headingwest

That is absolutely disgusting.

If I'd have been seated there and I couldn't be accommodated in another seat in CW I would have asked to be 'downgraded' to another cabin. Puke is not a nice thing to be sat near on a long journey! Something like this would seriously make me think about not booking BA in the future.

20,000 Avios compo is a joke.

Can I help you

Just to make it more confusing for you at LGW they are CMs Cabin Managers, well they are this week.

Purim

There is no doubt you have acted very reasonably. And you are surely right to point out that the no one tried to handle this authoritatively onboard. And because of your restraint, no harm in going back to BA for some future service recovery

Armodeen

Henkybaby vomit is indeed a `biohazard` and should be cleaned using an infectious substance spill kit and standard personal protective equipment. Not knowing the status of the person who left the vomit would be highly unsettling if faced with 9+ hours in close proximity to it (and as the OP belatedly realised, other touch points around the seat and the seat itself).

If the person who left the vomit had an infectious disease then the OP was in danger of infection.

It's pretty serious really.

henkybaby

I worked as a bartender / DJ during my studies. I could not have done that if I had to slip into protective gear every time someone puked near or even on me.... My mother worked in a hospital and it is not too different there.

You clean (yourself) up and get on with life. Maybe it is a Dutch thing. We tend to use a common sense, no nonsense approach to stuff. Kids spread more infectious diseases than anything... Life is not lived in a bubble.

All that being said: I would be totally angry if this happened to me and not be as relaxed as the OP. Because it is disgusting more than dangerous.

LifeontheBeach

If you don't want to go to the press for your own reasons, that's perfectly understandable! Or, if you have accepted Avios, and are happy with it, that's your business too.

But if it something else, IMO these little incidents of getting away with anything encourage the airlines to take advantage of the customers more and more. They should be held accountable.

If you have the time or care to do so, you might consider taking BA to court. There is hardly any court of law that will not be disgusted at BA's failure on several levels on this case.: starting from subjecting you to potential pathogens to curtailing your enjoyment on board.

Going to press would also do the next passenger a good turn, so that in CW flights they be on the lookout for similar residue and avoiding inhaling eau-de-vomit.

sebastiansw3

I would in no way shape or form be as relaxed or as calm as the OP appears to be. Kudos to him!! I dread to think what would have happened if this had been my seat before 10hrs!! In any event 20k avios is a miserable, pathetic attempt at compensation.

passy777

Some interesting points of view Henkybaby, but missing the main issue.

If someone believes there is no hazard from vomit, then that is fine, if that person wishes to place themselves at risk by intentionally coming into close contact with potentially infected body fluids without protection, then I suspect little sympathy would be forthcoming if that person did pick up something nasty.

I'm sure that as a young student, your body may indeed have been very resilient to infection, however, babies, the elderly, pregnant women or people recovering from illness may not have such a robust defence to infection.

And it is important to highlight that one would not have to be in close proximity to the source of contamination as it is possible to spread contamination on clothes, feet, hands etc to other areas. This problem would certainly be compounded on a crowded aircraft.

I certainly would have thought that a bartender and a hospital worker would/should have a more responsible attitude to the risk of infection from potentially infectious materials.

Whatever anybody's perception of risk is on this issue, the stark reality is that there is a foreseeable risk of infection from vomit.

Nobody can prevent illness during a flight, but it is blatantly obvious there has been a chain of failures that should have mitigated the contamination which started from the person who threw up in the first place.

Ldnn1

Seriously?! Very unhelpful advice. Thankfully the OP seems a lot more level-headed than this.

henkybaby

I addressed the main issue half a page back with links to the process to deal with it on airplanes. All I am saying is not too worry too much. A lot of variables all need to be in a negative position for it to be infectious. Can you catch a norovirus ? Sure. As I said, just as easily from a surface that was sneezed upon and not cleaned... Trying to prevent the usual hyperbole when people start calling it 'highly toxic' and a safety hazard etc.

It still is disgusting. and the OP should indeed fight one for the team and make sure BA will inspect their aircraft better from now on.

Purim

+1. I think the OP's level-headedness is one of the reasons he should go back to BA and ask for some service recovery. I am sure the BA folks deal with enough crazies that it is probably refreshing to deal with some one with a reasonable state of mind and a very legitimate and well documented complaint.

bullroot

Maybe that person was very ill and unable to inform, Maybe they did inform the cabin crew. Maybe they are not an idiot, nor selfish. Do you know more details of the original cause? Or of the person who threw up on the seat? Please share.

Either way, the state of the seat should have been addressed by the airline before boarding, regardless of how it happened. The airline is accountable, after all they are collecting the revenue and providing the service.

Perhaps some day you'll be the end user of BA's consistent lack of cleanliness. I hope nobody ever has to see this revolting pic on their flight. I wonder if you would be so expansive if you did on your own trip.

Flyingturkey

I am somewhat surprised by everyones problems with this seat.

Is it disgusting. Yes. Is it something that BA should have noticed and corrected, also Yes. However it is an area one puts their feet, it was obviously covered by a blanket, as such the actual skin to vomit contact is non-existent.

Frankly I think the dirt we don't see is far more disgusting. Head sweat/oily skin soaking into the chair etc.. We are effectively sleeping in a hotel bed which has no proper cover. A black light would reveal even more disgusting stains I would imagine!

20,000 avios is equivalent to about £300 in RFS tickets. Not a terrible outcome.

HIDDY

I would agree. Have to say I've seen far worse things than that during my 59 years, most of them in Glasgow.

BA obviously have to accept responsibility for the shortcomings of their cleaning contractors in CUN. I'm sure they'll be notified to look more closely in future. The seat design probably doesn't help especially when they're in a rush to complete the job.

LifeontheBeach

Unhelpful to who?

If the OP wants to pursue legal remedies that's unhelpful, but BA serving up a vomit covered premium seating area is helpful and 'level headed'?

BA CSD/CSM didn't even log in the complaint and do their job onboard: that's 'helpful'?

Apologizing for BA is one thing, but one has to at least appear to be fair in trying to do so. As someone explained before, BA is in a indefensible position in this case.

Like I said before, if the OP does't want to pursue any legal recourse that's the OP's choice. But if the OP wants to do that that's the OP's choice too. Airlines have to be held accountable for their actions: EU 261 goes on to prove that point. This case goes even further in grossness and utter incompetence across the board.

Now you have several posts defending BA. Change your mind about not proceeding further in the issue? :-)