This airline’s reputation for service is bad, and it lives up to it

The airline: British Airways

• Route Sydney to London, flight BA 0016 via Singapore
• Frequency Daily
• Aircraft Boeing 787 Dreamliner
• Class World Traveller Plus (Premium Economy); seat 16F
• Flight time First flight to Singapore is 8 hours and 20 minutes; second flight to London is 13 hours, 45 minutes

Checking in

Check-in is smooth and efficient with a fast priority service. Soon after comes the flight’s high point: BA’s superlative safety video briefing, based on Britain’s rich history of period drama. It’s funny, smart and attention-grabbing, even at the sixth time of watching on various flights.

Baggage

This is fabulous: two checked 23kg bags for each passenger, with everyone also allowed a cabin bag, up to 23kg (although with the proviso that it may have to be put in the hold if there’s not enough room), and a handbag.

Loyalty scheme

The British Airways Club with loyalty Avios, part of the oneworld Alliance, along with airlines like Qantas, Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways and American Airlines.

The seat

The seats are in a 2-3-2 layout and the two World Traveller Plus cabins are quite intimate, with mine having only 39 seats. The seat pitch is 38 inches (96.5 centimetres), as against economy’s (World Traveller’s) 31 inches (78.7cm), and width is 18.5 inches (47cm) versus economy’s 17.5 inches (44.5cm). The table is contained in the armrest but, while it goes forward and back so you can vary the space, it doesn’t feel quite wide enough to take a computer and mouse comfortably. There’s a power socket and USB port, noise-cancelling headphones and the amenity kit, made from recycled plastic bottles, contains all the usuals: an eye mask, socks, pen, toothbrush, toothpaste and lip balm.

Entertainment + tech

The touch-screen entertainment system doesn’t have the massive range of excellent British movies and TV series you might expect, nor does it list the movies and TV shows for easy selection. Instead, you have to scroll through a markedly average range of everything, with only a few episodes of some TV shows, and only one Absolutely Fabulous. There’s the promise of paid-for Wi-Fi (free only in First Class) but there’s none on the first leg, with flight attendants saying they’re at a loss to understand why, which isn’t terribly helpful. It works, however, on the second leg, with a streaming package costing £4.99 ($10) to £21.99, depending on how long you want it for.

Service

This was always where British Airways was traditionally lacking and, in my experience, still is. Outside the main drinks and meal service, it’s extremely hard to get even water to drink. Once, the steward promises to fetch me some, but delivers it instead to another blonde-haired woman at a different table. A second says he’ll bring a glass, but never does. I resort to walking back through the cabin, and then through the economy cabin, all the way to the back of the plane to ask for water in the crew galley, and then carry a cup of it – they’ve run out of plastic bottles – all the way back. It seems the only way.

The cabin temperature is another major irritant. At one stage, it’s so cold that everyone puts on as many clothes as they have with them, including coats, and wraps themselves in the blanket, but we still all complain and ask for the air con to be turned down.

Food

Two meals are served during each flight, with lunch/dinner comprising an heirloom tomato salad starter and a main course choice of roast chicken breast, braised five-spice beef brisket or tofu green curry. It’s all pretty appetising. There’s a delicious chocolate fudge cake to finish, or cheese and biccies. The light snack that follows is a warm sandwich.

Sadly for me, there’s no decaf coffee. There used to be, the staff tell me cheerily, but not any more, which is surprising when other airlines say how useful it is in helping passengers to sleep. Staff say they’ll see if there’s any in business class. But they never report back.

Sustainability

The airline has a ‘BA Better World’ sustainability strategy, aiming for net zero emissions by 2050 by increasingly using sustainable aviation fuel, investing in carbon removal technologies and improving efficiency.*

One more thing

My armrest, irritatingly, doesn’t clip back down properly and my footrest won’t go up, problems suffered too by my neighbour on the next aisle. Attendants try to force them but finally give up. Hopefully maintenance will fix for future flights.

The price

A BA World Traveller Plus (premium economy), Sydney to London return is about $4500, more than twice the cost of World Traveller (economy) at about $1900, but less than half the price of Club World (business) at about $10,300.**

The verdict

I was booked with this airline as there were few seats left on others going to Europe on the desired dates. It’s an OK backstop, but I would never choose this above many of the competitors, and the class names are annoying. Why not just premium economy and economy, like everyone else?

Our rating out of five

★★½

The writer flew courtesy of Explora Journeys.

*For more information about air travel and sustainability, see iata.org

**Fares are based on those available for travel three months from the time of publication and are subject to change.

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