Faulty Club Word Seat and No Response to Complaint
Jul 23, 2019, 8:45 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 17
Faulty Club Word Seat and No Response to Complaint
Horrible Experince on LHR to HKG early July.
After taking off I soon found out none of the power socket or USB charging ports were working.
After the first meal service I tried to recline my seat into a flat bed position for sleeping since it was an overnight flight. However the seat failed to fully recline and worse still, the neighbouring passenger seat would move whenever I pressed on the seat position buttons on my panel. Given the neighbouring passenger was already sleeping (and unfortunately awaken by then) the crew advised me to stop trying to move my seat position any further which left my with a very uncomfortable half reclined seat.
The cabin crew managed to find another passenger who could swop seat with me so that I could sleep in a flat position. I have no idea why that passenger would be agreeable to sleep on a faulty seat (guess he might be a travelling member staff?). I carried my pillow and bedding to the new seat and slept for a couple of hours. Afterwards I decided to get back to my original seat given most of my bags and belongings were still there and in the sideway storage. Upon returning to my original seat there were used snacks wrappings on the side.
I ended up spending the last hours of the flight in a horrendously uncomfortable half reclined position which left me with sever back pain today. This is not what I expected of BA club world service and I feel I has definitely not received the service and level of comfort that I bought.
I have lodged my complain online more than two weeks ago and no fhere has been no response. Any thoughts as to how I should take it forward please?
After taking off I soon found out none of the power socket or USB charging ports were working.
After the first meal service I tried to recline my seat into a flat bed position for sleeping since it was an overnight flight. However the seat failed to fully recline and worse still, the neighbouring passenger seat would move whenever I pressed on the seat position buttons on my panel. Given the neighbouring passenger was already sleeping (and unfortunately awaken by then) the crew advised me to stop trying to move my seat position any further which left my with a very uncomfortable half reclined seat.
The cabin crew managed to find another passenger who could swop seat with me so that I could sleep in a flat position. I have no idea why that passenger would be agreeable to sleep on a faulty seat (guess he might be a travelling member staff?). I carried my pillow and bedding to the new seat and slept for a couple of hours. Afterwards I decided to get back to my original seat given most of my bags and belongings were still there and in the sideway storage. Upon returning to my original seat there were used snacks wrappings on the side.
I ended up spending the last hours of the flight in a horrendously uncomfortable half reclined position which left me with sever back pain today. This is not what I expected of BA club world service and I feel I has definitely not received the service and level of comfort that I bought.
I have lodged my complain online more than two weeks ago and no fhere has been no response. Any thoughts as to how I should take it forward please?
Jul 23, 2019, 9:06 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 17
thanks for your reply. The reasons being I have got many of personal belongings in the storage (upper deck A380) and I have got a rather discreet experience seat that I picked (cannot remember the seat no. but the one with window but access to the asile without stepping over the neighbor...)
Jul 23, 2019, 9:19 am
#5
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Battleaxe Alliance
Posts: 22,127
I think the problem here is that the OP was given a functioning alternative seat but chose to move back to the faulty seat. That to my mind invalidates any claims for compensation.
I assume he/she was not asked to leave his/her belongings by the original seat?
I assume he/she was not asked to leave his/her belongings by the original seat?
Jul 23, 2019, 9:21 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Home: East Mids UK - Work (Base): Accra, Ghana.
Programs: BAEC: Silver - Marriott: Titanium
Posts: 12,086
I agree, not a great experience, and as someone who also had a faulty CW seat not so long ago, it is disappointing when they don't work properly.
My difference was, that there was no one to swap with, so I had no option to move into another seat. You were given another seat which worked perfectly, but then decided to move back into the broken seat, when in reality, you could have just moved your items to the seat you had been moved into. I appreciate that everyone has a preference over which seat they like for varying reasons of being discrete, or away from a bathroom or some other reasons which are personal to them, but the actual seats are all the same in regards to the hard product in which they offer.
I would be very surprised if you are offered anything bar a small gesture of goodwill, as BA did deliver on the hard product which you purchased.
Was the person in your broken seat sleeping when you decided to move back to it?
My difference was, that there was no one to swap with, so I had no option to move into another seat. You were given another seat which worked perfectly, but then decided to move back into the broken seat, when in reality, you could have just moved your items to the seat you had been moved into. I appreciate that everyone has a preference over which seat they like for varying reasons of being discrete, or away from a bathroom or some other reasons which are personal to them, but the actual seats are all the same in regards to the hard product in which they offer.
I would be very surprised if you are offered anything bar a small gesture of goodwill, as BA did deliver on the hard product which you purchased.
Was the person in your broken seat sleeping when you decided to move back to it?
Jul 23, 2019, 9:52 am
#7
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: TPA/ABZ
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold. GGL/CCR.
Posts: 13,243
I ended up spending the last hours of the flight in a horrendously uncomfortable half reclined position which left me with sever back pain today. This is not what I expected of BA club world service and I feel I has definitely not received the service and level of comfort that I bought.
I have lodged my complain online more than two weeks ago and no fhere has been no response. Any thoughts as to how I should take it forward please?
I have lodged my complain online more than two weeks ago and no fhere has been no response. Any thoughts as to how I should take it forward please?
Having said that, I do agree with the other posters above. You were offered a working alternative and had the option to move your belongings so that you could have spent the remainder of the flight there. I'd be surprised if you are offered anything other than a gesture of goodwill by way of compensation. If you paid for seat selection for the original seat then it's not unreasonable to request a refund of that price.
Finally, I am surprised to hear that the seat position caused you severe back pain that has lasted for weeks. Are you prone to back problems? If so, all the more reason to have stayed in the working seat.
Jul 23, 2019, 9:54 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 17
First of all, you should have received a response regardless of the outcome of your claim for compensation. I would suggest you chase that either online or by calling customer services. You should have a reference number from the online submission.
Having said that, I do agree with the other posters above. You were offered a working alternative and had the option to move your belongings so that you could have spent the remainder of the flight there. I'd be surprised if you are offered anything other than a gesture of goodwill by way of compensation. If you paid for seat selection for the original seat then it's not unreasonable to request a refund of that price.
Finally, I am surprised to hear that the seat position caused you severe back pain that has lasted for weeks. Are you prone to back problems? If so, all the more reason to have stayed in the working seat.
Having said that, I do agree with the other posters above. You were offered a working alternative and had the option to move your belongings so that you could have spent the remainder of the flight there. I'd be surprised if you are offered anything other than a gesture of goodwill by way of compensation. If you paid for seat selection for the original seat then it's not unreasonable to request a refund of that price.
Finally, I am surprised to hear that the seat position caused you severe back pain that has lasted for weeks. Are you prone to back problems? If so, all the more reason to have stayed in the working seat.
Jul 23, 2019, 12:05 pm
#10
Join Date: Jun 2011
Programs: BAEC Gold, HHonors Gold, Marriot Bonvoy Gold, MeliaRewards Gold, Radisson Gold
Posts: 816
Crickey, its not very often I find myself agreeing with the "Compensation Police" on this board...but I have to tell you, this one is testing me 
Follow up your complaint - the delay is probably an oversight/lost letter or an operational delay of some kind. You will likely receive an apology and a few Avios thrown at you and that's about it.
As others have said, its very hard to sympathise with you at all, beyond the fact your original seat was broken. Had you done the sensible thing and just completely moved to a new functioning seat then you might still have had a valid grumble to write in about for losing your preferred seat, but there would be none of these issues with your back. I agree with the other posters that you really don't deserve compensation for that issue specifically, since that would appear to have been caused by some very poor choices on your part.
Follow up your complaint - the delay is probably an oversight/lost letter or an operational delay of some kind. You will likely receive an apology and a few Avios thrown at you and that's about it.
As others have said, its very hard to sympathise with you at all, beyond the fact your original seat was broken. Had you done the sensible thing and just completely moved to a new functioning seat then you might still have had a valid grumble to write in about for losing your preferred seat, but there would be none of these issues with your back. I agree with the other posters that you really don't deserve compensation for that issue specifically, since that would appear to have been caused by some very poor choices on your part.
Jul 23, 2019, 12:10 pm
#12
Join Date: Jun 2011
Programs: BAEC Gold, HHonors Gold, Marriot Bonvoy Gold, MeliaRewards Gold, Radisson Gold
Posts: 816
Or are you actually suggesting the OP attempts to build a medical case against BA, despite the fact they actually gave him a functioning seat?
Jul 23, 2019, 12:37 pm
#13
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: LHR, LGW
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 3,412
Hmm this doesn’t sound ideal for a long haul flight but are you able to offer a little more clarity about what actually happened?
You mention snack wrappings as an issue and then no further mention. A wrapper is pretty easy to deal with, were there multiple? I’m a bit lost on this.
You then mention returning to your original faulty seat after a few hours of lie-flat sleeping. However you don’t mention two things A) the exact hours at each seat, it could be 6 hours on a lie flat and then 3 hours at the original or some other fraction between the 2? I can’t remember the routing as I type this.
You also fail to mention what happened to or how did that person react to you moving back?
The mention of slip discs in your back is probably pivotal in all of this. Its only come to light on here later in your post. Maybe you should have mentioned it earlier on in your flight and your original post.
This may help others give you a more suitable or accurate suggestion as to where to go next or what to do or what answers you might get.
Thanks.
You mention snack wrappings as an issue and then no further mention. A wrapper is pretty easy to deal with, were there multiple? I’m a bit lost on this.
You then mention returning to your original faulty seat after a few hours of lie-flat sleeping. However you don’t mention two things A) the exact hours at each seat, it could be 6 hours on a lie flat and then 3 hours at the original or some other fraction between the 2? I can’t remember the routing as I type this.
You also fail to mention what happened to or how did that person react to you moving back?
The mention of slip discs in your back is probably pivotal in all of this. Its only come to light on here later in your post. Maybe you should have mentioned it earlier on in your flight and your original post.
This may help others give you a more suitable or accurate suggestion as to where to go next or what to do or what answers you might get.
Thanks.
Jul 23, 2019, 12:59 pm
#14
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,647
Personally I think that the cabin crew handled the situation very well and I would have picked up all of my stuff, moved to the new seat and thanked them for their help. I’d have been very happy to see the back of that seat and the thought of claiming compensation would not have crossed my mind. Ditto returning to the broken seat later.
Jul 23, 2019, 1:17 pm
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Brighton. UK
Programs: BA Gold / VS /IHG Diamond & Ambassador
Posts: 14,176
So there was a problem with the seat and it appears that the CC dealt with that by shifting a staff traveller into the broken seat (pretty much standard policy on many airlines) so the OP had a fully working one.
OP moved to the working seat and then slept. Then for some unfathomable reason went back to his original seat and turfed the staff occupant out and then sat there in its broken state for a few more hours.
The wrapper left is a minor issue. I assume the staffer just felt that it would be their seat for the rest of the flight and got themselves comfy. On the OP returning the staffer obviously collected his stuff but left a couple of wrappers there because with the OP looming they wanted to evacuate the seat ASAP.
The staffer must have thought their luck was in when a revenue passenger wanted to sit back in the broken seat and they could go back to the working one
The mistake the OP made was returning to the original seat rather than staying in the new seat.
I really don't think BA can be expected to offer the OP anything substantial (other than if they paid it the seat reservation fee) . It's not their fault the OP did something 99.99% the rest of us wouldn't do and deliberately go and sit back in a broken seat.
Sorry OP you are on a hiding to nothing. You did, once you moved, get the comfort you desired and paid for. Returning to a seat - a seat you knew was broken - was just stupid.
OP moved to the working seat and then slept. Then for some unfathomable reason went back to his original seat and turfed the staff occupant out and then sat there in its broken state for a few more hours.
The wrapper left is a minor issue. I assume the staffer just felt that it would be their seat for the rest of the flight and got themselves comfy. On the OP returning the staffer obviously collected his stuff but left a couple of wrappers there because with the OP looming they wanted to evacuate the seat ASAP.
The staffer must have thought their luck was in when a revenue passenger wanted to sit back in the broken seat and they could go back to the working one
The mistake the OP made was returning to the original seat rather than staying in the new seat.
I really don't think BA can be expected to offer the OP anything substantial (other than if they paid it the seat reservation fee) . It's not their fault the OP did something 99.99% the rest of us wouldn't do and deliberately go and sit back in a broken seat.
Sorry OP you are on a hiding to nothing. You did, once you moved, get the comfort you desired and paid for. Returning to a seat - a seat you knew was broken - was just stupid.