It looks like the British Air flight attendants will strike at midnight. 

From the BBC:

A strike by British Airways cabin crew will go ahead after talks between the airline and the Unite union collapsed.

The three-day walkout begins at midnight, with a further four days of action set to commence on 27 March.

BA chief Willie Walsh said the strike was “deeply regrettable”. The airline has said 65% of passengers will reach their destination during the action.

Full story is here.

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I had the opportunity to fly British Airways Club World (business class) on my recent trip to Europe.  It had been about 5 years since I had flown on British and was looking forward to experiencing their new Club World seat as well as the inflight service – neither one disappointed. 

Check in was breeze in Seattle as I had printed my boarding pass the night before  and had only carryon for this trip.  There was no one in the business class line so with a quick swipe of my passport I was off to the lounge.  The Terrace Lounge in the South Satellite at Sea-Tac is small but well appointed with plenty of seating, drinks and snacks.  Free Wi-fi is provided throughout the lounge and shower facilities are available.  There is a separate quiet lounge for first class passengers.

 My outbound flight was on a Boeing 777 with 48 seats in  Club World.  The configuration may seem a bit odd to those who have never flown on British.  The basic layout is 2 – 4 – 2.  The window/aisle seats on each side face each other.  The person in the window seat is facing the rear of the plane and the person on the aisle is facing the front which means you are looking at each other when seated.  This is a great setup when traveling with someone you know but can be awkward to be staring down a complete stranger.  But with a push of a button, a privacy screen raises and creates a very private space.  The flight attendants will lower/raise the screen during meal service but otherwise it can remain up the entire flight.  The seats in the center section of the plane are configured as follows:  the aisle seats all are forward facing and the two center seats are rear facing.  Those center seats are good for people traveling together but again, a bit awkward if you don’t know the person next to you.  The privacy screen doesn’t offer much privacy in those center seats.  My favorite seats on the plane are the window seats in the last row of Club World  (15A and 15K).  In these seats no one has to crawl over you when you lay flat and you don’t have to crawl over anyone. It’s a very quiet space, far from the toilets and galley.   

Next up:  review of the seats and inflight service

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British Airways sponsored a report by Harvard Business Review Analytic Services to review the effect of business travel economic reductions and business effectiveness.

2,211 business executives said face-to-face meetings remain a critical part of selling new business as well as building key partnerships.  79% view in-person meetings as a highly effective way to meet new clients to sell business.  87% agree such face-to-face meetings are the key to success in building long-term relationships.

52% of those surveyed said restrictions on the numbers of flights they take for business would hurt their business.  69% reported a reduction in their travel budgets over the last six months.

Across the board, face-to-face meetings were seen as the most effective method for conducting business with key stakeholders, compared with videoconferences, teleconferences and webinars.  Specifically, face-to-face meetings are seen as most effective for negotiations on important contracts, interviewing for key positions, listening to important customers and bridging cultural gaps.

Edited from Harvard Business Review Analytic Services, 7/16/2009 preliminary results; full report will be published August 2009.

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Southwest announced that it’s newest city will be Milwaukee, sometime in the fall of 2009.

Virgin America now has Wi-Fi on every flight.

Qantas will scrap first class on some international flights this winter due to the plummeting demand.  Qantas will not remove the first class seats but will sell the cabin as a business class product.  Routes effected are:  Sydney-San Francisco,  Sydney-Buenos Aires and Melbourne-Hong Kong-London.

British Airways takes delivery of aircraft without a first class cabin. Full details at the Guardian.

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British Air is offering 2 Club World business class tickets for the price of 1. This INCLUDES the advance purchase, discounted fares. You must book and ticket by Tuesday, May 26th.

Call your Stellar Travel Advisor today to book these great fares!

The fine print:

• 2 for 1 promotion applies only to Eligible Fares for travel on British Airways Club World (business class) departing from British Airways US gateways to London, only, for outbound travel from June 1 – October 31, 2009.

• Two Club World (business class) tickets must be purchased for the price of one standard Club World (business class) ticket.

• This offer is a companion offer where 2 persons must travel together on the same flight, on the same day in the Club World (business class) cabin. The second ticket cannot be used on another date or another flight.

• Both passengers MUST travel together with no exceptions. Reservations for both passengers must be booked on the same PNR and tickets must be issued at the same time for the same flights and dates.

• For new bookings only made May 22 – 26, 2009.

• All rules of Club World (business class) fare purchased apply, including advance purchase, minimum/maximum stay, stopovers, weekend add-ons and cancellation/refund rules. Please refer to individual rules per ticket before purchase.

• No child and infant fares are available with this promotion.

• This promotion applies to BA mainline scheduled flights only. This promotion does not apply to travel on BA franchises, code share partners or alliance airlines. Tickets must be closed to British Airways.

• No upgrades are available with this offer.

• Offer is only available on Club World business class fares.

• Restricted Club World (business class) fares (i.e. fares booked in I, D and R class where changes are not permitted or refundable) have a minimum Saturday night stay.

• Promotional travel must be a round-trip ticket purchased and ticketed in the US.

• Open to US residents paying in US dollars only for flight departures originating in the US.

• This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any BA Miles programme, any other airline industry discount, discount coupon(s), voucher(s), promotion(s), travel trade or special offer(s) by BA or jointly with any other organization, bonus, awards or certificates. Corporate dealt fares are not eligible for this promotion.

• Executive Club members can earn BA Miles and Tier Points if their Executive Club details are added to the booking. Executive Club members cannot upgrade bookings made under this offer with BA Miles or any other upgrade voucher such as the Gold Upgrade for Two. Full terms and conditions of the Executive Club apply.

• Both tickets are subject to taxes, fees, charges and surcharges, including airline fuel surcharges.

• Other significant restrictions may apply.

• Subject to availability.

• Full terms and conditions apply.

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AirTran will have Wi-Fi on all 737 and 717 aircraft by the end of July 2009.  They become the first U.S. airline to have Wi-Fi installed across their entire fleet.

British Airways will begin daily service between London’s Heathrow International Airport and Las Vegas this fall.

USAirways and United raised the fees for checked bags unless you pay for them online before reaching your departure airport.  It’s now $20 to check the first bag at the airport, and $30 for the second. You save $5 if you do it online.

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Alaska Airlines New Service:

• Portland – Maui starts July 3rd
• A second Seattle – Honolulu flight begins July 2nd
• Oakland – Maui and Oakland -Kona begin November 9th and 10th, respectively
• Seattle – Houston begins September 23rd
• Seattle – Atlanta begins October 23rd

British Airways has opened a new 7,200 square foot Gallies Lounge at Washington Dulles which serves First and Club World customers.

SAS will operate it’s last flight in the Seattle – Copenhagen maket on July 31st.  They currently have an amazing business class fare of $1999 (plus tax and fuel charges) to select European cities from Seattle.

United has completed the installation of the new business class seats and first class suites on all international 767’s.

American Airlines is going to allow frequent fliers in its AAdvantage program to book one-way flights for half the reward miles of a round trip.

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From British Airways press release: May 1, 2009

New First is coming. Since April 2009, you may have noticed enhancements. And later this year we begin the rollout of a completely redesigned cabin and a dedicated service style. We want new First to be perfect. So everything has been crafted and designed to create the ultimate bespoke experience.

First Service
Our First customers receive an exceptionally high, bespoke and intuitive level of service at every stage of their journey. And to ensure high standards are maintained both on the ground and in the air, our staff receives ongoing Premium Service Training.

The Concorde Room at London Heathrow T5, exclusively for First customers, is the epitome of elegance and the perfect setting for both relaxation and business. Those wanting to relax are invited to enjoy intimate pre-flight dining, or a refreshing drink. For those wanting to freshen up there are private cabanas available, with day beds and en-suite bathrooms. Customers can also book our state-of-the-art business suite and boardroom facilities.

First Comfort
We have sourced the finest materials on earth to give First customers even greater comfort in the air.

During the flight, First passengers will have a stylish new wool-mix blanket and silver velvet cushions to help them relax and stay snug. When it’s time to rest, wonderfully soft cotton pyjamas and cosy slippers are provided. We have also introduced a single-piece quilted mattress, which has been specially designed to perfectly fit the shape of the bed. Adding to the luxurious comfort is a new 400-thread count Egyptian cotton duvet and pillow with a silver lustre detailing, to help make drifting off to sleep more blissful than ever.

First Dining
We’ve looked beyond the world of airlines and have sought influence from Britain’s leading chefs and restaurateurs.

We know First customers want choice and flexibility. So, on board, they can now enjoy either formal dining, or a more informal side service option, offering them gourmet food, as well as time and space to continue working or relaxing.

For those who wish to maximise their sleep and are happy to skip our full breakfast menu, they can now opt for a light breakfast. This will be available much closer to landing.

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