Turning left for less Turning left for less
  • Home
  • Beginners guide
  • Reviews
    • Hotel reviews
    • Flight reviews
    • Airline Lounge Reviews
    • Travel companies, luggage, travel tech & apps
    • Destination Dining
  • Destinations
    • Barbados
    • Las Vegas
    • Alicante
    • Marbella
    • All other destinations
  • About us
    • Meet the Team
    • Contact us
    • Privacy & Disclosure
      • Join our email list & data protection
    • Youtube and Podcast
  • BOOKING ENQUIRY
Categories
  • Air France
  • Airlines
  • Airport hotels
  • American Airlines
  • Avios
  • Black Friday 23
  • Black Friday 24
  • British Airways
  • British Airways Executive Club
  • Business class
  • Cashback
  • competition
  • Credit cards
  • cruises
  • Destinations
  • Emirates
  • Etihad
  • Finnair
  • First class
  • General
  • Guide
  • Heathrow and Gatwick
  • Hilton
  • hotels
  • IHG
  • London hotels
  • Lounges
  • Marriott
  • Michelin star dining
  • News
  • Offers
  • Oneworld
  • parking
  • Qatar
  • reader questions
  • Reader review
  • Reviews
  • Skyteam
  • Star Alliance
  • Starwood
  • This Week in Travel
  • Trains
  • UK country hotels
  • UK hotels
  • USA
  • Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
Turning left for less Turning left for less
Turning left for less Turning left for less
  • Home
  • Beginners guide
  • Reviews
    • Hotel reviews
    • Flight reviews
    • Airline Lounge Reviews
    • Travel companies, luggage, travel tech & apps
    • Destination Dining
  • Destinations
    • Barbados
    • Las Vegas
    • Alicante
    • Marbella
    • All other destinations
  • About us
    • Meet the Team
    • Contact us
    • Privacy & Disclosure
      • Join our email list & data protection
    • Youtube and Podcast
  • BOOKING ENQUIRY
  • British Airways

NEWS: Is British Airways trying to go upmarket again? BA’s Executives state their plans for 2021

  • 16/05/2021
  • Michele

Is British Airways trying to go upmarket again?

When BA announced it was closing its Elemis spas for good, most of us feared the worst. Memories of a few years ago during the time of “death by a thousand cuts” were brought back as we thought that BA would use Covid as a reason to cut all the frills. However, I have always had faith in Sean Doyle based on his previous experience, and the fact that the most ruthless cost-cutter of them all, Willie Walsh has moved on, made it seem less likely.

According to today’s This is Money, BA is planning ‘exciting changes’ from June onwards as part of a ‘major evolution’ for the airline. If you actually read the article, most of what they talk about is old news. New cabin crew uniforms, new check-in, and boarding systems are all things that have been announced before or already started. It does say that the new uniforms by Ozwald Boateng will be introduced this year after they were delayed by the pandemic.  However, the article does say that there will be ” significant upgrades to catering, airport lounges”. Though again reading on, a lot of this is not news. The article discusses pre-ordering of food on short-haul – already happening with the Speedbird cafe. 

It mentions “Long-haul passengers in premium cabins will be served food from gourmet menus prepared by chefs in new kitchens next to the runways at Heathrow.” It may be a new kitchen but whether it brings a substantial change to what is on board, I’m doubtful. The next step will be a return to the full pre-Covid service. Given that the pandemic is still raging in many countries BA flies to, I can’t see this happening anytime soon sadly. There are not many elements of the original service missing now apart from the pre-departure champagne. 

Tom Stevens, BA’s new Director of brand and customer experience, told the Mail on Sunday: ‘From booking until landing, BA needs to feel like a premium experience. Our strategy is to be a premium experience across the board. Exciting things will start coming from June onwards.’ 

Apparently, BA is in talks with various interior designers, furniture designers, chefs, drinks-makers, and musicians – to upgrade its airport lounges. Previously in 2019 the airline had promised to refurbish the Heathrow, Edinburgh, Chicago, and Berlin lounges but Berlin got shelved as the new airport is now open. I’ll be more interested to see lounges that are currently open for customers but BA has stopped access to like Jersey, being returned as free access for BA passengers as this is a substantial cut to the business class product. It’s expected there will be several announcements in June on positive changes to service so I look forward to hearing about it and hopefully trying them out onboard.

British Airways’ Concorde Room at Terminal 5, London Heathrow after its refurbishment in 2017.

Everything else the article mentions, the new Club Suites, pre-ordering duty-free, virtual queuing, and the partnership with Airportr to collect your bags, is old news. The majority of this was in the press release for BA’s New Year’s resolutions for 2020 and has obviously been delayed due to Covid. While it is old news, it is positive to see BA getting back into the improvements again after a year of trimmed-back service. 

 

 

Like this:

Like Loading...
Tweet
Share
Pin
Share
Reddit
WhatsApp
Pocket
Email
Flip
0 Shares
Related Topics
  • British Airways
  • british airways executive club
  • heathrow
Michele

Previous Article
  • Destinations
  • hotels

Luxury guide to Jersey and Longueville Manor, St Helier, Jersey (Relais and Chateau) review

  • 16/05/2021
  • Michele
View Post
Next Article
  • News
  • Offers

NEWS & OFFERS: Hilton new London Curio opens, IHG Flash sale, 50% off Melia & Baglioni hotel offer

  • 17/05/2021
  • Michele
View Post
4 comments
  1. Jan Rundall says:
    17/05/2021 at 6:42 am

    Travelled from Miami to LHR on 4/5 May with right arm in a sling ! Had to walk down the isle sideways on the new BA A350. It is terribly narrow. Business class terribly cramped. Seating felt quite claustrophobic as the footrest seems to be designed to trip people up whilst trying to get into the seat. Best seat design I have been in recently is Iberia’s A330. AA has quite a good layout too.

    1. Clayton says:
      17/05/2021 at 10:14 am

      The footrest is heavily recessed in the foot well and it’s literally impossible to walk past it in any way. The seating has also dropped from 2-4-2 to 1-2-1 although with the higher walls I guess you could say the corridors feel cramped.

  2. Brenda says:
    17/05/2021 at 10:03 am

    I think BA should drop the charges for preselecting seats in business class. It’s shocking that you can spend a couple of thousand on a flight and then they want a few hundred extra to pre-select seats. Honestly it’s tacky. I used to love BA but their business experience is really below the standards of other airlines.

  3. Clive Fletcher-Wood says:
    17/05/2021 at 11:01 am

    About time too, that BA is even thinking of trying to edge back upmarket. I have stayed with them over the years because of the AMEX 2-for-1 voucher, but whenever I can book a QR flight using a BA codeshare I do so. What I am now waiting for – together with many others – is an extension of current status for those whose expiry date is in the early part of the year. Without that my remaining loyalty to BA is likely to evaporate quickly.

Comments are closed.

Subscribe to Turning Left for Less

Subscribe

* indicates required
Choose One Subscription Type

BOOK YOUR DREAM TRIP HERE

Want to book your hotel with extra perks such as upgrades and free breakfast? Need help booking flights? Our experts at Winged Boots can help.

Visit our booking page here

Turning Left For Less on Instagram

turningleftforless

Champagne travel on a Prosecco budget. UK blog on how to travel in luxury for less. Forbes contributor. #avgeek #luxurytravel #miles #luxuryhotel

HOTEL REVIEW Fairmont Windsor Park – Our Honest HOTEL REVIEW

Fairmont Windsor Park – Our Honest Spa Stay Review

Link in bio

#hotelreview #luxurytravel #luxurytravelblog #travelblog #turningleftforless #luxuryhotel #fairmont #fairmontwindsorpark #windsor
FLIGHT REVIEW Qatar Airways A350 Q-suite Includin FLIGHT REVIEW

Qatar Airways A350 Q-suite Including Al Mourjan lounge by Mark Hopwood

Link in bio

#flightreview #businessclass #luxurytravel #travelreview #luxurytravelblog #travelblog #turningleftforless #instaaviation #avgeek #qatarairways #qatar #almourjanlounge #qsuite
LOUNGE REVIEW Air Canada’s refurbished London H LOUNGE REVIEW

Air Canada’s refurbished London Heathrow T2 Maple Leaf lounge

Link in bio

#businessclass #luxurytravel #travelreview #luxurytravelblog #travelblog #turningleftforless #instaaviation #avgeek #loungereview #aircanada #heathrow
HOTEL REVIEW Crowne Plaza Dublin Airport – best HOTEL REVIEW

Crowne Plaza Dublin Airport – best of a bad bunch?

Link in bio

#hotelreview #luxurytravel #luxurytravelblog #travelblog #turningleftforless #luxuryhotel #crowneplaza #crowneplazahotel #crowneplazadublinairport #dublin
FLIGHT REVIEW ITA Rome to Dubai – When Business FLIGHT REVIEW

ITA Rome to Dubai – When Business Class Feels More Like First Class – ITA’s A321neo Surprises!

Link in bio

#flightreview #businessclass #luxurytravel #travelreview #luxurytravelblog #travelblog #turningleftforless #instaaviation #avgeek #ita #itaairways
FLIGHT REVIEW Virgin Atlantic Business Class From FLIGHT REVIEW

Virgin Atlantic Business Class From London to Atlanta – “I Was Wrong”

Link in bio

#flightreview #businessclass #luxurytravel #travelreview #luxurytravelblog #travelblog #turningleftforless #instaaviation #avgeek #virginatlantic #virgin #upperclass
HOTEL REVIEW Le Royal Meridien, Dubai – Genuine HOTEL REVIEW

Le Royal Meridien, Dubai – Genuinely a Hidden Gem (Why do we keep going back?)

Link in bio

#hotelreview #luxurytravel #luxurytravelblog #travelblog #turningleftforless #luxuryhotel #leroyalmeridiendubai #leroyalmeridien #dubai #uae
FLIGHT REVIEW ITA Business Class – London City FLIGHT REVIEW

ITA Business Class – London City to Rome – Almost Kicked Off for Taking a Photo!

Link in bio

#flightreview #businessclass #luxurytravel #travelreview #luxurytravelblog #travelblog #turningleftforless #instaaviation #avgeek #clubeurope #ita #itaairways #londoncity
HOTEL REVIEW Malmaison Oxford Hotel – A Prison HOTEL REVIEW

Malmaison Oxford Hotel – A Prison That You Won’t Want to Escape From

Link in bio 

#hotelreview #luxurytravel #luxurytravelblog #travelblog #turningleftforless #luxuryhotel #malmaison #malmaisonoxford #malmaisonoxfordprisonhotel #oxford
HOTEL REVIEW Hotel du Vin, Birmingham Link in bi HOTEL REVIEW

Hotel du Vin, Birmingham

Link in bio

#hotelreview #luxurytravel #luxurytravelblog #travelblog #turningleftforless #luxuryhotel #hotelduvin #hotelduvinbirmingham
FLIGHT REVIEW Gulf Air Business Class Bangkok to FLIGHT REVIEW

Gulf Air Business Class Bangkok to Manchester Via Singapore and Bahrain

Link in bio

#flightreview #businessclass #luxurytravel #travelreview #luxurytravelblog #travelblog #turningleftforless #instaaviation #avgeek #gulfair
FLIGHT REVIEW Etihad Business Class – Abu Dhabi FLIGHT REVIEW

Etihad Business Class – Abu Dhabi to London Heathrow After a Cancelled BA Flight

Link in bio

#flightreview #businessclass #luxurytravel #travelreview #luxurytravelblog #travelblog #turningleftforless #instaaviation #avgeek #etihad
HOTEL REVIEW Hotel Spinale, Madonna di Campiglio HOTEL REVIEW

Hotel Spinale, Madonna di Campiglio – The Ultimate Ski Retreat?

Link in our bio

#hotelreview #luxurytravel #luxurytravelblog #travelblog #turningleftforless #luxuryhotel #hotelspinale #hotelspinalemadonnadicampiglio #madonnadicampiglio #skiresort #skichalet
Checking out the new No 1 lounge at @heathrow_airp Checking out the new No 1 lounge at @heathrow_airport T2. Very impressed with the elegant feel to the lounge. It’s definitely a step up from the older style of No1. I’d go as far to say that it looks better than quite a few airline lounges. All drinks are included apart from champagne and there was a good selection of tasty food as well. Full review coming soon. #airportlounge #heathrowairport #luxurytravel #no1lounge
Hotel Review on the blog - Intercontinental O2, Lo Hotel Review on the blog - Intercontinental O2, London & the Cable Car Experience. 

Link in our bio

#hotelreview #luxurytravel #luxurytravelblog #travelblog #turningleftforless #luxuryhotel #london #intercontinental #intercontinentalo2 #ifscloudcablecar
THE 8 BEST EUROPEAN SKI RESORTS by Turning Left fo THE 8 BEST EUROPEAN SKI RESORTS by Turning Left for Less

Take a look at our handpicked favourites in the article in our bio.

#luxurytravel #luxurytravelblog #travelblog #turningleftforless #luxuryhotel #skiing #skiresort #skiholiday
New hotel review on the blog - Sofitel Kia Ora Moo New hotel review on the blog - Sofitel Kia Ora Moorea Hotel, French Polynesia

Link in bio 

#hotelreview #luxurytravel #luxurytravelblog #travelblog #turningleftforless #luxuryhotel #sofitel #sofitelkiaoramoorea #frenchpolynesia
Flight review on the blog - Thai Airways from Melb Flight review on the blog - Thai Airways from Melbourne to Bangkok – ‘Old School’ but Classy 🇦🇺✈️🇹🇭

Link in bio

#flightreview #businessclass #luxurytravel #travelreview #luxurytravelblog #travelblog #turningleftforless #instaaviation #avgeek #thaiairways #thailand
HOTEL REVIEW 🇺🇸 Nautilus Sonesta Miami Beac HOTEL REVIEW 🇺🇸

Nautilus Sonesta Miami Beach – Boutique Charm Meets Art Deco

Link in bio

#hotelreview #luxurytravel #luxurytravelblog #travelblog #turningleftforless #luxuryhotel #miamibeach #southbeach #miami #nautilussonesta #boutiquehotel
HOTEL REVIEW 🇵🇫 Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resor HOTEL REVIEW 🇵🇫 

Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa, French Polynesia

Link in bio

#hotelreview #luxurytravel #luxurytravelblog #travelblog #turningleftforless #luxuryhotel #frenchpolynesia #hiltonmoorea #hilton #moorea
Follow on Instagram
Categories
Contact us

[email protected]

Unit 143857

PO Box 6945

LONDON

W1A 6US

Privacy Policy

Find out about our privacy policy and advertising disclosure here.

Turning left for less
Champagne travel on a Prosecco budget

Input your search keywords and press Enter.

%d