[Potakas]

Although BA still offers Caribbean promotion during strike dates…

[Age_of_Reason]

Good hint. I think I’ll book and hope I get trapped there an extra week on BA,,,,? Then I’ll vote to change the Headline on this thread.

[katsu2223]

Why not skype BA overseas office? They will probably change for free.

[jeffrey80]

I agree, BA customer service is disgisting. I too could not cancel on line and was unable to reach BA. The least they should do is allow easy cancellations and refunds—-and not invoke their silly rules and make life difficult. I chose to travel, not cancel if it were not for BA—so I should not be penalized now for not being to get through. Clearly shows BA doesn’t care and perhaps unite crew know this —and are desperate.

[MartynSinclair]

If you happen to live within a 30 minute drive of any of BA’s bases in the UK which has a ticket desk, go to the base as it is far easier discussing face to face.

My personal choice is T5 departure level far right. The desks are manned by extremely polite and most importantly knowledgable and skilled ticket agents. Pity they do not train the telesales team.

[Age_of_Reason]

Martyn
typical London-centric attitude – sort of thing that cost the Tories the election. In this era of comms and datatransfer, there’s no excuse for any service system to be completely transparent to location and status. It still requires human motivation and WW should recognise this is what is killing his business. Fix that and Unite will follow effortlessly.

[MartynSinclair]

Old Age – may be you are the kind of person who accepts and trusts travel solutions (flight costs and schedules) through call centres. Perhaps also you accept being served through an “English” call centre by someone who speaks English as a second language and is heavlily accented. You may also be the kind of person who accepts crackly phone lines and pressing buttons to merely remain in a loop. That Sir or Madam is your choice as is the choice where you put your “X” on the voting slip.

My choice is to speak and see a human being and purchase what i require and not put up with someone either, not knowing, not understanding, not able to find the fare or schedule or lazyness or not hearing properly what I am looking for.

This is not a “centric London” attitude, as believe it or not, there are BA ticket desks north of Watford Gap and south of the M25. It boils down to me ensuring i receive value for money and customer service.

I agree that in todays techno phob environement, face to face interaction should be a thing of the past, but, until airlines (and BA are not alone) start providing a decent phone service, without the need to hold on, press 25 buttons and have staff that are polite, understandable and knowlegable, i choose to go to a ticket desk to buy tickets, which usually are cheaper than availalable through the internet.

[Age_of_Reason]

Oh dear – talk about falling for a bait, Mr Marty. lol (at you) Living (as I do) about 8h flying from LHR, and being totally dependent on ba.com for bookings, we share nationality but little else. I won’t be bothering with BA unless forced by timetable realities, AF/KLM/Lhnsa have become the carriers of choice into EDI/ABZ.
My point was one of information to WW as to how to recover his hitherto captive market; I’m not clear what your point is, perhaps you will make one? (ON the Subject, and without racist innuendo)

[MartynSinclair]

VK – OK stright point to point simple schedules, I agree things are fine. Multi sectors, cross border tickets or RTW routings, call centres cant cope.

[MartynSinclair]

Old Age – perhaps you would kindly point out my racist innuendos as none were intended. All references about the call centres are factual and in no way can be considered racist.

I can only presume that by living 8 hours flying from London your grasp of English has suffered somewhat – I can always suggest some good EFL schools for you.

Have a great weekend wherever you are and chill a little!

[Age_of_Reason]

quote Martyn “Perhaps also you accept being served through an “English” call centre by someone who speaks English as a second language and is heavlily accented. You may also be the kind of person who accepts crackly phone lines and pressing buttons to merely remain in a loop. That Sir or Madam is your choice as is the choice where you put your “X” on the voting slip.”

Re innuendoes – I quote you above, and rest my case. None of that drivel has any relevance to the thread, and comes from somewhere in your subconscious. Like many racists, you are driven by self belief, unaware of your own arrogance.

My point is that BA is a flagship airline striving to survive in a competitive multinational business, but burdened by management rooted in outdated Little England. BA cannot have it both ways, and should look to major competitors (AF, KLM, Lhnsa) to see the value of preserving local business.

[NTarrant]

I would hardly regard AF/KL and LH/BD/LX as preserving local business. What is the difference between preserving local business and “outdated little England”.

Sorry but an awful lot of contridictions Age of

[Age_of_Reason]

Yes it’s a Big and Diverse subject. Not being a Troll I cannot spend all my time on all details, some have to be filled by the reader.
My point is that BA used to have a sound business feeding passengers from all over GB into LHR. Other national flagship airlines have preserved their core business, making AMS the hub of choice for many; increasing diversity of options in Germany is providing diversity for GB travellers deprived of their LHR connection by the policies of BA and BAA. So BA appears to be on a spiral of decline, with a raft of policies which are demotivating staff and disappointing customers, as witnessed by this thread.

[NTarrant]

I don’t think a Troll would be able to answer the questions or fill any gaps. I assume you know what a Troll is? I don’t think I have encountered one on these threads.

You are right that BA had a number of routes feeding LHR, there are only a few that are not so served still, probably less at LGW than in the post BCAL days. But then BD is the same LBA and MME spring to mind.

It is clearly not the mind of a business person who beleives that organisations like BA and BAA specifically have policies to discourage customers. Things may not be how they should be, not every company is perfect.

[Age_of_Reason]

I believe that a ‘troll’ in the context of his sort of forum is a professional whose job includes the monitoring and responding to points raised. They are usually fairly easy to spot.

Regarding business policies of corporate organisations, I regularly notice behaviour which disadvantages customers in the interests of shareholders. The attitude of BAA to its scottish assets is a good and current example, and BA to its scottish feeder services.

[Author]

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