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Old Mar 28, 2019, 6:54 am
  #65  
florens
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Switzerland / Estonia
Programs: AY+ Platinum, BAEC Silver, airbaltic VIP, HH Diamond, Radisson VIP, IHG Diamond Elite
Posts: 6,510
Originally Posted by cosmo74
In-depth interview with Alex Cruz in Business Traveller: https://www.businesstraveller.com/business-travel/2019/03/21/british-airways-ceo-says-investments-are-showing-results/?utm_source=Business+Traveller+International+Newsl etter&utm_campaign=77066b5ab6-Your_weekly_business_travel_briefing+Mar+28&utm_me dium=email&utm_term=0_0f9ce7ba66-77066b5ab6-162913437

Topics covered include:
- aircraft cleaning (apparently it's better now on short haul and will be on long haul - "It has not been about cutting costs, it has been about spending money wisely")
- punctuality (pretty good apparently)
- call centres (they'll be getting new technology)
- how wifi on board will improve customer service for IRROPS
- BoB on short haul (still looking at if and how they can offer free drinks to status pax, pre-order is "an area of interest", they may look at introducing an allowance into some tickets)
- no change in policy for paid seat selection
- T5 lounge refurb on the radar but no fixed dates
- possibly a couple more long haul planes at LGW
Interesting regarding free drinks for Golds:

We ran the test because it’s important to see if we can deliver it in terms of space in the galley.
And

It’s complicated though. If you are Gold sitting in a B or E seat for instance (a middle seat on short haul), and you’re not with anybody, and then cabin crew offer you a free drink, that could create an uncomfortable situation for some people, so we have to manage the process. Maybe if you’re a Gold passenger, there’s a swipe of your card but there’s no charge. It’s not a control mechanism, more a recognition that not everyone wants to boast about being a Gold passenger and not care about the passenger on either side of them.
Both sound like excuses. AY does just fine. And why on earth would a Gold sit in a middle seat anyway?
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