British Airways plane seating
27 January 2007 - a letter I wrote to British Airways on my flight from Cape Town to Johannesburg.
Dear Sir/Ma'am
I mostly fly South African Airways, and have been the holder of a silver voyager card with them for the last four years. Last year we were offered the option of converting to British Airways and getting the same status card with British Airways (plus they start me off at the same points I had then), as long as we flew 3 sectors with them over a certain time period. Unfortuanately that time-period coincided with an extensive (already booked) overseas holiday; so I knew I wouldn't be able to make the 3 sectors. I've been angry at the Gods ever since for not making it possible for me to take advantage of this opportunity, as I've ended up flying a lot of British Airways anyways (and cant get into the lounge for those flights).
Today (24 Jan 2007) I flew flight BA6414 from Cape Town to Johannesburg. I was delighted to be booked in row 7c, until I boarded the plane (and I could see it wasn't business class like 7c would be on SAA), and shock and horrors it was the row in front of the emergency exit. Now on SAA flights the row in front of the emergency exit does not slide back, so if the person in front of you puts their seat back, then you end up squashed. I consoled myself with the fact that at least there is more room between seats on this plane than on the SAA planes. Imagine my surprise and delight when after I the plane took off I discovered that this seat does indeed go back (unlike on the South African Airways planes).
Well done British Airways for leading the pack (unfortuanately your top notch plane design upsets me even more than I couldn't take up your offer from last year!).
Warm regards,