onchanman

I've been a loyal ambassador for the BA brand for many years, and it saddens me the way that customer service has deteriorated. I suppose a 10 week delay in getting a refund for a cancelled flight is to be expected now and then, or refusing to allow a flight change when a BA rescheduling made the trip non-viable. And I suppose having to pay for a seat choice on check-in is a way of increasing revenue and I have to accept it reluctantly. And I suppose to have a glass of wine tipped over me when I'm lying in my expensive Club World bed, soaking me to the skin (and I mean that) and ruining my flight and my white trousers is to be expected from time to time. But to offer me Ł7.50 compensation is quite frankly an insult. And the banal cut-and-paste response from Customer Relations only makes it worse.
Anyone in business knows that s**t happens from time to time. But the way a company responds to valid customer complaints is what gives it its reputation. In this case, to have offered me maybe a new pair of trousers, or maybe some Avios points would probably have made me feel good about what was once my preferred airline by far. But I am now angry. What a missed opportunity to keep a loyal customer. So I shall use my 3 Amex Companion Vouchers over the next few months, then cancel my BA Amex card, cancel my company's On Business account (I am the CEO) and say a sad farewell to what was once a great airline.

stu1985

Well the only way to show BA that customers are unhappy is to vote with your wallet so well done!

Fruitcake

You're right to be irritated. And it's been an accumulation.

BA have decided the best business model is to keep their costs low and assume the custom will follow / remain. Take it away from them.

It's sad though.

corporate-wage-slave

Can you perhaps clarify who spilt the wine over you?

bhbloke

Good for you, hopefully more and more people will do this until the shareholders learn that Cruzifying the airline to within an inch of it's life isn't increasing long-term value over a quick short-term profit.

London_traveller

Welcome to the enlightened world.

Unfortunately the concept of loyalty is a one-way street with BA. Although even if you had no BAEC status at all and that happened to you in CW I'd have expected a decent/fitting response.

muscat

Didn't you decide to stop flying BA back in 2011?
"Like I said, from check-in onwards, it's a great airline. The very best. But I'm going to use up my 250,000 air miles and take my chances with another alliance. I've been let down too many times"

ahmetdouas

Isn't 7.50 GBP the cost of getting it dry cleaned? That's what they probably calculated.

Tim1975

It is the patronising CS cut and paste response that gets me. I am not an airline executive. I don't know if BA's cost cutting approach is the right one or not. But I would have thought that if you are implementing things that are going to ruffle feathers it is a good idea to put in place a decent CS system first.

Swiss Tony

Just going to pitch in here - yes BA has gone to the dogs, but who on earth travels in white trousers? That's asking for trouble - sorry!

Concerto

Crockett (Don Johnson) from Miami Vice!

Unfortunately they will probably find enough clowns and corporate contracts to keep the money rolling in and it will make little difference, not to mention the oh so loyal flyers. It is an admirable quality, loyalty, but not worth it with a BT style public company such as this. I'm afraid if anything pisses me off I get very good at boycotting it, even go out of my way to do so. I wonder what Richard Branson thinks about all this.

ajeleonard

The most shocking part, - white trousers! (just kidding, I suspect you're not going to be the last)

tmac100

You can't be serious with this comment.

I travel with beige trousers and red wine has the same effect on them. Trust me, I know as it happened at home. They make OK pants for wearing in my workshop, but not to work nor when flying.

Besides, since when has anyone had an issue with color on anyone's clothing when flying? UA apparently has had issues with folks wearing leggings when travelling with a company pass that mandates a dress code, but BA has no such restrictions on clothing colours...

Besides, who spilled the wine - a FA, the passenger, or another passenger

Swiss Tony

Absolutely serious - I used to travel in beige chinos but after far too many splashes & spills, I invested in a pair of dark blue ones, largely for this purpose. Whilst I will confess to having owned both white jackets *and* trousers in my time, I will also add that this was 1) in the 1980's and 2) before I really knew about the pleasures of red wine.

Oxon Flyer

I think that many experienced travellers would consider it somewhere on the brave-foolhardy spectrum to undertake any long journey on public transport in white trousers. For whatever reason, these are stain magnets. If the red wine doesn't get you, then something else surely will.