BA offloads couple at Portuguese military base over business class row [LGW-KIN]
#61
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Provincie Antwerpen, Vlaanderen, Belgi
Programs: MUCCI Gold
Posts: 2,511
BA needs to move to Defcon One very quickly on this issue.
I can't comment on the rights and wrongs of the particular situation, but with the United Airlines stories fresh in media minds this story could escalate into a huge deal very very quickly. I hope the BA press office or their PR Advisers are up to it.
I can't comment on the rights and wrongs of the particular situation, but with the United Airlines stories fresh in media minds this story could escalate into a huge deal very very quickly. I hope the BA press office or their PR Advisers are up to it.
They need to step in and fill this vacuum pretty damn quickly.
#62
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,048
or alternately they could just not feed the beast and let something else takeover the news cycle. Least said soonest mended.
#63
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 1,341
It's quite interesting reading the comments in the Daily Mail - for once, people haven't resorted to mass hysteria, and are suggesting that the bloke shouldn't have tried to blag an upgrade, and that BA wouldn't have diverted unless absolutely necessary - they mostly seem to be pro-BA. I'm shocked by the level-headed responses!
#64
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: PEK
Programs: CA Gold, EY Silver HHons Diamond
Posts: 373
DM now reporting BA have commented EXCLUSIVELY to them that the passenger self upgraded to CW and refused to move when asked. Also became abusive. BA claim he was 'helped Back to his seat'.
In my view, the comment by the passenger that he 'didn't have the energy to fight them' reveals a lot about his character.
7/4 Ms Stoney became involved because she was 'tired and emotional' 😃
In my view, the comment by the passenger that he 'didn't have the energy to fight them' reveals a lot about his character.
7/4 Ms Stoney became involved because she was 'tired and emotional' 😃
#65
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: GLA
Programs: BAEC: BRONZE (Basic member: KLM, Emirates, United)
Posts: 134
DM now reporting BA have commented EXCLUSIVELY to them that the passenger self upgraded to CW and refused to move when asked. Also became abusive. BA claim he was 'helped Back to his seat'.
In my view, the comment by the passenger that he 'didn't have the energy to fight them' reveals a lot about his character.
7/4 Ms Stoney became involved because she was 'tired and emotional' 😃
In my view, the comment by the passenger that he 'didn't have the energy to fight them' reveals a lot about his character.
7/4 Ms Stoney became involved because she was 'tired and emotional' 😃
Thats a cracker. I'm going to do that! hahaha
#66
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: LHR/ATH
Programs: Amex Platinum, LH SEN (Gold), BA Bronze
Posts: 4,489
DM now reporting BA have commented EXCLUSIVELY to them that the passenger self upgraded to CW and refused to move when asked. Also became abusive. BA claim he was 'helped Back to his seat'.
In my view, the comment by the passenger that he 'didn't have the energy to fight them' reveals a lot about his character.
7/4 Ms Stoney became involved because she was 'tired and emotional' 😃
In my view, the comment by the passenger that he 'didn't have the energy to fight them' reveals a lot about his character.
7/4 Ms Stoney became involved because she was 'tired and emotional' 😃
#67
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: LHR/ATH
Programs: Amex Platinum, LH SEN (Gold), BA Bronze
Posts: 4,489
Interestingly, the Police at the Island say that as far as we are concerned, the case is closed and we have made no arrests.
I wonder what will happen when they return to the UK? Will the UK police do anything?
Or will their only penalty be most likely a lifetime ban from flying BA?
Speaking of being stranded on the island, well at least FR flies out of that island so perhaps the 2 passengers can fly back with them = ) It would be funny if Ryanair capitalises on this and says 'kicked off BA? not to worry, come fly with us!'
I wonder what will happen when they return to the UK? Will the UK police do anything?
Or will their only penalty be most likely a lifetime ban from flying BA?
Speaking of being stranded on the island, well at least FR flies out of that island so perhaps the 2 passengers can fly back with them = ) It would be funny if Ryanair capitalises on this and says 'kicked off BA? not to worry, come fly with us!'
#69
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: LH SEN; BA Gold
Posts: 8,400
Daily Mail has more info - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...d-upgrade.html
Unfortunately for BA, an worryingly large crowd reads DM and doesn't question their credibility for even a second. And reading through the comment section, I get the sense that DM readers generally don't have a clue what's going on.
Even the narrative of the DM isn't exactly putting the passenger in good light. "The cancer sufferer claims he wanted to move to first class to stretch his legs" still indicates IMO that the passenger wanted to self-upgrade and the CC didn't play ball.
I find the article of the DM rather contradicting. Either the passenger didn't wanted an upgrade and the crew would've told him to get back to Y, which would've been the end of it OR IMO more likely, the passenger walked into C, sat down on an empty seat and stayed there. After refusing to move, they moved him.
This would explain the following statement by BA (also in the article):
'We take great care to handle these difficult situations as sensitively as possible. Our cabin crew and one of our pilots repeatedly asked a customer to return to his booked seat in economy after he sat in our business class cabin without permission.
'He repeatedly refused, verbally abused crew members and disturbed other customers.
'He repeatedly refused, verbally abused crew members and disturbed other customers.
BTW: Anywhere care to explain why the DM thinks that LON-KIN is a 14H flight? Have they replaced the GE90s by PW150s?
#71
Join Date: Mar 2017
Programs: BAEC Bronze
Posts: 385
I seriously can't believe the cabin crew actions were anything other but proportionate to what was required.
#73
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 917
IMHO it's reasonable for the crew to have done this. Given what the gentleman has said of his health the captain has made the right call to remove rather than restraining for the remainder of the flight. That he had to be restrained would be because of his behaviour. Big differences with the United case.
#74
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: PEK
Programs: CA Gold, EY Silver HHons Diamond
Posts: 373
#75
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,808
I'll bet it has something to do with alcohol. And maybe the mistaken notion, somewhat common among infrequent flyers, that once the doors close, you can sit in any empty seat. After all, it's empty, all the seats are going to the same place anyway and you're leaving an empty seat in exchange. So it must be allowed.