Mutu

Its only me!

All interesting observations as usual. I would however emphasise the point some have hinted at.

For a number of years in the late 1980's thru the 1990's BA was one of a very small group of truly service focussed airlines - and it was one of the worlds most profitable. Lotd King had a clear strategy - getting revenues up was easier at Fortress Heathrow than cutting costs with various unions having an iron grip. So he left costs alone and went for excellent marketing and advertising to "sell" the BA experience to grow top line. LHR was the DXB of its day. Equipment just didn't exist to get to the USA from Africa or the middle east non stop. America was BA's market. And the US carriers were failing.

But then for a number of years BA was only kept afloat by its dominance at LHR and the premium price point that could be commanded at LHR. Recession and the start of gulf wars added pressure to yields and volumes. Those unaddressed costs suddenly looked like they would finish the old girl off. But the brand still had a following. Remember the Worlds Biggest Offer? one days free flying across the global network - every seat free. Aimed at getting people back in the air. BA survived but not unscathed.

The 744 launch changed the significance of LHR (and BA). New non stop routing were opened up. Successive new CEOs then tried to address the costs to varying degrees, whilst leading the way in product development - flat beds in F then J were truly world leading by years. But strikes etc and continued gulf conflicts meant cash pressure continued to build.

There were casualties in the US and Europe but BA fought through, perhaps against the odds given its pension deficits and cost issues.
Then a period of relative success and profitability over a period of global growth unparalleled in economic history. An 11 year track record of growth with more of the world opened up to trade and tourism. But also the emergence and rise of the LCC model in short haul, and the ME carriers on eastbound long haul.

During this time frankly Willie appears and with a canny knack, steers a course that seems to be ahead of the curve. Rather than fighting off these threats with a stick like LH and AF, he re-shaped the BA business to be fit for purpose, for the next challenge around the corner. Others are still years behind (indeed the very survival of AF is a serious topic of conversation when you consider LCC penetration in the French market is nowhere near its peak)

Not all the medicine has been nice for the staff or indeed the customer - interestingly BA carries about 40m passengers today and carried about that number in Bob Aylings day. Is that a negative statistic? NO growth in decades? Or a positive, that despite all the new competition from LCC's ME3, US carriers re-emergence, the advent of long haul LCCs etc) BA is still holding its own albeit a much smaller market share but making more money from doing what it does.

So I admire management (and the IB turnaround has been spectacular) - but up to a point. I too have seen deterioration especially at JFK T7 which is a dump, with ineffective duty management and chaotic scenes most evenings. I am not happy as a passenger. I have some short term alternatives until BA once again gets it right - as it will.

I would however be less happy if BA had failed back in the day

My point - BA has a history of excelling then trimming and disappointing, then investing and pleasing, then trimming and disappointing, ahead of the curve and in time. I am sure this cycle of spend/cut/spend/cut will continue in an industry that is just so sensitive to economic cycles.

There will be many casualties still to come as oil rises again, capacity growth exceeds demand growth, economic challenges rise.

But I would bet against BA being one of them

BApilotinsider

Mutu

A very good post.

Purim

May be there is some method to this madness. BA refuse to interline and make me collect by bags at T5...but then they provide a new F wing with direct lounge access.


(which might make me go landslide more often (now that M&S seem to have removed iced buns from that T5 arrivals shop)

crazyarmadillo

maybe, just maybe, its been a one-off and normal service will resume,

Reminds me, to ask the GGL team the question and find out exactly what is happening.

orbitmic

So what do you find wrong with the F crew on, say, AF, LX, LH, QF, etc? I'm genuinely curious.

subject2load

I really am intrigued (perplexed, even) by your view that the very same BA whose l/h biz class product "has been overtaken now by dozens of airlines" - and many folk would readily concur on that - can also boast a First class that "is the best in the sky" ....??

That's quite some plaudit, an interesting juxtaposition - and not one that tends to get mentioned where other carriers are concerned.

I certainly agree that the 'quality' of crew is an absolutely key ingredient in the overall mix ; but I also believe that a truly premium product needs more than just that.

I always find the staff at my local fish & chip shop to be friendly, efficient and informal, and their hard product and catering are 'fine'. But .... when spending several thousands of pounds (a part of which relates to transportation costs of course) I generally have higher expectations than that.

oxtailsoup

Live "up Norf". Never had any invites to GGL events in the three years I've been GGL and CCR. Not a peep. Nada.

philthegreek

I think I have had 4 invitations in the last 5 years but have always been flying or abroad on the date of the reception. Still maybe one day I will get to one

simons1

"Word on the streets" normally = complete nonsense.

GGLwannabe

Er, nothing wrong at all; there doesn't have to be anything discernibly 'wrong' with the others for one to be able to have a top pick. Thinking back however, I would say I probably had my best ever experience in First on a Swissair flight nearly 30 years ago.

GGLwannabe

Nice analogy, but I'm not sure in which area BA First does not meet your expectations. I have flown First on perhaps half a dozen airlines, but rate my overall experience higher on BA than the others (apart from that one journey on SwissAir I refer to in another post).

stueys

Gave up on the GGL events, my appetite to listen to platitudes that don't seem to translate into action is limited.

Though the first wing is a nice touch that will improve overall experience. I smile at F&B, we've been hearing about improvements for 3 years now, maybe 4? I could go on.....ultimately it's been clear for some time that BA aren't chasing a premium product strategy (other than on price); all credit to them if they can sustain that strategy long term, I suspect it has limited legs.

clarkeysntfc

... not to mention Dirty Tricks to keep competitors at bay eh?

binman

Well for me on almost every measure imaginable.

Staff who just don't give a damn any more.
Tired lounges
Lack of Spa appointments
Excruciating boarding process
Seats that are no better than some business seats.
Dirty planes -Filthy toilets
Failing IFE
Inconsistent crew
Appalling Catering
Lack of catering
No Flowers
Afternoon Tea and curled sandwiches
Removal of Blankets
Silly pillow
Overly hot cabins
Premium baggage delivery
Delay handling
Customer relations.

Give me QR CX AA business class any day ahead of this product.
I have been flying since 1986 in premium cabins and it has never seen it so bad. Happy to fly Club World Plus on points but never cash.

orbitmic

Yes, sorry, my phrasing was a bit provocative. As I have stated many times, I like BA crew, but with both respect and - dare I say, affection for them, I just do not see how they are any 'better' than the other ones that I mention. If anything, F crew on airlines such as AF and LX are cabin-specific and get a lengthy and very comprehensive training and it really shows. They are not only typically very friendly and pleasant but also remarkably competent and effective. Some BA crew are intuitively just as good, but in many ways, it is purely personal talent when it happens and many, whilst nice and efficient are just not quite as good.

Could you say which other airlines? I do not really know others who rate their BA F experience higher than, say, JL, CX, the new AF, the new GA, SQ and a few others. Personally, I rate BA F lower than competitors on virtually every front. The ground experience is worst than most and miles behind the likes of AF, GA or even, to a lesser extent, LH; the seats vary a lot, but even the best one by far, on the A380, is way behind the new AF, the new SQ, or CX, let alone EY's apartments; onboard food and drink pales in comparison to AF, SQ, LX, or even QF, let alone JL; the F mattress, duvet, and pillows are actually the worst ones I can think of any F product even the US airlines ones, and massively behind AF; pyjamas and toiletry bags are also behind most. In short, of course flying F is always nice, but by F standards I cannot really imagine against which other F product BA compares favourably.