YouFirst / spa [rant]
Jun 19, 2017, 6:03 pm
#16
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Anywhere
Posts: 6,575
I too had a similarly bizzare interaction with YF last month. I have a 10 hour transit in T5. Still no appointment slot - imagine that?! Annoyed, I contacted GGL. They apologised and secured me an appointment about 2.5 hours before my outbound flight.
YF really doesn't live up to its name. Wonder they've been trained just to say no and annoy F passengers.
YF really doesn't live up to its name. Wonder they've been trained just to say no and annoy F passengers.
Jun 19, 2017, 6:04 pm
#17
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Anywhere
Posts: 6,575
Well, I usually go for the facial and the massage chair. It is not bad ( it is free ) and lasts just less than 15 mins but I do not get that excited about it if I cannot get one
You can probably get a better treatment elsewhere ( paying for it) but I think because it is free and advertised that sets people up for disappointment if they cannot get a booking.
You can probably get a better treatment elsewhere ( paying for it) but I think because it is free and advertised that sets people up for disappointment if they cannot get a booking.
Jun 19, 2017, 6:33 pm
#18
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Boston, MA
Programs: AA EXP, B6 Mosaic, UA Plat, Bonvoy Plat, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 1,777
Agree with this. Not only is the experience underwhelming, but I'd argue that the advertising of the service is misleading when most of the time it can't be booked by "normal" fare-paying customers who don't follow FT to the point where they're aware you need to book 28 days out to have a chance of getting a slot. Overall it seems like a negative for BA because it sets up expectations with the customer that they choose not to deliver on.
Jun 20, 2017, 2:49 am
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
Elemis is a brand of the
Jun 20, 2017, 5:01 am
#21
Join Date: May 2009
Location: London
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 2,741
Hi,
Well, I usually go for the facial and the massage chair. It is not bad ( it is free ) and lasts just less than 15 mins but I do not get that excited about it if I cannot get one
You can probably get a better treatment elsewhere ( paying for it) but I think because it is free and advertised that sets people up for disappointment if they cannot get a booking.
Regards
TBS
Well, I usually go for the facial and the massage chair. It is not bad ( it is free ) and lasts just less than 15 mins but I do not get that excited about it if I cannot get one
You can probably get a better treatment elsewhere ( paying for it) but I think because it is free and advertised that sets people up for disappointment if they cannot get a booking.
Regards
TBS
Jun 20, 2017, 11:55 am
#22
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Plymouth, UK
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 1,159
Well Steiner Leisure do not list BA as one of their clients... I would imagine that they would. I know that the hairdressers in the J lounge at LHR are BA staff having had a nice chat last time I flew J...
Jun 20, 2017, 1:16 pm
#23
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: UK
Programs: BD Gold, BAEC Gold, Hilton HHonors
Posts: 869
A haircut at T5?!
I think it's what TBS referred to that annoys me most - it's being primed to expect a first class concierge service (YF) organising a complimentary spa treatment... then finding it ultimately leads to wasted time and little else.
BA must know how often it's used and by what passenger group (by status / cabin etc) and need to either have appropriate capacity or withdraw the option altogether. It certainly shouldn't be advertised as part of the first class service when it can't reliably be offered!
I think it's what TBS referred to that annoys me most - it's being primed to expect a first class concierge service (YF) organising a complimentary spa treatment... then finding it ultimately leads to wasted time and little else.
BA must know how often it's used and by what passenger group (by status / cabin etc) and need to either have appropriate capacity or withdraw the option altogether. It certainly shouldn't be advertised as part of the first class service when it can't reliably be offered!
Jun 20, 2017, 2:57 pm
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
Jun 20, 2017, 3:54 pm
#26
Join Date: Jul 2014
Programs: Mucci de l'Arbitrage
Posts: 927
Jun 21, 2017, 1:22 am
#27
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Plymouth, UK
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 1,159
Oh dear... oh dear... I am a plonker! My flight last year was Virgin so my haircut was in the Virgin lounge - SORREEEEY.
I suppose that is what sparked the question... I was told that the hairdresser (yes... the Virgin one!!) was a Virgin employee so I wondered if the BA lounge staff/spa staff were BA employees or whether they farmed out the service to a third-party company.
Apologies!
PS it has reminded me though that I can't get a haircut at the T5 lounge for my next flight in August so thank you!!!!!
I suppose that is what sparked the question... I was told that the hairdresser (yes... the Virgin one!!) was a Virgin employee so I wondered if the BA lounge staff/spa staff were BA employees or whether they farmed out the service to a third-party company.
Apologies!
PS it has reminded me though that I can't get a haircut at the T5 lounge for my next flight in August so thank you!!!!!
Jun 21, 2017, 7:03 am
#28
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: YVR
Programs: Accor Platinum,Aeroplan,BA,Marriot Rewards, Alaska Airlines, Amex Platinum, SPG
Posts: 190
I tried pre-booking with no luck, but still have been able to get in 2 out of 3 times, last time I went twice. (It was offered when I booked for my boyfriend who declined to use his appt.) I really enjoyed the facial and massage chair after an overnight flight during a 3 hour layover, you can only drink so much champagne when you are tired. Also enjoyed all the samples, which were perfect for using on the rest of my trip.
Jun 21, 2017, 4:26 pm
#30
Join Date: May 2016
Programs: BA Silver, IHG Spire Ambassador, Hilton Gold
Posts: 42
I had the same issue flying to LAS from T3 last year. Luckily the YouFirst agent took the initiative that no availability all morning 28 days out looked odd, called the spa and found out they had "forgotten" to load the available appointments to the system so she booked us in manually. 
Seems they forget to load these on a regular basis....
Seems they forget to load these on a regular basis....