We've just completed two 11 hour sectors in World Traveller Plus. (Both on B777-300ER aircraft). The service bears little resemblance to that promoted on their website.
There are plus points. The separate check in at T5 is less crowded, and boarding is before World Traveller. The seats are more widely spaced and comfortable. The food as served was hot and tasty.
Sadly it ends there. Cabin service, aside from the two meal services, is non existent. Far worse than World Traveller. The advertised 'glass of sparkling wine' after take off did not appear on either sector. When asked for one during the drinks round a barely chilled quarter bottle eventually arrived. When poured is was a dark brown colour and flat. At least thirty minutes after pressing the call bell a surly cabin crew member arrived. Her reply to our complaint was 'we have no more'. She then left without offering any alternative.
One quarter bottle of wine is offered before the main meal, and a small bottle of water is on the tray. After this service there is nothing more from the crew until the second meal service. No one patrols the cabin. No one answers the call bell. The second meal on the first sector was breakfast, which was perfectly acceptable but there was no tea or coffee offered.
On the return sector once again no sparkling wine was offered, and when asked none was available. Wine for the meal was offered during the drinks round and was warm by the time the email arrived. No more is available. When asked for a liqueur (as offered on the menu card) with coffee it was not available on the trolley but was promised. After 30 minutes I decided to visit the aft galley to ask again. All for members of the crew were standing around eating. There were trays of what looked me ready poured wine, beer and water laid out for World Traveller passengers to help themselves. Wine which we had previously been told was not available. My request for two Baileys and ice was met by 'we don't have any'. I asked for the purser to come to our seats. A few minutes later two Baileys (no ice) were miraculously found!
The second meal service began with no drinks offered. When asked for wine the crew replied 'the bars are closed'. This was 2hours and 30 minutes before landing. When challenged on this it changed to 'we’ve run out, it’s a small aircraft (B777-300ER!)’. Of course, a glance back into the World Traveller cabin revealed many enjoying their wine with the meal.
There are two obvious causes for these shortcomings. One is the fact that the World Traveller Plus cabin is serviced from the aft galley, as is World Traveller. The fact that they are separated by a curtain means that for the cabin crew it is ‘out of sight, out of mind’. The other issue is that no cabin crew are given specific responsibility for their cabin. In addition it is common practice for crews during the pre flight briefing to decide what level of service they will provide. The sparkling wine after take off is clearly deemed too hard. There is a third factor which is hardly new. Most cabin crew in the legacy airline world don’t answer call bells. Period. Hence the ‘snacks and beverages bought to your seat’ service promoted on the BA website simply doesn’t happen.
So, in conclusion. Seats good, food acceptable, service non existent. Think very carefully before you pay the extra.