Originally Posted by HarryHolden68

I know this is a “my story” issue and that it is the dictionary definition of first world problem. Sorry about that. Do feel free to add your examples of why BA make it hard for you to love them.

And for the benefit of those who do not have time to read this, the main reasons for the question are:

1. If airlines want to sell flights a year in advance, why do they continually mess with timetables, aircraft allocations and cabins once the flights are loaded for sale? And then they behave that by getting you from A to B by any means, in any cabin, they are doing you some huge favour.

2. Why, when they do this, do they just shrug their shoulders and say tough. They hold all the cards. You have nothing. And they are going to keep the cash you gave us for a product we are not going to give you and, only if you ask, will they return it after you return home.

I am just another BA flyer, loyally choosing BA over others because of a combination of status benefits and past and future excellent value Avios usage. Some will say that is the problem, and perhaps they are right.

I previously earned around 1,000 old TP per year through my flying. This with a well-timed bi-annual run to Hawaii kept my gold status and allowed a GUF2 every two years. Given that many of the naturally earned TP were domestic CE trips for work, I was less than impressed with the changes to the Club. Especially as there was no carrot to the stick. No mention of any enhancements (in the traditional rather than the BA sense) that spending £20k + would bring.

But in the hope of better times ahead for gold card holders, myself and a colleague decided to go for it with a trip to Sydney in Qatar First in early April. With a hotel included, this BA holiday would give Gold for just short of two years to see the impact of the changes to the benefits.

The timetables worked out with the QR A380 departing LHR Thursday morning, three hours in Doha and then an A380 onto Sydney arriving Friday 5pm. Two nights in the hotel and a return leaving late Sunday evening, again 3 hours in Doha and back to LHR by Monday lunch.

A couple of months ago, QR changed the aircraft on the return DOH-LHR to a 2-class 777. The A380 with First was moved to the early morning departure. The 777 comes with a downgrade to Q-suites so not the end of the world, but not First. Fortunately, the BA departure a few minutes earlier was a 4-class 777 so a quick phone call and this was changed. Back in First.

Last week, BA changed this aircraft to a 3-class 777. The 4-class aircraft was changed to the early morning departure from DOH. This means on a route where OneWorld operate 10-flights that day, the only two with a First-class cabin depart within 5 minutes of each other and fly overnight arriving at LHR early morning. What is the point of an alliance if not to collaborate to offer a more passenger orientated timetable. And if the demand was always there to require two First class cabins at that time, why did the original timetable not reflect this?

It is not the end of the world to ‘have’ to fly in Q-Suite or Club Suite. However, the refund that will be owed will reduce the cost below the magic £20k, defeating the purpose of this extravagant trip. It’s also not what BA sold me and not what I purchased.

I did some research, and found the return was possible, flying Qantas to LAX and then BA with similar departure and arrival times. Again, I called BA and asked if we could be moved to this flight to ensure the entire journey could be undertaken in First. No, I was told. I explained that I had booked in First class and wanted to travel in First class. Instead I was told that in the event of aircraft swap resulting in downgrade, changes to flights could only be made to a city within 300 miles. I suggested that I was not changing the origin or destination and was told that it also applies to stopover cities. The agent then offered the direct BA flight via SIN. Not only does this leave SYD 7-hours earlier, I suggested that SIN wasn’t within 300 miles of DOH and that perhaps for a First class booking, BA could look to be a little more accommodating to fulfilling its obligations? I explained a desire to travel other OneWorld airlines First class cabin. But it seems rules are rules except when they aren’t. So, if I want to travel First Class with OneWorld, it is BA or nothing.

And so there we have it. One of my first managers used to have a saying of “If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way to do it. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.” I am sure that there is absolutely nothing procedurally stopping BA rebooking this for us via LAX. They just don’t want to.

My original question has only one logical answer. Because we just don’t matter to them.