rockflyertalk

I’m not sure anyone was suggesting that anyone is unfit to run a business in this discussion but it doesn’t really make business sense for BA in the broader picture, unless it really is just a cost saving.

It sounds like you’re very successful and long may it continue for you and the team.

danboy767

Latest from BA on Twitter. It is official, we should update the thread title.

“The British Airways lounge at Toronto airport will be closing at the end of October. We'll be providing access for all eligible lounge customers to the Plaza Premium Lounge which is located on the same floor as the current BA lounge. Later in the year, Plaza Premium will be opening a brand new lounge for BA to use exclusively during our operating hours.”

markzz2

The mention of the "brand new lounge" are a bit odd and not been mentioned anywhere else. The official line I have seen is that an area in the Plaza Premium Lounge will be exclusively for BA use and there will also be an area specifically for First customers.

Jagboi

One thing I fail to grasp is why can a third party run a lounge for BA passengers and make a profit at a cheaper cost per passenger that BA can run a lounge themselves?

Can a third party's costs + profit really be less than BA's cost?

AC*SE

Yes, because they can distribute their overhead costs over a larger base, and they do not have to include ticketing/check-in agents among their staff.

dylanks

It's the model they've done at PHX for a few years. The idea is that it can be run as a third party lounge during the day, and then as a BA only lounge around the time of the BA flights (~4 hours before departure). I'm really not sure that the Club at PHX makes much money from operating the additional hours during the day, or how many passengers Toronto has in Terminal 3 in the non-transborder zone during the day, but clearly Plaza Premium thinks there's an opportunity here. I'm surprised they're doing this given the preflight dining, but not surprised after the announcement that PHL will no longer have F preflight dining.

fishball

I don't think PPL has enough space to cordon off a BA-only zone...as for food there are 4 hot buffet dishes and a noodle bar and a mediocre alcohol offering. It's incredibly crowded during the Asian departure times but BA times don't coincide with that.

simons1

BA was paying for lounge staff and drinks when they had lounges in the north terminal. Now they are paying for them in the south terminal.

Maybe some small differences but this isn't exactly millions of new spend when the capex was covered by the airport.

BRITINJAPAN3

Thats not a big jump, now BA has one lounge PP one, later PP two lounges, so costs should be lower overall.

bisonrav

Anyone got any ideas how to punch through the first line of anodine CS "We're sorry to hear you're disappointed and hope you enjoy the rest of the experience" and get to someone who can actually do some sort of remediation? I'm not expecting them to reopen the lounge but they need to do something.


Toronto, as the cheapest F destination in the sale, will have been chosen by a lot of first time Fs, and so it won't just be me who has had the treat wrecked. We haven't even had an email notification, which is diabolically poor customer management apart from anything else.


The outcome is that the pre-flight F dining is reduced to a poor quality buffet (entry to Plaza Premium is about £20) or I eat elsewhere or on the plane, reducing sleeping time - the plan was to bed down immediately and trying the F sleeping arrangements was one of the reasons for booking it, it's a short flight so given an hour minimum for food I'm down to about 4 hours sleep only. It's not even remotely an F experience now.


The most distasteful part of this is that BA literally don't give a stuff. This is not how to delight customers with a quality product, it is borderline fraudulent.

danboy767

Surely now doesn’t this put any North American BA lounge and operations on the hit list? Toronto has 2-3 flights a day and they are usually always full.

Other outstations such as PHL, DFW & YVR are all served by fewer flights\customers. If this is the new BA strategy of stripping costs on the ground after stripping them on board I’m genuinely concerned. I also spent many years shooting for status to use the lounges and now they are being significantly devalued I feel cheated!!!!

MPH1980

While I do not defend this move - we have to be cautious about the idea that (for the casual lounge visitor) it is a major devaluation when the 'new' area that has been mentioned it opened.

Plaza Premium can do good food. If the BA area is exclusive and the food is good then, for the most part the offering is consistent. We don't know if sit down dining will be offered for F yet.

The major devaluation, for me, is the loss of the staff. YYZ became my third home (after my actual home and LHR) for the better part of 18 months. To be greeted as an old friend by everyone - to chat and to be welcomed (and looked after) by wonderful people is part of the experience and a definate part of what kept me coming back to BA.

There will be a period (fron what has been said) where we will be crowded into the existing plaza space. But (presumably) once theyve redone the existing BA space there will be a new lounge experience.

But as with so many thing - the loss of people who feel a connection to the company is something that cannot easily be substituted by a third party company.

South London Bon Viveur

Very odd and non-customer centric decision. But on reflection actually not surprising.

peck

What a shame - I passed through Toronto quite a few times over the years and the staff there were always excellent.

Another one one bites the dust and all that...

LondonCanuck

I have it confirmed from GGL helpline email (who had no clue about it, but emailed BA lounge management, and forwarded me the answer), so definitely no speculation.

They tried to to put a positive spin on it, but since I am very familiar with PP T3 YYZ (used to pop in to have a shower and some dim sum), I question how good it can be. “Separate area”, “pre flight dining” etc. Should be interesting to see, but I am quite sad. This is one of my main routes, and was one of my favourite lounges, especially the staff!