Business class from Chambery to London City - what a fraud
Jan 5, 2019, 8:16 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: HK
Programs: Qantas (Lifetime Gold), PAL (Elite), British Airways (now sadly blue), Cathay MPO DM
Posts: 647
Business class from Chambery to London City - what a fraud
I booked the flight from Chambery for my husband and I in Club Europe as a treat. I often travel in Business Class but my husband does not. So I was looking forward to sharing with him all the standard benefits one gets flying Business Class - such as a short queue for the check-in, a nice lounge to relax in at the airport, a larger seat, food on the plane, a faster deplane with baggage coming first etc etc etc. Of this, the ONLY benefit we got was the food on the plane. The salad was revolting, but the scone was nice. So that was about Euro 200 for a scone. Not exactly good value. I think it was fraudulent to sell a business class ticket on a flight that had basically NO business class benefits. The check-in queue did not differentiate between classes and we spent 45 minutes queuing to check in! There was NO lounge and the measly Euro 10 voucher was not accepted at the only place in the airport that sold food, meaning we ended up eating pot noodles heated in the "in terminal microwave" along with everyone else. The seat was identical to the economy class seats - not so much as half an inch wider and not even the "middle seat gap" which I have had on previous european flights. And our luggage came off basically last, with all the economy passengers having collected theirs first. And right in front of me on the plane there was a couple with a lap baby - who decided that the best way to entertain their kid during the flight was to play jingly ipad videos, at full volume. So it was not even a peaceful experience. I mentioned to the air stewardess that the noise was quite distracting and she said "well I could speak to them but basically there is nothing I can do". And she did not even try speaking to them.
What did we pay for? How can BA sell a different class of service that is basically not actually different? I feel completely cheated. (And have sent the same complaint as above directly to them as well, because I really do feel unhappy about it, but thought I would also see what others think).
What did we pay for? How can BA sell a different class of service that is basically not actually different? I feel completely cheated. (And have sent the same complaint as above directly to them as well, because I really do feel unhappy about it, but thought I would also see what others think).
Jan 5, 2019, 8:32 pm
#3
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Balham - Gateway to The South
Programs: BA Bronze
Posts: 2,020
I completely understand where you are coming from, I don’t know Chambery so it seems double unlucky as LCY has no lounge.
The larger seat ? I was under the impression that all BA short haul flights featured the same seats regardless of class.
Catering is subjective- I am no fan of the salads.
I recently travelled on AA domestic ‘First class’ which does have bigger seats and also a hot meal from Chicago- New York. However, I only gained lounge access through OW status not travel class. If I had been an Aadvantage status holder I would still not have lounge access.
I do feel more inclined to research what I am buying nowadays, the devil is always in the detail.
Having said that I would definitely forward my views on that experience to BA, you will most likely only get a cut and paste answer.
I never think it is a waste of time to shoot off an email for good or bad reasons - feedback should be given.
The larger seat ? I was under the impression that all BA short haul flights featured the same seats regardless of class.
Catering is subjective- I am no fan of the salads.
I recently travelled on AA domestic ‘First class’ which does have bigger seats and also a hot meal from Chicago- New York. However, I only gained lounge access through OW status not travel class. If I had been an Aadvantage status holder I would still not have lounge access.
I do feel more inclined to research what I am buying nowadays, the devil is always in the detail.
Having said that I would definitely forward my views on that experience to BA, you will most likely only get a cut and paste answer.
I never think it is a waste of time to shoot off an email for good or bad reasons - feedback should be given.
Jan 5, 2019, 8:54 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Brighton. UK
Programs: BA Gold / VS /IHG Diamond & Ambassador
Posts: 14,196
some paragraphs / page breaks would be nice to help distinguish between what BA offers and what the OPs expectations were.
I'd say this
1. BA does not promise a wider seat in CE
2. You were given a CE meal. Just because you didn't like it does not mean BA was at fault. It cant be responsible for your personal taste.
3. BA does not offer a priority bag service
I'd say this
1. BA does not promise a wider seat in CE
2. You were given a CE meal. Just because you didn't like it does not mean BA was at fault. It cant be responsible for your personal taste.
3. BA does not offer a priority bag service
Jan 5, 2019, 9:05 pm
#5
Join Date: Nov 2004
Programs: BA GGL, LH FTL
Posts: 3,578
In defense of the OP: If someone is not familiar with the BA product and books Cityflyer expecting a "business class" experience - even at the low expectation level of it being "European business class" - then this will be a disappointment.
Jan 5, 2019, 9:24 pm
#6
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,246
I’ve had some excellence in CE on routes such as AGP-LCY, JMK-LCY, JTR-LCY.
Jan 5, 2019, 9:40 pm
#7
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club, easyJet and Ryanair
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: UK/Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold (GGL/CCR)
Posts: 15,926
I booked the flight from Chambery for my husband and I in Club Europe as a treat. I often travel in Business Class but my husband does not. So I was looking forward to sharing with him all the standard benefits one gets flying Business Class - such as a short queue for the check-in, a nice lounge to relax in at the airport, a larger seat, food on the plane, a faster deplane with baggage coming first etc etc etc. Of this, the ONLY benefit we got was the food on the plane. The salad was revolting, but the scone was nice. So that was about Euro 200 for a scone. Not exactly good value. I think it was fraudulent to sell a business class ticket on a flight that had basically NO business class benefits. The check-in queue did not differentiate between classes and we spent 45 minutes queuing to check in! There was NO lounge and the measly Euro 10 voucher was not accepted at the only place in the airport that sold food, meaning we ended up eating pot noodles heated in the "in terminal microwave" along with everyone else. The seat was identical to the economy class seats - not so much as half an inch wider and not even the "middle seat gap" which I have had on previous european flights. And our luggage came off basically last, with all the economy passengers having collected theirs first. And right in front of me on the plane there was a couple with a lap baby - who decided that the best way to entertain their kid during the flight was to play jingly ipad videos, at full volume. So it was not even a peaceful experience. I mentioned to the air stewardess that the noise was quite distracting and she said "well I could speak to them but basically there is nothing I can do". And she did not even try speaking to them.
What did we pay for? How can BA sell a different class of service that is basically not actually different? I feel completely cheated. (And have sent the same complaint as above directly to them as well, because I really do feel unhappy about it, but thought I would also see what others think).
What did we pay for? How can BA sell a different class of service that is basically not actually different? I feel completely cheated. (And have sent the same complaint as above directly to them as well, because I really do feel unhappy about it, but thought I would also see what others think).
Jan 5, 2019, 10:51 pm
#8
Join Date: Jan 2005
Programs: BA Gold, AA Lifetime Gold 1.8mm, IC Spire Ambassador, Hilton Diamond, SPG Gold et al
Posts: 4,350
On the few times I have used BA's Cityflyer I have been perfectly happy in an exit row seat and always wonder just why anybody would fork out for CE on these aircraft (TP's aside).
Jan 5, 2019, 11:02 pm
#9
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Glasgow / London
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 3,457
I guess the long and short of it these days is that Club Europe is rubbish and incredibly poor value. Unless it comes as part of a long haul booking, I’d rather have an exit row seat in economy. Case in point being a back to back in Brussels last week, where my BRU-LHR sector was booked into CE as part of my long haul trip and I cancelled my outbound, CE Avios flight the day before travelling and rebooked in economy when Avios flights became available in Y. I can’t even justify an extra 4,500 Avios and £7.50 for such a similar experience.
Jan 5, 2019, 11:52 pm
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: HK
Programs: Qantas (Lifetime Gold), PAL (Elite), British Airways (now sadly blue), Cathay MPO DM
Posts: 647
Thanks. My typical flight experience is short haul Asia - Hong Kong to Manila is only about 15 minutes longer flight than Chambery to LCY and I would say Premium Economy on that is better than the "club" Europe service I experienced! Business class is much better.
Jan 5, 2019, 11:55 pm
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: HK
Programs: Qantas (Lifetime Gold), PAL (Elite), British Airways (now sadly blue), Cathay MPO DM
Posts: 647
Jan 5, 2019, 11:57 pm
#12
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: RTW
Posts: 677
As an aside, as BA doesn’t offer priority bag service, why the orange priority tags? Was wondering this while I waited 60mins for my bag at MUC last night!
Agree that where no lounges or if already holding status for lounge access, CE is unjustifiable nowadays.
Agree that where no lounges or if already holding status for lounge access, CE is unjustifiable nowadays.
Jan 6, 2019, 12:02 am
#14
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 289
I guess the long and short of it these days is that Club Europe is rubbish and incredibly poor value. Unless it comes as part of a long haul booking, I’d rather have an exit row seat in economy. Case in point being a back to back in Brussels last week, where my BRU-LHR sector was booked into CE as part of my long haul trip and I cancelled my outbound, CE Avios flight the day before travelling and rebooked in economy when Avios flights became available in Y. I can’t even justify an extra 4,500 Avios and £7.50 for such a similar experience.
i still love LCY though
Jan 6, 2019, 12:17 am
#15
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: NT Australia
Programs: QF WP
Posts: 4,160
(as an aside, my experience with QF priority tags has been similarly useless. Are there people who actually rely on the bags being delivered first??)
