[SimonS1]

[quote quote=877791]SimonS1

“The job of the company management is to maximise profit for shareholders. That is what BA is doing”.

I fully agree with you. As BA is concerned “Flying planes to pay dividends” is without doubt more accurate than “To fly to serve” (buy on board food when travelling W).

This is the reason why I never buy a J or F ticket on BA. I only use my 241voucher and that’s all.

I used to use BA as a short haul airline only. Since the introduction of the Buy on Board Policy I have been focusing on AF for my weekly commuting travels between Paris and London (the last few month have been quite tricky but nothing impossible !!!).[/quote]

I don’t disagree at all. We all have a choice at the end of the day. I rarely use BA these days, on short haul Easyjet are generally cheaper for the same proposition, and on long haul if I am paying premium fares it isn’t on BA.

But shareholders might take a different view – no doubt WW has taken advantage of the tools at his disposal including driving costs our across the group and working the fleet intensively. Personally I’m sanguine about BOB by the way, the food on short haul was always fairly grim and generally on SH I can manage without.

[Eastbourneguy]

[quote quote=877329]I also have found it odd why airlines cannot just bundle it into the price as in business class I would think it make no real difference[/quote]

Yes it would make a difference – Like many, being a member of BA’s executice club does have it’s advantages – and free of charge seat selection is a major plus – i get the seat i want at anytime why would i then want to pay an increased fare to have a seat selection included in the fare

BA is not the only airline to have paid for seats

[OneA]

Charging for premium seats by BA was an inevitable consequence of WW’s drive to destroy the airline by maximising what passengers will pay alongside the pretext of BA providing a “quality service” in all classes. The full service has gone from euro traveller and the charging for prebooking is a natural progression. Ninety pounds per seat, each way, in a 744 upstairs = £360 per couple return. I expect they will say that you get more avios!
Its certainly NOT what BA set out to be, but with years of atrocious management resulting in reduced revenue / cost ratios, this is what you get. Maybe WW and AC are training for NHS administrator posts?!!

1 user thanked author for this post.

capetonianm

[capetonianm]

I have no idea why someone saw fit to report the very apt posting by OneA as ‘inappropriate’. The only reason I can think of is that comparing BA to the NHS is an insult to the latter.

[christopheL]

@Eastbourneguy
“Yes it would make a difference – Like many, being a member of BA’s executice club does have it’s advantages – and free of charge seat selection is a major plus – i get the seat i want at anytime why would i then want to pay an increased fare to have a seat selection included in the fare
BA is not the only airline to have paid for seats”

AFAIK free of charge business class seat selection is a very common pratice.
Do you really know other airlines who ask non elite status members to pay for prebooking ANY seat in Business class ?

[GivingupBA]

[quote quote=878045]I have no idea why someone saw fit to report the very apt posting by OneA as ‘inappropriate’. The only reason I can think of is that comparing BA to the NHS is an insult to the latter.[/quote]

Probably someone pressing the wrong button by mistake. I’ve done it once, then confessed. Very embarassing.

[SimonS1]

[quote quote=877983]Charging for premium seats by BA was an inevitable consequence of WW’s drive to destroy the airline by maximising what passengers will pay alongside the pretext of BA providing a “quality service” in all classes. The full service has gone from euro traveller and the charging for prebooking is a natural progression. Ninety pounds per seat, each way, in a 744 upstairs = £360 per couple return. I expect they will say that you get more avios!

Its certainly NOT what BA set out to be, but with years of atrocious management resulting in reduced revenue / cost ratios, this is what you get. Maybe WW and AC are training for NHS administrator posts?!![/quote]

I thought the job of a CEO was to maximise what the passenger will pay, and to reduce cost/revenue ratios. That is what he is paid to do by the owners of the company.

No-one is forcing you to pay £360. Seat selection is free at check in, or before if you have status. Alternatively why not choose a different carrier?

Passenger numbers are up 8.5% year on year, so if WW is destroying your argument as well as the airline.

[capetonianm]

No-one is forcing you to pay £360

That is certainly true but the statement is disingenuous. Some people want, or even need, for various reasons, a particular seat. I won’t travel longhaul unless I can have a window seat. If I can’t avoid BA I accept, grudgingly, that I have to pay for a window seat, as by check in time they may have all been taken. I prefer to travel with carriers that don’t charge me for a seat.

[SimonS1]

[quote quote=878359]

No-one is forcing you to pay £360

That is certainly true but the statement is disingenuous. Some people want, or even need, for various reasons, a particular seat. I won’t travel longhaul unless I can have a window seat. If I can’t avoid BA I accept, grudgingly, that I have to pay for a window seat, as by check in time they may have all been taken. I prefer to travel with carriers that don’t charge me for a seat.[/quote]

So do I, but it is still a matter of choice.

There is nothing disingenuous – if you want to guarantee the seat of your choice then you can pay for it. Otherwise you can select a seat for free at OLCI. Obviously not everyone can have a window seat, so it is a matter of choice. If on the other hand you have a particular need (eg through disability) then the airline will normally accommodate that without charge.

As I said before I don’t agree with it but it is a valid strategy nonetheless.

[FDOS_UK]

[quote quote=878349]Passenger numbers are up 8.5% year on year, so if WW is destroying your argument as well as the airline.[/quote]

Passenger numbers are the sole KPI to run an airline?

[CathayLoyalist2]

On a broader business overview, many research reports going back many years have found, and today still find, that companies with a sharp customer focus and a culture that employees align with produce higher profits. That means competent leadership. To most people you should not need any research report to arrive at that conclusion. If you look at Kaplan and Norton´s balanced score card the compensation/bonus was awarded across a number of key metrics being achieved not just profits. . BA´s problems, like many companies, start and finish with senior management

[SimonS1]

[quote quote=878428]

SimonS1 wrote:

Passenger numbers are up 8.5% year on year, so if WW is destroying your argument as well as the airline.

Passenger numbers are the sole KPI to run an airline?[/quote]

I dont think anyone was suggesting it was. But profits and share price look healthy too.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Paul

[RHMAngel]

This is sad, for long-haul and premium cabin. I’ve got two long haul coming up, and noted I didn’t have to pay to chose my seat, I didn’t feel cheated if they included that in the price.

BUT I had emails from both the airlines I’m traveling with BA, and another trip Singapore Airlines, stating that from x date, in future, even in premimum plus cabins, they were now going start charging. No difference in price I note, so yes I see this as mission-creep in pricing. Prices haven’t dropped, the way that cabin-bag only fare is a noticeable difference. Same with removing food, no noticeable difference in price. The low-cost airlines have a lot to answer for, for the estbalished airlines now all following suit to fleece the passenger.

The days of long haul in business class and free choice of seat as part of the deal, along with all the other extras are just being squeezed year by year. I’m doing my first BA long-haul imminently because I had no choice (only three other airlines went my way, and none had window seats in the premium plus cabin classes), partly sense of dread, in praying the worst doesn’t happen. So yes, people will it seems pay because they are no longer left with a choice, and being at the mercy of 24 hr check in, free seat choice, for long-haul – isn’t a reasonable option in my opinion when you’re going to be stuck or 9+ hours or more in one seat. But SIA routinely winning best airline awards, jumping in, for seat charging – is the death-knell for every other airline now following the LCC model.

[philsquares]

[quote quote=878659] But SIA routinely winning best airline awards, jumping in, for seat charging – is the death-knell for every other airline now following the LCC model.[/quote]

I am a little confused about your comments regarding SIA. Here is their website https://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/es/travel-info/requests/seats/te. Quoting from their website “Suites, First Class or Business Class You’ll enjoy complimentary seat selection at any time.” So, either you have misread the email, not been booked in J or are mistaken. For Y+ it is free seat selection unless you want one of their extra legroom seats, then there is a fee.

So, you might want to check again with SQ.

[RHMAngel]

Hi, your link is broken. I was going by an email, not their website, they sent to my Inbox. Premium Economy isn’t Economy, I was sure that was a fee, but I will have to re-read if you think I have made an error SIA are not charging for seat selection in anything other than Economy. Its been a very long time since I flew Singapore for business (no fee charged) as I’ve used other airlines for business to Far East despite Changi being my favourite to transit.

[Author]

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