Enough is enough - Bye bye BA - I'm out
Oct 6, 2018, 2:20 pm
#151
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: Meh
Posts: 2,598
I did a few of QR trips to Asia but found my time is more valuable to me than wasting 3 hours in Doha and 6 hours more in a plane. With regards BA, I will take CX and JL over BA direct always. However BA still has me for going to the likes of India. North America is AA mostly.
What annoys me most is BA talking about a new seat for 3 years now without improvement, whilst cutting costs left right and centre.
What annoys me most is BA talking about a new seat for 3 years now without improvement, whilst cutting costs left right and centre.
Oct 6, 2018, 2:24 pm
#152
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: Meh
Posts: 2,598
Oct 6, 2018, 5:13 pm
#154
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Toronto
Programs: BA Exec Club - Demoted to Bronze and re-promoted to Silver alongside AC Elite 50K (gold) in 2022
Posts: 393
The wide spectrum of views highlight three key issues for me
1. The general love/hate relationship people have with their national carrier - in my case it's BA
2. How depending on where you live, and the routes you routinely take influence your preferred carrier.
3. Is the grass greener elsewhere?
With changes at BA being generally positive at the moment, I can't believe BA (I won't personalise to the CEO) will be so stuuupid to devalue the BAEC given for many of us, it's the only reason we remain.
In my case, on the YYZ to LHR/LGW routes being my way home 6-8 times a year, the BAEC beats hands down AC altitude in benefits. Upgrade credits which are near impossible to use, do not give Altitude / Aeroplan the edge. I still one day hope that BA fully turns the corner and the current CEO realises that the bottom line includes market share, loads per sector, customer satisfaction and all of the other KPIs which have forced BA to reverse cuts. (sorry I meant enhancements) Other than profit (which I accept is the key driver), at what point did the current board realise they had gone too far???)
For that reason, I will continue to fly BA between Toronto and London - EVEN if there is no first for this winter, a third party run c**p lounge in YYZ (to save money) and PE remains the "forgotten" cabin in BA.
I travel every week for work within N America, and with AA, UA and AC - I do appreciate they have kept T&Cs, and soft drinks in coach. Travelling in Europe with BA is now the worst thing about the airline. Put BOB aside, tighter pitch, fewer bathrooms, and not even hot and soft drinks in economy pulls BA down to the LCC level (except on price)
1. The general love/hate relationship people have with their national carrier - in my case it's BA
2. How depending on where you live, and the routes you routinely take influence your preferred carrier.
3. Is the grass greener elsewhere?
With changes at BA being generally positive at the moment, I can't believe BA (I won't personalise to the CEO) will be so stuuupid to devalue the BAEC given for many of us, it's the only reason we remain.
In my case, on the YYZ to LHR/LGW routes being my way home 6-8 times a year, the BAEC beats hands down AC altitude in benefits. Upgrade credits which are near impossible to use, do not give Altitude / Aeroplan the edge. I still one day hope that BA fully turns the corner and the current CEO realises that the bottom line includes market share, loads per sector, customer satisfaction and all of the other KPIs which have forced BA to reverse cuts. (sorry I meant enhancements) Other than profit (which I accept is the key driver), at what point did the current board realise they had gone too far???)
For that reason, I will continue to fly BA between Toronto and London - EVEN if there is no first for this winter, a third party run c**p lounge in YYZ (to save money) and PE remains the "forgotten" cabin in BA.
I travel every week for work within N America, and with AA, UA and AC - I do appreciate they have kept T&Cs, and soft drinks in coach. Travelling in Europe with BA is now the worst thing about the airline. Put BOB aside, tighter pitch, fewer bathrooms, and not even hot and soft drinks in economy pulls BA down to the LCC level (except on price)
Oct 6, 2018, 8:05 pm
#155
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 17,008
My post set out the two very different, distinct, ways of getting free hotel accommodation on long transfers at Doha. One is the rather complicated QR process you described, the other is the perhaps less well know one (+Qatar) aimed, in part, at promoting Doha as a tourism destination.
I'm sorry if I ruffled your feathers, but I thought readers of this thread might find the additional gen useful if they try out QR services.
Oct 7, 2018, 12:50 am
#156
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: GLA
Programs: BAEC: Silver. Nothing else as TopCashBack trumps all hotel programs
Posts: 801
Step up BA or you will loose all premium flyers.
Last edited by cupsandsaucers; Oct 7, 2018 at 1:40 am
Oct 7, 2018, 1:18 am
#157
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: usually somewhere between 30000 and 40000 feet...but actually the English countryside
Programs: BA GGL/Lifetime Gold, EK Gold, Lowly M&M, Marriott tit, Hhonors Diamond, numerous others
Posts: 1,156
Well I would suppose they know my OW sectors on other airlines for sure. They also get to see my whole itinerary (if they are that bothered) on a multi sector trip originating ex UK on BA.
Last edited by Beano HK; Oct 7, 2018 at 1:24 am
Oct 7, 2018, 1:20 am
#158
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: usually somewhere between 30000 and 40000 feet...but actually the English countryside
Programs: BA GGL/Lifetime Gold, EK Gold, Lowly M&M, Marriott tit, Hhonors Diamond, numerous others
Posts: 1,156
Oct 7, 2018, 1:42 am
#159
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: London
Programs: BA GGLFL, EK Gold
Posts: 111
Couldn't you fix this problem with a second passport? It is very straightforward to apply for one if you are a UK passport holder, not sure about other countries.
Oct 7, 2018, 1:53 am
#160
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 536
Are they? There still seem to be plenty of punters who want to spend money on BA rather than any of the superior alternatives.
As long as people are crazy enough to pay for an very inferior product then, from a Cruzified point of view, why should BA change?
As long as people are crazy enough to pay for an very inferior product then, from a Cruzified point of view, why should BA change?
Oct 7, 2018, 2:04 am
#161
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: GLA
Programs: BAEC: Silver. Nothing else as TopCashBack trumps all hotel programs
Posts: 801
None of that however detracts from the fact that the hard product is just very poor. Much poorer than many other airlines.
I would say that if you are flying east, for leisure and paying for your own ticket in a premium cabin then I would find it very hard to come to the conclusion that CW or BA F was really the best option. Come on. Let's be honest here.
Oct 7, 2018, 2:12 am
#162
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 1,683
Oct 7, 2018, 2:26 am
#163
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: GLA
Programs: BAEC: Silver. Nothing else as TopCashBack trumps all hotel programs
Posts: 801
Many many others have measured the seats as its part of their job. Virgin is 21inches wide and BA is 18.5 inches wide. Any review will tell you as much.
https://www.headforpoints.com/2018/04/30/virgin-atlantic-british-airways-who-has-the-best-premium-economy-product/
Oct 7, 2018, 2:32 am
#164
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 1,683
I think the more you fly an airline the more you see it’s shortcomings. I live in London, fly almost entirely for leisure, so BA are the go to for me. Most LH travel is USA, and the Avios earned pay largely for the short haul stuff around Europe.
My first flight in CW was wow, now it’s ummm. But I only have to think back to the MCO-LGW in economy that made me decide to either fly further forward or not at all to be wowed again by CW. I don’t stress the seat, I can climb over if needed, and I’ll say hello across the divider and speak or not as the mood takes me until it goes up. I’ve been in AA and AY long haul, both are fine, my view on which is best changes all the time. Shortly I’m on a VS to Miami and will see how that stacks up, it’s unlikely to tempt me long term as the FC miles are no use for SH around Europe.
BA have at times really annoyed me, in fact every time they mishandle the boarding process, which on SH seems to be every time I fly, they annoy me. Why don’t they replace Group X with “Surge forward and block access as you like” so it’s at least accurate.
But I’m not ditching BAEC and convenience of LCY and LHR until there’s a good reason to.
My first flight in CW was wow, now it’s ummm. But I only have to think back to the MCO-LGW in economy that made me decide to either fly further forward or not at all to be wowed again by CW. I don’t stress the seat, I can climb over if needed, and I’ll say hello across the divider and speak or not as the mood takes me until it goes up. I’ve been in AA and AY long haul, both are fine, my view on which is best changes all the time. Shortly I’m on a VS to Miami and will see how that stacks up, it’s unlikely to tempt me long term as the FC miles are no use for SH around Europe.
BA have at times really annoyed me, in fact every time they mishandle the boarding process, which on SH seems to be every time I fly, they annoy me. Why don’t they replace Group X with “Surge forward and block access as you like” so it’s at least accurate.
But I’m not ditching BAEC and convenience of LCY and LHR until there’s a good reason to.
Oct 7, 2018, 2:47 am
#165
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: UK
Programs: None
Posts: 115
We had Q Suites on 1 of our 4 sectors and while it's not perfect (preferred QR herringbone seat for relaxed TV watching position), in many respects it's a much nicer place to be than BA F. At a J class price as well. It should be an embarrassment to BA but I guess while profits keep piling up they have no incentive to improve their very dated CW product. Let's face it, the product hasn't really changed that much since it was introduced nearly 2 decades ago. Yes it had a mild refresh 12 years ago but come on, 20 years with fundamentally the same seat is ridiculous.