life outside BA
Oct 16, 2017, 2:01 am
#16
Join Date: Jan 2005
Programs: BA Gold, several other less interesting cards...
Posts: 3,712
Oct 16, 2017, 2:23 am
#17
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: London
Posts: 1,503
I fell 160 TPs short of silver this year and decided against making an effort to get them given recent changes. from next month will be first time in about 15 years I've not been silver or gold.
Last week I had to go to Belgrade. BA no longer fly there, so flew LH on the outbound via MUC and OS on the way back via VIE.
No doubt in my mind I had a superior service on both airlines - free food and drink, much better legroom in Y - and on the last leg I upgraded to business and the food and drink was excellent. T2 is also an absolute dream compared to T5. When I arrived back, we parked 1 minute from the Border area, there was no line for the gates, and, some what incredulously, my luggage arrived almost as soon as I reached the baggage hall. Less then 10 minutes from gate to the short term car park.
I'll still use BA where it's convenient, but I will no longer chase status. The loss of food and particularly drink did it for me.
Last week I had to go to Belgrade. BA no longer fly there, so flew LH on the outbound via MUC and OS on the way back via VIE.
No doubt in my mind I had a superior service on both airlines - free food and drink, much better legroom in Y - and on the last leg I upgraded to business and the food and drink was excellent. T2 is also an absolute dream compared to T5. When I arrived back, we parked 1 minute from the Border area, there was no line for the gates, and, some what incredulously, my luggage arrived almost as soon as I reached the baggage hall. Less then 10 minutes from gate to the short term car park.
I'll still use BA where it's convenient, but I will no longer chase status. The loss of food and particularly drink did it for me.
Oct 16, 2017, 2:57 am
#18
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: Meh
Posts: 2,598
I use AA/CX/JL these days.
QR not so much after my DOH-PEK connection went tech and had an 8 hour delay.
Had to be in ICN urgently a couple of months back and bought a full J fare with BA. Was really interested to fly them LH again after a few years. Reduced service for whatever reason (I don't care why) was the final nail in the BA coffin for me.
I will return when they introduce a new seat, other than that 4 SH flights and I am out.
QR not so much after my DOH-PEK connection went tech and had an 8 hour delay.
Had to be in ICN urgently a couple of months back and bought a full J fare with BA. Was really interested to fly them LH again after a few years. Reduced service for whatever reason (I don't care why) was the final nail in the BA coffin for me.
I will return when they introduce a new seat, other than that 4 SH flights and I am out.
Oct 16, 2017, 3:01 am
#19
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,968
You don't even need to do that if you don't like BA. Eligible flights are any marketed or operated by BA, so book some flights as standalone BA codeshares on EI. Alternatively any IB marketed and operated flights count so just book some IB flights.
Oct 16, 2017, 3:04 am
#20
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: Meh
Posts: 2,598
The 4 flights are DUB/LHR returns on either EI/BA.
Oct 16, 2017, 3:06 am
#21
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,968
Yes, so book your 2 returns on BA marketed but EI operated flights and that your eligible flights done. The BA codeshares on EI should be listed on ba.com when searching for flights. No need for you to step on a BA plane at all 
Oct 16, 2017, 4:00 am
#22
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: VIE
Programs: SAS EBS / *A Silver, Hilton Diamond, Radisson VIP, IHG Platinum Ambassador
Posts: 3,777
That's minus only if you consider *S to be equivalent of OWS, which is far stretch IMHO. Equivalent of OWS (in terms of benefits and how much it takes to obtain it) would be *G, which gives you lounge access.
Oct 16, 2017, 9:02 am
#24
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club, easyJet and Ryanair
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: UK/Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold (GGL/CCR)
Posts: 15,928
Oct 16, 2017, 9:55 am
#25
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Wolverhampton
Programs: BA Silver, Hilton Diamond, Marriot Gold, Radisson Gold, Amex Platinum
Posts: 1,608
Champers in the lounge at FRA and LHR for LH? Ah ok, you'd not have experienced the lounge...
It's the differentiator between the T5 Club lounges and PP lounges to me...
It's the differentiator between the T5 Club lounges and PP lounges to me...
Oct 16, 2017, 10:32 am
#26
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: USA
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 812
In the last year, I've flown -
ATL-AMS-ATL in Y on KLM - Absolutely horrendous on a 3-4-3 777, never again.
LHR-BKK-LHR in Y on TG - Absolutely fantastic on the A380 in a free exit row seat both ways with no status. Service great and food great.
AMS-DOH-BKK-DOH-AMS in J on QR - Just fantastic as always.
ORD-HKG-BKK-HKG-ORD in F on CX - Great flight and great service. We were late in from ORD and I missed my connection in HKG, Was met at the arrival gate with a food voucher, a hotel voucher/reservation for the hotel in the airport and a boarding pass for the first flight in the morning. Great service recovery from Cathay.
AA CLT-LHR-CLT and multiple domestics. AA are growing on me, I like the aircraft and crews.
Delta - CLT-ATL-CLT. I don't think much of Delta but a member of crew saw me at 6'4" in a cramped up Y seat and kindly moved me to an exit row which I thought was nice.
All journeys better than BA except for KLM.
ATL-AMS-ATL in Y on KLM - Absolutely horrendous on a 3-4-3 777, never again.
LHR-BKK-LHR in Y on TG - Absolutely fantastic on the A380 in a free exit row seat both ways with no status. Service great and food great.
AMS-DOH-BKK-DOH-AMS in J on QR - Just fantastic as always.
ORD-HKG-BKK-HKG-ORD in F on CX - Great flight and great service. We were late in from ORD and I missed my connection in HKG, Was met at the arrival gate with a food voucher, a hotel voucher/reservation for the hotel in the airport and a boarding pass for the first flight in the morning. Great service recovery from Cathay.
AA CLT-LHR-CLT and multiple domestics. AA are growing on me, I like the aircraft and crews.
Delta - CLT-ATL-CLT. I don't think much of Delta but a member of crew saw me at 6'4" in a cramped up Y seat and kindly moved me to an exit row which I thought was nice.
All journeys better than BA except for KLM.
Last edited by capin; Oct 16, 2017 at 5:21 pm
Oct 16, 2017, 10:33 am
#27
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: in a cabin
Posts: 6,522
Hahaha no my friend.
Honest observation. The seat is as comfy as the F seat, possibly better. The service except for the lack of refinement which legacy crew on BA tend to posses, is better. The wet towels are actual towels. And you get two or three or four during the flight. Food is better, more choices and running out not an issue.
Wines except for Champagne on par.
I can go on...
Honest observation. The seat is as comfy as the F seat, possibly better. The service except for the lack of refinement which legacy crew on BA tend to posses, is better. The wet towels are actual towels. And you get two or three or four during the flight. Food is better, more choices and running out not an issue.
Wines except for Champagne on par.
I can go on...
Oct 16, 2017, 10:36 am
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,539
Actually, if one really were on juice, he'd definitely find QR J better than BA F, because their juices and soft drinks are heads and shoulders above: fresh squeezed orange juice on most flight (no 'like fresh', actual fresh), mocktails, lovely laban, etc.
That said, I think we have enough 'everyone else is better than BA' thread. I think that the current BA is not very good at building loyalty, and I think that it will be an issue for the airline when the next economic crisis strikes because that's when loyal customers make all the different.
Product wise, there are many things to complain about and this forum does it often. I would just point out, however, that if the new J seat is as groundbreaking as some seem to predict on this forum, and the soft product improvements of the LHR-JFK route are generalised (much better food, mattress, duvet, and presumably much improved pillow, new amenity kit, etc), then BA may well regain a lot of lost ground on that crucial travel class. In my view it is a little bit of a shame that this will only help them regain nonstop and connection to long European routes because the food offer on short and mostly medium connections is poor, but nonetheless, at any rate on nonstop, it would be a very important and positive investment for the airline.
That said, I think we have enough 'everyone else is better than BA' thread. I think that the current BA is not very good at building loyalty, and I think that it will be an issue for the airline when the next economic crisis strikes because that's when loyal customers make all the different.
Product wise, there are many things to complain about and this forum does it often. I would just point out, however, that if the new J seat is as groundbreaking as some seem to predict on this forum, and the soft product improvements of the LHR-JFK route are generalised (much better food, mattress, duvet, and presumably much improved pillow, new amenity kit, etc), then BA may well regain a lot of lost ground on that crucial travel class. In my view it is a little bit of a shame that this will only help them regain nonstop and connection to long European routes because the food offer on short and mostly medium connections is poor, but nonetheless, at any rate on nonstop, it would be a very important and positive investment for the airline.
Oct 16, 2017, 11:08 am
#30
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,146
Perhaps because many people are frustrated by how slowly BA is improving, one hand, and how the cheese-paring continues on the other.
There IS a better experience outside BA. We wait impatiently for BA to redress that.
There IS a better experience outside BA. We wait impatiently for BA to redress that.