ECONOMY capacity on British Airways’ fleet of long-haul aircraft will be cut drastically when the airline becomes the first to install sleeper seats in business class.
The new £200m Club World business product will have wider spaced forward and back-facing seats which convert to beds. To make way for the seats, economy seating will be reduced on Boeing 777s and B747s from this winter.
BA director of marketing Martin George said: “Our fleet requirements see a change to Boeing 777s from Boeing 747s.
“If that means carrying fewer low-yield passengers then that will happen.”
He refused to say how many economy seats would be taken out.
B747s carry 350 economy passengers, but the B777s only cater for 200 economy travellers.
BA expects half its long-haul fleet to be B777s by 2002, the rest B747s.
George denied there were plans for BA’s Oneworld partners to follow suit with sleeper seats in business class.
The new Club World cabins replace those installed four years ago. BA is currently refurbishing its World Traveller economy cabins at a cost of £150m (Travel Weekly November 1998).