Has BA won back the luxury market?
 

I demand absolute perfection on my dream holidays and had very high standards. Obviously I don't expect BA to be as luxurious as a private jet but I do expect a certain level, for example not having cardboard sandwiches for tea! Do you think BA has won back the luxury market yet or will ever?

Other than “those who demand absolute perfection”, could you define “the luxury market” in the context of your question ?

Hmmm doubtful.

I did have an excellent F experience last week (TR to follow soon) but the most consistent thing about BA is the inconsistency. For that reason, I don't think they'd ever win over the luxury market.

Strange question to put 120 minutes before the strike!

(But even without that, answer is: No)

No, but to be fair they dont actually aim for it either! They may market themselves as something but they know what they are and who their target audience is in reality!

You had them? What are your standards now?

Only a handful of ME and Asian carriers can still lay claim to the "luxury market," whatever that is. The European players ceded it years ago; the Americans, decades ago. It's not coming back.

A very strange question rather oddly phrased IMHO!

Is BA a luxury brand? Absolutely not, if it were a hotel it would be a Best Western rather than a Four Seasons or Shangri-La. Club World in particular is a very long way from being a luxurious way of travelling. It's functional but with a very mediocre hard product and extremely variable soft product. BA First is a bit better but still a long way from being what I would describe as 'luxury market'.

I've flown a great deal on QR and CX in recent months and am about to fly 2 sectors with QR later today. I'd say both of these airlines are much closer to capturing the 'luxury market' than BA is or ever will be.

I also have dream holidays several times a year.

Many FT posters seem very posh--even pretentious--when it comes to the definition of "luxury".

What's luxurious is a matter of perspective. For people from a poor neighborhood in Liverpool, a dishwasher may be a luxury. So may be a bottled water for an typical citizen of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (people there subsist on around $2 per day).

Probably it's better to avoid the term altogether.

Also, dear OP, you should be able to research some of the BA F experience yourself. There is a subforum of FT dedicated to trip reports. A bunch of BA F reports there. You may wanna check out the BA forum dashboard. It will point you to a number of threads outlining the BA F product (e.g., "Maximizing your first experience", "First pre-flight dining and menus", etc.)

Then come back with more specific questions, using less vague terms such as "very high standards", "luxury market", and such.

What is the 'luxury market,' and when (and to which airline(s)) did BA lose it? BA's premium cabins are very popular, but they may not meet your personal standards of luxury. I guess you need to give BA a try to see if you get what you require. Yours is a very vague question, which is hard to answer without knowing what you consider as luxury.