[rferguson]

OK I seldom chime in to defend BA but I think some of the criticism levelled at BA is unfair. The end is nigh for BA? I don’t think so.

Firstly – the BA versus EK/EY/QR debate. How often do you read in the press that BA is complaining about the ‘flooding of the market’ by the ME3? Or that the UK government should step in and restrict their access to the UK? These kind of debates are frequent from the likes of LH/KL/AF et al in their home countries with airline CEO’s demanding that their governments step in and do something. But BA is strangely quiet on it. Why? Because frankly, BA does not view them as their biggest threat. BA’s network eastbound is not vast. It is expanding but predominantly by the use of smaller more efficient aircraft for those willing to pay a premium to fly from London to XXX non-stop in the far east. BA definitely doesn’t offer the best product – in any class – versus the competitors that can take them via some gulf hub. But there are enough people willing to pay to fly direct to make the BA network viable.

And if the end was nigh for BA I can not imagine why for a moment why one of these Middle Eastern carriers themselves would become one of BA’s largest share holders.

BA is far more concerned with maintaining it’s dominant position over the north atlantic which is by far it’s biggest market. It is not at all happy with the threat of the VS/DL tie up which is impacting BA/AA. VS/DL definitely offer a superior seating product to BA. But one has to also take into consideration how many people in these flat beds actually get to chose the airline they fly with. Many have no choice as their employers have corporate deals with BA. Others are lured by frequent flyer programs. Some simply by timetable and convenience.

For ‘legacy carriers’ there simply is not the money to spend on vanity projects like some of the newer airlines with an almost entire expat workforce.

I doubt EK has to pay hundreds of millions of pounds per year into pension funds. I doubt they have to worry about paying maternity leave, paternity leave, long terms sick leave. I doubt they have to work with unions to negotiate a work – life balance for employees. But the biggest benefit they have is the support of their governments. Simply put – with no successful Emirates/Etihad there is no successful Dubai/Abu Dhabi. The UAE government knows this so has an immensely supportive aviation policy.

They operate from mega hub that is all go 24/7 so their aircraft are not sat on the ground losing money unlike airlines in the west which generally have to abide by noise restriction curfews etc etc. The accommodation and transport provided to their expat work force is paid by a subsidiary company.

At the end of the day none of this matters in the eyes of the customer. And it shouldn’t. But sometimes when people just make comparisons and comments or questions as to ‘why’ certain things are – dig a little and there are often answers.

[BigDog.]

You make some fair points RF however there is one glaring omission – Fortress Heathrow. AF/KLM LH/Swiss all have surplus capacity at their bases which allows for ME3 to continually/easily expand their business in direct competition to the indigenous flag flyer.

Heathrow’s constraints protects BA, as new completion cannot obtain enough slots to provide a full business orientated schedule. So BA can luxuriate in the short term within its protected bubble. – charging average prices for a below average service.

[rferguson]

The slot constraints do not seem to have had much of an impact on the ME3’s presence at LHR. I can’t think of anywhere else in europe – or the world perhaps – where EK deploys six A380’s every day to and fro it’s DXB hub.

[canucklad]

Morning rferguson
Is there any truth in the headset rumour ?
If there is,it’s a logical first step in ultimately charging Y customers to use the IFE.

[BRin1406]

esselle. 13/06/16:

The dedicated check in was there on 4th June. I used it

[rferguson]

Hey canucklad.

Well….tbh….it seems all a bit up in the air with ‘earbudgate’.

In World Traveller BA switched from a traditional ‘headphone’ to earbud type ones a while ago that are disposable. Apparently that was to save cost.

It’s now transpired that BA has the belief that many customers in WT carry their own headsets anyway so ‘Hey how about we only load earbuds to 70% of the configuration and have the crew give them out by hand to those that don’t have their own’. Crew have highlighted the two glaringly obvious problems with this – firstly making a guess as to how many passengers will bring their own headphones is dangerous. The demographics vary greatly from route to route and obviously those routes with younger western passengers may suffice with this method whereas others will not. Reaching a row of passengers and running out of earbuds and saying ‘awww sorry! No IFE for you today’ is simply out of the question. And, secondly – BA went to great lengths to convince the CAA to allow gate-to-gate IFE use which it now advertises and which really is an expectation these days. Crew have said that there is not a chance that there will be time to offer earbuds by hand on the ground before take off. To give an example on say a 777-200. There are four crew that work in the WT/WTP cabins. One must be positioned at doors three, one at doors four for boarding for safety reasons. The third goes to the main boarding door to assist the CSD with boarding. And WTP has it’s own little ‘pre take off service’ too – drinks/menus/papers.

A manager had posted online that this 70% loading was a fait accompli but after a huge backlash from crew has kind of made it ambiguous and said no firm decision has been made.

I doubt they will every charge for IFE. In fact I believe once WiFi is installed some of that will be available free of charge too. I think the idea is that BA are trying to save costs where people won’t really notice. Although you surely would if you were told they’d run out of headsets!

Looking at the bright side though – First Class are going to get bigger thicker hot towels paid for by the removal of the flowers from the F bogs lol.

** Personal opinions only**

[EU_Flyer]

The ONLY reason I choose First on BA is the flowers in the F toilets.

So disappointing.

RF – your insights are, as always, telling and appreciated. I’d be very surprised though if BA implemented the headphone limit. Even if they did, the bad PR would negate any savings.

As for the improved hot towel in F, in order to save the First Flower, I’d like to see BA consider plastic flowers to reduce costs. And perhaps a lace doily as well, Iran Air style.

[DoorsToManual]

Auckland has five Emirates A380s on the ground, at the same time!!!

[ba747fan1]

Oh – when dod the flower disappear – am sure it was there a few months ago?

As an aside, I think a huge majority use their i phone / beats headphones etc and so find hard to believe more than 50% need a headphone.

[JohnHarper]

To Over Promise and Under Deliver

or is that Virgin?

I don’t understand why more airlines don’t do what Qantas do and have the head phones in a bin at the gate then you take them if you want them. Saves all the planning, loading and distribution.

[JordanD]

@DTM – I think it is 4 (currently 3) A380s (on each via BNE, SYD & MEL and one direct – when it starts direct) rather than 5.

[FDOS_UK]

Only four 🙂 That’s a capacity of roughly 2,000-2,400 pax, depending on which config they are. Wow.

[openfly]

OMG…that’s the final straw, removing the dead daisies from First. I managed to knot them all on a recent flight. At least it stopped them drooping!

[JohnHarper]

In the 1980s Aer Lingus used to be ‘Simply unbeatable’

so maybe BA can reuse it now as ‘Simply unbearable’.

[rferguson]

@ john harper. Re: Qantas and headphones at the gate. Totally agree. This is what several crew have suggested to BA. The manager responsible has said that the logistics of this actually increases costs as contracts have to be formulated with HAL etc. I guess when an airline owns it’s gates (as is the case with most QF domestic stations) they can stick what they want on their jetty. But agree that it would seem the most sensible solution.

[Author]

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