[Anonymous]

[continentalclub]

British Airways have just posted a teaser of their forthcoming television advert on their facebook page at:

http://tidd.ly/4f0b1a0

For those who don’t/won’t have an FB account, it is of course possible to set up a detail-free account to use for this kind of thing.

The trailer clearly sets the scene for a campaign based on over 90 years of British Airways’ heritage, hinted at by the ‘fashion show’ of archive uniforms showcased at the Heathrow Open Day this weekend.

[VintageKrug]

A new youtube feature about the aircraft involved:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUQJiFARd80

[HedgeFundFlyer]

It’s a great advert and I made that point to the purser in F whilst waiting for the doors to open upon arrival at LHR. He replied – very politely – that most of his colleagues felt a little aggrieved by it on the basis that it “bigs up” the flight crew to the exclusion of the cabin crew.

I suppose it probably does.

[VintageKrug]

The advert could hardly have focussed on Cabin Crew who’d recently held the company and passengers to ransom.

I didn’t hear Flight Crew complaining when the previous 2009 Ad focussed almost exclusively on cabin crew:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjhWCfs20IY

[HedgeFundFlyer]

I agree, VK.

The comment made me chuckle to myself for the reason you articulate.

My all time favourite BA ad was the Pam Ann one. Very funny.

[Alasdair]

Glad you clarified that with the word ‘almost’ VintageKrug, and just to add, beside the seat, price etc Cabin Crew ARE the most important aspect of an inflight experience. So what would flight crew have to complain about?

Unlike the “worlds favourite” BA promotion, the latest campaigns have gone down without so much as a murmur (well, beside on here of course).

[Tete_de_cuvee]

Another opportunity lost by Walsh to show a united flying team. According to Corked Krug on another thread only 47% of cabin crew supported IA. So assuming CK is correct, in Walsh’s pettiness he has missed a great opportunity to show the flying public a united harmonious flying team and alienated the other 53% of cabin crew to boot – some leadership.

As long as the airline has an acceptable safety record, as most American and European (ex AF) ones have, the flight crew have little/no impact on the buying decision.Whereas as Alasdair points out, the cabin crew are most certainly differentiators.

It is very sad that in order to snub a minority of cabin crew Walsh has apparently decided to promote a group within BA that have little impact on sales. Bad business.

It also does nothing to encourage pioneer and cabin crew camaraderie and safety.

Trawling up an aged Australian market ad in a vain attempt to validate your point is as usual desperate yet so predictable CK.

[VintageKrug]

I’ve settled down for a glass of Mumm Rose (a gift from a DP guest, to be avoided, it lacks oomph, but needed drinking) before our supper is ready, to address the inaccuracies in almost (look how I did that) every line, here we go:

1. There is the same time afforded to a pilot in the “Sydney” ad as is afforded to the stewardess in the To Fly. To Serve campaign.

2. The To Fly. Serve campaign has had 570,000 views on youtube and I’ve had several chats with seatmates and others in the cabin about it and it’s been received very positively; premium traffic is up, and while that can’t be entirely down to a recent ad, and it set the right tone for the further instalments connected with this campaign. Hardly “going down without a murmur”.

3. Less than 50% of cabin crew voted for Industrial Action, even fewer actually took action, possible as low as 25%; over 7,000 cabin crew remain members of BASSA and pay subs – by retaining their membership, they implicitly supported the deplorable action of their Branch’s (mis)management, exemplified in the BS’s Employment Tribunal findings. He lost.

4. I think BA cabin crew are generally very good, and are indeed a part of the reason why I choose to fly BA; but despite a strange belief to the contrary, not since the 1970s have cabin crew had a “make or break” role in the minds of purchasers.
Most choose on price, some choose on hard product (sleeper beds and IFE) others choose on route network, or frequent flyers scheme.
There are many differentiators these days and while not unimportant, cabin crew simply don’t have the centrality they used to. particularly when the retention of legacy crew markedly increases the cost of the ticket, or restricts the range of viable routes (eg San Diego, Las Vegas, Haneda).

5. I have no doubt there will be opportunities to focus on cabin crew after the current negative leadership of BASSA is despatched in October 2012’s elections; the “To Serve” element hasn’t yet been articulated and is best done when the A380s and 787s come online, when it will be appropriate to focus on the future rather than the bitterness of the past.

6. BA’s safety record and smooth tallking Nigels have an exemplary record; while cabin crew continue to be a reason to fly BA, I also choose the carrier not just for the “commoditised” safety record, but also because I know the captains know what they are doing above and beyond the basics one might expect from other, particularly Middle Eastern, carriers. You only have to read about BA38 to know about that.

7. I would imagine most reading this think it’s more sad and pathetic that there are those who have such thin skins that they believe this excellent investment in the company which pays their salaries is a “snub”. That is indeed sad and pathetic, and betrays the childish approach with which BA management grappled for far too long.

My glass is empty. Good night.

[DisgustedofSwieqi]

“I know the captains know what they are doing above and beyond the basics one might expect from other, particularly Middle Eastern, carriers”

Once again, you demonstrate your ignorance of the business.

[Author]

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