British Airways falls from #1 in consumers favourite brands
#181
Join Date: Dec 2013
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#182
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges and Environmentally Friendly Travel
Join Date: Jan 2003
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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
Prospero
Moderator: BA forum
#183
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 6,349
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'.
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'.
#184
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: Some
Posts: 5,252
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'.
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'.
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.
#185
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
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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'.
#186
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Bridport, Dorset
Programs: Mucci, BA Bronze, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,130
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.
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.
Last edited by Sealink; Mar 15, 2018 at 8:04 pm
#187
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: BAEC Gold, EK Skywards (enhanced Blue !), Oman Air Sindbad Gold
Posts: 6,399
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.
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.
I’ve just completed a 10 day trip involving eight sectors, originating and terminating LHR.
I purposely booked two of the sectors with BA - one in F, the other CW - and specifically with the objective of ‘re-appraising’ them, so to speak, against other, more favoured (by me) carriers ..... ie. carriers where I feel there is much less risk of receiving substandard service/product, based on past experience.
There were several good things with both the BA flights - not least involving crew. But there were also several issues where I was very clearly reminded why I gradually became much more a fan of the OW alliance than a fan of my home airline.
Like you, lost_in_translation, I put myself firmly into the Number 2 category ; and this last trip has done nothing to change that.
#188
#189
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Join Date: Sep 2013
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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'.
#190
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: BOS
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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'.
#191
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: YYC
Programs: BA bronze, Aeroplan peon
Posts: 4,746
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.
#192
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: Executive Club: Gold - Flying Blue: Gold
Posts: 1,382
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.
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.
#193
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Isle of Man
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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.
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.
#194
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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.
#195
Join Date: May 2010
Location: UK
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