brewdog11

Serious question. I'm not looking for a fight, I'm just looking for enlightenment in whatever form it may come. A little while back, I flew BA Euro Traveller between CPH and LHR as a oneworld Emerald and had trouble differentiating.

When booking, I noticed that there's a charge for checked baggage. "Oh well," I said, since BA's allowances are more generous than Ryanair's--even though the principle is the same. The nickel-and-diming continued, though, when the website informed me that I also had to pay to reserve a seat in advance. I forwent the advance seat selection, hoping things would get better at the airport.

OK, BA has a decent setup at the airport. I'll give them that. I checked in at the First counters and made my way through fast track. The employees at security seemed to be having a good day, meaning that I would be having one too. I then proceeded to the Galleries First lounge, a nice lounge with a great alcohol selection and terrible food offerings, to await my flight. BA clearly wins here (although they'd take all this away in a heartbeat if they could).

Now it's time for the flight. Wow, Club Europe sucks. I am reassured that I did not make a bad decision to not upgrade as I walk back to Euro Traveller. Following British tradition, I ordered up a G&T when the bar-on-wheels reached my row. Imagine my surprise when I was quoted a price for not just a G&T, but for BOTH the gin and the tonic separately. Talk about cheap. Just one year ago, I was typically given a double G&T and a free sandwich on this route! Now there's a charge for coffee and Coca-Cola?

All of this would be fine if I had paid less for my ticket. That is, however, not the case. I got less service for the same price. If I were a status-less passenger, I really would have been getting ripped off!

I know--BA does not have adverts smeared all over the overhead bins. You've got me there. Looking at the bigger picture, though, it seems that BA has embraced the LCC style and joined the race to the bottom.

FlyerTalker39574

Do you prefer blue, yellow or orange interiors?

brewdog11

Blue is a preferred color, but I'm becoming more "colorblind" when it comes to interiors if you know what I mean...

Yoshi212

Have you considered the 3 other options?
SK to LHR
D8 to LGW
U2 to LGW

sxc

I thought if you buy the fare that includes baggage you can choose a seat since you're a OWE?

PeacefulWaters

If you're not travelling HBO on a route with many flights the BA flexibility to switch flights beats the standard Ryanair fare.

Ryanair's sales pitch is relentless throughout the flight.

The differential between HBO and standard flex fare with baggage is usually much bigger on Ryanair than it is on BA.

That said, the Ryanair flex fare allows for a free flight change if you turn up in the hour after a flight.

If I had BA silver status or better and fares were pretty close I'd be on BA and ensure I'm fed and watered in the lounge ore-flight.

Doc Savage

The anecdote about charging separately for gin and then tonic is poignant. That sort of penny pinching is incredibly tacky.

amt

One has a nicer colour scheme and a better social class of passengers on most of its routes...

brewdog11

Not "no," but "hell no" to D8 and U2. Is SK a bad option, though? I've never flown them. I hate Star Alliance, but SK always seemed decent.

I was not aware of the flexibility feature on above-HBO fares. Last time I tried to switch a flight at the airport (non-HBO-fare, as a oneworld Emerald), I was quoted some insane price. I've had terrible experiences with switching flights while being ticketed in Club Europe on an international BA F paid fare. My faith is weak, so to speak.

Ryanair may have an almost-relentless sales pitch, but I've flown other LCC's that mostly leave passengers be (i.e. Vueling).

I'm glad I wasn't the only person who thought this. Or, better yet, I'm glad I wasn't pained as "bourgeois" for pointing this out. This is embarrassing. I felt like I was at a hostel bar in downtown Berlin (alas, their prices would have been cheaper)! BA can't pretend to be the flagship carrier of Britain while simultaneously nickle-and-diming passengers.

brewdog11

I like that BA has more businessy-types in that the plane is quieter and I can get more work done. The flights are sometimes less crowded, too, meaning an empty middle seat ()! I've met many quality people on both LCC's and "traditional" carriers, but I understand what you mean.

I see that you're based in HKG, a city that I spend a great deal of time in. I'm curious about what value you see in flying BA versus Cathay Pacific or another carrier.

rfrost

I haven't flown SK recently, but I believe they have long charged for F&B in their inexpensive Y seats--I remember flying Aeroflot from SYO-ARN and then SK from ARN-LON several years ago. To my surprise, the former was a nice flight, with decent legroom and a meal that was at least edible. To my even greater surprise, the SAS flight was significantly inferior--cramped seating and they wanted to charge me for a sparkling water. Even so, I found their seats more comfortable than BA's.
I am now flying BA's European flights only on redemptions unless it's a connection on a through ticket. I've flown KLM and LH as alternatives, but I am preparing myself to consider EZ and Norwegian.

eponymous_coward

You'd consider Ryanair over BA but not Easyjet or Norwegian? May I ask why?

I tried out U2 for HAM-AMS (much faster than a train, KL wanted stupid money and the last time I flew them it wasn't any better than an LCC). $50 for exit row and something that was as inoffensive as WN, except a bit of a sales pitch? OK.

(But I'm willing to fly NK if the price is right. I'm not much of a snob when it comes to two hour or less flights. Personally I think LCC carriers are the way to go in Europe on short flights given how "dumbed down" full service carriers are those days, unless you have an expense account or business relationship.)

Skimo

Wow... You sound like my grandmother. However her excuse is she's 103 Have you come to terms with the working classes having the right to vote yet?

brewdog11

You're an esteemed contributor to FlyerTalk and I appreciate your input on my thread.

I apologize if I was not clear. If I'm being sent by my employer on a 19-hour plus travel day in Y, I certainly won't be considering Easyjet or Norwegian. Nowhere in my original post (except for omission) did I specify that I would select Ryanair over the others [LCC's].

If I'm flying MSY-DFW-LHR-CPH, I'm hoping that I can enjoy a pleasant travel experience without being nickled-and-dimed along the way. With what my company pays (along the lines of $1,600+ USD per ticket for each Y fare), I do not think that is unreasonable at all.

If I'm traveling for leisure, with friends and all, I do not shy away from even the most "heinous" budget carriers. However, if my employer or myself chooses to fly BA, I expect better.

As far as the WN (Southwest Airlines, for those unfamiliar) reference goes, at least they have reasonable prices for cocktails and two free checked bags. Also, you certainly know what you're getting in terms of value (which is stellar) when you purchase a WN ticket. After the last year of flying AA, with all their terrible OPs problems and whatnot, I'm singing WN's praises more and more. If they're an LCC, they're a "luxury" LCC.

corporate-wage-slave

Was there a reason why you bought two tickets rather than one?

And yes, a few months back there was a big change on Basic versus Plus ticketing, but you pay accordingly.