Gold member personal greeting
#183
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 540
Early Linate to LHR flight last Friday, after doing his greetings in CE, the CSD/CSM came down to the emergency exit row on our 319 and greeted the 4 of us card holders that had nabbed the extra leg room. That' a first for me when down the back.
#184
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Glasgow
Programs: BAEC Gold, LH, EK, QR
Posts: 354
I reached gold around 18 months ago, and had my first greeting on 21/12 - BA1484 LHR-GLA. CSD/CSM introduced himself and apologised for the delay(70 mins). I was upgraded from ET to Club while in the lounge and told him I appreciated the upgrade, he replied saying he'd noticed on the ipad, and told me to enjoy the flight.
#186
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: BA GFL. AA EXP. Amex Plat. Mucci.
Posts: 187
I travel regularly across the Atlantic in CW or F and I almost always get a personal greeting from the CSM. It's nice when the CSM is actually a friendly person (although in my experience sometimes the greeting is VERY contrived and fake, and when this happens I really wish they wouldn't bother); I even got a birthday card earlier this year on an MIA/LHR flight! They always ask me "if there is anything I can do for you Mr. themax during your journey please do not hesitate to ask, etc" and I have never actually taken them up on this offer except for one time back in April of this year. It was on a LHR/YYZ sector travelling in CW. After the CSM made his usual "offer" I said "ok, do you really mean anything?" to which he smiled and replied "we sir, anything I can do that is legal or within my power onboard this aircraft". I also smiled and said "well, can I have a glass of JW Blue from the First Class bar?" to which he replied "I'm afraid I cannot do that Sir, I'm only the CSM, not the Captain!". A few minutes later he came back with a rather full glass, which was very much enjoyed and appreciated.
#188
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Ancaster, ON, Canada
Programs: BA Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 487
Same here, 100% hit rate on Cathay and Qantas flights, but had it maybe 2 or 3 times in 50+ BA flights since becoming a GCH. I do appreciate it, although it can be a little awkward at times.
#189
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club, easyJet and Ryanair
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: UK/Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold (GGL/CCR)
Posts: 15,913
I find that I am 'recognised' on most flights with BA. It's not always a 'personal greeting' as such but a clear recognition or an acknowledgment of some kind, and often very subtle.
#190
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYZ
Programs: BA Gold/Marriott Gold/HH Diamond/IC Plat Amba
Posts: 5,988
#191
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: London
Programs: BA - Gold for Life, CCR & GGL; IC Spire Elite Ambassador; Diamond Hilton Honors; Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 6,720
Travelled ET twice this year - once I received champagne (on New Year's Day), which was very nice. No acknowledgement on the other flight in September. I was not expecting anything so my expectations were met.
#192
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: London Stratford, E7
Programs: BAEC Gold! Thanks to FT
Posts: 3,368
Recently had my first experience of this. One flight out of 5.Was sitting in 26F and CSM came down aircraft with iPad and stopped by the row. She was genuinely concerned that there were no seats further forward or did I forget to enter my membership number when booking. I told her I’d chosen this seat as there was potentially a bit more chance of someone not wanting a middle seat at back of aircraft. She seemed relived and said if there was anything she could do to let her know. I could feel eyes burning in the back of my head from fellow passengers and I did feel a bit nice inside(an inner DYKWIA moment) but think this is because it was genuine and sincere concern over my seat.
#193
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: NW London and NW Sydney
Programs: BA Diamond, Hilton Bronze, A3 Diamond, IHG *G
Posts: 6,343
Had my first ever Gold greeting in ET, I suspect because the flight was about 30% full. It was extremely awkward, which is also often the case on long-hauls when it happens.
When my wife and I select seats, we don't pay attention to which of us goes where. This results in a 50% chance of not occupying the actual seats on our boarding passes. For some reason this really confuses cabin crew and not just on BA (e.g. on QR, they have somehow mixed up our food orders even though it was a different person serving).
So this time, the CSM came past the cabin divider (we were in the second row) and started staring at my wife, seemingly surprised that a woman was sitting in the seat when the manifest specified that the Gold member was a Mr or at least had a male name. Note that the third seat in the row was unoccupied, as would be expected on an empty flight.
Rather than looking at the man sitting in the next seat, the CSM glanced at the opposite row, then the overhead row numbers and back to the list and then the rows in front and behind, before finally realising that yes, she had gone to the correct row, and 2 out of 3 seats were occupied by one GCH and one SCH, just swapped around. All this made her extremely flustered and apparently lost for words. Eventually she said something along the lines of, "You're Mr. ___, right?" [Nod] "Umm... err... because you are a Gold member... hello, thank you, ahh.... yes," and that was it before she turned around and went back into CE.
When my wife and I select seats, we don't pay attention to which of us goes where. This results in a 50% chance of not occupying the actual seats on our boarding passes. For some reason this really confuses cabin crew and not just on BA (e.g. on QR, they have somehow mixed up our food orders even though it was a different person serving).
So this time, the CSM came past the cabin divider (we were in the second row) and started staring at my wife, seemingly surprised that a woman was sitting in the seat when the manifest specified that the Gold member was a Mr or at least had a male name. Note that the third seat in the row was unoccupied, as would be expected on an empty flight.
Rather than looking at the man sitting in the next seat, the CSM glanced at the opposite row, then the overhead row numbers and back to the list and then the rows in front and behind, before finally realising that yes, she had gone to the correct row, and 2 out of 3 seats were occupied by one GCH and one SCH, just swapped around. All this made her extremely flustered and apparently lost for words. Eventually she said something along the lines of, "You're Mr. ___, right?" [Nod] "Umm... err... because you are a Gold member... hello, thank you, ahh.... yes," and that was it before she turned around and went back into CE.
#194
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Thailand
Programs: BA Silver (OWS), OZ Diamond (*G), TK Elite (*G), HH Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 361
I don’t fly BA too often but have received no preferential treatment onboard ever as GCH/GGL/CCR. Have had much better ”status treatment” on CX, KA, AY and UL for example as a BAEC elite. By that I mean upgrades, first orders and so on. On BA not even a greeting.