BingBongBoy

Not that I have heard.

sunrisegirl

Mature years = experience

I don't have any green ink! Oops, hold on I've just found a green biro

ELAL

What a great report, keep them coming please!

vla

Please remember that, as part of a trip report, it is customary in this forum to post one's shenanigans and hi-jinx on the occasion of one's 18th birthday in Amsterdam.

AeroWesty

Interesting read, andset, thanks for posting.

I would venture a guess that ever since the early years of FT passed, and airline staff became aware of this site too, it feels as if their need to defend their honor has increased, rather than gripes as a percentage of the filler increasing all that substantially. For example, it only took until the fourth page of this forum for a thread to be started which was conservatively entitled "BA Configuration Change Announcement"�no exclamation marks, no words in all caps to mark the thread as a showstopper�even though it was an alert regarding BA reducing long haul Y-class seats by 50% plus eliminating their lowest seat-filling fares. It received 13 replies. That was 1999.

Even though I don't fly nearly as much as I did back in the halcyon days of FF programs, on occasion I like to keep up with how various airlines I've flown with have changed over time, as I still do fly, even if the breadth and depth of my travels aren't as varied, so I read threads like these now and then. The bottom line is that this site is not only about how to use FF programs to one's advantage, it's also become about the service passengers receive en route, like it or lump it.

There were a few flights I took during my busiest travel years that probably could have rated a good ranting thread, but there wasn't anywhere other than the printed press or Customer Service to write to about it, so there were few experiences described in public for anyone to defend.

Last night I was reading a trip report on another forum from a few months back where the author captioned a photo with that his champagne flute wasn't turned so that the SQ logo was facing him, as SQ service standards in First require. It didn't take anyone who appeared to be SQ staff to criticize him for commenting on this diversion from the usual standard, a few readers took that up for themselves by calling the author a snob.

Perhaps there's less need for airline staff to be bothered about what people write in these forums regarding service experiences, and instead just let those views roll off like when water meets a duck's back. The readership here and on other similar forums aren't exactly bashful when it comes to alternate viewpoints to what's posted.

Bar Operator

Let's be honest, to the occasional flyer, there is little difference between BA's shorthaul Y product and easyJet etc.

In a concerted effort to simply survive, BA is about to cut staffing levels on many European flights to the legal minimum. Club loads will determine last-minute "top-ups" of cabin crew to provide some degree of decent service (or simply to ensure the Club service can be completed in 40-50 minutes).

Under the above circumstances it's going to be difficult for 1-2 of even the most motivated crew to provide a personalised service to 20+ Club pax on a 40-minute flight. The only alternative is to put an extra staff member onboard; I can't see that happening soon.

I've operated LHR-AMS as a crewmember in the past, and with the best will in the world, I can't remember there being enough time to look at the Passenger list and memorize everyone's name, or getting into pleasant conversations about how their day has been. If you only have J pax loads in single digits, well then there's time to have a quick chat ....

Jonobigblind

I always use the Airport Express when I'm in Glasgow. Number 500 from the airport to the city centre, drops me off in Nelson Mandela Square and I pick it back up outside the BoS offices on St Vincent St. Can't grumble for �6.20 return for a no hassle journey. I don't think it takes much longer than a cab and is far cheaper. Well worth a look if anyone's visiting the city

FlyerTalker6245

Photos are on, but due to FT limitation to 20 photos per post, I shall put the rest of them here.








For the rest, refer to:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/4520852...ted=4147008900

710 77345

Indeed - it's good to have different points of view posted, but I find there's people who post every time BA is criticised to pipe up with a vigorous defence and a load of rolling-eye faces
which makes me suspect it's all taken a little personally.
BA is an airline - they do some things well, and some things badly. People post their experiences as they find them. I'd hope this board would be a broad church and let people post their views and respect them. However, if you don't want to hear about bad times on BA, don't click on the threads which obviously contain moans!

cornishsimon

nice piccys!
how was the return trip ?

AJLondon

Indeed! And not only do they seemingly take it all too personally, but also appear to have some sort of chip on their shoulder(s). And the defence-at-all-costs excuses are becoming more and more ludicrous by the day, to the extent of being almost laughably funny.

+1 Spot on.

sg17463

As a regular user of public transport to/from GLA, I would thoroughly discourage anyone from using the Paisley Gilmour Street connection and instead just get the Glasgow Flyer bus from outside Central Station. Much quicker, much more comfortable (even free wi-fi!) but best of all it saves you having to go to Paisley.

Runs every 10 mins and does the journey from Central Station to the airport in approx 15 mins.

If you're travelling from outwith Glasgow and getting a through train ticket, you have to ask for a ticket to "Glasgow Airport X Bus" as I gather the standard ticket via Paisley is not valid on the Glasgow Flyer.

HIDDY

I agree that BA should be criticised where criticism is due. Lets face it they are far from perfect. Even I a BA apologist - so I've been told, have posted some negative views of their service on the ground as well as in the air.
However.....there are a few "names" who visit this forum on a regular basis with the sole intention of posting negative BA thoughts in order to wind people up. I know what the content of their posts is going to be before I even read them.......a search of their posting history reveals all.

AJLondon

I agree with both your points HIDDY. And I have no problem if these "names" are called out for doing this malarky. They are typically just trolling for a reaction.

However, recently, a lot of the typically rational / unemotional and "normal" posters have been repeatedly discredited by one or two "defenders" who just cannot seem to accept the fact that (even the odd) BA staffmember can do anything wrong whatsoever, and try to find most ridiculous justifications.

Or if they can't find justifications, then they just nitpick through hyperbole, rolleyes emoticon use or a condescending "employee knows best" attitude.

Thankfully, like onboard BA, these type of people are very few and far between. Most BA staff work extremely hard, do their utmost and take real pleasure in their jobs, and yet at the same time are open minded enough to take honest criticisms in their stride and use it to improve themselves. They thankfully don't summarily dismiss it as rubbish / tosh etc etc or claim that it just can't be true.

HIDDY

Well said. ^

Indeed - OTT pro BA talk is just as off-putting as the anti BA troll.