Business class from Chambery to London City - what a fraud
Jan 7, 2019, 11:12 am
#76
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
A better approach is to research what you are getting for your money and to make your decisions accordingly.
The age-old whinge that J in Asia means a lie flat seat with three meals and lounges on both ends, so I didn't bother to do my homework on this micro-haul, was old a long time ago. Now, with the Internet, websites and the like, it bespeaks an utter failure to do what ought to have been done.
OP should book the next flight on a competitor.
The age-old whinge that J in Asia means a lie flat seat with three meals and lounges on both ends, so I didn't bother to do my homework on this micro-haul, was old a long time ago. Now, with the Internet, websites and the like, it bespeaks an utter failure to do what ought to have been done.
OP should book the next flight on a competitor.
Jan 7, 2019, 12:52 pm
#77
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: Executive Club: Gold - Flying Blue: Gold
Posts: 1,382
Certainly with Qatar orange "priority" labels attached to bags at check in without me really paying much attention so was not "for show"., Bags at destination on 3 separate sectors off within first minutes of belt starting. I suspect it is with BA where the tags mean nothing to baggage handlers regarding bag loading and dispatching. Similar really to treatment of Business Class pax by QR - so nice when bussed to and from aircraft being on a bus for premier pax only and also all crew ensure that F/BC pax are off aircraft before any other. Different class - full stop. Its the small nice things that mean a lot.
With BA I would say it is in the region of 70% which is not bad but not perfect.
Jan 7, 2019, 6:53 pm
#78
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: HK
Programs: Qantas (Lifetime Gold), PAL (Elite), British Airways (now sadly blue), Cathay MPO DM
Posts: 647
A better approach is to research what you are getting for your money and to make your decisions accordingly.
The age-old whinge that J in Asia means a lie flat seat with three meals and lounges on both ends, so I didn't bother to do my homework on this micro-haul, was old a long time ago. Now, with the Internet, websites and the like, it bespeaks an utter failure to do what ought to have been done.
OP should book the next flight on a competitor.
The age-old whinge that J in Asia means a lie flat seat with three meals and lounges on both ends, so I didn't bother to do my homework on this micro-haul, was old a long time ago. Now, with the Internet, websites and the like, it bespeaks an utter failure to do what ought to have been done.
OP should book the next flight on a competitor.
Jan 7, 2019, 6:55 pm
#79
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: HK
Programs: Qantas (Lifetime Gold), PAL (Elite), British Airways (now sadly blue), Cathay MPO DM
Posts: 647
No, it's not correct. Single - one-way is a clearer way of putting it - CE tickets are priced at a high level for a market you appear not to be in, namely business travellers, where BA will be aware of what particular companies will pay for travel and set fares accordingly. There is something called the Saturday Night Rule which is designed not to cannibalise this business market, and provides lower fares on almost all CE tickets so long as a Saturday night is included and it is a return/there-and-back ticket. The biggest exception is domestic Club Europe where this rule doesn't apply. It can also apply to many EuroTraveller fares too, though generally less starkly.
Unfortunately this is where BA.com's layout can be hugely confusing to those not familiar with it - the fares you see on each leg of return tickets are not actually per leg, you have compute all the way through to the total fare screen to work out the true costs. It's just a simplistic portrayal which is detached from whatever the underlying fare basis would be. So it is nowhere near correct to say that all flights are now one way, even Basic fares sometimes are cheaper bought as return tickets.
Unfortunately this is where BA.com's layout can be hugely confusing to those not familiar with it - the fares you see on each leg of return tickets are not actually per leg, you have compute all the way through to the total fare screen to work out the true costs. It's just a simplistic portrayal which is detached from whatever the underlying fare basis would be. So it is nowhere near correct to say that all flights are now one way, even Basic fares sometimes are cheaper bought as return tickets.
Jan 8, 2019, 7:50 pm
#80
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: glasgow, scotland
Programs: BA Executive Club Gold
Posts: 224
The difference between the Economy (with baggage) and the Club Europe price on the website at the time I booked was just over 200 Euros. Not 55. If it had been 55 I would have not complained as much. It was nearly double the price. Oh - and this was for a ONE WAY. (And while you are right that some may value the luggage, I didn't need it. I'm One World Emerald so I get the extra allowance, provided I don't book the "light" fare, which was plenty for both of us as we only had about 30kg between the two of us!).
You had higher expectations but it seemed like BA generally did deliver on thier advertised product on this route. The check in experience wasn't great granted but that was probably down to a mess up on the day with on outsourced handling agent in such a small airport and I had the same recently in much bigger outstation airports.
It doesn't matter whether you pay an extra £30 mark up for Club or £200, it's your decision to pay for that same product based on the matrix that decides what they want for it when you go to book.
And as been said upthread, people value different things. Why do I book Club to/from LCY? Extra tier points. I get to board in group 1. I usually find the crew really decent. I like the salads on the LCY flights. I usually travel on my own so theoretical seating works well - I normally get the empty seat if it isn't full. I like drinking champagne on a plane - out of a real glass.
Maybe the two most important - I'm bald and I'd put at least a fiver on that ridged linnen head reast cover - it stops my head sticking to the pleather seat back,
and
- Getting off the aircraft first in GRX Granada - when you're the only aircraft in - first through passport control and in a taxi and off in about a minute and a half straight from the aircraft before anyone else!
It's all personal perception maybe just see it as a learning curve based on what you value and are willing to pay for
Jan 8, 2019, 9:59 pm
#81
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: HK
Programs: Qantas (Lifetime Gold), PAL (Elite), British Airways (now sadly blue), Cathay MPO DM
Posts: 647
I love it. Hubby and I did note that the white head thingy was the other "benefit" but had no idea anyone actually valued it. Learn something new every day
Jan 8, 2019, 11:19 pm
#82
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: YYC
Programs: BA bronze, Aeroplan peon
Posts: 4,746
Jan 9, 2019, 12:52 am
#83
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: London
Programs: Qantas Platinum, United Premier 1K, HSBC Premier, AVIS President's Club, Marriott Bonvoy Platinum
Posts: 100
No, it's not correct. Single - one-way is a clearer way of putting it - CE tickets are priced at a high level for a market you appear not to be in, namely business travellers, where BA will be aware of what particular companies will pay for travel and set fares accordingly. There is something called the Saturday Night Rule which is designed not to cannibalise this business market, and provides lower fares on almost all CE tickets so long as a Saturday night is included and it is a return/there-and-back ticket. The biggest exception is domestic Club Europe where this rule doesn't apply. It can also apply to many EuroTraveller fares too, though generally less starkly.
Unfortunately this is where BA.com's layout can be hugely confusing to those not familiar with it - the fares you see on each leg of return tickets are not actually per leg, you have compute all the way through to the total fare screen to work out the true costs. It's just a simplistic portrayal which is detached from whatever the underlying fare basis would be. So it is nowhere near correct to say that all flights are now one way, even Basic fares sometimes are cheaper bought as return tickets.
Unfortunately this is where BA.com's layout can be hugely confusing to those not familiar with it - the fares you see on each leg of return tickets are not actually per leg, you have compute all the way through to the total fare screen to work out the true costs. It's just a simplistic portrayal which is detached from whatever the underlying fare basis would be. So it is nowhere near correct to say that all flights are now one way, even Basic fares sometimes are cheaper bought as return tickets.
Jan 9, 2019, 1:43 am
#84
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 8,771
It applies much more so for long-haul. There is basically no such thing as a discount one-way premium fare on any BA long-haul route.
Jan 9, 2019, 4:30 am
#85
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: UK. BAEC AAdvantage
Programs: Mucci Des Oeufs Brouilles et des Canards
Posts: 3,671
Jan 9, 2019, 6:54 am
#86
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Executive Club Blue
Posts: 969
You had higher expectations but it seemed like BA generally did deliver on thier advertised product on this route. The check in experience wasn't great granted but that was probably down to a mess up on the day with on outsourced handling agent in such a small airport and I had the same recently in much bigger outstation airports.
It doesn't matter whether you pay an extra £30 mark up for Club or £200, it's your decision to pay for that same product based on the matrix that decides what they want for it when you go to book.
And as been said upthread, people value different things. Why do I book Club to/from LCY? Extra tier points. I get to board in group 1. I usually find the crew really decent. I like the salads on the LCY flights. I usually travel on my own so theoretical seating works well - I normally get the empty seat if it isn't full. I like drinking champagne on a plane - out of a real glass.
Maybe the two most important - I'm bald and I'd put at least a fiver on that ridged linnen head reast cover - it stops my head sticking to the pleather seat back,
and
- Getting off the aircraft first in GRX Granada - when you're the only aircraft in - first through passport control and in a taxi and off in about a minute and a half straight from the aircraft before anyone else!
It's all personal perception maybe just see it as a learning curve based on what you value and are willing to pay for
It doesn't matter whether you pay an extra £30 mark up for Club or £200, it's your decision to pay for that same product based on the matrix that decides what they want for it when you go to book.
And as been said upthread, people value different things. Why do I book Club to/from LCY? Extra tier points. I get to board in group 1. I usually find the crew really decent. I like the salads on the LCY flights. I usually travel on my own so theoretical seating works well - I normally get the empty seat if it isn't full. I like drinking champagne on a plane - out of a real glass.
Maybe the two most important - I'm bald and I'd put at least a fiver on that ridged linnen head reast cover - it stops my head sticking to the pleather seat back,
and
- Getting off the aircraft first in GRX Granada - when you're the only aircraft in - first through passport control and in a taxi and off in about a minute and a half straight from the aircraft before anyone else!
It's all personal perception maybe just see it as a learning curve based on what you value and are willing to pay for
Jan 9, 2019, 7:30 am
#87
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: BAEC Gold, EK Skywards (enhanced Blue !), Oman Air Sindbad Gold
Posts: 6,399
I seem to recall an episode of the wacky ‘Come Fly With Me’ comedy series where the FA - aka Matt Lucas - responds to a complaint from a passenger (“are you really sure this is business class ?”) by retreating to the galley and emerging with a white linen headrest cover, which he then carefully places in position as the sole distinguishing feature of the seat ...... whilst apologising profusely for its omission at time of boarding.
Jan 17, 2019, 9:20 pm
#88
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: HK
Programs: Qantas (Lifetime Gold), PAL (Elite), British Airways (now sadly blue), Cathay MPO DM
Posts: 647
An update.
I got a reply from BA. They get points for at least pretending to address each issue (except the 45 min queue at check in). They offered nothing. And they referred to me (twice) as "One World Sapphire" (I'm Emerald) which was irritating to say the least.
I've replied with some pushback.
I got a reply from BA. They get points for at least pretending to address each issue (except the 45 min queue at check in). They offered nothing. And they referred to me (twice) as "One World Sapphire" (I'm Emerald) which was irritating to say the least.
I've replied with some pushback.
Jan 17, 2019, 9:53 pm
#89
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,359
I think the mistake OP made was expecting something from European J. Quite frankly (and I know this will tick off alot of Europeans), European J is virtually the same as Y with perhaps a blocked seat. There are a couple exceptions (such as the European routes LX, TK and sometimes even BA offer with proper lie flat seating). If you were in North America, then yeah, I would agree with you that's completely unacceptable service. Back when I lived in Canada, even a one hour flight from Chicago to Toronto would have a nice cheese spread, fruit salad and your choice of wine or hard liquor.
IMHO, you should just book Y and use your QF Gold to grant you access to lounges and priority everything. This is precisely what I do when I travel and I haven't looked back!
-James
IMHO, you should just book Y and use your QF Gold to grant you access to lounges and priority everything. This is precisely what I do when I travel and I haven't looked back!
-James
Jan 17, 2019, 10:00 pm
#90
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: MSN
Programs: AA, BAEC Gold
Posts: 3,933
ETA: the web site described it as the nearest equivalent class.