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IF YOU'VE ever been lucky enough to experience business class – possibly for work, when someone else has paid for the tickets – you'll know too well the difference between reaching your long-haul destination after being cooped up in what is known for good reason as "cattle class" and the exorbitantly priced alternative, business or first class, with reclining armchairs that for all intents and purposes become beds in a first-class hotel.
It's a far greater difference than cheese and chalk.
The laid-on Moet and Veuve and five-star dining options of business and first class, frankly, are mere trifles compared with the e-x-t-r-a r-o-o-m for your legs, and arms, and neck, and back . . .
Until recently it was either one or the other.
You had the choice of leaving Sydney and arriving in London 21 hours and 37 minutes later feeling like you'd just woken up in a luxury hotel . . . or you hobbled, knock-kneed and stiff, on feet that refused to acknowledge their owner while you tried to straighten your back at least to a point where your neck could bend a few degrees to enable you to peer at your passport while not hurtling headlong into the Business Lounge sign you pass on your way to passport check, Customs, baggage carousel and McDonald's.
The introduction of a mid-class of travel has changed that.
Premium economy is an affordable mid-way point which brings measurable extra leg-room, more than a breath of fresh air to formerly world-weary travellers.
British Airways calls it World Traveller Plus and they've made it available on selected British Airways long-haul routes.
Since then, BA has invested in its premium economy to offer an elegant new interior, luxury seats with greater recline, a 60 per cent larger flat entertainment screen and personal in-seat power supply.
In September this year, World Traveller Plus was named the best premium economy by Business Traveller Asia-Pacific.
The cabin is fitted on the fuel-efficient Boeing 777-300ER which flies from Sydney to London via Singapore and is touted as "perfect for cost-conscious business travellers and discerning leisure passengers who want more space and privacy".
British Airways says more than 1.2 million travellers use these cabins each year. They're smaller but with a reduced number of seat rows and they're marketed as big on space and big on comfort.
And they are.
With six rows configured in 2-4-2 seating, the cabins offer up to 44 seats on the Boeing 777-300ER. The seats are wider and provide more leg-room – 38 inches pitch compared to 31 inches in economy. A new hammock-style adjustable headrest, footrest and increased recline also provide extra support and comfort.
New soft furnishings, pillows, fleece blankets and amenity kits ensure passengers feel relaxed and refreshed throughout the journey. A USB/RCA port enables charging of personal devices for work or relaxation.
The premium economy cabin uncramps your style, making it easier to relax, sleep and work.
Have a look at the premium economy cabin . . .
The new Thales seat-back entertainment system makes it easy to choose what you want to watch or play. The larger 10.6-inch high-resolution screens give travellers access to more than 230 TV programs, 70 movies, 400 CDs and interactive games, along with children's and family content and parental lock settings.
Noise-reducing headphones enable you to immerse yourself in your choice of movie, music or game.
The premium economy menu is served on china with linen napkins and travellers can choose from the Club World business class entrée menu. On the Sydney-to-London route, a complimentary full bar service is available with a wide selection on offer.
BA premium economy has a generous baggage allowance. You can take two bags on board – a full-sized cabin bag plus a laptop or handbag. And you can check in two pieces of baggage up to 23kg each – that's twice the allowance in standard economy.
The premium economy cabin was designed to be welcoming, contemporary and understated. It's not only more spacious than economy but also quieter.
FAST FACTS | WORLD TRAVELLER PLUS
British Airways currently operates a daily service between Sydney and London via Singapore. It flies into the award-winning London Heathrow Terminal 5, which is exclusive to British Airways and its sister airline Iberia. This offers travellers from Australia a convenient onward connection to the rest of Europe. All-year-round fares in World Traveller Plus premium economy start at $2900 (low season), excluding taxes and surcharges.
BA has been flying to Australia for more than 80 years and is the only European airline to service the country for this long. All flights from Sydney arrive and depart from London Heathrow Terminal 5, allowing easy and convenient connections to BA's network, currently at 179 cities in 75 countries. ❏
■ The writers were sponsored on this trip by British Airways and supported by VisitBritain and The London Pass in England.
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