BBB

Business class today is the first class of yesterday but where does that leave BA’s new first class?

I was at the launch of British Airways’ new first class recently, as you can see from this picture shows me sitting in a mock-up of the seat.

If you haven’t flown it or read about it, BA’s new first class seat is 21 inches wide and has a pitch of 78 inches and you will find either 13 or 14 seats on your plane depending on whether you are on a Boeing 747 or 777. The screen for the in-flight entertainment is 15 inches across.

You also get access to the Concorde Room at London Heathrow Terminal 5 and at New York . JFK and access to a Quintessentially concierge 14 days either side of your flight.

The new first class made its debut on the London-Chicago route in February. First is due to be rolled out across the BA fleet by the end of 2011.

The launch was a swanky affair; it was held at a Mayfair art gallery, there was plenty of Champagne sloshing about and there was even a little celeb glitz through the presence of actor and badger fan Bill Nighy.

It felt strange to be looking at such a product in such surroundings just a few weeks after the Coalition Government swept to power and warned the country that austerity was the new watch-word.

This had me wondering, not for the first time, about the future of first class.

First class, as you would expect, is an expensive luxury. This summer, a fully flexible one-way, first class ticket from Heathrow to New York is £4,268 including taxes. That compares with £2,780 in business class, £961 in premium economy, £608 in economy (all fully flexible and including taxes) and £164 including taxes in discounted economy.

Intense competition from the likes of Emirates - UAE, Etihad - Abu Dhabi and Singapore - Sling Airlines means that airlines are constantly upgrading their onboard product. What passes as business class today would have been first class (or beyond) 10 to 20 years ago. Similarly, what is termed as premium economy today would have been business class back then.

Pakistan Flooding - Emergency Aid Needed Now!

I know not of the plight of any badgers in this troubled region but the TV news and online updates continue to present sad pictures and scenes of human suffering.

Not good to hear that the forecast is more and more rain - exaserbating the floods

Hopefully, they will survive and have the strength and succour to carry on with life.

Pakistan floods appeal

This video should encourage us all to do whatever we can to help

I think, we should set aside our political feelings toward the government of Pakistan which deserves little credit for their response to this emergency.

It is a natural disaster and people affected by it are truly suffering.

I am disappointed that the UN response was very meager. I hope good people of India would extend their helping hand in the reconstruction efforts and health services of the people of the Swat Valley in North West Pakistan.

 

Howdy Badger buddies - I had the joy of receiving an email from cousin Herb today - a relaxed badger who enjoys Californian dreaming.  He wanted to drum up support for a charity fundraising idea opportunity he has.

Herb wrote:

I’ve run the SF marathon every year for the last 7 years and I will continue to run it until I can’t run marathons anymore . . It is the most spectacular marathon. . It is amazing to run through such a beautiful city, over the Golden Gate bridge and finish right at the water and Embarcadero. The weather is perfect too! There is not another marathon to compare it to unless you travel out of the country (yes, including Boston!)

After finishing the San Francisco marathon you can run anywhere – it’s definitely the hardest urban marathon around. The hills were challenging, but very rewarding to see the finish line at the end. each time I run again I hope to get a better time.

Indeed the full running event is 25,000 runners (full marathon and two half-marathons), but of that crowd we have around 7,000 runners who are dedicated to running the full 26.2 miles. Last year, we had just under 6,000 marathoners start the course. We currently have nearly 1,000 spots left for the 2010 full marathon and spots remaining for the second half marathon.

Nice one Herb - now here’s a video taken by Oxfam to promote their fundraising activities during the London marathon