[RichHI1]

Craig, I think BA fuel surcharges are not high compared to toerh carriers. Where I take issue is where they try to apply surchargs on Mileage tickets which were nominally free and try to pretend it is a tax as IATA allow for this to make collection by its members easier. AA now ask for a co-payment to upgrade using miles on discount fares. I think BA should refer to these charges on Mielage tickets as a co-payment and then there could be no argument.

[craigwatson]

Hi Rich, sorry, was just commenting on Potakas comment on disliking BA’s fuel surcharge ( as I was’nt sure why he was singling out BA ).

Do you know, or do others know if the majority of other airl;ines still charge the fuel surcharge on redemption bookings, I kmnow AA is special

[RichHI1]

Not paid it on Continental or United redemptions historically nor did I pay it on AA redemption for JAL.
There is an interesting thing with AA at present, if you book regular tickets on website it quotes taxes as real taxes but when you get the eticket the surcharges are moved from the fare into the taxes box. So amount is constant but taxes seem incredibly high until you realize what has happened. Good old IATA rules…

[LPPSKrisflyer]

I don’t choose BA unless they are better than the competition. On my main business commute of LHR-SYD, BA are probably my last choice of the significant carriers on the route which in no particular order I count as SQ, MH, TG, QF, EK and EY. BA don’t, IMO rate at all beside them. I’m only thinking of F here or C on the occasions there is no availabilty in F. CX are of course up there but as they don’t offer F from HKG-SYD, I don’t often use them.

If I’m flying west, I might be more inclined to use BA but will often use LH or LX instead but in relative terms I don’t often go west.

Short haul, I may use BA but prefer LH, LX, SK and OS. I had a recent excellent experience of AZ too and will try them again when necessary. I suppose I would put BA above AF and IB.

As I’ve said before, BA rarely excel, sometimes are awful, the latter being my most recent experience but in the main are mediocre. They reach for the ceiling not the sky and as a result, offer poor value for money when with a bit more vision and determination, they could be so much better. Let’s hope they are turning a corner but at the moment, it’s all words and no delivery. It may have been a better strategy to deliver before advertising as I have a feeling this latest campaign will be over promise and under-delivery.

[TridentGold]

I use BA long haul, mainly in CW sometimes in F and short haul using discounted CE.
Overall BA works well for me and better than EK, EY, LX, AF, SA and LH all travelled long haul in last 12 months.
– T5 is a fantastic terminal from valet parking through security to boarding. The arrivals process is hugely better than other terminals or airports such as BHX and LGW. 20 minutes from docking to bags collected is not uncommon. All the T5 lounges are outstanding in my view. Other BA lounges such as JFK, SEA, LAX JNB DUR are also very good.
– Point to point avoiding dog leg to Europe or Middle East is a factor.
– BA CW works for me because I can work sleep and have privacy. The AVOD, sadly, is usually unreliable and the only real downside. New and old F are also great for work, sleep and privacy. Food and wine in F and CW seem to be getting better again. In flight crews are almost always on the ball and in my experience very approachable if you have a problem.
– Value is variable. I tend to purchase I and R fares, occasionally A which are reasonably competitive especially when you factor in the reward rebate factor. Sale prices in these classes are outstanding value. However the lack of flexibility in these fares has caught me out a couple of times so I tend to travel LX if there risk of plans changing.
– I find BA CE works well when using Saturday overnights and travelling with Mrs and two teenagers. Full fare CE (no Saturday night) is bad news and cannot compete with LX for example. The lounge access and extra space, especially on 2 hour + flights, makes a difference. The seats fitted on the new 320s are not nice and a worry, the food very variable, although hot meals on longer services (e.g. LCA) in my experience can be very good.
The customer service people when you do get to them are responsive (try sorting out a problem with SA, AF or U2). BAs attitude to safety is first class.
The Exec Club at Gold Tier rebates well, especially when the upg certificates are taken into consideration.
Although BA seems to fluctuate over the years, they still do it for me and my family. I still give them a lot of my business because of the performance over this wide range of factors. I do always regularly try the competion however!

[DisgustedofSwieqi]

“The seats fitted on the new 320s are not nice “

The aircraft I flew on Thurs night had these fitted. For an hour economy flight, they were fine, if somewhat hard on the seat squab and lacking thigh support.

If asked to occupy one for a 3-4 hour sector in CE, I’d be appalled.

[LPPSKrisflyer]

I wonder if BA will include the new CE seats in any of their new advertising. I have yet to endure one but they sound like something FR might have installed. I wonder which misguided person was responsible and were they promoted for speeding up the rush to the bottom of the heap?

[Tete_de_cuvee]

I don’t know about seats, however one future BA ad will highlight the skill of cabin crew by relating a once every 5 year event, that of a baby being born on a BA flight – even though gap year 18-20 year olds with avmed pass are unlikely to inspire confidence.

An ad will also highlight the length of experience of their engineers, a similar fact BA could also have leveraged about their cabin crew but are now endeavouring to attenuate.

[LPPSKrisflyer]

A mate who is a BA pilot told me during the week about some of what has gone on behind the scenes over the ads.

To start with all staff were asked if they were interested in being part of it, he didn’t express any interest. Then there was a selection process among those who were interested. All very good for equality legislation so far.

He was then approached to be in the first ad as he was told he is particularly photogenic and was ‘just what we are looking for to create the right image of BA’. He asked about the process that had happened and was told that not enough suitable people had been found. He asked what was suitable and got no answer. He told them to foxtrot oscar as he had no interest in being in an ad and he thought the whole thing was shallow and dishonest.

Well, he can’t be promoted any further and as BA are short of pilots he can’t be made redundant either so he’s laughing.

(Cue a post on the absolute integrity of everything BA does on absolutely every front all over the world.)

[RichHI1]

Are any commercials or campaigns really honest? I cannot recall the strap line we are normally the very best but we have off days…

[NTarrant]

Oh dear! “told them to foxtrot oscar” did he really? I doubt it. What you have described happens in a number of orgaisations in all walks of business. Seek volunteers, if none of them fit the bill, seek out those that have not put their names in the hat and ask if they would be interested.Its a bit like headhunting, nothing wrong in that, or is that shallow and dishonest?

Your mate may be laughing, but be quite sure, no one is indispensable and he could very well be made redundant, just like any other person in any organisation.

[craigwatson]

Rich- my thoughts exactly, ALL ads are shallow and dishonest with every company to a certain extent.

NTarrant – like you I really doubt he told them to “foxtrot oscar”, if it’s one thing pilots are, it’s masters at job protection, where in an industry you can call yourself lucky if you’ve only be made redundant 3 times in your career.

[LPPSKrisflyer]

Foxtrot oscar was my shorthand for what he told me he said, it amounted to the same thing dressed up beautifully.

[RichHI1]

Maybe he directed them to Ockham and hold?

[craigwatson]

LPPS I think we understood what you meant by “foxtrot oscar”.

[Author]

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