Disgusting BA Customer Service

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Viewing 15 posts - 16 through 30 (of 47 total)

  • VintageKrug
    Participant

    Personally I always call Newcastle, but also keep the worldwide numbers in my phone as well so I can get things changed 24/7.

    BA.com was updated within minutes of the announcement and regular updates have been available here since 1730 yesterday:

    http://www.britishairways.com/travel/strike-ballot/public/

    but it does take a while for full systems updates to pull through; as was promised yesterday evening, since this morning systems are now fully operational amd if you log into any booking you have over the strike period it now shows detailed instructions as to how you can change your booking.

    Judging by the speed with which I got through this morning they have also hired extra staff to handle the situation.

    Once again, by reducing the bloated cost base, BA would have spare cash to improve front line passenger services, like offering 24/7 call centre cover (though in practice I can accomplish most things on the excellent ba.com).


    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    VK

    In an ideal world yes, let WW sort the mess out – but how much longer are the city going to give him? The law may be the law, but this legal strategy AINT working!

    Flogging a dead horse springs to mind.


    VintageKrug
    Participant

    The City and the BA Board will give him as long as it takes – the alternative doesn’t bear thinking about.

    Wait until the next strike and see how ineffectual it is, how it was (possibly) based on an illegal ballot premise, and how easy it is for BA to remove staff unwilling to accede to the new contract (which entails neither a reduction in salary nor any changes in T&Cs for existing crew).

    There is an opportunity here to fix this for the long term; to turn now would be a huge waste of the many millions already invested to esnure the longevity of the company.


    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    I agree with most of what you say VK – but not on this issue. The city, BA pax and BA shareholders need to know where they stand. “As long as it takes” is totally and 100% unacceptable. The more this dispute goes on, the more I hear from cabin crew and the more their case becomes plausible. If BA suffers 20 days of strike, I cant see how the shareholders will accept such an intransigent board. BA were impatient enough over the volcanic ash situation and fought a way through – if it cant find a way through with its own employees then the board and WW has FAILED!!

    ENough is enough is enough!


    ibelieveanything
    Participant

    ba dont have to negotiate is quite true but what type of company imposes work practices etc.a very poor one with poor management i think.you get more from your employees if you negotate not impose and anyway the ground staff aint that happy either


    NTarrant
    Participant

    Martyn – as a BA shareholder I would prefer to see this dispute settled sooner rather than later, but not to the point that additional costs mean I don’t ever get a dividend. I would rather no divi now than never as will the case be if BA give in to the union demands.

    You also have to look at this from the political angle which is if BA give in it sends the wrong message that UK Plc is soft and weak.


    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    Hi

    It depends what message you want to read. Yes it could send the message UK Plc is soft and weak, but it could also send the messgae that BA is strong and willing to resolve the dispute. The current situation is that BA wont budge accrording to comments on this blog due to historic reasons.

    I too am a shareholder – but the longer this dispute goes on, the more worried i get that the board and the union or making personal issues rather than employee / corporate issues. Basid impartiality says that there are 2 sides to every story. If the boards side was that strong, there would not have been 3 sets of strikes.

    This dispute must be settled and soon for the moral of the country if not for the good of the country.

    A board is judged by its results – as far as WW is concenred, its taking too long. Like any good premiership side, the manager gets sacked if results dont appear – the city will eventually become fed up.


    NTarrant
    Participant

    Martyn – there have been many a plc who has had a CEO presiding over more than three strikes. If the city is supporting WW then that is fine, it is not really a case of getting fed up, it is more a case of seeing what the benefits are for the organisation in the end. The city will get fed up if WW and the board give in.

    Other than those of us who is effected by the BA strikes or potential impact oif them, I doubt the moral of the country hinges on this dispute. People are more interested in who is going to be running the country!


    Age_of_Reason
    Participant

    It seems to me that all that this ‘dispute’, together with Volcanic Ash, is proving, is that BA is a fundamentally strong company that can afford to take these disruptions on the bottom line. So therefore can afford to settle, and should do so, ensuring one uniform (sic) contract with compatible T&C for aircrew and ground staff.
    Then set the standards with traiing and customer satisfaction guarantees, nametags and numbers.


    continentalclub
    Participant

    It’s true that this is a deeply unfortunate situation for all stakeholders. However, the dispute boils down to two extremely stark realities:

    1. BA’s business model is fundamentally unsustainable in the contemporary competitive and economic environment, and that of the next decades.

    2. BASSA’s leadership fundamentally disagree.

    (1) above is acknowledged by everyone in aviation industry management, the city, politicians, the media, the majority of BA employees and most passengers.

    (2) is asserted by BASSA.

    Against this backdrop, the BA Board (executive, non-executive and advisory) supported by its institutional investors, politicians of every hue, the media, a huge majority of its employees and – anecdotally – most customers (actual or potential) has mandated its Chief Executive to lead a strategy which will prepare the airline for the challenges ahead.

    There is no middle-ground: BASSA have seen to that.

    BASSA seek to polarise the debate by demonising the CEO; the irony (amongst many others in this dispute) being that in doing so, they are bolstering his credibility in the corporate world and hugely increasing his future marketability as a leader of change.

    Edited to add: I do think that this discussion is in quite the wrong thread!


    Potakas
    Participant

    Latest twitt from BA:

    At this stage, our call centre agents don’t have any additional info on which flights are operating during strike period. Latest on ba.com


    continentalclub
    Participant

    Haha – lovely malapropism, Potakas!

    Somewhat less embarrassing than Mr Cameron’s radio Twitter-mangling though ;-).


    CharlieBrown
    Participant

    I do laugh at how BA discussions on forums quickly expand way beyond the initial point. FrequentTraveller, I was in the same situation in April when some Icelandic mound with a hole in it decided to annoy Europe a little bit. I phoned BA’s hotline only to be diverted to ba.com where the systems subsequently turned me away and suggested I give BA a call – (vicious circle ensued where I can’t confirm if a BlackBerry got damaged in frustration…). Nevertheless despite having to wait 17 minutes, I was victorious in speaking to a human on a special BA number for those affected by the volcanic ash disruption. I assume a special hotline will be established for those concerned so I’d simply recommend you persist FrequentTrav safe in the knowledge your booking is amended/confirmed. There is only so much one can do on such short notice so I wouldn’t be so harsh on BA.


    continentalclub
    Participant

    Freephone number now available for those who booked online at ba.com, or with a BA call centre, and who cannot change their booking online:

    0800 727 800 (06:00 – 20:00 Mon-Fri)

    Latest information on the BA website always at:

    http://bit.ly/b2d0xb


    Age_of_Reason
    Participant

    ConClub – please keep up – you haven’t been listening
    Evidence is that BA can sustain massive impact on its bottom line fighting its staff and natural events in the same year. So it appears BASSA is right and the resource is there to improve staff terms and customer service levels. Maybe margins will suffer but the business should prosper.
    And part time call centre 0800 lines…. try phoning that from a prepay mobile in Mali…..

Viewing 15 posts - 16 through 30 (of 47 total)
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