[StephenLondon]

Don’t we already have a thread running on this topic?
http://www.businesstraveller.com/discussion/topic/BA-T5-First-lounge…disaster.
It should be clear that AhMrBond isn’t the first to have these concerns. Hopefully BA and the new caterers will resolve issues.

@agamemnon/flyboygla – it wouldn’t surprise me that the reason behind the biscuit change is because of repeated theft by passengers “just bagging a few”.
@esselle – what is wrong with a white Bordeaux? Many are truly delicious!
@Anthony Dunn – a pax recently tried to bag some scotch in the lounge to drink later, but was caught. Not sure whether he flew after his chat with the police.

As customers, we all have the ability to vote with our feet and go to another airline. My primary concern when flying is to go from A to B safely, in comfort, on time and with the minimum of hassle. BA fits that bill for me most of the time.

Lounges, and especially lounge food, is way, way down my criteria list for travel. I don’t really get what is upsetting people so much. No flavoured crisps out in the lounge? There are several shops in the terminal selling a plethora of flavours and textures. No Walkers biscuits? Plenty for sale in the shops. Folks can’t be that unresourceful or that hard up that they can’t get what they want in the terminal. BA can’t cater to every whim. Simples.

[Travellator]

The original thread was the F lounge only this thread reflects the deterioration in the Business Lounge also. Pax had got used to a certain standard which may or may have not been acceptable it is the downgrading of this that people are objecting to !

[SimonS1]

StephenLondon – I think the issue is that the quality of the offering has gone down. Allegedly this is not being done to save money, so what would be your explanation? Or do you believe all that c**p about response to feedback etc.

Telling people they can buy crisps in the terminal seems a little trite.

[TominScotland]

Here we go again – clearly perceptions about catering vary hugely. Currently sitting in the North Lounge – plentiful and tasty food on offer. Really nothing to complain about at 19.50 of a Tuesday evening. It is difficult to avoid the (probably totally unwarrented) suggestion that there is a concerted agenda to down BA lounges at the moment. Some posters cannot or will not lsiten to the positives that are posted by other travellers and go on and on and on and on and on and on and on about…….. the biscuits!!

[Travellator]

Tom – F lounge ?

[TominScotland]

No, thought I would slum it in the North Business Class Lounge for a change. Always a gamble from which gates domestic flights will depart but usually North. Sods law today, half way down from A11!!

[Andrew66]

From what I’ve read so far it seems that there has been some cost cutting , because when we were in the lounge at LHR last November from 6pm onwards we were really impressed , we had snacks and drinks but looking at what hot food was available we could have enjoyed a nice meal and then slept on the plane instead of waiting til around 10pm to eat .
I can understand the reasons for trying to control costs and I would guess that 9 out of 10 walkers biscuits were nabbed for a later snack rather than eaten in the lounge and that probably applies to crisps and snacks too.
I also think BA have sort of created their own problem with lounge access , because we have had 4 flights in the last few months ,CE to Paphos and then 2 upgraded flights in CW and a cheap CE trip to Jersey and now have silver status , this means we can use the lounges whatever class we travel .
On our trip back from Jersey recently there was a convention being held by around 14 people in the middle of the lounge , they all had silver status but were not all travelling in CE , the amount of food and drink they cleared and the mess they created was unbelievable .
I think travellers expect the lounges to be ” exclusive” especially if you are paying a premium price for a ticket , but too many people are probably using the lounges and its probably costing BA more than they expect .
From my point of view , I’m generally happy with what BA are providing for me , as I’m getting seats on the plane I couldn’t afford at normal prices , free lounges , free seat booking , excellent luggage allowances etc etc and I’m not comparing what they offer to LH CX , etc etc , my comparison is against thomson , monarch , easy etc etc as they are my other options for my leisure travel .

[Bath_VIP]

Tom,

It isn’t so much an agenda as an infection of negativity! Read this article about retweets on twitter.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130404122058.htm

Basically, what this analysis showed was that if someone posts a negative comment, that was much likely to be retweeted whereas a positive comment was far less likely to be retweeted. More than that, retweets tended to reinforce the negativity of the original tweeter.

In summary:

Negativity is contagious, positivity is not contagious.
Negativity is reinforcing, positivity is not reinforcing.

When I think of some of the threads we have had over the years on BT, I would say this is a fair summary of how they develop. I am trying to think of a thread which could be described as an outbreak of positivity but I am struggling.

For the sake of completeness, I have no views whatsoever on the subject of this thread as I haven’t been in a BA lounge since January.

[Travellator]

So pretty negative in a positive sort of way perhaps definetely ?

[WorldTravellerUK]

Exactly, If the biccies are not wrapped, you can’t grab a handful and take it away. Cost saving to BA !…..

[Travellator]

wrap them in a napkin and put them in you duty free bag ! LOL !!

[MartynSinclair]

Would have thought biccies and drimks to go were a cheap option for BA. No staff needed to carry said goods out of the lounge…..

[Andrew66]

I was just discussing this with the wife , as she is one of those who “takes the biscuit” the first response was ” well you pay enough for the ticket ” and that sums it up for me . Ok it’s nice to have a cup of coffee on your balcony in some far and foreign land and still be able to enjoy a British biscuit , but you can easily go into M&S and buy some of their very nice biscuits at a very reasonable price on your way in to the airport .
So now the wife has decided , she’s going to take a doggy bag !!!
I think that BA may as well have just put the biscuits in a big basket near the exit with a sign saying ” take what you want “

[Travellator]

Next move – NO food in lounge but a Carry On – 2 stale sandwiches, 2 bikkies and a wee plastic bottle of Bordeaux – and a free hand wipe !

[NameRemoved-18/12/14]

Anything is better than the shopping centre below 😉

[Author]

Posts