[SimonRowberry]

My use of the term “paraphrase” was obviously incorrect. I should’ve said “To use a term utilised by Disgusted, I don’t give a ****”. Clearer now?
My comment is about insulting people, and relates to this thread and several others as we seem to be getting back to where we were a year or so ago. It is unncessary. My observation is that it is often anonymous posters who throw abuse. Equally, the majority of anonymous posters don’t. I have no problem with anonymity in principle, but I do have with insults and unnecessary nastiness, a trend the Forum is again, alas, beginning to display.
Regards, Simon

[SimonRowberry]

Also, for the avoidance of doubt Disgusted, I was not passing any comment or judgment on whether you got a “freebie” with BA. That is not my business. Nor was I attacking you personally; I was attacking the snideness that is becoming too common on here at the moment.
Simon

[DisgustedofSwieqi]

You still do not realise what you have done, do you Simon.

Let me explain in more detail.

I did not say “I don’t give a ***.”

I said I doubt that BA give a **** about MS or any other small shareholder.

By altering my words, you have made it appear that I insulted Martyn, whereas I was passing an opinion that a big airline would not take the comments of a small shareholder into account.

There is quite a difference.

Given your follow up minute ago, I realise that this was probably unintentional and I take your point about snideness.

[SimonRowberry]

Dear oh dear. Once again, it was your use of one word, “****” that I was quoting. Nothing else in that sentence, or indeed, any other sentence of yours. Nor was I making any comment about the substantive issue behind this thread. I was commenting on its deteriorating tone. That’s all.
I hope that is clear at last.
Regards, Simon

[SimonRowberry]

PS I had no intention of making a Maltese cross.

[MartynSinclair]

NEWS FLASH –NEWSFLASH-NEWSFLASH-NEWSFLASH-NEWSFLASH-NEWSFLAS-NEWSFLASH

Breaking news coming from the networks:

At 9.07 GMT on the 18th January 2011 Martyn Sinclair said in reference to a discussion on seat 60B “I suggest that we leave it for now until some new data or information comes to the forum”.

At 13.16, DisgustedofSwiegi responded by simply saying “Agreed”

In recognition of the momentous step of DS and MS being in agreement – we should all go and join VintageKrug and The Stig, whoever The Stig may be……….., for drinks and canapés, once VintageKrug has revealed the location of said drinks!

To happy days……………and good discussion and banter!

[PatJordan]

Simon,

Thanks for your kind words regarding my useing my own name on the forum. I understand that others might not wish to, or indeed be in a position to do so. One poster recently referred to another anonymous poster (known personally to him) who is involved in the travel industry and for this very reason has to remain anonymous.

I think that the majority of posters here are regulars, and that the BT team probably know us (if not personally, but who we are). Equally, if somebody was to use the forum for nefarious purposes, BT would soon have them removed.

As Martyn says, to good discussion and banter!!

And of course, safe travels !

[barnacles]

Fascinating stuff, although Vintage Krug’s mis-discussion reaction was perhaps the most appropriate. I would make three points;

1. Whatever the exact amount of revenue potentially lost to BA (and only a board as wayward as BA’s, composed as it is largely of non-execs, would not think it significant), I suspect that in the current climate BA wants to keep BALPA sweet, and the issue of seat 60B is just not one the company feels it worth raising.

2. When travelling as a ‘cling-on’ (i.e. crew partner) on a crew/jump seat when a flight is completely full, the ability and willingness of the Captain to release seat 61B to a semi-attached member of the BA family has often been greatly appreciated by this contributor. Sadly this genrosity can no longer be taken for granted if you are a cabin crew partner, due to the often poisonous relationships that exist between many flight crew and their brothers and sisters on the other side of the cockpit door.

3. I rather agree that it looks unprofessional to have somebody in uniform occupying a seat in a premium cabin while on duty.

[MartynSinclair]

@Barnacles

Thank you for putting some clarity to the 60B issue, especially as you freely admit to being a past beneficiary of this seat.

[barnacles]

. . . although I note my contribution had some errors (typos)! Apologies. I can only say in mitigation that these contributions are being typed at night on a Thai beach with only candlelight to assist . . . and before you ask, yes I did get here as a ‘cling-on’ on a crew/jump seat, (door 2, hideously cold, even with three blankets wrapped round me). The flight deck’s seats at the rear of J class were available (and remained unused throughout the flight), but due to ill-feeling between flight deck and cabin crew, I wasn’t offered one. The Captain (who now controls jump seat allocation/upgrades etc for any ‘non-commercial’ pax on board) used the only free first class seat for in-flight R&R, which caused no small measure of annoyance among cabin crew and a couple of non-sleeping F pax, I”m told. A sign of the times, perhaps? This may or may not be typical. currently, across the airline. I should be able to update BT readers in the months to come, as I am still (just, but who knows what extra sanctions management will try and impose on crew and their partners/nominees if a second strike goes ahead) a current potential 60B beneficiary.

[ViajeroUK]

Was unable to use OLC for flight LAX to LHR last year, upon arriving at check in area was greeted by news that inbound aircraft was late so therefore we would be late departing. I was travelling with my wife and, tongue in cheek, asked if they had two seats free upstairs, the agent scanned her screen, made a few comments to herself, then called her superviser over. After a few words with him announced that she could fit us into the top deck, seats 60A & B. When we boarded I did get a few curious glances from CC when we took the seats and I settled myself into 60B. After a few minutes I was asked if I had checked in on line, I gave her the answer and was then asked for my boarding card, which was taken into the cockpit, with me expecting any minute to be told that I was in the wrong seat. At this time I was unaware of the issue of 60B being reserved for the captain. Anyway, a few minutes later my boarding card was returned to me with no comment, end of story. Now reading the above it all makes sense, for whatever reason the desk had given me the captains seat. Is it just BA that has this system?, have been in same seat on Air France with no issues.

[MartynSinclair]

This week I saw 60B being used in a new fashion. “Timeshare”.

At departure, the seat was empty. After take off, a young girl was moved into the seat by cabin crew. An hour later, she switched seats with a younger child. Eventually, the younger child moved to let a gentleman, either the father or guardian of the children use the seat.

Meanwhile, whilst it was not their turn to use 60B the 2 crew jump seats seats were being used, at one point, the young girl was sleeping without being secured. I know staff sometimes are allowed to use the crew jump seats, but I certainly was not unaware that minors were permitted.

At the end of the flight, the 3 were held back in the upstairs galley, obviously related to someone on the flight deck.

The debate on the thread has been interesting and heated, but the use of crew bench seats and 60B being used by 3 passengers including minors for take off and landing, is both illegal, unsafe and most certainly against BA policy.

This was made worse as an elderly couple were unable to get 2 seats together, until midway through the flight when we started talking and I immediately offered to move.

It seems that the upstairs is now being used as the crew overload section.

I always know there are 2 sides to every story and I cant wait to hear how this situation of a 60B timeshare along with minors using the crew bench seats can be defended.

[DisgustedofSwieqi]

Martyn

Have you written to the CAA, expressing your concerns about the children on the crew seats?

<a href="mailto:[email protected]“>[email protected]

If you believe that this is illegal, I don’t see that you have any alternative as a responsible citizen.

[MartynSinclair]

You seem to permanently live with a big wooden spoon attached to your hand, which you enjoy using!

As I mentioned, I am very much aware that there are 2 sides to every story – so whilst firing off straight to the CAA may be your suggestion, I would prefer to hear an explanation from BA whom have already acknowledged reciept of a communication. You never, know, there could be a perfectly rational reason why minors are being allowed to squat in crew seats on the upper deck.

I feel somewhat sure, that you would not accept musical chairs or a timeshare in the upper deck or First, unless of course, you were a beneficiary, which you have, I believe, denied!

[DisgustedofSwieqi]

Martyn

You wrote

“but the use of crew bench seats and 60B being used by 3 passengers including minors for take off and landing, is both illegal, unsafe and most certainly against BA policy.”

Did you or did not not see something illegal?

[Author]

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