BA dumps FT (the pink one, not this one)
Apr 16, 2019, 9:26 am
#46
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Manchester but from Yorkshire better known as Gods country
Programs: BA Gold, , Sandals plat
Posts: 839
The same might be said these days of people flying BA.
One morning recently sitting in the GCS I heard a couple who I don't think were frequent flyers raging that there were no quality newspapers available, I listened a bit longer and they were looking for a Daily Mail and Daily Express. If that is a typical CE flyer these days then it's not surprising BA think they can dump the FT.
That said, we seem to be getting back in to a world where every time you travel on BA something else has been 'enhanced' so for me they are now going to be enhanced in my future travel plans.
One morning recently sitting in the GCS I heard a couple who I don't think were frequent flyers raging that there were no quality newspapers available, I listened a bit longer and they were looking for a Daily Mail and Daily Express. If that is a typical CE flyer these days then it's not surprising BA think they can dump the FT.
That said, we seem to be getting back in to a world where every time you travel on BA something else has been 'enhanced' so for me they are now going to be enhanced in my future travel plans.
Apr 16, 2019, 9:33 am
#47
Join Date: Apr 2019
Programs: BA Avios
Posts: 2
So, good idea that airlines provide at least one 'quality' newspaper to their customers, but I feel the FT can be just as opinionated as the similar Times (London) - just not the same owners. Very hard to find any UK newspaper which does not have an axe to grind! I don't think this will make any difference to the BA flight experience.
Apr 16, 2019, 9:55 am
#48
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC Gold-GGL
Posts: 1,181
All newspapers have an axe to grind and their editors' or owners' opinions are mostly what drives that. However, it is nice to have a range of axes to choose from. I find you can get to the bottom of most things if you listen to/read a wide variety of sources.
Apr 16, 2019, 11:23 am
#50
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: The North
Posts: 1,844
I’m glad I’m not then only one who did a double take at this. Poor old @corporate-wage-slave - whatever has he done to deserve being “enhanced”?! 
Apr 16, 2019, 12:01 pm
#51
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: HKG
Programs: BA GGL & CCR
Posts: 600
Are you serious!? When United stopped stocking Fashion Doll Quarterly (https://www.fashiondollquarterly.co/) and Cranes Today (Cranes Today) that was it for me!
I was going to say, surely Lufthansa and JAL still feature it.
Apr 16, 2019, 12:08 pm
#52
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 190
The FT is known to be in the latter category, which (to those of the above mindset) becomes a supposed marker of lack of quality rather than, say, just expressing a different view.
Apr 16, 2019, 12:11 pm
#53
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 1,197
Annoying. I quite enjoyed reading the FT... and no, I don't find reading a newspaper on a tablet to be anywhere near as satisfying (or as easy to do for that matter).
I guess I'll just have to remember to bring something with me if I can't rely on BA providing anything worth reading.
I guess I'll just have to remember to bring something with me if I can't rely on BA providing anything worth reading.
Apr 16, 2019, 12:14 pm
#54
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: London
Programs: BA, VS, HH, IHG, MB, MR
Posts: 26,871
Apr 16, 2019, 12:50 pm
#55
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Germany
Posts: 3,780
Yep, BA is busy copying Ryanair. Non-reclining seats coming soon too (the seat pitch on the mainline fleet is already like FR). Quite interesting how they are expect to compete with FR with basically the same product but a higher cost base.
Apr 16, 2019, 1:10 pm
#56
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 190
Apr 16, 2019, 1:50 pm
#58
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 1,271
The last time I took Ryanair from Gatwick there were loads of papers and magazines to choose from. No Private Eye, but the New Stateman / The Spectator featured. Not sure about the FT, though. Admittedly it's provided by the airport rather than the airline, but Ryanair pays the airport its fees to do so.
Apr 16, 2019, 1:54 pm
#59
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 8,751
(I couldn't be bothered to respond in that thread, but fair to say the Raffles world view isn't the only one out there.)