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British Airways Unaccompanied Minor Policy Explained [2023]

If you want to send your child or a minor on a flight alone on British Airways, your booking experience might be quite different from many other airlines, especially those located in the US.

To help with some of the confusion, we’ve created a guide that will help you understand how British Airways treats unaccompanied minors and what you can expect.

So keep reading below for everything you need to know!

What is the British Airways unaccompanied minor policy?

British Airways does not have an unaccompanied minor service although they do allow children 14 years or older to fly alone.

If the child is 14 or 15 years old and traveling alone a parental/guardian consent form must be completed before travel.

Despite being one of the most popular airlines in the world, British Airways ended its unaccompanied minor service in 2016.

The program was called “Skyflyer Solo” and ended as a result of budget cuts and also reduced popularity of the program.

Reportedly, there was a big drop in the unaccompanied minors that used to fly between ex-pat hotspots like Hong Kong, Kenya, and the Caribbean.

The drop of the unaccompanied minor service appears to be unrelated to the legal issues British Airways dealt with related to sex discrimination.

Basically, British Airways would not allow men to sit next to unaccompanied minors which resulted in some legal issues until they ended the practice in 2010.

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

What are the British Airways unaccompanied minor fees?

Since British Airways does not provide an unaccompanied minor service they do not require any fees.

If you would like you can look into the Meet and Assist program available at London Heathrow.

Whether you are arriving, connecting, or departing, you can have a staff member help assist your minor at the airport from the beginning to the end of their airport journey. Prices may depend on the route but you can expect to pay around £125.00.

Related: British Airways Boarding Groups Explained

British Airways unaccompanied minor rules

Minimum age.

If a child is under 14 years old, they cannot fly alone under any circumstances. British Airways is very clear about this and as far as I can tell there are no exceptions.

However, if a child under 14 is traveling with someone 16 years or older on the same itinerary they will be allowed to fly. In that situation, I don’t believe any paperwork is needed.

If a child is 14 years old or 15 years old and traveling alone they must have a completed parent/guardian consent form filled out in order for them to travel.

The consent form is pretty basic.

It requires you to fill out contact information and also requires you to provide a copy of a signed identification form such as a passport.

The form does speak to the issue of handling a delayed or canceled flight where your child will need overnight accommodation.

The key is to make sure that you or someone else is available to pick up the kids from the departing airport in that situation.

If not, then British Airways will contact the authorities and/or child protection authorities to provide advice or care which just does not sound like a great situation.

The form also grants permission for the minor to travel by taxi or stay in a hotel room unaccompanied if there is a travel disruption away from the point of departure/destination.

How to book a British Airways unaccompanied minor reservation

Unlike many airlines that allow you to book special bookings for children, you cannot do this with British Airways online.

If you need to make a booking for someone under the age of 16 who is traveling solo, you will need to  contact British Airways  to make the booking. 

International flights

Unlike in the US were many unaccompanied minors are simply flying around the country domestically, in the UK a lot of flights will be headed to international destinations.

Since there is no unaccompanied minor service, your child of 14 years or older will be flying as an adult. This means that he or she will have to learn how to navigate the airport and get through customs and immigration on their own.

For that reason, you want to make sure that your child is responsible and mature enough to get through those areas without major complications.

Encourage the child to ask questions from officials in the airport that have uniforms on or that are working information desks.

Some airports are extremely easy to get around in while others can be more confusing, even for adults.

In some cases, you may be able to print out a map and show your kid where to go but sometimes that is much easier to do on paper than it is in real life.

Try to book nonstop flights

One thing that you can do to make life easier for the minor is to book nonstop flights.

Nonstop flights are usually recommended for younger kids under the age of 18.

This is for two reasons.

First, dealing with connections can be stressful and difficult especially if there is a limited time window and the airport is particularly large or confusing to navigate.

Also, if there happens to be a delay and the kid is forced to stay overnight they would have to check into a hotel and many hotels have age limits on checking in.

This is especially true in the US.

They may not allow a kid under the age of 18 to check in and that could be a very difficult situation to put your child in.

Make sure to get signed permission forms

If the minor is traveling internationally including Europe, the minor may need an official document signed by their parents or legal guardian(s) providing them with permission to travel.

There are  no universal EU rules  on permission forms for minors. Instead, each EU country decides if it requires the child to have an official authorization. You can search for the country your minor is traveling to here to see the requirements.

Also, the UK has special rules for taking children abroad. You are required to obtain permission of everyone with  parental responsibility  for a child or from a court before taking the child abroad.

I would suggest that you read up on this resource so that you don’t get charged with child abduction by failing to get permission!

In addition, you can search country specific requirements for various travel documentation here .

British Airways recommendations

British Airways has some specific recommendations to help your young traveler. Many of these are pretty much common sense but I’ve added some additional insight.

If you really want to get deep into all of the tips for traveling with unaccompanied minors, then you should check out our guide .

Verify the travel documents

You’ll want to make sure that the child has any necessary travel documents such as a valid passport, any visas, and proof of return travel (as required).

If you think the minor might lose the passport or travel documents, consider attaching them to a minor’s neck lanyard or something similar.

You might also think about using something like Apple ID tags for the minor’s luggage so that things can be easily tracked if lost.

Bring the signed consent form

Make sure that the child has the signed British Airways consent form and a copy of the parent/guardian’s passport or other form of photographic identification showing a signature attached to the form.

Ideally, the parent/guardian would take the child through the check-in process and verify that the travel documents and consent forms are sufficient.

It’s also always recommended that the parent or guardian remain at the airport until the plane has taken off.

If you want to take your child to the gate but are not able to do that, one trick is to book a fully refundable flight.

As long as you cancel that in time you won’t be out any money but the ticket should give you access through airport security and allow you to drop the minor off at the gate for a proper goodbye.

Any required medication and/or health certificates

Even with airlines that have unaccompanied minor policies, they usually state that they do not administer medication to minors.

And since British Airways does not have an unaccompanied minor service, you need to ensure that your child is well aware of how to administer his or her own medication.

Also, if there are any health certificates needed related to any conditions, make sure the child has them in their possession so that they can show them to someone in the event of an emergency.

Charged devices

You want your child to have the ability to communicate with their parent or guardian and also the individual who will be picking them up at their destination.

Make sure that the child has a fully charged mobile device with sufficient credit and roaming activated if needed. If you’re worried about the device going dead, you have a couple of options.

You can try to book an aircraft that has power outlets although that may not always be feasible. And even if the aircraft does have outlets the outlet being used by the minor could be out of service.

Second, you can buy a battery juice pack that will allow the minor to charge his or her device while traveling.

Something else to consider is that it should not be hard to find a plane with Wi-Fi .

You can go through the steps to help your child know how to connect and if they have issues they can even ask a flight attendant who should be able to assist.

This could help you to remain in communication throughout the flight if you would like more peace of mind.

Credit card or cash

You never know what type of expenses a child might have unexpectedly. They may need to buy a phone charger, a taxi to a hotel, a hotel night, a prepaid phone that works, etc.

It’s a really good idea to send some cash or a credit card with your child and just explain to them the parameters of using it.

Related airlines

Flights operated by SUN-AIR or Comair have different age requirements for unaccompanied minors.

They allow young children between the ages of 5 to 11 years to travel without a parent or legal guardian provided you contact the airline in advance. So be sure to look into those airlines if you would like to book an unaccompanied minor service.

Also, American Airlines is a partner of British Airways and they do have an unaccompanied minor policy that you can read about here .

Unfortunately, British Airways does not provide a traditional unaccompanied minor service to help young kids through the airport.

Instead, they simply don’t allow any kids to fly alone unless they are at least 14 years old.

This means that you need to take extra care to make sure your child is mature enough to handle navigating through an airport and that you take all the precautions necessary to ensure that you will be able to communicate with them throughout the process.

Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and the credit card app, WalletFlo . He is a former attorney turned travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, and CNBC. Read my bio .

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GUIDE: British Airways Unaccompanied Minor Policy

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Booking an unaccompanied minor onto a British Airways service is a little different than it would seem and is somewhat different to other major airlines.

For starters, they scrapped their formal offering “Skyflyer Solo” in 2016 meaning parents and guardians alike of having been using a patchwork of different offerings to get their children abroad.

To help with the confusion, here is a helpful guide for parents and guardians using British Airways.

That being said, if you are looking for a more structured offering, Virgin Atlantic, BA’s main competitor out of the UK does offer a service which you can find using this link .

Breaking Down Terminology

As a start, it is good to break down the key terminology that will be used as there is nothing more gut-wrenching that sending your children into the open world without fully understanding the ramifications of doing so.

What is an Unaccompanied Minor?

For people who don’t use the service often or do not fly a lot, the definition of what constitutes being a “minor” is usually different to what the airline industry defines a minor as.

The airline you choose for example will define these differently, but the rough consensus among established airlines is that anyone travelling under the age of 16 will be classed as a minor, although these do vary.

Understanding Passenger Type Codes

While mainly used to verify the booking, by default, airfare systems assume that all passengers are Adults. But in this article, we know that this is not the case. The common PTCs to look out for after you have made the booking are:

• INF: infant without a seat
• INS: infant with a seat
• UNN: unaccompanied child

If you are booking with a travel agent, you need to ensure they add the keyword YPTA to bookings so British Airlines can identify solo young flyers under 16 years travelling with them

What Is The British Airways Unaccompanied Minor Policy?

To date, British Airways does not have an unaccompanied minor service although they do allow children 14 years or older to fly alone .

Specifically, If the child is 14 or 15 years old and travelling alone a parental/guardian consent form must be completed before travel. The form is available to  download here .

Importantly, British Airway’s franchise agreements with Comair and SUN-AIR are not part of the guidance and have their own set of rules. The Rules do apply to BA CityFlyer

The Decline Of Skyflyer Solo

As mentioned, Skyflyer Solo ended in 2016 due to decreased uptake of the service even though passenger numbers were up over the last decade preceding the cut.

BA has a long history with offering the possibility to travel as an Unaccompanied Minor, dating back to more than 40 years with the airline charging $125 (£90) for a “flying nanny” on a European or domestic flight, and $150 (£108) for a long-haul trip, on top of the ticket price.

However, BA justified the move by saying that while the Unaccompanied Minor service was available to children aged between 12 and 18, only one in 10 in this age category travelling alone made use of it.

That said, British Airways never shies away from controversy, and the Unaccompanied Minor program was no different. The carrier in 2010 was embroiled in a sex discrimination case when the carrier policy of not allowing men to sit next to unaccompanied minors which actually enforced.

What Are The British Airways Unaccompanied Minor Fees?

As the carrier does not provide an unaccompanied minor service there are no fees involved.

Supplementary Services As An Alternative

But that is not to say there are no other supplementary services that could be used as a somewhat replacement for Skyflyer Solo.

For example, as it is the passenger’s responsibility to make it to the gate on time, you are entrusting a minor to be trusted enough to navigate an airport and make it onto the plane. While the carrier might not provide the service, a larger airport may have its own meet-and-greet team that can assist.

London Heathrow and Hong Kong International , for example, have their own meet-and-greet operation while other airports have turned to the free-market which has created its own mini-industry with companies like Allways (part of Plaza Premium Group) existing.

British Airways Unaccompanied Minor Rules

The rules are published on British Airways Children Travelling Alone page .

British Airway’s franchise agreements with Comair and SUN-AIR are not part of the guidance and have their own set of rules.

Minimum Age

The minimum age of a person permitted to travel alone on British Airways is 14 years of age.

If young flyers are accompanied by someone who is aged 16 or over (on the same or a linked booking), British Airways will allow them to travel.

Additional Paperwork

All young flyers aged under 16 and travelling alone must complete a parental/guardian consent form before travel, regardless of when the booking was made.

The form is available to download here .

A copy of the parent/guardian’s current passport (or another form of photographic identification showing a signature) must also be attached to this form.

Disruptive Behaviour

Disruptive behaviour, either on the ground or on board, is not acceptable to the airline

If a child has been disruptive, the parent or guardian collecting the child on arrival will be informed that the child misbehaved during the flight and their future travel with the carrier will be reviewed by BA Security.

The parent or guardian will be notified by letter if the child is banned from flying unaccompanied until their 16th birthday. This ban does not prohibit the child from travelling when accompanied by an adult.

How To Make A British Airways Unaccompanied Minor Reservation

Unlike many airlines that allow you to book special bookings for children, you cannot do this with British Airways online.

If you need to make a booking for someone under the age of 16 who is travelling solo, you will need to  contact British Airways  to make the booking. 

General Guidance to Parents

Here are some general good practise tips for parents and children

1. Ensure That The Child Knows Basic Airport Lingo

Make sure the child knows that gates close upto 40 minutes before departure.

One of the things children may not know is that the gates close sometime before the actual departure time.

As such it may be worth keeping them on the phone and ensuring they avoid any kids’ areas and go straight to the gate.

Airlines these days will send you gate information so it may be a good idea to have a map in front of you and pull up the information to guide them through the airport

Make Sure The Child Knows Their PNR

The PNR or the passenger Name Record is the 6 digit alphanumerical code that is usually called the booking reference.

If the child gets lost – the PNR should be an easy way to identify the child and get them on their way if they get lost.

2. Verify Travel Documents

You’ll want to make sure that the child has any necessary travel documents such as a valid passport, any visas, and proof of return travel in a safe folder in their bag.

If you think the minor might lose the passport or travel documents, consider attaching them to a minor’s neck lanyard or something similar.

3. Try to Always Book A Non-Stop Flight

While it is not always possible if say you are not in a big city, however booking non-stop flights significantly reduced the stress placed on both the parent and child.

This is for two reasons.

First, dealing with connections can be stressful and difficult especially if there is a limited time window and the airport is particularly large or confusing to navigate.

Also, if there happens to be a delay and the child is forced to stay overnight they would have to check into a hotel which would almost be a new and foreign concept. Some children may not be aware of Airside hotels and therefore would have to go through immigration to get to a Landside hotel. This naturally dials up the risks involved.

You might also think about using something like Apple’s Airtags to monitor the child on their trip

4. Make Sure They Have Emergency Money

In case of any unforeseen issues, it is good to give the child some emergency money in case anything does happen but also make them aware not to spend the money in the Airport Starbucks.

A prepaid Visa or Mastercard card can come in handy if there are unlikely to be bottlenecks for using it. For example, if they need to make a WhatsApp call/message using the onboard Wi-Fi system then cash wouldn’t be a good option.

5. Phones and Power

Depending on the child’s age, they may not be glued to the phones just yet – it is good practice to make them aware of where the phone charger is in the bag.

Also, provide them with a power bank should they need it so their phone has battery to make calls.

That said, it is important to also ensure international calling is set up on the phone plan and roaming is enabled on the phone itself.

6. Don’t Leave The Airport Until The Plane Takes Off

while any multitude of issues can arise when the little one goes through the airport, should they miss their flight, it is good to still be at the airport to collect them and work out an alternative.

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Detailed Guide – Flying British Airways with kids

As a seasoned traveller and a parent, I’ve had my fair share of experiences navigating the skies with children over the years, from when they were a few months old to teenagers.

The airline that we have flown with the most on our long haul trips is British Airways .  We have typically chosen BA in the past as they fly to the widest range of cities in the USA from the UK and we tend to use our Avios points that we have collected to redeem against flights across their range of cabins.

In this article, I’m excited to share my insights into flying British Airways with kids, covering every aspect from economy to first class and how you can travel in premium cabins from as little as 50p one way when using BA executive club points.

Flying British Airways Economy (World traveller) with Kids:

World traveller (economy class) on British Airways is comfortable, practical and the most affordable options for families.  We have flown an 11 hour flight in economy to San Diego from London when the kids were small.

Whilst legroom might not be as generous as in higher classes – it’s on par with legroom offered on a short haul airline such as Easyjet or TUI, there are several strategies to make the journey enjoyable for everyone.

If your kids are old enough then look to book the extra legroom seats in the cabin which provide extra space.  Similarly Bulkhead seats on the plane also offer more space and its also these seats which are used for the infant bassinets.

We pack the kids iPads preloaded with their favourite programmes and snacks to keep them occupied during the flight. Don’t forget to take advantage of BA’s Kids’ Zone, featuring a selection of movies, TV shows, games, and music tailored to children including  CBeebies, Cartoon Network and Disney channels.

All seats in economy are provided with in-fight headsets, a pillow and a blanket.  Every member of the party receives a baggage allowance of 1 checked bag of up to 23kg.

Flying British Airways Premium Economy ( World Traveller Plus) with Kids:

We have flown this cabin several times and we particularly like the smaller cabin, wider seats and increased legroom which creates a more relaxed atmosphere especially on a long haul flight. There are lots of other enhancements from standard economy, such as noise cancelling headphones and upgraded meals.

Additionally, priority boarding helps streamline the process, ensuring a smoother and more stress free start to your journey.

Every member of the party receives a baggage allowance of 2 checked bags of up to 23kg.

Flying British Airways Business Class ( Club World ) with Kids:

Flying Club World (business class) long haul with kids is a game-changer and out of all of the four cabin classes that we have flown with British Airways, Club World is our favourite. The luxurious amenities provided by the White Company and superior service allow you to enjoy a relaxing and stress-free flight.

British Airways offers a delicious menu in this cabin, ensuring that even the pickiest eaters find something they love and there is a snack area which our kids love accessing for treats when flying. Entertainment options are improved with a much larger 12” or 17” screen and noise cancelling headphones.

If you are taking a business class flight in Europe, British Airways call this Club Europe and it’s a premium product but differs slightly from Club World.  This smaller cabin is at the front of the plane with leather seats and more personal space as the middle seat is kept free.

On the majority of their short haul planes there are no entertainment screens like on their long haul fleet but you do get a selection of delicious meals including full British breakfast, lunch, traditional afternoon tea or dinner dependent on the time of your flight.

Flying British Airways First Class with Kids:

If you’re looking for the ultimate family travel experience, British Airways’ first class is the epitome of luxury. This is the ultimate way to travel with British Airways with so much personal space in your own cabin.

It’s the personal levels of service that sets this cabin apart from business, with attentive staff catering to you every need, making sure your family’s journey is seamless.

One of our favourite features of travelling first with kids is the option to dine together, having breakfast together at your own personal dining table after a great nights sleep on a 6ft 6in fully flat bed with microfibre mattress topper and 400 thread count bedding and your own Temperley London loungewear, amenity bag and slippers.

Priority security, boarding,  baggage handling, and access to the finest airport lounges make the entire process effortless.

Every member of the party receives a baggage allowance of 2 checked bags of up to 32kg.

Tip – Whatever class of cabin you fly with British Airways, sign up to their free Executive Club Household Account, where you can all collect Avios together in a single account.

Checking in at the airport with kids

If you are flying from London Heathrow Terminal 5, use their dedicated family check-in area in Zone E of the airport.  We have used it multiple times and it really makes a difference when travelling with kids, making your check-in experience so much easier and often faster than the standard check-in zones.

The airline also invites families with infants under 2 and young children in pushchairs to board the plane first, which I always found great when the kids were younger to get settled onboard before the rest of the plane boards.

What is the British Airways Kids Pack?

For kids aged 2-6 they receive the BA Skyflyer activity packs which were always a favourite with our girls when they were travelling with British Airways.  The reusable pack contains fun eye masks, paw print socks, crayons and my favourite a postcard to send home from your holiday.   These packs make great keepsakes which kids can take away with them.

Tip – These are not provided onboard and need to be collected at the Family or Club World check-in zones at Heathrow Terminal 5, Gatwick and London City.

What is the food like onboard for kids?

British Airways offers a meal designed for kids onboard its long haul flights which are served to children first.  To receive a British Airways kids meal, you will need to request one in advance up to 24-hours before you fly. You can do this online via the Manage by Booking section on the BA website.  If you don’t order a kids meal, children with a booked seat will receive a regular adults in-flight meal from the class of cabin that you are flying in.

Will families be seated together onboard a British Airways Flight?

On all flights that we have taken with British Airways, we have never been split up as a family.  However British Airways can often seat you in adjacent rows or across the aisle.  All children under 12 will be seated with an adult, but anyone over 12 might be seated on their own.

I don’t agree with British Airways charging for seat selection but this is the only way to guarantee that your party sits together which is what we do.  It doesn’t matter if you are travelling economy to first with BA, if you don’t hold Gold, Silver and Bronze status in their Executive Club you will have to pay for your seats and costs can really add up.

British Airways should really follow the example set by Virgin Atlantic who offer free seat selection in their cabins.  The only exception is if you are travelling with an infant (on your lap) you can choose a seat for yourself and everyone in your booking (up to 9 passengers), free of charge.

What is the entertainment for kids like on board?

For older kids the latest movie blockbusters available onboard will keep them occupied. We have always brought their own headphones and iPads for them, preloaded with things to watch and the latest games so they have more than enough entertainment options whilst onboard.

For tweens and teens who need to be connected to the internet, British Airways now also offer Wifi onboard most of their fleet, ranging in cost from £4.99 – £21.99 dependent on route.

Do kids get a luggage allowance with British Airways

Unless you have booked an economy basic fare (that does not include hold baggage) all passengers can check in a 23kg suitcase.  This includes lap-sitting babies under 24 months, unless their accompanying adult is booked on an Economy Light fare.

Passengers in premium economy can take double the allowance of economy passengers, so that’s two 23kg suitcases and in business class and first class that increases further to two suitcases up to 32kg.

In addition to the suitcase allowance, if you are traveling on British Airways with kids, you can bring a fully collapsible pushchair and a car seat for free.

Flying British Airways with kids across different cabin classes offers a range of experiences to suit your family’s needs and preferences. Whether you’re looking for practicality in economy, added comfort in premium economy, luxury in business class, or the ultimate indulgence in first class, British Airways caters to families of all sizes.

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British Airways Boarding Groups & Process — Everything You Need To Know

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British Airways Boarding Groups

Pre-boarding, priority group 1, priority group 2, priority group 3, groups 4 through 9, hand baggage only fares, how to build up your british airways avios balance, final thoughts.

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With primary operations based at both Heathrow and Gatwick airports, British Airways has a massive presence in both the trans-Atlantic and European airline markets.

In addition, it flies long-haul flights from these London hubs to multiple cities in pretty much every region of the world .

Even if you don’t live in England, chances are you’ll find yourself on a British Airways flight at some point. BA often has plenty of award availability if you are trying to get to Europe with miles, and it is an excellent choice for hopping around to other countries once there.

If you fly with British Airways, it makes sense for you to learn a bit about how it boards its planes. It’s always nice to know how the process works ahead of time instead of trying to figure things out once you get to the boarding gate!

To make things easier on you when it comes time for your next British Airways flight, let’s go through all of the details of how its boarding process works . That way, you can be sure you are ready to go.

British Airways does things a little differently than most airlines when it comes to boarding.

Yes, it has pre-boarding for certain passengers, and then it uses 9 numbered boarding groups . That may sound somewhat familiar.

What it does differently is change which passengers are eligible to board with each of the numbered groups, depending on whether you’re boarding a short-haul or a long-haul flight .

British Airways doesn’t have a first class or premium economy cabins on its shorter flights. As a result, those passenger categories are not in the short-haul boarding groups.

Since business class passengers are the top-tier passengers on the short-hauls, it moves them up to Group 1 for boarding those flights.

Other than that, the 2 boarding procedures are pretty much the same no matter where you are flying.

You may notice that with both types of flights, economy class passengers do not board until the last 2 groups.

Since this is by far the largest section of the plane, you should expect long lines when it comes time to board groups after Group 4.

BA Short-haul Flights

• Families with infants under 2 or young children in strollers
• Customers requiring disability or mobility assistance
• Business (Club Europe) class passengers
• Executive Club Gold members
• Oneworld Emerald members
• Executive Club Silver members
• Oneworld Sapphire members
• Executive Club Bronze members
• Oneworld Ruby members
• Economy (Euro Traveller) passengers

BA Long-haul Flights

• First class passengers
• Business (Club World) class passengers
• Premium economy (World Traveller Plus) passengers
• Economy (World Traveller) class passengers

Boarding Notes

Passengers traveling together on British Airways may be assigned to different boarding groups, but they have the option of seeing the gate agent to board together.

British Airways does not explicitly say in its official procedures which group you will end up boarding with, so it’s likely up to the discretion of the gate agents.

Families traveling with young children are asked to get to the gate 50 minutes before the flight so that British Airways has plenty of time to board them and stow any strollers or car seats in the cargo hold.

Passengers with disabilities or those who need extra assistance with boarding are asked to contact British Airways at least 48 hours before their flight so that the proper preparations can be made.

Hand Baggage Only fares on British Airways are most often the least expensive option and, as such, have fewer benefits for passengers.

Although you do not get a checked bag with these fares, you can still bring a full-size carry-on and a personal item on board with you.

If you want to select your own seat location with these fares, you will have to pay an additional fee. Otherwise, British Airways will assign a seat to you before your flight.

Families traveling on Hand Baggage Only fares will be assigned seats together if possible, though they may be in different rows or across aisles. Children under 12 will be seated with a parent .

Hot Tip: Read our article on British Airways’ baggage fees for more information and how to actually cover those expenses!

British Airways initially launched Hand Baggage Only fares on just its short-haul flights. Since that went well, it has now started selling the fares on its long-haul flights as well.

Since these 2 boarding procedures mirror each other in most aspects, we can expect that those lower Hand Baggage Only fares will be in the last boarding group on the long-hauls just like they are with the short-haul flights.

This may be a problem on long-haul flights because passengers who purchase these fares are traveling without a checked bag and will likely need to place a larger carry-on bag in the overhead bin.

As the last passengers to board, there may be limited overhead bin space left , and some Hand Baggage Only passengers might have to gate-check their bags.

Interestingly, along with saving a few dollars (or pounds), checking a bag was probably one of the things these specific passengers were trying to avoid.

The British Airways Executive Club program uses Avios as its mileage currency. Although this is the same currency used by both Iberia , Aer Lingus , and Qatar Airways , the British Airways Executive Club is a separate loyalty program from the other 3 airlines.

It has its own award charts and its own ways of earning lots and lots of Avios .

One of the easier ways to earn a massive number of Avios very quickly is by taking advantage of Chase’s co-branded British Airways Visa Signature ® Card . This card often has a sign-up bonus of up to 100,000 Avios , although the minimum spend required to get the full bonus can be pretty high.

If you haven’t earned enough Avios with your credit card, you can also transfer all 4 of the main flexible bank points to your Executive Club Account.

British Airways is an American Express transfer partner , Capital One transfer partner , Chase transfer partner , and Citi transfer partner , and all transfer quite quickly. There are often even transfer bonuses as high as 30% or 40% that you can take advantage of with one or more of these programs (make this process easy with our transfer partner calculator !).

When planning to use Avios, it’s essential to know that you will often find high fuel surcharges if you book flights on British Airways metal.

This is especially true on long-haul flights that depart out of London — and the charges get even higher for travel in premium cabins.

If you want to avoid these surcharges , some great ways to use your Avios are shorter flights on British Airways and partner airlines worldwide.

Hot Tip: Since it is a member of the Oneworld Alliance , British Airways Avios can be used to fly on many different carriers. One of the best uses of Avios for U.S.-based customers is booking short-haul American Airlines flights. Many flights that American wants 12,500 miles to book will only cost you 7,500 Avios if you book them through British Airways.

Even though the fuel surcharges for some routes can border on ridiculous when booking British Airways flights with miles, plenty of other flights can be an excellent deal.

Whether booking with Avios, with your American Airlines miles, or buying a cash ticket to Europe — you are bound to find yourself at a British Airways boarding gate at some point as you travel the world.

We hope we have helped clear up the British Airways boarding procedures with what we have presented above.

Remember that boarding can be a little different depending on the length of your flight. Just pay attention to your assigned group, and you should be ready to board without worry.

Get on board, get comfortable, and let British Airways whisk you away to the next destination on your list. Maybe you’ll even find a member of the Upgraded Points team hanging around the gate next time you’re in London !

Frequently Asked Questions

How many boarding groups are there on british airways.

British Airways uses 9 numbered groups for its boarding process. Prior to these groups, families with infants under 2 or with young children in strollers and customers requiring disability or mobility assistance are allowed to pre-board.

Are British Airways flights assigned seating?

Yes, British Airways uses assigned seating for all of its flights. In most cases, passengers can select their seats ahead of time. If premium seats are selected, payment may be required.

Who has pre-boarding on British Airways?

Families with infants under 2 or with young children in strollers and customers requiring disability or mobility assistance are allowed to pre-board on British Airways flights.

When can families board on British Airways?

Families with infants under 2 or with young children in strollers are allowed to pre-board on British Airways flights. Families are asked to be at the gate 50 minutes prior to the flight so that there is plenty of time to stow any strollers or car seats in the cargo hold.

Who is in Group 1 on British Airways?

For short-haul flights, Priority Group 1 on British Airways includes business class (Club Europe) passengers, Executive Club Gold members, and Oneworld Emerald members. For long-haul flights, Priority Group 1 includes first class passengers, Executive Club Gold members, and Oneworld Emerald members.

Who is in Group 2 on British Airways?

For short-haul flights, Priority Group 2 on British Airways includes Executive Club Silver members and Oneworld Sapphire members. For long-haul flights, Priority Group 2 includes business class (Club World) passengers, Executive Club Silver members, and Oneworld Sapphire members.

Who is in Group 3 on British Airways?

For short-haul flights, Priority Group 3 on British Airways includes Executive Club Bronze members and Oneworld Ruby members. For long-haul flights, Priority Group 3 includes premium economy (World Traveller Plus), Executive Club Bronze members, and Oneworld Ruby members.

Who is in Groups 4-9 on British Airways?

For short-haul flights, Groups 4 through 9 on British Airways includes economy (Euro Traveller) passengers. For long-haul flights, Groups 4 through 9 include economy (World Traveller) class passengers.

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About Jeff Brownson

Since discovering miles and points in 2010, Jeff has traveled to over 35 countries, flying in first class, business class, and sometimes even in coach. Whether he’s staying in a hostel dorm, or in a luxury suite at a 5 star hotel, Jeff is constantly looking for the best deal to make travel as close to free as possible.

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What is Unaccompanied Minor Service?

Young children traveling without a parent or legal guardian are considered to be Unaccompanied Minors. Most airlines provide a service to assist these children from their point of departure to their final destination.

What age does my child have to be to qualify as an Unaccompanied Minor?

The service is mandatory for children ages 5-11 traveling without an adult who is at least 16 years old. Children under 5 years of age are not allowed to travel unless accompanied by an adult who is at least 16 years old.

What are the fees associated with this service?

In most cases British Airways will charge the adult fare for children traveling alone. In addition to the flight price, the Skyflyer Solo service fee per child, per sector, is approximately:

• $50 for short haul flights and flights within the UK
• $75 for long haul flights

Contact your local British Airways office or your travel agent for further information.

Are there any flight restrictions?

• Children from age five upwards can travel alone only on a single sector, direct, non-stop flight.
• Children from the age of six can travel alone on any British Airways flight.
• Check that all visas and other formalities have been completed.
• The Skyflyer Solo service must be booked and paid for together with your child’s flight. If not, cancellation and re-issue fees will be charged.
• Skyflyer Solo service must be booked at least 48 hours in advance of the flight’s departure time.
• Due to the lengthy process for gaining visa clearance for the escort on routes to Algeria, Libya, Saudi Arabia and Russia, British Airways offers only a limited number of bookings for unaccompanied children on these flights.
• Skyflyer Solo service is not available on flight numbers BA001, BA002, BA003 and BA004 (Club World London City).

British Airways cannot accept:

• children traveling on journeys which include a transfer between London Heathrow and London Gatwick airports.
• children on journeys which involve a night-stop, transfer, or stopover exceeding six hours, unless you have arranged for your child to be met and cared for at the transfer point. Full contact details must be provided before the child can be accepted for their first flight.

How do I book this service?

Contact British Airways Reservations

Simple Flying

World traveller plus on british airways: 5 things to know before flying.

A brief guide to the UK flag carrier's premium economy offering.

• Introduced in the early 2000s, British Airways World Traveller Plus offers a premium experience at a more affordable price.
• Upgraded in 2019, improvements include enhanced dining, new amenities, and additional entertainment options such as WiFi.
• Premium economy cabin layout offers more comfortable seating with 2-3-2 or 2-4-2 configuration on long-haul aircraft.

British Airways introduced World Traveller Plus, its equivalent for premium economy, in the early 2000s, marking a shift in the airline’s cabin. The airline’s executives, speaking during an investor call after it had announced its financial results in May 2005, remarked that “World Traveller Plus is doing extremely well and the profitability of that cabin is very important to us.”

Since then, the cabin class, available on international long-haul flights with no short-haul equivalent, has become a staple of British Airways’ offering. During its parent company’s International Airlines Group (IAG) investor day presentation, IAG noted that 66% of the airline’s customers lived in a more affluent area of the United Kingdom, which was why they were more willing to pay for a more premium experience.

At the same time, its customers are becoming more leisure-focused, with 75% of British Airways flying for leisure purposes, meaning that not everybody was willing to splash the cash on a business class ( Club World ) seat. However, premium economy offers a perfect alternative: a better passenger experience while still not stretching one’s budget.

1 Upgraded in 2019

World traveller plus upgrade was announced on january 16, 2019.

Changes promised:

• New furnishings
• Enhanced service
• Improved dining experience

In January 2019, British Airways announced that as part of its £6.5 billion ($8.2 billion) transformation plan, it will be investing in its World Traveller Plus cabin as well. The changes, which rolled out on a monthly basis, introduced a third main meal option and more substantial hot second meals later in the flight, with new furnishings being introduced as well.

Speaking about the changes, Carolina Martinoli, the then-British Airways Director of Brand and Customer Experience, said that the improvements will result in real changes to the premium economy cabin, which will only improve the airline's customer proposition.

Is British Airways Premium Economy Worth The Upgrade?

New amenity kits introduced in 2019

World Traveller Plus amenity kit upgrades were announced on June 25, 2019

Includes items such as:

• A toothbrush

During the same January 2019 announcement, British Airways promised that it would upgrade the class’ amenity kits, which were finally announced in June of the same year. The amenity kits, made from recycled plastic bottles, were introduced on July 1.

The amenity kits include items that were deemed essential by British Airways, including an eyeshade, soft socks, a pen, a toothbrush and toothpaste, and lip balm. Speaking about the new amenity kits, Martinoli said the new menus that the airline introduced earlier in the year were a huge hit, and now, the new kits will only improve the comfort of the cabin.

British Airways' World Traveller Plus Premium Economy Cabin: Everything You Need To Know

2 in-flight entertainment options, in-flight entertainment marketed as high life.

Options available:

• High-speed WiFi access (subject to aircraft)
• Access to the Paramount+ catalog

According to the airline, the basic three features that are available to premium economy or World Traveller Plus travelers are a personal in-flight entertainment screen, complimentary noise-canceling headphones, high-speed WiFi (depending on the aircraft), and access to the Paramount+ catalog.

Meanwhile, on March 4, 2024, British Airways announced even more improvements to its passenger experience. While some of these changes, including new routes and new short-haul seats, will not be relevant to World Traveller Plus customers, the carrier did say that a WiFi-enabled customer care solutions, created specifically for British Airways, will be available to customers.

British Airways Reveals New Seats For Airbus Narrowbodies

3 seat and airport experience, seating configuration: 2-3-2 or 2-4-2.

• Separate cabin
• Two meals and bar service
• Personal in-flight entertainment system
• Stylish amenity kit
• Access to in-seat power
• More baggage allowed
• Priority boarding

Naturally, one of the main benefits of choosing a premium economy seat is the extra comfort that the seat offers to customers. While typically, British Airways configures its economy class cabins in a 3-3-3 configuration on long-haul flights, World Traveller Plus cabins are laid out in either a 2-3-2 or 2-4-2 aisle, which provides more space to passengers flying the aircraft.

“The seats on our premium economy flights are wider, with greater recline, lumbar support, a head and foot rest, plus extra leg room to stretch out. Each seat also has its own power supply, so you can use your devices on board. A few of our aircraft might need you to bring your own adaptor if they aren’t sold on board.”

Furthermore, British Airways says that World Traveller Plus customers, in addition to priority boarding, can bring more baggage onboard and to the check-in counter. Passengers can have a cabin bag and a laptop or handbag onboard while checking in two bags in the hold.

British Airways’ 2023 Capacity Reached 90% Of 2019 Levels

4 available on all long-haul aircraft, total aircraft types available on: 10.

Aircraft types with World Traveller Plus:

• Airbus A350-1000
• Airbus A380
• Boeing 777-200 (London Gatwick Airport (LGW)-based)
• Boeing 777-200 with first class
• Boeing 777-200ER
• Boeing 777-236
• Boeing 777-300
• Boeing 787-8
• Boeing 787-9
• Boeing 787-10

While British Airways operates four cockpit types, namely the Airbus A350, A380, Boeing 777, and 787, there are ten different aircraft types with different interiors operating for the airline. For example, there are Boeing 777-200 aircraft that fly out of London Gatwick Airport (LGW) exclusively.

Furthermore, the World Traveller Plus cabin is laid out in a 2-3-2 configuration on the Airbus A380, Boeing 787-8, 787-9, and 787-9, while on the Airbus A350-1000 and all of the Boeing 777-200 aircraft, the premium economy cabin is configured in a 2-4-2 layout.

More Boeing 787s & Airbus A350s: The British Airways Fleet In 2023

British airways.

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Children travelling alone

• The minimum age of a person permitted to travel alone on British Airways is 14 years of age  (except on flights operated by SUN-AIR of Scandinavia) .
• If young flyers are accompanied by someone who is aged 16 or over (on the same or a linked booking), British Airways will allow them to travel.
• All young flyers aged under 16 and travelling alone must complete a parental/guardian consent form before travel, regardless of when the booking was made. The form is available to download  here . A copy of the parent/guardian’s current passport (or other form of photographic identification showing a signature) must be attached to this form.
• If you would like to make a booking for a person under the age of 16 who is travelling on their own, this cannot be made on ba.com. Please  contact British Airways  to make the booking. Our partner airlines may have different regulations, age limits and charges so please check these with them directly.

* Except flights operated by SUN-AIR, where children over 5 years of age will be able to travel alone.

The parent/guardian should ensure that the young person carries with them at all times:

• Any necessary travel documentation such as valid passport(s), visas and proof of return travel (as required).
• A signed British Airways consent form and copy of parent/guardian’s passport or other form of photographic identification showing a signature attached to the form.
• Any required medication and/or health certificates.
• The ability to communicate with their parent/guardian and/or the person collecting them at the destination (please ensure all phones/mobile devices are fully charged, with sufficient credit and roaming is activated).
• The means of payment should it be necessary for any expenses. Please note that on short-haul flights British Airways offers a drink service and refreshments from Marks & Spencer which are payable only by debit or credit card or Avios.

If a young flyer is travelling on their own, please be aware that they will be booked to travel as an adult, and therefore will be making their way through departure and arrival airports and boarding their flight(s) without a chaperone. British Airways cannot accept parental responsibility for the young person. We recommend that the parent or guardian accompanying the young flyer to the airport waits until their flight departs before leaving the terminal.

Children travelling alone on SUN-AIR operated flights

SUN-AIR allows young children between the ages of 5 - 11 years to travel without a parent or legal guardian provided you contact the airline in advance. Children over the age of 12 can travel unaccompanied on SUN-AIR operated flights, although young flyers between 12 - 16 years can use the SUN-AIR Unaccompanied Minor service if requested.

There is a service fee for the SUN-AIR Unaccompanied Minor service. This cannot be booked online and must be booked and paid for in advance.

Please contact  SUN-AIR  for more information.

SUN-AIR routes

Different legal requirements by country

Some countries' immigration departments require additional documentation for all children travelling into, out of or transiting through their country. In addition, some countries have specific requirements for unaccompanied children, children travelling with another person other than their parent or guardian and those accompanied by only one parent/guardian.

The extra documentation that you may require varies depending on the country, so please check with the relevant country authorities to make sure you have everything you need before you travel.

The IATA Travel Centre can advise you what documentation is required for entry to each country. Just make sure you use the date of birth of your child to ensure the extra requirements are displayed.

Check the IATA Travel centre for documentation required when travelling with children

You may find the following links useful for travel within Europe:

Requirements for children travelling within Europe can be found on website

Further information about taking your child out of the UK

Young Travelers of Hong Kong

Flying fast with young travel enthusiasts

Review: British Airways 777 Premium Economy (HKG-LHR)

As part of my travel back to London for second term at university, I had to find a way to get back to the UK in January. Award space is never abundant during the Christmas period, I pounced on the ability to fly British Airways’ premium economy (also known as their “World Traveller Plus” cabin) for 45,000 Asia Miles on a date that worked for my schedule. I want to review all three premium economy products between London and Hong Kong , and British Airways premium economy is a very useful product to review for both students and business travelers alike anyway.

British Airways Premium Economy Ground Experience

With that in mind I bid farewell to my parents on January 1st, before heading to the airport at around 9 PM in order to catch my flight.

At the airport I found a long check-in line, as British Airways’ 777 and A380 depart just a few minutes apart out of Hong Kong (I’m not sure why this is, though I’m not complaining, since I’d choose a night flight between Hong Kong and Europe any day). British Airways doesn’t feature a separate check-in line for premium economy passengers, which sets them behind Cathay Pacific and Virgin Atlantic .

The check-in line took around 20 minutes. British Airways allows two 23 kg bags to be checked in for each premium economy passenger. I underestimated the weight of one of my bags, which weighed 29 kg – there was not much to be done with 6 kg of extra stuff (I was moving for the next few months, after all), so I sorted out the dilemma with an overweight baggage charge of HK$664.

Virgin Atlantic has the same baggage allowance for their premium economy passengers, and Cathay Pacific offers a total baggage allowance of 35 kg. My other bag weighed 8 kg, so I would’ve had to pay up either way.

Go figure that British Airways’ A380 flight was departing two gates away (and 10 minutes after), so there was clear signage at both check-in and the boarding gate telling us to make sure we boarded the correct flight.

As usual, immigration and security were a breeze at Hong Kong Airport, so I made it to gate 7 where I had a direct view of the 777 taking me to Heathrow.

Boarding was scheduled at 10:50 PM, and sure enough that’s when it started – after a brief scare when a glitch in the gate information briefly had us headed all to Singapore (a Singapore Airlines 787 was actually parked at the gate next to us, and had been delayed by quite a bit due to weather conditions in Singapore).

Boarding began with first class and top tier oneworld elite members, but business class and premium economy were boarded together, which I found quite interesting. While my boarding pass indicated I was in boarding group 3 (business class passengers are in boarding group 2), there was a single lane for both groups at the gate.

I actually don’t think this is a great setup for business class passengers (hopefully on the A380 business class and premium economy are boarded separately, though on this flight with 44 premium economy seats it wasn’t too big of a deal), but at the time I wasn’t complaining…

British Airways Flight BA32 Wednesday, January 1, 2020 Origin: Hong Kong (HKG) Gate: 7  Dep: 23:30 (23:25) Destination: London Heathrow (LHR) Gate: B36 Arr: 04:45 (04:30) Duration: 13 hr 15 min (13 hr 5 min) Aircraft:  Boeing 777-300ER Reg: G-STBK Seat: 26K (Premium Economy/World Traveller Plus)

British Airways 777 Premium Economy Cabin and Seat

I boarded through the plane’s second door and passed through a large business class cabin, ending up in a large 44-seat premium economy cabin laid out in a 2-4-2 configuration. While the airline’s A380 premium economy cabin looks somewhat sleek under cool mood lighting , the colour tones of the British Airways 777 premium economy cabin are almost boringly inoffensive.

I do everything in my power to select a window seat in premium economy, so I can lean on the window when getting some rest. I also quite like being in the last row so I can keep my seat reclined throughout the flight without worrying about anybody behind me. Unfortunately, British Airways charges for seat selection in premium economy and business class, which I don’t think any other airline practices. The premium economy seat selection surcharges aren’t quite as outrageous as the business class surcharges ( which were a hefty £111 on my return A380 flight ), though it is quite disappointing that British Airways nickel-and-dimes their passengers like that. Selecting my seat cost HK$484, which was a price I was willing to pay to guarantee myself my window seat preference.

I selected 26K, the right side window seat in the last row of premium economy.

Based on what I’d heard, I actually found the seat surprisingly comfortable. Both the padding and recline were in line with what I’ve experienced on Virgin Atlantic’s 787 .

The seat featured a winged headrest. While the winged headrest actually made it hard for me to lean against the plane’s fuselage, I actually found the headrest to be very comfortable and well cushioned, and it cradled my head nicely during the flight.

Legroom isn’t industry leading at a seat pitch of 38″, though I didn’t think the seat was cramped at all.

At my seat, I also found a footrest that, while sturdy, was starting to show its age and needed a bit of lubrication.

Passengers seated in the first row get an extendable legrest. Unfortunately British Airways charges even more to reserve front row premium economy seats, and these seats are also missing a window, so I didn’t choose to sit here.

Behind the seat in front of me I found two USB ports, which I appreciated. There was a 110V power port by my feet as well.

The bi-fold tray table could be deployed from the left. It wasn’t massive, though it was sturdy.

Overall, in terms of ergonomics, design and spaciousness, the seat comfort exceeded my (unfairly?) low expectations. I was happy to be seated here on my way back to London, as you can see in the photo below.

British Airways 777 Premium Economy Amenities

On my seat I found a pillow and blanket. Both exceeded my expectations, especially the blanket by a long shot – the pillow was large, and the blanket was soft, comfortable and quilted, in line with many business class blankets I’ve tried in the past.

With the comfortable seat and blanket, I slept for a solid eight hours on this flight. I don’t remember the last time I slept as well on a plane, but perhaps I was tired, as it was New Year’s Day and I had a commitment early in the morning.

In the seat pocket in front of me I also found a basic amenity kit, which featured a dental kit, a pen, eyeshades, and hand cream.

I also found a pair of sturdy headphones at my seat, which are the same as those provided in business class . I used my own Bose headphones.

British Airways 777 Business Class/Club World

While I was walking to my premium economy seat I also had the chance to check out the single massive business class cabin, featuring 56 seats laid out in a 2-4-2 configuration.

I’ve actually reviewed British Airways’ similar A380 business class when heading home to be with family during coronavirus season. These seats are marginally older, lack the side storage bins of the A380, and feature a tighter 2-4-2 configuration due to the wider fuselage; though otherwise check out that review to know more about British Airways’ business class product.

As I’ve detailed more thoroughly in the review linked above, British Airways’ business class product features very private window seats, and aisle seats that feature zero privacy, as pictured below.

The biggest difference between business class on the 777 and the A380 is the large 2-4-2 layout, which means there are more business class “honeymoon” seats on the 777. Pictured below, these seats are very close together and face the same way, which can get very awkward if you book a last-minute ticket and end up seated next to a stranger.

British Airways 777 Economy Class

Behind my seat was the economy class cabin, which I also had a quick peek of. British Airways has defied the industry standard and retained a 9-abreast configuration in economy, which is wider and more comfortable than the 10-abreast configurations that almost all other European airlines currently operate their 777s with. The padding didn’t look spectacular and I’ve heard bad things about the headrests, though I do hope to try them out in economy class at some point.

Departure from Hong Kong Airport

During boarding, the crew were cheery, humorous, and very British. The passenger in 25G was trying to open the overhead bins, and attracted the attention of the cabin crew. The conversation went a bit like this:

25G: *looks over to cabin crew, expectant for help* Crewmember: It’s not that hard, allow me… 25G: Sorry… Crewmember: *chuckles* It’s okay! It’s not gonna bite you – haha – let me show you how to do it.

If this was on any other airline I’d have considered the interaction as borderline rude, though the cabin crew just had their own British way of making an interaction like that seem genuine and welcoming.

Back at my premium economy seat, my views of the tarmac were mostly obstructed by the wing. I wasn’t able to have a great view of the beautiful (and heavily delayed) Singapore Airlines 787-10 parked next to us.

I did, however, have a clear viewing of British Airways’ cheesy safety video. Their safety video is the kind of video you cringe at, but when it’s over, you can’t help but want to watch it again.

The safety video was preceded by captain John who went on the PA to announce our flight time, as well as London’s weather conditions. After the safety video, the crew came over and asked all passengers to unplug their USB cables from the seat’s power ports until after takeoff.

I also found it interesting that the cabin was sprayed with insecticide before takeoff. I’ve seen this happen before, but never on a flight between Hong Kong and the UK. We were told to cover our mouth and nose before this happened (this was a flight in early January, so I don’t think it had anything to do with the coronavirus).

We made our way to runway 07R, and at around 11:45 PM we were off on a trek back to London Heathrow.

British Airways 777 Premium Economy Lavatory

Shortly after takeoff I decided to check out the lavatory. British Airways doesn’t have dedicated lavatories for premium economy on the 777, so I made my way to the back of the economy class cabin. There are three lavatories between the two economy class cabins, and two at the back – the ones at the back are larger (and, in my case, didn’t require crossing aisles), so I used them throughout the flight.

British Airways 777 WiFi

While I didn’t think I needed WiFi for the full duration of the flight, the meal service wasn’t particularly efficient, so I bought a flight pass. All of British Airways’ 777-300ERs have WiFi ( information for the rest of the fleet can be found here on FlyerTalk ), and the prices on this flight were as follows:

• First class passengers get free, unlimited WiFi
• 1 hour of WiFi cost £4.99
• 4 hours of WiFi cost £11.99
• Full flight WiFi costs up to £23.99 – £21.99 on this flight

I purchased the full flight WiFi package. I found the WiFi connection to be extremely stable and reasonably fast, with the only caveat being that you can’t switch between devices. The good WiFi experience is consistent with what I experienced on their A380, though do note that British Airways is moving away from unlimited time-based WiFi towards usage-based charging on their A350s. I’m assuming that’s a profit-oriented move.

British Airways 777 Premium Economy Meal Service

The meal service began around 50 minutes after takeoff. There was a menu in my seat pocket upon boarding, which read as follows:

The meal service began with a drinks run. I ordered a bloody mary, which was served a tomato juice/Worcestershire sauce/ice concoction with a vodka mini on the side. This was served with sour cream and onion pretzels, which were nice (though not exactly very premium feeling).

I only used half the mini in my first glass, and told the flight attendant I wasn’t sure what to do with the other half of the mini. She smiled and eagerly topped up some bloody mary “base” for me.

Passengers were served from front to back, so I was served an hour and a half after takeoff, over 40 minutes after my drink was given to me.

I selected the braised beef short ribs, and had somewhat low expectations. Expecting rock hard pieces of meat, I pressed my fork into the meat, and was surprised to see the meat fall apart. The short ribs were amazing – super flavourful and super tender; the potatoes on the side were well cooked and nicely seasoned, as were the carrots and onions the dish was served with. What an outstanding meal – this definitely blows Virgin Atlantic’s premium economy class meal offering out of the water.

The meal was served with a barley and smoked chicken salad that featured a refreshing squeeze of lemon – a huge step up from your average leafy, bland airplane salad greens. I also really liked the cinnamon carrot cake that came with the meal, even though it wasn’t quite as memorable as the other two courses.

My seatmate wasn’t eating, though stayed awake. I had a decent chat with him about my ambitions, as he seemed quite interested in my photo and video documenting of the flight. He was a really nice guy heading home to Vancouver through London (and apparently had savoured Hong Kong’s delicious food a bit too much to eat on this flight), and it was nice to chat to him, especially since my meal tray took a while to be cleared.

British Airways 777 Premium Economy Service

I struck up a conversation with a flight attendant on the way to the lavatory after the meal. Upon briefly remarking that the flight seemed packed, she explained to me that the flight was particularly full as British Airways scaled back their 777 flight to Hong Kong over the Christmas period. Despite that, the crew were in high spirits, and provided excellent service on this flight.

This was a “worldwide” British Airways crew, which meant that they were hired before British Airways’ 2010 labour disputes (as opposed to “mixed fleet” crew, which were hired after 2010 and tend to be younger and less experienced); despite the fact that the meal service took a while, they were fully comfortable with the service process, and were eager to please.

British Airways 777 Premium Economy Pre-Arrival Meal Service

I woke up shortly before the breakfast service, which was served approximately an hour and a half before landing. I selected to have a vegetarian omelet, as both choices featured eggs – it would’ve been nice to have a bit more variety.

The omelet was surprisingly tender, fluffy and delicious – I never expect that from eggs on a plane – and whilst the potatoes were soggy, the beans were nice as well. I asked for a coffee with breakfast, and it was also served with a pot of strawberry yoghurt. British Airways’ catering really exceeded my expectations by a long shot on this flight.

British Airways 777 Premium Economy Inflight Entertainment System

After the meal I decided I’d best check out the entertainment system. While the range wasn’t super extensive (and the interface could use a refresh), the entertainment system featured a good range of new movie hits. I didn’t end up watching a movie, as it was early in the morning and I was still connected to inflight WiFi.

Landing into Heathrow Airport

At around 4 AM UK time, captain John came back onto the PA and announced that the cabin would shortly be prepared for landing. He then advised “cabin crew, 20 minutes until landing”. Surely, at 4:25 AM, we were wheels-down into Heathrow Airport, where we taxied over to Terminal 5.

British Airways 777 First Class

Upon asking for permission, during landing I was given a chance to check out British Airways’ 14-seat first class cabin, laid out in a 1-2-1 configuration. While the cabin looked comfortable, nowadays I can name more impressive business class cabins out there, so it really is somewhat past its prime. Despite that, I quite liked the colour tones and finishing touches, including the mini-lamps by each seat, the fans as privacy screens, etc.

We landed at the B gate area of Heathrow Airport. Technically there was a transit train that could’ve taken me straight to immigration, though I preferred a bit of a walk. So I went down to the underground transit walkway and walked to UK border control, which was a treat, as the hallway was completely deserted.

I also didn’t waste any time at all, as my bags took forever to come out. Eventually I made my way onto the Piccadilly line, and made it home to my residence at Imperial College.

Conclusion: British Airways 777 Premium Economy

I lowered my expectations based on what I’d heard about British Airways as a whole, so I was very pleasantly surprised by British Airways’ World Traveller Plus cabin on their 777. The seat comfort, food, amenities and service all surpassed my expectations by a long shot. I’m honestly shocked that I’m saying this, but if the other premium economy products I’ve tried are a good indicator, British Airways’ premium economy class is really quite competitive.

The ground service stops British Airways’ premium economy from being industry leading, however. The most irritating part is that British Airways charges for seat selection even for their premium customers (both in premium economy and business class), though I doubt that’s likely to change, since the airline knows they can get away with that. In addition, British Airways needs to introduce priority check-in for premium economy passengers as a way to differentiate the experience.

Many aspects of British Airways’ premium economy product onboard experience were either on par with or excelled over my respective experiences on Virgin Atlantic’s premium economy product. That being said, I’ve still yet to try Cathay Pacific’s premium economy between Hong Kong and London. I hope to do so when the coronavirus conundrum is over, potentially using miles or a cheap ex-Europe fare, so I can fairly compare all three products using my own firsthand experience.

Read more from this trip:

Have you tried British Airways’ premium economy/World Traveller Plus before? How was your experience?

More From YTHK

Interesting to read your experiences on British Airways. I’ve only taken Premium Economy once, on a Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong to Vancouver. .I was good, not great. My main complaint was tht we were served lunch AFTER they flight attendants served cattle class, which i found pretty ridiculous because it meant we didn’t eat until about three hours into the flight Had I known, I would have eaten at the airport. Overall, I thought it was good value.

British Airways is fantastic. Last month I was on their new A350-1000 from London to Toronto and due to a very full economy cabin, the gate agent upgraded me and a few others to World Traveller Plus at the last minute, free of charge! The food was absolutely fantastic. Really surprised at why BA isn’t sending the A350-1000 to Hong Kong, it has more seats than the 777 while providing a significantly better product in all classes (I see the A350 Club Suite is better than the 777 First Class, let alone Club World).

Feel free to take a look at the full flight review that I filmed! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqS2m1swDR8

Thank you for a very interesting and informative review. I’m flying with British Airways in World Traveller Plus in 2 weeks time (SYD-LHR), so was keen to learn what to expect. I’m quite looking forward to the experience!

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*Qatar Airways provides bassinets for infants. Please contact your nearest Qatar Airways office to request bassinet seats. Please note that the maximum body weight of the infant should not exceed 11 kgs (24 Lbs) and the age must not exceed 24 months. Additionally, the infant must fit within the confines of the baby bassinet.

*Bassinets are not available in the First Class cabin on-board the Airbus 380.  To check availability of a Bassinet position seat on a specific aircraft and within a particular cabin, please contact the nearest Qatar Airways office.   

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