LondonCapeTownAnyday

Flew into Heathrow from Santorini last night, BA653. Parked at a remote stand off T5B, stairs were ready for the aircraft, disembarked straight away onto buses parked waiting for our arrival. No queues at immigration and in baggage hall 10mins after disembarkation with bags already on the belt.

A superb job and I left a very happy customer (despite special meal not being loaded onto flight so 4 hours with no food and cabin crew who were unprofessionally slagging off one of their colleagues onboard in earshot of customers).

Good job BA, particularly poignant in light of the Gatwick shambles at the moment.

hugolover

It's good the ground experience was as it should be...but only 50% of your BA experience sounds good. No meal for four hours and unprofessional CC is not good at all.

LondonCapeTownAnyday

Experience onboard wasn't great however all it takes is something to be done exceptionally to finish the journey a content customer, and in this case, the ground experience at the end of the journey was faultless.

Maybe I just don't set my expectations that highly anymore for onboard experience?

hugolover

This is a pity, it is also bizarre that I am greeted as a GCH and if I want something special on LHR-MAN vv (a 30 minute flight) statistically more than any other flight in the past year.

jacobitetraveller

ground experience sounds perfect

onboard experience not so special meal not being loaded not good but can come under the heading of sometimes these things will happen it shouldn't but it does

the unprofessional staff is something that would have annoyed me more than anything
I have not experienced it on a flight but I have within other industries
I have no qualms about writing a letter of complaint if I hear staff "slagging off " colleagues in earshot of the public

cazoz

Poor state of affairs when people (not just the OP but several) start a new thread to exclaim thanks and relay platitudes for BA doing what they are paid to do correctly and punctually.

Imagine if the rest of us had such low expectations from customers in our jobs to deliver - not even over-deliver.

LondonCapeTownAnyday

That is what annoyed me most onboard, especially as the colleague they were slagging off was doing her best but clearly was new and struggling a bit however was a delight to customers nonetheless

Cap'n Benj

Busses are great on landing as long as they AND the stairs turn up!

jacobitetraveller

well I would have no issues with naming names in a complaint

in my case (not airline related ) the person being spoken about was a gentleman with learning difficulties but very well known and very well respected in the local community

T8191

I have to agree. It's a reflection of how often BA doesn't do it very well, I suppose.

Recent flights to IAD and MLA have all been good at the arrival end.
Likewise LHR, LGW (through bags worked) and JER.
I would expect BA to deliver, the same as my local taxi driver who always arrives on the dot of the booking time.

Whether "Mr Annual Boiler Service" does the same tomorrow morning (possibly) is a different question.

jacobitetraveller

what the OP has done has commented on his recent experience

I see no reason to have a go at the OP or anyone else who makes such posts

is that not part of what FT is all about " sharing experiences "

TabTraveller

I was also on that flight OP and have to say my experience of the CC was totally different. The gentleman with the beard was fantastic and the CSM (?) was polite, attentive and engaged. I don't know if this is SOP but the guy with the beard poured ice water over the 'hot' towels so these were cool and refreshing for pax just after boarding. Haven't had this before and I thought it was a nice touch. I didn't see the other CC so can't really comment on her.

Agree with you re: handling of the steps. It was smoothly done and reminded me of DOH a little in its efficiency! The boarding process in santorini is a bit chaotic but then you might expect that. All in all a nice flight combined with a rapid exit from LHR. ^

layz

Were steps placed at the front, rear or both?

I've never experienced a seamless bus arrival in T5 but I often did in T3. My experience of bussing in T5 has always been domestics landing at international stands and then a wait for buses and steps.

paul4040

It's a welcome antidote to all of the .....ing and moaning on this board though, which BA and airport staff no doubt read. I'm sure it can be quite demoralising.

Flier74

LondonCapetownanyday- can ypu please feed back your disappointment about no special meal being loaded to BA. On this flight and other "new" destinations where we get return catered from London with the infamous sandwich box, unfortnuately there never are special meals loaded for the return and sometimes even the outbound flight,despite the Customer being able to book it Online as it is seen as a "Band 4 flight" yet itis not the proper service.
This really gives (most) Crew a headache and there is not much else loaded ,if anything, to satisfy those Customers" needs who have special dietary requirements.

As for the unprofessional conduct of the Crew- well it is not acceptable. If you write in about the mean and feel strong enough about this issue, please mention it as well with details and this should be dealt with, but of course it is not up to me to tell you to do so.