheme’s favour is now Qatar Airways has adopted Avios as their frequent flyer currency in its Privilege Club program.

2PAXfly Takeout

This is another timely reminder to wear your seatbelt when seated. Holding you close to your seat will protect you from the sort of injuries sustained on this flight, when unsecured passengers flew to the ceiling of the aircraft, and then came crashing down once the ‘drop’ ceased.

The hope will be that this is an anomaly – a ‘freak accident’ in casual parlance. If it is a systemic error either mechanical or electronic, then this is a larger concern for the airlines that fly Boeing Dreamliner 787 aircraft. Let’s hope it isn’t. If it is, it will pile on the woes to Boeing’s existing stack.

The introduction of Club Suites on flights to and from Sydney on British Airways, as they say in sports commentary, puts BA back into ‘contention’ on the Kangaroo Route. It might be time to disobey my husband’s direction and see whether they have competitive pricing for our next trip to Europe.