[Anonymous]

[kin3kin]

ba has just launch a new complimentary taxis service for long haul first/club flight. i have booked club world flight from london to hong kong,am also a silver club card member, thinking i am entitle for this free service,oh no,they need ‘eligible flights’ i.e.you have to pay for high end ticket.my ticket is over £2500.this is not good enough.do you think they are serious enough to give anyone this free service. i am very disappointed.

[Airpocket]

Oh dear, looks like BA are up to their conniving little tricks again.Let this serve to warn prospective BA clients that its much better to pay for the cab yourself and ook your J Class flights on a cheaper airline.

[seanyjmuclhr]

Exactly, these free limos/chauffeurs are anything but a bargain. 9 times out of 10 you have to buy the most expensive business class ticket to benefit. Indeed when you fly VS, BA or BD, the price differential between the biz tickets that qualify and those that don’t can be staggering. Far better to book a cheaper J ticket and book your own cab. A cab from my home to LHR is £25 tops, a far cheaper bargain than being sucked into these so-called free limo and taxi offerings.

[VintageKrug]

Most airlines who offer such a service in London (Virgin, Emirates, bmi) do so on the same basis – fully flexible tickets are the only ones which permit free “add ons” such as this. So it seems BA is not the only airline up to dirty little tricks and conniving to defraud passengers.

Plus, the terms of the offer are clearly stated on the pop-up ad on the front page of ba.com

Other airlines may be “cheaper” but do not offer BA’s added value and consistency of service both on the ground and in the air.

Those who actually do fly regularly for business or pleasure have learned “cheaper” does not always equate to better value.

Personally I see little benefit in offering a chauffeur transit; it’s a nice gimmick if you have a lot of luggage or a family to transport to the airport, but most business travellers simply don’t have time to risk the traffic, and travel light which makes the Heathrow Express and/or the tube much more viable, as well as environmentally friendly.

Plus the “real” value of this is £20-£40 for a reasonable car service from most of Central London; hardly worth trading up to a fully flex ticket for, but a nice perk if your needs require the expense of a fully flex ticket.

Where I do think BA have done well is reacting quickly to the need to “add value” to their proposition in the current climate, and especially because BA’s premium volumes are significantly higher than those of other airlines offering similar car services to LHR, such an offering would have been logistically more challenging to set up “in house”.

Usually BA is glacial in introducing service offering such as this, and it is encouraging to see them being nimble in using the iconic Black Cab for this service, which is not only a greener solution to having a dedicated fleet of cars, but also gives a better service with space for bags, as well as being able to use Prescott’s ridiculously Communist Bus Lane on the M4.

Local knowledge of the cabbies ensuring people are met at the right time and conveyed to LHR and back as speedily as possible is a genuine service differentiator over the chauffeur service offered by other carriers.

It is only a trial service for now.

[DoorsToManual]

Is it just me or does anyone else just wait to see what TRIPE VintageKrug trots out in full support of BA? He (or she) is so far up BA’s [insert word] they’re not living in the real world. Always amusing though.

[kin3kin]

yes,i wonder about vintagekrug’s comment too.its not about green issue here,its more of an unreal gimmick,i thought free taxi ? what a good idea,it is not available for all long hual club class traveller.with emirates i have booked an offer buy one and get one free business class ticket we were offer complimentary limo return service .
kin

[Airpocket]

Folks, its fair to say that VK is BA’s mouthpiece on this website…which only makes us more suspcious of whatever comes out of his/her gob!

[SilverShadow]

I think VintageKrug is Willy Walsh, and DoorsToManual is just bitter because he is currently slaving away ay the back of Y class for no pay!

[OneA]

Yes I think of him as Willy Walsh too; but VK prefers to spell him as Willie which is technically correct of course…….!
All of these car add ons are poor value for money when the rules for entitlement are considered. Much better to buy a sensibly priced Business Class ticket and get a cab – from a park and fly hotel if necessary.
The trouble is that traffic around LHR is so appalling that one must do what one can to get in with as little delay as possible. My solution is that I have bought an old black cab at auction, and I proceed with my family and luggage happily down the taxi lane!!

[VintageKrug]

It’s (not its!) therefore fair to deduce from his cab ownership that NigelHuggins is either Stephen Fry or The Duke of Edinburgh.

Come on now, out with it! 😉

[DoorsToManual]

Nigel Huggins will only reveal his true identity after VK comes clean as Willy (Willie). Hey VK, when’s the next Club World SALE or 50% off Miles bookings…go on, check with Rev Management and let us all know.

[archer_honeywell]

Now, now…. it doesn’t matter who VK is or isn’t. What matters is that people see this BA offer for what it is – a very limited niche interest. If you have paid for a full J fare then a free taxi is a nice afterthought – but who buys a full J fare nowadays with so many discounted fares available through agents? A full J fare should only really be a last resort…..

[kin3kin]

yes,archer you are right.who in thr right mind will pay for j class ticket if one can get a cheaper ticket of the same class?
kin

[GoonerLondon]

People who need fully flex tickets perhaps?
People who book with only a week or less before they fly?

If you want to travel in business class on any airline in these situations – then full J is what you pay,

[Author]

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