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Just sent them this, for all the good it'll do.
I think most right thinking people understand that competition on the European short haul market is brutal, and that that price is a bigger driver of consumer patterns than onboard service - and so you've cut the complimentary food and drink in order to save some money so as to better compete with the LCCs on price. This would make sense. However, attempting to dress it up as an "upgrade" and something the customers want is just an insult. Unless, of course, you can publish customer feedback numbers where thousands of customers say they'd like the existing range of beverages to stay, but they'd much much rather pay for it. Can you? It's an embarrassment, and it really should be beneath you as a company. I can accept cuts to services as an inevitable by-product of the way the aviation industry is going, but as a customer I don't appreciate being lied to. |
Originally Posted by London_traveller
(Post 27279496)
BA not thinking this change will do them material damage to their brand is really quite surprising. Those TV/press adverts underlining the fact they're a full service airline were pretty recent. The BA brand was built on being a premium airline.
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BA Connect is reborn, albeit with a higher price tag.
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Just a reminder that Alex Cruz, on his first day at Waterside, during his maiden speech, said there would be no further cuts to service this year.
So either he was lying, or the "upgrades" we've seen lately were already confirmed long before, which makes sense if one considers Frank VdP's hasty departure last year. A customer champion would never want to represent a business that is only in it for the short term interest of shareholders. To Fly. To Screw. Feel sorry for all the great people working at BA. No wonder they are leaving in droves. |
Just doing a booking for January - post 11th Jan. When I get to price quote page, I still get the big green tick under the basic fare where it says "Complimentary food and drink". Someone needs to update the website!
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Originally Posted by NWIFlyer
(Post 27279468)
The only thing that will really hit them, on the basis that LH is where the money is, is where this move takes away connecting traffic. My inclination is to say that it won't make much difference and that once the PR disaster ebbs away over time BA will end up more profitable overall.
I live in London, so only fly BA O&D. I travel most weeks for work. My work has a policy of J for LH, cheapest Y for SH - which is broadly also the policy I apply for personal travel. I have always been reasonably happy with BA and maintained my status to make the SH bits more comfortable. However, when the SH cuts started to bite (for me it was the introduction of space saver seats and the removal of seat choice on HBO) I stopped flying BA SH unless it was the absolute cheapest. That then meant I had less of a reason to fly BA for LH as I stopped caring about status as it principally was a vehicle to make SH travel more comfortable. Upshot is that I'm a London-based LH J frequent flyer who used to be very sticky to BA, and over the past couple of years I've changed to rarely being on a BA plane - all due to cuts to the SH product. Now this is just one data point, I have a reasonably unfussy employer who lets me choose my own airlines as long as I'm broadly taking the cheaper flights, and I usually fly to destinations with a load of competition. However, the point stands: there are some people who will reduce spend with BA, and it won't just be related to connecting traffic. |
"Sandwich & G&T for 1125 Avios".
Maybe a tabloid needs to have a headline of 'BA to charge £33.00 for a snack! These kind of short statements/soundbites stick. |
Originally Posted by Petrus
(Post 27279547)
Just a reminder that Alex Cruz, on his first day at Waterside, during his maiden speech, said there would be no further cuts to service this year.
So either he was lying, or the "upgrades" we've seen lately were already confirmed long before, which makes sense if one considers Frank VdP's hasty departure last year. A customer champion would never want to represent a business that is only in it for the short term interest of shareholders. To Fly. To Screw. Feel sorry for all the great people working at BA. No wonder they are leaving in droves. |
Originally Posted by Petrus
(Post 27279547)
Just a reminder that Alex Cruz, on his first day at Waterside, during his maiden speech, said there would be no further cuts to service this year.
So either he was lying, or the "upgrades" we've seen lately were already confirmed long before, which makes sense if one considers Frank VdP's hasty departure last year. A customer champion would never want to represent a business that is only in it for the short term interest of shareholders. To Fly. To Screw. Feel sorry for all the great people working at BA. No wonder they are leaving in droves. |
Originally Posted by NWIFlyer
(Post 27279468)
If the range expands to Mars Bars, almost certainly mini ...
I suspect BA really won't care too much about the short term bashing they're inevitably going to get today and over the next couple of weeks. They know that it'll die down, become an issue again in January when it's introduced, and then tacit acceptance will occur. The only thing that will really hit them, on the basis that LH is where the money is, is where this move takes away connecting traffic. My inclination is to say that it won't make much difference and that once the PR disaster ebbs away over time BA will end up more profitable overall. Sadly, based on recent history, that'll just lead them to seek out the next thing they can cut and negotiate their way through whatever choppy waters result. |
Originally Posted by perthflyer
(Post 27279578)
The 'upgrade' doesn't begin until next year though so the service hasn't been cut...yet ;)
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Was Mr vdP ever replaced by anyone?
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Originally Posted by HilFly
(Post 27279441)
Do we know that the products on board are going to be the same size as in-store items? Or will they be special miniature versions of the same things?
It's confirmed that M&S are not doing the drinks, these will come from Tourvest Inflight Retail Services Ltd, but they are providing the BA food from their standard supply chain. |
Originally Posted by Flexible preferences
(Post 27279212)
A common misunderstanding. A pub or restaurant is required to provide free water for their customers, an important difference.
BA (and for that matter an airside Wetherspoons) does not come under this requirement – and I don't think I'd fancy the water from the grimy tanks of an ageing A320. |
Originally Posted by mikeyfly
(Post 27279382)
Where's the BA Official on here? Don't they usually deliver news and FAQs? They clearly have no time or care for FT as well as their long suffering staff members...
Why encourage hundreds of people to have a go at you! |
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