[LaundryMan]

Have been lurking for a number of years on the Forum today I decided to join through utter frustration with BA

Recently went on a trip with my wife to San Jose in first and booked seats in January. At the airport (4 March) for no reason I was separated and assigned a seat on the other side of the cabin in First. My original assigned seat was occupied by someone else who I spoke with during the flight. He was not crew but a regular flyer and he had commented he had been messed around getting a seat in first. I put a complaint in to BA via the CSD got an acknowledgment two days later and then heard nothing. Put a chaser with the CSD on the LAX-LHR return 19 March 18 and today (29 March) decided to chase up by phone. The attitude of the customer service department is poor and they hide behind excuses they have in front on them like “for operational reasons your seat maybe changed” He did not understand that I was separated from my wife, I am silver executive card holder flying first and simply not interested in the problem

To top it all their email reply had been prepared but not sent ! I asked the person to escalate the issue and he refused saying I would get the same answer. I even indicated I would write to Alex Crux to which he indicated the letter would only be referred back to Customer Relations

Not even prepared to give some Avios for being a disappointed customer in first

I just cannot understand BA’s attitude to their customers. I suspect the problem is their flights are full so who cares

Utterly frustrated with BA and their attitude to customers

[Henryp1]

I was surprised to read this, normally First customers receive a telephone call, or you could call You First. I’ve always found the team to be very helpful and proactive. On my recent trip I completed a survey sent by BA during the journey by SMS, I made a comment which was not entirely positive, and was very surprised to receive a rapid reply with Avios for compensation and we hadn’t even left the Concorde Room. I hadn’t asked for any compensation as I don’t believe in chasing or asking for compensation unless it is a substantial reason. On return to the UK I received a telephone call asking if there were any issues not already covered and if I had any other feedback to give.

Using Twitter tends to get fast responses too as I experienced on a return journey to LHR, again I has a response before leaving the airport lounge.

Was this a revenue or Avios ticket, just asking as there are comments of FT of BA targeting Avios customers over revenue customers when unpopular changes are being made.

[norbert2008]

Again PR department will help you, very quickly…..

[FDOS_UK]

Laundry Man

Welcome as a contributor, I hope you will continue to share your experiences and opinions.

One needs to realise that BA does not provide a first class that compares to other airlines and set expectations accordingly.

The seat is undoubtedly very comfortable and a very nice way to spend some hours in the air, but other things are not in the same league

– low meal loadings means no guarantee of first choice
– cabin is dense
– no chauffeur to/from the airport
– no private transfers from lounge to aircraft

Set expectations accordingly and buy when it seems good value.

The service agent is correct, the airline does not guarantee a seat – of course an airline that provides a proper first class (at a proper price) will spit blood rather than mess a customer around, but one needs to remember that this is BA and their prices for F are often 33% less than LH, LX or AF, so there is a requirement to take the rough with the smooth.

Think of it as being a very comfortable way to travel, but do not conflate it with a proper first class on another airline and you will be able to put into perspective such minor matters are being moved from one seat to another – unless you were on the 789, the buddy seat was still available to share a drink or meal with your partner.

To put it another way, I cashed in some avios recently

LHR-DXB on QF, in Y – 20,000 + £207

JED-LHR in Club World, – 37,500 + £172

As it happened, I got an upper deck, bulkhead, aisle seat with QF and the service (for Y) was excellent. The luch was a chicken tandoori salad that I would have happily paid a fiver for at Sainsburys -so in the context of a Y meal, pretty good.

On the CW flight, I intend to take my own sandwich on board, bring my own bottle of water and be self sufficient, as I have very low expectations of a decent service (of course sometimes I am wrong and it always comes as a pleasant surprise) – but the seat will be much better than the QF Y seat

So I will enjoy both flights (as much as a frequent traveller ever truly enjoys a flight), but my expectations of BA are of a moderate to poor service carrier, whilst Qantas are a moderate to high service carrier.

So it goes.

[LaundryMan]

Ticket type was actually F/A – not Avios

Appreciate all the comments so far and will be contributing in future

[FDOS_UK]

[quote quote=859563]Ticket type was actually F/A – not Avios

Appreciate all the comments so far and will be contributing in future[/quote]

Sorry if my post was ambiguous, I was not implying you had booked using avios and anyway, it should make no difference to the way a pax is treated IMHO, avios have been earned, one way or the other.

The fact that it is suggested that this can be a factor, in F class, just shows the nature of the beast.

[nevereconomy]

I have experienced this in F on both Qantas and American – in both cases one of their own high tier fliers had requested the seat I had chosen. I did not think BA did this
and I did see them refuse to change the seat for Diana Ross on one occasion, but these days who knows…

[LuganoPirate]

On Swiss F, once, I was asked to swap seats with a man who wanted to sit behind his wife. As this meant moving from 2K to 2A (both window seats) I really didn’t mind. Fact is I was asked, not told and that was important.

[MartynSinclair]

Welcome Laundryman…

I recently wrote to BAEC about an issue at the suggestion of the BA reservations team. The response from BAEC

“I’m sorry to say that I do not have access to all of the information to be able to assist you further. This does unfortunately mean you’ll need to call your nearest reservations centre to help with your request”

It’s one big merry go round….

[Chris]

I think it definitely makes a difference if you are revenue or Avios. I recently booked my wife and her sister on First on Avios, and was surprised that a couldn’t get even 1 treatment in the Concorde room when enquiring one month out. I made somewhat of a fuss pointing out if they cant accommodate just 50% of their first class customers 1 month out then they probably shouldn’t be allowed to advertise that they offer the service. Miraculously they found space. However, quite predictably, on the day of the flight, the BA staff had the last laugh and ‘conveniently’ couldn’t find the reservation and my sister in law was turned away.

Compensation, £20 off a future flight, went straight in the bin!

[handbag]

[quote quote=859582]

LaundryMan wrote:

Ticket type was actually F/A – not Avios

Appreciate all the comments so far and will be contributing in future

Sorry if my post was ambiguous, I was not implying you had booked using avios and anyway, it should make no difference to the way a pax is treated IMHO, avios have been earned, one way or the other.

The fact that it is suggested that this can be a factor, in F class, just shows the nature of the beast.[/quote]

Just for information. Cabin Crew are not able to tell from the (PIL) passenger list if a ticket is Avios or not. It does show upgrades, Special Meals Wheel Chair requests etc. I often travel with BA on Avios points and make a point of not saying I am staff. As far as anyone is aware I am just a full fare passenger. As Crew I cannot comment on what happens on the ground, but be assured it is irrelevant onboard.

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