Sunday Times Piece - "Sorry, BA, but new blazers aren’t enough"
Sep 30, 2018, 2:04 am
#1
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Sunday Times Piece - "Sorry, BA, but new blazers aren’t enough"
Behind a paywall, not sure if I can post excerpts from it here:
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/t...ough-g3t3r8pdl
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/t...ough-g3t3r8pdl
Sep 30, 2018, 2:13 am
#2
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 8,764
It’s not a particularly insightful piece but reflects common sentiments here.
These are his substantive points, which I think I can just about post as an extract:
These are his substantive points, which I think I can just about post as an extract:
Originally Posted by The Times
I used to love BA. I still fly BA once a month for work, mainly in the cheap seats. This is what I — and I suspect many others — would like to see it do:
■ Invest in IT to fend off cyberattacks and prevent your central computer from crashing.
■ Bring back free soft drinks, tea and coffee — and gin and tonics — on short-haul flights. You can still charge for the M&S food and wine, if you must.
■ Hire enough cabin crew to serve food and drinks on short-haul flights, and make sure you always load enough grub.
■ Put back the lavatory you’ve removed from some short-haul jets to squeeze in more seats. One loo for the entire economy cabin is not enough.
■ Hire more cleaners. Your planes are sometimes filthy.
■ Accelerate the delivery of the quieter, more environmentally friendly Airbus A350s and Boeing 787s you’ve ordered, and phase out the 747s fast.
■ Train your staff to act like hoteliers, not “computer says no” airline employees.
■ Install wi-fi, power and USB sockets in every seat in every class.
■ The new lounges in Boston and San Francisco are a big improvement. Please upgrade all the others to the same standard.
■ Make the new Club World seats bigger and all forward-facing, replacing the current back-to-front pairs.
■ Above all, remember BA is not Ryanair. It is a premium brand and must remain premium in every cabin.
Do all that, then you can slip into the new blazers.
■ Invest in IT to fend off cyberattacks and prevent your central computer from crashing.
■ Bring back free soft drinks, tea and coffee — and gin and tonics — on short-haul flights. You can still charge for the M&S food and wine, if you must.
■ Hire enough cabin crew to serve food and drinks on short-haul flights, and make sure you always load enough grub.
■ Put back the lavatory you’ve removed from some short-haul jets to squeeze in more seats. One loo for the entire economy cabin is not enough.
■ Hire more cleaners. Your planes are sometimes filthy.
■ Accelerate the delivery of the quieter, more environmentally friendly Airbus A350s and Boeing 787s you’ve ordered, and phase out the 747s fast.
■ Train your staff to act like hoteliers, not “computer says no” airline employees.
■ Install wi-fi, power and USB sockets in every seat in every class.
■ The new lounges in Boston and San Francisco are a big improvement. Please upgrade all the others to the same standard.
■ Make the new Club World seats bigger and all forward-facing, replacing the current back-to-front pairs.
■ Above all, remember BA is not Ryanair. It is a premium brand and must remain premium in every cabin.
Do all that, then you can slip into the new blazers.
Sep 30, 2018, 2:24 am
#3
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BA reportedly working on a piece on how to improve the Sunday Times. Which is by the way less profitable and has far fewer customers than BA.
Not to be a BA apologist here, but it's very easy to suggest improvements when you don't have to pay for them out of your P&L
Not to be a BA apologist here, but it's very easy to suggest improvements when you don't have to pay for them out of your P&L
Sep 30, 2018, 3:52 am
#7
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 740
I used the Boston lounge for the first time this week. It was nice being able to board the plane from the lounge and the seats were comfortable enough but the food offering was abysmal. There also appeared to be only one coffee machine. I was on the daytime 777 flight buti can imagine it's a zoo for the 380.
As for the phrase "invest in IT", that kind of talk can get you sacked nowadays. I think the phrase is "slash IT budgets, outsource as much as possible and hire someone to say 'security is important to us'".
As for the phrase "invest in IT", that kind of talk can get you sacked nowadays. I think the phrase is "slash IT budgets, outsource as much as possible and hire someone to say 'security is important to us'".
Sep 30, 2018, 4:14 am
#9
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I don't think any of the suggested improvements are unreasonable - in fact, I'd go as far as to say that most of them are critical if BA is not to fall even further behind its competitors. British Airways does not currently feel like a premium airline in almost any aspect of its offering, whether it be the website, call centres, lounges, boarding procedure or the inflight experience.
Sep 30, 2018, 4:31 am
#11
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IT Completely agree
Lavatory . I only fly CE so I wouldn’t even be aware of the problem
Cleaners Completely agree
New Aircraft I love the 747 so please keep them as long as possible.
Training I have no problem with the staff and have never experienced the computer says no
WIFI. Personally I would remove it as I love the peace of being non contactable whilst in the air.
Lounges yes some are poor but so are many other airlines
CW Please keep the rear facing seats. Love the current style but find a way to make it all direct aisle access
RYAN Air BA is a country mile ahead of Ryan air but in today’s market short haul economy has to be competitive. I hate Ryan air but despite my considered failings of that airline they fly with over 96% occupancy.
Bottom line is I believe IAG know they have to up their game, but whilst the profits stack up they will do it at their own pace
Sep 30, 2018, 4:42 am
#12
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Sep 30, 2018, 4:44 am
#13
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I used the Boston lounge for the first time this week. It was nice being able to board the plane from the lounge and the seats were comfortable enough but the food offering was abysmal. There also appeared to be only one coffee machine. I was on the daytime 777 flight buti can imagine it's a zoo for the 380.
But a big improvement though!
Sep 30, 2018, 6:15 am
#14
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,753
As a semi-regular CE customer, I find it an insult to be charged £2.50 or whatever it is for a crappy cup of coffee. Any other SH legacy carrier I have been on (QF, Virgin Oz, Latam and others) provides free coffee and tea, some have basic snacks too. It’s not much to ask is it?
Sep 30, 2018, 6:17 am
#15
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 6,349
As a semi-regular CE customer, I find it an insult to be charged £2.50 or whatever it is for a crappy cup of coffee. Any other SH legacy carrier I have been on (QF, Virgin Oz, Latam and others) provides free coffee and tea, some have basic snacks too. It’s not much to ask is it?