Prospero,

I entirely sympathise. I have to be honest I have not had the negative experiences that you have had but then you were there and I was not.

I can only offer you this. Write to Simon Talling Smith. Trust me, this is starting to erk the Powers that Be at British AIrways. You may not even have a reply - in which case write again with a copy of your first letter (PM me the details of the boss if you like) and ask why you have not had an acknowledgement of your first letter. Telling us is well and good and do so as this Board is monitored (again trust me). The tone and pitch of your OP is eceleent (if you do not think me condescending) it strike the right balance between disappointment and feeling conned and stops short of a rant. (Rants are not even read in Watership Down, three lines and they don't bother and frankly I do not blame them. I find them hard to read as they are far too subjective). You have the gravitas of having been an advocate and are now upset at all the cost cutting. The hard fact is that they have cut the service because they have reduced the crew to the sort of cheap skate levels that you find in the USA where nothing of substance is served the other side of the curtain and what is served in front of the curtain makes you realise why it is now populated by YUP or upgrades. No one has actually paid to be there.

Being very honest, I suppose that the I fares have had something to do with this - but surely only a few seats are sold at these fares? Correct me please if I am wrong. At the I fares what is offered is OK - a rather fancy (only rather please note) Y tray with a hot dish. However when you start coughing up for the C or God help us the J fares you would be up in arms. I was looking at some fares to VCE as I have to go to a wedding there and need to ensure that I am on the flight along with old Sweet n' Loveable. On one day the only CE fare was £500 odd ONE WAY! I'd be a bit p'd off with a mankey old salad and screw-top bubbly.

So, fire them off. PM me if you want - I am light years behind to another dear sould here who wrote to me but I have only just got back to normal and itend to put that right.


PG