Business Class on British Airways

Business Class on British Airways isn’t just one thing – it is, in fact, three. What does that mean? It means that depending on what route you’re flying and what aircraft you’re on, your British Airways Business Class experience will be different (and called something different, too).

On most flights, Business Class on British Airways is called Club World. If you’re flying within Europe on a short-haul flight, it’s called Club Europe. And if you’re lucky enough to be flying from London City Airport to New York’s JFK on one of British Airways’ new Business Class-only flights, it’s called Club World London City. Whichever flight you’re on, you’re obviously part of the “club.” But, not surprisingly, the perks are different depending on which club you’re in.

In this article, we’ll go over some of the main features of each “club,” starting with Club World.

Club World

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The new Club World should be (according to the British Airways website) on all Boeing 747 and 777 aircraft by now, with the rest of the fleet offering the old Club World service. These are the features of the new Club World cabin.

Seat & Bed

Retractable screen for privacy from aisle (or seat next to you)
Seat reclines to a fully flat bed that’s more than 6′ long & almost 22″ wide
Headrest made of memory foam for custom comfort

Food & Beverages

Menu designed by a team of top chefs
“Club Kitchen” allows you to order food in-between meals
Selection of fine wines available

Entertainment

Each seat has personal 10.4″ flat-screen TV
Noise-canceling headphones
Audio and video on-demand, with more than 100 movies and TV shows, more than 50 music CDs and audio books, and 20 interactive games

Other Amenities

Complimentary amenity bag including Elemis skincare products
Each seat has laptop power outlet and phone

Some of these features aren’t availalbe on aircraft fitted with the old Club World cabins, but you can still count on a fully-flat bed for sleeping (it was the world’s first fully-flat bed on an airplane) and top-notch entertainment and meal options.

Club Europe

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On Club Europe flights, the differences between Economy Class and Business Class aren’t as great as with Club World – they’re more akin to the differences between Economy Class and Business Class on domestic flights in the United States (which makes sense, since they’re on short-haul flights).

Club Europe passengers do get preferential treatment at the airport, with access to British Airways lounges and speedy check-in and boarding, and the cabin is more spacious than “behind the curtain.” You’ll get more legroom, wider seats, and a wider selection of (better) food and beverages (complimentary, of course) than you would in Economy Class.

Club World London City

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When it comes to Club World London City, however, there’s no more need to talk of cabins on either side of a curtain – because there is no curtain. These Business Class-only flights began in September 2009, and there are only 32 seats on each plane. The flights are limited to service from London City Airport and New York JFK, but they’re ideal if you’re a frequent traveler between these two business capitals.

Seat & Bed

Newly-designed seat specifically for Club World London City aircraft
Seat reclines to a fully flat bed that’s 6′ long

Food & Beverages

Menu designed in a partnership with Roast, popular London restaurant
You may eat when you like, but if it’s outside meal service times it may not be a hot meal

Entertainment

Each seat has a personal media player, preloaded with a selection of on-demand movies and music
In-seat sockets accept either UK or US plugs
OnAir service lets you stay connected via the internet and text messages during the entire flight (for a fee)

Other Amenities

After departing London, flights stop briefly in Shannon (Ireland) to refuel and go through customs – which means that when you arrive in New York, you’re already through customs and passport control
Club World “Sleeper Service” is for those who want to sleep the entire flight – they can eat pre-boarding in the lounge, have a light snack and a nightcap after boarding, and either choose a hot breakfast before landing or request the to-go breakfast option that you can eat after landing
Complimentary amenity bag with Elemis skincare products