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BA is the new comeback kid.
Tony Robbins says something to this effect: “ The success you enjoy by achieving your goals isn’t the victory, but rather who you become in order to achieve them.” I think this is especially apropos given BA’s release of their new Club World seat. British Airways did something more than release an incredible new seat; they announced to the world that they’re seeking a new standard: British Airways is in the best business class business once again.
The early 2000s BA Club World changed the seating landscape with this product
Haters gonna hate, but I applaud those who seek to innovate.
In 2017, initial reports of what BA had in stow were nothing short of wildly disappointing. A meager attempt at updating finishes on an inept product that had become a laughing stock of the industry. What was leadership thinking? What happened to our beloved Speedbird?
Alex Cruz has received more than his share of criticism, and I’ve been one to pile one. BA has regressed and devalued, but worse of all it had seemingly accepted this subpar standard as ok. Fears mounted as BA took on discount carriers attributes, but this seat…
This seat is different. It’s ambitious, remarkable, and lofty. Above all…it’s an arrow shot to the stars
The very concept of aviation is a dream, and part of us extract a little piece of that dream every time we fly. Every time we are luxuriated with a new airline seeking to be the best, the dream is expanded. The arrow continues to sail to the stars. BA finally said enough with saying we should make our business class better. We must do it. They did. And a new standard has been put into existence.
BA will be in the conversation for the best business class in the world. What?! We should be applauding Cruz. A super diamond seat with a door and absolutely GORGEOUS appointments.
Customers love when companies reach beyond their expectation to connect with them. They brought us soft product upgrades with White Company bedding and Liberty Amenity kits, and then the food got markedly better. I thought this was lipstick on a pig, but now I see a different strategy. BA has been piecing together a new corporate identity.
It’s going to take time, but good things come to those who wait.
Yes, the bulk of the aircraft won’t feature this new seat for years ( All Aircraft by 2023), and the taxes and fees are horrendous on point bookings. But, in a few years, BA will be an absolute luxury for all to fly in Club World. That’s crazy given its current position product wise. There is wind in the sails and the ship is headed back to sea.
First flights will begin in July between London and Madrid to get the crew accustomed to the aircraft. Next, beginning October 1, 2019 it will fly longhaul to Toronto ( BA93/92) and Dubai on October 8th, 2019 ( BA107/106)
- Every passenger will enjoy aisle access
- Every suite will have a door
- New suites offer 40% more storage than existing Club World seat.
- Gate to gate entertainment.
- New vanity unit and mirror.
- 18.5 in HD screen and wifi
The retrofit 777s that are slated to come out later this fall are rumored to have 8 new First Class seats. I wait in eager anticipation.
Congrats, Mr. Cruz. You’ve hit a home run. Expectations are high, but I love the new goal you’ve set, and I’m eager to experience what BA becomes in its pursuit.
Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Welcome Offer
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Annual Fee
$95
Points Earned
Transferrable Chase Ultimate Rewards
- 5x on all travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3x on dining, including eligible delivery services for takeout & dining out
- 3x on select streaming services
- 3x on online grocery purchases
- (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs)
- $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit via Chase Travel℠
- The begins immediately for new cardmembers and after your account anniversary for existing cardmembers
- 2x on all other travel
- 10% Anniversary Bonus
- Every year you keep the card, your total spend will yield a 10% points bonus. If you spend $10k in a year, you’ll get 1k bonus points
- Chase Sapphire Preferred continues to redeem at 1.25c in the Chase Travel℠ and the slew of other benefits remain in tact including Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver ( primary ), purchase protections, etc.
- Points are transferrable to 14 Ultimate Rewards partners
- Redeem in Chase Travel℠ for 1.25 cents per point
- No foreign transaction fees
- Suite of Travel and Purchase Coverage
- Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver is my favorite
- Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
- $95 Annual Fee
We keep an up to date spreadsheet that lists the best ever offers: You can find that spreadsheet here.
Historically 80k is a very, very good offer and hit in both 2022 and 2023. In 2021, we saw the offer hit an all time high of 100k. Who knows if that will ever come back.
Main Cast:
Cards that earn flexible points and should be used on the bulk of your purchases.
Supporting Cast:
Cards that earn fixed points in the currency of the airline/hotel and can not be transferred at attractive rates. These cards yield benefits that make it worth keeping, but not necessarily worth putting a lot of your everyday spend on.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® is exceptional starter card and offers transferrable Ultimate Rewards, and pairs well with other Chase cards.
If you carry this card alongside Chase’s cashback cards like the Chase Freedom Flex® and Chase Freedom Unlimited® or the business versions: Ink Business Cash® , Ink Business Unlimited® you can combine the points into Preferred account and transfer into hotel and airline partners
Annual fee is quite low at $95 a year + you get a 10% anniversary bonus on points + $50 hotel credit in Chase travel.
The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.