so3003

Maybe that's why there are some people reporting involuntary downgrades on the forum

T8191

Tier points, plus ... empty adjacent seat, free F&B [can be significant with some of our flight times].

South London Bon Viveur

Malfunctioning IFE is not a minor point in my opinion. Yes it's not life changing and yes these things happen on all carriers, but the service recovery should be nearer to that offered by CX and AA in the examples given above £200 voucher. I don't think that drawing analogies with what £40 can buy you in terms of Wifi or a cinema in London is really on point.

sparky01635

Many good points and useful feedback, exactly what I was looking for in trying to assess if how I am feeling is valid or not. I work in the hotel industry and perhaps the way hotels make their promises of a good service and a good nights sleep does not translate to the airline industry and their level of customer care. Interestingly, reading between the lines, I wonder of some of the replies on here are indications of customers just being resigned to sub-standard service recovery, comparing to other airlines and not other industries. Just a thought.

On the double booking situation, I do understand it was my error, not noticed as I book many flights myself and I have become conditioned to referring to my Executive Club member page to track my forthcoming flights. Never let me down before and BA obviously invest highly in this customer page to help their customers track their booking activity. Perhaps a unreasonable comparison, If your bank failed to display a transaction on your statement, would it be OK because you should have kept your receipt? You get my point here. You become conditioned to trusting the forthcoming bookings section when you fly for business and not pleasure and when a booking is missing despite you entering your FF no. at booking and you get NO emails referring to the booking leading up to flying, its just a little hard to consider this not part of the service you come to expect as a customer.

Third point, no real further thoughts here, interesting to see the various views on whether loyalty should push you up the list on this type of benefit. Take it out of the benefits and I agree there is little reward for booking with BA vs. other one world carriers on better planes

Thanks all, for your views.

T8191

Your Point 2, regarding the website presenting correct data ... Exactly!

We don't do a lot of flying, so it's easy to track. But I do have to rely totally on my Bank and C statements for Domestic and Company accounting purposes. But then we all know (usually) that BA's IT systems are creaky ... and that's a charitable view.

NickP 1K

I've swapped with people who have a dead IFE *MANY* times, bring my own content 99% of the time so I don't care as much on the IFE these days. A bit nosy on if the crew is trying to recover a specific seat multiple times to work - generally volunteer to swap if this happens. Sad fact: out of the 5 times I've done this (mix of AA and BA) only one time did someone say Thank You. (crew always does - but other pax rarely does)

AlastairGordon

I just flew from Hong Kong to JFK without using the IFE once, since I had an excellent book on my Kindle to read. I guess a good rule is to always come prepared with a good book or movies or TV shows on your phone, just in case.

scottishpoet

The whole non working IFE issue amuses me,

When I started flying we all watched the same screen. if you didn't like it, tough, Then seat back IFE started rolling out and it frequently failed. On any long haul return trip the system would usually fail at some point.

So you learnt to pack a couple of books to read and maybe some puzzle books and a pen.

The OP was informed at check in that his IFE was not working so had opportunity to purchase a book or some other alternative in the airport. £30 should cover those purchases.

Paralytic

Welcome to BA in 2017. Bring your own food due to reduced offerings (longhaul) or in case they fail to stock enough (short haul). Bring your own entertainment in case their IFE does not work. Bring your own wipes to clean the seat in case the cleaners have not done their job. Desperate times.

henry999

You what?

Ancient Observer

Being aware of BA's IFE problems, I bought a Kindle and loaded books and films before my last 2 long haul flights on BA.

Nothing went wrong, the IFE was brilliant with lots and lots of choice. Caught up on Reacher and Bourne and etc.....and Lion. (Great film)

It has given SWMBO the opportunity to very smugly question my judgement. So for our next 4 flights - not on BA, I need the IFE to go down!!

Annerk

I find it sad that people can no longer amuse themselves without electronics. I would rather become engrossed in a great (non-fiction) book and learn something than watch yet another mind-numbing show or movie. I never get on a plane without a good book. In fact I seldom go anywhere without one.

Often1

BA's DUT system (similar scoring and selection systems exist on other carriers) is much more sophisticated than that. BA is looking for passengers which it "scores" as likely to spend if given a taste of a premium cabin.

The proof is in the pudding. Not only at BA, but at other carriers as well. An OPUP, one given as an operational necessity, is a necessary evil from BA's perspective. The question is how to make lemonade from lemons. Not every person who receives a free upgrade will later purchase a premium cabin, but some will. BA believes that more of these people will than regular (those with status) fliers who regularly fly in WT/WTP.

Kungpo

I think that's a tad unfair. I don't get much time away to myself so I look forward to watch a movie on board without any distractions or interruptions.

TabTraveller

I think DUT is slanted towards this commercial objective but inevitably still often upgrades high CIV flyers. I guess there is a scoring system and if there aren't sufficient upgrade 'targets' amongst lower CIV passengers then higher CIV comes into play. I also suspect, although cannot be certain, that the time elapsed since your last opup plays into it.