Things BA should learn from other airlines
#1
Original Poster

Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: MEX
Programs: BA Gold; *G
Posts: 80
Things BA should learn from other airlines
Sure some of this has been covered before although it didn't come up in a quick search. I am pretty loyal to BA but when I do stray, it becomes very apparent there are a few areas BA could really improve by just looking at what their competitors / alliance partners are doing:
- boarding - having a procedure that is stuck to and that doesn't end up in the whole plane descending on one agent at the same time
- baggage transfer - unreliable at Heathrow in a way that it isn't at US airports
- starters - in Y, starters tend to be carb mess with mayonnaise. in C the salads come with some dressing that surely most people don't like: chilli lemon? If something decent can't be afforded, don't do one.
- collecting rubbish in the cabin as they go along - a BA plane looks much messier than their competitors by the end of the flight because the crew very rarely collect rubbish
- cleanliness of the flight on boarding - BA has to be one of the worst of its main competitors at this.
- assistance in transfer at Heathrow - why do other airlines announce gates and BA never does? Sometimes competitors meet people with tight connections too....
I like BA and will stick to them. I like the tea, the chat from the captain, the fact that they seem to try to fly around turbulence rather than straight through it, the London Pride... I could go on. But put some effort into sorting these things out BA please....
- boarding - having a procedure that is stuck to and that doesn't end up in the whole plane descending on one agent at the same time
- baggage transfer - unreliable at Heathrow in a way that it isn't at US airports
- starters - in Y, starters tend to be carb mess with mayonnaise. in C the salads come with some dressing that surely most people don't like: chilli lemon? If something decent can't be afforded, don't do one.
- collecting rubbish in the cabin as they go along - a BA plane looks much messier than their competitors by the end of the flight because the crew very rarely collect rubbish
- cleanliness of the flight on boarding - BA has to be one of the worst of its main competitors at this.
- assistance in transfer at Heathrow - why do other airlines announce gates and BA never does? Sometimes competitors meet people with tight connections too....
I like BA and will stick to them. I like the tea, the chat from the captain, the fact that they seem to try to fly around turbulence rather than straight through it, the London Pride... I could go on. But put some effort into sorting these things out BA please....
#4



Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: BOS
Programs: BA Silver, Mucci
Posts: 5,290
in C the salads come with some dressing that surely most people don't like: chilli lemon? If something decent can't be afforded, don't do one.
Wouldn't not opening the bottle and not putting it on your salad bring about the same result? That way those of us who love the chili salad dressing would still get to eat it. (Although I think I've finally perfected making it at home now.
)
- collecting rubbish in the cabin as they go along - a BA plane looks much messier than their competitors by the end of the flight because the crew very rarely collect rubbish
I agree with this one. I always seem to end up with rubbish and nowhere to put it.
Wouldn't not opening the bottle and not putting it on your salad bring about the same result? That way those of us who love the chili salad dressing would still get to eat it. (Although I think I've finally perfected making it at home now.
)- collecting rubbish in the cabin as they go along - a BA plane looks much messier than their competitors by the end of the flight because the crew very rarely collect rubbish
I agree with this one. I always seem to end up with rubbish and nowhere to put it.
#5
Join Date: Jun 2008
Programs: TK*G (E+), IHG Plat Ambassador
Posts: 7,884
Deep clean toilets more frequently. After switching from BA to Star Alliance (Company policy, after T5 opening fiasco), I was shocked how clean toilets are on Lufthansa aircraft (that sometimes are even older than BA's aircraft).
#6




Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: FLL
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, Marriott Bonvoy LTTE, BA Gold
Posts: 7,663
I like chilli lemon!
Using some Middle East carriers mainly as an example...
- limousine transfers
- I've always liked Qantas' domestic economy snack on a 'placemat' that doubles as a small garbage bag that can be handed to the crew easily and cleanly.
- sundaes (!)
- on-board bar
- decent 'buses' (eg. QR in Doha having Premium-only vans for transfers to the Premium terminal - they're actually nice, and not overcrowded either)
- improved amenity kits - sooooo downhill these days. Remember the Molton Brown ones?
- CW get to dine on demand (eg. EY)
- no Smirnoff please.
It's not hard to get a decent vodka on board.
- speak French (like AC does)*
*joking!
Using some Middle East carriers mainly as an example...
- limousine transfers
- I've always liked Qantas' domestic economy snack on a 'placemat' that doubles as a small garbage bag that can be handed to the crew easily and cleanly.
- sundaes (!)
- on-board bar
- decent 'buses' (eg. QR in Doha having Premium-only vans for transfers to the Premium terminal - they're actually nice, and not overcrowded either)
- improved amenity kits - sooooo downhill these days. Remember the Molton Brown ones?
- CW get to dine on demand (eg. EY)
- no Smirnoff please.
- speak French (like AC does)*
*joking!
#8
Moderator: The British Airways Club


Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Battleaxe Alliance
Posts: 22,181
#9
Moderator: The British Airways Club


Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Battleaxe Alliance
Posts: 22,181
I think BA should improve the premium class food presentation.
Bring back chocolates to CE!
Hot towels please.
I like this too. There are many things that QF do that I do not like, but this is my favourite.
It provides a form of barrier against dirty table too.
Bring back chocolates to CE!
Hot towels please.
It provides a form of barrier against dirty table too.
#13
Join Date: Jun 2008
Programs: TK*G (E+), IHG Plat Ambassador
Posts: 7,884
Wifi is now offered for free in LH lounges. Poor food? Obviously my last CW flight was in 2007, so maybe food on BA now improved (but I doubt, judging by the number of negative comments on this forum) but I have never experienced really poor food on LH in long-haul C.
#14


Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: NYC, SLC, LAX
Programs: AA EXP, UA Plat
Posts: 4,014
Me too. It's like clockwork. Literally, all the time, the first bags that come out always have that shiny orange "priority" thing on them.

More plastic? Come on. Doesn't air travel already generate enough waste without having another 150 plastic bags per day coming from Y on each BA flight?
More plastic? Come on. Doesn't air travel already generate enough waste without having another 150 plastic bags per day coming from Y on each BA flight?
#15
Join Date: Jul 2007
Programs: QFF
Posts: 5,304




