For the past few years, major European airlines have been offering their long-haul flights in four classes instead of the previous three. The Premium Economy has been added, an intermediate product between Business and Economy Class, which is called World Traveller Plus at British Airways. For this comfort, a surcharge must be paid, which varies greatly. There are always offers, so that the Premium Economy can also be used relatively cheaply.
I bought my ticket during a British Airways sale in January 2017. From different German airports prices around 750 Euro were offered. Unlike Lufthansa, British Airways charges additional fees for seat reservations. On my flight it was 54 Euro one way. Also with British Airways two pieces of luggage a 23 kilograms may be taken along. However, the hand luggage may also have this weight. This flight was, after the flight with Lufthansa, my second trip in a Premium Economy.
British Airways 283
London (LHR) – Los Angeles (LAX)
Departure: 10:20 a.m
Arrival: 13:30
Duration: 11:10 hours
Aircraft: Airbus 380
Seat: 66K (World Traveller Plus)
After arriving in London, I go through the passport and security check again to get to the gate for my flight to Los Angeles. This one takes off in terminal 5. World Traveller Plus is boarded separately from Economy, just after Business Class.
The World Traveller Plus of British Airways is located on the A380 on the upper deck. It has 55 seats in a 2-3-2 configuration and is housed in its own minicabin with nine rows and two dedicated restrooms. These are tiny though.
Seats in World Traveller Plus are not only wider and better cushioned, but can also recline further, so sleeping is easier. A comfortable headrest completes the flying experience. Each seat has a pillow as well as a blanket and noise-reducing headphones.
Very comfortable is the middle, double armrest, so you have enough distance to the seat neighbor. There is a cocktail table at the front end.
Each seat also comes with a footrest anchored to the front seat.
A seat pocket is available for storage, as well as generous pockets at the window seats.
The extra-large monitors are built into the back of the seat in front of us. The entertainment system offers numerous movies, series, music and games. Attached to the monitor are two USB sockets for charging mobile devices.
Furthermore, there is a conventional power outlet, which can be found between the seats, as well as a removable remote control, which can be used to operate the entertainment system.
The table for the World Traveller Plus seats is in the armrest and can be folded in the middle.
In Premium Economy each passenger gets a small bag. This is, in contrast to Lufthansa, however, very spartanisch held.
In the bag are an eye patch, socks, toothbrush with toothpaste, earplugs and a pen.
Already after taking a seat a first welcome drink is served. A quarter-liter water bottle is also available at the seat for each passenger.
Even before takeoff, menus are distributed, listing the individual dishes as well as beverages.
We leave the gate on time and taxi past Terminal 2 to the runway.
A short time later we take off and I have a nice view of Terminal 5.
After reaching cruising altitude, service begins with drinks. Two flight attendants take care of the World Traveller Plus, so things move very quickly.
Short time later the food is served. The main dishes are not comparable to those in economy class. Dishes from the business class are offered here. There are two different dishes to choose from, which you can also reserve in advance, so that you get your desired dish. The menus can be viewed on the British Airways website.
After dinner I watch a movie until I can discover the snowy landscape of Greenland by looking out of the window.
A little later, the flight attendants come through the cabin and hand out small boxes. Movie Box can be read on it and inside there are snacks that are perfect for a movie marathon.
After another movie and a nap I look again at the airshow and realize that we are already over Utah. The weather is also good here, so I have beautiful views of the landscape.
About an hour before landing I have a snack. The folded pizza tastes amazingly good and satisfies the hunger besides.
Around 1 p.m. we reach the greater Los Angeles area and start our landing approach. There is also good visibility here, so I can enjoy beautiful views again and again.
At 13:20 o'clock we finally land on the international airport of Los Angeles.
Verdict: The British Airways World Traveller Plus is a good standalone travel class. The seat comfort is much better than in economy class. The Lufthansa Premium Economy seats are a bit more stylish, but there's no difference in the seat feel. However, the soft product was much better with British Airways. The food on my flight was very good and was presented in a visually appealing way. I particularly liked the separate mini-cabin in the A380, which also included two separate toilets. The service was attentive and friendly. Normal prices for a transatlantic flight range around €1500 for a roundtrip, but specials are often offered, offering discounts of up to 50 percent.