cornishsimon

well said OP

Sadly this isn't anything new on this forum, it's something that's always present here and everywhere in life.

However, I started a similar thread waaaaaaay back in 2011
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...-try-nice.html


cs

navylad

Whilst I appreciate the view points of those who feel that people are affected by what other people say to them either in a thread or by direct message should simple grow a thicker skin, this really reflect poorly on them and I am sorry, I really don't buy the excuse of this being an anonymous internet forum as a reason that people should be allowed to hurt the feelings of others; if they need to hide by an anonymity of an internet forum to cyber bully, I have little respect for their poor character, which is likely not the best in the real world either. The other incredible important factor with anonymity is that you often don't know what else is going on in that persons life, a quick snide comment may not seam that bad taken at face value, but this could have a detrimental effect on the individual.

I did take some time away from this forum, but thankfully I did return, I am stronger for it and often laugh to myself in my head when idiots try and make further personal attacks that someone is so insecure in themselves that they feel the need to do so. I am glad I did return because, whilst this forum does contain a few rotten apple, there are far more genuinely lovely people who share they experiences and advice to enrich the lives of others and I feel privileged to listen to genuine views of others irrespective of whether I disagree with them.

I have a greater awareness now, then when I joined this forum, of the way in which posts project and trust that should anyone ever feel that I cross their own personal line, they would tell me and I would be able to respect that. I hope others will be able to do the same.

dougzz

https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/duty_calls.png

Can I help you

Bullying is wrong but speaking ones mind should be encouraged, I never hold back and would encourage others to do the same.

elitetraveler

I've never sent or received any private messages continuing the debate about FT threads. I really don't care that deeply.

I'm sure many of us like to think we have a strong moral compass, so hopefully that is plenty of high ground available in this forum.

I know there is non-productive behavior from a small group who support BA regardless, as clearly you and others feel some of those who think BA is going down the toilet do the same.

It's probably worth noting that quite a bit of the bad behavior IMO seems to occur in threads where somebody comes to complain about some element of BA and they are "attacked" in a multitude of ways, both aggressively and passively. Usually, there are several FTers who join complaint threads simply to say they don't want them in the forum - that they should be combined into a single thread, etc. I think there used to be some type of saying, if you don't like it, don't bother reading it, and don't post in it.

In my recent posting about Glass Door, even though I took the time to research how BA compared to a multitude of airlines as I personally wanted to see the broadest possible view, I thought it was interesting to see while all companies would be open to the same vagaries, there were a few posters who insinuated somehow BA's standing across all of the airlines was manipulated downwards or BA alone was the victim of some type of special circumstances. Others tried to vilanize GlassDoor.

On the flip side, I don't recall ever seeing anyone post in a positive experience thread OP shouldn't have posted. I do recall quite a few "positive experience" threads turned out to be more about having a great crew that made up for BA shortcomings in other areas. Perhaps you and others see things differently, although we both think we are fair-minded.


If you received abusive private message, I hope you reported that to the Mods. I don't think simply because it is a private message that entails any rights to be abusive.

simons1

Seriously the comment in post 2 was clearly intended to be humorous. Then poster #69 decided to take this as a perceived insult even though not even involved to begin with. There was no bullying involved at all.

In all my time on FT I have only received 3 PMs, none of them threatening. I've never seen the point in taking debates off line really.

I'm sure the mods are quite capable of dealing with problems but to be honest it just needs a bit of growing up at both ends of the scale. The forum should be capable of being objective, with self moderation deployed both when in critical as well as happy clappy modes.

Lioneye

Alex Cruz is an insult??

The only threatening pms I get are from mods 😊

stuart_f

Indeed it was, that meme has been around for decades. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobby_Lud for the origin. The complaint that my post was predictable is valid I'm surprised nobody else beat me to it.

He did this by selectively quoting my post, removing the obvious humour to make it look like a straight insult. Not good netiquette at all.

peck

Compared to the rest of the internet the FT BAEC page really is a great place to be. The problem is, as with anything in real life, something one person finds deeply offensive will not even be noticed by the next.

Outright attacks on people should certainly be dealt with (as they always are here), but equally everyone has a right to a viewpoint and a say, and should not be shutdown just because someone perceives something as 'offensive'.

I believe there is decent balance here and hope the current stance is maintained.

elitetraveler

I would argue nearly all the threads that get shut down are where the OP has a complaint about BA services or policies and a select group attempt to derail that thread by picking at the OP from various angles, trying to discredit or downplay the OP's comments.

My viewpoint is the err on the side of consumer advocacy since that is what we are - consumers of airline and travel products. It's called FlyerTalk, not SupplierTalk. Suppliers have plenty of $$$ and means to get their messages out.

I have no problem that there are vociferous brand advocates. That said, here on the BA forum they seem to be less constrained than in other FT forums and regularly appear to derail OPs who have issues with BA.

Kumulani

If anyone is interested in an outsider's perspective... I mostly lurk here, and post sometimes but am not a regular. I'm mainly here to get and provide information, I don't really participate in the debates. I don't live in Europe so don't fly BA every week, however, I end up flying them whenever I travel there due to them being in Oneworld. I have pretty neutral feelings toward BA as a whole. I have some small gripes and don't think they're so amazing that I'd go out of my way to fly them, but a lot of the criticisms I've read here (for example, the complaints about the lounges, especially the Concorde Room) just don't line up with my experiences at all.

I rarely see the "BA apologists" that some people keep talking about in this thread, and I definitely don't see them drowning out other people. Whenever someone starts a thread saying something negative about BA, it seems like the majority of the replies agree with them. Yes, there are some people who it seems more often than not end up in the position of defending BA or explaining why things went wrong. But they are usually offering advice as well, and seem to have a great deal of experience and knowledge. To me it looks like they are just trying to help out, rather than defending BA at all costs. And even the most pro BA people seem to be willing to criticize the parts they don't like.

South London Bon Viveur

I think that's a very sensible post and an accurate description of the posting activity on here.

Ancient Observer

Cor!!

A balanced post. On a Friday afternoon!

Well said, KUMUlani

elitetraveler

Hey good new - everything is OK after all...

toothy

Excellent posts by both the Op and Navylad. The thing I've noticed is the number of personal insults and people lambasting people for a single part of a post, rather than looking at what the OP is trying to say. For example the thread where red wine had been spilt on white trousers descended into slating them for white trousers, when all they were saying was that it's death by a thousand cuts and this was the final straw.

I've met quite a few FTers at the Do's and generally people are nice, but there seems at the moment be an argumentative mood going through the forum, arguing over everything BA or not. This is not the BAEC forum I've been frequenting for a lot of years. That is what the AA forum is like. The BAEC forum has always been one of a lot of knowledge, heated but polite discussion (I don't want anyone to hold back their views) and a lot of very quick wit which makes me laugh out loud. It would be nice if it could be a bit more like this again.


T