How short are you from (re)qualifying? What stopped you?
Dec 27, 2010, 11:33 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: LHR
Programs: UA P, BA S, A3 *G, IHG Plat, Marriott Lt P, Hilton Gld, etc.
Posts: 1,079
How short are you from (re)qualifying? What stopped you?
Hi, I was almost there - 590TPs before all this misfortune snowfall.
After a lot of soul searching I decided not to re-qualify and potentially to avoid BA at all cost. My reasons behind it were:
1) As biggest user of LHR it is most likely that BA will cancel all flights while onther small (say star alliance or skyteam) carriers will still operate. I think this point is more or less confirmed in past 2 years of disruptions... Moreover, when snow hit Russia this week and render DME inop - guess which airline declared their flights as cancelled for a day first? it starts with "B" and it's not BD. I dont want my airline of choice to do that.
2) Being stuck out of UK for past weather disruption it was hilarious to see a coincidence of BA cancelling all flights for a day almost exactly the same time LGW reported their runway to be cleared. I dont want my airline of choice to do that.
3) BA handling of the disruption is appaling. It can not even be compared to some non-eu carriers. You may not believe this, but flying mostly by US carriers before, I never had a situation where my flight was cancelled and I wouldn't already be rebooked to some alternative flights. BA SOP in this extent is grossly appaling - the unfortunate sob whose flight was cancelled will have to queue ad infinitum at the customer service desks to have their flights reboooked.
BA may have competitive business class offering and may be N1 in terms of convenience flying somewhere out of LHR/LGW. The Problem is - when I ask myself "can this airline be trusted to handle my flights in good times and bad times" - the answer is "no". Yes I received the letter from Willie Walsh which is unfortunately full of corporate BS - not convincing. I actually replied to that pretty much repeating what I just said. Good-bye BA, you lost a passenger doing 8-10 transcon or transpac flights a year in business. I hope that the revenue I take with me will serve better airlines somewhere else.
AX
After a lot of soul searching I decided not to re-qualify and potentially to avoid BA at all cost. My reasons behind it were:
1) As biggest user of LHR it is most likely that BA will cancel all flights while onther small (say star alliance or skyteam) carriers will still operate. I think this point is more or less confirmed in past 2 years of disruptions... Moreover, when snow hit Russia this week and render DME inop - guess which airline declared their flights as cancelled for a day first? it starts with "B" and it's not BD. I dont want my airline of choice to do that.
2) Being stuck out of UK for past weather disruption it was hilarious to see a coincidence of BA cancelling all flights for a day almost exactly the same time LGW reported their runway to be cleared. I dont want my airline of choice to do that.
3) BA handling of the disruption is appaling. It can not even be compared to some non-eu carriers. You may not believe this, but flying mostly by US carriers before, I never had a situation where my flight was cancelled and I wouldn't already be rebooked to some alternative flights. BA SOP in this extent is grossly appaling - the unfortunate sob whose flight was cancelled will have to queue ad infinitum at the customer service desks to have their flights reboooked.
BA may have competitive business class offering and may be N1 in terms of convenience flying somewhere out of LHR/LGW. The Problem is - when I ask myself "can this airline be trusted to handle my flights in good times and bad times" - the answer is "no". Yes I received the letter from Willie Walsh which is unfortunately full of corporate BS - not convincing. I actually replied to that pretty much repeating what I just said. Good-bye BA, you lost a passenger doing 8-10 transcon or transpac flights a year in business. I hope that the revenue I take with me will serve better airlines somewhere else.
AX
Dec 27, 2010, 12:49 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,187
Me ... 90 points off Silver.
Her ... 80 points off Silver.
We have a forward booking that will trigger 80 on the outbound sectors, and give us 3 weeks to ensure BA have them in the system ... then it will be Silver coming home. I just need a cheap TP run!
I'm sticking with BA, because for the sectors I need there's virtually no choice.
Her ... 80 points off Silver.
We have a forward booking that will trigger 80 on the outbound sectors, and give us 3 weeks to ensure BA have them in the system ... then it will be Silver coming home. I just need a cheap TP run!
I'm sticking with BA, because for the sectors I need there's virtually no choice.
Dec 27, 2010, 12:51 pm
#7
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Earth
Programs: Proud owner of 3 Mucci's (yes, 3!) the latest being Chevaliere des Bains Chauds, BA Silver (6 yrs)
Posts: 10,985
Are you aware that BA fly out of LGW so not ALL their flights were cancelled?
Dec 27, 2010, 1:20 pm
#8
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Dorchester, Dorset UK
Programs: BA Gold, BMI, ANA, HH Blue, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,082
As always I am well short, at least in tier points.
However, I think you'll find that now that the gov't has realised what a shambles BAA are at LHR, these chaotic scenes shouldn't be repeated, so BA must still be an excellent bet at both LHR and LGW.
If you want a negative response and lots of defections, then you're probably asking the question in the wrong place.
However, I think you'll find that now that the gov't has realised what a shambles BAA are at LHR, these chaotic scenes shouldn't be repeated, so BA must still be an excellent bet at both LHR and LGW.
If you want a negative response and lots of defections, then you're probably asking the question in the wrong place.
Dec 27, 2010, 1:22 pm
#9
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Kyiv, Ukraine, & London, UK
Programs: BA Gold; HH Gold; M&M; PS Classic; VV Silver (deceased); BD Silver (deceased).
Posts: 3,604
Please could you get BA to move the KBP flights to LGW 
then I'll have a choice of BA, PS and, from next summer, VV as well ...
As to how many points I'm short of re-qualifying this year, I'll more than re-qualify for silver, which sadly means quite a few wasted TPs
I'll have to move to Europe.
then I'll have a choice of BA, PS and, from next summer, VV as well ...As to how many points I'm short of re-qualifying this year, I'll more than re-qualify for silver, which sadly means quite a few wasted TPs
I'll have to move to Europe.
Dec 27, 2010, 1:29 pm
#10
Join Date: Feb 2003
Programs: Sir CT-UK - Streaker pour les autres.
Posts: 5,914
