Is British Air's premier economy worth it?
 

Looking at London in November and British Air shows a ticket category, premier economy, which provides a larger seat and more leg room, in an area between business class and the main cabin. The cost of Premium is really not all that bad, but I'm wondering if it's worth it.

The fact that it's a 2 - 4 - 2 seating configuration is by itself an incentive, but are the seats really superior, or just a bit of advertising hype?

I'd appreciate the input of any who have flown premier economy, and can compare it to economy. The additional cost is about 30 percent.

Thanks.

Jim

hi Jim, we were upgraded to the Premier class and I enjoyed the extra space. There is definitely extra legroom;everything else is the same as in the back. I think that BA has started cramming so many seats in their cattle class that almost anything is better by contrast. There are four of us so the extra cost really adds up. Maybe for one person going solo it would be worth it.

If the cost difference isn't that bad for you, then go for it. The seat is much more comfortable than regular coach. The service is technically the same as in reg. economy, but you might find it better. Two years ago, when I flew PE to Chicago, I asked for a Bailey's when the drinks trolley rolled by. The FA told me Bailey's was only for business class. But 15 minutes later he popped back with two small bottles for me. Maybe he was just being a nice guy...(last year I flew BA business class, which of course was much better).
I'm planning to try Virgin's PE for an upcoming trip to Florida. I understand that Virgin offers a dedicated PE checkin. I've heard Virgin's PE described as "business minus a few things" whereas BA's PE was termed "economy plus a few things."

If you need the extra space then it probably is worth it. Last year I got a free upgrade to premium from BA. Although I liked the extra space, I would not have paid more for it because I'm a small person and I don't need that extra room as much as larger people would. One thing I didn't like about was that you can't raise the armrests and stretch out. Of course, that's only possible if you have the entire row to yourself.

The food, movies, etc. are the same as what you get from coach.

My opinion is that it is definitely worth it and if you can afford it - take it. Seats are more comfortable and there is a foot rest. There is also a dedicated chack in for this class - World Traveler Plus.

Probably mixing apples and oranges but I've done Virgin's "version" and you get slightly bigger seats (emphasis on SLIGHTLY) spread out over a larger space; foot rests (Virgin says they are "legrests" but they aren't), a glass of bubbly upon being seated and check-in simultaneous with Upper Class.

Otherwise same food as economy..sounds like the BA product is similar.

World Traveler Plus (WT+) is especially worth it if your flight is a long overnighter - say west coast to LHR. The extra 6 inches of knee space really helps.

Be adivsed, though, that WT+ uses in-armrest tray tables, which means the armrests are fixed, if the seat next to you is empty there's no raising the armrest and snoozing on 2 (or 3) seats, unlike coach.

If you have any desire to join BA's frequent flyer program(me), you can do so on a paid WT+ ticket, whereas discount economy tickets are ineligible. If you are a frequent visitor to the UK or BA customer getting to their FF plan might be worthwhile.

One note in passing is that the odds of paid WT+ pax getting upgraded into business class ("Club World") on BA, with flat-bed seating and numerous bells and whistles, is much, much higher than getting bumped up from economy. Not a solid bet, but seems to happen quite a lot.

I agree that WTP is worth it, especially if you are tall. I am over 6'4'' and will only go WTP to places like Bangkok, HK etc. I can manage to go WT (economy) on flights to NY, Miami, etc. Also, if you book WTP you are more likely to get an upgrade than if you book WT. (But don'thold your breath!)

I'm thinking we will go for it. We're both tall (6' 3" and 5' 11") and the configuration of only two seats on the outside is appealing.

Just looked at the Airline seat guide and was flabbergasted to see how many airlines have only 31 inches seat pitch in economy. When I've done that to Europe it about killed me.

Perhaps the ability to lean back a bit more will make up for the non-movable center arm rest. Must make it tough for the window passenger to get out without bumping knees, though...

Thanks for the input.

Jim

Well I seem to be the dissenting voice here. I paid the preium price this last March and I would NOT do it again.The seat was a bit wider but certainly didn't recline any further than the regular seats. So being tall myself, there was no benefit. The extra width may be more comfortable for those with some extra weight, but without reclining further, there is essentially no more leg room. The meals were exactly the same as coach and when I was handed my breakfast in a box, I realized there was very little 'premium' for the price.'
For 30% more,I'd rather sit in regular coach and use the money for an extra night or a couple of fine meals.
In my opinion this is just a marketing ploy by BA. Next time I'm upgrading to Business but I'll never pay extra for premier seating.

I'm tall and find premium economy much more comfortable; when we walked back through economy it looked crammed in comparison. The service was very good too.

We flew from LAX-LHR last year in WT+. It was on the flight that leaves near 9 p.m. I had dinner and decided against watching TV. The next thing I knew, it was 6 hours later! I've only slept one other time for that long on a plane and that was with a sleeping pill. It was very quiet but that depends on luck, of course.