Nimrod1965

Prospero

Ten posts have been removed from this discussion. To those whose posts have been removed, you are most welcome to repost your thoughts but please be aware that baiting others is strictly off limits. Please engage courteously

Prospero
Moderator: BA forum

simons1

Ok so to repost my thoughts.

When you look at most external rankings of premium cabins, airline lounges etc BA and CCR rarely feature in the top 7/8 of either (we are talking here about magazines, bloggers, newspapers etc).

However undeniably there are those who like BA's services and find that they can never do wrong.

I therefore wonder if there is some form of Stockholm Syndrome in play here. Namely that if you are highly loyal to one predominant supplier then you become attuned to those standards becoming the new norm or the new 'good'.

lost_in_translation

The way I think about it there are three different groups here (rather like a simplified BA priority boarding!), which are basically concentric circles in order of size:

1. Regular fliers (mostly BA) - more likely than either of the other two groups to fly BA out of choice (albeit some are obviously left with no choice), therefore the most likely group to be positive about BA; this group corresponds to a subset of the current posters in this forum

2. Regular fliers (mix of airlines, possibly including BA) - more likely than the general population to fly, but probably the least likely to fly BA by choice; this group corresponds roughly to other Flyertalk users

3. General population - this group is the least likely to fly, which means they both have less of a base of comparison to other airlines and where they do it's statistically most likely to be to LCCs, therefore this group has generally had a positive view of BA and is happier with BA than group 2 above; this survey, I think, potentially represents the beginning of a change in views of this group regarding BA

Most blogs/surveys on airline lounges are targeted at group 2 above, hence they never have a particularly favourable view of BA.

I should point out at this point I sit firmly in group 2 for fairness.

HIDDY

Is it such a big deal for someone to be happy with the BA product?

Sealink

It doesn't fit the narrative.
I've made a few posts about poor experiences on another airline and was surprised that this wasn't even acknowledged.
Someone gets a chicken salad that's too cold on BA and there's a 12 page thread about it.

subject2load

sxc

And I think most people would call Land Rover a British company, regardless of its ultimate parent being Indian.

nallison

I think the issue is whenthose who receive substantial perks from BA that any normal customer cannot, and are on friendly terms with senior bods in BA, belittle people here who have a bad experience and cast doubt on their opinion, because, they've 'never had a bad flight'. With some self-awareness perhaps they might consider their experience of BA is not 'typical'.

HilFly

I think my post about new paint syndrome was removed but I think those with very high status see a very different BA from the version that lesser mortals see.

Jagboi

I agree. For the majority that don't have status, you have to pay for a seat assignment, pay for more than 1 piece of baggage on long haul, pay for food and drink on short haul, while being squashed into a tiny Y seat in a "densified" cabin, the whole experience feels cheap without actually being cheap. If you're being nickled and dimed (5 and 10P'd ??) to death why not choose a LCC? There is no practical difference or reason to choose BA over whatever is cheaper.

BA used to stand for a nice, quality experience and was worth paying a premium for. That's not the case for most passengers anymore, and the brand rankings reflect that.

BA6948

Arctic Troll

This is the group that will affect brand reputation, though. Not the bottom line so much, as they don't fly that often, but definitely these sorts of brand reputation surveys.

People who always fly LCC, but fancy splashing out for a milestone birthday or anniversary, so they 'upgrade' to BA. Only to find that BA are exactly the same as the LCC that they always otherwise fly with. Are they going to be disappointed? You betcha.

This, I still maintain, is going to be BA's long-term problem. With LCCs you know where you are. LCCs are, more than anything, good at expectation management: fly Ryanair and you expect to be treated as self-loading freight, be force-fed scratchcards and be stuck next to the 27 BANTER BANTER BANTER lads off on a stag do. If you don't get that, you'll be dead pleased and your opinion will be high.

But what is BA? It's not a premium airline, at least not in short-haul Y. But, rightly or wrongly, the name still has expectations attached to it. The LCC model may even make sense financially (I'm not convinced, but hey), but with BA's name they're doomed to under-delivery compared to expectations. That really is a killer.

FlyerTalker688786

Except with Vueling, you do not know what you will get until you are in the airport: whether your flight will be cancelled or delayed (Sorry I have not been nice to Vueling due to its reputation of long delays and cancellations during summer busy months in previous years).

Padmeister

Hundreds of people day in day out like BA and enjoy what they offer. it is getting to the point where you only fit in on the BA Board if you are bashing BA,.