BA to lease 9 Qatar A320s + crews during strike
Jul 27, 2017, 2:22 am
#481
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,967
Yes, the operating carrier must always be disclosed to the customer. It is also displayed on the screens in the terminal. The crew should also announce it on the aircraft (hence the slightly annoying "good morning everyone (sic!) welcome on board this British Airways operated British Airways service to xxx)
Jul 27, 2017, 2:26 am
#482
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: LON
Programs: BA Gold, LH SEN , A3*G & others less exciting that don't fit in my wallet
Posts: 1,657
Today's early BCN flight I got Qatar again ... this time they were able to park no problem !
Was upgraded to Club which was a nice surprise .. large purple seats as in CWS second picture below ... BA standard breakfast catering which I didn't partake of other than perhaps the worst cup of coffee I've ever had on a plane ( and it takes some competition !) .. still drank it though after having been up since 0415
Pilot was Spanish so did the PA in English and Spanish and seemed much chattier than the usual QR pilots who are very terse with the info. Not sure where the cabin crew were from, but I'd definitely echo the comments from CWS above ... the QR crew I had back from Kiev last week were much better
Still can't complain .. landed nearly 20 mins early
Was upgraded to Club which was a nice surprise .. large purple seats as in CWS second picture below ... BA standard breakfast catering which I didn't partake of other than perhaps the worst cup of coffee I've ever had on a plane ( and it takes some competition !) .. still drank it though after having been up since 0415
Pilot was Spanish so did the PA in English and Spanish and seemed much chattier than the usual QR pilots who are very terse with the info. Not sure where the cabin crew were from, but I'd definitely echo the comments from CWS above ... the QR crew I had back from Kiev last week were much better
Still can't complain .. landed nearly 20 mins early
Jul 27, 2017, 3:48 am
#483
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London and Zurich
Programs: AA, BA, Mucci: Sir Roger des Directions Routières, PCR
Posts: 13,609
I'm grateful for c-w-s's information on his LUX flights.
I usually travel to and from Zurich later in the day than the BA710/711 rotation. Noting that these flights had been op QR several times recently, yet noting KARFA's info in another thread that BA710 had been cancelled recently, I was thinking that my desire to travel BA op QR was looking unlikely to be met so I booked later flights.
I now have the QR experience, albeit vicariously.
P.S. I'm assuming that the inflight coffee was as dire as ever. Haven't tried BoB coffee, though.
I usually travel to and from Zurich later in the day than the BA710/711 rotation. Noting that these flights had been op QR several times recently, yet noting KARFA's info in another thread that BA710 had been cancelled recently, I was thinking that my desire to travel BA op QR was looking unlikely to be met so I booked later flights.
I now have the QR experience, albeit vicariously.
P.S. I'm assuming that the inflight coffee was as dire as ever. Haven't tried BoB coffee, though.
Jul 27, 2017, 4:49 am
#484
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Silver, M&M, HHonors Gold
Posts: 1,223
I didn't read the whole thread and it could have been mentioned earlier, sorry if it was. I'm a bit snowed in with work and can't read it now.
I'm looking to book LHR-ZRH-LHR avios ticket for this weekend. On the outbound flight, BA0710 is showing as Qatar operated and the price is not Award Saver but with some extra tax of £29 for Business Class, no Y tickets left. So return ticket in CE costs me £79 in taxes.
Why do I have to pay more if I'm buying BA710 flight on BA website? Not sure if it's worth extra tax, it could be deal breaker for my cheap weekend in Zurich.
I'm looking to book LHR-ZRH-LHR avios ticket for this weekend. On the outbound flight, BA0710 is showing as Qatar operated and the price is not Award Saver but with some extra tax of £29 for Business Class, no Y tickets left. So return ticket in CE costs me £79 in taxes.
Why do I have to pay more if I'm buying BA710 flight on BA website? Not sure if it's worth extra tax, it could be deal breaker for my cheap weekend in Zurich.
Last edited by Richmond_Surrey; Jul 27, 2017 at 4:55 am
Jul 27, 2017, 5:08 am
#486
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: WC1
Programs: BAEC Gold, SK *G, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 660
No letter handed at the gate on LHR-ARN last Sunday. Most passengers only realised something was different when the bus pulled up next to the QR plane!
Jul 27, 2017, 6:39 am
#487
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 138
I've just checked my BA APP and interestingly none of my old bookings state it was operated by Qatar, even though I've had three of them this month.
Jul 27, 2017, 6:44 am
#488
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Switzerland
Programs: AY+ Platinum, SK Gold, BAEC Silver, airbaltic VIP, Radisson VIP
Posts: 6,531
Jul 27, 2017, 7:04 am
#489
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 138
Second Time: worked OK
Third time: downloaded after checking in at the airport, was given a letter.
Jul 27, 2017, 9:11 am
#490
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: LON
Programs: BA Gold, LH SEN , A3*G & others less exciting that don't fit in my wallet
Posts: 1,657
The BoB stuff on BA ( Java Republic I think ?) is okay ... you just need to remember to drink it through the filter !! ... Nothing amazing, but a lot better than the old coffee.
Jul 27, 2017, 9:52 am
#491
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Arizona
Programs: BA (GGL G4L), AA (Gold), HH (Diamond); Marriott (Gold)
Posts: 3,011
The downside was that while the seat was wider on the sides, this was wasted space, there was just air between me and the central seat mounting. It also meant that I was physically much nearer the passenger in 1C, elbow to elbow. Personally I like the CE middle table area, I find it useful and makes good use of the space. But taking everything into consideration, the seat outbound was a positive.
On the return, less so. I'm not sure if this comes across in the photo, but for the return service in the evening, we were in an older cabin, and while clean and in full working order it wasn't as good as the morning flight, nor as good as the BA seat, at least from a row 1 perspective: less leg room, the older power socket was deep into the seat and so the plug didn't fit the space allowed (and was US/Europe only). No wifi either. And I was very much aware that we had less privacy as passengers since my neighbour was sat right next to me. I suspect row 2 and 3 would have had a more mixed verdict, presumably more leg room and hopefully more knee room, so long as the person in front doesn't recline - the recline is much more significant than BA.
On the return, less so. I'm not sure if this comes across in the photo, but for the return service in the evening, we were in an older cabin, and while clean and in full working order it wasn't as good as the morning flight, nor as good as the BA seat, at least from a row 1 perspective: less leg room, the older power socket was deep into the seat and so the plug didn't fit the space allowed (and was US/Europe only). No wifi either. And I was very much aware that we had less privacy as passengers since my neighbour was sat right next to me. I suspect row 2 and 3 would have had a more mixed verdict, presumably more leg room and hopefully more knee room, so long as the person in front doesn't recline - the recline is much more significant than BA.
Yes, the middle table is nice, but the CE/ET seat is just not very comfortable after an hour or so in my opinion. I also found the row 1 legroom to be better than CE even on the older QR seat.
1) I was and remain unhappy that BA did not contact me in advance to tell me of the airline substitution. I do get SMS and email messages for other significant events, but not for this one. I was told about the Ryanair substitutions during the EF strikes a few years back. I paid for a British Airways service, not a Qatar one. Because I was using the App, HBO, and went to the gate close to the end of boarding, at the Heathrow end the very first I became aware it was a Qatar service was when I went round the final bend of the airbridge and there was a Qatar cabin crew member in front of me. [At the LUX end I only knew because with limited flight movements you could see what was going on from the windows of the lounge].
3) On the other hand there was never any risk of a quickfire round of Innuendo Bingo. I'm trying to avoid the robot word, but to be honest, that is the word that lingers. I know that 2) is vastly more important than 3).
4) There were some amusing schoolboy/girl howlers: "We would like to welcome home all our customers who live in Heathrow...." I imagine the cribsheet said "who live in [name of airport]"
4) There were some amusing schoolboy/girl howlers: "We would like to welcome home all our customers who live in Heathrow...." I imagine the cribsheet said "who live in [name of airport]"
5) There were quite a few extra touches which were appreciated: there were two rounds of hot towels on the evening flight, one after take off, another have the food trays were removed. Good idea. They offered a third (am I filthy?).
6) On the return we were also offered a tray of preflight drinks before take-off - water or juice, in glasses. Double plus good. We were also offered seconds of both meals, and seconds of the desserts too.
6) On the return we were also offered a tray of preflight drinks before take-off - water or juice, in glasses. Double plus good. We were also offered seconds of both meals, and seconds of the desserts too.
12) Annoyance on both flights: Qatar doesn't do "10 minutes to landing", it does a very generous "20 minutes to landing", total overkill. So on the return we were all packed up well before we reached Hastings. I guess at least the crew got some rest after all the rushing around to that point.
Yes, the operating carrier must always be disclosed to the customer. It is also displayed on the screens in the terminal. The crew should also announce it on the aircraft (hence the slightly annoying "good morning everyone (sic!) welcome on board this British Airways operated British Airways service to xxx)
Jul 28, 2017, 5:09 am
#492
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 561
Just disembarked from a Qatari A320 LHR-SOF and I have to say, the seat was so much better than the usual BA slimline nonsense.
Service I thought was better too, not by a lot by there was a difference. Food much of a muchness.
Everything else notwithstanding, I'm glad I had more comfort today and a comfortable snooze rather than a sore backside.
Edit: I was in CE row 1
Service I thought was better too, not by a lot by there was a difference. Food much of a muchness.
Everything else notwithstanding, I'm glad I had more comfort today and a comfortable snooze rather than a sore backside.
Edit: I was in CE row 1
Jul 29, 2017, 5:39 am
#493
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: London
Programs: SK Gold, ITA Executive, Sixt Diamond, Hertz PC, Avis PC, IHG Platinum
Posts: 5,163
Jul 31, 2017, 4:49 am
#494
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: UK
Programs: BA Exec Club Bronze, Hilton Diamond, Virgin Flying Club Red
Posts: 1,257
We had a QR A320 on the BA873 from Krakow - London on Saturday evening.
Firstly, the BA ground operation at KRK airport is pants. No lounge, no fast track security, and the aircraft is parked on a remote stand which in itself is fine. However unlike Ryanair, who park so that their passengers can easily walk to/from terminal to aircraft, BA passengers were herded in to buses and driven literally c.75 metres to the aircraft steps. Priority boarders (including many families with small children) were first on to the bus and last off as a result.
On board:
- Nice but painfully robotic cabin crew.
- Cabin manager came to all 7 of us in CE individually, and repeated the same excruciating greeting word for word: "Hello I'm xxx, your cabin manager, I'm here primarily for your safety but also to ensure that you have a great flight". No use of passenger names to personalise the greeting at all.
- Food, usual BA cooked meals. Service was understandably a bit uncertain in feel given the unfamiliarity of the staff.
- No proactive drinks runs during the flight. Only offered a single drink with dinner. Call bell ignored when asking for more.
- Weather was grim in London on Saturday night but the captain's pre-landing announcement declaring that we should "strap in because it could be a bumpy ride" didn't go down well with many of the more nervous.
- I did manage to have a brief chat with the cabin manager in the galley about the cricket, which seemed to turn him in to a human being, but then no less than 5 mins later he came out of the galley for his pre-landing robot speech to everyone one-by-one "thank you for flying with us today, I hope you had a great flight..."
- The only part which was better than BA regular CE was the big comfy armchair seat, everything else was a step down on the outbound BA crew.
Firstly, the BA ground operation at KRK airport is pants. No lounge, no fast track security, and the aircraft is parked on a remote stand which in itself is fine. However unlike Ryanair, who park so that their passengers can easily walk to/from terminal to aircraft, BA passengers were herded in to buses and driven literally c.75 metres to the aircraft steps. Priority boarders (including many families with small children) were first on to the bus and last off as a result.
On board:
- Nice but painfully robotic cabin crew.
- Cabin manager came to all 7 of us in CE individually, and repeated the same excruciating greeting word for word: "Hello I'm xxx, your cabin manager, I'm here primarily for your safety but also to ensure that you have a great flight". No use of passenger names to personalise the greeting at all.
- Food, usual BA cooked meals. Service was understandably a bit uncertain in feel given the unfamiliarity of the staff.
- No proactive drinks runs during the flight. Only offered a single drink with dinner. Call bell ignored when asking for more.
- Weather was grim in London on Saturday night but the captain's pre-landing announcement declaring that we should "strap in because it could be a bumpy ride" didn't go down well with many of the more nervous.
- I did manage to have a brief chat with the cabin manager in the galley about the cricket, which seemed to turn him in to a human being, but then no less than 5 mins later he came out of the galley for his pre-landing robot speech to everyone one-by-one "thank you for flying with us today, I hope you had a great flight..."
- The only part which was better than BA regular CE was the big comfy armchair seat, everything else was a step down on the outbound BA crew.
Jul 31, 2017, 4:56 am
#495
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,811
Thanks for reporting back with your experiences, a good crew makes all the difference between an OK flight and an excellent flight. The Fast Track security puzzled me: there are some gates (2 I think) to the left of the main security entrance for Fast Track and a clear sign that oneworld status travellers can use them. The entrance is via an automated gate. Was that not working?