paul4040

Are we talking about BA or SkyTrax here? Because you can say the same about both.

Andriyko

While I don't deny that these experiences are real, people tend to post on these website when they are upset and angry with a company. Fewer people would bother to share a positive review.

As to the rankings - are there established criteria? Who says what merits a 3 star ranking or a 4 star ranking? Especially, in economy class for example, when the only difference may be whether something is given for free (who cares?)? Reading these reviews, they seem to be more about whether someone's travel was disrupted rather than anything else. I am not even sure who reads this website or makes their decisions based on what they read there. I mean, 2,000 reviews for BA, 600 reviews for AF and 900 reviews for LH? And that's in the last 4 years? Out of how many passengers these three airlines carry each year? Who would consider these rankings credible?

At least, I found out that the BoB PS and IB share the 3 star ranking with AF, TK and OS, which still offer something for free. I have no idea why LH and KL are rated higher - nothing special about them. And I don't understand why AA is rated so poorly at all.

navylad

Ok, I'm going to put it out there, perhaps they timed and used the BA downgrade to increase their own brand awareness and drive traffic to their site to increase their own profit. Who knows. I struggle to find anyone who totally agrees with their rankings.

ahmetdouas

I agree with Skytrax on many things. BA is currently a 3 star airline in my opinion.

I find it very interesting (and right) that Europe does not have any 5 star airlines, as none of them are actually 5 star. 'Europe's best airline' TK is a 4 star airline, which I agree with. I also would say LH/LX are 4 stars.

passy777

I agree to some extent, but it seems more passengers are becoming 'upset and angry' with BA, hence the rating downgrade.

Andriyko

But TK is rated 3 stars? Which I can neither agree or disagree with because I don't know what the criteria is. But I agree that TK is no different from other airlines that are rated 3 stars and I have flown with. For some reason LH and KL are rated higher, but the only thing I can see for the latter (which I really like) is the ability to purchase a seat in the first row of the economy cabin which gives a lot of legroom and makes a flight more comfortable.

But data derived from 0.0001% of an airline's passengers would be of no significance to me.

steadman

I can't believe someone at Skytrax thinks the key to increased profits and awareness is to downgrade an airline. If they wanted to cause a stir why not downgrade to one star? Or downgrade Cathay or Singapore? Far more press-worthy.

BA is generally considered to have dropped the ball in recent years and seems to be the very example of an average "three star" airline.

passy777

It would to me, particularly when a significant number of passengers are not only expressing their negative experiences on Skytrax, but on FT, the press and TV.

Before I make any significant purchase of a product or service, I always check reviews where they are available and you can generally detect a potential issue once you have sifted through them. I suspect many prospective BA customers do the same - and combining those awful reviews on Skytrax with the negative media attention they are getting hammered with, then even the most die hard BA devotee must conclude a rating downgrade is hardly surprising.

steadman

Isn't that the basis of any review site, or indeed this site?

navylad

What's to stop them thinking we should downgrade this airline given the IT issue and if we do t quick, we will catch the media interest and make more money?

steadman

Nothing, but it also could be that BA just got worse in the last year? In the last 5 years? In the last 10 years? And Skytrax are noticing that.

If they wanted to make money and get media interest why wait for this IT outage? Why not do it when BoB was introduced? Or when SH pitch reduction was announced? Or did Skytrax know this outage was going to happen?

BA6948

from what I have read in The Times, the downgrade is due to:
- average food in all classes. It seems that some Y food on some airlines is better than BA's J food. And ofcourse BoB.
- one of the worst longhaul J seats
- passenger assistance when things go wrong. SKYTRAX Team faced a cancelled flight and noticed how poor BA's customer service was

simons1

I've always thought Skytrax was a bit tarnished since their run ins with Advertising Standards Authority several years go.

https://www.asa.org.uk/rulings/skytr...12-196416.html

I wouldn't say the people posting on there were any more representative than those posting on FT really. Looking through the reviews on Skytrax you get the same polarisation as you do on here. Plenty of 1s/2s with a few 9s/10s. Hey presto an average score of 5/10 appears accompanied by 3 stars all down the board.

I think I'd just make my own mind up really.

navylad

Exactly why did they wait!

And if it is based on a member of their team having. A bad experience then it really does demonstrate what little value people should hold these ratings, which it would appear would then only serve marketing, advertisement and media financial generation.

As for the other reasons ba6948 cites, with a recent improvement in CE catering but yes an average seat it seams their ratings are lagging indeed.

For once I agree with simons1; they are pretty useless for all but the most infrequent flyer with a complete peer group of other infrequent flyers. And yes the ASA ruling was pretty damming.

lost_in_translation

Skytrax is mixed, some truth to their rankings, but they obviously aren't 100% independent. Doesn't mean this is totally wrong, though - I 100% support BA being in the same bucket as IB, AA and SK rather than the likes of EK and JL.

All the usual suspects will appear to try to discredit anything that claims BA isn't one of the world's best airlines, of course.