I didn't expect rose petals....but
#31
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Robin Hood Territory
Programs: BA Silver, MUCCI des Soins Medicaux, Le mdecin personnel PUCCI GALORE
Posts: 1,613
#32
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: LHR
Programs: Accor PLT,Thai Silver, HH Dia, SPG Titanium (LT Gold), Aegean Gold, BA Silver
Posts: 5,120
No wonder the country is in such a shambles.
#33
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
There have been a few ageist/sexist comments in this last week and I find them most unwelcome on a frequent flyer forum. A person's age, sex or "hotness" has zero to do with their ability to do a job well.
#34
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,060
Wow !
I am suprised, nay amazed that a little criticism gets such a reaction.
I never WANTED the BA experience to be bad, tbh, I was looking forward to it, my last BA expreience was in Y to Bermuda and back, and it was great, load levels meant there were more CC than pax, and we all had a row to ourselves, several rows in fact.
To be honest, I'm not too sure why saying the only good member of the CC was "pretty young thing", at least she had the time to smile now and again, and was the only one who appeared to be bothered.
I will report back, to see if the return leg was any better, I have had poor crews on Ek too, so it's not unique to BA, I was just genuinely disspointed wihtthe whole experience, perhaps, as the World's favoutite airline, with the newly ressurected "to serve to fly" motto, I was expecting too much ! All I seemed to get was "to serve to dissapear behind the curtain".
I never WANTED the BA experience to be bad, tbh, I was looking forward to it, my last BA expreience was in Y to Bermuda and back, and it was great, load levels meant there were more CC than pax, and we all had a row to ourselves, several rows in fact.
To be honest, I'm not too sure why saying the only good member of the CC was "pretty young thing", at least she had the time to smile now and again, and was the only one who appeared to be bothered.
I will report back, to see if the return leg was any better, I have had poor crews on Ek too, so it's not unique to BA, I was just genuinely disspointed wihtthe whole experience, perhaps, as the World's favoutite airline, with the newly ressurected "to serve to fly" motto, I was expecting too much ! All I seemed to get was "to serve to dissapear behind the curtain".
#35
Join Date: May 2005
Location: UK
Programs: BAEC (Gold), Hilton (Gold)
Posts: 4,168
I will report back, to see if the return leg was any better, I have had poor crews on Ek too, so it's not unique to BA, I was just genuinely disspointed wihtthe whole experience, perhaps, as the World's favoutite airline, with the newly ressurected "to serve to fly" motto, I was expecting too much ! All I seemed to get was "to serve to dissapear behind the curtain".
BAH
#36
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges and Environmentally Friendly Travel
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: London, UK
Posts: 22,224
Folks,
tezzer is online at the moment. This provides us all with a perfect opportunity to help out, share our own [travel] experiences etc. Let's stick to the topic.
Prospero
Moderator: BAEC forum
tezzer is online at the moment. This provides us all with a perfect opportunity to help out, share our own [travel] experiences etc. Let's stick to the topic.
Prospero
Moderator: BAEC forum
Last edited by Prospero; Jan 22, 2012 at 11:00 am Reason: Add clarity
#37
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Robin Hood Territory
Programs: BA Silver, MUCCI des Soins Medicaux, Le mdecin personnel PUCCI GALORE
Posts: 1,613
The good news is that whenever I have had a bad experience, it has usually been met with a vastly different one to follow. So fingers crossed that your return is indeed much better.
#38
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 45
This is new BA policy to welcome people travelling for the first time in CW or F, and/or their obtaining bronze, silver or gold status. It's done to make them feel welcome and valued as customers. The vast majority of passengers are absolutely thrilled to be acknowledge by name and DO feel special as a result.
#39
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,060
In fact, let me go further, who WANTS a poor travel experience ? Really wants a poor time ?
Not me for sure, I want a pleasant, trouble free trip, with as few ripples as possible, doesn't everyone ?
Not me for sure, I want a pleasant, trouble free trip, with as few ripples as possible, doesn't everyone ?
#40
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
Priority boarding IS done for all F, CW and gold and silver passengers. They are also invited to board at their leisure.
However, we cannot hold back 200+ passengers in WT and WT+ until all the CW and F passengers get down from the lounge. If we did then the aircraft would be extensively delayed every day.
From the sounds of things you got down to the gate after priority boarding had been offered, and by the time you got there regular boarding had commenced. Unfortunately this is sometimes the case.
Jenbel - I note your comment "It's a shame that someone who flies such a lot found that BA was not as good an experience as on airlines he flies more often" Did you not see that the OP said he's not flown with BA for around 15 years or so? Maybe it used to be often then, but not so much these days.
However, we cannot hold back 200+ passengers in WT and WT+ until all the CW and F passengers get down from the lounge. If we did then the aircraft would be extensively delayed every day.
From the sounds of things you got down to the gate after priority boarding had been offered, and by the time you got there regular boarding had commenced. Unfortunately this is sometimes the case.
Jenbel - I note your comment "It's a shame that someone who flies such a lot found that BA was not as good an experience as on airlines he flies more often" Did you not see that the OP said he's not flown with BA for around 15 years or so? Maybe it used to be often then, but not so much these days.
#41
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: UK
Posts: 11,969
Your post didn't sound too unrealistic to me so I'm sorry you received a few odd responses.
I also hope that saying nice things about people like " where a nice lady welcomed me to my first trip in the CW cabin" and "a pretty young thing who was always there with a friendly smile as she walked past " doesn't make us all objects of hate!
Hope you have a good return trip.
#42
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: back to my roots in Scotland!
Programs: Tamsin - what else is there to say?
Posts: 47,843
Jenbel - I note your comment "It's a shame that someone who flies such a lot found that BA was not as good an experience as on airlines he flies more often" Did you not see that the OP said he's not flown with BA for around 15 years or so? Maybe it used to be often then, but not so much these days.
Over the past 15 years, I have used BA very little, a lack of regional departures mean I use KLM (Humberside) or Emirates (Manchester) for my 35 or so long haul business trips a year.
That he does not fly BA does not mean he is not a frequent flyer - this may be a foreign concept to some of the BA board
#44
Join Date: May 2008
Location: The North
Programs: BAEC Gold, EK Gold, QR Silver, HH Diamond
Posts: 455
This CW "newbie welcome" is an idea with its heart in the right place, but equally could well backfire (as it has here) and hence should be deployed only with great skill, sensitivity and sound data profiling.
I can imagine some of my friends (perhaps leisure travellers) who would feel like a million dollars for receiving such a personal welcome . . . equally others are trying to do exactly the opposite and will gain their sense of satisfaction from 'fitting in' and not standing out as a newbie . . . and there will be others who once had high status in the programme and feel grossly insulted on some deep level by being treated as a newbie. (I wonder if this set the tone for the OP's entire experience, quite possibly). Asking quite a lot of the desk staff to be sensitive to all that lot and respond accordingly.
As for the OP's experience it needs to be recognised that BA has, on a bad day, crews capable of delivering from boarding to disembarking absolutely no sense of a premium experience whatsoever to people who have shifted a big pile of wedge - that is a serious problem though happily IME a rare one - and by the way, what's that about with a CC that refuses to loan a pen - don't they hand them out free back in the WTP cabin?
I can imagine some of my friends (perhaps leisure travellers) who would feel like a million dollars for receiving such a personal welcome . . . equally others are trying to do exactly the opposite and will gain their sense of satisfaction from 'fitting in' and not standing out as a newbie . . . and there will be others who once had high status in the programme and feel grossly insulted on some deep level by being treated as a newbie. (I wonder if this set the tone for the OP's entire experience, quite possibly). Asking quite a lot of the desk staff to be sensitive to all that lot and respond accordingly.
As for the OP's experience it needs to be recognised that BA has, on a bad day, crews capable of delivering from boarding to disembarking absolutely no sense of a premium experience whatsoever to people who have shifted a big pile of wedge - that is a serious problem though happily IME a rare one - and by the way, what's that about with a CC that refuses to loan a pen - don't they hand them out free back in the WTP cabin?
#45
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
My apologies - I was reading the part where he said he hadn't flown with BA for about 15 years.
If that was the case then he WOULD be welcomed to the CW cabin as BA would be unlikely to be aware of his travel patterns from so long ago. I honestly find it hard that anybody could be offended with being welcomed by name.
I'd certainly like it but as I'm neither a new SCH and have flown dozens of times in CW I don't qualify.
If that was the case then he WOULD be welcomed to the CW cabin as BA would be unlikely to be aware of his travel patterns from so long ago. I honestly find it hard that anybody could be offended with being welcomed by name.
I'd certainly like it but as I'm neither a new SCH and have flown dozens of times in CW I don't qualify.