Why do you fly BA?
Feb 23, 2013, 8:04 am
#46
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: MAN DXB ✈️
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 6,831
Key reasons for me to fly BA:
- Excellent safety track record and reputation
- I am well looked after by them, without any hyperbole.
- LHR is my home airport and BA's offering there is the best
- Part of One World with all the connections, options and avios earning/burning that brings
- I normally travel in J and I love the CW product, especially its privacy
I can't stand the kitschy "coolness" of VS or the bling of EK and the like, I am allergic to that sort of thing. Give me understatement any time.
What are you talking about? BA has a very generous baggage offering and a very easy-going hand luggage approach. You get two bags of 23kg in WT+ and even on a full fare Y ticket! In CW you get 2x32kg, and 3x32kg in F.
If you are a loyal BA customer and have at least a Silver card, it's at least 2 bags in any cabin on any ticket.
Most BA CC are excellent. On the use of headphones/devices you should simply follow instructions. It's rather boorish to not do so and then complain you're being told off.
The divider is up pretty much all the time and in the end CW offers much greater privacy than other J seats on other airlines.
I love the A380 and BA is bringing them into play.
This has been discussed endlessly elsewhere, but I find the BA fares both competitive and reasonable. If you buy an inflexible ticket, well then don't moan if it costs money to change it. Some people want it both ways: cheap tickets, yet the flexibility of a full fare flexible ticket.
- Excellent safety track record and reputation
- I am well looked after by them, without any hyperbole.
- LHR is my home airport and BA's offering there is the best
- Part of One World with all the connections, options and avios earning/burning that brings
- I normally travel in J and I love the CW product, especially its privacy
I can't stand the kitschy "coolness" of VS or the bling of EK and the like, I am allergic to that sort of thing. Give me understatement any time.
What are you talking about? BA has a very generous baggage offering and a very easy-going hand luggage approach. You get two bags of 23kg in WT+ and even on a full fare Y ticket! In CW you get 2x32kg, and 3x32kg in F.
If you are a loyal BA customer and have at least a Silver card, it's at least 2 bags in any cabin on any ticket.
Most BA CC are excellent. On the use of headphones/devices you should simply follow instructions. It's rather boorish to not do so and then complain you're being told off.The divider is up pretty much all the time and in the end CW offers much greater privacy than other J seats on other airlines.
I love the A380 and BA is bringing them into play.
This has been discussed endlessly elsewhere, but I find the BA fares both competitive and reasonable. If you buy an inflexible ticket, well then don't moan if it costs money to change it. Some people want it both ways: cheap tickets, yet the flexibility of a full fare flexible ticket.
Ek suites are very impressive.
I agree with most posters here...ex uk to the states there are not many decent alternatives.
There was rumours of an ek ex man to JFK but looks like it will be Milan to JFK now...
Feb 23, 2013, 8:48 am
#48
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Home: East Mids UK - Work (Base): Accra, Ghana.
Programs: BAEC: Silver - Marriott: Titanium
Posts: 12,086
I fly with BA because I work for them... 
Give me another airline where I can fly too and from the US for either £120 or about £400 in J, then I will give it a whirl...
Give me another airline where I can fly too and from the US for either £120 or about £400 in J, then I will give it a whirl...
Feb 23, 2013, 8:53 am
#49
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: SE1, London
Posts: 23,449
They fly direct to many places from London. They have a reasonable - though no longer market leading - J bed. This is unlike a certain ME airline where the bulk of their LH fleet still has wedgie seats and even fly planes with cradle seats which puts them behind AF. The FFP is good value apart from the TFC's. I don;t have to get off the plane in the middle of the night to transfer in some horrifically overcrowded ME airport.
The FFP is good value apart from the TFC's. I don;t have to get off the plane in the middle of the night to transfer in some horrifically overcrowded ME airport.
Feb 23, 2013, 8:53 am
#50
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: MAN DXB ✈️
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 6,831
Feb 23, 2013, 9:10 am
#52
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: FRA
Programs: BA Silver, LH SEN
Posts: 508
Feb 23, 2013, 9:13 am
#53
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: London
Programs: BA Silver Seigneur des Horaires des Mucci.
Posts: 2,047
It is fun to experiment with other airlines especially for lesisure and for the same reasons chosing the airline of your destination can be fun too.
BA is up there with the top 5 or so in terms of quality. It comes down to how 'special' an airline can make you feel.
I agree with an earlier poster that CX probably does this best of a non british airline. Also agree with the Comments of the falseness of VS who make you feel guilty for seeking some reality from the hype.
Surprisingly some of my most notable flights have been with American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines and Azerbaijan Airlines! (Often drpends on why you are flying to a destination)
Feb 23, 2013, 9:24 am
#54
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: UK
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 128
I like the cabin crew on BA - so much so that I am genuinely disappointed if I encounter a member of CC having a bad day because 99% of the time they are hugely professional without being too aloof.
I remember flying to SFO on BA about 15 years ago and being struck at how good the CC were at their jobs. A month later I flew VS to New York and the difference was staggering - the service was very superficial and at times unprofessional.
I didn't fly BA regularly for many years because it was always cheaper to cross the pond on a US carrier or head out to Thailand on a ME airline when I lived in London. I liked QR and am genuinely glad to see them join OW.
Now I am back in Scotland I more often than not find BA offer the best fares and the best flexibility for me -I am a leisure traveller and I love the WT+ product.
I also love Terminal 5 and am happy to transit through there - something I couldn't say about many other European airports.
I remember flying to SFO on BA about 15 years ago and being struck at how good the CC were at their jobs. A month later I flew VS to New York and the difference was staggering - the service was very superficial and at times unprofessional.
I didn't fly BA regularly for many years because it was always cheaper to cross the pond on a US carrier or head out to Thailand on a ME airline when I lived in London. I liked QR and am genuinely glad to see them join OW.
Now I am back in Scotland I more often than not find BA offer the best fares and the best flexibility for me -I am a leisure traveller and I love the WT+ product.
I also love Terminal 5 and am happy to transit through there - something I couldn't say about many other European airports.
Feb 23, 2013, 9:26 am
#55
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Helvetia
Programs: AS; BA Silver; UA; HH Gold; Sprüngli Connaisseur
Posts: 2,914
The options from Europe to SEA when not connecting on the east coast are BA, DL, and LH these days. In Y, LH and DL are okay, LH is the better, and both have two seats going on the sides of the AC. However on DL and LH there is just one option for a connecting flight outbound from ZRH in order to catch the flight, and that's the 7:00am flight. With BA, I have the option of a flight where I can get up at a relatively normal time.
The connections these days in T5 are better than trying to connect in FRA or CDG, though AMS isn't too bad.
By the time I add up paying for an extra bag, WT+ doesn't look bad, and I don't mind having a little extra space. Though, I really don't know what it's really like as I got upgraded.
So, it's pretty much the connection, flight time and WT+ that has me flying BA.
The connections these days in T5 are better than trying to connect in FRA or CDG, though AMS isn't too bad.
By the time I add up paying for an extra bag, WT+ doesn't look bad, and I don't mind having a little extra space. Though, I really don't know what it's really like as I got upgraded.
So, it's pretty much the connection, flight time and WT+ that has me flying BA.
Feb 23, 2013, 9:30 am
#56
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: FRA
Programs: BA Silver, LH SEN
Posts: 508
Funny enough, I experience the "taking a bit of home with you phenomenon", when travelling on LH: helps me adjust to a certain level of roughness even before touching the ground in FRA, very useful.
Feb 23, 2013, 9:39 am
#57
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: UK
Programs: Mucci. And BA Gold – previous awards - Gold 11, Silver 7, Bronze 4.
Posts: 4,236
Because it is British... and I know many nationals of many countries who always fly the flag first.
Because it has the best FF scheme if you actually live in the UK.
And finally... because it is there.... I live close to BA Central... AKA LHR!
Because it has the best FF scheme if you actually live in the UK.
And finally... because it is there.... I live close to BA Central... AKA LHR!
Last edited by BA or bust; Feb 25, 2013 at 3:58 am
Feb 23, 2013, 10:41 am
#58
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Somewhere over the rainbow.
Programs: BA Gold!/OWE
Posts: 177
I live in London, my family lives in Massachusetts so I do a fair amount of travel to Boston. My choices for direct flights are VS, BA or AA. I've flown all three and I pick BA.
Feb 23, 2013, 10:55 am
#59
Join Date: Feb 2011
Programs: BA Blue
Posts: 303
I fly BA because I feel for the price of a WT ticket, I am getting a good product. I find the allowance for bags generous.
I have had some issues with CS from time to time, however with that said it is usually my lack of understanding of the rules. All airlines have rules.
Although the OP is entitled to his/her opinion, I have never found the Cabin Crew uptight. Cabin crew are implementing rules that they themselves do not set. Quite frankly I am glad they do. They are a vital part of what keeps us safe in a flight.
I do have to say though...don't like the snack in Y that is passed of as a breakfast on long hauls. Look forward to skipping that and buying something decent in T1 or a nice warm toastie on EI :-)
I have had some issues with CS from time to time, however with that said it is usually my lack of understanding of the rules. All airlines have rules.
Although the OP is entitled to his/her opinion, I have never found the Cabin Crew uptight. Cabin crew are implementing rules that they themselves do not set. Quite frankly I am glad they do. They are a vital part of what keeps us safe in a flight.
I do have to say though...don't like the snack in Y that is passed of as a breakfast on long hauls. Look forward to skipping that and buying something decent in T1 or a nice warm toastie on EI :-)
Last edited by micheli; Feb 23, 2013 at 11:11 am Reason: Poor sentence structure corrected :-)