[Anonymous]

[christophertomas]

I’m not sure if this has been posted but it’s a thoroughly interesting look at BA at the end of the 80s / start of the 90s…i

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vo0Kb18mMKE

[BeckyBoop]

Interesting there is also another one..

Part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWgvEHEycFw

Part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MzqcWBsDJY

Part 3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW-Jfa5MRPg

Part 4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zE7nilb4CA

Part 5

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFy5PSF_OkI

Which one of you is secretly Harry Goodman?

[CXDiamond]

christophertomas I’m amazed you found this! I remember seeing as part of a piece of work I was doing when it was new – what memories it brings back.

I do like the line from Lord King about we are in danger of forgetting service in the focus on money and how wrong that was. Perhaps the current IAG board should watch this video.

BeckyBoop, it’s great you have time to make so many posts and research links. I thought you were a PA. When do you find time to do any work and does your boss know that you spend as much time posting on this board.

I’ve just finished my evening’s work in Hong Kong.

[BeckyBoop]

I had them saved in my favorites as i posted them on another post. Nice to see you got a new job i wish you all the best.

[Binman62]

I stumbled across this a few nights ago. I was particularly taken by the comments around competition and the very clear strategy to eliminate competition at LHR……..I cannot remember who it was that stated that it was the role of government to protect consumers from monopolies but the role of companies in a competitive environment to try and eliminate them.

It may have take 23 Yeats but BA has removed the competition at its home base and consumers are unquestionably worse off.

The BA of today is a far cry from the business of the 1990 but before we get too dewy eyed lets not forget that they were involved in dirty tricks and Lord King in particular was not a major driver of that episode.

[CXDiamond]

Becky, I really don’t know why you’ve decided I’ve changed jobs, I haven’t.

[BeckyBoop]

Oh sorry my misunderstanding I thought on another thread you said you were not happy and left.

[Edski777]

Binman,

Nice to know that someone still remembers how BA were acting in the late 80’s.

This article in the Independent of 1993 shows how they were really competing against their fellow countrymen.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/battle-of-the-airlines-lord-king-was-calling-me-a-liar-so-i-sued-him-martyn-gregory-reports-on-bas-dirty-tricks-campaign-which-he-uncovered-as-producerdirector-of-thames-televisions-this-week-programme-1478013.html

Let’s keep our view of history a bit balanced, shall we?

[Hippocampus]

binman, Would you care to tell us what percentage of slots BA holds at Heathrow compared to other European airlines at their hubs and US airlines at their own hubs?

I can’t understand all this bleating about the lack of competition when there is an infinite choice of airlines from Heathrow.

And before the anti BA agenda harps on about the supposed golden era of BA, perhaps you’d like to tell us what the fares you paid in 1990 would cost in real terms now? And what has also happened to the price of fuel?

[christophertomas]

Yes, it was an accidental find actually. Just a quick disclaimer: I would say I am pretty loyal to BA. They’re not perfect but then I am realistic. And they’ve really helped me out in tricky situations before, specifically when I’ve been at fault and when you go above and beyond on multiple occasions, that’s the kind of service I value.

I thought the link I posted was rather interesting and insightful as the program still seems totally relevant today; attitudes towards service, preference over one airline than another, competition concerns, ropey service within Europe etc.

King was a formidable businessman, but his tactics were in some cases very dirty and his involvement in trashing Virgin was particularly odious.

Questionable tactics aside, his approach arguably worked. The BA evangelists program, the hardline sales training, upping the ante in the service delivery delivered incredible results and to me seem pretty visionary for the time. (I was only 6 years old in 1990, so forgive my naivety). It’s particularly telling when you listen to former board members at the time slating King because they were removed in a rather cut throat fashion. Cries of “it’s just not cricket” and the such were probably the very things that were pushing the airline into the gutter.

Anyway, that’s my 2 rupees.

[VintageKrug]

Nice link; thanks for posting.

[transtraxman]

ditto ……………………
but I would like to know what happened to the links with other airlines which existed 20-25 years ago as illustrated by the talk of Air Jamaica in the video?

How many link-ups, alliances or whatever existed at that stage, before oneworld, and why not now?

[BeckyBoop]

If you watch the video i posted. If you list to the comments being made by Harry Goodman he complains about the more of the same stuff you lot moan about today including the BAA.

[JohnHarper]

Whatever about Lord King and playing dirty tricks on Virgin, it was this campaign that led to BA becoming a really top notch company. As I recall, the staff were truly proud to work there and quality of service was up with the best.

Interesting they still saw Singapore Airlines as being the best in the business and really that’s how things remain. I used to fly with both BA and SQ a lot in those days and the cabin shots brought a lot of good memories back.

Almost thirty years on and the image of Singapore Girl has hardly changed at all and service remains perfect. What a shame BA have fallen so far. It would be great to know they were engaging their staff and in particular those in contact with passengers in such a big listening exercise again and doing something with the feedback.

[Author]

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