[sparkyflier]

Frankly I think rferguson deserves a pint after his superbly articulated points.

And I think this has actually been a good discussion, with a good mix of views, opinions, and experiences, it is just a pity the opening poster was not able to add to the discussion.

I will also say this forum has generally been very pleasant and informative of late, so safe travels to all who have contributed to this.

[heathrowflyer]

1nfrequent said, “…I don’t understand why they didn’t just offer that lower price to start with…”

I don’t know but suppose they are hoping people will choose CE when they log on and pay the full price (possibly because they’re unaware a cheaper upgrade may be offered after booking Y). BA then give the cheaper option as a second chance, makes business sense?

[FirstClassWannabe]

or in my case make a “special offer” which is a lot more expensive than the original price – which doesn´t make business sense.

[SimonS1]

Good review here which shows how a £567 fare is converted to £129.

http://www.businesstraveller.com/discussion/topic/British-Airways-A321-Club-Europe-7

I would suggest that £567 on this route is the fare paid by mugs and poor value for money. On the other hand £129 is a steal.

[critical999]

What a nasty die hard

[SimonS1]

Bruce Willis has a private jet.

[IanFromHKG]

heathrowflyer – 18/09/2013 04:15 GMT : 1nfrequent said, “…I don’t understand why they didn’t just offer that lower price to start with…” I don’t know but suppose they are hoping people will choose CE when they log on and pay the full price (possibly because they’re unaware a cheaper upgrade may be offered after booking Y). BA then give the cheaper option as a second chance, makes business sense?

I am sure that is part of the answer. However, I seem to recall that there was another thread (sorry, I couldn’t find it) where someone did a post-original-booking cheap upgrade and discovered, on later trying to rearrange the return date, that the conditions attached to the upgrade meant that it had become an “inflexible” ticket. So it may be that BA are showing an initial higher price because it is a flexible ticket – although I do agree that it would be better to show both prices and indicate that the lower price is inflexible so that people can make an informed decision right at the start (and, I might add, also make it more clear that these cheap paid upgrades may result in loss of flexibility which existed in the original ticket)

[FormerlyDoS]

SimonS1 – 18/09/2013 07:29 GMT

Would have to disagree mate, double the price for a 65 minute hop wouldn’t attract me, TBH. I have lounge access through a silver card, though.

Then again, I believe that ET is a decent product and offers good VFM.

[BA4ever]

Even if CE on board is not as fab as one would expect, it offers other aspects that I would miss.
Fast track, less queues at check in, lounge access, twice the allowance of carry ons and checked luggage, priority boarding and check in online before the 24-hours of economy.
And, if one books last minute or combines the flight with a hotel -on ba.com- and adds the price of an extra checked piece of luggage, the price won’t be far more expensive than economy.
I remember researching for a package deal (flight, hotel and airport transfer) and the difference between economy and business was around 50-60 quid per person. Not bad of a difference, IMHO.

Edit to add: I am talking about flights between Athens and London (and vice versa), which is a longish flight and is worth paying a little extra.

[SimonS1]

True FDOS. If you have lounge access then it’s much less attractive. If you don’t then I think it’s a fair deal.

[FormerlyDoS]

BA4ever – I’d look at CE on the Athens route, did 3h50 on SAS in a 3×3 config last Sunday, unpleasant on a flight of that length, but no biz class available.

SimonS1 – agreed.

[IanFromHKG]

Last summer I considered the upgrade (at 69 quid a head) for me, the Memsahib and the Offspring on our flight from Heathrow to Athens. However, given we have lounge access for all and already had (a) two of us in the sweet pair of seats in WT at front row left, which are EXACTLY the same as the CE configuration, and (b) the other two in one of the WT rows that has the same legroom as CE albeit with a third person in the row (shock horror), we decided it wasn’t worth the 276 pounds to get slightly better service and some ‘poo on board. However, if we had been in the lesser-legroom seats at the back, and had not had lounge access, I think we would have jumped at the chance

I do still think, however, that a flight of that duration deserves something better than the utterly dreadful euroconverter seats. I haven’t experienced the (ex-BMI) mid-haul seats and would be fascinated to try them (I think they may have been introduced on that route now?)

Incidentally I recently tried the new CX regional business class – definitely a step up from the old product, and soooooo much better than CE. And yes, I know Asia and Europe are very different and the service model might not work in Europe, but at least over there (I am in Europe this week!) there is a very real and tangible distinction between the product at the back and that at the front. If, as I just said, I don’t think it is worthwhile spending less than 70 quid a head to upgrade from economy to business on a 4+ hour flight, it does seem to indicate that there is not enough of a differentiator there – at least for those of us who are sufficiently frequent travellers to have lounge access, or indeed even for those of us who have lounge access through a paid scheme such as Priority Pass (and yes, I know they don’t have an offering at T5, but they do at many many other airports/terminals). Even then, 69 quid can buy you (again, in most but not all airports/terminals) lounge access, a meal and quite a few drinks,

[BA4ever]

Getting (or not) the first row of economy left is the first -and perhaps only- criterion for me when deciding or not to upgrade, when flying the A320.

Since my next flight will probably be on a 767, I will probably seek an upgrade, although the way I remember this aircraft, the first 10 or so rows of economy are WT, which means more leg room and leather seats.
Not sure how it will be if we get one of the renovated planes though…

[EU_Flyer]

1. critical999 – 17/09/2013 19:17 GMT

“I love a discussion Ferguson, but as you get older you become wiser”

2. critical999 – 17/09/2013 18:56 GMT

“Sorry Ferguson that you cannot except my answer. Unfortunately You
are not in a position to make the changes that I would require to improve Ba. and I do not like to keep repeating myself.
If you have access to Willie Walsh then do invite him too this blog”.

Observations

1. For someone older and wise you’re behavig like a child in my opinion.

2. Spelling. “except” should be “accept”. “Too” should be “to”.

Now let’s all have a cup of tea and a lie down and behave like grown ups and stop pointing fingers and all that other stuff.

Or it’s the last row in Economy for all of you.

[BA4ever]

At least they will be close to the loos… 😉

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