BA emails and grammar
Jul 3, 2018, 8:56 am
#31
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: BUF
Programs: SkyTean, Star Alliance, HHonors
Posts: 155
The second of the OP's options is what I think we are moving towards. We (a large international law firm) have just revised our style guide on salutation to take account of the fact that increasing numbers of people are objecting to the assumption of binary gender designations. We don't use gender specific salutations (Dear Sir, Dear Madam, Dear Sirs) or salutations which imply that there is a binary gender divide (Dear Sir or Madam). For individuals we say "Dear GivenName FamilyName". For other partnerships we name it: "Dear [e.g] Slaughter and May" or for companies and entities the name of the entity plus "fao": "Dear [e.g.] Acme Widgets PLC fao [the Directors] [John Smith]".
Non gender-specific academic or other titles (e.g. "Dr") remain acceptable but we do not use them by default.
I believe that that is the direction of travel and I have not noticed any particular pushback from elsewhere in the world yet.
Others are right: it's not grammar but style and courtesy. And YMMV.
Non gender-specific academic or other titles (e.g. "Dr") remain acceptable but we do not use them by default.
I believe that that is the direction of travel and I have not noticed any particular pushback from elsewhere in the world yet.
Others are right: it's not grammar but style and courtesy. And YMMV.
Things would be a lot easier if we had a title or way of addressing people that conveyed politeness without all of the sex/gender/marriage/academic baggage (and anything I might be missing. Clergy? Royalty of various sorts?)
The "Dear First Lastname" thing sounds awkward to me.
Jul 4, 2018, 10:46 am
#32
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 309
Not realated to salutations, rather to general bad spelling and grammar -
Received today from BA Holidays
" The Westin Grand Munich have advised that sauna and changing rooms will be closed due to maintenance work. Noise is not to be accpeted as the spa is located on basement level. The Westin Grand has arranged for you to be able use the swimming pool at the sheraton Munich Arabellapark Hotel opposite the hotel. "
Received today from BA Holidays
" The Westin Grand Munich have advised that sauna and changing rooms will be closed due to maintenance work. Noise is not to be accpeted as the spa is located on basement level. The Westin Grand has arranged for you to be able use the swimming pool at the sheraton Munich Arabellapark Hotel opposite the hotel. "
Jul 4, 2018, 11:47 am
#33
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: London, United Kingdom
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold;BA GGL; hhonors lifetime diamond; Marriott lt Gold; IH Plat Amb; Amex Centurion
Posts: 4,739
Agreed and, come to think of it, 95% of our emails to specific individuals will be to "Dear [GivenName]". It's almost only emails to people we are communicating with for the first time that will be "Dear [GivenName FamilyName]".
Jul 4, 2018, 11:54 am
#34
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,146
Back in the days of the “Troubles” we were asked [ordered?] not to use our rank in correspondence, on the basis that the nasty men would discover where we lived. So I became a ‘Mr’ some 4 decades ago. The idea of flaunting my rank in retirement, despite being so entitled, doesn’t register. But please do NOT call me by my first name unless we’re actually friends or very close acquaintances.
Jul 4, 2018, 12:11 pm
#35
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: London, United Kingdom
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold;BA GGL; hhonors lifetime diamond; Marriott lt Gold; IH Plat Amb; Amex Centurion
Posts: 4,739
Back in the days of the “Troubles” we were asked [ordered?] not to use our rank in correspondence, on the basis that the nasty men would discover where we lived. So I became a ‘Mr’ some 4 decades ago. The idea of flaunting my rank in retirement, despite being so entitled, doesn’t register. But please do NOT call me by my first name unless we’re actually friends or very close acquaintances.
As I am sure Air Chief Marshal T8191 would agree.....
Last edited by hsmall; Jul 6, 2018 at 7:20 am
Jul 4, 2018, 1:36 pm
#36
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,146
*ahem* ... only one 'L' in Marshal 
Just looked at my medical file ... I see I am always addressed as 'Mr' in correspondence, despite the intimacy I have had with my Consutant Urologist (who also signs himself as 'Mr').
Just looked at my medical file ... I see I am always addressed as 'Mr' in correspondence, despite the intimacy I have had with my Consutant Urologist (who also signs himself as 'Mr').
Jul 4, 2018, 3:26 pm
#37
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: London, UK and Southern France
Posts: 18,364
I have received the following various forms of salutation in BA or BAEC emails:
Dear Steve
Dear Steve Takeiteasy
Dear Mr Takiteasy
Hi Steve Takiteasy
I am not the top of the class when grammar is concerned but feel #2 and 4 are incorrect? Seems quite poor from a British company.
Dear Steve
Dear Steve Takeiteasy
Dear Mr Takiteasy
Hi Steve Takiteasy
I am not the top of the class when grammar is concerned but feel #2 and 4 are incorrect? Seems quite poor from a British company.
Jul 6, 2018, 7:10 am
#39
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Balham - Gateway to The South
Programs: BA Bronze
Posts: 2,020
I’ve often been tempted to give myself a title
Although c-w-s has inspired me to consider comrade !
Jul 6, 2018, 3:37 pm
#41
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: UK
Programs: Lemonia. Best Greek ever.
Posts: 2,274
Dear Comrade,
It has come to our attention that you read The Grauniad.
As we are a profit motivated Company, we do not allow Grauniad readers to travel with us. Neither do we allow Millionaire Grauniad writers to travel with us. None of this "To (yn) be, or not To(yn)bee. stuff.
We do hope you understand our decision. Whilst it might not be the outcome that you wanted, I am sure that you will understand that we must treat all customers fairly.
It has come to our attention that you read The Grauniad.
As we are a profit motivated Company, we do not allow Grauniad readers to travel with us. Neither do we allow Millionaire Grauniad writers to travel with us. None of this "To (yn) be, or not To(yn)bee. stuff.
We do hope you understand our decision. Whilst it might not be the outcome that you wanted, I am sure that you will understand that we must treat all customers fairly.
Jul 6, 2018, 4:38 pm
#42
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: London, United Kingdom
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold;BA GGL; hhonors lifetime diamond; Marriott lt Gold; IH Plat Amb; Amex Centurion
Posts: 4,739
Originally Posted by Debrett's Forms of Address
Other officers of the rank of squadron leader and above may use, and be addressed by, their rank after being placed on the retired list.
It is official practice for the Ministry of Defence to add the abbreviation ‘retd’ after a retired officer’s name, although this is not strictly necessary.
It is official practice for the Ministry of Defence to add the abbreviation ‘retd’ after a retired officer’s name, although this is not strictly necessary.
Jul 7, 2018, 2:10 am
#43
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,146
Jul 7, 2018, 8:24 am
#44
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Piedmont, Italy; Cheshire, UK
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 389
Not realated to salutations, rather to general bad spelling and grammar -
Received today from BA Holidays
" The Westin Grand Munich have advised that sauna and changing rooms will be closed due to maintenance work. Noise is not to be accpeted as the spa is located on basement level. The Westin Grand has arranged for you to be able use the swimming pool at the sheraton Munich Arabellapark Hotel opposite the hotel. "
Received today from BA Holidays
" The Westin Grand Munich have advised that sauna and changing rooms will be closed due to maintenance work. Noise is not to be accpeted as the spa is located on basement level. The Westin Grand has arranged for you to be able use the swimming pool at the sheraton Munich Arabellapark Hotel opposite the hotel. "
Presumably the awful typo. 'accpeted' in the 2nd sentence was meant to be 'expected' (although the writer may have been trying to type 'accepted' in error). Of course 'sheraton' should have been capitalized.
Very sloppy.
PS 'Capitalized' is a perfectly correct British English spelling of the word (as is 'capitalised'), despite what the spellchecker programs might suggest. If you disagree, see you in OMNI.
Jul 7, 2018, 9:11 am
#45
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 17,008
Which is odd in a way because Americans simply preserve an archaicism standard in 17th century english.