Open Thread: Suggestions on How to Improve GGL/Prem Ground Experience
Having recently reached GGL for the first time, I have been musing about what reasonable expectations should be for the ground experience, (especially at LHR,) once one achieves BA's highest earn-able status.
So far, my onboard & telephone experiences as GGL have been stellar. As I have posted before, the ground experience, especially at T1, much less so.
Having used AA's 5-star service in the USA numerous times, as well as Lufty's FCT at FRA I find it reasonable to ask whether BA might be encouraged to consider a hybrid of the two for its GGL & PREM members at LHR, to include:
DEPARTURE:
*Use of a dedicated or employee security lane
*On-request buggy transfers for any long distances
*Escort to the aircraft, including buggy or car transfer from the lounge depending on gate
*Priority pre-boarding
ARRIVALS:
*Meet and greet on jetbridge, with escort to dedicated or diplomatic immigration lane, including buggy or car transfer if necessary.
This isn't meant to be tongue-in-cheek, though I know some will find it too demanding. It is a proposal to further incentivize loyalty for super-frequent travelers. I would find it acceptable perhaps to offer this treatment only to CCR card holders, for instance...but there should be a point where the airline treats you as a VIP every time you show up at the airport. The total cost in terms of training and staffing might be equivalent to what 5 GGL's spend on BA in a year....in other words, negligible.
Any thoughts or other suggestions?
Maybe a paid version available only to GGL/PREm or GCH and above? AA's service is a bargain at $125-$200 when needed....
Not if you don't want to be scrutinised even more than we do!
Quote:
The total cost in terms of training and staffing might be equivalent to what 5 GGL's spend on BA in a year....in other words, negligible.
Some GGLs spend only a tiny amount.
I don't think it would be viable for BA to do this. There are so many GGLs IMO for a start. 3,000 TPs are not hard to get. I think the extra services should be limited to Prems and those earning 10,000+ TPs/year.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Habemuspapam
Having recently reached GGL for the first time, I have been musing about what reasonable expectations should be for the ground experience, (especially at LHR,) once one achieves BA's highest earn-able status.
So far, my onboard & telephone experiences as GGL have been stellar. As I have posted before, the ground experience, especially at T1, much less so.
Having used AA's 5-star service in the USA numerous times, as well as Lufty's FCT at FRA I find it reasonable to ask whether BA might be encouraged to consider a hybrid of the two for its GGL & PREM members at LHR, to include:
DEPARTURE:
*Use of a dedicated or employee security lane
*On-request buggy transfers for any long distances
*Escort to the aircraft, including buggy or car transfer from the lounge depending on gate
*Priority pre-boarding
ARRIVALS:
*Meet and greet on jetbridge, with escort to dedicated or diplomatic immigration lane, including buggy or car transfer if necessary.
This isn't meant to be tongue-in-cheek, though I know some will find it too demanding. It is a proposal to further incentivize loyalty for super-frequent travelers. I would find it acceptable perhaps to offer this treatment only to CCR card holders, for instance...but there should be a point where the airline treats you as a VIP every time you show up at the airport. The total cost in terms of training and staffing might be equivalent to what 5 GGL's spend on BA in a year....in other words, negligible.
Any thoughts or other suggestions?
Maybe a paid version available only to GGL/PREm or GCH and above? AA's service is a bargain at $125-$200 when needed....
Premier passengers do get extremely good ground services and can request to be met and escorted at any destination.
I think there are far to many GGLs for this to be offered to all GGLs.
__________________
(All my opinions are my own personal opinions and I do not speak for or on behalf of British Airways)
*On-request buggy transfers for any long distances
Since when does being a GGL negate the use of one's legs?
If a passenger has a disability which means they have difficulty covering long distances, by all means- but an on demand buggy service seems a bit ridiculous 'just because' of status.
If you have status you probably spend a lot of time sat on your arse anyway, so surely a sprint through the terminal would do some good
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Littlegirl
I think there are far to many GGLs for this to be offered to all GGLs.
I quite agree.
As LTN Phobia says, 3K TPs doesn't take much (I reach them within about 3 or 4 months of my re-set usually) and on a recent JFK flight the CSD told me there were 18 GGLs on board.
Imagine the fleet of buggies you would need for that!
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Why don't BA provide Gold encrusted carriages to transport you to your private jet waiting at T5? Oh wait, if you were a true VIP you would have your own private jet
As for classing yourself as a "super-frequent traveller", spare a thought for those of us who are sometimes on a BA aircraft 6 times a week!!
LOL....I knew I could count on some "shocked shocked!" responses....but you get most of these things for free as a non-status F pax on LH, and most of them for $125-$200 on AA....surely BA can come up with something for the customers they value most, whether it is available to all GGL, to CCR-level or higher, or for a fee, (and not the GBP1500 LHR by invitation silliness,)....all I'm saying is do SOMETHING to differentiate the ground experience.
Not DYKWIA at all....simply a desire to have a calculus where X number of TPs or spend equals a completely hassle-free airport experience. Something to aim for, other than a third joker.
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I think some of you are being a bit harsh on the OP. In my experience its a very British thing to quickly say people are DYKWIA asking for services (or wanting to debate them) or being silly when complaining about what champagne is served. Of course there are loads of less privileged people in the world and there are more important issues on global peace, but thats not the point. Some posters on here are ridiculously frequent fliers or are paying £5k for tickets. Damn right you should get a good service, be recognised by the airline and get what you pay for, especially when its already offered by other airlines. Too often we say "ahh well whatever" - this doesn't serve to improve anything and puts no pressure on the airline to improve.
Anything to speed up things at the airport is good, period. You think buggies are extravagent, what about a private terminal where someone carries your bags and a Porsche/S-Class directly to/from the plane? Oh wait, Hon Circle and LH F get that..... and there's a lot more of them than GGL for sure.
Irrespective, why do we care how many there are and side with the airline? No matter what number, I think there are some good service suggestions (personally I don't think buggies are necessary but the others are) and the airline should figure out how to implement them as it is lucky enough to have so many super-frequent fliers.
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In all seriousness, as someone who travels through T5 on a weekly basis I would really love to see meet and greet services on request for arrivals at T5B and C, including priority immigration. That whole process can take up to 45 minutes of hassle/delay which really devalues the premium experience of arriving in F or J.
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I think the point is that the OP is rather over-inflating their own "importance" to BA and then coupling it with rather pompous suggestions. A sense of proportion never goes amiss.
To paraphrase Blackadder:
- The GGL, Mr. Blackadder! He's so exciting, don't you think?
- Actually, I think he's the most over-rated human being since Judas Iscariot won the AD31 Best Disciple Competition.
As for being driven by a Porsche to the plane when in F, I wouldn't be seen dead in a Porsche in my daily live, what makes you think I'd want to get into one in the airport?
In all seriousness, as someone who travels through T5 on a weekly basis I would really love to see meet and greet services on request for arrivals at T5B and C, including priority immigration. That whole process can take up to 45 minutes of hassle/delay which really devalues the premium experience of arriving in F or J.
Great point...and also worth pointing out that A.) I really like BA...especially the crews....but B.) because of things like having to cram into what amounts to a tube car after flying F overnight in order to get from T5C to immigration, and then not having a fast track for EU citizens, as a frequent premium traveler, has me constantly on the lookout for something better.....I want BA...BA not Lufty or someone else, to make me feel like I need not look elsewhere.
I think the point is that the OP is rather over-inflating their own "importance" to BA and then coupling it with rather pompous suggestions. A sense of proportion never goes amiss.
To paraphrase Blackadder:
- The GGL, Mr. Blackadder! He's so exciting, don't you think?
- Actually, I think he's the most over-rated human being since Judas Iscariot won the AD31 Best Disciple Competition.
As for being driven by a Porsche to the plane when in F, I wouldn't be seen dead in a Porsche in my daily live, what makes you think I'd want to get into one in the airport?
I don't over-inflate my own importance....I'm a sub-CCR GGL, with 30-75K in spend on BA each year. I just want an opportunity to earn a higher level of treatment....and would be happy to PAY for it....if BA offered an AA-style 5-star for individuals, I would gladly pay GBP100-200 to use it every time I go through LHR. Take my money, PLEASE!
