Most indolent BA flight crew ever?
Feb 8, 2019, 10:31 am
#31
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: US Air, UA BA LH AI DELTA MARRIOTT CHOICE SGP
Posts: 9,883
We had a very similar experience as the OP on a flight back from JFK last year. Seated on the upper deck on a red-eye the crew was so dismissive and gave the impression that they could not be bothered. Was a struggle to get dinner and any request (e.g. another glass of water) was met with a huff and a long wait.
Can understand the flight time may have played a part, but not the kind of service you would expect in business. On the plus side, me and the wife still joke about it and the experience has been set as the benchmark for comparison of all other crews.
Can understand the flight time may have played a part, but not the kind of service you would expect in business. On the plus side, me and the wife still joke about it and the experience has been set as the benchmark for comparison of all other crews.
Feb 8, 2019, 11:28 am
#32
Fontaine d'honneur du Flyertalk
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Morbihan, France
Programs: Reine des Muccis de Pucci; Foreign Elitist (according to others)
Posts: 19,164
Time of flight should have NO bearing on service levels. Crew are given enough time to rest and be ready, by law. If they did not, why should the customer pay ? Are we charged less that the going price because we did not get paid enough ?! Such service neither should be based on class of service as CW or WT.
I mention this just to try and point out something that one could easily overlook. Having rest periods and being able to get sleep are not the same thing. This does not excuse lacadical take-it-or leave-it service.
Feb 8, 2019, 12:46 pm
#33
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Cambridgeshire
Programs: Varies
Posts: 1,290
Let me say, please, that such bad crew as reported here are FAR from typical. With 0.25m miles under my BA belt, I feel entitled to say that poor crew are the exception. Most are average, some are very good ... and a mercifully small number are decidedly sub-par.
Let’s not tar them all with the same brush.
Let’s not tar them all with the same brush.
Most of my long haul flights in BA CW however have been average to poor, with a huge change in attitude over the last ten years. It tends to be by team rather than by individual. If the first crew member you encounter is robotic and stony-faced, they all tend to be, and you just brace yourself for a hostage situation and knock back a few G&T's to dull the pain. And then you'll come across a whole crew who all seem cheery and positive, and it's a really pleasant experience. The problem is you don't know which type you'll get until you board, so I board with trepidation.
In the old days they all seemed pleasant and cheerful. I did wonder if social media (perhaps these types of forums) is feeding a culture of hatred towards customers? But if so, why haven't I encountered it on other airliines? Perhaps a few bad BA crews created negative feedback that's had a cumulative effect on others? Maybe we should try sucking it up for a while to see if things improve......
Feb 8, 2019, 1:04 pm
#34
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,140
PUCCI ... I spent many (8?) years doing odd shift patterns at h24 ATC Units. Morning/Evening, then Afternoon/Night, a Sleep day [starting at 0800!] and then repeat ... followed by Sleep + 2 days off for an 8-day week.
We ATCOs always delivered the 100% safe and efficient service to aircrew that was expected, as do ATCOs today. OK, no jet-lag, but 3 hours on chair cushions on the crew room floor during a night shift wasn't much of a bonus either!!
Just saying.
We ATCOs always delivered the 100% safe and efficient service to aircrew that was expected, as do ATCOs today. OK, no jet-lag, but 3 hours on chair cushions on the crew room floor during a night shift wasn't much of a bonus either!!
Just saying.
Last edited by T8191; Feb 8, 2019 at 1:16 pm
Feb 8, 2019, 1:08 pm
#35
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 587
Time of flight should have NO bearing on service levels. Crew are given enough time to rest and be ready, by law. If they did not, why should the customer pay ? Are we charged less that the going price because we did not get paid enough ?! Such service neither should be based on class of service as CW or WT.
I will say, though, that just because the rest periods we're given are strictly legal does not mean that they're necessarily suitable in all situations. If I operate, say, a LAS, PHX, SEA or DEN after doing 4 days of shorthaul immediately beforehand then yes - I will absolutely be knackered on the return sector after having just one local night downroute. There's an 8 hour time difference from these destinations and (like it or not) this will absloutely affect customer satisfaction levels. I cannot even put into words how tiring it can be sometimes but I completely accept that it's a job I choose to do.
Feb 8, 2019, 1:14 pm
#36
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Cambridgeshire
Programs: Varies
Posts: 1,290
I do not disagree with you - however you are not taking jetlag into account. Oddly enough, I found it worse on East Coast than further afield. I am not making excuses for shody service but sometimes sleep can be evasive. I do not have to tell you that you can be awake at times when you should be asleep and then it can hit you like a sledgehammer. From LHR, this should not be an issue but I note that JFK has been mentioned and I wondered if they were on the last leg of a B2B (I'm out of it now and things may be different.
I mention this just to try and point out something that one could easily overlook. Having rest periods and being able to get sleep are not the same thing. This does not excuse lacadical take-it-or leave-it service.
I mention this just to try and point out something that one could easily overlook. Having rest periods and being able to get sleep are not the same thing. This does not excuse lacadical take-it-or leave-it service.
If a CSD sees they have crew members who can't hack it, surely they need to have a quiet word in someone's ear?
Feb 8, 2019, 1:27 pm
#37
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Programs: Mucci des Hommes Magiques et Magnifiques
Posts: 19,069
As I said up thread MFCC it just goes to show that MF along with the other fleets are inconsistent.
I think I must be unusual in that I believe that I give 100% on all flights at all times of the day or night, it maybe because we get enough rest between flights on my fleet and I sleep well or that I am just exceptional?
I have always been the same, as soon as I put on my uniform I am on it, I see many of my colleagues not being as consistent which I understand can happen but I will jump on anyone that is rude or not pulling their wait.
I think I must be unusual in that I believe that I give 100% on all flights at all times of the day or night, it maybe because we get enough rest between flights on my fleet and I sleep well or that I am just exceptional?
I have always been the same, as soon as I put on my uniform I am on it, I see many of my colleagues not being as consistent which I understand can happen but I will jump on anyone that is rude or not pulling their wait.
Feb 8, 2019, 1:58 pm
#38
Join Date: May 2011
Location: CWL
Programs: BA Blue, Hilton Gold
Posts: 300
PUCCI ... I spent many (8?) years doing odd shift patterns at h24 ATC Units. Morning/Evening, then Afternoon/Night, a Sleep day [starting at 0800!] and then repeat ... followed by Sleep + 2 days off for an 8-day week.
We ATCOs always delivered the 100% safe and efficient service to aircrew that was expected, as do ATCOs today. OK, no jet-lag, but 3 hours on chair cushions on the crew room floor during a night shift wasn't much of a bonus either!!
Just saying.
We ATCOs always delivered the 100% safe and efficient service to aircrew that was expected, as do ATCOs today. OK, no jet-lag, but 3 hours on chair cushions on the crew room floor during a night shift wasn't much of a bonus either!!
Just saying.
Feb 8, 2019, 2:37 pm
#39
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 587
As I said up thread MFCC it just goes to show that MF along with the other fleets are inconsistent.
I think I must be unusual in that I believe that I give 100% on all flights at all times of the day or night, it maybe because we get enough rest between flights on my fleet and I sleep well or that I am just exceptional?
I have always been the same, as soon as I put on my uniform I am on it, I see many of my colleagues not being as consistent which I understand can happen but I will jump on anyone that is rude or not pulling their wait.
I think I must be unusual in that I believe that I give 100% on all flights at all times of the day or night, it maybe because we get enough rest between flights on my fleet and I sleep well or that I am just exceptional?
I have always been the same, as soon as I put on my uniform I am on it, I see many of my colleagues not being as consistent which I understand can happen but I will jump on anyone that is rude or not pulling their wait.
I also try and remember that at the end of the day we’re all human and, no matter how hard I try on every sector I’m just not going to be as ‘on form’ on a 10 hour night flight home from Vegas on Day 7 as I would be on Day 1 for my one out to Manchester!
Feb 8, 2019, 3:02 pm
#43
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Chelsea
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 1,226
And at the risk of going off topic, I think this is a very good illustration of why the service routines, particularly in CW, should be adjusted to what is achieveable in the best interests of all concerned, rather than what some random middle-management-cum-marketing type thinks it should be. Swift easy service = contented passengers and crew, unnecessary complications serve no-ones’ interests.
MFCC - keep up the good work (and if you’ve a JNB on Monday I promise to be understanding).
MFCC - keep up the good work (and if you’ve a JNB on Monday I promise to be understanding).
Last edited by BA235; Feb 8, 2019 at 3:24 pm
Feb 8, 2019, 3:14 pm
#44
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: US Air, UA BA LH AI DELTA MARRIOTT CHOICE SGP
Posts: 9,883
I do not disagree with you - however you are not taking jetlag into account. Oddly enough, I found it worse on East Coast than further afield. I am not making excuses for shody service but sometimes sleep can be evasive. I do not have to tell you that you can be awake at times when you should be asleep and then it can hit you like a sledgehammer. From LHR, this should not be an issue but I note that JFK has been mentioned and I wondered if they were on the last leg of a B2B (I'm out of it now and things may be different.
I mention this just to try and point out something that one could easily overlook. Having rest periods and being able to get sleep are not the same thing. This does not excuse lacadical take-it-or leave-it service.
I mention this just to try and point out something that one could easily overlook. Having rest periods and being able to get sleep are not the same thing. This does not excuse lacadical take-it-or leave-it service.
Feb 8, 2019, 3:16 pm
#45
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Perth WA/ UK
Programs: BA Gold, Priority Club Gold, Accor Silver, Virgin Australia Gold
Posts: 1,748
BA management are hardly going to admit their introduction of MF crew on lower wages and worse conditions are negatively impacting service levels....
On one of my MF F flights I had to show the young man where 2F was as he was trying to put me into the middle aisle. Then when I got there somebody was in my seat having being invited to sit there by the crew.
The whole flight the crew reminded me of secondary school interns - young and full of enthusiasm but not a clue.
That was my last F flight paid for by cash, 3 years ago. I didn't waste my time complaining to BA, I simply chose another airline and will not return to paid F for many moons.
On one of my MF F flights I had to show the young man where 2F was as he was trying to put me into the middle aisle. Then when I got there somebody was in my seat having being invited to sit there by the crew.
The whole flight the crew reminded me of secondary school interns - young and full of enthusiasm but not a clue.
That was my last F flight paid for by cash, 3 years ago. I didn't waste my time complaining to BA, I simply chose another airline and will not return to paid F for many moons.