BA's seemingly impressive takeover of BD
May 11, 2012, 12:46 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold(OWE), QF LTG, MR Plat, IHG Spire, Hertz PC
Posts: 8,156
BA's seemingly impressive takeover of BD
Anyone else get the feeling that BA is doing to BD exactly what LH seemed incapable of doing?
Whether any of us like it or not, BD appears to be swallowed whole quickly and easily. The GDS changes show how capable BA is of solving what I believe to be BD's biggest achilles heel - it's incapacity to price a route rationally. Also the breakup of DC is being done quickly and efficiently. LH appeared to not have the balls to do what BA has managed to achieve in just over a month.
As much as people complain about BA, I have to admit that I am impressed.
I will miss BD, but the Amex 2-4-1 for our household is a sweetener to the whole thing, and the 12+ plus of status pretty much seals the deal that all my spend will go to OW.
Star was a nice diversion, but with Z fares crediting at lower rates on LH despite many last minute tickets for work/pleasure also ticketing in Z (but at expensive rates), M&M is no longer interest. AF/KL also did their April fools trick, so as much as I dislike the catering on BA and the inconsistent service (I am used to this on QF already), I think I will have to stick to the moody one. She has her problems, but it does look like she might be the old dog who has learnt new tricks (for me at least).
Whether any of us like it or not, BD appears to be swallowed whole quickly and easily. The GDS changes show how capable BA is of solving what I believe to be BD's biggest achilles heel - it's incapacity to price a route rationally. Also the breakup of DC is being done quickly and efficiently. LH appeared to not have the balls to do what BA has managed to achieve in just over a month.
As much as people complain about BA, I have to admit that I am impressed.
I will miss BD, but the Amex 2-4-1 for our household is a sweetener to the whole thing, and the 12+ plus of status pretty much seals the deal that all my spend will go to OW.
Star was a nice diversion, but with Z fares crediting at lower rates on LH despite many last minute tickets for work/pleasure also ticketing in Z (but at expensive rates), M&M is no longer interest. AF/KL also did their April fools trick, so as much as I dislike the catering on BA and the inconsistent service (I am used to this on QF already), I think I will have to stick to the moody one. She has her problems, but it does look like she might be the old dog who has learnt new tricks (for me at least).
May 11, 2012, 12:52 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Little dot in Asia
Programs: AA-EP, TK-*G, HL-DM, HY-GLO, MR-LTP
Posts: 25,932
I hadn't taken BA for years till early this year when they had that promo deal in CW.. and I was quite impressed with the service overall. The only thing I hated about them is T5 !! And the horrendously high YQ that BA charges.
It would be good when one gets BA*G (again). And use them on other OW partners.
It would be good when one gets BA*G (again). And use them on other OW partners.
May 11, 2012, 1:00 pm
#3
Join Date: Apr 2008
Programs: Lord OPebble - Mucci of the Hour. Diamond Class MUCCI.Chevalier du Circle Intime de Pucci
Posts: 7,088
May 12, 2012, 4:24 pm
#5
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Scotland
Programs: BA Gold, Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 2,447
The lounges in T5 are excellent. Everything else from security that still takes way too long though the public areas that have so many retail outlets that there isn't space for people on to the interminable passport control and slow baggage delivery makes it an awful airport experience,
May 12, 2012, 4:38 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: London, UK and Southern France
Posts: 18,364
Is that in transit from elsewhere? As a LON-originating pax, I might perhaps just have been lucky but I cannot say that I have found LHR significantly worse for security delays than any other large or large-ish European airport (FRA, CDG, MUC, AMS, ZRH, FCO, etc...) and, on return, I have usually found Iris to be working at T5.
Jun 1, 2012, 3:39 am
#7
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Belfast / London
Programs: BA Gold, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Gold, MeliáRewards Platinum (no longer used)
Posts: 116
BA's takeover seems somewhat less impressive to me after being in heathrow T1 today. The line for check-in was ridiculous. It seems BMI/BA didnt think to hire anywhere near enough staff. ICC hadn't booked my flight correctly, so 1 hour and waiting in 3 queues later I finally got checked in (and that was with priority check in!) The bmi staff seemed to be pretty unhappy themselves about the lack of staff. The guy infront of me in the line was a BMI pilot and he was complaining loudly to the desk girl.
Hopefully this is the worst of the transitional stage and BA will have things operating a little more smoothly soon!
Hopefully this is the worst of the transitional stage and BA will have things operating a little more smoothly soon!
Jun 1, 2012, 4:33 am
#8
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Northern Italian Lakes
Programs: BA, *A, Hertz Goldstar, Mucci wannabee, Waitrose, safari Oleg
Posts: 1,545
A cynic might say LH's plan was always to mess around for 2 or 3 years and then unload BMI whilst keeping as many of the slots at LHR as it could for LH Group. LH has not done as badly on its other acquisitions.
Jun 1, 2012, 4:45 am
#9
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: London
Posts: 201
BA's takeover seems somewhat less impressive to me after being in heathrow T1 today. The line for check-in was ridiculous. It seems BMI/BA didnt think to hire anywhere near enough staff. ICC hadn't booked my flight correctly, so 1 hour and waiting in 3 queues later I finally got checked in (and that was with priority check in!) The bmi staff seemed to be pretty unhappy themselves about the lack of staff.
Jun 1, 2012, 4:57 am
#10
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Scotland
Programs: not a lot
Posts: 1,774
Do we know how many slots they kept in return for spending almost 1 billion euros on BD? Does it give a good price per slot?
Jun 1, 2012, 5:31 am
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold(OWE), QF LTG, MR Plat, IHG Spire, Hertz PC
Posts: 8,156
OS is a complete basket case with SN not far behind. In fact rumour has it that LH won't buy the rest of SN that it does not already own. Sorry, but only LX has done well and that is largely due to to both good managament and the collapse of SR which allowed it to take out all the bad.