Originally Posted by
bisonrav
Good for you. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
If you're suggesting I'm obsessed with recognition, you're quite wrong. I really don't give a tinker's cuss about a CSM reading my name from an iPad during a "welcome back" interaction, it adds no value to any part of the trip. But the suggestion that cabin crew are somehow debasing the CE brand (such as it is) by offering complimentary drinks and a DO&Co pudding leftover from the meal service is pure nonsense. It's a great thing to do from a customer experience perspective. It does shape preferences.
Indeed everyone is entitled to their opinion, but you appear to be taking this personally, even in your dialogue with
hydro001. We are engaging in a general discussion on the topic, none of us are pointing fingers at anyone in particular and in that spirit we should try to avoid shooting the messenger!
From your quoted post it appears your gripe is not about receiving a 'greeting' but about not being offered a free drink when travelling in economy. I can't see how BA is any different to any other airline when it comes to offering free drinks to FF members. As noted above CX don't do it, and according to contributors on FlyerTalk both AA and AY have also stopped offering a free drink to Emeralds traveling in economy on board their flights. Are there any oneworld airlines who operate a BoB service in economy that currently offer free drinks to oneworld elite members?
I share
hydro001's view, whilst offering a free drink is a nice thing to do it does create false expectations and indeed disappointment when a complimentary drink is not offered on a particular flight. Free drinks are included only in Club Europe fares so BA Golds should not be expecting a freebie when choosing an economy fare.