shefgab

Indeed it was. I'd have preferred the rum, but it was graciously accepted!

headingwest

Well I would have accepted too! It was a nice gesture by the CSD. ^

shefgab

I had another good (well, excellent) flight last week LGW-Spain. Got a very genunie welcome at my seat from the cabin manager (or whatever the correct title is). This was followed up after the drinks service with another offer of drinks. As she was being so friendly, I thought I'd risk asking for a champagne, but was told she wasn't able to. Lo and behold, a few minutes later my friend and I are delivered a glass of champagne each, plus our other drinks, and some nuts. All with proper CE glasses. 5*!



It was the exact type of flight that makes me value being a GCH on BA. Shame service like that is few and far between.

Strawb

Flew VIE-LHR Easter weekend and had 8F. Small noisy child sitting behind me decided to play with her seatback table and do a few laps of the aisle and proceeded in disturbing the CE cabin in the process. Mother seemed oblivious that the child was causing much disturbance to other pax as well as jumping on the seats. I moved to 5A, first row of Y (the whole of row 5 was unoccupied - not sure why I couldn't select this row during OLCI as Gold) to read my papers in peace.

A few minutes after moving forward to the front the CSM (Mixed Fleet crew) addressed me by name and apologised for the disturbance caused by the little girl.He asked me if he could get me any further drinks, I was sipping on my G&T and told him I was fine, I didn't need anything at all. I told him I didn't mind the child so much - children do what they do - but what really annoyed me was the lack of control from the parent. He asked me again if I wanted any drinks so I asked if it was alright to take a mini bottle of Champagne home with me (wanted to compare it to the Monopole which I truly hate). Of course it was came the reply. He disappeared and came back a few minutes later with not one but 4 bottles! And a hot towel after the CE meal service ended.

What also struck me was that this CSM also made the onboard announcements with a real smile in his voice - you can tell when someone is making an announcement and is reading from a script. It can often sound monotonous, with unexplained pauses. Or giggles. This guy spoke clearly, confidently and fluently - with a genuine warmth and sincerity in his voice. He was honestly a very friendly and proactive member of crew.

Dicksbits

Friendly welcome and meal service from CSM on recent ALC-LGW lunchtime flight in Club Europe. Thanked for flying with them by name when disembarking. Won't stop me from flying Monarch next time as the price is unbeatable.

hugolover

I'm not sure what happened recently but I have found a bit of a reversal in the idea that MF do this more than EF.

If you think about it they are more experienced and they can't ALL be ex-bmi. Bare in mind that any "young" looking EF are generally bmi.

Are EF starting to like their job again and realise they have really good conditions compared to MF?! Two nights in FCO anyone?

FlightDetective

That's brilliant! They should say "no" so any big ears won't be overhearing and moaning about why they can't have champagne. To then have it delivered with nuts and in glasses - yes, that is the surprise and delight that BA can do so well sometimes! Great little story!

81romeo

So yesterday I was flying back to LHR in ET on short haul. I was sitting in the first ET row, in a D seat. The gentleman sitting in my same row in the C seat was a Prem. I have seen him before on the same route and the lounge angels at this station told me in the past about him, he is apparently very often on this route.

The route was a Euro Fleet one and to my surprise the Purser never showed up to greet the Prem. I thought Prems are always looked after or welcomed on a flight, in whichever cabin they travel.

No personalised welcome for Golds, no personalised welcome for GGLs and to my surprise no personalised welcome for Prems.
It was a 2h45m flight so I guess there would have been plenty of time to welcome the Prem on-board just before take-off or during the flight. CE was only a few rows and half full....

Curious about the standard BA procedure, if there is any

Littlegirl

Firstly, not all Prems stay Prem forever.
But more importantly, secondly, how do you not know that this person had not been greeted when he boarded by the crew or that he does not want any fuss which is the case for some Prems.

I personally always give all Prems and GGLs a special greeting and if time I visit every Gold too but often if expecting a Prem, I will have googled them and will know what they look like and greet them at the door too although often they are brought on by special services anyway.

I don't see though how you can make a judgement about this situation when you are just using info gleaned inappropriately from an out station member of staff about the fact that another passenger is a Prem.

81romeo

I am aware of this and he was a Prem yesterday, based on what I was told (without asking).

I boarded behind him.

I really appreciate what you do, really. However this wasn't my question. My question was about understanding if there is a BA procedure for this.

No judgement here, just wondering based on facts.

Sorry? Gleaned inappropriately? What should I have done when the staff told me this? I certainly didn't ask her to let me know if there are Prems in the lounge or on my flight. I was just having a chat with the lounge angels at this station. I have spoken to some of them many times because I travel from this station quite often.

Littlegirl

When I said 'inappropriately' i was referring to the ground staff members indiscretion, not yours.

There is no set laid down proceedure other than BA do encourage SCCMs to give a personalised greeting to valued frequent flyer customers like Prems, GGLs and GCHs when time permits, obviously this is easier on the longer flights.

If they have a specific message for us to deliver, we are asked to do this and sometimes these are requested for Prems but not always. If we do have a message to deliver from the Executive Club we receive and acknowledge them via the iPad.

I don't want you to take offence but I do find it strange that your are concerned about a personal greeting not happening for someone you don't even know.

If it was you that had not received a personal greeting, I could understand your question.

Not all customers like having a personal greeting and if delivered appropriately it should be discreet, not of course always easy on a shorthaut aircraft or any traveller cabin.

Ancient Observer

A friend of mine (BA Gold) worked with a Prem. The Chair of a mega-huge Co.
The Chair asked the Company Secretary to get rid of his Prem listing in BA's files. He hated the fuss, and he travelled a lot!!!
But another friend, who was a buyer in another big corporate, was given Prem. He loved the fuss.
You just can't please everyone.

Calchas

Surely if there were a procedure it would be annoying because all the prems and GGLs etc. would be getting "greeted" on every flight, so perhaps a dozen times every week, with more or less the same greeting.

Better, I would have thought, to leave it up to the crew's discretion so it can actually be personal and not robotic.

callum9999

I've only had it once but I find the whole thing incredibly creepy. Same when I used to work in a retail store wearing a name tag and strangers would address me by name!

It also strikes me as quite bizarre for a low level employee to be so grateful for me (seemingly) spending so much with their employer, so I tend to assume they're insincere or prompted. (Not that I'm saying they actively shouldn't care about me!)

thejohn

we got a welcome from the Cabin Crew on the way back from GOT last week. It was when the meal service was served and later in the flight the CSD came and said hello to us (both gold) and asked if we were welcomed by the CC. We affirmed this and thanked her and asked her to thank her Crew on our behalf.
John