Tobias-UK

As a long-time flyer aboard BA aircraft, and a GGL/CCR since its inception, it was great to receive an invitation from British Airways to attend the BAinvestment4U Event on 5 April. The invitation is as follows:

"Alex Cruz and British Airways’ Press Office Team request the pleasure of your company at the launch of BAinvesting4U, the airline’s new investment plan.

We will be flying on a VIP charter from London Gatwick to London Heathrow where we will unveil our new First and Club lounges at Gatwick’s South Terminal, reveal the future of Club World
and officially open The First Wing in our home at Terminal 5."

During the day's events I will be posting live regular bullet-point updates and photographs (I will be using an iPhone/iPad so please excuse the brevity) followed by a detailed review of the day once I am back at my desk.

As the running order of the event has already been posted in the forums, I'll repost it here:



This event promises to be a great occasion and I am very much looking forward to experiencing the new proposed Club World service. Whilst the event includes the official opening of the new First and Club Lounges at Gatwick, I will not concentrate too much on that aspect of the day's events as we already have some great reviews of the new lounges in the dedicated topics: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...st-lounge.html and http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...ub-lounge.html.

BA's Chairman and CEO Alex Cruz will be at this event, this means I should at some point be able to have his ear to put to him a question or two. I would like to use this opportunity wisely and ask questions relevant to our little community here. To that end, please feel free to post questions below that you would like me to put to Sr Cruz. Please only post relevant questions, not clever or sarcastic ones. I will then select those questions that I feel are most relevant to the FlyerTalk community and put as many as possible to Mr Cruz should I get his ear.

It appears tomorrow (Wednesday, 5 April) will be a bit of a food fest - an early lunch at LGW, a Club World meal service on board, refreshments at the LHR Arrivals Lounge Champagne Reception followed by a top-up in the CCR ... I don't know how I'll cope! Should I be served just half a sandwich on my late flight back to MAN, this time it might not feel quite so bad

In true FlyerTalk fashion, I've decided to take a leisurely journey to LGW and fly down from MAN ... via EDI to try out a longer domestic CE sector to compare it to my recent MAN inflight experiences.

I'll be back here tomorrow with live updates, but in the meantime please post any questions you might like me to put to Alex Cruz and other members of the BA team. Please, let's be constructive and probing with our questions rather than combative.

stifle

In the light of BA's clear preference for price-sensitive O&D traffic on short-haul and the destruction of all the quality differentiators that it claimed in 2011, what are the remaining reasons to choose BA?

florens

Thank you Tobias-UK for sharing this. I look forward to your review. ^

rossmacd

Fantastic Tobias-UK - thank you ^

My question would be:

Will the new business class product to be announced be similar to existing competition, or will it be designed to beat competition? Minimum expectations are all seats with direct aisle-access, quality bedding provided, significant upgrade of catering, WiFi provision and step-change in IFE quality and quantity.

rt112

Thanks Tobias-UK, looking forward to seeing the pictures and hearing your thoughts.

Hopefully you can find out how BA see themselves competing both with the low cost carriers and full service premium airlines going forward. I'd also be interested in whether BA is planning to reverse the 'no through check' rule for separate tickets, as Cathay are doing, and if not how they justify the inconvenience to passengers.

TravellerFrequently

Thanks Tobias-UK . Have a great day!

British Airway's reputation has declined recently and media coverage has been almost universally negative. BA may not be the UK's top brand next year as a result.

What will he and the Board do to improve the media and public's view of the airline and restore the formerly high reputation?

cosmo74

What are the plans for the next Club World seat and when will it be introduced? Will there be a retro-fit across any of the existing fleet?

londonba2014

Interesting sounding event.

I'd be interested to know as to whether he is at all concerned that customers and the press are turning their backs on BA, as a result of constant cost cutting and the destruction of a great company and brand.

Airprox

The aircraft is planned to be B789 G-ZBKN.

Can I help you

Don't expect to hear anything about a new seat and you won't be disappointed.

manord

Q for Alex: Do you think it is viable for BA to simultaneously try to compete at the low end (Norwegian etc.) and the high end (ME3, LH group, etc.)? What compromises does this compete-at-both-ends strategy create?

ScruttonStreet

Presumably 40TPs for CW, 10/5TPs for WT?

Boyfrombiot

I am sure there will be may people asking about the new Club Europe Catering but I would like to know if he knows about the negative feedback for the Medium flights and whether there are plans to address it?

Cheers
Steve

Roger

From the schedule:
10:15 ... check in for flight BA9244
12 noon board flight BA2944

Also, LGW-LHR is due to take up to 3 1/2 hours. Taking the scenic route?

Tobias-UK

That is question number one!