Originally Posted by
NickB
I could not disagree more. The vast bulk of his arguments are related to advantages which are available for customers flying upfront. This, it seems to me, completely misunderstands (or pretends to misunderstand) the argument being made about the LCC-fication of BA. The argument is not that flying BA in any class on any route is an identical experience to flying an LCC. It is patently not the case that flying BA in F from LHR to LAX is identical to flying Ryanair from STN to DUB and nobody has argued that. The point, rather, is that the experience in the short-haul economy cabin has become virtually indistinguishable from an LCC and is in fact an LCC-type experience for the customer. Alex can bang on all he likes about the CE experience and premium check-ins (heck, why not talk about F and the CCR while he is at it) but this is absolutely, completely and utterly irrelevant to the point being made when one talks of the LCC-fication of BA.
This is the point exactly. A day's work trip in DUB last week had me take FR there from LGW (£14 one way instead of £121) and BA back in the evening. There was no discernable difference other than the lurid colour scheme in FR. As to wifi, on a trip that short, it's not worth bothering with, and you can't sensibly use a laptop in shorthaul seating anyway. However, a similar trip to MUC made me very grateful for the cup of coffee and glass of water that LH gave me. Saves all the hassle of expensing it.