Serious question: How is BA different from a LCC?
May 7, 2017, 1:38 am
#31
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Provincie Antwerpen, Vlaanderen, België
Programs: MUCCI Gold
Posts: 2,512
That would be horrendous. But for anyone who chooses to fly LCC ..... well they have only themselves to blame, surely.
Someone I know was once kept waiting onboard a (non-heated) bus, standing-room only, for easily 15 mins, last October, on a bitterly cold late afternoon when departing HEL.
The bus had been 'authorised' to leave the gate - but on reaching the remote stand, the driver was instructed to keep the doors closed because re-fuelling had not been completed.
Oh ..... hang on a minute. I've just remembered : that person was me. Travelling on BA back to LHR. In CE . With all the privileges of my Gold card .........the same sort of boarding 'privileges' that (in this case) were actually offered to all non-status pax in Y.
Someone I know was once kept waiting onboard a (non-heated) bus, standing-room only, for easily 15 mins, last October, on a bitterly cold late afternoon when departing HEL.
The bus had been 'authorised' to leave the gate - but on reaching the remote stand, the driver was instructed to keep the doors closed because re-fuelling had not been completed.
Oh ..... hang on a minute. I've just remembered : that person was me. Travelling on BA back to LHR. In CE . With all the privileges of my Gold card .........the same sort of boarding 'privileges' that (in this case) were actually offered to all non-status pax in Y.
They lost our luggage on arrival back at Heathrow, too.
May 7, 2017, 1:53 am
#32
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Eurozone
Programs: LH SEN, HH Gold
Posts: 3,002
That would be horrendous. But for anyone who chooses to fly LCC ..... well they have only themselves to blame, surely.
Someone I know was once kept waiting onboard a (non-heated) bus, standing-room only, for easily 15 mins, last October, on a bitterly cold late afternoon when departing HEL.
The bus had been 'authorised' to leave the gate - but on reaching the remote stand, the driver was instructed to keep the doors closed because re-fuelling had not been completed.
Oh ..... hang on a minute. I've just remembered : that person was me. Travelling on BA back to LHR. In CE . With all the privileges of my Gold card .........the same sort of boarding 'privileges' that (in this case) were actually offered to all non-status pax in Y.
Someone I know was once kept waiting onboard a (non-heated) bus, standing-room only, for easily 15 mins, last October, on a bitterly cold late afternoon when departing HEL.
The bus had been 'authorised' to leave the gate - but on reaching the remote stand, the driver was instructed to keep the doors closed because re-fuelling had not been completed.
Oh ..... hang on a minute. I've just remembered : that person was me. Travelling on BA back to LHR. In CE . With all the privileges of my Gold card .........the same sort of boarding 'privileges' that (in this case) were actually offered to all non-status pax in Y.
May 7, 2017, 2:06 am
#33
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,803
Just my little joke since there are two people called Alex here. "Alex the easyJet captain" is an annoying feature on the LGW transit, not least since the voice belongs to someone who does a number of advertising packages, and I suspect hasn't been on easyJet for a very long time. BA's flight crew tend to give fairly good commentary on what is going on, you sometimes get it on U2 too, but you typically won't on FR.
May 7, 2017, 2:33 am
#35
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: UA-1K, MM, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-Titanium
Posts: 4,432
May 7, 2017, 2:58 am
#36
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 1,683
It is isn't it? I believe the ER seats are a little wider than the typical A320 series ones. I think the 737 seats are typically a little narrower than the A320 ones.
May 7, 2017, 3:08 am
#38
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Lewes
Programs: HiltonH. Gold Starwood Gold BA BLUES! Mucci.
Posts: 4,833
My next flight options... Inverness to London... 24/5
BA late morning flight, (LHR) EZY early afternoon. (LGW)
EZY allows a full mornings work.
Hand baggage only one way
Easy jet less than £20 paid.
BA offered at £123
Seat selection fee £9.99 easyJet for exit seat with priority boarding.
Option to pay for lounge but I won't because I will be at INV only 40 mins before.
Unsure if status gets you in lounge with BA.
BA only win on this route for me if I am flying onwards via LHR
- and even then KLM is now a better option.
The above maybe a snapshot but in my experience it is similar every time -and I travel regularly.
No contest.
BA late morning flight, (LHR) EZY early afternoon. (LGW)
EZY allows a full mornings work.
Hand baggage only one way
Easy jet less than £20 paid.
BA offered at £123
Seat selection fee £9.99 easyJet for exit seat with priority boarding.
Option to pay for lounge but I won't because I will be at INV only 40 mins before.
Unsure if status gets you in lounge with BA.
BA only win on this route for me if I am flying onwards via LHR
- and even then KLM is now a better option.
The above maybe a snapshot but in my experience it is similar every time -and I travel regularly.
No contest.
May 7, 2017, 3:22 am
#39
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 373
Living in West London, Heathrow is my airport of choice and BA has generally been my preference but after recent changes, I now use competitors who offer a better on board product in Europe. I think people fly BA out of brand loyalty and a sense of buying into a superior or VIP product, which is a nostalgic and misjudged view. Customers have choices but reluctantly move out of their comfort zones.
But for anyone who chooses to continue to fly BA at a higher price, accept that this is now the new model and lower your expectations slightly. Your free G and T in Euro Traveller is the past. Move on or choose an alternative carrier. I don't like the "new" BA but they make their product clear and I have the choice.
But for anyone who chooses to continue to fly BA at a higher price, accept that this is now the new model and lower your expectations slightly. Your free G and T in Euro Traveller is the past. Move on or choose an alternative carrier. I don't like the "new" BA but they make their product clear and I have the choice.
May 7, 2017, 3:28 am
#40
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: London
Posts: 1,546
I pay for my own fares, in economy. I used to prefer BA over easy. Now it's purely down to time and price on the route I need to use. Easy seem to have the edge these days in boarding logistics, and are far more efficient at BoB sales.
Main reason for me to use BA is I'm still willing to pay a premium to fly into LCY when that's an option on my route, LCY is just so much quicker to get out of than any other London airport.
Main reason for me to use BA is I'm still willing to pay a premium to fly into LCY when that's an option on my route, LCY is just so much quicker to get out of than any other London airport.
May 7, 2017, 3:32 am
#41
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,803
INV does give lounge access to oneworld Sapphires and Emeralds, quite a nice lounge actually, though not much food.
It's also one of those places where they try to get Priority Boarding queued up well before the aircraft arrives, the area they use is around a corner, so you can't see where the end of Priority Boarding has got to. I would still sit out out rather than stand for 20 minutes, but the risk at that point is that the 70 bag maxima is reached before you get to the gate. easyJet also lands in LGW North, to which I'm happy to say "good riddance"!
But yes, there is no getting around flight timing, which goes in easyJet's favour, which is unusual, but is also the reason I end up going on the orange one.
It's also one of those places where they try to get Priority Boarding queued up well before the aircraft arrives, the area they use is around a corner, so you can't see where the end of Priority Boarding has got to. I would still sit out out rather than stand for 20 minutes, but the risk at that point is that the 70 bag maxima is reached before you get to the gate. easyJet also lands in LGW North, to which I'm happy to say "good riddance"!
But yes, there is no getting around flight timing, which goes in easyJet's favour, which is unusual, but is also the reason I end up going on the orange one.
May 7, 2017, 3:35 am
#42
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Perth WA/ UK
Programs: BA Gold, Priority Club Gold, Accor Silver, Virgin Australia Gold
Posts: 1,750
And ...millions don't.
May 7, 2017, 4:00 am
#43
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: US of A
Programs: Delta Diamond, United 1K, BA Blue, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Gold, Amex Platinum
Posts: 1,775
May 7, 2017, 4:48 am
#44
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Rhineland-Palatinate
Programs: *A Gold (A3), HHonor Gold
Posts: 5,694
Just my little joke since there are two people called Alex here. "Alex the easyJet captain" is an annoying feature on the LGW transit, not least since the voice belongs to someone who does a number of advertising packages, and I suspect hasn't been on easyJet for a very long time. BA's flight crew tend to give fairly good commentary on what is going on, you sometimes get it on U2 too, but you typically won't on FR.
May 7, 2017, 5:07 am
#45
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: YVR
Programs: OZ Diamond, Jiffypark Manhattan Gold
Posts: 4,485
Wow, BA doesn't offer soft drinks on this flight? I'm not a BA flyer, but as an AC flyer, they offer soft drinks on short flights. Despite this flight being just an hour I'm quite surprised.
Is this just a symptom of how short the flight is, or does say LHR-ZAG also not have free soft drinks?
I had a full hot meal and 2 beers on LH from MUC-LIS last month.
Is this just a symptom of how short the flight is, or does say LHR-ZAG also not have free soft drinks?
I had a full hot meal and 2 beers on LH from MUC-LIS last month.