Truly awful LCA - LHR CE Service
Dec 3, 2016, 7:31 am
#61
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: LHR / LAS
Programs: BA GfL, GGL/CCR
Posts: 2,415
Ok, I'm not having a go at you, but what do you see the value of Club Europe is, assuming your status gets you into a lounge anyway?
The seat, in my opinion, really is totally crap (although this is all Euro J class not just BA) In fact the first time I took a J flight in Europe when I stepped on the plane and saw the seat I actually said "what the &@" in shock!
So say you are OWE or OWS. You eat in the lounge, you have extra baggage allowance. What is the appeal of double the price for a Club Europe economy seat?
The seat, in my opinion, really is totally crap (although this is all Euro J class not just BA) In fact the first time I took a J flight in Europe when I stepped on the plane and saw the seat I actually said "what the &@" in shock!
So say you are OWE or OWS. You eat in the lounge, you have extra baggage allowance. What is the appeal of double the price for a Club Europe economy seat?
Depends what you want to spend your money on I suppose. But with short haul crew being excellent - you get more service from them as less people in the cabin and then with us getting in years on a touch, I just cant stand being in a cabin full of people.
In actual fact, Id prefer not to fly at all, if economy was the only option. And that's saying something, as we fly as a hobby as many times as we can, as we just love it, bumps and all.
EDIT - forgot that we only normally go for flights that have the first row available, so a big plus as you feel much more on your own.
Dec 3, 2016, 7:44 am
#62
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: London
Programs: BAEC GGL & GfL, HHons Diamond, Intercontinental Royal Ambassador, IHGSpire Elite, Kimpton Inner Circ
Posts: 62
Just lower your expectations and you won't feel so ripped off.
BA are a joke on anything other than long haul now and won't be happy until the service is even more basic than Ryan Air.
Vote with your wallet. I changed my company's travel policy a few months back. Now I see BA's strategy in context and have adjusted accordingly I don't feel so disappointed when I use them.
Ironically I think they probably made as much profit from my regular flexible domestic travel, LON-EDI now nearly 800, than strategically purchased (i.e. make full use of sales) long haul in F every other month. Now they only get the long haul.
BA want to be the new Ryan Air in Europe, for TATL their F is a reasonable J product, but not a real F.
Vote with your wallet. I changed my company's travel policy a few months back. Now I see BA's strategy in context and have adjusted accordingly I don't feel so disappointed when I use them.
Ironically I think they probably made as much profit from my regular flexible domestic travel, LON-EDI now nearly 800, than strategically purchased (i.e. make full use of sales) long haul in F every other month. Now they only get the long haul.
BA want to be the new Ryan Air in Europe, for TATL their F is a reasonable J product, but not a real F.
Dec 3, 2016, 8:48 am
#63
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: LHR/ATH
Programs: Amex Platinum, LH SEN (Gold), BA Bronze
Posts: 4,489
ok, I'm not the greatest fan of BA at the moment, but CE is certainly better than economy. You can get off the plane first, you get drinks, you get personal attention, 2-2 seats, help with storing cabin bags and so on and so on.
Depends what you want to spend your money on I suppose. But with short haul crew being excellent - you get more service from them as less people in the cabin and then with us getting in years on a touch, I just cant stand being in a cabin full of people.
In actual fact, Id prefer not to fly at all, if economy was the only option. And that's saying something, as we fly as a hobby as many times as we can, as we just love it, bumps and all.
EDIT - forgot that we only normally go for flights that have the first row available, so a big plus as you feel much more on your own.
Depends what you want to spend your money on I suppose. But with short haul crew being excellent - you get more service from them as less people in the cabin and then with us getting in years on a touch, I just cant stand being in a cabin full of people.
In actual fact, Id prefer not to fly at all, if economy was the only option. And that's saying something, as we fly as a hobby as many times as we can, as we just love it, bumps and all.
EDIT - forgot that we only normally go for flights that have the first row available, so a big plus as you feel much more on your own.
Sorry but that is just snobbish = )
Dec 3, 2016, 9:11 am
#64
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: London
Programs: AA Executive Platinum
Posts: 779
You will appreciate that I do quite a bit of flying, so given that I suspect I'm well into the senior quartile of this forum's demographics, I doubt my health and sanity would survive being in ET all the time. In addition, I prefer the seating arrangement (I appreciate you have a different view), the table next to me, the food, the drink, tea in a mug, the better service from the crew, the extra locker space, getting on late, getting off first, and the fact that the CE cabin is somewhat quieter than ET. Plus the legroom in row 1. And, dare I say it, the company of other CE passengers - at least some of the time! Moreover after over 30 years of this malarky I'm pretty well versed on how to get CE cost effectively. I can always find a good use the extra Avios.
I'm also always connecting, since I live Up North, and some of my stations don't have a lounge, or a lounge with limited food, or time is too short. I may do more ET when BoB comes along, ironically, hence the lack of pitchforks in this quarter. I am prepared to see how it works before rushing to judgement.
I'm also always connecting, since I live Up North, and some of my stations don't have a lounge, or a lounge with limited food, or time is too short. I may do more ET when BoB comes along, ironically, hence the lack of pitchforks in this quarter. I am prepared to see how it works before rushing to judgement.
Here's my take. I fly BA twice a week, usually domestic, sometimes intra EU.
Here's my take:
- I'm monumentally unimpressed with the entire concept charging for food in Y, although it won't affect me as I eat in the lounge
- I won't pay for CE, because it looks like economy class
- I'm in the AA program even though I live in London and I make my status with long haul, so the miles/status I get off short haul are trivial for me
- American Airlines does a real J class domestic which I would pay for (but I don't have to usually as auto-upgrades are an AA benefit and AA call it F. I think AA may charge for some stuff in domestic Y but see above about auto-upgrades)
- In BA Y I can use the lounge, get on first, select a seat at the front of Y or anywhere else in Y
So for me the benefit of CE is I'd get off the airplane about a minute earlier in CE, for about 2-3 times the ticket price. Hmmmmmm.
I did do a 40 upgrade to CE once from Warsaw to London. Still didn't get a lounge, because there wasn't one! There is a OW lounge in Warsaw which Finnair pax can use, but BA are too stingy to set up a contract with it so it is no entry for BA flyers. Underwhelming.
Take a regional J or even PeY flight in other parts of the world and CE looks even less impressive.
Last edited by creampuff; Dec 3, 2016 at 9:16 am
Dec 3, 2016, 9:13 am
#65
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: LHR / LAS
Programs: BA GfL, GGL/CCR
Posts: 2,415
Dec 3, 2016, 9:17 am
#66
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: London
Programs: BA BLUE BADGE
Posts: 1,327
I've been on the 767 to and from LCA about 15 times this year in a mix of ET and CE.
I've also notitced the curtain not being pulled across in the second CE cabin. Service has usually been good, in both cabins, I put it down to the 767 cabin crew having a night stop (or so I was told) and the sunshine peeking them up! The extra legroom was very welcome.
Fares can be hideously expensive though, and the planes were always full so maybe it yields better than some think, CE usually went back a long way.
In short though, I preferred Aegean in both cabins though the BA flight times were better.
Thankfully now my partner no longer works in Cyprus I will not be having the benefits
I've also notitced the curtain not being pulled across in the second CE cabin. Service has usually been good, in both cabins, I put it down to the 767 cabin crew having a night stop (or so I was told) and the sunshine peeking them up! The extra legroom was very welcome.
Fares can be hideously expensive though, and the planes were always full so maybe it yields better than some think, CE usually went back a long way.
In short though, I preferred Aegean in both cabins though the BA flight times were better.
Thankfully now my partner no longer works in Cyprus I will not be having the benefits
Dec 3, 2016, 9:47 am
#67
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: East Anglia UK
Programs: BA-S UA LH-Sen KLM/AF-Plat.
Posts: 1,627
Dec 3, 2016, 9:54 am
#68
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: LHR/ATH
Programs: Amex Platinum, LH SEN (Gold), BA Bronze
Posts: 4,489
Dec 3, 2016, 10:05 am
#69
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: London
Programs: AA Executive Platinum
Posts: 779
Dec 3, 2016, 10:13 am
#70
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: LHR / LAS
Programs: BA GfL, GGL/CCR
Posts: 2,415
You do realise thats one of the main reasons why loads of people book premium seats. Maybe we are all snobs then
Anyway, enough of my time wasted responding, time is money, you know....gotta get looking for more ways to get away from the crowd..
Dec 3, 2016, 10:14 am
#71
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: LHR/ATH
Programs: Amex Platinum, LH SEN (Gold), BA Bronze
Posts: 4,489
Dec 3, 2016, 10:22 am
#72
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: London
Programs: AA Executive Platinum
Posts: 779
Hmmm, you may be BAs ideal demographic! If the benefit of CE is that it isn't Y and doesn't have Y pax. So if BA use economy class seats with a tight seat pitch in CE or just drop service standards in general, you still have your differentiator that the CE ticket is more expensive than a Y ticket.
Last edited by creampuff; Dec 3, 2016 at 10:27 am
Dec 3, 2016, 10:27 am
#73
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: London
Programs: AA Executive Platinum
Posts: 779
I remember one Garuda flight, Jakarta or Denpasar to Perth I think it was. No F, only Y and J. I was the only passenger in J and I peaked through the curtain to the jammed sardines Y hell behind, full of hung over Australians on the way back from Bali. I felt a sense of sympathy yet satisfaction at the same time.
Dec 3, 2016, 11:38 am
#74
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: BOS
Programs: BA Silver, Mucci
Posts: 5,289
This wouldn't pass muster at any restaurant or any other establishment serving food to the public in Massachusetts. I'm surprised that this is allowed onboard.
Dec 3, 2016, 12:02 pm
#75
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold; FB Silver; SPG; IHG Gold
Posts: 2,995
OK, all this is personal preference and nobody is paying for anyone else so there is no right or wrong.
Here's my take. I fly BA twice a week, usually domestic, sometimes intra EU.
Here's my take:
- I'm monumentally unimpressed with the entire concept charging for food in Y, although it won't affect me as I eat in the lounge
- I won't pay for CE, because it looks like economy class
- I'm in the AA program even though I live in London and I make my status with long haul, so the miles/status I get off short haul are trivial for me
- American Airlines does a real J class domestic which I would pay for (but I don't have to usually as auto-upgrades are an AA benefit and AA call it F. I think AA may charge for some stuff in domestic Y but see above about auto-upgrades)
- In BA Y I can use the lounge, get on first, select a seat at the front of Y or anywhere else in Y
So for me the benefit of CE is I'd get off the airplane about a minute earlier in CE, for about 2-3 times the ticket price. Hmmmmmm.
I did do a 40 upgrade to CE once from Warsaw to London. Still didn't get a lounge, because there wasn't one! There is a OW lounge in Warsaw which Finnair pax can use, but BA are too stingy to set up a contract with it so it is no entry for BA flyers. Underwhelming.
Take a regional J or even PeY flight in other parts of the world and CE looks even less impressive.
Here's my take. I fly BA twice a week, usually domestic, sometimes intra EU.
Here's my take:
- I'm monumentally unimpressed with the entire concept charging for food in Y, although it won't affect me as I eat in the lounge
- I won't pay for CE, because it looks like economy class
- I'm in the AA program even though I live in London and I make my status with long haul, so the miles/status I get off short haul are trivial for me
- American Airlines does a real J class domestic which I would pay for (but I don't have to usually as auto-upgrades are an AA benefit and AA call it F. I think AA may charge for some stuff in domestic Y but see above about auto-upgrades)
- In BA Y I can use the lounge, get on first, select a seat at the front of Y or anywhere else in Y
So for me the benefit of CE is I'd get off the airplane about a minute earlier in CE, for about 2-3 times the ticket price. Hmmmmmm.
I did do a 40 upgrade to CE once from Warsaw to London. Still didn't get a lounge, because there wasn't one! There is a OW lounge in Warsaw which Finnair pax can use, but BA are too stingy to set up a contract with it so it is no entry for BA flyers. Underwhelming.
Take a regional J or even PeY flight in other parts of the world and CE looks even less impressive.