British Airways falls from #1 in consumers favourite brands
Mar 16, 2018, 5:31 am
#196
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: Some
Posts: 5,226
I'm not sure that's true at all - I think there's a balance of views on BA on the forum here. Over time they have, I think, increasingly trended towards the negative but you have to ask why that is. Thinking there's some kind of conspiracy on Flyertalk to bad-mouth BA or that the Flyertalk BAEC forum is only attracting those who want to express negative views seems to me more far-fetched than the simple thesis that BA's product has deteriorated.
Mar 16, 2018, 5:31 am
#197
Join Date: Aug 2014
Programs: BA Executive Club and OnBusiness
Posts: 717
If it's only hundreds that are happy each day, then they would be in a tiny minority!
Mar 16, 2018, 5:00 pm
#199
Join Date: May 2010
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 1,144
Hundreds or thousands who gives a ..... The fact of the matter is despite what is said on the BA forum lots of people fly with BA everyday and they are happy! The race to the bottom for BA has been talked to death on this forum for a long time but somehow BA still make millions of pounds a year; every year strange that isn't it? You would think that with all the people on here who say BA are .... and every other airline is better that nobody would fly BA at all because they are sooooo bad.....
Mar 16, 2018, 5:12 pm
#200
Ambassador: Emirates Airlines
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Manchester, UK
Posts: 18,588
Hundreds or thousands who gives a ..... The fact of the matter is despite what is said on the BA forum lots of people fly with BA everyday and they are happy! The race to the bottom for BA has been talked to death on this forum for a long time but somehow BA still make millions of pounds a year; every year strange that isn't it? You would think that with all the people on here who say BA are .... and every other airline is better that nobody would fly BA at all because they are sooooo bad.....
Mar 16, 2018, 5:22 pm
#202
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 17,005
But I wonder how you could possibly know if even those hundreds are happy with their flights? I suppose you might look at surveys....
Have you thought of why that might be?
Mar 16, 2018, 5:26 pm
#204
Join Date: May 2010
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 1,144
Sounds like damning with the very faintest praise: only hundreds of the many thousands of people who fly BA each day like what they offer ? So be it ... 1 in 10
But I wonder how you could possibly know if even those hundreds are happy with their flights? I suppose you might look at surveys....
Have you thought of why that might be?
But I wonder how you could possibly know if even those hundreds are happy with their flights? I suppose you might look at surveys....
Have you thought of why that might be?
Mar 16, 2018, 5:55 pm
#205
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: LHR, LGW
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 3,400
I wouldn’t like to say BA are making a profit because people like BA and the offer a good product...this fall from grace proves that.
But I would say they are making money because of shrewd accounting teams in the background with rigid cost focus and P&L scrutiny. That is why they are turning a profit.
Under investment for many years also helps. I say under investment not lack of because clearly there has been some investment but only when the sums add up without hurting profit or margin.
All of this is great if you’re a business owner or have a penchant for financial tales but as a customer you don’t give a damn if Cruz is making BA board money or gets his bonus. You care about whether you’re travelling safely (goes without saying), in style, with great service and amenities. So a great product.
But I would say they are making money because of shrewd accounting teams in the background with rigid cost focus and P&L scrutiny. That is why they are turning a profit.
Under investment for many years also helps. I say under investment not lack of because clearly there has been some investment but only when the sums add up without hurting profit or margin.
All of this is great if you’re a business owner or have a penchant for financial tales but as a customer you don’t give a damn if Cruz is making BA board money or gets his bonus. You care about whether you’re travelling safely (goes without saying), in style, with great service and amenities. So a great product.
BA has some of this here and there, it’s not perfect no business will ever be but it has really focused too hard on the finance and not enough on the customer. That, in my opinion, is why BA are no longer number 1.
It’s a shame because they could have used next year 2019 (the centenary) as a target to prove they are still number 1. Still flying to serve. Unfortunately the build up so far to this momentous occasion has been clouded by failures in PR that may just distract from what could be a joyous time to show customers they really are a British Premium Airline maybe they still will or can. But clearly a lot of damage has been done.
It’s a shame because they could have used next year 2019 (the centenary) as a target to prove they are still number 1. Still flying to serve. Unfortunately the build up so far to this momentous occasion has been clouded by failures in PR that may just distract from what could be a joyous time to show customers they really are a British Premium Airline maybe they still will or can. But clearly a lot of damage has been done.
Mar 16, 2018, 5:55 pm
#206
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: LH SEN; BA Gold
Posts: 8,402
Don't underestimate the power of a low price. Furthermore, I wouldn't conclude from full airplanes that customers are indeed happy. The survey is one of many indicators that customers seem to think that BA is heading in the wrong direction.
Mar 16, 2018, 6:07 pm
#207
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: LH SEN; BA Gold
Posts: 8,402
As far as "BA forum" vs "super brand survey" is concerned, the survey is certainly not a definitive answer but IMO more precise than the general opinion of this forum. Most of us have FFS on BA and get treated differently than the average UK customer. E.g. Selecting the good CW seats for free while the non-status pax refusing to pay the fee gets either an aisle seat with the privacy level of a park bench or gets to share middle seats with another poor sob.
Mar 16, 2018, 6:37 pm
#208
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 17,005
Absolutely. EasyJet and Ryanair fulfil their market value propositions, do what it says on the tin; while BA can seem a bit fur coat and no knickers.
The LCC meet their customers' expectations, while BA can easily disappoint.
Mar 16, 2018, 8:46 pm
#210
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: MAN DXB ✈️
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 6,826
Hundreds or thousands who gives a ..... The fact of the matter is despite what is said on the BA forum lots of people fly with BA everyday and they are happy! The race to the bottom for BA has been talked to death on this forum for a long time but somehow BA still make millions of pounds a year; every year strange that isn't it? You would think that with all the people on here who say BA are .... and every other airline is better that nobody would fly BA at all because they are sooooo bad.....
also so a lot of people don’t have a choice from the uk to certain destinations so of course no matter what BA do they’ll get bums on seats and for most passengers in economy, well it’s grim anyway right?
