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Club Europe - unusual text message : Removal of middle seat block

Club Europe - unusual text message : Removal of middle seat block

Old Jul 27, 2019, 2:18 am
  #76  
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Originally Posted by 1Aturnleft
BA appear to get away with unblocked seating every day of the week in CE ex LCY. Same seat, same config as Y. Only the service differs. While I would like to think suitable service recovery would be forthcoming, especially if confined to a middle CE seat on a full flight, I personally wouldn't bank on it happening automatically. Not unless a MCOL was issued which invites BA to test the theory in court..... Which we all know they'll never do.
There is no mention of there being blocked seats - only that seats will be aisle or window - From LCY, all seats are either wndow or aisle , so it meets the description
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Old Jul 27, 2019, 2:31 am
  #77  
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Originally Posted by Mattloveday1987

Text message!
all clear now why the nasty NEOs don’t have middle tables. So much for the twaddle from Cruz at passenger events about how he did nt know they were set up like this.

more shocking is that anyone who watched a weather forecast in the week before knew this was coming yet BA seemed not very well prepared... yet again.
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Old Jul 27, 2019, 2:38 am
  #78  
 
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They can take the tray tables out of any plane in about 3 minutes. This has nothing to do with NEO arrangements. Why do people see conspiracies everywhere?

This was an exceptional situation, BA chose to prioritise ALL their customers, not just those at the front, and this is to their credit. If there are some selfish narcissists who resent losing a small benefit so that someone else can get home, then they are the ones to be pitied and criticised, not BA.

You can't anticipate every occurrence of weather events. Generally where there is a high chance of disruption - snow for example - BA are proactive on cancellations and plan around them (and get complained at for doing this). This week was unusual and compounded by technical issues for ATC. These things happen, other airlines were equally affected. So honestly, roll with it.
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Old Jul 27, 2019, 2:44 am
  #79  
 
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Originally Posted by Mattloveday1987
Wow this thread got some traction! Appreciate all the replies! So currently made it to Nice and believe it or not they didn’t do anything in the end! The service ran as planned..... I guess maybe the logistics of the whole thing was too much to sort! Or it was a random automated text! Did anyone else on here experience this yesterday?

You lit the touchpaper!! Nobody cares it never happened they are all too concerned that it could have happened and need to analyse it to death because it could have happened.

Do you not understand the severity of what it could have meant? People would’ve had to show kindness, compassion, understanding and putting other human beings needs first.
“But I have a gold card and drink LPGS and spend £x with BA every year and and and and and stamp my foot as I’m a big deal. Why should I share space with someone who may be sick and need to get home or see a dieing loved one or their kids graduation etc.”

This board at times really does show some bad bits of humanity.

Glad you made it there ok and hope you have a good trip.
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Old Jul 27, 2019, 2:58 am
  #80  
 
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Originally Posted by londonclubguy
Why should I share space with someone who may be sick and need to get home or see a dieing loved one or their kids graduation etc.”

This board at times really does show some bad bits of humanity.
Bit dramatic, no?

I don't think anybody argued against BA helping as many people as possible. The argument was about BA pocketing the money for services that were never provided.
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Old Jul 27, 2019, 2:59 am
  #81  
 
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I didn't read anywhere in this thread that calls were made that it shouldn't happen. I read that some people have asked that in retrospect they are financially recompensed in order that they paid for the service they received.

To that end it would be good customer service to set this up in a statement before the event.

No drama
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Old Jul 27, 2019, 3:17 am
  #82  
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Originally Posted by londonclubguy



You lit the touchpaper!! Nobody cares it never happened they are all too concerned that it could have happened and need to analyse it to death because it could have happened.

Do you not understand the severity of what it could have meant? People would’ve had to show kindness, compassion, understanding and putting other human beings needs first.

This board at times really does show some bad bits of humanity.
I am forced to agree. I spend a lot of time here and those that I respect the most spend remarkably little time discussing themselves unless it is to show examples or experience. Me, myself, and I are the order if the day. Ultimately these TP runs whereby people go on unnecessary oddessies so that they can sit in a fancy lounge would seem the ultimate in folly. I am equally as guilty making sure that I can remain Gold and keep Row 1. I wonder how many of us outside this chat board admit to normal non daily fliers that they do this.

Nevertheless, for a Forum full of Fliers, it’s a bit rum that we haven’t had many reports back of people’s experiences in 6 abreast Club. There seems to be more of a debate on whether it constitutes a downgrade or not. I’ld Be more than happy to sit in a middle seat if it got me out of this hell, and I wouldn’t care that there was this change if I were already booked as one day it could be me.
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Old Jul 27, 2019, 3:22 am
  #83  
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When this has happened in the past British Airways have awarded a small number of Avios to anyone in a condensed Club Europe formation. My guess would be be about 3000 Avios. I wouldn't jump to conclusions here, but the very small number of people affected yesterday, perhaps 100 passengers in all, should put their complaint through, via the usual channels.
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Old Jul 27, 2019, 3:24 am
  #84  
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Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave
When this has happened in the past British Airways have awarded a small number of Avios to anyone in a condensed Club Europe formation. My guess would be be about 3000 Avios. I wouldn't jump to conclusions here, but the very small number if people affected yesterday, perhaps 100 passengers in all, should put their complaint through, via the usual channels.
Only 3k avios? I'd feel quite insulted by this "goodwill gesture".
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Old Jul 27, 2019, 3:26 am
  #85  
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Originally Posted by warakorn
What a bull!
EC261 downgrade refund applies regardless what has caused the downgrade.
No, not in this case.

Originally Posted by LCY8737
Ridiculous to see people arguing that this is not a downgrade. The CE experience is all about the space - if that doesn't get delivered a M&S style ready meal is hardly worth a few hundred £.

BA did the same thing during a Christmas snow chaos in the late 2000s. Back then it was described honestly, with an apology for the downgrade and a refund of the fare difference. That would translate to EU261 these days ...


Originally Posted by let_BAegones_be
Of course it is not a downgrade entirely.
Space may be the most important feature for you, but CE has many other like food and drinks, priority boarding, lounge access, extra luggage allowance and so on.

BA should offer some avios as a compensation. Certainly not EC261.
This is not a downgrade in EC261 terms, what was proposed does not meet the definition of a downgrade under EC261.

Originally Posted by LCY8737
... We should not confuse compassion with fellow travellers with allowing BA to take money for services that were not provided.
Absolutely. Whilst I think BA should be applauded for its decision (in this particular set of circumstances), the fact remains the product paid for was not provided as advertised or as expected. BA acknowledges as much in the SMS notification "We appreciate this [is] not what you expect when you travel with us". Any request for compensation is more likely to succeed under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 rather than EC261/2004.
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Old Jul 27, 2019, 3:29 am
  #86  
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Originally Posted by florens
Only 3k avios? I'd feel quite insulted by this "goodwill gesture".
I note the Smilies.
I wouldn't jump to conclusions about the precise amount. Nevertheless that amount of Avios is the Upgrade Using Avios amount between Euro Traveller and Club Europe, so equivalent to a free upgrade on a future service.
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Old Jul 27, 2019, 3:54 am
  #87  
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Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave
I note the Smilies.
I wouldn't jump to conclusions about the precise amount. Nevertheless that amount of Avios is the Upgrade Using Avios amount between Euro Traveller and Club Europe, so equivalent to a free upgrade on a future service.
i thought the cheapest existing UUA from ET to CE was 4000? (Difference between ET miles requires and CE miles required Band 1 off peak). Am I missing something obvious?
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Old Jul 27, 2019, 4:11 am
  #88  
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Originally Posted by bisonrav
This was an exceptional situation, BA chose to prioritise ALL their customers, not just those at the front, and this is to their credit. If there are some selfish narcissists who resent losing a small benefit so that someone else can get home, then they are the ones to be pitied and criticised, not BA.
If BA had decided to remove business class on those flights and have economy only with those having paid for CE being reimbursed in accordance with EC261, I expect that the concerms would have been less ( or even zero )

To remove one of the only benefits ( for those with status ) being a guaranteed empty seat just makes CE even worse value than normal

Getting people home is important - but then so is not trying to rip off customers who have paid for a product offering
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Old Jul 27, 2019, 4:11 am
  #89  
 
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Originally Posted by londonclubguy

........................

Do you not understand the severity of what it could have meant? People would’ve had to show kindness, compassion, understanding and putting other human beings needs first.
“But I have a gold card and drink LPGS and spend £x with BA every year and and and and and stamp my foot as I’m a big deal. Why should I share space with someone who may be sick and need to get home or see a dieing loved one or their kids graduation etc.”

This board at times really does show some bad bits of humanity.

...................

Your comments here - not least the rather puzzling reference to ‘bad bits of humanity’ - raise genuine doubts as to whether you have actually read through the the thread or not.

I say this because the vast majority of contributors have shown an understanding of (and in many cases, outright support for ) what was clearly a pragmatic decision on the part of BA. Indeed, the closest anyone has come to implying they might be a little unhappy is a (honestly-expressed) remark by a poster who said that they “would not be best pleased if it were to happen to me” - but even that comment came with a clear acceptance of the reasons behind the decision.

The core debate within the thread has revolved not around a contingency decision described by BA in its text message, ie to find space for extra passengers who might otherwise have been further delayed ; but as to whether any such decision should ultimately be accompanied by some form of compensation (and any legal issues that may or may not apply), in a scenario where a particular product / facility has been charged for, but may not be supplied.

As ever with FT there are, not surprisingly, nuances within the various opinions offered in the many posts the topic has generated. What is very clear however, is that nobody has expressed any feelings of horror or revulsion in the way that you yourself have conjectured. You are the only person to use this sort of emotive language and perhaps the words are therefore much more a reflection of your own perspective and apparent sense of outrage than of anyone else’s.





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Old Jul 27, 2019, 4:47 am
  #90  
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Originally Posted by orbitmic


i thought the cheapest existing UUA from ET to CE was 4000? (Difference between ET miles requires and CE miles required Band 1 off peak). Am I missing something obvious?
It's 3750 off peak, to be precise, and on Domestics from LGY and LGW, part pay with 3250 Avios can sometimes bring you to a similar Plus fare. And I think they sometimes do more than 3,000 Avios hence the "not jumping to conclusion" comments above.
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