[MartynSinclair]

@MrMichael – I think it is all down to what each passenger perceives their individual value to be for a given seat. Whilst I am sure there are some passengers who book an F seat without checking the price, I think 95% of all travellers do have budget considerations when making a booking.

I would quite happily pay a couple of hundred more to go F, but would certainly not pay £500+ – after all BA F, is more or less where C should be…

So the only way the airlines can encourage passengers to pay more, is to provide added value, which in BA’s case is not really with the product, but with the price. the cost of my BA flights has dropped significantly over the years, but I am paying for the space and seat, which are both good – I can live with the drop in quality of the other parts of club and whilst stepping over someone’s legs at night is an inconvenience… its not the end of the world…

[UAEScot1]

The Dive to the Bottom continues…….I listen to all of you and appreciate that we all have opinions and some of us are luckier than others with upgrades either with BA or travelling on other One World carriers due to status.

However BA really are upping the game by selling Pringles and M&M’s from the duty free bar as of next month on WWF!!! what next a charge for a G&T? where will it stop Mr. Cruz?

[TominScotland]

Interesting post and one that brings out some fairly strong and divergent views.

I flew back from Dubai yesterday on an economy award ticket, booked just a few days ago. This is the first time I have flown with BA from Terminal 1 Concourse D. Check-in was fast as I was able to use the First counter. Immigration queues are still very long (massive on arrive with Qatar on Friday) but I cheated as the Emirati friend I was with used her charm to get me through the GCC counter. The new BA Lounge is a big improvement and no problem in my friend joining me there even though she was flying Qatar (as should have been the case. No hot food in the lounge for the lunchtime flight – “they will give you a meal on the flight”.

I went to the gate early and was very pleased to receive an upgrade to Club World. Boarding was very orderly, even though the flight was full. To pick up on FDO’s point about UK – DXB flights, talking and listening to other passengers I would say that the vast majority of the (full) flight were Dubai originating – it is very unlikely that EK would have a similar profile. Given that the majority of EK passengers are in transit to/ from elsewhere, I am not sure what more BA could do to compete on that specific route. Close ties to QR will make this a much more realistic proposition via Doha.

I was directed to my Seat (14B) and was able to stow everything I need to stow in my aisle seat. . I had to remind my Mixed Fleet crew to take my jacket even though I was holding it prominently. The purser welcomed and talked to me personally at seat for an extended period. Overall, service was good and engaged – my neighbour had a number of specific needs which were attended to without fuss. I did not use the seat in recline or full flat during the flight as I was working – I do agree that the tables are not great, are ‘bouncy’ and do not really give sufficient room to spread out the stuff with which I was working. I did not make use of the IFE except to follow the map.

My lunch was very enjoyable – a mezze that was up there with the ones I have had in Qatar Business and a filet steak that was moist and tender. The pantry was fully stocked and re-stocked during the flight when raided regularly by young passengers. Tea was served before arrival – sandwiches which were a bit dry/ stale but a yummy strawberry cake!!

We arrived early into Heathrow and my jacket was ready for me at the door on exit (as agreed). The formalities through immigration and back into T5 for my connection were (for once) relatively painless. I see that the catering set up in the First Lounge in T5 has been revamped – seemed good to me and included some imaginative cold as well as hot offerings.

BA were not perfect but by no means the slide to oblivion that some seem to experience – and generally, for my routings, they are very much at the lower end of the pricing options.

3 users thanked author for this post.

GivingupBA, Flightlevel, Charles-P

[Charles-P]

Tom – I think you have encapsulated much better than me the point I was trying to make. British Airways is far from perfect but at the same time better than many and offering a commercially attractive Business Class product that for many people is exactly what they expect for the money paid. The introduction of the A380 on many routes has in my view added much to their offering and seen them overtake carriers like Lufthansa, KLM and Air France in many areas.

[MrMichael]

@MartynSinclair, I agree with you 100%. On another thread was a debate about travellers choosing a more comfortable flight or a more comfortable hotel. I think for most people it depends on a simple price v benefit analysis.

@TomInScotland, great points you make. Like any product (including Marmite) people can love it or hate it. It does not mean the product is wrong, just that for some the important things to them are good. MartynS is a good example, he uses BA for very good reasons, never to my knowledge has said that BA is the best, nor the worse. What BA deliver for Martyn suits him perfectly and thus he is loyal to it, and will remain so only as long as it suits him. I think a lot of the BA bashing on this forum is more to do with expectations beyond what BA is actually offering. If I stay at a Premier Inn and expect five star services and facilities I am going to be disappointed. If however I expected a 2-3 star experience and get it, at a decent price, I am happy. I don’t go on a forum bemoaning that Premier Inn is on a slide to the bottom and needs to compare itself to the Shangri La.

[FDOS_UK]

If you’re happy buying mediocrity, BA deliver it very well.

[FDOS_UK]

I don’t go on a forum bemoaning that Premier Inn is on a slide to the bottom and needs to compare itself to the Shangri La.

But Premier Inn positions itself carefully and describes its offer accurately – it has also added value in recent years (e.g. hairdryers, phones in rooms) – so why would anyone think it is sliding to the bottom? It has never been benchmarked against Shangri La, more likely a Travelodge and PI has differentiated like easyJet and raised prices, whilst Travelodge has cut back to basics and sells on price.

BA has been benchmarked against Cathay and others in the past (and was a world class airline in the 1990s), but is cutting back at a pace.

Your comparison just doesn’t hold water.

[MrMichael]

I disagree FDOS, I think some people do come on here moaning that BA is not as good as Qatar for instance. Qatar markets itself as a five star airline, much like Etihad did for some years. BA to my knowledge has not and does not, it claims mid market for all cabins bar F and is happy and profitable in that position. Regarding if one is happy buying mediocrity, exactly what you get with BA, just as you do with Premier Inn. It is expecting more that disappoints people….have reasonable expectations, like a lot of people do, and you will find BA to be a good choice.

[FDOS_UK]

But Premier Inn does not do mediocrity, it delivers a good product for a reasonable price.

And on my recent DXB trip, I could buy the ‘5 Star’ airline for half the price of Scrooge Air – both requiring a connection.

1 user thanked author for this post.

747foreverforus

[ViajeroUK]

Charles-P, I can understand your comments about Schiphol lacking warmth, I think it is the focus on functionality and maybe the Dutch way of life. I guess that as I have become accustomed to Schiphol I quite like it. I live north of Birmingham and for me it is far easier to fly BHX to AMS to connect than travel to LHR. I did use to drive to LHR but got caught too many times in traffic hold ups and blocked M40 that I wanted a change. Train to LHR was just too much hassle so BHX to Amsterdam (or Paris) became my preferred choice.

If you get the chance to fly on one of KLM´s revamped 747s I can recommend seat 1A or 4A for peace and quiet.

[FDOS_UK]

[quote quote=753129]Interesting post and one that brings out some fairly strong and divergent views.

I flew back from Dubai yesterday on an economy award ticket, booked just a few days ago. This is the first time I have flown with BA from Terminal 1 Concourse D. Check-in was fast as I was able to use the First counter. Immigration queues are still very long (massive on arrive with Qatar on Friday) but I cheated as the Emirati friend I was with used her charm to get me through the GCC counter. The new BA Lounge is a big improvement and no problem in my friend joining me there even though she was flying Qatar (as should have been the case. No hot food in the lounge for the lunchtime flight – “they will give you a meal on the flight”.

I went to the gate early and was very pleased to receive an upgrade to Club World. Boarding was very orderly, even though the flight was full. To pick up on FDO’s point about UK – DXB flights, talking and listening to other passengers I would say that the vast majority of the (full) flight were Dubai originating – it is very unlikely that EK would have a similar profile. Given that the majority of EK passengers are in transit to/ from elsewhere, I am not sure what more BA could do to compete on that specific route. Close ties to QR will make this a much more realistic proposition via Doha.

I was directed to my Seat (14B) and was able to stow everything I need to stow in my aisle seat. . I had to remind my Mixed Fleet crew to take my jacket even though I was holding it prominently. The purser welcomed and talked to me personally at seat for an extended period. Overall, service was good and engaged – my neighbour had a number of specific needs which were attended to without fuss. I did not use the seat in recline or full flat during the flight as I was working – I do agree that the tables are not great, are ‘bouncy’ and do not really give sufficient room to spread out the stuff with which I was working. I did not make use of the IFE except to follow the map.

My lunch was very enjoyable – a mezze that was up there with the ones I have had in Qatar Business and a filet steak that was moist and tender. The pantry was fully stocked and re-stocked during the flight when raided regularly by young passengers. Tea was served before arrival – sandwiches which were a bit dry/ stale but a yummy strawberry cake!!

We arrived early into Heathrow and my jacket was ready for me at the door on exit (as agreed). The formalities through immigration and back into T5 for my connection were (for once) relatively painless. I see that the catering set up in the First Lounge in T5 has been revamped – seemed good to me and included some imaginative cold as well as hot offerings.

BA were not perfect but by no means the slide to oblivion that some seem to experience – and generally, for my routings, they are very much at the lower end of the pricing options.

[/quote]

What on earth is inappropriate about the content of this post? Who reported it?

Frankly, it is ridiculous.

3 users thanked author for this post.

Cloud-9, RichardBarr, DerekVH

[Author]

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