[rferguson]

Gordoncph you are right that BA sends a lot of emails, for example when you change details online.

I actually asked an IT manager why this was the case.

Basically it is to dot the ‘i’ and cross the ‘t’ for BA in regards to data protection laws in the UK. A lot of disputes have risen whereas there are more than one person on a booking, all of which have access to ‘Manage My Booking’ and to enter data and make changes. So the idea is that if you are the ‘lead passenger’ you will always receive notification if anyone has made any change at all to ANY part of the reservation.

[DavidGordon10]

Thanks rferguson! I think it is probably because I spend more of my time in Denmark or the Czech Republic than the UK that I am taking a Danish or Czech attitude to this. It relates to the way that young children are cheerfully pushed around in baggage trolleys at Kastrup or Ruzyne whereas at Heathrow all you get is warnings about how dangerous this is.

Out here, the individual must look out for his own safety and welfare, not be nanny-ed by repeated emails and safety notices.

[rferguson]

Too right gordoncph. The UK is just becoming ridiculous in the sense that noone is really responsible for any of their actions anymore.

An example is the new ‘know me’ campaign that BA are (wanting) to launch where ground staff will use Google pictures on iPads to be able to proactively approach high profile/high value customers that arrive at T5. The privacy brigade lawyers are already stomping all over the idea saying it is illegal to do under ‘data protection laws’ as BA do not have the persons permission to look at the picture…despite it being freely available on the world wide web. Crazy.

[MartynSinclair]

Wow…….if too much information being emailed is the cause of a passenger changing airlines, I am…………..lost for words!

[Ah,Mr.Bond]

Czech Airlines – Probably not technologically advanced enough to offer such services… which is probably why they don’t.

[DavidGordon10]

Remarkably enough, the Czech Republic and Czech Airlines are technologically very advanced, the rubber bands used to power CSA planes are replaced at least every six months, and Prague trams have been modified so that the elderly no longer have to pedal, the work is all done by tourists.

Actually, ahmrbond, they Czechs don’t send extra messages because they don’t see the need to. Their IT is good, I use it a lot.

Clearly a matter of taste. BA wind me, rferguson and FrequentTraveller up – and MartynSinclair, seanyjmuclhr and Henryp1 don’t mind or even welcome the many emails.

[TiredOldHack]

@MartynSinclair – my take on it, too. It’s nice to know that the airline has got it all tickety-boo. As it were. Rather than ticket boo-hoo, I suppose.

[NNoah16]

The only email from BA that I’m not happy about is the one a few weeks before departure. Otherwise, all the rest are fine.
On the other hand, I wish I recieved “any” sort of communication if there is delay or disruption to my flights.

[VintageKrug]

On a recent flight from London City Airport to New York with BA, I was telephoned personally to advise a short delay to departure. That’s the sort of service I value.

The seemingly random appearance of MMB prompts in my inbox can be strange, but on the other hand it’s better to do this in advance and especially so for the less frequent traveller who may need/value the prompts more than the regulars.

[DavidGordon10]

Yes, a telephone or SMS notification of a delay is always welcome on all flights, not just for a premium service like LCY-JFK: but the regular traveller should be able to “turn off” the extraneous stuff. For the occasional traveller, information is good, but too much information can still be confusing, if you don’t know what can be deleted or ignored with impunity.

[smihardwoods]

Shame the Czechs don’t flight to London anymore.

[BeckyBoop]

VK wrong thread hun! 😉 x

[MartynSinclair]

On the flip side, i got a telephone call from Virgin Atlantic in regards to Master S flight to Orlando next week.

“Good afternoon Sir, calling to see if there is ANYTHING we can do to help Master S’s flight next week”

“Infact yes there is, can you provide some assistance from check in to lounge, please. He is new to this travelling alone lark. i really appreciate this call”

“sorry Sir, we cant do that, only thing we can help with is extra bagage or more leg room”

“am I hearing correctly, you are phoning to offer my son help, but you wont provide help through the airport. OK, exactly what help can you give”

“happy to provide more luggage allowence or more leg room”

…at this point I was presuming that this new service is for gold card holders, which I am no longer, but Master S is…..

“thats very kind of you, be nice if you could provide more leg room, yes please”

“ok, we can do that for you, how would you like to pay!!!!”

I seriously thought it was a special service, but it is just a new revenue making telephone call centre service.

Give me emails any time!!

[AnthonyDunn]

Ah, just how many pages of email did I receive from Air China for my recent booking – over half of which (for fairly obvious reasons) I neither understood nor strictly needed. I reduced it all down to one side – as I have done for the related BA booking confirmation emails LHR-PEK-LHR. But was this all too much hassle for me? Perhaps I don’t fly so much that it is. But I do find BA’s reminders to be helpful rather than a hindrance.

[peterraven]

I agree that it is better to have some communication from BA and other airlines rather than nothing after the initial confirmation. You can always delete what you don’t want and it is electronic so not a waste of paper.

Regarding confirmation of changes, again isn’t it better to receive a confirmation that you additional information that you just added to your booking has been registered by the airline?

Same with banks here in Singapore, everytime I use my credit card I receive an SMS (text) message confirming the transaction – yes, I know I used my card, but it is good to have confirmaion just the same!

[Author]

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