BRITISH AIRWAYS: Summer will see Boeing 777s with new Business and First Class flying to Australia

From Sunday 27 October 2024 until 30 March 2025, British Airways (BA) will be swapping its normal Boeing 787 aircraft servicing the London to Sydney route for the higher capacity Boeing 777. With over 35% more seats, the upgraded capacity will cater for the swell in traffic during Australia’s summer tourist season.

This change affects the daily BA15/BA16 flights.

Positives

The B777s have the newest seats and suites across First and Business Class and Premium Economy. First class gets you doored suites and 24″ HD screens with new amenity kits and jimjams.

Business class is where you will really see the change. No longer housed in a gazillion across ‘convict class’, with those head-to-toe seating partners packed in like sardines. Now you will get all forward reverse herringbone seats that turn into flat beds, and you get privacy doors. That means direct aisle access for everybody! Well, everybody in Business Class.

Negatives

It will still be one of British Airways longest routes at a little over 24 hours, including the 90-minute refuel in Singapore.

The Boeing 777 is also an older aircraft design which does not have the higher interior pressure of the 787 which helps with humidity and arguably jetlag. The B777s are also a lot noisier than the Dreamliners. If you are travelling on these flights, pack your noise-cancelling surround, on, or in-ear headphones. And something to spritz your face with, and maybe one of those sinus sprays to stop your mucus membranes drying out, and leaving you more susceptible to germs.

More upgrades

BA is working on upgrading the other members of its fleet. The smaller 787-8s are set to get the latest Business Class Club Suites first. The 787-9s will follow in 2025, and then the A380s.

The A380s are set to get the new Business Club Suites, and new First Class suites from late 2025.

Rumours are that the First Class will be moved to the upper deck, although there might be fewer than the current 14 suites. This may be a space gain for First Class passengers, but a reduction in the number of passengers able to take up the privilege. This seems the trend taken by other airlines including Lufthansa, Qantas and Singapore Airlines.

Such a move would make an all-premium upper deck with the lower being pure economy – or hell – as I would view it, albeit with Premium Economy as well.

Lounges next

Heathrow’s T5 can expect some lounge upgrades, although this is a longer-term 5-year project.

The design lead will come from the newly opened joint BA and American Airlines lounge in New York’s JFK. The same design firm has provided the master design concept to be rolled out in the refurbished lounges. We are likely to see examples sooner in the new Dubai and Miami lounges scheduled for opening in 2025.

2PAXfly Takeout

These plans indicate that British Airways is trying to pay due regard to its premium passengers. Until recently it’s been treating them like slightly more privileged low-cost economy flyers for years.

I still avoid BA, whose First Class was known as the best Business Class in the sky.