The business class experience on flights within Europe is quite different to what Australians would expect to find Down Under.
Often dubbed ‘EuroBusiness’, forget the idea of larger seats with extra legroom: on most EuroBusiness routes, your seat is literally identical to those found in economy.
"Welcome to business class"...
The only difference? The seat beside you will be kept vacant for a little extra breathing room, or better yet, kitted out with a stylish cocktail table to maximise your space on board:
The new 'Club Europe' on short British Airways flights...
It’s a far cry from the domestic business class seats of Qantas and Virgin Australia which are wider than economy and usually provide extra legroom, although expected benefits like priority check-in, priority boarding and inflight meals are usually included.
Pre-flight business class lounge access also comes as standard.
At London Heathrow, for example, British Airways’ passengers booked in ‘Club Europe’ – BA’s version of ‘EuroBusiness’ – are given access to the BA Galleries lounges.
Those are the same business class lounges used by passenger on longer routes such as from London to Singapore and Sydney, so even if your experience on board is more akin to economy, you'll at least begin your journey with a glass of Taittinger, if you know who to ask…
More on EuroBusiness:
- Aer Lingus Aer Space: a 'EuroBusiness'-style premium class
- Inside British Airways' new Club Europe business class cabin\
- Airberlin adds EuroBusiness to European flights
Follow Australian Business Traveller on Twitter: we're @AusBT
Chris Chamberlin is the Associate Editor of Executive Traveller, and lives by the motto that a journey of a thousand miles begins not just with a single step, but also a strong latte, a theatre ticket, and later in the day, a good gin and tonic.
QFF
12 Apr 2013
Total posts 1446
So called EuroBusiness is not Business – I will not pay even extra cent for it. In BA they not even offer alcohol – you have to ask for it. Only make sense whey it is first/last leg of intercontinental flight from extra baggage allowance POV.
21 Apr 2012
Total posts 3033
You've got it!
Business travel intra-Europe is primarily done in Economy, where the like of Easyjet and Ryanar air are eating into traditional airline's market. I'm not surprised if the majority of Club Europe seats are sold as feeders to/from long haul routes. It's quite good value in those circumstances, where you're able to book in J inventory and earn the full TP and multiple Avios, even when the connecting long haul is booked in cheaper I or R inventories.
24 Apr 2012
Total posts 2581
You also see airlines frequently offering paid upgrades to Euro Biz at very reasonable rates. Have seen offers from BA before for around A$100, which is decent if you don't already have lounge access and you can skip a few queues at Heathrow.
(Less value to be had if you're already a top-tier flyer, of course.)
QFF
12 Apr 2013
Total posts 1446
“You also see airlines frequently offering paid upgrades to Euro Biz at very reasonable rates.” – this is very true. Once I have separate tickets from Prague to London in BA economy and then LHR-SYD in BA J. They offered me upgrade for mere $50 – I newer thought twice mainly for baggage allowance and secondary for lounge access in Prague, though it was very ordinary to say it politely. Lounges in small European airports is another sad story.
QantasFF
16 Nov 2012
Total posts 57
yes, this is the way to do it - I've caught a business class upgrade (BA) for quite a small sum, offered quite a long while before my trip. Perhaps the best feature is getting through fast-track at Heathrow: still miserable but much less than the other interminable lines.
A downside of stopping off in Europe from long haul, as I once did in Helsinki, is that you no longer get a premium arrival at Heathrow. The comfort experience in flight is quite OK on Finnair, but be warned about the reindeer tartare.
QFF
12 Apr 2013
Total posts 1446
“You've got it!” – nope, I flew it :-)
16 Nov 2011
Total posts 597
When I live in the UK and was flying Club Europe regulary (2007-10) I would have said most Club Europe passengers were point to point rather than connecting through to somewhere else, including myself.
Back then slightly better than today, at least back then they had the seats that could wind to make the seat wider. Though BA was selling club as 2 port side, 3 starboard side (but apparently the seats all wound to give the same effective width) and the first 10 or so rows of the A319/320/321 had slightly more room.
But now days, nope. And these are on routes that we here in Aus get dedicated business class and full sleepers on. So Aussie domestic flyers should maybe appreciate that a bit more.
Air New Zealand - Airpoints
21 Jan 2016
Total posts 197
Similar concept to Air NZ's Works Deluxe fares with the centre seat free on A320's trans tasman and Pacific Islands international short haul routes.
The only difference is with EuroBusiness and Works Deluxe products, is that Works Deluxe passenger no longer have access to Koru Lounges unless you are a Koru Club member or Star Alliance Gold or Gold Elite member.
I like the concept for flights that under 3 hours in duration.
Emirates Airlines - Skywards
30 Nov 2015
Total posts 745
Not worth the money.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
19 Feb 2014
Total posts 452
Qantas use to have something similar on the A330s, reserving the middle seat...until Virgin brought in their A330s.
16 Nov 2011
Total posts 597
Not even close. What Qantas offered is light years ahead of Club Europe.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 Jun 2015
Total posts 107
Flew this today. Legroom was scarce. In comparison i had more leg room in BA's exit row seat i had a few weeks back and that only matched a regular QF seat.
I found the service lacking a bit on BA. They ran out of Coke on the third row so had to settle for something else.
18 Nov 2015
Total posts 121
Actually I flew on BA yesterday from Heathrow - the EuroBusiness was very sad looking - but no different to the terrible business product that Qantas tries to pass off sometimes on its A330s where the middle seat is blocked off.
16 Nov 2011
Total posts 597
Well that is no more on Qantas. But even when it was it was the only comparison is the blocked middle seat. Other than that the Qantas seat had much more room and width, more recline etc. club Europe is now the same seat as economy and same pitch.
Hi Guest, join in the discussion on What is 'EuroBusiness' business class?