Originally Posted by
corporate-wage-slave
Well the OP has not mentioned a few recent positives e.g. (and this is just off the top of my head):
- new routes, additional frequencies, sheer network reach
- services running to and from places other than London
- Lifetime Gold and GGL
- HHA expansion
- Additional GGL benefits such as partner cards and additional 3 levels of TP baubles
- Improved catering (yes, that's been my experience this year)
- Flounge LHR and CCR LHR and JFK still at the top of their game
- US, Qatar, Sri Lanka, MAS all been plugged into oneworld
- new PED policy
- ease of getting Avios, I even get them when I buy sheep!
- 787 quality of ride in CW and WTP
- Reward Flight Saver
- Some stonking deals in the Sales
As for the hand baggage fares: only a small percentage of any given service gets these fares. I don't recall the exact figure but I think it's 10% or so, and generally only on services which won't get full (EDI and BHD excepting). It means that £78 return fares to places like Naples make them as attractive as RFS and I've certainly taken full and grateful advantage of them. I hope everyone here has taken a good look at what LGW (and LHR/LCY to a lesser extent) can offer.
You have a case with IRROPS, however my recent experiences have actually been far more positive than a few years ago, admittedly that was a very poor baseline from which only improvement could arise. We now get phone calls, emails, text messages, which we did not get before. Now there's still plenty of scope for improvement still, getting an email 1 hour after the proposed departure is a bit silly, but there seems to be some focus there. But it remains a weak link for BA certainly.
More to the point, BA management are delighted with the way that BAEC is going, it's one of the best frequent flyer programmes out there and has done wonders to the bottom line. So I don't quite see the doom and gloom pictured here.
WOW, just WOW about the sheep. Makes me wonder if my father got avios when we would buy/sell at livestock auctions!
When it comes to RFS, I must admit I don't really see the value, especially with the recent price increase. That may be because I am based in Sweden, not UK.
I do love how easily you can obtain avios, however reward availability leaves me always looking to partners to redeem. BA is playing a dangerous game with charging YQ on reward flights for which their partners do not. For that reason I choose HEL, TXL, MAD, BCN for departures/returns. When flying in the US I feel like a bandit getting away with £1.30 in fees on a reward flight.
Flounge is overcrowded and I have no idea how they get away with the food.
Qatar & MH are nice adds-on for TP runs (worthless for avios) if you are already going to Asia. My experience is that partners like AY and AB treat you MUCH better than BA, which I find odd. Looking forward to upcoming biz flights on QR.
If you are just starting out in the game (like myself) then I, too have doubts about how long it will be before BA begs a Middle East carrier to take them over. BA doesn't have enough to keep a "New Gold" like me around. Their planes are too old and each new enhancement too obviously takes something away.
On irrops, BA needs to learn from AB. I recently had a nightmare delay on a revenue AB flight and my (unrelated) onward REWARD AB flight (with £5 of fees) was re-booked for me, free of charge and without me even asking. Very impressed.