BOB £2.30 for some hot water !!
Jul 21, 2017, 3:26 am
#46
Join Date: Jun 2008
Programs: BA Gold, and others
Posts: 375
Wait, if the argument is being made about the cup, could the passenger:
- request a cup of (cold) water (free)
- drink the said water/pour it down the sink
- ask for that cup to be refilled with hot water
- add their own BYO tea bag
- enjoy their tea
- request a cup of (cold) water (free)
- drink the said water/pour it down the sink
- ask for that cup to be refilled with hot water
- add their own BYO tea bag
- enjoy their tea
Jul 21, 2017, 3:26 am
#47
Join Date: Jan 2009
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The point was how many on a flight, or generally across all BoB flights, would have status. That just gives proportions of BAEC members having various levels of status - one might imagine those with status may travel more than those at blue level for example. I am not sure that post gets us any closer to an answer.
Jul 21, 2017, 3:26 am
#48
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Taking the Highland Spring (glass) bottles from the lounge
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...es-lounge.html
I am sure there are plenty more threads on this which I haven't found in my brief search.
EDIT: found some more now
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...ts-lounge.html
Someone nicking 20+ cans of beer from the F-lounge (got it on video)
Jul 21, 2017, 3:46 am
#49
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Jul 21, 2017, 3:47 am
#50
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I was on board the Malaga - Gatwick flight yesterday (Y) and sat beside an elderly gentleman who requested a cup of hot water for his tea bag, which he was clearly holding when I took my seat. I can't comment on what type of tea bag it was, herbal or otherwise but when asked if he wanted anything from the trolley he requested a cup of hot water. He was duly provided with this and asked to pay £2.30, this being the exact price for a cup of tea from the BOB menu, including earl grey etc.
He may be the kind of chap who would be amazed to know their is a 4 page thread online of people getting indignant on his behalf!
Jul 21, 2017, 3:48 am
#51
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What I still want to know is what the passenger had to say when asked to pay, and indeed whether he paid. I would not have charged him for hot water as I would not have given him any - I would have sold him a cup of tea, coffee, or whatever, and if he had some exotic substance to put in rather than what we sold - then I would have handed him the teabag and the accompaniments and let him do what he wanted.
The real theme here is whether BA were mean in charging, but how many here take their own teabags. Actually, after more Low Cost fllights than I care to remember I have never seen such an incident.
Jul 21, 2017, 3:52 am
#52
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I've seen cups with the tops available for taking hot drinks away with you at UA Lounges in the US. I believe that Lufthansa also provides (or provided) a selection of snacks and drinks to take with you on your flight, so I don't think it's as clear cut as you think. If passengers are accustomed to using such lounges they may not be aware it's against the rules at BA lounges. Is it though?, that's another question!
Jul 21, 2017, 3:56 am
#53
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Forgetting for the moment that the general view of BOB is poor, and devaluing the BA experience...
And that we all agree tea, coffee and hot water should ALL definitely be complimentary...
if someone is charging £2.30 for a cup of tea, then quite reasonable to charge for just hot water. The incremental cost reduction of not supplying the tea bag, is tiny and less than a penny. The costs of getting that cup of hot water to you are basically the same as if it were a cup of tea.
Useful story about a cafe owner's response to a similar complaint on Trip Advisor..
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...ar-review.html
And that we all agree tea, coffee and hot water should ALL definitely be complimentary...
if someone is charging £2.30 for a cup of tea, then quite reasonable to charge for just hot water. The incremental cost reduction of not supplying the tea bag, is tiny and less than a penny. The costs of getting that cup of hot water to you are basically the same as if it were a cup of tea.
Useful story about a cafe owner's response to a similar complaint on Trip Advisor..
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...ar-review.html
Customers walks into a café to ask for free water without paying anything else VS Customer pays BA for the transportation and associated service.
Customer walks into a café and occupies the seats otherwise may be served to another paying customers VS Customer already paid BA for the seats and BA could not sell that seats for that sector during that journey once the door is closed.
Café owner's cost would increase each time when a new customer ask for a cup of water and very noticeable due to the low revenue compare with BA; BA's cost does not increase when passengers ask for a cup of water as all the costs associate with this particular journey is already factored in well in advance, and such cost is hardly noticeable in the grand scheme of BA world.
So you are really comparing grapes and watermelons here.
Jul 21, 2017, 4:10 am
#54
Join Date: Jan 2016
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There is a big difference between the café owner and BA:
Customers walks into a café to ask for free water without paying anything else VS Customer pays BA for the transportation and associated service.
Customer walks into a café and occupies the seats otherwise may be served to another paying customers VS Customer already paid BA for the seats and BA could not sell that seats for that sector during that journey once the door is closed.
Café owner's cost would increase each time when a new customer ask for a cup of water and very noticeable due to the low revenue compare with BA; BA's cost does not increase when passengers ask for a cup of water as all the costs associate with this particular journey is already factored in well in advance, and such cost is hardly noticeable in the grand scheme of BA world.
So you are really comparing grapes and watermelons here.
Customers walks into a café to ask for free water without paying anything else VS Customer pays BA for the transportation and associated service.
Customer walks into a café and occupies the seats otherwise may be served to another paying customers VS Customer already paid BA for the seats and BA could not sell that seats for that sector during that journey once the door is closed.
Café owner's cost would increase each time when a new customer ask for a cup of water and very noticeable due to the low revenue compare with BA; BA's cost does not increase when passengers ask for a cup of water as all the costs associate with this particular journey is already factored in well in advance, and such cost is hardly noticeable in the grand scheme of BA world.
So you are really comparing grapes and watermelons here.
With BA, you are paying them to fly them. It is not free. So when you have a request that costs the airline nothing, which is boiling water that is from the onboard kettle (unlike sandwiches that are stocked and accounted for), whats the harm in giving the hot water?
I think too many people on this forum have been Cruzified, and dare I say it, some of them may even be partners in crime (as in they are implementing the BA strategy on behalf of Cruz!)
Jul 21, 2017, 4:30 am
#55
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What you says makes perfect sense. In the end, it's up to hospitality. It's like in hotels. You pay 150 GBP for an awful room in central London thats supposedly 4 stars, and then they want to charge you 15 GBP for breakfast when it used to be included. My aunt complained, saying you made us pay that much for the worst room in your hotel, and you still charge me for breakfast? In the end, they gave the breakfast for free.
With BA, you are paying them to fly them. It is not free. So when you have a request that costs the airline nothing, which is boiling water that is from the onboard kettle (unlike sandwiches that are stocked and accounted for), whats the harm in giving the hot water?
I think too many people on this forum have been Cruzified, and dare I say it, some of them may even be partners in crime (as in they are implementing the BA strategy on behalf of Cruz!)
With BA, you are paying them to fly them. It is not free. So when you have a request that costs the airline nothing, which is boiling water that is from the onboard kettle (unlike sandwiches that are stocked and accounted for), whats the harm in giving the hot water?
I think too many people on this forum have been Cruzified, and dare I say it, some of them may even be partners in crime (as in they are implementing the BA strategy on behalf of Cruz!)
Jul 21, 2017, 4:32 am
#56
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 935
Forgetting for the moment that the general view of BOB is poor, and devaluing the BA experience...
And that we all agree tea, coffee and hot water should ALL definitely be complimentary...
if someone is charging £2.30 for a cup of tea, then quite reasonable to charge for just hot water. The incremental cost reduction of not supplying the tea bag, is tiny and less than a penny. The costs of getting that cup of hot water to you are basically the same as if it were a cup of tea.
Useful story about a cafe owner's response to a similar complaint on Trip Advisor..
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...ar-review.html
And that we all agree tea, coffee and hot water should ALL definitely be complimentary...
if someone is charging £2.30 for a cup of tea, then quite reasonable to charge for just hot water. The incremental cost reduction of not supplying the tea bag, is tiny and less than a penny. The costs of getting that cup of hot water to you are basically the same as if it were a cup of tea.
Useful story about a cafe owner's response to a similar complaint on Trip Advisor..
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...ar-review.html
Jul 21, 2017, 6:11 am
#57
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Jul 21, 2017, 6:11 am
#58
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Jul 21, 2017, 6:42 am
#59
Original Poster
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What is interesting is that mike&co hasn't mentioned if the elderly gentleman was upset by this? He could have been happy or expecting to pay it, or if not, not cared one jot as he's a relaxed and care free gentleman who doesn't sweat the small stuff!
He may be the kind of chap who would be amazed to know their is a 4 page thread online of people getting indignant on his behalf!
He may be the kind of chap who would be amazed to know their is a 4 page thread online of people getting indignant on his behalf!
Insofar as the elderly gentleman's response is concerned, he wasn't particularly talkative throughout the flight. However, I jokingly said to him after he received his cup of hot water "I'm sure you'll enjoy that" he in turn replied " it sticks in my throat" from that reply it would be fair to say he didn't expect to pay. In addition, he then had to retrieve his credit card from a bag in the overhead locker to make payment, so further strengthens this position.