A memo to BA crew
Dec 30, 2018, 1:02 pm
#46
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 451
I agree with the hotel list of pet hates.
I would add to that list - noisy mini fridges. They get unplugged immediately. Any kind of wall furniture that emits light (like the aircon control) also gets a room service card wedged in front of it!
I would add to that list - noisy mini fridges. They get unplugged immediately. Any kind of wall furniture that emits light (like the aircon control) also gets a room service card wedged in front of it!
Last edited by Adstring; Dec 30, 2018 at 3:31 pm Reason: Spelling
Dec 30, 2018, 1:48 pm
#47
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold, Hotels.com Gold
Posts: 576
BA crew members stay at some of the hotels I am a regular at, but I haven't seen anything problematic from them.
I have, however, seen somewhat "doubtful" conduct by crew members of some other airlines at various hotels, although by and large they are good fun!
A few things to add as someone who stays over 200 nights/year in hotels:
- Ignoring the Do Not Disturb sign
- Being telephoned to ask if I really did not want to be disturbed because the DND sign is on the door... Hello?! I want to SLEEP!
- Knock and enter at the same time
- Bathroom too dark to put make-up on properly
- Shortage of power point or only where you'd need an extension cord to reach the desk
- Low-rise hotel without an opening window
- Noise (probably my biggest hotel room hate)
- Interconnecting door (tends to be extra noisy if you have a noisy neighbour)
- Bad iron and ironing board (I bring my own ironing pad to put on a bad ironing board now!)
- Having the TV on with the sound on when I arrive at the room, and the remote control is hidden away somewhere
I sympathise with not liking a hotel move because I (a normal punter, not crew) have a few hotels with specific preferred rooms or corridors, floor, layout etc. If I am suddenly at an unfamiliar place, it can result in my getting less sleep, because those tend to be at places where I take a short stopover.
I have, however, seen somewhat "doubtful" conduct by crew members of some other airlines at various hotels, although by and large they are good fun!
A few things to add as someone who stays over 200 nights/year in hotels:
- Ignoring the Do Not Disturb sign
- Being telephoned to ask if I really did not want to be disturbed because the DND sign is on the door... Hello?! I want to SLEEP!
- Knock and enter at the same time
- Bathroom too dark to put make-up on properly
- Shortage of power point or only where you'd need an extension cord to reach the desk
- Low-rise hotel without an opening window
- Noise (probably my biggest hotel room hate)
- Interconnecting door (tends to be extra noisy if you have a noisy neighbour)
- Bad iron and ironing board (I bring my own ironing pad to put on a bad ironing board now!)
- Having the TV on with the sound on when I arrive at the room, and the remote control is hidden away somewhere
I sympathise with not liking a hotel move because I (a normal punter, not crew) have a few hotels with specific preferred rooms or corridors, floor, layout etc. If I am suddenly at an unfamiliar place, it can result in my getting less sleep, because those tend to be at places where I take a short stopover.
- overly complicated "smart" lighting systems that don't work properly
- lack of blackout curtains (or blackout curtains that don't reach the edges of the window)
- air conditioning or heating systems that you can't turn off
And variations of yours
- TVs that play music every time you re-enter the room!
- No irons or boards available because they've all been loaned out(!)
Regarding noise I've started travelling with good quality (PPE!) earplugs. Whilst the sensation
Dec 30, 2018, 3:34 pm
#48
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
Apologies for the naming of two current hotels which has been rightly removed. I should have said 5 star to four star to 3 star. The point remains valid that the current hotel in Toronto is not shabby!! It does show that across the piece, the pennies are being saved and I guess they add up.
I travel every week, and have to use company hotels. So long as the bed is comfy with nice bedding, decent wifi and a clean bathroom I'm happy.
Discretion is two way, and the large gangs of crew I've witnessed in and out of uniform not being discreet neither flies the flag or keep them low key. I only know around my home city through acquaintances and friends I catch up with on their night stop,
I travel every week, and have to use company hotels. So long as the bed is comfy with nice bedding, decent wifi and a clean bathroom I'm happy.
Discretion is two way, and the large gangs of crew I've witnessed in and out of uniform not being discreet neither flies the flag or keep them low key. I only know around my home city through acquaintances and friends I catch up with on their night stop,
Dec 31, 2018, 9:28 am
#50
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: London, UK.
Programs: SQ LPPS, A3 *G, BA Silver aiming for Bronze
Posts: 1,506
I only know what I saw. I think of a group of seven, four had the bags.
Dec 31, 2018, 12:48 pm
#51
Fontaine d'honneur du Flyertalk
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Morbihan, France
Programs: Reine des Muccis de Pucci; Foreign Elitist (according to others)
Posts: 19,195
Actually, I would have laughed out loud had some crew member who might have read this replied -
"Dear Frequent Flyer, kindly mind your own business. If you have an issue with our private conversations, say it to our faces rather than hide in the anonymity of the internet.
I am delighted that who said what to whom in BA uniform and who used which handbag should occupy the concerns of anyone.
That thread I would pay money to read. Within the last few months, I have heard AA, United, Air France, Delta, and even an extremely loud Cathay crew slag off their respective employers. Everyone does it, albeit some more discretely than others. I dont seem to recall Open Memos (I ask you) on such subjects in their respective Fora
Dec 31, 2018, 1:20 pm
#52
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Brighton. UK
Programs: BA Gold / VS /IHG Diamond & Ambassador
Posts: 14,208
Well said Madame!
in fact this forum wouldn’t be as informative (or as entertaining) if many posters hadn’t managed to overhear staff talking about their employer and it’s plans in both good and bad terms!
in fact this forum wouldn’t be as informative (or as entertaining) if many posters hadn’t managed to overhear staff talking about their employer and it’s plans in both good and bad terms!
Jan 1, 2019, 8:17 am
#53
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Amsterdam, Asia, UK
Programs: IHG RA (Spire), HH Diamond, MR Platinum, SQ Gold, KLM Gold, BAEC Gold
Posts: 5,072
I know quite a few London hotels used by various Airlines, and cetrtaibly others ex-UK outside Europe where i regularly stay.
eg for LHR some will use eg CP LHR which even had airline crew lounge on 3rd floor (as against club lounge on 4th floor). Some other airlines use the HI Kensington as big (800 rooms) and easy travel minibus+picadilly line
Crews expect (or have in their contract) a minimum std of hotel and minimum features, I was very familiar with KLM crews stays in Asia the last 10years 2006-16 when Amsterdam based..
eg for LHR some will use eg CP LHR which even had airline crew lounge on 3rd floor (as against club lounge on 4th floor). Some other airlines use the HI Kensington as big (800 rooms) and easy travel minibus+picadilly line
Crews expect (or have in their contract) a minimum std of hotel and minimum features, I was very familiar with KLM crews stays in Asia the last 10years 2006-16 when Amsterdam based..