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Review: British Airways World Traveller on a Boeing 777-300ER

Posted by The Flight Detective | Jul 12, 2018 | Flight Reviews | 4

Thunderstorms meant my American Airlines flight was almost two hours late into Boston , meaning I missed my original flight. The gate staff advised to go to Terminal E as fast as possible and see if I could get on this service.

Two other passengers and I got the bus to the new terminal, ran through security and arrived at the boarding gate. My connecting flight at the other end was changed also and of course my luggage didn’t make it .

BA214 – Boston to London Heathrow (BOS-LHR) 31 May 2018 Boeing 777-300ER – G-STBG Seat: World Traveller 38D Departure: 22:50 Arrival: 10:20+1

Sympathy from the gate agent meant I was assigned a block of three seats to myself. Since this was flight four of five in a row, I really appreciated this.

Boeing 777 World Traveller Seats

Seats are arranged in three groups of three and I was assigned an aisle seat in the middle group. Small flat pillows are on each seat along with a blanket. Some dried vomit or food from a previous flight featured on the carpet in the aisle which was a little unpleasant.

Entertainment screens are touch screen though they do also have a controller. A USB charging port is provided for every passenger which is a great addition and is becoming more prevalent on aircraft around the world thanks to our addiction to devices.

Computer boxes for the inflight entertainment eat up a little leg room, but not much. My dream of putting the three armrests up and stretching out were dashed when an Indian girl from the row behind me decided to move forward to the other aisle seat. Drats!

Midnight Meals

Once in the air, the cabin crew come through with a drinks service. I ordered a Bloody Mary and a sparkling water and it duly arrived with pretzels and one mini Smirnoff.

When boarding I had spoken briefly to a crew member to tell her about my delays and what not. She was at the other end of the trolley and secretly gave me a second Smirnoff mini without her colleague seeing. BA often give you two, so it was nice to see she cottoned on to the fact I only received one.

While the curry looks a little bleak in the pictures it turned out to be quite tasty. The vinaigrette added the required pep to the salad and as a lover of sweet things, the millionaires shortbread went down a treat.

Breakfast Time

Boston to London is not a long flight by any means, clocking in at around 7 hours. After relaxing with a movie and trying to nap, the lights came back up and breakfast was served.

Overall Thoughts

World Traveller on the Boeing 777 is pretty decent. Passengers enjoy a large entertainment screen filled with new releases and classic choices from yesteryear. Being able to charge a phone throughout the flight makes me happy too, so the USB sockets are appreciated.

Dinner is substantial enough and the Indian curry was tasty, as was the rest of the meal. I feel the plastic cutlery lets the side down though as it looks flimsy and cheap for a full service international carrier.

The less said about the pretzel, the better. British Airways would do well to heat bread for economy class passengers instead of doling out plastic wrapped refrigerated sickly sweet crap like that for breakfast.

What do you think of World Traveller on British Airways? Have you flown it before? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Thanks for reading and if you have any comments or questions, please leave them below.

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Aviation writer serving arresting takes on flying, loyalty, travel and airline history. There is a general focus on British Airways, Aer Lingus, Qatar Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Qantas, Iberia, American Airlines and the other oneworld alliance airlines, plus selected other carriers. The repertoire also includes flight reviews, avgeek articles and interesting videos from around the web.

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That breakfast is so mediocre. What a terrible offering. I understand east coast transatlantic flights are short, but if you’re going to wake people up from their sleep serve something worth it.

Yes, that is really disappointing indeed. I am sure there is something better out there that can also be handed out quickly. The pretzel was dire! Thanks for the comment!

NEVER ever fly BA for the food….seems to me I’ve heard that lots!

Weirdly enough, the catering is usually very good out of London. The food in business class and first class is usually really good too. I found it odd that the food wasn’t great actually, as for me the food on BA is usually a notch above other airlines. Thanks for the comment!

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A smooth ride across the Atlantic: A review of British Airways World Traveller Plus on the new daytime flight from Newark to London

I have a secret to avoiding jet lag when flying across the Atlantic.

While most flights from the East Coast of the U.S. to London depart in the evening and arrive in the United Kingdom the following morning, there are a handful of daytime flights that depart in the morning and land in the evening of the same day. And I cannot recommend them enough .

These flights are commonly under six hours in length, so too short for a good night's sleep regardless of the cabin. But by taking a daytime flight I can easily stay awake for the fairly short trip, sleep in a real bed in London at a normal bedtime hour when I get there and wake up the following morning with no jet lag.

When British Airways recently announced a new daytime service to Heathrow Airport (LHR) from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), it became a prime opportunity for me to revisit the airline's premium economy service on my preferred schedule and see what the product was like these days. Here's how the experience went.

Related: Why I don't think premium economy is worth the ticket price

British Airways operates two to three daily services from Newark to London depending on the time of year. While at least one service departs in the evening, the new daytime flight departs Newark at 7:55 a.m. daily, arriving in London at a civilized 7:45 p.m. It is scheduled at seven hours in length, though the flight is usually at least one hour faster than this because of the tailwinds.

Round-trip cash fares in British Airways World Traveller Plus (the formal name for its premium economy product) on this route start at $2,076 during the quieter winter months, about three times the price of World Traveller (economy) for the same dates.

One-way fares start from $940 in World Traveller Plus, or $586 in World Traveller, though you can expect to pay almost twice this much on busy summer dates.

There was good award availability for this new flight, so my ticket was booked using 26,000 Avios and $298 in taxes, fees and those pesky British Airways fuel surcharges for a one-way flight on an off-peak date. The fees, taxes and surcharges were paid with The Platinum Card® from American Express , which earns 5 Membership Rewards points per dollar on purchases made directly with airlines (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year), picking up an additional 1,490 Membership Rewards points, worth $29.80 by TPG's current valuations .

You can earn enough Avios required to book this flight round-trip with a single welcome bonus. The British Airways Visa Signature Card earns 85,000 Avios after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. There's also a 10% discount on British Airways flights originating in the U.S. when booking through a dedicated site, up to $600 per calendar year in statement credits for those frustrating award flight fees year, and the ability to earn a Travel Together ticket after you spend $30,000 on the card in a calendar year. Cardmembers will receive a $100 statement credit per reward flight booking in economy (World Traveller) or premium economy (World Traveller Plus), or an up $200 statement credit for all other reward flight bookings in business (Club World) and First.

British Airways has the frustrating policy of charging for seat selection in all cabins except First. Prices for my flight to London ranged from $60 for a center seat in the back rows up to $95 for a window seat in the front few rows of the cabin. Executive Club and Oneworld elite members, fortunately, can select their seats free of charge at the time of booking. So, with my Oneworld Sapphire status, I opted for a window seat in Row 18 at no charge.

Ground experience

I regularly fly out of New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) , but this was only my second time at Newark and my first time at Terminal B, which was quiet as the sun rose for my early departure to London.

Terminal B had check-in areas spread over three different levels which, as a new visitor, I found very confusing. It took me quite some time from Level 3, where my Uber dropped me off, to find the British Airways check-in desks, which were relegated to a back corner next to luggage belts down on Level 1 with LOT Polish Airlines and Icelandair.

Oddly, there was no separate queue for World Traveller Plus passengers, as the signage directed them to use the regular World Traveller economy lane. However, there were dedicated World Traveller Plus desks, but no World Traveller desks. With the low ceilings, basement-like atmosphere and odd setup, it was not a glamorous start to my journey.

I was helped quickly as there were few other passengers around. World Traveller Plus passengers receive two 50-pound checked bags though I avoid checking in my luggage wherever possible.

Given British Airways' impressive check-in setup at JFK Terminal 7 , I think I'd choose JFK for my next departure from New York on the airline.

Security was very quick and I was through in minutes. British Airways' Newark flights operate from the B50-B58 gates pier, where the airline also operates its own lounge (immediately after security and up one flight of stairs). Lounge access is not included with a World Traveller Plus premium economy ticket, so instead, I wandered through the compact but pleasant terminal. I especially liked the huge dome where the gates were located as the sun rose on another New York morning.

There was plenty of seating around my gate area and a relaxed atmosphere.

Two boarding lanes were set up with groups 1 to 3 able to use the right lane, and groups 4 to 9 using the left lane. World Traveller Plus passengers were assigned to Group 3.

Boarding commenced slightly later than the scheduled time, around 30 minutes before departure, with groups 1 and 2 invited to board together, and after that was my Group 3. The flight departed slightly late but still managed to arrive around an hour early, as usual, because of the strong tailwinds.

Cabin and seat

The British Airways 777-200 aircraft that flew me to London had 235 seats in four classes of service. Behind First and Club Suites , there were 40 World Traveller Plus premium economy seats in a 2-4-2 configuration across five rows. The cabin felt small and intimate, a key selling point of this cabin class compared with the large economy cabin behind me. The navy blue seats with herringbone fabric were smart both in appearance and their ability to hide stains and spills.

The seats were 18 1/2-inches wide, which was not overly generous given this was only 1 inch wider than the economy seats in the cabin behind, though I enjoyed slightly more elbow room thanks to the double armrest in between my seat and the one next to me. Legroom was 38 inches (normal for premium economy these days) and there was a comfortable fold-down footrest, though unfortunately, British Airways opted not to install leg rests on the premium economy seats.

The seat reclined a generous 8 inches. This is both a blessing and a curse: If you want to sleep, it's great to have your seat go back as far as possible, but it also means the passenger in front of you can recline a long way into your personal space.

The recline function was operated by a single button on the center console. Be aware that if you have a personal electronic device like a laptop open on your tray table, the seat in front can recline quickly and without notice, potentially damaging your device. You may wish to ask the passenger in front to give you a heads-up if you want to ensure any devices remain safe.

I liked how well cushioned the headrest was. The sides could be adjusted slightly in and out to cradle your head, and the entire headrest could move up and down and remain in place.

Storage was sorely lacking around the seat — beyond a large literature pocket in the seatback in front of me, there was nowhere else to place personal items. The bi-fold tray table, which stowed away in the center console, was large enough for my 13-inch Macbook, but you should forget about trying to work or watch anything on a laptop when the passenger in front has reclined their seat all the way.

Individual universal charging points were provided at each seat (with two in the center console I shared with my seat neighbor). There were also those odd audio-visual plugs I've never seen anyone use on an aircraft.

While the seat was not especially wide, and the lack of leg rest was a shame, it was still a comfortable and fairly well-designed seat.

Amenities and inflight entertainment

Awaiting me on my seat was an (unwrapped) fleecy pillow and blanket, an amenity kit and a pair of plastic-wrapped headphones. Both the pillow and blanket were a good size and soft to the touch, despite initially looking a little disheveled on the seat.

The headphones were terrific and a real highlight of the flight, as they were comfortable, well cushioned and high quality, even though they did not have active noise-canceling functionality.

A basic amenity kit is an industry standard in international premium economy, and British Airways' version contained an eye mask, sleep socks, a toothbrush with a tiny toothpaste, a pen and Scaramouche + Fandango lip balm. The "washbag" pouch the items were housed in was made from recycled plastic bottles but looked far more stylish than the crumpled, recycled washbag Virgin Atlantic provides its premium economy passengers .

The 10.6-inch seatback entertainment screen could be tilted up and down at an angle, which was handy when the passenger in front was reclined. It was both touchscreen-operated and could be navigated with the dated remote control housed in the center console. There were 44 new-release movies available, including "Ambulance," "Marry Me" and "Lost City." Among the 24 television series box sets, I enjoyed a few episodes of the latest season of "Britain's Got Talent." Two USB charging points were provided under the screen for each passenger.

Wi-Fi was offered on my flight to London with three different packages available, from 4.99 pounds (about $6) for one hour up to 14.99 pounds (about $17) for the full flight, and limited to one device. The Wi-Fi speeds were the fastest I have ever registered on an aircraft — an astonishing 60Mbps download with a reasonable 4.03Mbps upload. This allowed me to be both very productive throughout the flight and also refresh the BBC news homepage regularly as this flight took place the day Queen Elizabeth II passed away, so I wanted to keep up with events.

Related: In pictures: The queen's life in travel

There were, unfortunately, no dedicated bathrooms for World Traveller Plus passengers, so we shared the two immediately behind our cabin with the World Traveller economy cabin. These bathrooms were standard in size and amenities but were kept clean and as the flight was not full (a perk I've found on my daytime flights across the Atlantic), there was rarely a wait to use them.

Food and beverage

Drinks were offered during boarding with a choice of sparkling wine, orange juice or water. I chose orange juice, which was served in glassware. No bottled water was waiting at my seat.

Flight attendants served the main meal of breakfast shortly after takeoff with a smaller second meal before landing. Breakfast consisted of fruit yogurt and fresh fruit with a choice of three entrees: scrambled eggs with sausage, bacon, mushrooms and tomato; cheese and chervil omelet; or apple pancakes with strawberry compote and vanilla anglaise.

In a vague attempt at a healthier option than sausage and bacon, I asked for the omelet. I was also offered a fresh croissant and my choice of beverage. I again selected orange juice.

A neatly arranged tray packed full of items was handed to me. The range of colors of my meal was visually appealing, though it was, in reality, just a neatly presented economy-class breakfast served on china with metal cutlery.

I've eaten countless airplane breakfasts like this over my decades of travel and it all tasted ... fine. The main dish was piping hot, though it was a little bland so I needed the salt and pepper sachets.

The crew passed through the cabin again to offer tea or coffee after the meal. I chose a coffee to keep me awake right through to London and I was surprised to see the hot drinks served in a takeaway paper cup. Given that the other drinks throughout the flight were served in proper glassware, I wish British Airways provided ceramic cups for these hot drinks.

About 75 minutes before arrival, the trolleys appeared again. The only choices were sandwiches with either chicken and cheese, or just plain cheese. They were served with a packet of sour-cream-and-chive baked pretzels and a choice of drink from the bar. I decided to raise a glass to the (now late) Queen Elizabeth II with a very British gin and tonic. British Airways serves Aviation Gin, which I like for both the name and the taste.

The small sandwich tasted fine and was stuffed with plenty of chicken — I just wish it had been larger. The second meal service on daytime flights this length tends to be too small for me, no matter the airline, and I was still hungry when we landed in London.

The crew members on my flight to London were all upbeat, welcoming and friendly. I found the service to be slightly more formal than in Virgin Atlantic's premium economy cabin, with the British Airways crew referring to me as "sir" with every interaction. There were no lapses in the service throughout the flight.

What I will remember most about this flight was that, 90 minutes before landing, I refreshed the BBC news homepage to learn that Buckingham Place had just announced the death of Queen Elizabeth II. I noticed a few shocked faces around the cabin as those passengers who had connected to the Wi-Fi during the flight learned the momentous news.

As the crew members wheeled the trolleys into the cabin around 15 minutes later for the second meal service, it appeared they had not been advised of the news by the captain as they were as chipper and full of smiles as ever despite some truly glum passenger faces in the cabin.

I was curious to see if and how the pilot might announce the news before we landed in London. It was definitely one of those "where were you when you heard the news" moments in world history, especially for anyone living in the U.K. (the death of Princess Diana and the tragedies of Sept. 11 being others I vividly remember). As we began our descent into Heathrow the pilot advised passengers of the queen's passing over the loudspeaker in a solemn, respectful and very British way.

As an avid traveler living in London, it felt oddly fitting to learn this news on a British Airways flight.

Overall impression

This was a solid premium economy experience on British Airways. The check-in area at Newark needs some work, and for that reason alone I would probably choose to fly from JFK next time. But other than that, it was fairly smooth sailing for the rest of my day across the Atlantic. I still prefer these daytime flights, and woke up at a normal time in my own bed the following morning without jet lag.

British Airways' World Traveller Plus seat provides decent comfort and legroom along with its deep recline and clever headrest. The Wi-Fi download speeds were the fastest I've experienced on a flight, making for a productive workday. The first meal was filling, if not refined, though the second meal was too small, as I have encountered on most flights between New York and London. The headphones, blanket and pillow were all more suited to business class than economy, which was a treat.

Having recently flown Virgin Atlantic's Premium on the same daytime route , I found British Airways to be slightly better mainly because of the superior seat recline, amenities, food quality and consistent service.

I still believe premium economy is overpriced for what you actually get, especially for cash fares two or three times the cost of economy. However, if you are choosing premium economy, British Airways is a smart choice.

Simple Flying

Inside british airways' new boeing 777.

A couple of weeks ago, British Airways took delivery of its first Boeing 777 in six years. The delivery of this aircraft is significant as it is the first aircraft to feature the airline's modified first class suite. The aircraft began operating scheduled flights on October 7th and has since been flying back and forth from New York on weekdays.

While airlines worldwide have been busy innovating when it comes to cabins, British Airways fell behind a bit until its new business class suite launched late last summer. However, this created a problem on aircraft with both a Club Suite cabin and a First cabin. As they lacked a door, the First seats offered less privacy than the cheaper Club World seats.

Stay informed:  Sign up for our  daily aviation news digest .

First cabin

As would be expected on a single deck four-class aircraft, the highest class of travel is located at the front of the aircraft. In this case, it is the First cabin. This is where British Airways' new 777 stands out.

In a 1-2-1 configuration, the aircraft has two rows, equating to eight seats. The actual seat used in the suite is relatively similar to that in use in the airline's other first class cabins. The only real difference is that the seats now have fully closing doors meaning complete privacy in an already exclusive cabin. British Airways is expected to launch an entirely new first class hard product when its first 777X aircraft are delivered.

Behind the first class cabin is the airline's Club Suite business class cabin . This features the new Club World cabin first debuted on the airline's first Airbus A350 just over a year ago. The cabin is split into two by the aircraft's second set of exits.

According to a seat map from Expert Flyer , the front portion of the cabin contains 13 seats, in a 1-2-1 configuration, with an extra seat on the right. Behind the doors are another nine rows of seating, still in the 1-2-1 format. All of the seats have a fully closing door. However, the forward portion of the cabin will naturally feel more exclusive than the rear of the aircraft.

World Traveller Plus

World Traveller Plus is the name used by British Airways for its premium economy cabin. On the new Boeing 777, 40 World Traveller Plus seats are distributed across five rows. This means that the aircraft has a 2-4-2  layout. While the outside seats will be best for couples, the middle seat block may seem a bit cozy to some.

World Traveller

Last but not least is the airline's economy cabin, named World Traveller. This cabin will definitely be cozy to some. At the start of the cabin, passengers will encounter a 3-4-3 seating layout. However, as the fuselage of the aircraft begins to taper in at the rear, the configuration drops down to 2-4-2. In total, 138 economy seats feature on the aircraft.

When did you last fly on a British Airways Boeing 777? Which cabin were you sat in? Let us know your experience in the comments!

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Traveler photos (23).

In-flight amenities

All seats feature 12 audio channels featuring up to 4 talk-radio channels hosted exclusively for British Airways and the remainder as music channel choices. More Information

Club World Business features personal video screens featuring interactive games and offering up to 18 channels of the latest film and television programs.

In World Traveller and World Traveller Plus, every seat on long haul flights has its own 6.3 inch LCD video screen offering 18 video channels and a flight information channel. World Traveller Plus adds interactive games.

More Information

Club World Business and World Traveller Plus feature in-seat laptop power connections. There are no connections in the standard World Traveller class. Read our guide to in-seat laptop power for more information.

British Airways is in the middle of introducing WiFi on all of their 777-200 aircraft. As of November 2018, 28 out of their 43 777-200s have WiFi.

More information

British Airways offers a variety of complimentary food and beverages, based on the time of day and departure location. An enhanced meal service is offered to Club Europe passengers. Click here for more information about food offered onboard.

Note that British Airways flies more than one version of the 777. There are three classes on this transatlantic plane, but BA also has a 4-class configuration. This aircraft type is based at London Heathrow.

All A, D, F, and J seats in World Traveller class have limited underseat leg and storage space due to the presence of an entertainment equipment box.

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British Airways 777 Seat Map

British Airways 777 Seat Specifications

Amenities key.

British Airways 777 Seating Map: Overview

This British Airways 777 seat map overview is specifically for the British Airways 777 200, one of its most famous versions. The 777 200 has four cabins: the First Class, Club World, World Traveller Plus, and World Traveller. Passengers looking to learn what these cabins look like before booking a ticket can use the British Airways 777 200 seat map.

Depending on the flight time, the departure location, and destination, complimentary meals and beverages are offered to passengers on-flight. Also, improved meal service is presented to Club Europe fliers.

The First Class, Club World, and World Traveller Plus cabins come with an in-seat laptop connector on all British Airways 777 200. Not all seats have laptop power connections on its World Traveller Class.

The British Airways 777 is designed with the passengers’ comfort in mind. All of its seats have an on demand video screen with audiobooks, songs, television programmes, and movies for people looking to enjoy their favorite movies, sports, and reality shows in flight.

BA 777 Seat Map: Best Seats

First class.

Going by the British Airways 777 seat map, the First Class cabin comprises 14 open suites. All the seats are standard with just a few noticeable disadvantages.

The only apparent drawback to some First Class seats that can be seen from the British Airways Boeing 777 seat map, is their proximity to the lavatory. The seats 1AEFK and 4AK are the affected ones.

For passengers traveling with a companion, the middle seats — 1EF, 2EF, 3EF, and 4EF — are ideal. Those by both ends, the seats 1AK, 2AK, 3AK, and 4AK, are primarily quiet and offer excellent privacy.

The British Airways 777 Business Class seat map shows that the cabin comprises 48 flat bed seats. The seats 10AB and 10JK in the first row have only one noticeable disadvantage — their nearness to the lavatories.

The seats 12A and K have misaligned windows, therefore, passengers looking for a bird’s eye view may consider it unsuitable.

According to the British Airways Boeing 777 seats, seats 15A and K are the most suitable in this cabin. They offer extra legroom, easier access to the aisle, and are most suitable for passengers with babies due to the attached bassinets.

World Traveller Plus

The British Airways 777 seat in the World Traveller Plus cabin is structured in a 2-4-2 layout. Of the 40 seats in the cabin, the 21st row seats are the best. Aside from the extra legroom, they have a footrest attached to offer more comfort to passengers. However, they have reduced width due to the tray table in the armrest.

In this Boeing 777 British Airways plane, the seats 25DEF are the most unsuitable. Aside from their proximity to the lavatory, they have reduced legroom and storage space.

World Traveller

The World Traveller cabin of the British Airways Boeing 777 comprises 122 seats. The seats 26A and K are not the best due to limited legroom, no windows, lack of floor and overhead storage, proximity to the lavatory, and reduced seat width.

As the BA 777 seating plans show, the 26th row has extra legroom, but the seats are not ideal because of their lack of storage, reduced seat width and closeness to the lavatories.

Proximity to the lavatories is also a disadvantage for the seats 39J, 39K, 36ABC. Furthermore, the seat 38H is usually bumped by other passengers; while reduced width is a problem for the seats 36AK, 37AK, and 38A.

British Airways World Traveller Plus Review: Is it Worth It?

By: Author Amanda OBrien

Posted on Last updated: 19/03/2024

In 2017 I flew premium economy with Qantas Sydney to Hong Kong return. It was a fantastic experience.

In fact, it was so good it made me question if I could really justify the extra amount to fly business class if it wasn’t an Australia – Europe/US flight.

So when was looking at flying from London to New York – and then Los Angeles to London return – I thought I would give British Airways World Traveller Plus a shot. Which I did back in 2018 and I recently flew with British Airways World Traveller Plus post-Covid in 2022.

I’m going to kick off with an update from 2022 when I flew from Portland to London Heathrow with British Airways in premium economy. My older review involved flying out of London Heathrow so it has quite a bit of information on checking in at Heathrow etc.

⇒ Click here for Prices and Deals on British Airways

British Airways World Traveller Plus 2022 update

After a long break flying with British Airways in World Traveller Plus I signed up again to try them out in July of 2022. I was flying from London to Washington DC, and then home to London out of Portland. I received an offer that was too good to refuse to upgrade to business class on the flight from Heathrow to Washington DC. This review update covers the Portland to London Heathrow leg in premium economy.

I somehow managed to end up on British Airways’s first (not sure if this is the first ever flight but it was certainly the first for a while) direct flight out of Portland to Heathrow. Everyone was in a great mood and there was even cake and sandwiches at the boarding gate for everyone!

As such, we had a very nice new 787 that I believe was a Dreamliner. Few things make me happier than realizing that I am on a relatively new plane as it always means a huge improvement in the premium economy experience.

When I mentioned to the crew that Virgin Atlantic offers its premium economy passengers prosecco the attendant even went and got me a glass of champagne from business class! As I said, all were in a joyous mood.

To be honest, not a lot has changed since the last time I flew World Traveller Plus with British Airways. The 787 I was on had only three rows of premium economy seats. I quite liked this as it normally means faster service and I feel more of a sense of space when the area is smaller. The seat layout was 2-3-2.

I had booked in my window seat when I booked the flight as I always do on overnight flights (I find it worth it to pay a bit extra at booking to achieve this).

One thing that has improved is the quality of the headphones in premium economy which are now noise cancelling. Also, the quality of the food on offer has improved. I enjoyed a very nice steak.

The Dreamliner 787 also has new touch-operated window screens and better cabin pressurization. If you are able to choose your flight and can see the different planes available, I suggest checking to find the Dreamliner 787 option for world traveller plus as it is definitely a step above premium economy on some of BA’s other planes.

British Airways World Traveller Plus Review (2017): Online Check-In

Unfortunately, things with British Airways World Traveler plus did not get off to a good start. Two days before my flight I went on to the British Airways app and was able to reserve one of the aisles British Airways Premium Economy seats – great.

The next day, when I went to actually check in online I was told that my passport number was wrong and that I wasn’t able to check in.

I then had issues with my uber so only arrived at the airport 90 minutes before my British Airways flight.

British Airways Premium Economy: Bag Drop and issues arise

I went and used the check-in machine for my premium economy British Airways flight and my seat had changed to a window – which was good news for me. Then I went to the desk for bag drop.

When the attendant is on the phone for some time when all you do is drop your bag, it is not a good sign. I was told by the attendant that I had been “sneaky” taking the window seat.

I was quite annoyed by this and asked how could I be sneaky when the app had done this for me. I was then told that they had overbooked business class and that seat had been meant for someone who was being downgraded to premium economy on British Airways – which meant they now wanted to move me to British Airways economy class.

I was so annoyed. It really makes me furious when airlines do this. Or should I say when British Airways do this as they are the only airline that has tried to bump me from flights several times due to overbooking.

In what other industry would an organization take your money ahead of time and then when you turned up to experience that service be told that you couldn’t as they had overbooked – and that apparently this was fine?

It is a major problem as a solo traveler as we are at the top of the list when it comes to who gets bumped first when it comes to air travel.

A British Airways staff member once told me that the safest people were those also flying with British Airways from a connecting airport eg Manchester to London and then on to say NY, followed by groups, followed by families and then by couples.

Only the male solo traveler is worse off than the female solo traveler. My annoyance was greater as I had injured my ankle in Nepal earlier that year and absolutely could not have sat in an economy seat for several hours without problems.

Luckily I had a letter from my doctor with me (I had it in case my ankle got worse and I needed medical treatment) so I was able to produce this and say I had to stay in British Air premium economy.

I ended up in British Airways Economy Plus but not without quite a bit of undue stress and frustration. This experience alone has been enough to really put me off flying with British Airways.

I do find it outrageous that you can be potentially bumped like this – and that the staff always seem to act like this is of no consequence and why are you getting upset? OK rant over!

British Airways Premium Economy Review: Getting to the Gate

Anyway, the flight was then at Gate A10 at Terminal 5, which means a very long bus trip. I thought we were driving to New York.

BA World Traveller Plus also means no lounge access and no priority seating.

British Airways World Traveller Plus Review: The plane and the seats

The British Airways World Traveller Plus 777 plane was a little old and compared to Qantas it felt a lot less spacious. The seat layout was 4 in the middle and 2 on each side.

I was on the side thank goodness. I would have been very unhappy to have paid for premium economy and to have had one of the extreme middle seats.

I often wonder who ends up in these seats – are they the people that don’t make sure they do early online check-in? Or maybe they are more tolerant than me.

BA World Traveller Plus Review: In-flight amenities

British Airways Premium Economy 747 has good quality headphones which were nice. The British Airways premium economy product also does have a very good in-flight entertainment system.

The British Airways Premium Economy in-flight amenity kit was not bad – socks, eye mask, earplugs, toothbrush and a pen. Great idea to have a pen as everyone needs one on a flight.

There is a lot of legroom and the seats are comfortable on the British Airways 787 Premium Economy flight. I was also pleased to see that there were 2 USB ports in the seat ahead and then 2 power points between the seats.

The food was a big positive for this World Traveller plus review 777 writer. It did feel like an upgrade from economy. We were also offered a lovely glass of sparkling wine before take-off.

Premium Economy British Airways Review: Some Positives

One of my favourite features of British Airways premium economy 777 is that they have a very useful brochure which explains all the features and benefits of the world traveler plus seat – this is such a good idea.

Every premium economy and business class seat is different and you don’t want to miss out when good features can be used.

There was also a good-sized storage locker next to the window which was handy – another reason trying to get the window seat is one of my top tips.

World Traveller vs World Traveller Plus

In March 2018 British Airways made major upgrades to its World Traveller and British Airways Premium Economy 777 cabins at Gatwick on their Boeing 777s.

Both cabins have had their entertainment screens increased by 50% in size. I’m looking forward to checking out the new six-way headrest.

Interestingly these new planes will feature a considerable increase in the number of World Traveller Plus seats – coming from a reduction in Club World. Premium Economy is on the rise.

So what about the rest of the fleet? World Traveller Plus is a major improvement on World Traveller, which doesn’t offer the best seats. Also, there are few opportunities to upgrade within World Traveller – apart from the exit rows.

If you have a long flight or an overnight flight I think the upgrade cost is absolutely worth it.

Upgrading to British Airways Club World

Theoretically, being in BA World Traveller Plus means it is easier/more likely that you can be upgraded to Club World. BA does offer paid opportunities for upgrades but not all the time – and not necessarily at the best prices.

The best way to check if this is an option for your flight is to visit the Manage My Booking page. The price generally varies between 400 and 700 GBPs.

For frequent flyers, Avios points are a good option for upgrading – or combining Avios points with payment. It is not normally the best use of Avios to upgrade (they tend to be their most effective for less-visited longer trips in economy class in my experience) but it is a good option.

Finally, if you are a frequent flyer and flying World Traveller Plus there is a greater opportunity for an upgrade. This will most likely happen when World Traveller Plus has been booked out and business class has seats.

British Airways Premium Economy: The Verdict

Overall, the seat itself is the key difference between world traveller and world traveller plus on British Airways.

On Qantas and other airlines, there does feel like there is more of a difference between the two cabins – particularly when it comes to service.

I was flying with British Airways when they were having extensive problems as an airline so it could not have been fun to be working for them at that time.

However, I am paying the extra and in my view, I do expect a slightly better service. I would hesitate to take British Airways Premium Economy again – mostly driven by nearly being downgraded to economy.

I don’t want to have to worry about this when I am headed to Heathrow. I, of course, would fly with them if there was a good enough deal, but they have certainly moved down my list after this experience.

Here is BA’s full rundown on their premium economy offer and The Telegraph’s Comparisons of Premium Economy Offers including British Airways Premium Economy Reviews

⇒ Prices and Deals on British Airways

British Airways World Traveller Plus Frequently Asked Questions

What class is world traveller plus on ba.

World traveller plus on British Airways is premium economy. This is a class between economy and business class.

Do you get lounge access with British Airways World Traveller Plus?

No, you do not get lounge access with a British Airways World Traveller Plus ticket.

Does World Traveller Plus on British Airways get priority boarding?

Yes, World Traveller Plus travelers on British Airways get priority boarding and check-in.

Does World Traveller Plus on British Airways get to use the fast track queue for security?

No, World Traveller Plus customers on British Airways do not get to use the fast track queue for security.

How wide are the World Traveller Plus British Airways seats?

The seats in British Airways World Traveller Plus generally have a 38 inch pitch and are 18.5 inches wide. The seats are 1 inch wider than economy and the pitch is 7 inches greater than economy.

Booking Flights:

I use Skyscanner for all my flights – from economy through to business – click here to Check out SkyScanner 

Boutique Hotels in London

Artist Residence is located in Pimlico which is fabulously central. It is in a gorgeous 5 store regency building and has a cute bar.

⇒ Read reviews on TripAdvisor ⇒ Book Now

The Portobello Hotel is located in one of London’s best known and cutest neighbourhoods Notting Hill. This is also the hotel where Kate Moss and Johnny Depp filled up the bath with champagne.

The hotel is located on a quiet street but is a great location.

The Great Northern Hotel is ridiculously close to Kings Cross and St Pancras stations which is incredibly convenient. The hotel dates back to 1854 but has had a major refurb so it feels fresh and modern.

The Hoxton hotel is in the heart of East London in Shoreditch and is a perfect base for exploration. The rooms aren’t huge but the location makes up for it – as does the great value for London with rooms starting at £99 a night.

Who Paid for What in this British Airways World Traveller Plus Post

I covered the cost of my flights on British Airways Premium Economy. This post on British Airways world traveller plus contains affiliate links. That means if you click on them and end up making a purchase on that website I will receive a small commission. I wanted to make sure you were aware of this.

READ NEXT: American Airlines PREMIUM ECONOMY REVIEW

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Amanda O’Brien is the creator and editor of The Boutique Adventurer. She has visited 80 countries and is a member of the British Guild of Travel Writers as well as the IFTWTA. She is passionate about wine had has just completed Level 3 of the WSET. Born in Australia, she lives in London.

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Journeying John

Sunday 5th of March 2023

Glad your food was ok and an upgrade but I have to reportthe reverse, bith in and oit of India, there was no choice and what was actually served was worse than mkat carriers economy meals. As for BA's IT systems and contempt for customers who habe paid for a service they don't recieve. Your experience is far from unique and I wonder if you would ever have got any form of compensation had you not had the ankle injury. BA or the UK brand of IAG are #BestAvoided today.

Amanda OBrien

Wednesday 15th of March 2023

I doubt it on the compensation front John! Luckily BA seems to be getting better but I am still nervous about being kicked off flights when I am travelling solo

Jean-Pierre

Tuesday 21st of February 2023

Interesting you had problems with entering your passport information when checking-in. This has happened twice to me using the BA website. The two occasions have been years apart so BA have not fixed their website.

I eventually found a telephone number to call for website support and after about 40 minutes the agent was able to get my passport info to take. It was very frustrating, especially after paying for the upgrade to World Traveler Plus, the taking more money part of their website works very well.

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A tale of two classes: British Airways World Traveller and WTP

By fintan horan-stear →.

Unfortunately, on a recent roundtrip between London Heathrow and Newark, New Jersey, starting with LHR-EWR in World Traveller economy class, these flashes of PaxEx brilliance were overshadowed by appalling service on the outbound across the Atlantic. 

Having already checked in online, I arrived at Heathrow’s Terminal 5 and went straight to the self-service bag drop system, which worked flawlessly. There were no queues. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for security, which took 35 minutes to get through. 

The automated bag drop was simple to use. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear

Once through security, I waited in a paid access lounge for my gate to be called. When the announcement finally came, roughly 20 minutes late, I was pleasantly surprised to see that my flight would be leaving from the A gates closest to the terminal. That is until I learned I was simply headed to a bus gate. I waited patiently at the cramped gate lounge as the stream of premium passengers trickled past and into the bus.

Fifteen minutes before our scheduled departure, my group was called, and we made our way to the vehicle. Unfortunately, once we arrived at our Boeing 777, boarding was a scrum. During the process, a crew member chided passengers for their bag arrangements in a rude and passive-aggressive manner.

The 777 is a mainstay of BA’s fleet, but it’s still surprising to see BA use remote stands for them. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear

Inside, I took a hot second to inspect my World Traveller economy class seat, part of a seat pair near the back of the aircraft. Though the seat is older, and perhaps past its prime — as evidenced by the small inflight entertainment screen — it has a lot of personal space and in fact, I found it to be quite comfortable.

A blanket, pillow, and disposable headphones of poor quality awaited me. The seat has no individual air gasper, as is often the case these days aboard widebodies.

The seat was a solid product, but it is in need of a refresh on British Airways. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear

I went to the lavatory to freshen up before takeoff, and, shockingly, the bathrooms were filthy. We hadn’t even left at this point. 

One can only assume the delay in boarding meant a short turnaround. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear

Once we were in the air, I decided to peruse the IFE selection, which had a variety of blockbusters and UK original series. I settled on Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade , and the 1989-era picture quality of the film suited the ancient IFE screen perfectly. Alas, the Wi-Fi and USB power port in the seat did not work.

Whilst the selection was a bit limited, I was grateful for the classics on British Airways. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear

Despite some tired fixtures, the seat itself was good enough. Even when the seat in front of me was fully reclined, I had enough legroom, and as a 6’4 (193cm)-sized person, I fitted in the space. Having said that, the pan of my seat continuously slid forward throughout the flight, causing my legs to ache from keeping them tense. 

Legroom was sufficient, with clear space even for a tall person. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear

One hour into the flight, the drink service began, with BA serving World Traveller Plus premium economy passengers first before moving onto World Traveller economy. I had sparkling water and white wine. The Chilean Sauvignon Blanc was soft and fruity. I also snagged a sparkling Italian wine that was too sweet. The two crew members serving the drinks were friendly. 

Two hours into the flight, the meal began. Special meals were hand-delivered first. My Asian vegetarian meal consisted of a buckwheat salad starter, Daal curry, cheese and crackers, and mango parfait, which were all tasty and satisfying. However, my enjoyment was dampened when a crew member, who had arrived to assist with meals, scolded the passenger beside me for having his headphones in and not clocking that he had missed the meal. 

It was not an isolated incident, as I overhead flight attendants grumble audibly about passengers during the flight — presumably they assumed the passengers couldn’t hear them because of the headphones, ironically enough.

The meal was the highlight of the BA flight. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear

Following the meal service, I tried to remain in the background as much as possible to avoid raising the ire of the crew. 

The IFE was buggy and slow, so I spent the rest of the flight watching Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and questioning my life choices.

I certainly identified with the heroine of The Temple of Doom on this flight. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear

Ninety minutes before landing, a snack service arrived, including an Indian-flavored vegetarian Wellington that was not bad. 

I was grateful that British Airways could offer a hot snack equal to the meat version on board. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear

As we prepared to land at Newark, I felt downtrodden by the abject rudeness of the crew. I hoped that, on my return flight to London in World Traveller Plus premium economy, the experience would improve.

The ground experience at Newark was a pleasant surprise. Checkin was faultless, with no queues and friendly staff.

Security was also a breeze; advanced scanners meant no decanting of items out of my bag. And I had some time to relax before boarding.  

After amusing myself at the terminal, I arrived at the gate 45 minutes before departure. The mood was calm, and boarding began 20 minutes later. I took my seat just five minutes before we were due to leave.

The aircraft was a three-year-old Boeing 787-10, and I was excited to be on board a relatively new and modern aircraft. World Traveller Plus premium economy is located in a sub-cabin behind the cavernous Club World space, with 35 seats across five rows. The seats are wide and comfortable with a large IFE screen, seat controls in the armrest, power ports, and a cocktail table.

The cabin is conservative but quite airy. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear

I was grateful for the noise-cancelling headset and an amenity kit. And the legroom was impressive, with both legrests and footrests provided for extra comfort.

The seat provided ample legroom for this 6’4 (193cm) journalist. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear

Before boarding, we were presented with a glass of water or orange juice. As we taxied, I inspected the bedding; the pillow and blanket were beautifully soft with a blue and red herringbone design that felt soothing in the hand without being too heavy.

The amenity kit had a matching design and felt soft and sturdy. It contained the usual flight socks, eye mask, lip balm, pen, and toothbrush.

The amenity kit and bedding were frankly wonderful. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear

I tried out the IFE on takeoff, which unfortunately didn’t work initially, but, as we turned out of Newark, and with a very loud rendition of the Flower Duet playing in the cabin, the IFE came to life.

If the blasting of BA’s anthem song over the PA didn’t wake people up, the shock of the IFE system sending us to Johannesburg, South Africa might have given passengers a surprise. 

Your guess is as good as mine. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear

I inspected the IFE offerings: it had a lot of Paramount TV box sets, as well as HBO classics and the usual BBC fare. The system was slow and a bit clunky, but not awful. The quality of the screen was fine, with bright colours, but it lacked sharp definition. I decided on The White Lotus , which was good for escapism. But as before in economy, the Wi-Fi and power outlet did not work.

Whilst better than BA’s 777 economy class IFE system, it still wasn’t state-of-the-art.  Image: Fintan Horan-Stear

Menus were passed out as we climbed, and then hot towels were distributed. Bizarrely, this was done in total darkness, so even with the reading light on it was a bit of a fumble. Thereafter, a haphazard dinner service began.

The menu was a premium touch. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear

The lights were fortunately raised for the meal service. Though two flight attendants were working the service, they didn’t bring a drink trolley with them, so options were limited. Room temperature wine from the food cart was available.

The wine was frankly unacceptable for premium economy. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear

Strangely, no bread was offered, despite there appearing to be a full basket on the cart. I asked for a sparkling wine, which was brought after the meal service; it was the same Italian Frizzante served in economy. 

I had the Asian vegetarian option, which consisted of barley salad, korma curry, and a fruit plate. The salad was fruity and sweet, but not cloying. The curry was warm and the fruit plate was fresh and cool.

The meal was perfectly fine, but nothing exciting. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear

Having finished my dinner, I got ready for sleep. I found the seat to be scratchy but the seat next to me was unoccupied so I put the spare cover over my seat for added comfort. I got a reasonable 3 ½ hours before waking an hour before landing when the breakfast service began.

I was presented with a slimy roasted vegetable inside a wet roll, which was unappetizing. An orange juice and coffee completed the meal.

Breakfast was a bit of a low point. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear

As we began our descent, I surmised that this was overall a pleasant flight. The hard product offered space to sleep, and the Boeing 787-10 — with new and modern lavs and comfortable cabin pressure — made me feel fresher on landing.

I would have appreciated an operable in-seat power port, and indeed one of those seemingly forbidden bread rolls on the cart. But BA World Traveller Plus delivered a superior experience than the outbound flight in coach, as one might expect.

Related Articles:

• Whither Brussels Airlines? Time for a rethink
• British Airways Gatwick Club Lounge elevates traditional product
• When BA Euro Traveller with add-ons outshines Club Europe
• British Airways Club Suite delivers big upgrade over former seat
• Taste testing The Uncommon sparkling wine offered by BA, Virgin
• British Airways scores easy PaxEx win with no-fee connection change

Featured image credited to Fintan Horan-Stear

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About Fintan Horan-Stear

Contributing Writer Fintan is a London-based aviation and transport ‘enthusiastic amateur’, writing about trends and developments in the industry with a specific focus on passenger experience and “soft product” elements. His interest in aviation was sparked by the golden age of Pan American and the jet age, and still feels the thrill of adventure on... Read More

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These are the best airlines in the world, according to a survey of travelers — see the full list

• Airline ratings company Skytrax has released its 2024 list of the best airlines in the world.
• Qatar Airways took the top spot from Singapore Airlines, 2023's winner.
• No airlines from the US made it in the top 20.

Qatar Airways has reclaimed the title of best airline in the world after losing out in 2023, according to travel industry rating company Skytrax.

Skytrax announced the results of the World Airline Awards, which polled travelers from over 100 countries on their impressions of more than 350 airlines, at a gala on Monday in London.

Once again, airlines from Asia and the Middle East dominated the awards, sweeping the top six spots and taking 12 of the top 20.

European carriers accounted for seven of the top 20 spots, with Turkish Airlines ranked highest in seventh.

No airlines from the US made the top 20 after Delta Air Lines fell one spot in this year's rankings to 21st. Delta was one of only two US airlines to crack the top 50, with United in 42nd.

Here's a closer look at the 20 best airlines in the world for 2024 according to Skytrax:

20. Saudia (Saudi Arabian Airlines)

Saudia , which changed its name from Saudi Arabian Airlines last year, jumped up three spots to finish 20th in this year's rankings.

Saudia is Saudi Arabia's flag carrier and is a member of the Sky Team alliance. It's also one of the few major airlines in the world the not serve any alcohol on board its flights.

19. Etihad Airways

Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways fell six spots in this year's rankings but managed to stay in the top 20 at 19th.

Etihad reintroduced its Airbus A380 fleet and its luxurious The Residence suite after a four year hiatus.

18. Lufthansa

Lufthansa jumped three spots to 18 this year. The German national airline is a member of the Star Alliance and recently introduced its first new aircraft with the long-awaited Allegris cabin .

17. Virgin Atlantic Airways

Virgin Atlantic jumped up five spots to 17th in this year's rankings. The British carrier, co-owned by Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group and Delta Air Lines, is celebrating the 40th anniversary of its founding this year.

16. Vistara

Vistara is ranked 16th for the second consecutive year and remains India's top airline. The carrier, founded in 2013 as a joint venture between Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, is in the process of merging with Air India .

Spain's Iberia fell one spot to 15th in this year's rankings. The Spanish national carrier is an Oneworld alliance member alongside its International Airlines Group sibling, British Airways.

14. Fiji Airways

Fiji Airways moved up one spot this year to 14th. Fiji Airways is now Oceania's only representative in the top 20 after Air New Zealand fell to 23rd this year.

13. British Airways

British Airways moved up five spots in the rankings to 13th place. BA is the highest-ranked of the International Airlines Group (IAG) carriers, which also include Iberia (15th), Aer Lingus (49th), and Vueling (56th).

British Airways also won this year's award for the world's most family friendly airline.

12. Hainan Airlines

Hainan Airlines dropped one spot to 12th this year. Hainan has consistently been China's highest-rated carrier and the only one of the country's four major airlines not owned by the Chinese central government.

11. Korean Air

Korean Air slipped one spot to 11th place this year. South Korea's largest airline is still awaiting final approval from the US government for its proposed merger with Asiana, which was announced in late 2020.

10. Swiss International Air Lines

Swiss International Airlines jumped two spots in the 2024 ranking to 10th place. Swiss, founded in 2002 following Swissair's bankruptcy, is the highest-ranking member of the Lufthansa Group, which includes Lufthansa (18th), Austrian (28th), and Eurowings (70th).

9. Air France

Air France slipped two spots to 9th place this year despite winning a host of awards, including the world's best first-class catering, best first-class lounge dining, and best airline in Western Europe.

Taiwanese carrier EVA Air moved up one spot to 8th this year. The carrier is a subsidiary of container shipping giant Evergreen Group.

7. Turkish Airlines

In seventh place is Turkish Airlines . It's once again Europe's highest-ranked airline.

6. Japan Airlines

Japan Airlines dropped one spot to sixth this year. The Japanese flag carrier also won this year's award for the world's best premium economy cabin.

5. Cathay Pacific Airways

Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific moved into the top five this year, up from eighth position in 2023. Cathay also took home the prize for this year's best economy-class cabin.

4. All Nippon Airways (ANA)

All Nippon Airways or ANA fell one spot to fourth place this year. Despite that, the Japanese carrier managed to snag awards for the world's best airport services and the best airline staff service in Asia.

3. Emirates

Dubai's Emirates Airline moves into the top 3 this year after spending 2023 in fourth position. Emirates remains the world's largest operator of the A380 Superjumbo, with more than 100 in its fleet.

2. Singapore Airlines

After spending 2023 as the world's best airline, Singapore Airlines is back in second place, a position it also held in 2022 and 2021. Second place is nothing to scoff at. The airline also picked up honors for the world's best cabin staff and the world's best first-class cabin.

1. Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways takes the No. 1 spot again after falling second behind Singapore Airlines last year. It's a familiar position for the airline, which also claimed top honors in 2022, 2021, and 2019.

This year, Qatar Airways also won awards for the best business class cabin and lounge.

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Technical problem forces Boeing 777 operated by KLM to return to Amsterdam

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Reporting by Anthony Deutsch Editing by David Goodman, Louise Heavens and Angus MacSwan

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Technical Problem Forces Boeing 777 Operated by KLM to Return to Amsterdam

FILE PHOTO: The logo of KLM is seen on the tail of a model of a KLM Boeing 777 plane during the Annual Results 2023 press conference of the Air France-KLM Group in Paris, France, February 29, 2024. REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier/File Photo

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) -A Boeing 777 aircraft operated by Dutch airline KLM returned to Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport on Sunday after reporting an unspecified technical problem, national air traffic control said.

Flight KLM705 destined for Rio de Janeiro in Brazil turned around over Belgium after requesting to land as a precaution, a spokesperson for Dutch air traffic control said.

It was unclear precisely what was wrong.

KLM said the safety of passengers and crew were never at risk and that an alternative aircraft would be used for the flight.

The aircraft was shown on FlightRadar 24 has having returned to Schiphol Airport.

(Reporting by Anthony DeutschEditing by David Goodman, Louise Heavens and Angus MacSwan)

Copyright 2024 Thomson Reuters .

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Immediate access to a global program

Barcelona, Spain - August 21, 2018: American Airlines Boeing 777-200ER banking left after taking off ... [+] from El Prat Airport in Barcelona, Spain.

AAdvantage is a juggernaut and is the longest running frequent flyer program, dating back to 1981. Its members earn and redeem miles on Oneworld and partner airlines, but can also earn miles and Loyalty Points (the metric used towards attaining elite status) in various ways from online shopping to using an AAdvantage co-branded credit card . This makes American one of the easiest airlines on which to earn elite status perks like bonus miles, free checked bags, priority check-in and boarding, and free upgrades.

Fiji Airways aircraft shown moments before landing at the Los Angeles International airport, LAX.

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Fiji Airways passengers will be able to join AAdvantage and work their way up to elite status with the program. Most benefits will apply to their Fiji Airways flights, even when not traveling to or from North America. This includes things like priority boarding and baggage benefits, based on membership level. Elite status members will be eligible for space-available, complimentary upgrades on eligible flights (like most domestic U.S. and Latin American destinations) although a spokesperson was unclear about any upgrade benefits for AAdvantage elite members on Fiji Airways flights.

All AAdvantage members, no matter their elite status, receive priority boarding over non-members.

In a recent interview , Fiji Airways managing director and CEO, Andre Viljoen hinted at the carrier’s potential to tie up with another loyalty program rather than creating their own. He also said his airline is looking at adding another U.S. destination (either Dallas/Forth Worth or Seattle/Tacoma, both of which are Oneworld hubs). Adopting the AAdvantage program makes even more sense and points to the decision that Dallas could become its third U.S. gateway.

LikuLiku Resort is one of the only properties in the country with open-ocean, overwater bungalows.

“With this partnership, Fiji Airways is set to gain access to a vast network of American travelers, potentially increasing visitor arrivals to the enchanting destination of Fiji ”, said Viljoen.

How consumers benefit

Fiji Airways operates a small fleet of new Airbus A350-900 aircraft.

AAdvantage members were previously able to earn and redeem miles on select Fiji Airways flights, but these would not count towards elite status. With the airline becoming a full member of Oneworld and with this new loyalty partnership, now they can earn AAdvantage miles and Loyalty Points towards status on all Fiji Airways flights (not just select codeshare routes). This also includes the ability to unlock “Loyalty Choice Rewards” when hitting different points milestones to earn things like bonus miles, airline lounge access, flight credits and upgrades for long-haul flights.

Fiji Airways’ own frequent travelers can now tap into a larger global program and earn elite status benefits. This is likely to be more enticing than any program the airline could have developed itself given the larger network.

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam - ‎‎January 4, 2020 : Cathay Pacific Boeing 777-367ER (Reg B-KQN) Oneworld ... [+] Livery Landing At Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN-VVTS).

Viljoen acknowledged that the local Fijian customer base is small, and instead the airline relies on connecting traffic, a large portion of which goes between North America and Australia and New Zealand. Being in the AAdvantage program makes the airline more attractive to local flyers as well as those traveling across its extensive network of Pacific islands. In many markets like Kiribati and Tuvalu, it is the only global airline flying there.

Following a successful path

This is not the first time an airline has adopted another carrier’s own loyalty program. The AAdvantage program is also the frequent flyer program of Chilean airline JetSMART.

Amsterdam Airport, Netherlands - September 4th, 2017: View of Amsterdam Airport and airliner of ... [+] Kenya Airways and KLM waiting

The Flying Blue program, which is the loyalty program for Air France and KLM , also is the official frequent flyer scheme for other carriers like Air Calin in New Caledonia and SkyTeam partner Kenya Airways.

Lufthansa, Austrian, Swiss International and Brussels Airlines among others participate in the same Miles & More program. And the Avios program from British Airways now serves as the loyalty channel for Iberia, Aer Lingus, and most recently Qatar Airways and Finnair.

London, England, UK - 14 June 2023: Tail fins of British Airways jets at a London airport.

According to IAG Loyalty CEO Adam Daniels , he sees Avios as becoming a “global currency” for travelers citing benefits for earning a single point system that can be used across all carriers that use it. Part of this is due to a larger base of members with Avios citing a 17% increase in members last year alone.

Loyalty programs are often the most profitable area for airlines, which can leverage the membership base to attract them to other things like co-branded credit cards and other marketing deals.

A Fiji Airways Airbus A330 flying over the Fijian islands.

American has similar partnerships with other brands like World of Hyatt for reciprocal elite status and points earning for eligible members.

In reference to the Fiji-American program announcement, Viljoen said, “we are excited about the positive impact this collaboration will have on both our airlines and our guests who will benefit from the exclusive perks.”

To join AAdvantage, travelers can visit either the American Airlines or Fiji Airways websites.

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