BA 9 LHR-BKK. Is it getting worse ?
Feb 1, 2019, 10:48 am
#31
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
I know the thread is around London to Bangkok, but my worst club and first flights to / from Toronto have been with MF. The worst by far was a very sweet younger woman ;act March who admitted it was her first day in First. She focused on Row 1 to get it perfect whilst the rest of first died of thirst. (ok - exaggeration)
What made that flight worse, was two cabin managers who got caught up in Biz and came forward once in the entire flight. (if the leader of the crew is poor, it will allow this stuff to go un-noticed.
A recent flight back via Montreal with LH crew just reminded me of the gulf between LH (even the grumpy ones) and MF in delivering a quality premium experience
What made that flight worse, was two cabin managers who got caught up in Biz and came forward once in the entire flight. (if the leader of the crew is poor, it will allow this stuff to go un-noticed.
A recent flight back via Montreal with LH crew just reminded me of the gulf between LH (even the grumpy ones) and MF in delivering a quality premium experience
Feb 1, 2019, 10:49 am
#32
Join Date: May 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 5,380
Feb 1, 2019, 12:06 pm
#34
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: USA
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 812
I have flown BA9/10 a lot and whilst I agree that the hard product is awful, I have alway found the crews excellent. Over Christmas I flew CW AMS-LHR-KUL-BKK-SIN-LHR (obviously OW partners on KUL-BKK and BKK-SIN). I thought the LHR-KUL sector n the 787 was awful, I felt really cramped in and claustrophobic, The 380 on the way home was far nicer.
Last edited by capin; Feb 1, 2019 at 2:28 pm
Feb 1, 2019, 12:07 pm
#35
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: GLA
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 2,961
As an aside - does anyone else have issues with apostrophes and quotation marks on Flyertalk? So often FT makes me look like (even more of) an idiot by not displaying the apostrophes I carefully and accurately use! In the post I’ve quoted here, quotation marks aren’t showing when I read the thread (ruining the point!), but are present when I quote it...
Feb 1, 2019, 1:53 pm
#36
Join Date: May 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 5,380
As an aside - does anyone else have issues with apostrophes and quotation marks on Flyertalk? So often FT makes me look like (even more of) an idiot by not displaying the apostrophes I carefully and accurately use! In the post I’ve quoted here, quotation marks aren’t showing when I read the thread (ruining the point!), but are present when I quote it...
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/tech...-feedback-386/
Feb 1, 2019, 3:57 pm
#38
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: UK
Programs: BA Exec Club Bronze, Hilton Diamond, Virgin Flying Club Red
Posts: 1,257
I haven't flown this route for the past half year. But the last time I took it I was very happy I routed myself via HKG on the way back and promised myself to not fly the route again.
- My chair stopped working - making it so I couldn't put it up myself. Made for some great acrobatics for a 6'4 fairly overweight individual to get out of it. (got 100k avios refund for that though)
- Meals being unavailable happened to me almost all the time on BA9, where it seldom happened on to me on my other long haul routes in CW.
- They forgot to give landingcards to club world passengers?? When I asked for one the CC told me they'd bring it three times before sheepishly admitting they didn't had enough on board.
- Lastly, and this one stings quite a bit. I'm fairly hearing impaired - but if people look me directly in the face I've little trouble grasping what they are saying. I usually explain that to the CC in charge of my aisle and I've usually been met with a lot of understanding. On this flight I had one lady flatout tell me I should read the menu and point out what i'd like from it to "save us both the hassle". Complaints where made to the CSD, and got profoundly appologized. But it still really ticked me off, apparently it was a hassle to speak a little bit slower while looking me in the face.
/rantover
While I'm usually very very forgiving on BA (and actually quite like their service usually!) and fly them on 99% of my routes - this really tilted me (especially the last thing). The flight back via HKG was lovely though and I've always been treated with the utmost respect on my CW flights to TLV/JFK/HKG.
- My chair stopped working - making it so I couldn't put it up myself. Made for some great acrobatics for a 6'4 fairly overweight individual to get out of it. (got 100k avios refund for that though)
- Meals being unavailable happened to me almost all the time on BA9, where it seldom happened on to me on my other long haul routes in CW.
- They forgot to give landingcards to club world passengers?? When I asked for one the CC told me they'd bring it three times before sheepishly admitting they didn't had enough on board.
- Lastly, and this one stings quite a bit. I'm fairly hearing impaired - but if people look me directly in the face I've little trouble grasping what they are saying. I usually explain that to the CC in charge of my aisle and I've usually been met with a lot of understanding. On this flight I had one lady flatout tell me I should read the menu and point out what i'd like from it to "save us both the hassle". Complaints where made to the CSD, and got profoundly appologized. But it still really ticked me off, apparently it was a hassle to speak a little bit slower while looking me in the face.
/rantover
While I'm usually very very forgiving on BA (and actually quite like their service usually!) and fly them on 99% of my routes - this really tilted me (especially the last thing). The flight back via HKG was lovely though and I've always been treated with the utmost respect on my CW flights to TLV/JFK/HKG.
Incredulity us probably the best word.
Feb 1, 2019, 6:12 pm
#39
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold; FB Silver; SPG; IHG Gold
Posts: 2,983
Referring to breakfast as "hot" is pretty moronic. I hope any crews doing that are re-trained in basic English.
The only remotely positive thing about BA9 is that you get can get some pretty low CW fares. Apart from the horrible plane, I find the timings dreadful. Oh how I long for the days of 747 service which went on to SYD. Great timings- used to get 9 hours sleep and wake to see us taxiing past the golf course at Don Muang. Happy days.
The only remotely positive thing about BA9 is that you get can get some pretty low CW fares. Apart from the horrible plane, I find the timings dreadful. Oh how I long for the days of 747 service which went on to SYD. Great timings- used to get 9 hours sleep and wake to see us taxiing past the golf course at Don Muang. Happy days.
Feb 1, 2019, 8:00 pm
#40
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 2,333
Throw tomatoes at me but I just came out of a LHR to ORD flight on an almost brand new AA 787 with great crew and excellent service (my only BA flight to the States will be on my Ł200 ticket but hopefully they can't do so much wrong for that price)��
Feb 2, 2019, 1:41 am
#41
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Newcastle/London & Worldwide
Programs: BAEC Gold, Virgin Flying Club Silver
Posts: 818
I'm not sure why BA doesn't have a 787 on this route if it comes down to being a leisure route and therefore less important financially. Given the flight time, at least give passengers the latest IFE system. With BA clearly not meeting an important number of passengers' expectations on this long flight, why are people not choosing alternative carriers? I use BA a lot, but would not fly with them to BKK. 12hr flights on old 777s, including a daylight return, is not how I want to travel.
Feb 2, 2019, 2:25 am
#42
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Singapore
Programs: BA Gold. KrisFlyer Gold
Posts: 732
Mixed fleet can be a bit all over the place but they're always endearing with it. I still giggle to myself when I think back to the words that accompanied the arrival of my chicken main on BA16 in F back in December: "Sorry, I think this looks really disgusting. I bet you'd rather have a Nando's." She was right on both counts 
Feb 2, 2019, 3:04 am
#43
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: BAEC Gold, EK Skywards (enhanced Blue !), Oman Air Sindbad Gold
Posts: 6,399
........................... I still giggle to myself when I think back to the words that accompanied the arrival of my chicken main on BA16 in F back in December: "Sorry, I think this looks really disgusting. I bet you'd rather have a Nando's." She was right on both counts
The other side, however, is thinking that someone in BA F class for the very first time (with perhaps a worrying level of excited anticipation) could, understandably, have a very different perspective - especially if they had been looking at ba.com which waxes lyrical about the “indulgent and delicious ŕ la carte menu designed by leading chefs from around the world”
In principle I tend to agree with your view that there can be something endearing about this sort of direct but honest approach by CC. I guess the key point is whether or not the CC concerned has sufficient judgement and discretion to sense which passengers may be relaxed about such comments ; and which may find them inappropriate at best, or offensive at worst.
Feb 2, 2019, 4:01 am
#44
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Programs: Mucci des Hommes Magiques et Magnifiques
Posts: 19,092
Well I don’t and find it totally unacceptable, how things have changed and not for the good!
Why people accept unprofessional service is beyond me, I enjoy the banter as much as anyone but I never forget that what I say and how I act represents BA, what I say on here, well that a different matter.
Why people accept unprofessional service is beyond me, I enjoy the banter as much as anyone but I never forget that what I say and how I act represents BA, what I say on here, well that a different matter.