itsmeitisss

Had a very difficult journey from PVG to VIE via LHR yesterday. Got held up on the runway by China ATC and only allowed in one small space of air as Cabin crew said we would be shot out of the sky otherwise (thought this was an extreme thing to say on a plane to be honest). Asked whether my colleague and I could be met at LHR as connection might be tight (was on two bookings but both BA, and I gave CC all details of LHR - VIE flight, bags were tagged to VIE). They passed all the info to BA Ground staff and said that they would do all they could to meet me.

I then got a written message from BA Flight connections telling me that as we had 95 mins to catch the flight that we would not be met unless the flight was further delayed.

We then got caught up in the hold over London for 35 minutes and the CC again contacted ground crew who said that I would be met and escorted to T3. Landed in Heathrow and again the crew confirmed that people should be there to meet me and told they were at the top of the gate. They weren't there, and after looking around for 5 mins (as we were now only 50 mins before take off of VIE flight. NOONE was there. So we ran all the way from T5B to A and then onto bus we we just made to T3. We got to the flight as it closed.

Unfortunately our luggage didn't make it. I asked the Check in agents to check, and they were very good and looked after us, and they kept checking right until our flight left 35 minutes late.

CC on VIE confirmed our luggage hadn't made it (which saved us waiting for our bags unnecessarily ^. Lovely fish meal on the flight did nothing to calm me.

After 16 hours on planes I was sweaty, disillusioned and angry. Where as a club passenger was my premium handling? Worse still, as a GGL, this is where status should help me. I called BA exec and they were very understanding and got someone from CR to call me this morning.

This is where the disillusionment continues. I was told there was nothing that BA could have done. I was told that as I was on two seperate bookings, that I was due nothing (in spite of being told the contrary by the CSD on the PVG - LHR sector) as they wouldn't have known. I was left deflated by CR's response.

Loyalty seems to be a one way street with BA. They have misconnected my bags on 5 out of the last 8 LH to SH connections. This is shocking. What is worse is the unfulfilled promises and abandonment. 7 years ago I flew to Italy via BRU with BA in Y, the connection was tight and they sent a car to take me to next plane.

I always thought that status would be useful in a difficult situation like this. I have found that it is as useful as a chocolate firegrate!

Sorry for the rant, but I feel almost betrayed. They have promised to meet me at my next connection on my TXL - HKG flight on Friday. I most likely won't need the meet and greet then. I would have loved it when I did need it.

CX do it on every flight. Why can't BA. Am I really expecting too much? Or is the only premium thing about BA J the price?

irmster

If you are on 2 separate bookings, then BA have no obligation to assist you if you miss the connection (which you didn't).

I don't really get this 'meeting off the plane' bit - you wanted them to meet you off the plane to help you connect to a flight on a different booking? Not even sure they will do that for F passengers let alone CW.

itsmeitisss

Also was told there without promptingwould be no compensation as GGL members don't look for that and noneis due for misconnected luggage apparently!

Smirnoff

1. BA don't do "meet at the gate"
2. Luggage often gets delayed when transitting (so far I have a 100% record of bags not making connections at HEL, which is supposedly a small, supposedly efficient airport).

Travel with these 2 thoughts in mind, and you won't get so stressed and sweaty.

If you're travelling away from home, then travel insurance should pick up a nice tasty shopping spree. If you're travelling home, then a day's delay in getting your bag is no big deal (except the dirty laundry may smell a little worse).

Mr Enigma

Sorry to hear about your bad journey. PVG is bad for ATC delays, I have been delayed for 3hrs before, sat on the plane waiting to push back.

We burnt so much fuel on the air con that the captain had to top up the plane again before we departed.

I believe it is to do with a 10 minute seperation being required between aircraft over northern China.

When the BA flight leaves it is a very busy period hence the delays.

I was flying back from Rome on Saturday and we had a 15 min delay on the ground at FCO then had a 20 min hold into LHR. There were a lot of connecting pax and there were gate staff ready to get people to planes, so it does happen.

They were handing out special orange transit vouchers I assume to speed people through the airport.

As you said you were on two bookings, would BA actually know you were transiting?

itsmeitisss

They did as the CC sent them a message at 8 am UK time with all of my flight details as I had already OLCI.

CX always have staff meeting passengers in HKG. I have a 1 hr connection to ICN which I'm more confident about.

I just thought that if a GGL customer is promised a meet, that might speed things up a bit, and also if a promise is made, then it should be kept. I still don't think this is too much to ask.

gms

Why would you want to do this? If you are on a very tight connection (through no fault of your own in this case) you often simply need to run! Having an escort will usually just slow things down. Unless it is an airport you really don't know then I don't see the point!

LTN Phobia

If you are familiar with the airport, which you clearly are, I really don't see much point in being met at the airport. I'd rather run, unless they can transport me via a method that is not normally available.

justin_krusty

I arrived into LHR T3 on AA last week, and the airline had staff at the gate to assist premium pax with the transfer to T5. I was not transiting, but I was behind those who were and listened in - they also had orange stickers, and the girl said it was a new system they were trialling for those on tight connections, where they would take them to T5 rush them through security and hand them personally over to BA to look after. So it sounds like the transfer arrangements are trying to be improved.

ajamieson

Very well put

I do think, however, that a 'meet and greet' is the last thing you want on a short connection unless they are going to drive your airside to your next flight. I'd rather just run, since the extra person is usually just one more source of confusion and delay.

Cap'n Benj

Its an excuse but I suspect customer service staff in HKG are significantly cheaper than those at LHR.

Out of interest, do CX offer a similar service at LHR?

IC6A

You can request it just like wheelchair assisstance. Again the Meet and Assisst Service (MAAS) is common in airport. It is not a matter of if they can afford it or not. But for MAAS there is cut off time for booking since it require Airport ground handling agent to plan and deal with it.

For transit assisstance, e.g. tight connection...I believe in that it is really up to individual airline. And that is what make Hong Kong such a wonderful airport. I hardly encounter any European airports have that kind of service...

Swanhunter

I believe Prospero posted recentl about passengers on a late running MAD service into T3 being met and sped on their way to LAX. Perhaps this only happens if a certain number of pax are impacted?

JamieT

At the top of the airbridge from the delayed EDI flight this morning, there was a BA staff member holding a sign with a BA flight number labelled Istanbul; I assumed he was there to speed connecting passengers through.

Edit: That said, if you are on two separate tickets, BA aren't required to help you at all. I checked that specifically with them when taking advantage of the 241 Club sale in 2009, as I needed domestic connections. I ended up taking a long layover to be safe. (Touch wood, my luggage has always made my connections as well.)

Mutu

I am sure I read in the BA/AA/IB joint business blurb (not necessarily correctly!) that meet and greet for late connections WAS now going to be put in place at all key Oneworld hubs....not sure from 1 Oct but certainly being rolled out.

I will try and find aid press release