Enough is enough - Bye bye BA - I'm out
Oct 5, 2018, 1:42 pm
#76
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 6,349
All about high volume not high margin. But what volume does mean is bigger aircraft and proper premium cabins even on short haul flights as opposed to economy seating with an empty middle chair.
As far as hard and soft products are concerned, well EK was doing 10 abreast but still gaining business while BA's old bangers were still 9 abreast.
Anyway what is the choice to Dubai these days....EK or Air Belgium?
Oct 5, 2018, 1:43 pm
#77
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: Executive Club: Gold - Flying Blue: Gold
Posts: 1,382
While the post seems a bit harsh I do quite understand it. BA has become poor in almost every area that I feel a bit pissed when I have to take them. BoB in SH was an eye opener for me and I have simce tried many airlines and I have to be honest they all beat BA hands down in almost every service aspect.
AF vs BA: AF has SH food, allows you to check your luggage through when you have 2 different tickets, food in longhaul Y is better (fresh bread, fruits and bigger meal), allows you to change/upgrade a ticket even on TA tickets, day of departure upgrades, better seats in J, perfect F, clean cabins, greeting for Platinum, smart cabins, better amenity kits (chnage evey quarter), amenity kit in Y, brand is modern and very frenchy, great marketing. BA has Gold lounge though and lower redemption in Europe.
DL vs BA: new cabins in Y (even 757) are modern and clean with IFE and live TV, bigger meals in longhaul Y, free drinks for all in Y with some drinks from the menu for Skyteam elite plus. Clean cabins. Improving cabin crews. BA has better loungs though DL’s lounge in Seattle is great.
A3 va BA: A3 economy and business are miles ahea of BA. clean cabins. BA’s seats are better as well as the lounges. Star lounges especially at CDG are much better.
SN vs BA: SN has better BoB. For flex Y and connecting passengers from longhaul free items are given from the menu. BA with better lounges but SN catching up. Miles and more is not as great as BA EC.
AY and AA recognise BA’s golds with free items from BoB. AY has great choices for BoB. BA’s lounges are better.
AF vs BA: AF has SH food, allows you to check your luggage through when you have 2 different tickets, food in longhaul Y is better (fresh bread, fruits and bigger meal), allows you to change/upgrade a ticket even on TA tickets, day of departure upgrades, better seats in J, perfect F, clean cabins, greeting for Platinum, smart cabins, better amenity kits (chnage evey quarter), amenity kit in Y, brand is modern and very frenchy, great marketing. BA has Gold lounge though and lower redemption in Europe.
DL vs BA: new cabins in Y (even 757) are modern and clean with IFE and live TV, bigger meals in longhaul Y, free drinks for all in Y with some drinks from the menu for Skyteam elite plus. Clean cabins. Improving cabin crews. BA has better loungs though DL’s lounge in Seattle is great.
A3 va BA: A3 economy and business are miles ahea of BA. clean cabins. BA’s seats are better as well as the lounges. Star lounges especially at CDG are much better.
SN vs BA: SN has better BoB. For flex Y and connecting passengers from longhaul free items are given from the menu. BA with better lounges but SN catching up. Miles and more is not as great as BA EC.
AY and AA recognise BA’s golds with free items from BoB. AY has great choices for BoB. BA’s lounges are better.
Oct 5, 2018, 2:18 pm
#78
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Up in the air
Programs: LH HON, BA LT Gold, AFKL ULTI, WOH Lifetime Globalist, Bonvoy Ambassador
Posts: 385
Have to agree. BA has become uncompetitive if you compare equal with equal.
And they have no plan (and no need as they are always full) to change anything.
But there is of course something positive. They are much cheaper than anybody else these days. Especially in premium classes. Apart from tickets booked in the UK, BA is always the cheapest ex Germany, France, Ireland etc.
If I have to chose to pay 500 Euros less for BA First than LH Business I will of course go BA First any day. Thats why I have again qualified my GGL this year.
And they have no plan (and no need as they are always full) to change anything.
But there is of course something positive. They are much cheaper than anybody else these days. Especially in premium classes. Apart from tickets booked in the UK, BA is always the cheapest ex Germany, France, Ireland etc.
If I have to chose to pay 500 Euros less for BA First than LH Business I will of course go BA First any day. Thats why I have again qualified my GGL this year.
Oct 5, 2018, 2:35 pm
#79
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,549
Have to agree. BA has become uncompetitive if you compare equal with equal.
And they have no plan (and no need as they are always full) to change anything.
But there is of course something positive. They are much cheaper than anybody else these days. Especially in premium classes. Apart from tickets booked in the UK, BA is always the cheapest ex Germany, France, Ireland etc.
If I have to chose to pay 500 Euros less for BA First than LH Business I will of course go BA First any day. Thats why I have again qualified my GGL this year.
And they have no plan (and no need as they are always full) to change anything.
But there is of course something positive. They are much cheaper than anybody else these days. Especially in premium classes. Apart from tickets booked in the UK, BA is always the cheapest ex Germany, France, Ireland etc.
If I have to chose to pay 500 Euros less for BA First than LH Business I will of course go BA First any day. Thats why I have again qualified my GGL this year.
Not sute how this would count as much cheaper
Oct 5, 2018, 2:39 pm
#80
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: UK
Programs: IC Hotels Spire, BA Gold
Posts: 8,667
I'm sure others will have plenty to add, but I do rather think this is a bit general. For those of us on mainly European flights, the combination of timetabling, safety, comfort, crew, lounges and relative ease of status will mean I won't stop using them for the foreseeable. As for the idiot point...well, if the cap fits 
Oct 5, 2018, 2:54 pm
#81
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC GGL/GFl, HH Diamond, BW Diamond, Virgin Voyages Deep Blue Extra, Blue Peter Badge Holder
Posts: 3,937
I just did a check for FRA-SYD r/t in business class in early November. Cheapest business class shows as CI (1 stop) at €3113 with BA (2 stops) at €6,007 with QR, TG, CX,, CA,QF, EK and EY all between €4700 anf €5000. Even looking at fares ignoring availability, BA business is still not the cheapest and only EUR30 cheaper than a 1 stop journey on QR
Not sute how this would count as much cheaper
Not sute how this would count as much cheaper
Oct 5, 2018, 3:03 pm
#82
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Up in the air
Programs: LH HON, BA LT Gold, AFKL ULTI, WOH Lifetime Globalist, Bonvoy Ambassador
Posts: 385
I just did a check for FRA-SYD r/t in business class in early November. Cheapest business class shows as CI (1 stop) at €3113 with BA (2 stops) at €6,007 with QR, TG, CX,, CA,QF, EK and EY all between €4700 anf €5000. Even looking at fares ignoring availability, BA business is still not the cheapest and only EUR30 cheaper than a 1 stop journey on QR
Not sure how this would count as much cheaper
Not sure how this would count as much cheaper
Oct 5, 2018, 3:32 pm
#83
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Argentina
Posts: 40,198
These type of threads always end up with the usual replies for and against....price, product, staff attitude, lounges etc. etc.
Why on earth Flyertalkers make such a song and dance about changing their airline of choice really is beyond me. Do you carry on like this when you change which supermarket chain you buy your weekly shopping?
Why on earth Flyertalkers make such a song and dance about changing their airline of choice really is beyond me. Do you carry on like this when you change which supermarket chain you buy your weekly shopping?
Oct 5, 2018, 3:43 pm
#84
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 17,403
These type of threads always end up with the usual replies for and against....price, product, staff attitude, lounges etc. etc.
Why on earth Flyertalkers make such a song and dance about changing their airline of choice really is beyond me. Do you carry on like this when you change which supermarket chain you buy your weekly shopping?
Why on earth Flyertalkers make such a song and dance about changing their airline of choice really is beyond me. Do you carry on like this when you change which supermarket chain you buy your weekly shopping?
Isn't that the basic tenor of these threads?
Oct 5, 2018, 3:43 pm
#85
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold; Hilton Honors Diamond
Posts: 3,226
Oct 5, 2018, 4:05 pm
#86
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,549
Sorry cant follow either what figure related to what in your sentence or again what the relevance of a single case report, if someone else flies BA when they are cheaper and is consistently finding they are cheaper for his flying enough to eat to GGL, good for them. You may find with your flying there not. As has been established, everything really depends on your individual circumstances.
Lufthansa / Swiss are €2,881, QR is €3,425, ANA ia €3,875 and ba is €5,689
Last edited by Dave Noble; Oct 5, 2018 at 4:13 pm
Oct 5, 2018, 4:07 pm
#87
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Udon Thani, Thailand
Programs: TK E,*G, A-Club G
Posts: 869
QR and QRPC are double-edged swords, I fly them regularly when the price is right, just like I do with BA. However the product at QR is unreliable, it's great when the stars aline but pretty awful when they don't.
With BA, you have a decent amount of security that you are going to get what you have paid for.
With BA, you have a decent amount of security that you are going to get what you have paid for.
Oct 5, 2018, 4:32 pm
#88
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: LHR
Programs: BAEC Gold, SkyTeam Elite Plus, Sixt Gold
Posts: 418
That's a bit unfair. I am very critical of BA's hard product and that joke-hi-viz-CEO they have, but BAEC is quite competitive IMO. Status is fairly easy to attain and retain and SH redemptions are extremely convenient, especially if as Gold you get extra availability. I could often book same days European SH redemptions with 8k avios + £35 roundtrip when the same ticket was £200+ cash.
Oct 5, 2018, 4:45 pm
#90
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Argentina
Posts: 40,198
I agree in general here. But if a supermarket, though it hasn't stopped carrying what I need, has became kind of shabby - dirty aisles, broken down carts - and started charging for things other markets don't - parking fees maybe - I'd switch and tell my friends and coworkers why. Isn't that's what's happening here, only it would be like if half my friends were deeply invested in some kind of loyalty program with the market, and would argue with me about how advantagous continuing to shop at that market is for them. Other friends tell me that it's the only convenient market, even the only one in their town. So they can't switch.
Isn't that the basic tenor of these threads?
Isn't that the basic tenor of these threads?
However those who tell us every week why they no longer fly BA do seem to be on some sort of anti BA mission.
