[Henryp1]

Sorry airpocket, BIMHO views made by others through a 3rd party rarely have any real significance as they may get ‘contaminated ‘. As for Aeroflot have never flown, have heard lots of stories +/- but have equally never bothered to formulate or write a comment, HP

[MarcusUK]

Indeed I am well informed. Especially by the friend who recently left BA, who was responsible for over 300 BA Senior Managers globally!
He remains in contact with many friends & colleagues.
Insight isn’t just gained as yourself, being an FF’er.

Sorry you feel that you are only better informed, but its a global perspective where as yr insular perceptions are merely pro-BA it seems with an inability to look objectively. Paid to promote BA alone…?

The 100 Managers In My Directorate, have been enabled to book their own flights, after many complaints of BA travel in recent 2 yrs. I yes, choose others anyhow. Only 5% of travel is chosen with BA on long/short haul now, from 75%. I listen to them for sure…

But as usual, you miss the issues completely.
U should offer yr narrow minded visions to Walsh’s tragic expertise, or perhaps you do already!
B A declines day by day it seems tragic press coverage.

seems you can offer them £90 to upgrade they are so desperate at the moment, as reported in the Times friday!

[VintageKrug]

So MarkRoberts09.

You agree you have not flown BA recently.

I would therefore question the veracity of any statement you make relating to that airline, given the obvious bias of your closest source, a recently redundant “friend”.

[Henryp1]

Thank you VK, I remain very confused why MR bothers to keep up his enormous negativity of BA when he never flys BA only talks to those who have, or staff who who left BA [under what circumstances?].

Cant imagine why he would find the time to do so. I can only say that most of my experience with BA is very positive, and if it wasnt I would move carrier, not maintain a crusade as my life and time is both busy and precious, (Not quite sure what a Directorate is with 100 managers though, with such a large corporate account, one would think that there was a travel office which did all the bookings and that a policy on carriers would be enabled to ensure maximum financial control and profit!).

But actual insights by current passengers are a rich source of information, and I have no problems with being treated nicely by BA on account that I give my business to them, and enjoy all the benefits of the BAEC and also the premium services and cabins. HP

[theworldtraveller]

The primary reason i use BA is the punctuality, frequency of flights and the way you will get looked after when things go wrong – T5 has sorted out lots of the woeful problems from a few years ago and food is not really important on these short flights.

Reading BA’s results this week, i am sure there will be more changes for ‘MR’ to complain about – it looks as if BA will not be around if it doesn’t make significant changes … it will be interesting to see how Walsh handles the ground and cabin crew unions who must be close to calling a ballot

P>S the sushi sold in T5 is well worth getting for the flight!

[FaroFlyer]

Well, MR. Not sure if you were having a swipe at me as being insular and paid by BA, but just in case let me assure you of the following:
a) I am not, and never have been, paid by BA nor am I connected in any way with anybody in BA, other than as a very, very small shareholder. Just enough for the discount.
b) I have flown J to or from Europe > HKG / Shanghai on AF, AY, BA, EK and KL in the last 12 months. Within Europe I have flown on 13 different carriers in cluding the much maligned BA and dreaded FR.
My comments are based on first hand experience.

[Senator]

While I am not British, I have been to the UK frequently over the last couple of years. It seems like it is the national sport to bash BA (or any other British firm for that matter). I regret to say that this hold true for Scandinavian’s relationship with SAS as well.

I have travelled BA in CE and Domestic about 10 times over four years. This gives a rather small sample. I travel SK, LH, OS, and LX frequently. I would rate BA in the top 3 in Europe for the overall product. I find KL dismal in Europe Select with 3-3 abrest, no middle seat free. AF catering is poor, the same for LH. SK, OS, LX, and BA provide the best European business class experience in my view.

There are a few areas no one has touched; what is the impact of BA’s defined benefit pension scheme to its current financial situation? Given the paradigm shift forced by LCCs, is there really room for “majors” other than feeding flights for long haul in Europe? While I understand that Willie Walsh is very different from Sir Rod, he may have the right profile for a distressed company like BA – a company (in an industry) in real need for cost reductions.

Personally, I rarely have a bad travel experience. I credit having a positive attitude to this. I am always nice, curtious, and considerate to staff; both on the ground and in the air. In 99% of case, my “state of mind” is return by staff. I find that airline staff is always on guard; so you have to bring that guard down. So, if anyone have a bad experience with BA, perhaps the passanger brought the wrong attitude and it rubbed off? Works with all airlines by the way. “Treat others like you would like to be treated yourself”.

[AlanReynolds1]

Surely the loss of a BA-provided meal on short-haul economy is not that important in the sense that we can get a decent snack in the lounge or buy at an airport stall before boarding, but rather in how BA brands itself? What is a “full service carrier”, if the differences are removed? Incidentally, the reduction isalso happening in ClubWorld. This morning’s hot part of breakfast from st Lucia was a bacon buttie! Yuk. And we had booked low calorie too.

[ReggaeMan]

Mr BA alias VintageKlug,

How much is BA paying you to blow their trumpet even when they cant afford a trumpet??

Even Willie Walsh admits that BA makes mistakes but not you??

[FaroFlyer]

Who is Vintage Krug? We demand to know.
Even The Stig was finally uncovered.
Jeremy Clarkson, your country needs you!

[Bunnahabhain]

Are we be about to witness the first BT forum boxing match? – In the (dark) blue corner, representing BA – VintageKrug the 6 times Executive Club heavyweight champion. In the red corner, representing the rest of the world (or its airlines anyway) – Mark Roberts the IXth of The Netherlands. Live from Heathrow square gardens (not the ones outside T5 of course), fifteen 3-minute hand luggage searches to decide the winner. All proceeds to BA’s Tenners for Good programme (times are hard) which has helped millions of underprivileged business travellers across its route network. RBS Scottish tenners especially.

[continentalclub]

Re: ReggaeMan – 09/08/2009 14:19 GMT

Quote: “How much is BA paying you to blow their trumpet even when they cant afford a trumpet??”

I’m trying hard, but I’ve read and re-read VintageKrug’s posts in this thread and still, no matter where I look, can I identify any ‘trumpet-blowing’.

From other quarters, there does however appear to be something of a (monotone) orchestra of hot air……

[JordanD]

At the risk of bringing this discussion back to the topic of food on BA flights: flew EDI-LHR on Monday (10/08) evening and pleased to report that I got served a ‘light snack’ on the plane: chicken salad, a roll and rice pudding.

Are BA running down stocks or are they listening to passengers who want food? Didn’t get a chance to ask the crew how many meals they served.

[CMoir12]

I have just flown economy from LHR-TXL and was offered a sandwich. I commented to the crew that I thoiugh they were no longer offered and they said that they thought so too!

there were also 4 crew, so perhaps BA are waiting until the 3 crew has been agred.

[Airpocket]

Seeing that O’Leary couldn’t quite get his hands on Aer lingus, perhaps he should make a bid for BA?After all, BA rapidly appears to be moulding itself to fit the low-cost,no-frills model.What is more, O’Leary will finally get the trans-Atlantic routes he wants.

[Author]

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