T8191

How very true ... sadly.

T8191

Of course it's not valid, but you can surely see why some people would choose to do it these days.

I liked the free mini plastic bottles idea from MADPhil, but of course that would cost BA money.

golfmad

Which brings me neatly back to my point upthread. Different people have different definitions of the word 'theft'.

strichener

Exactly, you would have thought BA would adequately compensate people for not providing the service purchased.

Consequently if BA have a no-removal policy from the lounges then they can quite clearly make this part of the criteria for entry. Until then taking something to which you are already entitled cannot be theft.

T8191

... and indeed moral values

But, we have been here often. I have my elderly moralistic narrow viewpoint, others will undoubtedly differ.

LTN Phobia

I'm glad the guy did not put the "used" bottle back in the fridge for unsuspecting someone to "share", but at the same time, I think it's pretty cheap and embarrassing behaviour to remove it from the lounge. Put it this way - I'd never dream of drinking directly out of a large bottle, or of removing it from the lounge.

golfmad

Ok, I'll engage with you here. To how much is a passenger entitled? A glass of water, a bottle, a case, all of it? How about snacks? A packet of crisps? 10 packets? Everything on the shelf? How about alcohol?

ppp909

If taking a bottle of water is theft then presumably drinking several glasses of champagne is also theft. Both are provided free of charge and my guess is that the champagne costs more to ba.
Mineral water is a waste of money anyway. The minerals it provides can be found in plenty of other foods and ultimately it's just water. If BA wanted to save some cash (which they clearly do) without reducing the quality of the product they could provide plain old H2O without the branding.

RandomStan

Ooofffff, I'd never have the brazen cheek to do that!

If I have a lounge companion, I sometimes grab a bottle to share on our table. Would never dream to swig out of the bottle, and would always return it afterwards (if empty, up by the side - otherwise, back into the chilled section). And I feel slightly naughty for doing that, never mind making off with a bottle out of the lounge.

The perks in the lounge are just that - a perk, and not things we have a God-given right to take, just because we paid more for our tickets... If everyone had that attitude, I wouldn't be surprised if more perks were taken from us for "cost" reasons...

And for those who don't think it's theft, I have to ask - would you just as easily tuck a bottle of Grey Goose vodka or whisky into your bag, given that it's "free and unlimited" for all lounge guests?!?

ppp909

Would you be able to neck a bottle of vodka then get onto a long haul flight? I could quite easily do that with a large bottle of water although I do concede that I would probably need a wee as soon as the seat belt light went out.
Point is they really aren't the same thing.

KeaneJohn

I've seen people carrying the big bottles out the lounge all the time I don't class it as theft anymore than I would grab a packet of crisps or piece of fruit as I leave the lounge.

I always ask the lounge staff if they could fill my empty bottle of water with tap water and the other day a lady offered to do it from one of the lounge bottles. I thanked her but would have been quite happy with tap water

HIDDY

Not only is he uncouth he's a blaggard!!

Then again I'm not a fanatical drinker of bottled water.

RandomStan

Good point... Given me and my travel buddies can easily polish off a bottle of fizzy wine (not quite sure it's actually champagne), next time I pass a lounge I'll ask for a bottle-to-go. Saves them having to clean a few glasses, too!

headingwest

Here's another thing, what costs BA more, somebody taking a bottle of water or somebody pouring a glass of champagne and then leaving more than half of the glass when departing? I see that regularly.

I couldn't care less if somebody wants to take a bottle with them, but of course if he'd have put it back after taking a swig then that's a completely different matter!

lcyguy

I will fess up to having done this a couple of times when I have been flying to India , landing in tihe wee hours with a further journey ahead and know I'll be facing 30 degrees plus .

At least it's not as bad as the bloke I saw fashion a funnel out of some paper and decant a bottle of spirits into his Evian bottle not so long ago in GF