Confirmed vs. Waitlist - staff travel related enquiry
#31
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Join Date: Dec 2008
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As do I... And always bent over backwards to be nice to, and help staff pax when at work. But it seems like not everyone has the same ethos when it comes to looking after staff. And, after each of the occasions I was treat badly by "colleagues" when using my perk of staff travel, I thought "why do I bother"... But some of us simply can't treat people any other way than we are supposed to be it by learning or personal standards.
#33
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#34
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Bronze
Posts: 1,090
You're fortunate. I've had 3 really bad that I remember clearly - one on BGI to LGW flight, one at Newark and the other in Toronto. Have had one other that was bad but not compared to those 3. I now try to ensure that I find flights where I can get seated easily and avoid dealing with staff at outstations as much as possible and there is no question about me getting on. I even look at alternates if I know a particular flight is likely to be risking. On board, I've largely had better experiences.....the BGI-LGW was definitely the worse. I would rather not make it blatantly obvious that I'm staff and skipping around me to serve others does just that.
#36
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You're fortunate. I've had 3 really bad that I remember clearly - one on BGI to LGW flight, one at Newark and the other in Toronto. Have had one other that was bad but not compared to those 3. I now try to ensure that I find flights where I can get seated easily and avoid dealing with staff at outstations as much as possible and there is no question about me getting on. I even look at alternates if I know a particular flight is likely to be risking. On board, I've largely had better experiences.....the BGI-LGW was definitely the worse. I would rather not make it blatantly obvious that I'm staff and skipping around me to serve others does just that.
I agree on the last point... Whilst it can be difficult sometimes onboard to be discrete with staff, especially when you have nebby-nine-doors in the seat next to them, things like taking the meal order in club can be done in a way that make it less obvious to the rest of the cabin etc.
I always tried to do the same as you, always looked for flights that were wide open, where there should not be any seating issues, especially on my J ticket, but the interactions at my two names outstations certainly marred my experience and really put me off staff travel, which is why I did not use it often.
#37
Join Date: Nov 2018
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 876
On board, people are always friendly (a lot of the time they don’t know who you are anyway), but even when they do, I’ve always been treated well.
As someone said, it can be stressful and backup plans are often needed, but generally it’s a pretty good perk.
#38
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Join Date: Dec 2008
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I’ve used Staff Travel on and off since about 1974 and have always been treated extremely well. The staff at the E desks at T5 are very helpful and friendly.
On board, people are always friendly (a lot of the time they don’t know who you are anyway), but even when they do, I’ve always been treated well.
As someone said, it can be stressful and backup plans are often needed, but generally it’s a pretty good perk.
#39
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 423
There were 20 people in front on me with J entitlement, and there were 12 seats left on the aircraft in CW.
I was checked in as a CW passenger no problem, and the check in agent was lovely and offered a choice of seats.
As others said, I believe that the staff travel passengers in front of me in the queue with confirmed status were already confirmed in J when the system was showing 12 seats.
I was checked in as a CW passenger no problem, and the check in agent was lovely and offered a choice of seats.
As others said, I believe that the staff travel passengers in front of me in the queue with confirmed status were already confirmed in J when the system was showing 12 seats.
#40
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 423
On the way back the flight is looking busy in CW, but plenty of seats in F.
Would BA upgrade another passenger to F in order to seat staff with J entitlement in CW?
I read somewhere that they do, and I thought this is a very nice thing to do, both for paying pax and for Staff Travel pax.
Would BA upgrade another passenger to F in order to seat staff with J entitlement in CW?
I read somewhere that they do, and I thought this is a very nice thing to do, both for paying pax and for Staff Travel pax.
#41
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: JAX
Programs: Ex-BA/AA/CP/LY staff, BA Executive Club Blue, IHG Diamond, Marriott Silver, Chick-fil-A Red
Posts: 3,588
Keep fingers and toes crossed, and try not to over analyse it...
#42
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Join Date: Jul 2002
Programs: Mucci des Hommes Magiques et Magnifiques
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On the way back the flight is looking busy in CW, but plenty of seats in F.
Would BA upgrade another passenger to F in order to seat staff with J entitlement in CW?
I read somewhere that they do, and I thought this is a very nice thing to do, both for paying pax and for Staff Travel pax.
Would BA upgrade another passenger to F in order to seat staff with J entitlement in CW?
I read somewhere that they do, and I thought this is a very nice thing to do, both for paying pax and for Staff Travel pax.