ComputerCommuter

I arrived tonight at T3, the usual oyster card bus service, which is P**sing me off!! The flight had been poor, staff were marginal at best. Captain must have been ex-Ryanair - when the duty free came around, mysteriously the seat belt sign went on. I'm serious!!

The purser/CSD/?? was clearly straight out of training. The crew were definitely not one of the best for a number of reasons.

So the event. Leaving the aircraft, I was directly behind the last of the Club Passengers, a lady, I allowed out who was slow in getting her things. So I'm behind her at the door I hear something, I have a cold, slightly deaf also in right ear - Genuine. The next thing is I feel my jacket being pulled. I stopped and looked: boy wonder (CSD/Purser/Pr*ck. I ask the problem and say I have a car to catch. I'm told off CE only etc etc etc. I get annoyed. I state CE sale tickets over GCH is it what BA has become! If he had done his job, he should have known who was on the plane. Instead he's focused on "perceived money". He tells me I'm aggressive. Yes when you grab my jacket just as I'm about to put put a foot on a step - carrying a carry-on bag

So an interesting, thought. BA are happy to get GCH on as fast as possible but when you're in a hurry to get off, you're pooo!! Dog Sh*t on the crew's shoes!

Physically restraining you from leaving an aircraft to join a poxy CE bus I think is bad.

So, what would be BA's feedback be when my GC goes in an envelope and says thanks but.... after all if I'm going to be treated like everyone else in my class why bother, what is status!! "what is status now on BA?" I'm going to be bused to T3 and made to wait like everyone else. Unless you are hopping across the pond, BA doesn't give toss!

Yes I'm annoyed!!

corporate-wage-slave

Just to translate this ever so slightly, at T3 these days CE / CW travellers have their own bus transfer to the terminal buildings - very few short haul flights seemed to be airbridged and there is construction work going on at the moment which is contributing to it. The ride is actually rather short, typically around the construction work. A second bus is laid on for economy.

I think it is perfectly reasonably for CE passengers to have their own bus, and GCH (and everyone else) should accept that. Being grabbed by the jacket is possibly poor form, but so is trying to access a service that you have not paid for.

Jenbel

I don't think it's appropriate for BA staff to assault their passengers, no matter the situation.

sunrisegirl

Unfortunately it does appear that way.

Would it be possible to tone this down a little so everybody can understand and help you.

oscietra

Quite right.



Completely ridiculous to suggest this was assault. Just silly.

EuropeanPete

I think the CE buses are a step forward, but it sounds like the Purser didn't handle it as well as he could have. Grabbing at a passenger should really be a no-no, but it's possible he thought the OP was just ignoring him?

G-BOAC

What a pathetic DYKWIA rant - even worse for not being from a first time poster to boot! I don't expect to use the CE bus as a GGL, let alone as a "mere" Gold. It's a CE bus not a 'CE plus any random Golds we have to wait for dotted about ET too' bus.

OP is "a bit deaf" (shown on the manifest so the crew know and can engage appropriately?) and ignored (or did not respond to) crew instruction so the crew got the OP's attention another way. Lightly tugging at a jacket? Touching an arm to get attention? Jesus. It's not like they assaulted the OP by twatting them in the face...which it sounds like he could have done with for being aggressive ("Yes" he was, says the OP himself) and rude (calling the CSD a Prick here would indicate that) and going off on one

Grow up.

Old Coaster

Why shouldn't gold and silver card holders be granted this facility too? After all, they are entitled to priority boarding why not priority de-boarding?

Jenbel

Not really. Having had family members trained in the legal definition of assault (so that they know what they can and cannot do in the course of their job), my understanding is that any form of physical restraint to a person, where that person is presenting no danger to the public or themselves is assault. Now, I could be wrong in this, but I don't think it's 'silly' or 'ridiculous' to state it is assault. Perhaps you might share some fact based evidence - or indeed anything other than your own rather pro-BA opinion - to counter my point?

I wonder what the response would be on this thread to a crew member who was restrained like this by a passenger? Would they be similarly as dismissive?

LTN Phobia

Completely agreed.

I can imagine for practical reasons it is not possible to offer the "GCHs can use the CE bus" service - I can just imagine the chaos in the cabin with some GCHs trying to get past others to board the CE bus if this is offered. There just isn't enough space in the aisle for that.

Having one's jacket grabbed is not so good, and the OP could file a complaint about that being rude, but I do not think the OP could complain about not being allowed on the CE bus.

Priority disembarkation is not part of the BA Gold benefits.

Skipcool3

How do you know the purser / csd was "straight out of training???
If BA lay on a bus for CE then it is for CE.
How do you know who was on a cheap CE fare?

True, I don't think the purser / csd should have tugged your jacket, but it does appear that they tried to talk to you first......

Perhaps they should have lightly touched you shoulder.....

I am sure that BA would love to operate all flights from T5 and airbridge every one of them....... but we all know what Heathrow is like.... a quart in a pint pot!!!!

corporate-wage-slave

Because it wouldn't work - the OP was at the front of ET, but he and random silvers could be right down the back so it would hold every one up.

You want CE bus? You pay CE bus. Incidentally, waiting 5 more minutes is unlikely to change your life.

nomad1974

+1

Good point. Well, there's only one way to find out. Keep us posted, please

Speedbird218

As its not part of the T&Cs of being a gold/Silver card holder ?

From a process perspective for the CC, it is totally impractical.

rossmacd

+1

Sense of entitlement and all that