[AllOverTheGaff]

Hello all, not been on for a while so a quick recap – I loathe BA and Heathrow, so never fly with them. However, had a choice at the same price point between KLM business and BA 1st class so took the chance with BA as it was on their 787. Oh, was to / from Sao Paulo, a fairly regular route for me.

The flight itself was fairly average, crew were 100% Scottish (as am I) but they did the hiding-in-the-galley thing, and when they passed me there were opportunities for them to fill my glass, but they never did. (EGS – Empty-Glass-Syndrome, drives me mental) Food was fairly average but I liked the new cabin. When I arrived I wasn’t blown away by either the airline or the service, but at least I’d scored a decent price-point.

Now, to the title of the thread. On the way back, I had booked a separately ticketed Sao Paulo to Rio (was on Copacabana for New Year, oh my lord what a hoot!) with LATAM – a more miserable bunch of douchebags I’ve ne’er encountered. They were over 2 hours late arriving to GRU for my BA flight back and I trudged from terminal to terminal to see what my options were. Just as I found the BA sales office (with a closed sign) the staff were leaving, it was around 17:45 on New Years day. I politely explained my plight and they could not have been more sympathetic, or more decent about the whole thing. Transferred me onto the next days flight and didn’t charge me a cent.

Next day I handed them in some nice chocs and had a word with their manager. Twas the end of my Christmas break and I’d had a ball, and this mishap with the douchebags at LATAM could have easily impacted on my memory, as it was, the staff at GRU were phenomenal and restored my faith in the airline.

Flight back was on a clapped out 777, the seat and 1st cabin had seen better days 3 years ago! But, the crew were excellent, food was ok and I didn’t have Empty-Glass-Syndrome for most of the flight. Including a fun episode of trying to not spill my port on a particularly lengthy and violent spell of turbulence. Crew commented I looked as though I was conducting an orchestra with my drink…. 🙂

So, I’ve booked BA 1st to Sao Paulo later in the year….and Heaven help me, also to Singapore. I think if you get the fare right, and this past wee while their 1st fares have been excellent, you can justify it in your mind as a decent business class.

The on-the-ground-team at GRU offering just a modicum of understanding and compassion actually amazed me, so unfamiliar am I with this phenomenon, great work which I have subsequently written to BA about and informed them I am now travelling with them again – not based on their flights – but on their staff’s kindness.

Regards to all
AOTG.

3 users thanked author for this post.

Polly, mkcol74

[Window-seat]

Agreed, the seats make me sad but when their staff get it right there is nothing like it. I love the older ladies and gents who work the 1st cabins from the worldwide fleet. Not so keen on their younger mixed fleet friends.

[christ]

I hope you booked the first flight (c7pm) as that is the A380 and for BA, I think the first class cabin is excellent (though I have not been on the 787 and do like the 747 just as it is a 747). The first flight is WW and the second one which goes on to Sydney is MF. FLew to Sydney and despite I think the 777 being one of the better / newer ones, it did not compare to the A380. First MF crew were awful and had EGS on the first leg but the MF crew from Singapore to Sydney were the opposite.

[travelworld2]

I really like the fact the OP gave the ground crew a box of chocolates as a thank you. So used to reading moans on here it’s good to reward people when they go above and beyond. Being nice to people nearly always helps!

2 users thanked author for this post.

ImissConcorde, canucklad

[Gold-2K]

My partner was due to fly tomorrow morning to US but has been caught up in the snow in Hampshire so can’t get home to pack and get to LHR in time for his mid-morning departure. Despite this being an Avios booking and the departure is less than 24 hours away, BA could not have been more helpful. They have moved him to an early evening flight and have waived the change fee.

Well done! Couldn’t have asked for more!

[nevereconomy]

They can indeed do it – I posted my cancelled flight and good/bad EC 261 compensation issues a while back. The EC regs are woolly and seems you don’t get both cancellation and downgrade compensation for the same occurrence, but my usual polite persistence and a reminder of my loyalty and the gobs of cash I have sent their way over the many years resulted in the full
75% of the downgraded sector as well as the cancellation.

[Author]

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