plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose (hand baggage/security)
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: MAN/BHX
Programs: ABBA
Posts: 6,027
plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose (hand baggage/security)
My first flight on Ba from London since January. I'd rediscovered the joy of flying on AY, QR, US. U2 and LH.
However today I'm flying to TLV with a colleague who wanted to go Ba for some reason. Door still hasn't closed and he's saying "why aren't we on easyjet".
First there's the fact I had to get the train down to London last night, as there's no late night or early morning flights to LHR from MAN. Then the buckle and dining of charging £5 to get to the terminal from the airport hotel
Security was a laugh, 20 minutes for my college he to get through fast track. I was a few minutes behind and e warned me, used "slow" track and was through in a minute.
Boarding was actually ok, we timed it well, and I settled into 20c. My non gold colleague wasn't so lucky and is squished in a torture seat on the rubbish mid haul.
40 minutes later and they're still trying to stow enormous bags. Rather than chastising people for bringing large bags, the crew are making those of us who checked out small cabin-legal bags for daring to stow tiny laptop bags in the overhead lockers.
The safety video is running, and I've just realised not a single screen in the exit row is out. As I'm int he aisle I was watching 19C until the crew member blocked my view.
I'm not looking forward to the 150 people sharing two toilets at the back of the cabin for the next 5 hours either.
Nice to verify that my choice to pretty much abandon Ba still holds out. Over priced, over crowded, terrible airport.
What's the current excuse? Lack of runway? Understaffed? Competition from the Me3? The only thing BA seems to have going for it is the IFE, which is above average in my experience.
However today I'm flying to TLV with a colleague who wanted to go Ba for some reason. Door still hasn't closed and he's saying "why aren't we on easyjet".
First there's the fact I had to get the train down to London last night, as there's no late night or early morning flights to LHR from MAN. Then the buckle and dining of charging £5 to get to the terminal from the airport hotel
Security was a laugh, 20 minutes for my college he to get through fast track. I was a few minutes behind and e warned me, used "slow" track and was through in a minute.
Boarding was actually ok, we timed it well, and I settled into 20c. My non gold colleague wasn't so lucky and is squished in a torture seat on the rubbish mid haul.
40 minutes later and they're still trying to stow enormous bags. Rather than chastising people for bringing large bags, the crew are making those of us who checked out small cabin-legal bags for daring to stow tiny laptop bags in the overhead lockers.
The safety video is running, and I've just realised not a single screen in the exit row is out. As I'm int he aisle I was watching 19C until the crew member blocked my view.
I'm not looking forward to the 150 people sharing two toilets at the back of the cabin for the next 5 hours either.
Nice to verify that my choice to pretty much abandon Ba still holds out. Over priced, over crowded, terrible airport.
What's the current excuse? Lack of runway? Understaffed? Competition from the Me3? The only thing BA seems to have going for it is the IFE, which is above average in my experience.
#2
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 226
It does annoy me when the people bringing relatively small amounts on board are forced to put them under the seat to accommodate those who are 'stretching' the rules. All because the staff don't seem to want to say 'no' to anybody.
On the bright side; it is Friday
#3
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 7,168
If there's a yellow bag tag on your item then you are required to pop it under the seat in front of you, I don't see the reason to moan about it.
(BTW I do travel with a backpack containing my laptop and many other things, and always store it under the seat.)
(BTW I do travel with a backpack containing my laptop and many other things, and always store it under the seat.)
#4
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,470
However today I'm flying to TLV with a colleague who wanted to go Ba for some reason. Door still hasn't closed and he's saying "why aren't we on easyjet".
First there's the fact I had to get the train down to London last night, as there's no late night or early morning flights to LHR from MAN. Then the buckle and dining of charging £5 to get to the terminal from the airport hotel
First there's the fact I had to get the train down to London last night, as there's no late night or early morning flights to LHR from MAN. Then the buckle and dining of charging £5 to get to the terminal from the airport hotel
Most days BA operate 3 services a day to TLV. The morning flight indeed does not work well from MAN, but there is a 16:30 and a 22:30 which both fit in well. Connections are available. U2 from Luton (very handy for MAN, not that U2 does connecting flights) operates just 1 or 2 services a day, and the early one leaves a full hour before the LHR service! LGW has some services, but it's not daily. Still no Manchester connections.
I take you haven't actually tried U2 from either location (and I have from both) since their baggage issues on this "unique" route are just as bad if not worse, furthermore they cram up to 186 people into an A320, which is a significantly less comfortable prospect than BA's A321 plus services. Even on the G-GAT A320s BA cannot put more than 171 on the aircraft, and they don't send them to TLV anyway.
As for the Hoppa bus fees, I agree with you, but they are easily avoided with careful hotel selection.
So by all means pay less to go out of LTN for a more cramped, less baggage room experience, out of airport whose security processes make LHR look slick and with zip connections. But you do get what you pay for.
#5
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 6,349
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: BA Gold, QF WP
Posts: 12,551
#7
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Silver, HH Diamond, Avis President's Club
Posts: 1,219
All planes have undesirable seats, that's not exactly a specific airline's fault.
Last edited by Foltan; Jul 3, 2015 at 2:38 am Reason: Edited because 20 is an exit row and thus my criticism was unfair.
#8
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 6,349
I thought his point was that he only had the small laptop bag and should not have been forced to put his one and only bag under the seat.
#9
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Provincie Antwerpen, Vlaanderen, België
Programs: MUCCI Gold
Posts: 2,511
I don't then expect to have this taking up what little room there is around my feet, just so someone else can benefit.
#11
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: MAN
Programs: None anymore
Posts: 220
Not so. I have queued for 20 mins in South Fast Track with only five people ahead of me. One channel was closed and in the open channel the security team played a jolly game of musical chairs.
#12
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Silver, HH Diamond, Avis President's Club
Posts: 1,219
Though maybe there's no such thing as 'normal' with HAL!
#13
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,470
#14
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Near Edinburgh
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 9,034
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: London
Posts: 17,007