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British airways' world traveller plus premium economy cabin: everything you need to know.

A look at the UK flag carrier's premium economy offering.

Today we will look at British Airways World Traveller Plus premium economy and see what it offers and if it is worth the extra money. While the concept of a premium economy cabin may sound relatively new, the idea of providing a nicer economy cabin has been around for just over 30 years. Taiwanese carrier EVA Air introduced premium economy seating on its Boeing 747-400s. Instead of calling it premium economy EVA Air called it "Evergreen Class."

EVA Air's upgraded economy seating did not go unnoticed by other airlines and was soon copied by the United Kingdom-based airline Virgin Atlantic in 1992. British Airways did not want to be outdone by a rival and created its premium economy product shortly afterward.

Premium economy allows you a free second suitcase

Before we talk more about British Airways World Traveller Plus premium economy, it's worth pointing out that "economy" is the key word here. While you may have a slightly bigger, more comfortable, reclining seat and extra legroom, it is in no way comparable to flying business class.

There are, however, advantages to flying premium economy over regular economy. The first is being able to check in a second suitcase for free. British Airways would charge extra for a second bag, which, in some cases, may result in the same total price as what it would cost you to book premium economy.

A friend recently flew on TAP Portugal from Miami to Lisbon and needed to bring two suitcases. When he saw what the Portuguese carrier wanted for the second piece of luggage, it was a no-brainer upgrading to premium economy as it was nearly the same price.

Wider seats and more legroom

British Airways premium economy passengers also get priority boarding which means you are in tier three, with first and business class passengers boarding first. British Airways' World Traveller Plus cabin is between business and economy classes and configured in a 2+4+2 layout.

It offers 18.5-inch seats with an 8% recline, which is great for sleeping but not so good if the person in front of you wants to recline fully, as it intrudes on your personal space. Each seat has individual charging points, and legroom is a generous 38 inches with a footrest. Each seat has a 10.6-inch inflight entertainment screen allowing you to watch hundreds of the latest movies and TV shows.

Want answers to more key questions in aviation? Check out the rest of our guides here !

WiFi is available on British Airways flights, but sadly even though you are flying in World Traveller Plus, you still have to pay for it. World Traveller Plus passengers also get noise-canceling headphones and an amenity kit. Unfortunately, the World Traveller Plus cabin has no restrooms, so you share the toilets with economy passengers.

Food and drinks

World Traveller Plus passengers are offered a welcome aboard drink: water, orange juice, or sparkling wine. Meals vary depending on the time of the day. If you are flying from New York to London, for example, flights are generally in the evening so you arrive in the UK early in the morning.

After taking off, the cabin crew comes round with the drink trolley, and then a little while later, the meal service begins. If you expect to get the kind of food served in business class, you will be disappointed as it is only marginally better than what is provided in economy. Later in the flight, before landing, a second meal service is given, which is more like a snack than a meal.

British Airways

World Traveller Plus: What Do You Get For Your Money In British Airways' Premium Economy Cabin?

• World Traveller Plus offers upgraded seats with more space & comfort, ideal for long-haul flights.
• British Airways provides premium dining, extensive entertainment, & technology enhancements.
• World Traveller Plus balances cost and comfort, making it a popular choice for travelers.

British Airways' World Traveller Plus offers an enhanced flying experience between standard economy and business class. It is an attractive option for travelers seeking extra comfort and amenities without the premium cost of business class. We're taking a closer look at what passengers can expect when flying in British Airways' premium economy cabin, covering seat specifics, in-flight services, and overall value.

Seat specifications and comfort

Seat dimensions and layout.

One of the standout features of World Traveller Plus is the upgraded seating compared to standard economy. The seats offer more space and comfort, which are highly desirable attributes on long-haul flights.

• Seat Pitch: 38 inches
• Seat Width: 18.5 Inches
• Seat Recline: Approximately 7-8 inches
• Legroom: Increased legroom compared to standard economy, providing approximately 7 inches more space.

British Airways operates World Traveller Plus on several long-haul aircraft, each offering a slightly different experience due to their unique configurations and features. According to British Airways :

Boeing 777-200ER and 777-300

• Configuration: 2-4-2 layout
• Unique Features: The Boeing 777-300 offers mood lighting and advanced air filtration systems in an effort to reduce jet lag and deliver a comfortable cabin environment.

Airbus A380

• Configuration: 2-3-2 layout
• Unique Features: The A380 is known for its quiet cabin, which is particularly appreciated during long-haul flights. The more spacious cabin layout also contributes to a more relaxed atmosphere.

Boeing 787-8 and 787-9

• Unique Features: The Boeing 787 Dreamliner series has larger windows, providing more natural light and a better view. The advanced humidity control and improved air quality systems on the Dreamliner fleet also enhance passenger comfort on long-haul flights.

Enhanced Comfort Features

Seats in World Traveller Plus come equipped with several features specifically designed to enhance passenger comfort:

• Adjustable Headrests and Footrests: These allow passengers to customize their seating position for optimal comfort.
• Additional Recline: More recline compared to standard economy seats helps passengers relax better during long flights.
• Lumbar Support: Built-in lumbar support to reduce strain on the lower back during extended periods of sitting.

In-flight amenities and services

Dining experience.

World Traveller Plus passengers enjoy a more premium and refined dining experience, and it includes:

• Welcome Drink: A complimentary glass of juice or water upon boarding.
• Meal Service: Upgraded meal service with a multi-course menu. The meals are prepared with high-quality ingredients and include options tailored to various dietary needs, though they do differ substantially from business-class and first-class offerings.
• Complementary Beverages: An extensive selection of wines, spirits, beers, and non-alcoholic beverages are available throughout the flight.

Sparkling wine may be available in-flight but is not typically available as a Welcome Drink while the aircraft remains on the ground before take-off.

World Traveller Plus On British Airways: 5 Things To Know Before Flying

Entertainment options.

British Airways ensures that passengers in World Traveller Plus have access to a comprehensive entertainment system:

• Personal Screens: Larger in-flight entertainment screens, typically 10 to 12 inches or more, compared to standard economy.
• Noise-canceling Headphones: These are provided to enhance the audio experience and reduce cabin noise.
• Extensive Content: A wide selection of movies, TV shows, music, and games with new releases regularly added to the mix.

Technology enhancements

British Airways offers in-flight WiFi on many of its long-haul aircraft. Passengers in World Traveller Plus can stay connected throughout their flight, whether for work or entertainment, but they'll likely still have to pay for the service. Also, each seat is equipped with both power outlets and USB ports, ensuring passengers can keep their devices charged and ready to use.

Additional amenities

Amenity kits ( made from recycled bottles ), which include essentials like a toothbrush, toothpaste, socks, an eye mask, and earplugs, are provided to passengers in the premium economy cabin. Additionally, high-quality blankets and pillows are provided to help ensure a comfortable sleep during the flight. World Traveller Plus passengers also benefit from priority boarding, allowing them to settle in ahead of the main cabin passengers.

Cabin environment and additional perks

Cabin atmosphere.

The World Traveller Plus cabin is designed to be more peaceful and spacious compared to the main cabin:

• Fewer Seats: The reduced number of seats per row and per cabin makes for a quieter, more exclusive atmosphere.
• Dedicated Cabin Crew: A dedicated team of cabin crew attends to World Traveller Plus passengers to ensure prompt and personalized service.
• Ambient Lighting: Mood lighting helps create a relaxing environment and reduces the effects of jet lag.

Extra luggage allowance

Passengers in World Traveller Plus can take advantage of an increased luggage allowance, making it easier to travel with all the necessities (and then some):

• Checked Baggage: Two checked bags, each up to 23kg (51lbs).
• Cabin Baggage: One cabin bag and one personal item, with a combined weight limit that offers more flexibility than standard economy.

British Airways Makes Great Changes To World Traveller Plus Cabin

Value for your money, cost comparison.

While British Airways' World Traveller Plus tickets are more expensive than standard economy, they are significantly less expensive than business class. The added comfort, enhanced dining experience, and additional amenities serve to justify the cost difference for many travelers:

• Competitive Pricing: Often, the price of a World Traveller Plus fare is about 50% more than standard economy, but much less than the cost of a business class or first class ticket.
• Frequent Flyer Benefits: For British Airways Executive Club members, booking World Traveller Plus can earn more Avios points and Tier Points, contributing to faster tier progression and additional benefits in the future.

Passenger satisfaction

According to NerdWallet , feedback from passengers flying in World Traveller Plus is generally positive, with many highlighting the comfortable seats, better meal options, and overall enhanced travel experience. Customer reviews indicate that many travelers appreciate the balance of cost and comfort, making it a popular choice for long-haul flights. Typically, passengers who try World Traveller Plus often choose to book it again for future travels, indicating that they do, in fact, value the extra space and amenities provided.

Is World Traveller Plus worth it?

British Airways' World Traveller Plus offers a substantial upgrade from standard economy with enhanced comfort, better dining options, and additional amenities, making it a worthwhile investment for long-haul travelers. The cabin's spacious design, top-tier in-flight entertainment, and priority services enhance the overall travel experience, providing excellent value for the money.

Stay informed with our in-depth reviews and comparisons of airline offerings. Share your World Traveller Plus experiences with us in the comments, and follow us on social media for the latest updates and insights into premium travel options.

British Airways

IATA/ICAO Code: BA/BAW

Airline Type: Full Service Carrier

Hub(s): London Heathrow Airport, London Gatwick Airport

Year Founded: 1974

Alliance: oneworld

Airline Group: IAG

CEO: Sean Doyle

Country: United Kingdom

Loyalty Program: British Airways Executive Club

Region: Europe

Flight Review: British Airways World Traveller Economy Class from London to Houston

Departure Airport

Boarding is from gate A18. There is a short delay but this is well communicated by the gate staff. Various stages of priority boarding are applied. This begins with First Class and Emerald / Gold card holders, followed by Club World and Sapphire / Silver and finally Ruby / Bronze. After this, general boarding begins and there is no zonal approach for this. There is no priority boarding for families, elderly etc. The gate service is quite polite and efficient and despite the delay boarding is complete on-time.

Airplane & Cabin flown

Boeing 747-400 in Economy Class was at approximately 70% capacity. This aircraft is the renovated cabin with new seats and IFE.

Baggage Allowance

According to www.britishairways.com the free checked baggage allowance for a World Traveller standard fare is 1 bag (max. 23kg / 51lb per bag). Onboard, customers can take 1 handbag / laptop bag (max. 23kg / 51lb and up to 40x30x15cm / 16x12x6in) plus 1 additional cabin bag (max. 23kg / 51lb and up to 56x45x25cm / 22x18x10in).

The Economy Class Seat

The Economy Class seat has a 32-inch seat pitch and the living space feels comfortable without the forward seat reclined. The width is good and comfortable and there is also an adjustable headrest. The seat has a 9-inch PTV (widescreen) and integrated USB socket – there is no 110v socket for larger devices. The seat condition is satisfactory – the covers are clean with strong colours (e.g. not faded), there are some marks on the armrest and when I try to adjust the headrest it comes clean off the bracket – which is a surprise.

Cabin & Toilets

The cabin is clean on boarding. The seat covers are well presented, as are the carpets and these appear to have been renewed. The overhead bins and other cabin panels have not and as such not as presentable. There are 4 washrooms for the Economy Class cabin at the rear of the aircraft – these are clean on boarding but again, have older fixtures and fittings but are well presented.

The flight pushed back about 25-minutes late and departed 45-minutes behind schedule however, the captain mentioned that we should arrive with just a short delay into Houston.

Food & Drink

About 30-minutes after departure 2 carts enter the cabin – 1 per aisle and a bar service is offered. This offers a full range of beverages including beer, wine and spirits – as well as soft drinks, water and juices. I was intrigued by BAs recently introduced “Book the Cook” style service for Economy Class passengers and ordered the “Taste of Britain” option prior to the flight for 16 GBP. This is marketed as an upgraded dining experience and offers 6 options – Gourmet, Taste of Britain, Healthy, Asian, English Breakfast and Vegetarian meal trays. Having tried and been impressed by the service on BA’s sister airline Aer Lingus, I was keen to see how it matched-up. Unfortunately, despite reconfirming with BA customer service prior to the flight, the meal is not loaded.

I reported this to the cabin crew and they are quick to offer a meal from Club World. Whilst it was not what I ordered it was an obvious upgrade from the standard Economy Class fayre. Being fortunate enough to travel in Business Class on many trips, I was surprised by what British Airways is passing off as a long-haul premium catering nowadays. It tasted fine, but in my opinion, the presentation and quantity of food is pretty basic by business class standards of 2017.

For the second “meal” I was back to the standard Economy Class offer, and this is an afternoon tea snack box, which is quite nicely presented in a faux picnic hamper and miniature gingham rug. It contains half a coronation chicken sandwich and scone with jam and clotted cream – again, the quality of food is good but I cannot help but feel this is the bare minimum food for a 10-hour flight, particularly as BA has cut the free galley snacks. However, one can purchase a cinema priced bag of sweets from the cabin staff.

Entertainment

This Boeing 747-400 offers personal AVOD IFE at each seat with a 9-inch screen. The programming selection is extensive – not only in terms of Hollywood / British movies but there are also a vast range of foreign language options. TV programming is also wide ranging with a number of boxset options of the most popular US / TV series. Headsets are the in-ear type and given complimentary.

Pillows and blankets are available on each seat prior to boarding and the quality is meeting a satisfactory standard – there is no comfort pack (eye mask etc). There is standard pipe soap in the washroom.

Staff Service

I was quite happy with the staff service overall, and the crew were quite cheerful and polite. They respond very quickly to my missing meal order and said they had reported the issue. In fairness, I was refunded without having to chase up customer service, which I was surprised about. Outside of the main services they did tend to stick to the galley, so for any additional drinks you had to fetch them yourself. As the flight wasn’t too busy this was fine as it was easy to move in and out of my window seat. It was an above average experience in terms of the crew interaction, but it was just a shame there wasn’t a bit more of it.

Arrival Service

Upon arrival into Houston, there is the usual throng of ground staff with wheelchairs that are an inevitable presence for any US arrival nowadays. Once past this, it was a short walk to immigration which took about 20-minutes – bags have started to arrive as I reach baggage claim and my own luggage comes out less than 5-minutes after this.

Overall, the missing meal order aside, the flight experience wasn’t bad. The staff dealt with this issue well. They were very apologetic and as it turned out, their internal reporting system meant that I didn’t have to again deal with the BA call centre, which I found the experience to be consistently poor leading up to this trip.

I like the Heathrow Terminal 5 experience – it is nearly always efficient for departure which is my main concern.

In terms of the aircraft, I am a fan of the Boeing 747-400 and it is always a treat (albeit quite rare) to come across one nowadays. It is nice that the seats and IFE have been upgraded but there are certainly areas where the aircraft is showing its age.

Having travelled with many of the transatlantic majors in the last 12 months, British Airways Economy Class catering is pretty average in terms of the quantity and quality is fine. For those that partake, it is nice that one can still get a decent gin and tonic without being charged extra, but it remains to be seen if BA will remove this perk in the future!

In terms of value for money, I just fail to see it any more with the fares that British Airways charge. They have almost cut back to the bare essentials in Economy Class and aside from the IFE / bar product, everything is average or below. The fare was north of 750GBP return from a travel agent. From BA, it was more than 1000GBP. This was not, by any means a last-minute reservation (6 weeks in advance). I didn’t get my original afternoon flight (on the newer Boeing 787) as it was cancelled and I was moved to a less sociable early morning departure. For this I received a standard copy / paste non-apology from BA stating they had fulfilled their T&Cs – despite the inconvenience to me. It was a disappointingly poor, non caring response.

Ranked as a 4-Star Airline, the continuing cuts to British Airways business and economy class product standards makes their rating look unsustainable. The BA staff service is about the only saving grace at this time, but morale seems to be dropping there as well.

This flight report is based on fully paid tickets, not airline discounted or complimentary tickets.

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London to JFK New York

How many drinks i.e. Wine beer etc are you entitled to . I know you get one at first and one with dinner but can you ask for more if wanted.

There's no 'entitlement' as such.

Apart from that, if you want more to drink, it's usually best to go to the galley and ask for whatever you want. They do do water and OJ runs during the flight , but the frequency seems to be very much dependent on the crew.

If you're in Club or First, people will appear with bottles offering refills quite frequently. Other drinks are brought from the galley for you.

Number of drinks one is entitled to ? Is this a trick question ?

Belomiser I thought that too! Lol

As many as one can handle? ( of course the FAs make that call)

"Entitled " is an unusual way to phrase it. But you can ask for as much as you like, they will only say no if you look inedbriated or stocks are low.

In economy if you want another drink just go up to the gallery and ask is the best way. Don't do it when they are clearly busy, and the call button can irritate crew, as they really aren't flying wait staff,

Why do folk keep commenting on CW or First when the OP specifically said WT? You're only going to upset them!

However, with the new mean foodie rules, they ration water in WT to a tiny sealed plastic cup apparently, so to keep hydrated, you may well need to hit the booze. Haven't flown in WT since this was introduced and am hoping to never have to!

They have rationed water long haul to one cup in economy???

Not exactly, but yes!

They used to supply those small bottle along with the meal tray or just after meal service. Instead, you get a tiny sealed cup. But they are not discontinuing the trays of drinks at intervals.

http://www.headforpoints.com/2016/06/26/british-airways-announces-new-cuts-to-in-flight-services/

But like any other drink, people can just go to the galley and ask for more water right?

Is that a serious question froggy ? You don't know the answer to that ?

Are we just playing people here ?

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British Airways Food and Drink Menus: Dining Over the Clouds

When you fly in the pointy end of the plane with British Airways, the dining experience aims to be just as first class as the amenities. Across all cabins, British Airways focuses on providing quality inflight cuisine that’s innovative, fresh, and full of flavor.

In this extensive post, we’ll take an in-depth look at the food and drink menus and dining experience in each British Airways cabin class. Read on for a taste of the first-class cuisine, premium wines, and impeccable service that set British Airways apart.

Overview of British Airways’ Dining by Cabin:

• In Economy class, expect complimentary light meals, snacks, or full breakfast/dinners
• World Traveller Plus (premium economy) offers upgraded multi-course meals with appetizers
• Club World business class features fine dining with champagne, premium entrées, and desserts
• The most luxury inflight dining experience comes in exclusive First Class
• Across all cabins, British Airways’ menus focus on quality, freshness, and locally-inspired flavors
• From a scone in coach to a 5-star tasting menu up front, British Airways satisfies all appetites

An Introduction to Dining with British Airways

First, let’s provide some quick background on meals and refreshments when flying British Airways.

Complimentary dining is offered across all classes on long-haul international and transatlantic British Airways flights. The cuisine ranges from simple snacks in economy to indulgent multi-course meals in first class.

Their menus change quarterly to reflect seasonal ingredients. British Airways also adjusts offerings based on destinations to incorporate local flavors. Whether you’re flying economy, premium economy, business, or first, you can expect dining tailored specifically to your cabin and route.

Now let’s explore those cabin-specific British Airways food and drink menus in more depth.

Economy Class Dining

Even in economy, British Airways serves up complimentary food and beverages focused on freshness and variety. Here’s an overview of what to expect:

Light Meals

On shorter flights and off-peak services, the economy menu includes satisfying light bites like:

• Breakfast: Pastry filled with spinach, feta, and pine nuts; fruit salad; Greek yogurt; coffee or tea.
• Lunch/Dinner: Chicken salad sandwich; three cheese ploughman’s sandwich; Thai prawn salad; snacks like chocolate, chips, or cheese and crackers.

On long-haul overnight flights spanning regular meal times, British Airways offers upgraded economy-class dining:

• Breakfast: Omelette or pancakes with chicken sausage; fruit salad; muffin; juices, coffee, and tea.
• Lunch/Dinner: Chicken in tomato sauce with rice; beef bourguignon with mashed potatoes; lentil coconut curry with rice; desserts such as cheesecake or fruit salad.

The economy menus offer variety, nutrition, and thoughtful touches like afternoon tea service. With complimentary beer, wine, spirits and soft drinks, it makes for enjoyable dining even in coach.

World Traveller Plus Dining

In World Traveller Plus , British Airways’ premium economy cabin, the food quality and presentation get elevated. Here’s a sample menu:

• Smoked duck salad with roasted beets, black quinoa, and citrus vinaigrette
• Carrot ginger soup with crème fraiche and chives

Main Course

• Grilled beef fillet with crushed baby potatoes, asparagus, mushroom jus
• Seared cod with spiced lentils, sautéed spinach, and lemon butter sauce
• Ricotta ravioli with tomato basil sauce, parmesan, and garlic breadstick
• Warm sticky toffee pudding with vanilla cream
• Grapes, camembert cheese, and crackers

With appetizers, upgraded entrees, desserts and premium alcoholic drinks, British Airways’ World Traveller Plus dining exceeds economy standards.

Club World Business Class Menus

In Club World , British Airways’ long-haul business class, the culinary experience steps into luxury territory with tasting menus or à la carte dining, high-end wines, champagne, and impeccable service.

A sample Club World menu could include:

British Afternoon Tea

• Finger sandwiches, scones, clotted cream, pastries, and tea

Dinner Menu Appetizers

• Seared scallops with cauliflower puree and crispy pancetta
• Cream of asparagus soup with truffle oil

Main Courses

• Filet of Aberdeen Angus beef with Madeira jus, fondant potatoes, roasted vegetables
• Loch Fyne salmon en croûte with Champagne velouté, baby spinach, and roasted rainbow carrots
• Ricotta and spinach cannelloni with tomato ragu and parmesan
• Vanilla crème brûlée with fresh raspberries
• British cheese board with fruit chutney and crackers

With elevated presentation, table settings, and multiple courses, British Airways brings luxury dining to Club World business class.

First-Class Dining Experience

In British Airways’ most premium First Class cabin, the inflight dining scales new heights. The multi-course tasting menus are curated by top chefs and come with sommelier-selected champagne pairings:

Amuse-Bouche

• Chilled pea soup with prosciutto crisps
• King crab and avocado salad, grapefruit ginger dressing ( paired with Laurent-Perrier Champagne )
• Raspberry lemon granita palate cleanser
• Seared sea bass fillet, stir-fried vegetables, coconut red curry broth ( paired with Chassagne-Montrachet white Burgundy )
• Warm chocolate fondant cake with vanilla cream ( paired with Sauternes )

With bespoke service, up to 17 food choices per flight, and the finest wines, British Airways First Class dining is an incredible culinary event in the skies.

Why Choose British Airways?

When it comes to onboard cuisine, here’s why British Airways stands out:

• Complimentary dining across all cabin classes
• Locally-inspired British and international menu options
• Seasonal dishes featuring quality ingredients
• Extensive premium wine and champagne lists
• Exceptional service with table settings in Upper-Class cabins
• Tasting menus curated by top chefs in First Class

Whether you’re craving a warm scone or an indulgent degustation, British Airways satisfies appetites in all cabins on long-haul flights.

Experience Elevated Dining with British Airways

From refreshed economy class meals to tasting menus in First, British Airways provides a dining experience as refined as their service. With quality cuisine prepared by leading chefs and customized to each cabin, savoring locally-inspired food and wine is part of the joy of flying British Airways.

So on your next international flight, relax into your seat while delighting in fresh British and global flavors. With menu choices ranging from light bites to fine dining, it’s first-class culinary journey across the skies.

Cheers and bon appétit!

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World Traveller

Welcome to World Traveller, our economy cabin on flights beyond Europe. It's packed with all the comfort and benefits you expect from British Airways at an affordable price.

Experience the world

• A range of fares with no hidden charges
• Personal flat screen with headphones
• Family-friendly features
• Stylish interior cabin
• Delicious meals and snacks
• Access to in-seat power

Comfort items

Relax and enjoy the views or settle down to sleep with ergonomically designed seats, little extras and newly crafted comforts based on classic British design.

• An adjustable headrest, lumbar support and recline
• Soft cushion and blanket

Delicious meals and bar service

In World Traveller you can enjoy a starter, main and dessert, with a choice of hot, cold and alcoholic drinks. We also offer mid-flight snacks and a second meal on longer flights.

In-flight entertainment

Stay connected to the world below or relax and leave it all behind in our World Traveller cabin.

There’s high-speed Wi-Fi on most aircraft, and messaging on your personal device is free if you’re an Executive Club Member . 

You'll have headphones and a personal flat screen so you can lose yourself in a blockbuster film or gripping series. Our huge library of new releases includes music, audio books and games, as well as access to Paramount+ with something for everyone to enjoy.

Treat yourself to the airport lounge

Sit back and relax before your flight with Lounge Pass, your key to non-British Airways airport lounges across the globe, no matter what airline you are flying with or cabin you are travelling in. Enjoy light refreshments such as alcohol and food, Wi-Fi and a selection of newspapers and magazines while you wait to board, plus Executive Club Members can collect 5 Avios per £1/€1/$1 spent.

Flexible baggage allowance

Baggage allowances.

As well as carry on baggage, World Travellers can store checked bags in the hold.

Some routes and tickets come with an even greater allowance, and extra bags can be added for a fee.

Doorstep baggage pick-up & check-in

Have your baggage collected from your doorstep, securely transported to the airport, and checked-in for your flight, allowing you to travel to the airport baggage-free and head straight to security when you get there. Available for flights departing from Heathrow, Gatwick, Geneva, Zurich and Vienna.

Long-haul fares to suit you

There’s a choice of two economy fares when you fly in World Traveller: Basic and Standard. This extra choice gives you more freedom to select and pay only for the benefits and services you need.

Economy Basic

• Generous hand baggage allowance (cabin and hand bag)
• Seat allocated when you check in
• Option of paying to add a checked bag, choose your seat, or other extras via Manage My Booking

Economy Standard

• 23kg checked baggage allowance in addition to your hand baggage allowance
• Choose your seat from 24 hours before you fly

Style upgrade and aircraft variation

The World Traveller experience is getting a make-over. We’re giving our aircraft cabins a stylish new interior and fitting our newest, most enhanced seating, which feature a six-way headrest with adjustable ears for added comfort and movable middle arm rests, which is particularly useful for customers travelling with children.

The new cabin will be rolled out across our fleet starting with the Boeing 777-200 fleet at Gatwick. And while a few cabin design elements may vary by aircraft, you can still expect the same top quality food, drink and warm service by our attentive crew wherever and whenever you fly World Traveller.

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The Guide to British Airways Premium Economy

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Table of Contents

What is premium economy on British Airways?

British airways premium economy seats, food and drink in british airways premium economy, amenities and other perks of british airways premium economy, how much is premium economy on british airways, 4 ways to save money on british airways premium economy, use avios to book a premium economy ticket on british airways, is british airways premium economy worth it.

Flying in economy just isn't what it used to be. Over the decades, many airlines have reduced legroom, squeezed more seats into each row and cut back on services. Many travelers can't afford to pay for business class, but there is a Goldilocks middle ground: premium economy. Arguably, one of the better premium economy products available is British Airways premium economy, also known as World Traveller Plus.

Let's take a look at British Airways' premium economy, including what you'll find onboard, how the experience differs from economy and how you can save money on these seats.

» Learn more: The best airline credit cards right now

British Airways’s premium economy class is called World Traveller Plus. The other classes on its flights include economy (Euro Traveller and World Traveller) , business class and first class.

World Traveller Plus is situated in its own separate cabin, which is closer to the front of the plane than economy. The seats are wider and offer more legroom than the seats in economy. In addition, passengers receive priority boarding, a more generous baggage allowance, two meals, complimentary alcoholic beverages, noise-canceling headphones for the personal entertainment system and an amenity kit.

» Learn more: The guide to British Airways classes

For many passengers, the main reason to book premium economy instead of economy is the larger seats. And British Airways certainly delivers in this regard.

Compared with economy, British Airways World Traveller Plus gives you more space in all directions — more seat width, legroom and recline. Tall passengers can rejoice: British Airways premium economy provides 7 inches of additional legroom — measuring 38 inches of pitch vs. just 31 inches of pitch in economy.

(Photo courtesy of JT Genter)

In addition to a substantial recline, British Airways premium economy seats offer a fold-out leg rest and a fold-down footrest.

Throughout the cabin, you'll find a large, fixed armrest between each seat. Although this slightly reduces seat width, it means that you shouldn't need to battle your neighbor for control of the armrest. At the front of each armrest, a cup tray provides enough space for two glasses. And you'll find a water bottle holder between the footrests in each seat pairing.

Depending on the aircraft type, the British Airways premium economy cabin is either arranged 2-3-2 or 2-4-2. This means there are two seats by the windows and three or four seats in the middle column of seats. This arrangement makes British Airways premium economy a great option for couples traveling together who prefer to have their own two-seat row.

Each British Airways premium economy seat has a large, bright 12-inch touchscreen with seemingly endless entertainment options. This is a substantial upgrade from what British Airways offered prior to a recent cabin refresh.

Below the in-flight entertainment screen, British Airways installed a storage tray. This provides a convenient place to store your phone, passport, boarding pass or other items you want nearby — but not in your pockets — while in-flight.

» Learn more: Basic economy vs. main cabin

In addition to bigger and better seats, British Airways provides notably better food and drink service in premium economy compared to economy.

This elevated service starts before the wheels even leave the ground. Flight attendants pass through the cabin offering pre-departure beverages of orange juice or water, served in real glassware. Although sparkling wine is available in-flight, it's not available on the ground in the World Traveller Plus cabin.

In-flight, British Airways advertises that World Traveller Plus passengers get "two delicious meals, complimentary bar service including signature cocktails (or mocktail)."

Here's what that looks like in practice.

Flight attendants pass through the cabin shortly after takeoff to provide a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. In my experience, flight attendants proactively provide doubles of alcoholic beverages. Plus, you'll get a choice of wine to go with your dinner.

For meal choices, menus aren't provided to passengers. Instead, flight attendants note the meal options as they pass through the cabin. British Airways offers two options — typically one vegetarian and one meat-based meal. Meals are generally served with a salad, a packaged roll, a dessert and a choice between several types of wines — typically two reds and two whites.

While the first meal is hot and meets premium economy standards, the second is generally a cold, packaged meal served in a brown paper bag. Although perfectly adequate, I haven't found this meal to be particularly "delicious" — falling short of what British Airways advertises.

British Airways premium economy doesn't just provide bigger seats and better meals. British Airways World Traveller Plus passengers also get better amenities and additional perks like priority boarding.

British Airways premium economy amenity kit, pillow and blanket

At boarding, World Traveller Plus seats are typically stocked with a small pillow, blanket and a plastic-wrapped package including noise-canceling headphones and an amenity kit.

The British Airways premium economy amenity kit includes socks, an eye mask, lip balm, a pen, a toothbrush and toothpaste. Earplugs are available on request.

Other perks of British Airways premium economy

Extra baggage allowance: British Airways premium economy typically allows two free checked bags at no additional cost. Comparatively, some British Airways economy fares are "hand baggage only" and charge up to $175 each way for two checked bags.

Priority boarding: British Airways World Traveller Plus passengers board no later than Group 3 boarding. Meanwhile, economy boarding groups stretch to Group 9.

Universal power outlets: The recent refresh to British Airways economy cabins only provides USB power outlets in economy. However, you'll still find two universal power outlets between each pairing of World Traveller Plus seats in addition to a USB outlet.

Unsurprisingly, you can expect to pay more than economy — but less than business class — if you want to fly in the premium economy cabin on British Airways.

We did a fare search for a roundtrip flight from New York-John F. Kennedy to London and found that on the 7:35 p.m. flight, premium economy ($1,162) is more than double the cost of economy ($532) and only slightly cheaper than business class ($1,222).

A flight departing just 30 minutes later (and landing in London-Gatwick) was an even worse deal, offering a $608 premium economy seat, which was nearly triple the cost of economy ($233). Business class was significantly more expensive at nearly $3,000.

On the return leg, premium economy was $851, compared to $504 in economy and $1,540 in business class.

If you chose the more affordable outgoing option in premium economy, you’d be looking at $1,459 total for the round-trip flight, compared to $737 in economy. The cheapest round-trip business class option would cost $2,762.

There are a few ways to save money when booking the Traveller Plus cabin on British Airways.

1. Get $65-$200 off as an AARP member

If you’re a member of the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), when you book a roundtrip transatlantic flight on British Airways, you can save $65 off economy or premium economy seats and $200 off business class. Although $65 isn’t a huge discount, it could help offset the difference between economy and premium economy.

Although AARP is a nonprofit organization that offers money-saving benefits for Americans over 50, you do not need to be 50 to join. You just need to sign up and the benefits are yours to enjoy. The standard cost of the membership ranges is $16 per year, but the price could be lower depending on how long you want to commit.

Check Cashback Monitor to see if there are any shopping portals offering bonus points for signing up for an AARP membership.

2. Book a British Airways flight through a shopping portal

Another way to save money on your premium economy fare on British Airways is to purchase the ticket through a shopping portal. Browse through Cashback Monitor to see what the current savings are.

The search result shows that Top Cashback is offering up to 1.51% cash back on British Airways. However, you need to look at the details to make sure that the flight qualifies for the discount.

Clicking on the Top Cashback link shows that the discount on long-haul flights is only 1.01%. So, if you were to book a $1,000 premium economy ticket and click through Top Cashback, you would earn $10.10 in cash, which isn’t much but still provides some savings.

» Learn more: How to earn extra points & miles shopping online

3. Use a British Airways credit card to save 10% and statement credits

The British Airways Visa Signature® Card offers several money saving perks on purchase of British Airways flights.

Cardholders get a 10% discount on all British Airways flights originating in the U.S. You would need to book the flight on ba.com/chase10 and use the promotion code CHASEBA10. Assuming you book a $1,000 premium economy ticket, you’d save $100 off that flight.

Cardholders who book award flights to London can earn statement credits of $100 in economy and premium economy and $200 in first and business class. The statement credits can be earned three times per year, maxing out at $600. To earn the credits, cardholders will need to use the British Airways Visa Signature® Card to pay for award taxes, fees and carrier surcharges on the award flight.

This is a useful benefit, especially since taxes and fuel surcharges on British Airways award tickets can be extraordinarily high.

If you have British Airways Avios, you can also use those points to book an award flight. Here’s an example flight search from New York-JFK to London-Heathrow showing three available classes:

If we compare the pricing, in economy, the ticket costs 25,000 Avios + $100 in taxes. Premium economy costs 42,500 Avios + $280 in taxes. British Airways adds on high taxes and fuel surcharges so you’ll need to weigh the price in miles (+ taxes) against a cash ticket.

Using our $608 premium economy flight example from above, if you were to pay for this seat in Avios, you’d extract 0.8 cent per mile ($608 - $280 / 42,500). NerdWallet values British Airways Avios at 0.8 cent per mile when redeemed for economy fares. This probably isn’t the highest value per point you’ll find at the premium economy level, but it’s about the same number of points that you would expect to pay in economy. If the flight in cash was more expensive, using Avios for the award ticket would be much more justifiable.

Another factor to consider is that British Airways used a distance based award chart , so the cost of the flight in Avios will depend on how far away your origin is from your destination.

» Learn more: The guide to British Airways Executive Club

British Airways premium economy is found on all long-haul international aircraft. This includes British Airways:

Airbus A350-1000 aircraft.

Airbus A380-800 aircraft.

Boeing 777-200 and 777-300 aircraft.

Boeing 787-8, 787-9 and 787-10 Dreamliner aircraft.

British Airways passengers can upgrade to premium economy using cash or Avios — either in advance or at the airport. However, you cannot purchase an upgrade once onboard. The cash upgrade price generally depends on the route and availability. However, Avios upgrade prices are set based on the Avios award price difference between the two cabins.

» Learn more: How (and why) to upgrade your British Airways flight using Avios

Thanks to a recent cabin refresh, the British Airways cabin now appears fresh and sharp. British Airways premium economy consists of four to nine rows of seating — depending on the aircraft — and is found between the business class and economy cabins. Each row is configured with two window seats on each side and either three or four seats in the middle section.

Yes, British Airways premium economy earns more British Airways Avios — or miles if you credit flights to another mileage program. When crediting flights to the British Airways Executive Club, you'll earn Avios at a rate of 100% or 150% of the flight miles, depending on the fare you book. Comparatively, you earn as few as 25% of flight miles when booking economy fares.

Likewise, American Airlines flyers earn up to four times more base AAdvantage miles when booking premium economy than economy. Since Loyalty Points are based on mileage earnings, you'll also earn quadruple the elite status credits. These extra miles and elite status credits can help justify the increased cost of premium economy for those debating if it's worth upgrading.

» Learn more: How to choose which airline miles to earn from your flights

» Learn more:

How (and why) to upgrade your British Airways flight using Avios

How to choose which airline miles to earn from your flights

British Airways premium economy represents a significant step up from economy. You'll get a bigger seat with extra legroom and recline. Plus, passengers get better food and drink options along with extra perks like priority boarding and extra baggage allowance. And mileage collectors and elite status members will appreciate earning extra miles and elite-status credits.

(Top photo courtesy of British Airways)

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card

Earn 60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 in purchases in the first 3 months – that’s $600 toward your next trip.

Refreshed but with room for refinement: A review of British Airways World Traveller Plus on the refurbished 777

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here .

[tpg_rating tpg-rating-score="74" ground-experience="7" cabin-seat="23" amens-ife="27" food-bev="12" service="5" pros="New fabrics, fantastic bedding and a huge inflight-entertainment selection." cons="Limited foot space, disappointing second meal and awkward service flows." /]

A lot of excitement in British Airways' 100th year has centered around its new Airbus A350 aircraft with the long overdue and highly publicized new Club Suite business-class product. BA has a huge task ahead to install this seat in more than 100 existing wide-body aircraft, a process that will take years.

The very first of the existing aircraft to complete the refurbishment was a Boeing 777-200, which was then assigned on the prized route from London Heathrow (LHR) to New York JFK. I got to try Club Suite on this aircraft , so I also wanted to try out the World Traveller Plus (premium economy) service. Having heard whispers this cabin was also receiving a refresh, I wondered: How would the product compare to other BA WTP flights?

World Traveller Plus flights between London and New York can be a great use of Avios, with one-way redemptions costing 26,000 Avios per person on off-peak days plus about $400 in fees, taxes and surcharges.

We ended up paying the charges using the Platinum Card® from American Express, which earned 5x Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on airfare when booked directly with the airline and with American Express Travel. And with BA as a transfer partner of both American Express Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards , it's easy to amass the points required to book flights. Plus, there are often lucrative transfer bonuses between one (or both) of the programs and British Airways, meaning you'd need even fewer points to score an award.

[flight_stats ticket-class="econ" review-stat-section="Ground Experience" tpg-rating="7" tpg-rating-max="10" tail="G-RAES" age="22" departure="12" departure-2="10" duration="7" duration-2="02" live-tv="0" tailcam="0" headphones="0" comp-alcohol="0" extra-pillows="0" turndown-service="0" /]

I arrived at Heathrow Terminal 5, the home of British Airways, around two hours before departure.

Having checked in online but still needing a boarding pass, I tried out the check-in kiosks.

These were efficient, and I had my boarding pass in no time. I headed through Terminal 5 security, which despite the terminal being busy, was quick and efficient. I have never waited more than five minutes at any London airport security in my several years of living there.

From there, it was downstairs to find my gate. No lounge access is included with a World Traveller Plus ticket without any airline status, so I wandered around the terminal itself. The gate areas in the A Pier were heaving on a Thursday morning.

My flight was departing from the B gates, so I headed underground to take the transit train.

The B gates had more seating, though there were no power outlets at each seat.

Shortly after I arrived at the gate, around 60 minutes before scheduled departure, an announcement was made that boarding would be delayed around one hour due to an engineering issue.

Passengers in Club and First cabins were invited to return to the BA lounge in Terminal 5, but with no lounge for me, I decided to just stay at the gate and get some work done.

Despite the supposed hour's delay, boarding was delayed only 30 minutes, and I hoped we might even make up the time in the air for an on-time arrival into JFK.

Boarding was strictly maintained by group numbers. Groups 1 and 2 were boarded before me, and I was one of the first Group 3 members to board.

Other than the slight boarding delay, it was a civilized and organized ground experience and boarding process.

[flight_stats ticket-class="econ" review-stat-section="Cabin and Seat" tpg-rating="23" tpg-rating-max="30" configuration="2" configuration-2="4" configuration-3="2" width="18.5" pitch="38" tray="14" tray-2="16" lavs="4" live-tv="0" tailcam="0" headphones="0" comp-alcohol="0" extra-pillows="0" turndown-service="0" /]

I walked through the huge Club Suite cabins, which took up around half the aircraft, and then made it to the World Traveller Plus cabin behind it.

This was laid out in a 2-4-2 configuration. I was excited to see the seat fabrics were brand-new following the refurbishment, and the navy blue color looked smart.

The cabin was completely full on my flight, and with only a few seating options, I chose an aisle seat midway back in the cabin.

On closer inspection, I was disappointed to see that the refurbishment of the seats appeared to start and finish with the seat fabric. The casing of the seat had not been refreshed and was scuffed and dented. The IFE screens were also evidently previous-generation, as the buttons were quite faded.

Legroom was definitely a step above economy, and I liked the adjustable footrest.

The problem was there was very limited foot space under the seat in front of me. I do have big feet, but there was little room to fit these under what I expected would be a spacious seat.

There were two seat power sources to share between my seat neighbor and me.

There was a bifold tray table, which in upright position was able to accommodate my 13-inch laptop easily.

The recline of the seat was good, and I was able to fit in a comfortable, quick nap. Note that the seats recline deeply an abruptly: Both my seat neighbor and I were startled when the people in front of us reclined their seats.

The passenger in front of me was restless during the flight, and the seat shook significantly each time he tossed and turned. I could just manage to do some work on my laptop when the seat in front was fully reclined, though my concentration was interrupted numerous times when the seat in front wobbled and rattled because of the passenger's movements.

Although boarding commenced around 30 minutes late, we ended up departing almost an hour late, as the secondary screening for those with a dreaded 'SSSS' on their boarding pass was not set up properly at our gate at boarding time (perhaps because the delay in boarding ended up being far less than expected), so there were still passengers trickling on board well after I thought boarding had been completed.

With the Club Suite cabin taking up so much of the aircraft, the 777-200 featured a surprisingly small single World Traveller (economy) cabin in a tight 3-4-3 configuration -- this was the entire economy cabin.

There were no bathrooms dedicated to the WTP cabin. There was a pair of bathrooms at the back of our cabin shared between both cabins, though they were marked as out of order from boarding until several hours into the flight before a crew member noticed the stickers, checked the bathrooms and decided they were serviceable.

There was a curtain separating the premium and economy cabins, though this wasn't closed until halfway through the flight, which added to the feeling that there was little differentiation between the World Traveller Plus and World Traveller cabins.

[flight_stats ticket-class="econ" review-stat-section="Amenities and IFE" tpg-rating="27" tpg-rating-max="30" screen="12" live-tv="No" tailcam="No" wifi="5.7" wifi-2="0.36" headphones="Yes" comp-alcohol="0" extra-pillows="0" turndown-service="0" /]

This was the area where the flight really shone. I arrived to find several goodies waiting for me on my seat.

First was a plush, decent-sized pillow, which would not have looked out of place in business class.

There was a matching blanket, which was plush and large. Both had a really cool blue-and-white striped design that was fresh and stylish.

There was also a matching amenity kit in the same fun design, and headphones.

The headphones, while not noise-canceling, were of good quality and produced good sound. There was also the standard inflight magazine, duty-free magazine and sick bag in the seatback pocket.

While the IFE screens had not received an upgrade in the refurbishment, there were still hundreds of movies and TV shows to choose from. I certainly didn't get bored!

Though the flight map was fairly basic, considering the plane had just been refurbished.

The selections could be navigated by remote control.

Bathrooms were a good size and pretty standard, though I noticed that the mirrors were filthy, even at the start of the flight.

Wi-Fi was available shortly after takeoff and had good speeds: I was able to get quite a bit of work done on the flight.

[flight_stats ticket-class="econ" review-stat-section="Food and Beverage" tpg-rating="12" tpg-rating-max="20" live-tv="0" tailcam="0" headphones="0" comp-meal="2" meals-purchase="No" comp-alcohol="Yes" extra-pillows="0" turndown-service="0" /]

During the boarding process, poured drinks were offered from a tray. The cabin crew said they had "water, juice or Champagne." This immediately struck me as odd, because I didn't think BA served actual Champagne in World Traveller Plus (few airlines do). This is nitpicking, but if it were prosecco or English sparkling wine the crew member really should have described it as such. In any case, it wasn't very cold.

With an 11:20 a.m. departure, I expected a full lunch service followed by an afternoon tea meal shortly before landing, like I had experienced on other carriers on the same route, albeit with slightly later departure times.

As expected, lunch was served shortly after takeoff, beginning with a drinks service. All passengers were offered a premeal drink (a Bloody Mary for me) and asked to select wine for their meal. I asked for a white wine and was told there was only a sauvignon blanc. This was served with sour cream-and-chive pretzels.

There were three entrees. I would normally go for beef but decided to mix it up and selected a Thai prawn green curry.

BA serves World Traveller Plus meals still with the plastic and foil on top of containers. This really affects the presentation, and I wish they would tidy up the tray before handing it to the passengers ( Virgin Atlantic does the same thing).

This is the difference five seconds of tidying would make:

One of the big selling points of British Airways World Traveller Plus catering is that the entree is from the Club World kitchen, meaning you can expect a business-class main course. Unfortunately, while Club Suite passengers on this flight received meals plated in the galley, the same could not be said for WTP meals, which were reheated in the same dishes they were loaded onto the plane in.

This resulted in a fairly unappetizing-looking dish that tasted OK but was dried out around the edges because of the reheating.

I did like the starter, a goat cheese, orange and beetroot tartare. The goat cheese especially was a premium and refined touch. The cookie-dough cheesecake for dessert was also decent and got me ready to be in New York City.

Midflight, a small ice cream was served.

It was already pretty cracked when I opened it.

Around 90 minutes before landing, a second meal was served. I was expecting some sort of afternoon tea like on other flights to New York, but it was a lonely pizza, with tea or coffee offered this time.

While the main dish from lunch was promised "from the Club World kitchen," this was about as economy as it got.

The taste was decent, better than a frozen supermarket pizza and dense enough that it at least filled me up. I found the switch from proper china at lunch to paper cups for the second meal to be strange.

[flight_stats ticket-class="econ" review-stat-section="Service" tpg-rating="5" tpg-rating-max="10" live-tv="0" tailcam="0" headphones="0" comp-alcohol="0" extra-pillows="No" turndown-service="No" blurb="Delays and disruptions made for an uneven service flown that was little different from economy." /]

The crew on my flight were well-intentioned, but there were several frustrating elements to the flight. As the crew began serving lunch, they asked us both what we would like to drink at that moment and whether we wanted wine with our meal. I chose a Bloody Mary cocktail to start with and then white wine with my meal. This was both served to me before any food was. While that would ordinarily be fine, we then hit some turbulence, meaning the service was suspended for around 30 minutes.

This threw the entire service flow off. Most passengers drank their wine for their meal during the turbulence, and by the time their main courses were served, they had no wine left. The crew did not realize such a long delay would result in empty glasses, and, firstly, didn't both offer more wine when the meals were finally served (seeing glasses were empty), and, secondly, didn't offer any more drinks during the meal service at all.

While we were provided with coffee cups with our meal tray, the crew seemed so flustered that they completely forgot to serve any tea or coffee with lunch.

On this route that I've flown several times, I'm used to a full meal service shortly after takeoff and a lighter meal just before descent. The full lunch was served after takeoff as expected, but then midflight a single (mini) ice cream was served despite us having been served a normal dessert just a few hours earlier. I was confused why I was served two desserts so close together and initially thought that may be the entire second meal. But then around 90 minutes before landing, the crew came through a third time with a pizza, which, while filling because of its carby goodness, was not a patch on the afternoon tea usually served in World Traveller Plus on these flights.

There didn't appear to be any crew members dedicated to the World Traveller Plus cabin -- we were served first, but the same crew members then rolled down to World Traveller and served them. This added to the feeling there was little differentiation between the two cabins.

Overall impression

Given the huge improvement to the business-class cabin on this aircraft, I was hoping for more of an improvement in the World Traveller Plus cabin refresh. While new seat fabrics are nice on a 22-year-old aircraft, this was a pretty middle-of-the-road experience.

I appreciated the extra legroom and recline, and the awesome bedding was a lovely surprise, but this was far from a perfect flight. The lack of any real separation between the World Traveller and World Traveller Plus cabins was symbolic for the flight: While the premium cabin was served first, it felt fairly economy from start to finish. There wasn't much room for my (big) feet next to the bulky IFE box, and the turbulence with a full cabin seemed to upset the service flow, as things were simply forgotten.

The second meal service was strange: two very light and decidedly economy snacks served separately rather than a proper afternoon tea service.

This aircraft is more than two decades old, as are many flying BA's most profitable route, but in the future I'll be looking for a more modern aircraft where possible.

All photos by the author.

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British Airways

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SPECIAL MEALS

Do British Airway s short haul flights include meals?

Not really. British Airways provides a complimentary bottle of water, tea, coffee, and a small snack on short-haul flights departing from London Heathrow and Gatwick airports.

Additional food items can be pre-ordered or purchased during your flight (subject to limited stock).

Flights to/from Amman and Cairo offer complimentary meals and bar service.

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British Airways has collaborated with renowned Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge from the United Kingdom to create an exclusive in-flight menu. To enjoy these offerings, passengers must pre-order their meal and drink from the Speedbird Café before their flight.

Here are some of the choices available:

Tom Kerridge Ham Hock and Smoked Cheddar Sandwich £4.50

Tom Kerridge Coronation Chicken Sandwich £4.70

Tom Kerridge Sweet & Spicy Falafel Wrap £4.80

Tom Kerridge Three Cheese & Chutney Sandwich £4.50

Do British Airways long haul flights include meals?

Yes! Meals on long-haul British Airways flights are included in the ticket price. Main meals are typically served within two hours of take-off, with a smaller meal served within two hours of landing. On overnight flights, breakfast is provided. Flights under 8.5 hours receive a small snack as the second meal service.

Do you get free alcohol on British Airways ?

Both non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages are complimentary on British Airways long haul flights. (Short haul offers a paid bar service)

Meal Timings

Breakfast for flights departing before 09:30

Brunch for flights departing between 09:30 and 11:59

Lunch for flights departing between 12:00 and 13:59

Afternoon Tea for flights departing between 14:00 and 16:59

Dinner for flights departing after 17:00

Premium Economy (World Traveller Plus)

For passengers flying from London in premium economy, meals are sourced from the business class cabin. On Asian or African routes, locally inspired dishes may also be offered to premium economy passengers. These meals can be pre-ordered through the BA website .

British Airways offers a variety of special meals to accommodate the dietary preferences and restrictions of its passengers. However, please note that not all special meal types are available on every flight, and there may be instances where your chosen meal cannot be provided.

Lacto-ovo-vegetarian: This is a vegetarian meal that may include eggs and dairy products.

Vegan vegetarian: This is a strictly vegetarian meal that is entirely free of animal products, including honey, eggs, and dairy products.

Asian vegetarian: A vegetarian meal with flavors inspired by spices from the Indian subcontinent, typically mildly spiced.

Hindu: Prepared according to the requirements of the Hindu religion, this meal does not contain beef products and is flavored with spices from the Indian subcontinent. It is mildly spiced.

Halal: Halal meals are prepared following Halal guidelines and do not contain pork, pork by-products, or ingredients containing alcohol.

Jain: This is an Indian vegetarian meal prepared in accordance with Jain principles, using appropriate vegetables and grains.

Kosher : Prepared according to Jewish dietary laws. However, it is not available on certain routes.

Child meal: Suitable for young travelers between the ages of 2-12 years, this meal may contain beef and pork products.

[lasso type=”table” id=”4″ link_id=”1153″]

Baby meal : On long-haul flights, baby bottle/food warming facilities are available, along with a limited stock of baby food and milk. Passengers are advised to carry their own baby food and equipment in their hand baggage, as it is not possible to order baby meals or sterilize bottles on board.

Diabetic: Designed for passengers with diabetes, this meal contains minimal sugar content and maintains an equal balance of proteins, fats, fiber, and complex carbohydrates. Information about meal service times is provided to help passengers plan their medication during the journey.

Gluten intolerant: This meal is suitable for customers on a gluten-free diet and does not contain wheat, wheat flour, barley, oats, rye, bread, cakes (unless wheat-free), pastry, or any flour-based products.

Low calorie: Intended for passengers on a low-calorie diet, this meal excludes fried or fatty foods, sugar, full cream dairy products, fatty meats, sweets, and certain sauces such as mayonnaise and salad dressing.

Low fat: Designed for passengers on a low-fat diet, this meal contains limited amounts of saturated fat.

Low salt: For passengers on a low-sodium diet, this meal is prepared without added salt during preparation.

Low lactose: Tailored for passengers who are lactose-intolerant and cannot consume dairy products like cheese and milk.

Order your special meal here.

BUSINESS CLASS

Passengers travelling in Club World on most flights can select their meal before their flight. Orders can be placed from 30 days up to 24 hours before your flight via the manage your booking function.

A new service concept was recently launched in Club World, which will see the cabin crew hand running most meals or using new carts. Expect to have your starter and the main meal ordered at the same time; there will be no more service trolleys in the cabin.

Starters and desserts are now chosen from the new carts in the cabin. Special meals are now delivered at the same time as everyone else’s meals. The airline is investing heavily in the inflight catering, so expect quality catering, especially from Heathrow from their partner Do&Co.

[lasso type=”table” id=”4″ link_id=”1154″]

You can view sample menus from Club World right here .

Menus are now changed fortnightly with a focus on more British themed options. Expect to see Union Hand-Roasted coffee, Twinings Tea and other great British brands served in the cabin. For morning departures you will have the choice of up to three breakfast options including cured meats or smoked salmon, a hot English breakfast or a hot vegetarian breakfast.

Lunch and dinner will include an appetiser, main course choice and premium dessert. On shorter flights, you will have a choice of two fresh main course salads. Longer flights will offer three main course options ( two being hot offerings) and salad.

Jet-set Veg: 10 Airlines Mastering Vegan Airline Meals

KLM’s A La Carte Experience: Splurge or Save?

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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.

More Posts from The Flight Detective

British Airways Executive Club Gold Pack

May 25, 2016

Review: British Airways World Traveller Plus

June 23, 2016

Top 5 Airline Breakfast Meals

May 26, 2016

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

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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FG Insists Binance Executive Complicit as 16 US Lawmakers Accuse Nigeria of Taking Him Hostage 5 hours ago

Bloomberg: nigeria may suspend import levies on food to ease inflation 5 hours ago, new wage: tinubu directs edun to come up with cost implications in 48 hours 1 day ago, fg’s cng programme to slash petrol import by 5.5 billion litres, $4.4 billion yearly 1 day ago, latest headlines.

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Un report: acute food insecurity may hit nigeria, 17 other countries, british airways’ new level of comfort, luxury for discerning travelers  .

Discerning travelers flying British Airways from Lagos can now experience a whole new level of comfort and luxury as the airline has unveiled a stunningly renovated lounge at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, marking the completion of a six-month transformation project,  Chiemelie Ezeobi  writes 

 British Airways has opened a totally renovated luxurious lounge in Lagos airport following a six-month refurbishment.  The space has been cleverly designed to give customers more room to enjoy an upgraded food and beverage experience. It allows customers to relax, dine or work in a premium space, while also proudly exhibiting local art from Akoje Gallery.

Customers will be transported into a new contemporary lounge as soon as they pass through the grand entrance with floor to ceiling glass.  Following significant investment, the airline has created zones throughout the 360 square metres of space to cater for different customers’ needs.  

For those who want to dine ahead of the evening flight to London, there is a self-serve dining area with a wide selection of freshly made dishes.  The food and drink menu offers a range of Nigerian classics and British inspired dishes which will change regularly.  Customers can also pull up a chair at a newly built bar where a bartender will serve drinks including cocktails, wine, and soft drinks.   Champagne and canapes will also be offered to customers travelling in First.

To commemorate British Airways’ strong association with Nigeria, art from local artists will be displayed across the lounge.  The airline has launched a partnership with Akoje Gallery – founded by Maro Itoje and Khalil Akar – to curate an innovative new in-lounge exhibition featuring and celebrating guest artists.  The first showcase of works is themed ‘New Beginnings’ to celebrate the lounge opening.  

The selected artists will centre their works around the chosen theme. The first artists are Olawunmi Banjo: Two paintings titled The Wait I and II;   Qozeem Abdul Rahman: A Large painting titled The Guardian; and Steve Ekpenisi: A large metal sculpture titled Ulaga. 

The newly imagined lounge space features a quiet room with day beds, while the main area features relaxing comfy sofas and clusters of tables and chairs.  Customers needing to work can take advantage of new printing facilities.  

Calum Laming, British Airways’ Chief Customer Officer, said: “We’re focused on investing in the entire customer journey, not just on board.  For many of our customers, lounges are an important part of their experience, and the re-design of our Lagos lounge is a key part of our transformation strategy across our lounges around the world.

We’re delighted to open our doors to this stunning lounge in Lagos and we’re confident customers will enjoy spending time in this cleverly created space.”

The lounge is open to customers travelling in Club World (business) and first, as well as Silver and Gold Executive Club Members.

Khalil Akar, The Akoje Gallery adds: “We are honoured to partner with British Airways and give local Nigerian artists the chance to showcase their talents in the brand-new Lagos Lounge. We hope British Airways passengers enjoy the immersion in Nigerian culture and the artists’ contribution to their local art community.”

British Airways operates a daily flight between London Heathrow and Lagos, BA75 departs London Heathrow at 11.50, arriving at 18.15. BA74 departs Lagos at 22.45, arriving at 05.25+1.  The preferred aircraft is 787-10, the airline’s newest aircraft.  Customers have four cabins to choose from: First, Club World (business), World Traveller Plus (Premium Economy) and World Traveller (Economy).  

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James Corden’s latest public controversy didn’t go the way one might think. 

On Sunday, the former “Late Late Show” host, 45, was photographed speaking with an employee at British Airways after a turbulent trip from Faor, Portugal, to the UK – and other passengers rallied around him.

Corden has previously made headlines in the past for being “rude” to staff at Balthazar restaurant, leading to famed Big Apple restaurateur Keith McNally banning him from the downtown hotspot over his behavior. 

Spice Girl Mel B has also referred to Corden as “the biggest d–head I’ve ever met.” 

But, according to The Daily Mail , fellow passengers on Corden’s flight claim that the former talk show host was helpfully advocating for them all when the plane was forced to make an emergency stop in the Portuguese city after a mechanical problem. 

Fellow passenger Vanessa told Metro of the mid-flight ordeal: “It was something along the lines of, “Gather your possessions as best you can, take off your shoes, and when you’re told to by the airplane staff, please adopt the brace position and when we land if you’re able, please find your nearest emergency exit and vacate the plane.”

Per her account, passengers were told they no longer had to brace, but they still spent three hours on the tarmac in Lisbon before the plane was taken out of service. 

Corden, who had to publicly apologize for his conduct at Balthazar after owner Keith McNally called him a “tiny cretin of a man” and “the most abusive customer to my Balthazar servers since the restaurant opened 25 years ago,” allegedly kept passengers entertained during this tedious ordeal, according to Vanessa. 

“He walked up and down the aisles talking to people, and let everybody take a selfie with him,” she said.

She added, “I made a joke and went, ‘Oh if we’re all going to die. You could tell us how does the Gavin & Stacey Christmas special end?’” she said, referring to the popular British sitcom. 

“And he went ‘Do you really want to know?’ and I went ‘Yeah.’ He went, ‘I can’t tell you.’”

Vanessa claimed that Corden went to go talk to a staff member after passengers vacated the plane in Lisbon, because the passengers were guided to the wrong line. 

“So then BA finally let us off the plane,’ she recalled. ‘We’re in the terminal and there was not a member of BA staff to be found. And they put us in immigration queues. And there was just no one there telling us what was going on.’”

She defended his conduct where photos show Corden appearing to have a confrontation with airline staffers. 

“The people he’s speaking to in that picture are the flight staff on our plane. I watched him fist bump the pilot as he got off the plane, he said, ‘Thank you very much,’” she said. 

“James was a club flier and he stood there, and was like ‘What about all these people who’ve got all these kids with them?’ like saying that’s not acceptable. It’s not right,’” she claimed, adding that Corden “stood in the same queue as everybody else, doing the same things as everybody else did.” 

The Post reached out to Corden for comment.

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REDEFINING THE END-TO-END PASSENGER EXPERIENCE AND BUSINESS PERFORMANCE

British Airways opens renovated lounge at Lagos Airport as part of transformation strategy across its global lounges

Lounges & Gates | On the Ground // Jun 2024

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British Airways – a member of International Airlines Group (a Headline Partner of FTE EMEA and FTE Ancillary & Retailing , Dublin, 11-13 June 2024) – has opened a totally renovated lounge at Lagos Airport, following a six-month refurbishment.

The space has been designed to give customers more room to enjoy an upgraded food & beverage experience. It aims to allow customers to relax, dine or work in a premium space, while also exhibiting local art from Akoje Gallery.

Following significant investment, the airline has created zones throughout the 360sqm of space to cater for different customers’ needs. For those who want to dine ahead of the evening flight to London, there is a self-serve dining area with a wide selection of freshly-made dishes. The food and drink menu offers a range of Nigerian classics and British-inspired dishes, which will change regularly. Customers can also pull up a chair at a newly-built bar where a bartender will serve drinks including cocktails, wine, and soft drinks. Champagne and canapes will also be offered to customers travelling in First Class.

To commemorate British Airways’ strong association with Nigeria, art from local artists will be displayed across the lounge. The airline has launched a partnership with Akoje Gallery – founded by Maro Itoje and Khalil Akar – to curate an innovative new in-lounge exhibition, featuring and celebrating guest artists.

The newly-imagined lounge space features a quiet room with day beds, while the main area features relaxing sofas and clusters of tables and chairs. Customers needing to work can take advantage of new printing facilities.

“We’re focused on investing in the entire customer journey, not just onboard,” said Calum Laming, Chief Customer Officer, British Airways. “For many of our customers, lounges are an important part of their experience, and the re-design of our Lagos lounge is a key part of our transformation strategy across our lounges around the world. We’re delighted to open our doors to this stunning lounge in Lagos and we’re confident customers will enjoy spending time in this cleverly created space.”

The lounge is open to customers travelling in Club World (business) and First, as well as Silver and Gold Executive Club Members.

Hear more from International Airlines Group (IAG) at the co-located FTE EMEA and FTE Ancillary & Retailing events, taking place in Dublin on 11-13 June 2024. Harvey Tate, Human API – Digital Transformation, IAG, is speaking in a session focused on ‘What are the new technologies and approaches, that can make a transformational difference to the ways air transport stakeholders will operate in the future?’ He will deliver a presentation titled: ‘IAG is exploring a path to dark airport (fully autonomous) operations in the future, but how long might that take to achieve and what does it need to see from industry stakeholders to make such a vision a reality?’

Martin Thomas, Implementation Manager, Airports Automation, IAG Airports, will deliver a scene-setting presentation in ‘The FTE APEX Lounge Innovation Summit’ titled ‘The latest thinking on the way to develop, and run lounges, across the IAG group’.

Meanwhile, Annalisa Gigante, Board Member of Hangar 51 & Head of Innovation, IAG, is participating in the ‘Closing Leaders Keynote Session’ – a fast-moving and entertaining panel discussion on customer-centric innovation and business transformation.

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FTE exclusive: IAG discusses collaborative approach to industry transformation and how it is trialling Robotics & Automation, AI, and much more across the ramp, lounges and accessibility

International Airlines Group (IAG) invited FTE for a briefing on its innovation activities. We learned how IAG will be collaborating with its partners on trials covering robotics & automation, AI & ML, and more.

Digital Transformation , On the Ground , Robotics & AI , Startups // Feb 2024

12 technology and CX trends that can enhance airline and airport operations in 2024

FTE explores a selection of the top trends and technologies for 2024 and beyond, including robotics and automation, biometrics and digital identity, sustainability, Urban Air Mobility and more.

Ancillary , Biometrics , Digital Transformation , Mobility , On the Ground , Personalisation , Robotics & AI , Startups , Sustainability , Up in the Air // Jan 2024

British Airways partners with Amadeus on journey towards enhanced retailing capabilities using AI technology

British Airways – a member of IAG (a Headline Partner of FTE EMEA and FTE Ancillary & Retailing, Dublin, 11-13 June 2024) – is partnering with Amadeus on enhanced retailing capabilities using AI.

Ancillary , Digital Transformation , In-flight , Up in the Air // Apr 2024

Future Travel Experience Ancillary

11-13 June 2024, Dublin

Empowering the airline sector to profit from collaborative digital retailing opportunities at every step of the journey

Future Travel Experience EMEA

A gathering of air transport’s digital and innovation leaders, creative designers and progressive minds who will inspire one another and reimagine travel together.

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Where the world's most progressive travel facilitators define tomorrow’s end-to-end passenger experience

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19-20 November 2024, Singapore

Connecting vendors with airline and airport executives to transform tomorrow’s end-to-end passenger journey across Asia-Pacific

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Money blog: Slippery floors and a burst of heat - tricks shops use to get you to spend more

In the final part of our psychology of shopping series, we speak to fair fashion campaigner Venetia La Manna about the tricks fast fashion companies use to get people to spend, spend, spend. Read this and the rest of today's consumer news in the Money blog.

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By Emily Mee , news reporter

We've all been there. You have a bad day and you need a little pick-me-up - so you head straight to your favourite website to buy something new.

That hit of dopamine you get when buying something is what many businesses rely on - and no one seems to understand it better than fast fashion brands. 

But not only is this hurting our wallets, it's also harming the planet. 

In the final part of our psychology of shopping series, we spoke to fair fashion campaigner Venetia La Manna ( @venetialamanna ) - who advocates for a more sustainable approach to clothing - about the little tricks fast fashion companies use to get people to spend, spend, spend... 

Always in a rush - and slippery floors

Many of the techniques fashion companies use involve ensuring people feel rushed to make purchasing decisions. 

Ms La Manna says websites and social media pages are set up to make them look "very immediate" so we "always feel like we have to buy something before it's gone" - meaning you're not able to sit with a purchase and think about whether you need it. 

Fast fashion companies also keep an eye on trends and push out products as soon as possible to make sure people are "buying very, very quickly without necessarily much thought". 

And the sense of urgency is not just limited to online stores.

Ms La Manna says physical clothes shops will make sure their floors are slippery "so you can almost whizz around with more ease".

Often they will also have loud music to encourage "shopping in a frenzy". 

They know what you want

Fashion sites use "highly advanced" search engine optimisation to find out what kind of products their customers are searching for and push these items to them, Ms La Manna says. 

They also work with popular online influencers and get them to post affiliate links - meaning if you want to look like your favourite influencer or celebrity, you can buy what they're wearing "in just a few clicks". 

Ultimately, they are making things "very easy to buy" and often have shopfronts on popular social media sites like Instagram and TikTok. 

Plus, there is the issue of affordability. 

Many are driving their prices down so low that "it makes you feel like 'hey, why not' when it's cheaper than a sandwich or a coffee", Ms La Manna says. 

Heaters at the entrance

Physical shops use other techniques to entice customers to buy. 

For example, Ms La Manna says the heat changes when you go into the shop so you're "invited into a warmer environment". 

Shops are also set out in a specific way, often placing cheaper items near checkouts and easy outfit formulas near each other. 

The dopamine hit

With lots going on in the world, we may be more susceptible to falling into the spending trap than ever. 

"The world is really heavy and people are struggling. Buying fast fashion or buying stuff gives us a momentary hit of dopamine, and of course we need that - when we're suffering, when we're feeling low, [shopping] is an easy one to reach for," Ms La Manna says. 

Despite practising "slow fashion" - trying to buy less and more consciously - for years, Ms La Manna says she still has moments where she feels that buying something would make her feel better. 

But she says it's possible to get much-needed dopamine hits from elsewhere - including by being active in your community, or by taking your time to find something you really, really want (ideally secondhand!). 

Why does it matter? 

Aside from being bad for your wallet, Ms La Manna says overconsumption is also bad for the planet and for the garment workers making your clothes. 

She says many big fashion companies don't pay their garment workers a fair living wage - with many unable to provide food for their families, living in poverty and lacking paid time off. 

The overproduction of clothing is also harming communities in the global south who are left to deal with vast piles of unwanted items, she says. 

The majority of clothes taken to charity shops or recycling bins don't end up being resold - instead they are shipped off largely to places in the global south, where communities are "left to deal with a problem that's not theirs". 

For more information on slow fashion, Ms La Manna suggests checking out The Or Foundation, Remake and the Clean Clothes Campaign. 

Three whiskies created by Aldi have been named among the best in the world.

The budget supermarket took home three golds at the International Spirits Challenge awards for: 

• Glen Marnoch Highland Single Scotch Whisky (£18.49, 70cl)
• Highland Earl Blended Scotch Whisky (£16.89, 1L)
• Samuel Joe’s Straight Kentucky Bourbon (£14.99, 70cl)

In the single malt category, Aldi's submission beat the likes of M&S as well as premium brand Lochlea Distillery, which costs around £45 a bottle. 

Other gold winners included Johnnie Walker, Jameson and Glenfiddich. 

Aldi was also given three silver medals for its Highland Black Blended Scotch Whisky, Glen Marnoch Speyside Single Malt Whisky and Glen Marnoch Islay Single Malt Whisky. 

"This industry recognition helps to prove that great quality doesn't have to come with a luxury price tag and customers can be confident they're saving money with us, whilst getting the best whisky taste and experience," said Julie Ashfield, managing director of buying at Aldi UK. 

As we've previously discussed in the Money blog, holidaying Brits can avoid costly roaming charges by using their own travel eSim - and there's now another mainstream option to choose from courtesy of Uswitch.

UK travellers who want to use their phones abroad usually rely on their roaming plans and data passes or sign up for a local SIM at their destination, which can often require time-consuming ID checks and additional documentation.

That can be costly. 

Since Brexit, the UK no longer benefits from several EU-mandated rules, including a worldwide data roaming cap of £45.

Roaming costs, especially in countries outside the EU, can now be as high as £9 for every 1MB of roaming data - equivalent to streaming Netflix for 14.4 seconds.

The savings with eSims are potentially massive, as our cost of living specialist Megan Harwood-Baynes outlined here last month...

USwitch product

Using 10GB of data in Morocco on a UK Pay As You Go network with uncapped fees would cost on average of £56,166, compared to just £17 with a USwitch eSim.

eSims are available online and are entirely digital - meaning customers don't need to visit a phone network store or wait for a physical SIM card to arrive in the post.

Most new smartphones are already compatible with eSim technology, including every iPhone released from 2018 onwards and most Samsung devices released from 2020 onwards.

"eSIMs offer them a newfound freedom that's cheaper than traditional data roaming and with none of the hassle of finding a local SIM card provider when you arrive," said CEO and co-founder of (USwitch's partner in this project) eSIM Go Zacchary Couldrick.

Asda has gone from selling the cheapest petrol out of the supermarket chains to now costing the most, according to the latest fuel price figures.

RAC says Asda's big rivals, Morrisons, Sainsbury's and Tesco, all sold a litre of unleaded petrol for 2.1p less on average at the end of May.

Diesel was also coming out costlier at Asda, with the supermarket 2.5p per litre more expensive than the rest of its supermarket competition.

Drivers are being urged - by the RAC - to change their refuelling habits to find the best prices. 

What makes up the cost of a litre of petrol?

The price you pay for fuel at the pumps is governed by wholesale fuel prices, which are affected by several factors.

These include the global price of crude oil, which itself is governed by supply and demand and oil refinery production and capacity.

Distribution costs, fuel duty (currently 52.95p a litre in the UK), VAT (currently at 20%) and profit margins dictated by fuel retailers all come into account when working out why prices of fuel rise and fall.

Fuel duty rate and VAT largely stay the same, though oil prices and the strength of the pound to the US dollar (refined fuel is sold in dollars per metric tonne) can cause prices to be extremely volatile.

How have UK petrol prices changed in the 21st century

Unleaded fuel in 2000 had an average cost of 80.35p, while the average cost of diesel in the same year was 81.73p.

The lowest average cost for unleaded petrol in the last 24 years came in 2002, where the average was 73.5p. Diesel also had its cheapest average cost in this year at 75.6p.

Unsurprisingly, the most expensive average prices for fuel have fallen in recent years. In 2022, the average cost of unleaded fuel was 165.06p and the average cost of diesel was 178.13p.

P Diddy has sold off his stake in the media company he founded more than a decade ago. 

The rapper, whose real name is Sean Combs, released his shares of Revolt with the company saying the have been fully redeemed and retired. 

Revolt has not disclosed how much Combs was paid for his stake in the hip-hop news and entertainment company, which he founded in 2013.

It also announced a new ownership structure that will give its employees an equity stake in the company. 

The move comes after several lawsuits were filed against Combs , accusing him of sexual assault and rape. 

In November, he was sued by R&B singer Cassie, who said he subjected her to a years-long abusive relationship that included beatings and rape.

Combs settled the lawsuit with Cassie, whose full name is Casandra Ventura, a few days after it was filed.

Three in five secondary school teachers and nearly 80% of primary school teachers are spending their own money on supporting students, according to new research.

A report by the National Foundation for Educational Research, based on a survey of 1,282 teachers and senior leaders, found a quarter of teachers had already spent £100 of their own cash on their pupils or school this academic year.

Some 79% of primary school teachers and 62% of secondary school educators reported spending their own money at some point.

And nearly one in five primary and 17% of secondary teachers said they were spending money on meeting pastoral needs such as providing food or clothes.

Jude Hillary, the NFER's co-head of UK policy and practice, said the report "clearly highlights the high level of need among young people".

She said teachers were "going above and beyond to meet pupils' pastoral needs using their personal funds" and the "unrecognised" support was coming at a time when staff themselves are facing their own cost pressures.

Tesco has started re-stocking its packs of a dozen eggs online, after lengthy supply issues forced them to stop selling them.

The supermarket had already re-started selling them in stores, but online shoppers had to buy two packs of six eggs if they wanted 12, costing them very slightly more.

The shortages began in the autumn of 2022 as farmers left the industry or pulled back on production due to rising costs.

An outbreak of bird flu last year also impacted the sector.

Customers of Loveholidays have had their travel plans thrown into chaos after the parent company of two of its partners unexpectedly went bust. 

In a post on Facebook, the holiday firm said FTI Group, which owns YouTravel and Meeting Point, had filed for insolvency. 

As a result, the accommodation and transfer arrangements of some travellers have been affected. 

A "small number" of hotels have already started contacting Loveholiday travellers, asking them to pay for their rooms again.

In the comments of the post, one person said they had been "threatened to be removed by police" for refusing to pay again. 

"We are supposed to go home Thursday evening and worried our transfers and flights might be affected because we are refusing to pay again," Scott Love wrote. 

"Shambles this and has ruined our holiday for me, my partner and three children." 

Several other people commented, asking the provider to tell them if their trip had been impacted. 

Loveholidays said it was "working hard" to honour its customers bookings and "minimise disruption" to any holiday. 

It also said it was "absolutely committed" to covering costs and was working with affected customers, and the hotels involved, to make sure that happens.

Those who are on holiday and need support have been advised to contact the holiday support team by calling the number on their booking documents. 

"If you're travelling with us soon and are wondering if your holiday is affected: Please don't worry. There is nothing you need to do - our team is working hard to honour any impacted bookings with another partner," Loveholidays added. 

Sky News has contacted the company for comment. 

Chef Tom Brown has announced he is closing his high-end Hackney restaurant Cornerstone due to high costs of the tasting menu format and changing diner preferences.

The seafood-focused restaurant first opened in 2018 and earned a Michelin star in 2021.

In a statement, Brown said Cornerstone had been his "proudest moment" and his "home for the last six years", and added that his focus would now be on his nearby Pearly Queen site.

First Direct is ending its text message banking service after 25 years, according to a report.

An email seen by This Is Money said the service - which texts customers mini bank statements and alerts them to their balance dropping below a certain amount - will be stopped on 10 August.

First Direct told the outlet that customers could get "more detailed and up-to-date information" by logging onto its app or online banking.

Tesco has partnered with Virgin Red to offer Clubcard holders the chance to turn points into experiences.

Those signed up to the supermarket's loyalty scheme will get twice the points value when they turn points earned on their shopping into Virgin Points.

A bonus 5,000 points is available for anyone who signs up to auto-exchange all their Clubcard points to Virgin Points for the first time.

McDonald's has lost the EU trademark for "Big Mac" when it comes to chicken sandwiches after a long-running dispute with an Irish restaurant chain. 

The European Court of Justice upheld a complaint from Galway-based Supermac's against the US fast food giant. 

The trademark for the words "Big Mac" was initially registered with the EU International Property Office (EUIPO) in respect of meat, fish and chicken sandwiches as well as a range of restaurant services by McDonald's in 1996.

Generally, the rights of a holder to an EU trademark are revoked if it has not been put to genuine use within a continuous period of five years.

Supermac's argued McDonald's had insufficiently used the contested trademark in relation to "chicken sandwiches".

McDonald's and the EUIPO put forward examples of advertisements and display boards relating to "Grand Big Mac Chickens".

However, the court found the evidence was not sufficient to prove McDonald's had used the contested trademark enough in relation to poultry products.

Supermac's complaint was upheld and McDonald's protection of the phrase for such purposes was overturned. 

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12 people injured after Qatar Airways plane hits turbulence on flight to Dublin

Dublin Airport said six passengers and six crew members reported injuries after a Qatar Airways plane flying from Doha to Dublin experienced turbulence on Sunday while airborne over Turkey.

FILE - A Qatar airways plane lands at the airport in Frankfurt, Germany, as the sun rises on Sept. 25, 2023. Twelve people were injured when a Qatar Airways plane flying from Doha to Dublin on Sunday May 26, 2024 hit turbulence, airport authorities said. (AP Photo/Michael Probst, File)

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LONDON (AP) — Twelve people were injured when a Qatar Airways plane flying from Doha to Dublin on Sunday hit turbulence, airport authorities said. Eight of the injured were hospitalized.

Dublin Airport said in a statement that flight QR017, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, landed safely as scheduled before 1 p.m. (1200 GMT).

It said that upon landing the aircraft was met by emergency services, including airport police and the fire and rescue department, “due to six passengers and six crew … reporting injuries after the aircraft experienced turbulence while airborne over Turkey.”

The airport said all passengers were assessed for injuries aboard the plane, and eight were then taken to hospital.

Passenger Paul Mocc told Irish broadcaster RTE that he saw “people hitting the roof” and food and drink flying everywhere.

Another traveler, Emma Rose Power, told RTE that after the turbulence, “some of the flight attendants I saw, they had scratches on their face, they had ice to their face. There was one girl that had a sling on her arm.”

Qatar Airways said in a statement that “a small number of passengers and crew sustained minor injuries in flight and are now receiving medical attention.”

It said “the matter is now subject to an internal investigation.”

The incident comes five days after a British man died of a suspected heart attack and dozens of people were injured when a Singapore Airlines flight from London hit severe turbulence.

While turbulence-related fatalities are rare, injuries have piled up over the years. Some meteorologists and aviation analysts note that reports of turbulence encounters also have been increasing and point to the potential impacts that climate change may have on flying conditions.