New First soft product: your experiences
Apr 4, 2019, 4:27 am
#106
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 73
I've always wanted to try BA F, but following 3 amazing sectors on Qatar with the Qsuite, I'm not that bothered now. I know there's also the whole ground experience with BA F to consider, but that aside, I'm interested to hear a review of the onboard experience from someone who's travelled the new BA F vs Qatar Qsuite.
Apr 4, 2019, 5:48 am
#110
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: BAEC Gold, EK Skywards (enhanced Blue !), Oman Air Sindbad Gold
Posts: 6,399
The reality is that amenity kits are not much of a challenge : you look at a range of a samples from potential suppliers...... you negotiate a deal .... place the order. They arrive, you load them, and you hand them out.
Maintaining a high standard of interior cleanliness (for all pax, ahead of all flights) is a whole different ball game ; and involves a lot more money - and dedication to the cause ....
Maintaining a high standard of interior cleanliness (for all pax, ahead of all flights) is a whole different ball game ; and involves a lot more money - and dedication to the cause ....
Apr 4, 2019, 6:32 am
#111
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 1,348
Alex Cruz talked about cleaning in his recent Business Traveller interview: https://www.businesstraveller.com/bu...ss-club-suite/
In fact, there has been a significant improvement in customer satisfaction in cleaning over the last year and a half. Two things have happened.
One is that we redefined and re-energised a programme which we call ultra-cleaning. This is when you take the aircraft out to do a deep clean, and that involves everything up to unscrewing seats, and is managed by engineering which has formalised in an uncompromising way that kind of cleaning. It has cycles, depending on the aircraft, of between 40 and 45 days. It means that any particular aircraft will be – well, not unassembled, but a crew will go in with these metallic toothbrushes and clean things like inside the trolley spaces.
Now both the short haul and ultra-cleaning programme is done and people have noticed. The pictures before and after are excellent. Cost has been a consideration, but once again, if we want to be consistent about delivering the best service, clean aircraft is part of that.
The second part of cleaning is the turnaround cleaning. We have completed the work in short haul, which means that we have entirely redone the programme. We have retrained the cleaning crews, added supervisors, and we think that we’re there in short haul.
What we have not completed yet is the turn cleaning for long haul, which is probably a few weeks away from starting to work in a completely different way which will guarantee the results we are getting in short haul.
It’s taken me longer than I thought it would. It’s been a logistics challenge, but I feel really comfortable that we finally have everything in place. It has not been about cutting costs, it has been about spending money wisely. And I think the teams have recognised the opportunities there and I can’t wait. I don’t think we have a date, but it will be before the summer that the turn cleaning at Heathrow will be fully implemented, and then we have to progressively do all the out stations.
In fact, there has been a significant improvement in customer satisfaction in cleaning over the last year and a half. Two things have happened.
One is that we redefined and re-energised a programme which we call ultra-cleaning. This is when you take the aircraft out to do a deep clean, and that involves everything up to unscrewing seats, and is managed by engineering which has formalised in an uncompromising way that kind of cleaning. It has cycles, depending on the aircraft, of between 40 and 45 days. It means that any particular aircraft will be – well, not unassembled, but a crew will go in with these metallic toothbrushes and clean things like inside the trolley spaces.
Now both the short haul and ultra-cleaning programme is done and people have noticed. The pictures before and after are excellent. Cost has been a consideration, but once again, if we want to be consistent about delivering the best service, clean aircraft is part of that.
The second part of cleaning is the turnaround cleaning. We have completed the work in short haul, which means that we have entirely redone the programme. We have retrained the cleaning crews, added supervisors, and we think that we’re there in short haul.
What we have not completed yet is the turn cleaning for long haul, which is probably a few weeks away from starting to work in a completely different way which will guarantee the results we are getting in short haul.
It’s taken me longer than I thought it would. It’s been a logistics challenge, but I feel really comfortable that we finally have everything in place. It has not been about cutting costs, it has been about spending money wisely. And I think the teams have recognised the opportunities there and I can’t wait. I don’t think we have a date, but it will be before the summer that the turn cleaning at Heathrow will be fully implemented, and then we have to progressively do all the out stations.
Apr 4, 2019, 7:36 am
#114
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: BAEC Gold, EK Skywards (enhanced Blue !), Oman Air Sindbad Gold
Posts: 6,399
Where supplies allow, I find that CC are invariably helpful in such circumstances (often make this same request myself, as I give away almost all my amenity kits as little gifts).
Apr 4, 2019, 7:40 am
#115
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 have to travel to London next week for a family funeral and managed to swap out a 2-1 Avois trip later in April to fit the funeral. I'll be flying from LHR to YYZ on Sunday 14th and treated me and Mr Palmer to first which is an unexpected surprise to try the new product. Unfortunately (and it's not their fault) but with Toronto now crewed with mixed fleet - the service has been REALLY slow and hit 'n miss - the secret to the service for me is both classy / well executed but fast when needed. My last two trips in First with MF has been my worst ever !!! I know it's not first but flying back yesterday on the 99 to Toronto in Biz, we were beyond the west coast of ireland before I was offered a drink.(75 mins in)
Apr 4, 2019, 8:25 am
#116
Join Date: Mar 2018
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 34
I've always wanted to try BA F, but following 3 amazing sectors on Qatar with the Qsuite, I'm not that bothered now. I know there's also the whole ground experience with BA F to consider, but that aside, I'm interested to hear a review of the onboard experience from someone who's travelled the new BA F vs Qatar Qsuite.
On the soft product a great crew on BA F, as you'll often hear on FT, makes the difference. In Qsuite you are a number and its service-by-numbers. On BA F we were treated as individuals and the service was great. Got a birthday cake and bottle of champagne. Crew were still getting used to the new service - too many plates to arrange but new glassware is great - but we're very attentive.
All that said, if Qsuite cost is 75% of BA F then that's when I'd switch.
Apr 4, 2019, 8:50 am
#119
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Bainbridge Island, WA
Posts: 8,965
We are flying out this weekend from Seattle to Greece in F to celebrate my husband's 75th birthday. While we are not flying on his actual birthday ( it's a few days later)...is there any point in telling YouFirst or even the cabin crew about this special occasion...of course keeping expectations low.
Apr 4, 2019, 8:56 am
#120
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Surrey
Programs: BAEC - Gold
Posts: 885