How can BA afford its abysmal IT?
May 13, 2019, 4:34 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: UK
Programs: BA Bronze
Posts: 156
How can BA afford its abysmal IT?
I posted last week about a problem booking award flights on BA's website.
Headed for the BA website again today to book a car for a week for the same trip. After putting in all the details, I get a message on the final (Payment) page "Sorry, you have 1 error on this page, please correct before continuing" and "There was a problem with your request, please try again later". This is before putting in any payment details. The page drop down menus won't accept the Billing country or the Payment card type, so no way of getting any further.
Tried using a different browser - same result, same problem. 20 minutes wasted. I will definitely not call the BA membership number this time after last week's fiasco.
Unless I have been extraordinarily unlucky, BA must be losing lots of potential business if these problems are replicated across its customer base. Why on earth don't they treat their website as the #1 priority to get fixed? Meanwhile, I'm off to another provider.
Headed for the BA website again today to book a car for a week for the same trip. After putting in all the details, I get a message on the final (Payment) page "Sorry, you have 1 error on this page, please correct before continuing" and "There was a problem with your request, please try again later". This is before putting in any payment details. The page drop down menus won't accept the Billing country or the Payment card type, so no way of getting any further.
Tried using a different browser - same result, same problem. 20 minutes wasted. I will definitely not call the BA membership number this time after last week's fiasco.
Unless I have been extraordinarily unlucky, BA must be losing lots of potential business if these problems are replicated across its customer base. Why on earth don't they treat their website as the #1 priority to get fixed? Meanwhile, I'm off to another provider.
May 13, 2019, 6:18 am
#4
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: London, ARN, HEL, ..... or MAN
Programs: BA GGL / GFL, Mucci Diamond!, HH Diamond, Radisson Premium, IHG Gold, Hertz Gold
Posts: 5,874
Most organisations I work with are very keen to improve their customer-facing IT which enables more customers to "self-serve", managing their purchases, accounts and relationships with the organisation all online.
This should then mean that the organisations can reduce their spend on call-centre staff or at least allow them to be better employed, proactively supporting their best customers.
However, as BA doesn't seem to have covered off their IT inadequacies with sufficient call centre staff anyway, then the benefits of improving IT aren't as compelling!
This should then mean that the organisations can reduce their spend on call-centre staff or at least allow them to be better employed, proactively supporting their best customers.
However, as BA doesn't seem to have covered off their IT inadequacies with sufficient call centre staff anyway, then the benefits of improving IT aren't as compelling!
May 13, 2019, 6:40 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 12,237
Funnily enough there doesn't seem to be many issues with straight cash purchases - I don't see it fall over when buying normal tickets. Agree the Award process is riddled; but then why would they rush to improve "free" tickets!?
May 13, 2019, 7:05 am
#6
Join Date: Sep 2017
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 3
But it's not just the 'free' tickets that's a problem, is it? Their entire IT system is riddled with flaws or minor bugbears that most large organisations spend money to iron out (having learned from experience that it's worth the investment). I guess I get more annoyed than many people because this is my area of work and it frustrates me that they can't see the benefit of improving things. It's really not rocket science. The whole user experience with ba.com (in particular the holiday booking process) is beyond amateur.
Note: I wouldn't normally comment but I spent far too long trying to get a holiday booked with BA.com this weekend so the feelings are close to the surface!
Note: I wouldn't normally comment but I spent far too long trying to get a holiday booked with BA.com this weekend so the feelings are close to the surface!
May 13, 2019, 7:07 am
#7
Join Date: Jan 2006
Programs: AAdvantage Asia Miles Air China
Posts: 870
As an industry which relies on technology I have never understood how badly non-aircraft related IT is handled so badly by airlines. BA is crap, so is CX, JL, UA, BE (the ones I have experienced recently) and virtually every other airline that seems to be out there.
Maybe it is because they want the customer to be prepared for the experience they receive once aboard the aircraft, especially in Y.
Or perhaps I am a cynic.
Maybe it is because they want the customer to be prepared for the experience they receive once aboard the aircraft, especially in Y.
Or perhaps I am a cynic.
May 13, 2019, 7:13 am
#8
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: London. Edinburgh, Cornwall
Programs: BA GGL, British Midland Lifetime* Loser
Posts: 7,941
Exactly this. Booking revenue tickets works okay, everything else is a bug-ridden disaster. It's not a coincidence, I'm sure.
May 13, 2019, 7:30 am
#11
Join Date: Mar 2017
Programs: BA GGL, GfL, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Lifetime Globalist, AllAccor Diamond, Marriott Ambassador Elite
Posts: 1,041
Even the usually reliable iPhone App is today making booking flights feel like a morning at the dentist. It has taken me six attempts to book a trip for next week. In the end, I had to use the web site, which now seems to insist that the "lead passenger" is identified on a booking for one. Another pointless complication, doubtless dreamt up by a teenager in Mumbai or Bangalore.
And whilst we are talking about the web site, I still can't get into MMBs from the list of bookings in my exec club account, although I can if I manually enter the booking ref or use the iPhone app. Go figure.
And whilst we are talking about the web site, I still can't get into MMBs from the list of bookings in my exec club account, although I can if I manually enter the booking ref or use the iPhone app. Go figure.
May 13, 2019, 7:41 am
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,140
Not my experience last week, trying to book revenue. Both ba.com and the App failed, and the Agent on the Gold line took 30 minutes to make his system finally, and reluctantly, vomit the booking.
May 13, 2019, 8:13 am
#14
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: VPS
Programs: IHG Diamond, Delta PM, Hilton Gold, Accor Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 7,261
At least they allow you to search for airport codes now. Wasn't too long ago they didn't and the name they had in their system for my home airport was only really briefly used commercially in like 1973 or something. Despite said airport apparently asking BA to correct it in the system multiple times because it made it very difficult for people to find the airport on the Big List of Options.
May 13, 2019, 8:13 am
#15
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Oxford
Programs: Skyteam Elite+, VS Red, HHonours Diamond, Accor Plat
Posts: 629
They get Ł35 a time forcing you to ring up. So more accurately, "BA see the costs involved in improving the IT and the additional revenue stream because it's so bad."