Flying home from the Maldives in British Airways 777 Business Class sounds dreamy – until your seat door won’t close, the service goes walkabout, and your scallops need chewing like bubble gum. This review covers our daytime flight back to London, complete with oversized cabin quirks, strong wine pours, and the mystery of disappearing crew. Read on to find out which seats to pick, what not to expect, and why we’d think twice before booking this particular layout again.
In this review:
Flight Details
Flight No: BA61
From/To: Malé (MLE) to London Heathrow (LHR)
Departure time: 11:40
Ticket Class: Business
Flight time: 10 hours 30 mins
Frequent Flyer Points: 4500 Tier Points (estimate)
Status Points: 140 Avios
Aircraft: G-STBC
Aircraft type: Boeing 777-300ER (extra high J config)
Number of classes: 4
Number of seats in flying class: 76
Seat: 9K / 10K
Position: Right-hand side of the aircraft, just behind the smaller forward business cabin
Airport Experience
After a breezy speedboat ride from a tiny island in the Vaavu atoll, we were deposited outside Malé’s rather spartan international terminal. Despite signs directing premium passengers towards the business class check-in area, the desks didn’t open until just 2 hours and 40 minutes before departure – cue long queues, heat, and a fair amount of standing around.
When check-in eventually opened, there was a dedicated business class desk and a fast track lane through security and immigration. It moved swiftly, helped along by friendly airport staff and the absence of airport chaos you might expect elsewhere in South Asia.
Once through, we made a beeline for the Leeli Lounge. It was basic but bright, with plenty of seating and a peaceful atmosphere. Nothing to get excited about, but a calm space to wait before your British Airways 777 Business Class flight boards.
Boarding & Welcome
Boarding was… surprisingly smooth. I know, we were shocked too. They called Group 0 first and were very clear that everyone else needed to wait. Then Groups 1, 2, and 3 followed in order. Revolutionary.
Despite having built a new terminal with jet bridges, the airport is still boarding everyone via buses. Hopefully those jet bridges will be working next time we visit! At the aircraft, the front stairs were reserved for first class. Everyone else boarded using the second set of steps up to door number 2.
Once onboard, juice was offered – no Champagne on the ground here, thanks to local restrictions. What stood out was the order of service: crew came round to take drinks orders first, then doubled back later for food preferences. Not quite sure why – perhaps a tactic to drag out the flow on a long flight? It felt like unnecessary doubling-up.
There were no towels offered on boarding, and when I asked for one to clean something sticky on my seat, I was politely told no. It wasn’t until after take-off that a hot towel appeared. Cabin doors also took an age to close – quite literally. Several weren’t functioning properly, which might explain the delay.
Seat
We were sat in 9K and 10K, in the larger of the two business cabins. These had been refitted Club Suites, complete with sliding doors and direct aisle access. The seat is comfortable enough for a 10-hour haul, but mine clearly hadn’t been cleaned – a sprinkling of biscuit crumbs and a generous layer of tray-table dust greeted me onboard.
The suite door was another story. It didn’t close properly. In fact, we watched five crew members wrestling various faulty doors in our cabin, trying to coax them shut. Given this Club Suite refit is barely a year old, the build quality doesn’t inspire confidence. Future BA maintenance teams, good luck.
White Company branded bedding was supplied at the seat. Being a daytime flight back to London, I only got the use of the nice soft pillow.
Each seat featured two USB-A ports and a universal power socket, capable of charging a laptop.
On this daytime leg, the larger main cabin was fine, but broken doors and missing cleaning don’t exactly justify the premium.
What is the best seat on British Airways 777 Business Class?
Avoid row 8 if you value peace – it’s directly next to the toilets. The same applies to 12A and 12K, which only have a single window. If you’re after the best window views, aim for rows in front of 11.
The smaller front cabin is a smarter pick for overnight flights – it’s quieter and closer to the galley service. 5A and 6A, were ideal choices for us in that cabin. For couples, the centre seats with a retractable divider are a great option. However, steer clear of the window seats in row 7, as they’re missing a window, leaving you with a partially obstructed view. Read of review of the forward cabin seats.
Check out the seating plan on Aeroplan.
Onboard Experience
Each passenger received a White Company amenity kit, which was stowed in the vanity unit beside the seat along with a 500ml bottle of still water.
Departure was punctual, which is always a minor miracle out of Male (very changeable weather). There were four washrooms ahead of the cabin, though one appeared to be out of service for much of the flight.
After the meal service, the crew largely vanished – which is probably not ideal when you’re in a 76-seat business class cabin. When they did appear, they were friendly but reactive rather than proactive.
Food & Drink
Drink service kicked off after take-off, and I went with a Bloody Mary. A solid choice, though the pour size on the wine later was generous – the full-glass-to-the-rim kind. Punchy to say the least!
Starter was scallops with chicory, paired with the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Presentation was neat, and it actually tasted decent, though the scallops had a bit more bounce than expected. We then sat with our empty plates for quite some time – no wine top-up offered, though I did flag down a passing crew member for another glass.
The beef main was hit and miss. Nicely tender, but it arrived in a sad, watery gravy floating next to some polenta that didn’t know what it was doing. The Zinfandel I asked to pair it with never turned up. A later glass of Shiraz tasted like regret.
We also tried the cod main – moist and well-cooked, but the mound of rice lacked finesse. Presentation, again, wasn’t BA’s strong point.
Meal pacing was on the slow side, and the tray service method was clumsy. Rather than placing items directly on the table, crew handed over the entire tray by hand, including drinks. A balancing act that could’ve gone very wrong for anyone with a less-than-steady grip.
The second meal service mirrored the first – with a long pause between the prawn starter and salmon main. Quality was fine, but nothing about the service felt slick or polished.
Worth noting: service in the forward mini-cabin was sharper. Meals arrived quicker and crew presence was stronger. In the main cabin? Not so much.
In-flight Entertainment
The IFE system was responsive and stocked with a decent mix of new releases and BA’s usual back catalogue of classics. Sound quality on the headphones was passable, though you’ll want your own for longer films.
It did the job for a day flight – I watched a few films without issue, and the screen clarity was good.
Wi-Fi was available more most of the flight. Messaging was free for BA Club members, while full flight browsing packages were £20.
BG1 Verdict
British Airways 777 Business Class is a product that tries to be premium, but on this flight, missed more than it landed. The enormous size of the business cabin might work in theory, but it stretches the crew too thin, and longevity of the Club Suite hardware is already causing concern. BA’s business class food was typically average and presented like it was prepared in a hurry. We appreciated the generous drink pours, but this appears more to compensate for the extended gaps in service than attentive and proactive hospitality.
While there’s no question that it beats flying the old Club World seats, we would think twice about booking an ultra high-density Club Suite aircraft, like this specific 777 configuration. 76 business class passengers is probably too many to cater for and this flight could be the proof.
BG1 Tip
Pick a seat in the smaller forward business cabin if you can. Service is faster, the crew are more visible, and you won’t spend the flight wondering whether your seat door will ever work again.
Next, why not read our in-depth review of Club Suites that we wrote when BA launched the product in 2019.
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