Betteronacamel

I would say say that BA really started losing its 'class' when it handed over management to an Irish skinhead and his LCC Spanish 'cost-cutting in our DNA' sidekick.

Shareholders will give them credit for the profits generated, but customers (and staff) have been largely taken for granted.

For many of us, the staff were one of the best things left but presumably many of the older, experienced hands have now been 'pruned out' and Covid really played into BA's hands in that respect. The redundancies and fire/re-hire threats were clearly pre-planned and I suspect done with a certain relish by WW in revenge for past set-backs.

Let's see how this all pans out and it will be interesting to see how BA comes out of this. The initial signs for passengers are not great judging from what is increasingly looking like a fiasco in the catering department (as one example). BA really needs to start looking for some good press, upbeat news and good cheer. I am not really all that sure that AC is the right person for this (I am assuming that WW has now left the building).

Having said all that, I do have tremendous sympathy for those involved in the travel and airline industries given the unprecedented upheavals of 2020 and we hope for better times next year.

DYKWIA

Don't worry... it appears to be the most mis-spelled word on the internet, even from native Englishers.

krispy84

And yet customers continued to return again and again. Im not saying I love some of the decisions BA have made, but you can’t argue with the financials. Some on here would wish BA to go bust because they don’t serve caviar in F etc, the figures suggest they’re in the vanishing minority; despite what they may think.

As for comments on the current catering, the idea it will have a material impact on BA’s finances is laughable IMHO.

Duck1981

No worries - Mr Nobles’ comment hasn’t spoiled my bank holiday weekend.

Given his obvious affiliation to BA he only reminded me that my flight to DXB next month needs to be again on EK though

Dave Noble

If I was going to Dubai from London in business or 1st, I would be taking EK over BA every time ; if wanting to go to Abu Dhabi, would be getting on Etihad

Wouldn't be using BA unless wanting to book premium economy

I have no affiliations to flights - will take the best option for journey being taken based on fare/quality/journey time

krispy84

Very true. I think that is what many have done for a while. SQ to SIN? Yes please.

Duck1981

I agree on that one, and I am sure I'll agree on your next 41000 posts as well

Duck1981

Agree. As long as we come back - and many others - things cannot be so wrong. As Dave pointed out, there are always different options to travel, and we can vote with our wallets. My own flying career only started in about 2016, so I've never experienced the 'good old times' others are talking about.

Actually I can visit my parents in Germany (MUC) on many occasions for the same price or even cheaper from LHR w/ BA than with U2 from LGW - with the added benefit than I can visit a lounge at a proper airport. That there most be a cost saving somewhere to allow this is almost logical. Flying EK to Dubai is fancy (ok it was at least as the rear bar is - I guess - not longer in operation in the A380ies) but when I see how they have treated their staff during the latest round of redundancies - oh well.....

In the end, I am not sure if the grass is really greener anywhere else, but this forum has more professional flyers than me to judge.

[and don't throw tomatoes at me, I got myself a few IAG shares at 178p last week]

Betteronacamel

[QUOTE=Dave Noble;32640567] if wanting to go to Abu Dhabi, would be getting on Etihad

I think BA is routing AUH through DXB at the moment, so unless you want to add a 60 + minute taxi transfer, then Etihad would be my choice for this reason too. Even without this in the equation, I can't see myself choosing BA in F or J over EY unless there was a massive price differential. Emirates is a bit more problematic in J as their 777 seating is quite poor, so would definitely look out for the A380.

Dave Noble

2 of the 3 EK services from Heathrow are operated using an A380 - just the 09:05 departure is operated using a 777
If choosing vs BA, the only flight at a similar time to the BA departure is the 20:40 departure which is an A380

SKRan

Why don't you invest in IAG shares then. And use the good return to fly QR when you need "class".

chriswiles

The problem is, you have to understand how average joe public thinks. Eat out to help out sums up Brits. Wagamama in Bath was inundated. Walked past last Wednesday and the restaurant was full and a queue outside of about 50 people. All for...a bargain. That's how Brits think.

So when Easyjet, Ryanair and others came along and offered £40 flights to Italy, people wanted British Airways to do the same. BA tried, but realised it was unsustainable. As they couldn't reverse this strategy, costs just got slashed all over the airline to compete.

That's the simple answer. It lost it's class through us customers and how we want bargains and service, but not realising you can't have both, so service was reduced to serve the former.

Agneisse

Easyjet, Ryanair, and others offered a choice to trade off service and frills (checked bags, assigned seating) for a cheaper ticket, worse IRROPS handling, and reasonable safety records. Before, this was not an available choice. And people voted with their wallets as to what they want.

I myself am a light and I would say resourceful traveler so the drawbacks don't bother me. I am more than happy to take the savings to travel in a less 'classy' way. Maybe it is a generational thing as I entered adulthood after LCCs had already established themselves - but I don't see a need to pay for more personal interaction with staff/crew, can fill up my own water bottle, print my own boarding pass, and be flexible with what I pack/bring to bypass as many lines as possible. Sure, I enjoy J/F on work trips (or points trips!) but for vacations, I don't need to pay an airline (or their employees) to do stuff that I can manage myself.