LGW Check-in suggestions
May 22, 2006, 7:46 am
#16
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: LGW / MAN / MAD
Programs: BA/BMI/RZGP Gold, AA/Amex Plat, IC Plat RA, HH Diamond, VS Silver
Posts: 3,511
Only once happened to me MAD-LGW (and I do plenty of them!). Got moved from 1C to 1D. They guy at check in said he's make sure I had the front row to myself 
May 22, 2006, 9:14 am
#17
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Florida
Posts: 1,867
Originally Posted by G-BOAC
Was this due to an aircraft change? This is why I never take 1AC at LGW any more, I've been bitten by that. In my case, a polite word at the gate and they moved me from something like 4D to 2C (presumably bumping Mr old 2C elsewhere) no problem.
It has happened on my return leg from NCE this week too - when I booked, I had 1C on a A320. Some weeks back, the return leg changed to a 757 and I'm not in 2D (no row 1)...so, not too bad (but not ideal - all the good C seats close to the front are taken).
I think I have yet (touch wood, fingers crossed, etc.) to be randomly shunted for no good reason (i.e. equipment change or broken chair which did indeed remain unoccupied during the flight).
Phil
It has happened on my return leg from NCE this week too - when I booked, I had 1C on a A320. Some weeks back, the return leg changed to a 757 and I'm not in 2D (no row 1)...so, not too bad (but not ideal - all the good C seats close to the front are taken).
I think I have yet (touch wood, fingers crossed, etc.) to be randomly shunted for no good reason (i.e. equipment change or broken chair which did indeed remain unoccupied during the flight).
Phil
The second time I was moved after OLCI, I asked the guy who took my seat (he was not even a member of BAEC) how he managed that. He said that he presented his ticket and that was the seat they assigned to him.
In both instances, BA absolutely refused to move anyone to put me back into my original seat citing (a guess this is from the BA training manual) "sorry, but the flight is completely booked".
To make matters worse, the second time I was moved after OLCI, I asked to be put on another flight. The check-in guy said he would have to call a supervisor. Unfortunately, NO SUPERVISORS WERE AVAILABLE AND NONE WOULD BE UNTIL 6AM! (It was 5:45am at Gatwick) I have a hard time believing that the hundreds of BA employees on duty were working without a manager or a supervisor. I was just too tired after an overnight flight to argue.
May 22, 2006, 10:05 am
#18
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,775
Unfortunately, NO SUPERVISORS WERE AVAILABLE AND NONE WOULD BE UNTIL 6AM! (It was 5:45am at Gatwick)
However, if you asked to be put on another flight, the check-in person could have phoned the supervisor for clearance and then called the ticket desk to have your booking transferred over! The likelihood is that the check-in guy you saw was probably finishing another cr4ppy night shift at Crawley Regional Airport (we finish at 06.00) and was reluctant to become embroiled in anything that could delay his homeward journey! (Sorry - I'm trying to be truthful, and I hope my honesty, and sense of humour, can raise a small smile out of you! - we are just as knackered at the end of our shifts as you are at the end of your long-haul sector!)
As an aside, our supervisors numbers have been cut (let's face it, when Willie Walsh announced so many management jobs were to go, did you really believe front-line staff would be unaffected?) and we had some interesting developments this past weekend.
The weekend bore all the hallmarks of Rod Eddington's savage staff cuts of three years ago with a handful of staff trying to cope with literally thousands of passengers on the late shift (both Saturday and Sunday).
One passenger went ballistic and my colleague picked up the phone "I need a supervisor at Desk xxx!"
" Sorry - we're too busy!" came the reply!
"Well!" My colleague retorted, "Unless someone comes down here and sorts this mess out, you'll be even busier in a minute then , when I walk off the desk and go home sick!"
........He got the desired results!