[RussShaw6]

@openfly and @acireale Thanks for your responses…sounds like we all feel the same on this one. @openfly, I will try your suggestion re: Keith Williams and see what happens. I have largely given up on feedback to BA…except I must commend the Twitter/Social Media team…they are immensely responsive. I recently had a lengthy discussion with one of the team members, and I was genuinely impressed. They are eager to listen, and if they can fix something they will (obviously, this is a much bigger issue than what they can handle)

[CARLOSCAVALLINI]

It really impress me how BA still in biz. No doubt, it is one of the worst airlines in terms of service vs price pattern. If you fly LHR/S’pore you will notice that the business class of S’por Airlines is much more comfortable (I would say as twice as more comfortable) than the 1st class of BA. More over, I would rate the service of S’pore Airlines about 10 to 20 times better. If flying to Asia from Europe, it is absolutely ridiculous to buy 1st in BA when you can pay much les for a ticket in business in most Asian Airlines, with a much much better service and comfort than BA. In the case of flights USA/Europe try (IE) S’pore Air JFK/Frankfurt. Then you may use trains which is much better that flying within Europe. Virgin is another very good alternative both for flying and trains. This is my conclusion after flying 40+ years between the US, Europe and Asia. Any other non american or european airline will also make the job (IE: Qatar etc). I truly believe that the day the skys are opened for any asian airline to fly inside Europe and the US, most american airlines and european airlines will go bankrupt in 2 or 3 months.

[AllOverTheGaff]

*sigh* – Yes, just flown long-haul again with BA, was lured in with excellent fare (thanks Tim Fitzgerald!) but was again underwhelmed. The crew on the way out looked like they’d lost a tenner and found a pound, and the food on the way back was awful. Entertainment is a rubbish little screen, but to be fair, the red wine was nice – albeit not quite in plentiful supply. (A nice Crozes Hermitage….very good)

I asked on this board a few weeks ago about experiences with BA 1st on their A380, was going to book simply to have ‘done it’, but am glad that EK finally came up with a great fare for the route I was looking at, I’m also looking transatlantic for another jaunt and will be on VS or AA, BA have been my last choice for a while now, think I might just cross them off all together.

As many are quick to point out, their planes are relatively full I guess, but I do wonder how many customers there are out there who avoid them.

Rgds.
AOTG.

[K1ngston]

AOTG good points, I have so many airmiles and cant even use them, and then, I need to be back in the UK at the end of the month for a family event and thought I will use my miles to get back and imagine how pleasantly surprised and delighted I was that when I did my search I was offered CX First Sin-HK-LHR return without having to touch BA… There are benefits with being with OW…

I also have to throw in MH to the mix their 380 product in J is superb and they are really trying since all the issues last year, and flew QR this holiday period which I have listed on another string, so actually in Asia in particular there is no need to fly BA and still maintain your BAEG status….

[DontTurnRight]

There is no excuse for this. Clearly there is a distinct lack of management will on BA to either think forward (as evidenced with their A380 layout) or to even care about customers. They will tell you that they still come out as number one in certain passenger surveys, but inevitably these are UK based, with customers who travel more on BA than any other airline, or are comparing BA to the likes of Ryanair, Thomas Cook etc.

A number of well known celebrities are now using airlines such as Air NZ and Virgin on flights from LAX to London as opposed to BA and the time will soon come when more people will vote with their feet, if this downward trend continues.

The saddest part about the whole thing, is that fixing customer service and coming up with clever product ideas (Brits are usually good at this!!) is actually not that difficult. An easy win if someone in BA management wants to care!

[LuganoPirate]

After my last post I’m prepared for flak, so here goes!

I don’t mind old planes or even tired interiors, all I want is genuinely good friendly service, good food properly served (as it used to be) and of course to travel safely without delays. For the rest I really don’t care!

[MrMichael]

Goodness gracious LuganoPirate, you are in curmudgeonly mood this morning. On this however, I agree wholeheartedly. Give me a nice old BA 767 instead of an IB a320 and I am on cloud 9.

[canucklad]

In wholehearted agreement LP. Give me a company that actually employs/encourages people who like interacting with other people any day of the week. Trouble is, when that company starts treating its people with contempt, there will only be one outcome.

[MartynSinclair]

Oh dear, my first trip next week on an IB320 to Madrid… ..

[MrMichael]

Martyn, welcome to hell. If you are on the 09.15 on Tuesday, will see you there. The good thing about flying IB is it makes you realise how great BA is.

Now I must keep my head down!

[openfly]

LP…..

Yet again, LHR-CPT a couple of days ago. The menu promised me all sorts of goodies in the “Club Kitchen”. Some things may not be available, is their get out clause.

Went downstairs to investigate, during the night, NOTHING…..the chiller was completely empty (except for a bottle of water!). The crew were so fed up with all the paperwork they had to do after I died of starvation!!!

BA gets worse by the minute with its cutbacks…..

[openfly]

@MrMichael

Sorry I have to disagree. There is no comparison between Business a Class on Iberia and Club Europe. IB is infinitely better.
Their crews are delightful, smart, polite nothing is too much trouble. The main meals are of excellent quality, lots of wine, teas, coffee….and newspapers. The best combination when travelling from LHR to Soain is BA T5 lounges and IB service.

If you are passing in transit through MAD, IB flights are so well organised that connections are direct from the back of the aircraft to the long-satellite…so easy. Arrive in MAD on BA flight with a connection and you have to trudge for miles, then catch a train, then trudge for more miles.

[seasonedtraveller]

Openfly

I agree. On my last trip in CW to ORD with BA, I had to walk all the way to the back of the aircraft (before anyone jumps in, it’s not the walk I’m objecting to…..) to ask for a bottle of water – CW cabin crew were nowhere to be seen AND, the so called CW kitchen was empty.

[TimFitzgeraldTC]

I flew Iberia Economy once…….

Anyway – nearly over that experience from 2004 and to be fair I have heard fantastic feedback on their new Business Class seats. Maybe the other bit of IAG may consider upgrading Business Class to match? Fat Chance I think.

[openfly]

@seasonedtraveller

What annoys me so much is the fanfare in the CW menu describing all the delights of the Club Kitchen….and the cupboard is bare…empty! Farcical.

@ TimFitzgeraldTC

I haven’t experienced economy on IB, but, I think you may be correct in your thinking. But, IAG need to look at IB Business Class and pass that quality onto BA CE.

[Author]

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