[Bruce98]

rferguson

Many of BAs challenges can be attributed directly to poor management and BA also has historically enjoyed the advantage of Heathrow as a base, almost a license to print money in the past, if one examines the traffic stats.

BA has been inflexible in refusing to contemplate leaving Heathrow and moving to a new base, that would have provided a more efficient operation for the future, so please do not carp about Emirates advantages. Anyway, globalisation means that work will find the best place to be performed, it has done with the UK textiles, engineering, motor cycle and car industries, so why should airlines be any different? The balance of power is shifting south eastwards and BA will become a regional niche player.

[Ah,Mr.Bond]

Savior_Monk

“BA has been inflexible in refusing to contemplate leaving Heathrow and moving to a new base”

They have moved to a new base – it’s called T5!
They cannot go anywhere else because so long as you are part of a global allicance this simply is not an option. Smooth connections are required between One World carriers, not to mention where partners are booked on a BA codeshare number.. This would be an imposibility if BA solely operated out of somewhere else

[Bruce98]

++They have moved to a new base – it’s called T5!
They cannot go anywhere else because so long as you are part of a global allicance this simply is not an option. Smooth connections are required between One World carriers, not to mention where partners are booked on a BA codeshare number.. This would be an imposibility if BA solely operated out of somewhere else++

Yeah, right.

So Air France still have their main base at Orly?

You Brits are great at coming up with reasons why things can’t be done, I’m sure that is not how you painted the map of the world red.

[AMcWhirter]

JohnHarper – “is SQ curfew restrained at Changi” ?

I didn’t think Changi suffered from the strict curfews which limit flight operations at major airports like LHR, FRA, AMS, SYD etc.

If you check the Changi departures’ board you’ll see many flights departing after midnight.

[Ah,Mr.Bond]

saviour Monk – Who said LHR is their only Hub? BA’s 2nd international hub is LGW, but that is completely useless for any other One world international connections. So AF have more ORY flights than CDG? I think not. Their head office may be there (i don’t know) but their main operation is ex CDG because thats where everyone wants to go – like LHR for London.

[rferguson]

Saviour_monk good points raised.

But one cannot deny that any airline operating in ‘the west’ are never going to enjoy the operating environment of those newer airlines based in the far or mid east.

24HR hub airports with numerous runways and the ability to expand, pro aviation governements, countries with very lax laws in regards to the workers. These all provide huge advantages. It’s not an ‘unfair advantage’. It is just how things are done in those parts of the world.

Even a new airline set up in europe with all the finanical backing in the sun and an endless supply of shiny new A380’s and 777’s would never be the success of Emirates or Singapore.. It is a different environment. Simple fact.

You are completely right in saying that BA management have made some very silly and costly mistakes in the past. But in fairness over the last few years BA have done a pretty good job in managing it’s financial affairs and has turned into one of the leanest ‘legacy’ operators in europe with among the lowest costs.

At the end of the day we have to do what we can do. We have to operate out of a constrained airport. We have to accept that any decision regarding anything infrastructure wise takes 20+ years in the UK due to political posturing. We have to pay vast sums into pension funds. We have to negotiate with trade unions to avert staff withdrawing their labour.

And yes, sometimes this means that we don’t have the same ability to buy fantastic new aircraft as early as we would like. But you know what? Many people still like us and still fly us. Whether they be flying on a crummy old 767 or on one of the new 777-300’s. Ive had passengers equally as happy or unhappy on either aircraft. Because at the end of the day while a brand new plane with 6 million IFE options and 27 course gastromic organic locally sourced meals prepared by an inflight chef are all well and good at the end of the day what it comes down to for most people is how they are treated whilst on board and their ability to get a good nights rest. Regardless if you are on a BA 767, a new BA 777-300 or an Emirates A380. I’ve spoke with numerous BA gold card holders that at some point have been fed up to the back teeth with BA and defected to the likes of Ek for much of their travel. Only to come back to BA (and our shoddy old 767’s) a year or so later because despite all the vanity aspects the grass wasn’t all that greener on the other side.

I’m not meaning to be arrogant in the sense that ‘oh BA is just wonderful’. We can be downright shocking at times. I’ve seen it enough! Some of our product is appalling and I must admit at times i’ve been embarassed to serve it. But on this, and other forums, i’ve read that every airline has bad days. We aren’t perfect, but we do try our best to work with what we have.

[esselle]

Hello rferguson

I have posted on this thread before, bemoaning the grubby old 767’s used on LCA, and the fact that on CY I could get on a new plane AND have a smoke at the back with the crew on a non-smoking flight.
However, I do agree with the point you make; after all the years of zooming around the world, the balance of experience says BA is a safe bet. I have never had a shocker, have had a lot of outstanding flights, and rarely had to be really unhappy about something.
Keep flying the flag!!

[SimonS1]

Yep, it all boils down to opinions and preferences. I stopped using BA in 2005 and have never been tempted back, my only regret is that neither Emirates nor Qatar have joined an alliance that would cover occasional trips to South America. However what you say is very fair, Dubai and other places have much greater capacity which in turn helps them deliver the right connections.

[LPPSKrisflyer]

rferguson: good points as ever, I get fed up with SQ at times and try out others for months on end but in the end, the lure of Singapore Girl gets me back there even though all the reasons why I got fed up might still be there and nothing will change.

[lloydah]

I agree with you whole heartedly rferguson. I’ve had good and bad on as many airlines that I’ve flown on, every day it changes but I’ve never felt I’ve been ripped off on BA. Sometimes they are fantastic, sometimes dull but never that bad. Am I lucky? Maybe. Luggage lost on VA, LH, BMI but never BA. Delays that miss connections – AA, CO, several times, BA once. Downgraded on SIA, never BA. So it all comes down to the individual and the circs on the day.
BTW, opinions about certain posters are personal opinions but I have to say I’m getting fed up with one in particular saying things like “you Brits” “painted the map red” etc etc. Chips and shoulders comes to mind.

[GoldenMile]

I completely agree with all the negatives – this is not a joke as we have all paid good money for zero!!

I have been flying on long & short haul since the mid 1970’s and this return flight on the 767 to Cyprus was an utter disgrace.

Lousy high cost seats with very little leg room & not even a foot rest or personal TV for a 5-hour flight on our so called national airline!

It has taken us 3-days to get over this dire experience – BA should be ashamed of themselves – I have flown on little known internal airlines in China that respect Club Class passengers with decent seats – not rip off Club prices for Economy seats.

The crew were great – working under these poor conditions with most passengers unhappy with the seating plan.

Come on BA – replace these outdated seating plans – have some respect for your paying customers.

[Binman62]

And about to get much much worse.

BA have retimed the departure from 0930 to 22.30 meaning that this service at 5 hrs will now also be overnight from LHR arriving at an ungodly 5 am. This will also meaning booking hotels from the night before to be assured of a room at this time.

The return will be at 11 am arriving at LHR at 1400.

Add to the mix arriving and departing in the hell hole that is T3 plus competition from CY and A3 and you have to wonder who would be mad enough to continue using BA

[FormerlyDoS]

On a random day in June (5th) BA is only about a £10 premium over easyJet for LON-LCA. (With a 20kg bag included.)

Says it all, I think.

Edited to make line #1 positive.

[Str8Talking]

To slightly complicate things, schedules are actually showing BA662/663 to be moving over to T5 in S13! That said, if you try booking online, you get a message that it is out of T3 even though final confirmation displays T5! Go figure!

“Updated @ 08:06 – from BA’s website:

Frequencies between London and Cyprus
With a daily flight from Larnaca to London Heathrow Terminal 5 and four flights per week from Paphos to London Gatwick to choose from, you have a great offering of travel opportunities from Cyprus this summer.”

I much prefer the overnight flight to LCA, but I am sure many others don’t. Personal preferences, I guess! A3 are unfortunately moving the LCA flight to LGW which leaves CY as the only competition and to be quite frank, I would rather fly indirect than with CY, but again, just personal preference!

In the off-peak months from mid January to late March you can get a return Club ticket on BA with car hire for 4 days for less than £300. Of course you can make all sorts of combinations for car hire, hotel at varied durations – bottom line is that as a package, the Club ticket is reduced to below half price.

[tiggerbrown]

Str8Talking – is that low Club fare only when there is car hire (or other ground arrangements) or is it low in that period anyway?

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