Old First [voucher or Avios now proactively offered]
Nov 22, 2013, 12:56 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Isle of Man
Programs: BA Gold, M&M SEN, EK Gold
Posts: 225
Old First [voucher or Avios now proactively offered]
Flew back from ORD last night and it was old First. Crew were very good and friendly, and as I had eaten in the lounge (food in the First dining room was very good) it was pretty much straight to sleep - after a couple of glasses of LPGS obviously! So old First did not really bother me as I was asleep for most of the flight.
However, before landing at LHR the crew came round and apologised that this was OF and gave us a card to fill in with name, BAEC number, and a preference for Avios or a travel voucher - is this normal? It sounds to me like BA are acknowledging that pricing for OF is too high, and this is a way (albeit a slightly strange one!) of reflecting this.
Postings not come through yet, so no idea of any values, but it seemed a bit odd to me - not that I will complain about free Avios!
Meanwhile, due to a number of planes going tech this morning, we were 55 minutes from landing to getting an available gate - captain was very apologetic, but on top of the 40 minute delay leaving ORD due to the inbound having a tech issue it was irritating to say the least.
Manx Flyer
However, before landing at LHR the crew came round and apologised that this was OF and gave us a card to fill in with name, BAEC number, and a preference for Avios or a travel voucher - is this normal? It sounds to me like BA are acknowledging that pricing for OF is too high, and this is a way (albeit a slightly strange one!) of reflecting this.
Postings not come through yet, so no idea of any values, but it seemed a bit odd to me - not that I will complain about free Avios!
Meanwhile, due to a number of planes going tech this morning, we were 55 minutes from landing to getting an available gate - captain was very apologetic, but on top of the 40 minute delay leaving ORD due to the inbound having a tech issue it was irritating to say the least.
Manx Flyer
Nov 22, 2013, 1:04 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: MAN and LON
Programs: Mucci, BAEC LT Gold, HH Dia, MR LT Plat, IHG Diamond Amb, Amex Plat
Posts: 13,770
How much were you offered as a voucher or Avios?
I think this is a little odd but had heard it was coming. The old F product just needs the addition of an iPad and then if otherwise clean and in working order is fine for either a day or night flight.
I think this is a little odd but had heard it was coming. The old F product just needs the addition of an iPad and then if otherwise clean and in working order is fine for either a day or night flight.
Nov 22, 2013, 2:23 pm
#4
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: LONDON
Programs: CX DM, BA G4L, QR PLT, EK PLT, Hyatt CourtesyC, HH DM, SQ PPS, BonvoyTit, UK, VS, UA, DL, AA
Posts: 1,715
I heard this was coming - especially important to regular first flyers from Mumbai where 9W operates with 77W suites and they winter schedule with higher loads means both flights are mid-j's with a high probability of Old F, and similar situations.
Glad to hear that BA is proactively recognizing that New F is no longer New F, but the standard of what F should be and anything less deserves an apology of some meaning to the customer.
Glad to hear that BA is proactively recognizing that New F is no longer New F, but the standard of what F should be and anything less deserves an apology of some meaning to the customer.
Nov 22, 2013, 2:28 pm
#5
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Robin Hood Territory
Programs: BA Silver, MUCCI des Soins Medicaux, Le médecin personnel ŕ PUCCI GALORE
Posts: 1,613
Old First
This is interesting and unusual. I'm glad to see that BA are serious about hard product consistency though. Although I've never understood what the difference between 'proactively offered' and 'offered' is? 
Nov 22, 2013, 2:48 pm
#7
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: London
Programs: BA Silver, IC Ambassador, LeClubAccor Plat., Club Carlson Gold, HHonors Silver
Posts: 58
Maybe they are fed up with so many people complaining via the BAEC web form after the flight, that they would just skip the inevitable and proactively offer the compensation.
Good on them, I say - some old first cabins are pretty shocking compared to new first on a brand new 777 or A380 - charging the same for such varying quality is a bit of a stretch.
I got 10K Avios for complaining about old first back from vegas in January - seat worked, just complained of poor IFE screen and worn/tatty/broken trim in the cabin.
Good on them, I say - some old first cabins are pretty shocking compared to new first on a brand new 777 or A380 - charging the same for such varying quality is a bit of a stretch.
I got 10K Avios for complaining about old first back from vegas in January - seat worked, just complained of poor IFE screen and worn/tatty/broken trim in the cabin.
Nov 22, 2013, 3:55 pm
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,598