What are BA doing well?
Feb 25, 2022, 10:31 am
#62
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Manchester
Programs: VA (Plat), QR (OWE), BAEC (Silver), AY (Gold), HH (Diamond)
Posts: 165
You're right. I mispoke, and was referring to applying for a FTV. Which I've then had to call to get sorted, as it happens wrong. Was trying to look at MMB just now to validate, but true to form that function of BA is not working.... I might have to give up on this one 😉
Feb 25, 2022, 10:52 am
#63
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: BAEC Gold, EK Skywards (enhanced Blue !), Oman Air Sindbad Gold
Posts: 6,399
OP has posed a pretty tough question !
I’ll give it a shot. Of the things that BA are ‘doing well’, there are some I find very appealing ; and there are many others which leave me mourning the extent to which BA has become a pale sad shadow of the airline I once knew.
but, but …… BA are also ‘doing well’ many things which in truth should be handled very differently ….. and several promptly spring to mind :
I’ll give it a shot. Of the things that BA are ‘doing well’, there are some I find very appealing ; and there are many others which leave me mourning the extent to which BA has become a pale sad shadow of the airline I once knew.
- offering a VERY useful FF programme, plus generous status extensions
- responding with flexibility to the pandemic, by way of cancel / rebook options
- running a call centre where the percentage of consultants who try their very best to resolve customer requests and queries vastly outnumber those who make no such effort
but, but …… BA are also ‘doing well’ many things which in truth should be handled very differently ….. and several promptly spring to mind :
- over-promising whilst under-delivering
- consistently choosing mediocrity over quality
- rapidly implementing ‘enhancements’ versus glacial-pace delivery of genuine improvements
- churning out meaningless - and, at times, insulting - #sorrynotsorry letters
- appointing a series of CEO’s* who understand the price of everything but the value of nothing *(jury still out, for just a little longer, on current incumbent)
- being slow at expanding website self-manage options and even deliberately disabling previously-existing functionality
Last edited by subject2load; Feb 25, 2022 at 10:57 am Reason: spelling
Feb 25, 2022, 11:15 am
#64
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: London
Programs: Ba Silver ( for now!)
Posts: 776
People fly ba as it has more direct flights from the U.K. than anyone else. It also has decent brand awareness.
if you want to go to Spain you could look on Iberia. It you won’t. You will look at ba.
The same applies in for short haul with easyJet. Frankly they have newer planes, nicer staff and a decent buy on board snack bar.
Business class is adequate. The Heathrow lounges mostly nice and the fares ( pre Covid ) we’re reasonable in business.
I have status ( bronze woo hoo) but have previously Been gold. Even then I fly with whosever is cheapest and goes where I want to go. I love emirates.
if you want to go to Spain you could look on Iberia. It you won’t. You will look at ba.
The same applies in for short haul with easyJet. Frankly they have newer planes, nicer staff and a decent buy on board snack bar.
Business class is adequate. The Heathrow lounges mostly nice and the fares ( pre Covid ) we’re reasonable in business.
I have status ( bronze woo hoo) but have previously Been gold. Even then I fly with whosever is cheapest and goes where I want to go. I love emirates.
Feb 25, 2022, 12:02 pm
#65
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,720
The BA Executive Club is actually pretty good and relatively generous if the sweet spots around status and redemptions are relevant to you
The First Wing in T5 is usually quite a pleasant experience
Some staff can be amazing, though it seems a lot less common than when I started flying heavily 20 years ago (understandably given how BA treats them)
The First Wing in T5 is usually quite a pleasant experience
Some staff can be amazing, though it seems a lot less common than when I started flying heavily 20 years ago (understandably given how BA treats them)
Feb 25, 2022, 12:42 pm
#68
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,535
IT. BA do IT really, really well, like world leading, always working, wonderful capabilities, the whole picture. Complete the podium with tea-less afternoon tea and bacon-less full English breakfast.
In short, ask us again in a few months when/if they have cleaned up their act at least a little, because now the question feels as hard to answer as "what is wrong with Usain Bolt's running technique?"
In short, ask us again in a few months when/if they have cleaned up their act at least a little, because now the question feels as hard to answer as "what is wrong with Usain Bolt's running technique?"
Feb 25, 2022, 12:45 pm
#69
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: London
Programs: BAEC (Gold), Hilton (Diamond), Le Club Accor (Platinum)
Posts: 171
The BA Executive Club is actually pretty good and relatively generous if the sweet spots around status and redemptions are relevant to you
The First Wing in T5 is usually quite a pleasant experience
Some staff can be amazing, though it seems a lot less common than when I started flying heavily 20 years ago (understandably given how BA treats them)
The First Wing in T5 is usually quite a pleasant experience
Some staff can be amazing, though it seems a lot less common than when I started flying heavily 20 years ago (understandably given how BA treats them)
I often wonder what will happen to BA when the bean counters are eventually allowed to take an axe to the Executive Club. I suspect it will not be pretty.
Feb 25, 2022, 4:24 pm
#70
Ambassador: Emirates Airlines
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Manchester, UK
Posts: 18,616
Feb 25, 2022, 5:46 pm
#71
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: London
Programs: Sir Ratechaser Seigneur de la Patience d'un Saint (Mucci), BA Silver, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 2,562
The BA Executive Club is actually pretty good and relatively generous if the sweet spots around status and redemptions are relevant to you
The First Wing in T5 is usually quite a pleasant experience
Some staff can be amazing, though it seems a lot less common than when I started flying heavily 20 years ago (understandably given how BA treats them)
The First Wing in T5 is usually quite a pleasant experience
Some staff can be amazing, though it seems a lot less common than when I started flying heavily 20 years ago (understandably given how BA treats them)
However to offer a succinct counter argument.... why?
Feb 26, 2022, 1:40 am
#72
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Vale of Glamorgan
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 2,991
I'm sure that this thread will bring comfort to the tens of thousands of people who have had flights cancelled and holidays ruined today, as well as those who are still waiting for their luggage from last week's problems.
It doesn't matter that BA gets some things right when its entire operation is such a shambles and brings such misery to its customers.
It doesn't matter that BA gets some things right when its entire operation is such a shambles and brings such misery to its customers.
Feb 26, 2022, 4:14 am
#73
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 343
My 2 pence (not adjusted for inflation).
What BA does well:
BA is never absolutely top-notch at anything (even what they excel at).
And, it is also the case that BA is never absolutely the worst at anything they do.
Even the current IT issues...haven't we seen similar or worse on other carriers?
By all means, call BA out on it, but just remember the staff are real people.
You know what you're getting yourself into with BA, and for many, that's just fine.
What BA does well:
- The staff - on board, on the ground and on the phone (well, in the UK). They try under what are some pretty dire circumstances.
- Safety - when I hear a BA captain's voice on the PA, I feel safe...even if they say this plane is about to crash so it might get a bit bumpy.
- Tier points - I'm not a fan of earning status without having butts in seats. Heresy, I know.
BA is never absolutely top-notch at anything (even what they excel at).
And, it is also the case that BA is never absolutely the worst at anything they do.
Even the current IT issues...haven't we seen similar or worse on other carriers?
By all means, call BA out on it, but just remember the staff are real people.
You know what you're getting yourself into with BA, and for many, that's just fine.
Feb 26, 2022, 4:24 am
#74
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: London
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 327
Feb 26, 2022, 4:27 am
#75
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,754
Judging by today, BA also do one other thing well. Helping to green the planet by keeping their planes firmly on the ground.
I feel sorry for the thousands affected by today’s IT outage. I’m hoping it’s fixed in time for my Monday flight.
I feel sorry for the thousands affected by today’s IT outage. I’m hoping it’s fixed in time for my Monday flight.