OT: Tyler's at it again
Sep 6, 2008, 10:05 am
#121
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 9,916
T5 is all different! The crucial time is having gone through the BP check before security at 45 mins(?) before scheduled departure. At 20 mins before departure the flight is closed and I understand that the gate staff no longer have the ability from their gate terminals to reopen a flight. So it seems that arriving at the gate 2 mins before departure and blagging your way on are out of your reach!
Sep 6, 2008, 10:22 am
#122
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: UK countryside
Posts: 1,031
I'm just curious, if he could have made the flight, why wouldn't they have let him check-in for it even past deadline (since there were no checked bags).
Over the years, there have been times when I have marginally missed the check-in deadline and I can't even recall the airlines, but they pretty much called down to the gate, got the OK, checked me in and told me if I got caught in security and missed the flight, I would have to then take a later one.
I understand the deadline, but it does sound a bit rigid from a customer service perspective.
Not a fan of TB, but I will agree that it does make sense to go a bit above and beyond for high revenue customers.
Over the years, there have been times when I have marginally missed the check-in deadline and I can't even recall the airlines, but they pretty much called down to the gate, got the OK, checked me in and told me if I got caught in security and missed the flight, I would have to then take a later one.
I understand the deadline, but it does sound a bit rigid from a customer service perspective.
Not a fan of TB, but I will agree that it does make sense to go a bit above and beyond for high revenue customers.
The whole 35 minutes thing is totally within BA's control - especially infuriating if you've actually checked in at that point and then aren't let through the barrier because you're within 35 minutes of your flight.
A little flexibility never hurt anyone. And I'm sure BA have ways of making sure their flights take off on time without being rude, inflexible and unaccommodating to their best customers
Sep 6, 2008, 10:39 am
#123
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Argentina
Posts: 40,226
Sep 6, 2008, 10:52 am
#124
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London
Programs: BA Silver (Oneworld Sapphire), VS Silver, Skywards Blue, UA General, Qantas Bronze.
Posts: 1,077
It's a bit 'computer says no' is it not? The only people that look like idiots are BA.
Could they have shown a little flexibility in this case, probably. Would it have done them any harm, almost certainly not. Would it have cost them anything, probably not. Would Tyler have found something nice to say, probably not! So maybe they got it right!
If the rule is detatch airbridge 15 minutes before departure and push back on time (or 5 minutes before planned departure), then surely that's all you need to do to prevent a passenger delaying a flight? Why put all these obstacles in the way (check in at t-40, security by t-35, gate by t-20) - why not just say gate by t-20? Why not let the passenger try and make the flight if they want to? Trapping the individual in the 'system' on purpose is really likely to cause needless upset for the passenger when there's a chance that the passenger can make it.
I don't understand why BA think this system is the solution to their problems, it's not, but they can still achieve punctuality by pushing back on time having offloaded checked in passengers (which presumably they have to do for some passengers anyway). If the reason that they have these silly timings is because it takes more than 30 seconds to offload a passenger then it's their IT systems that need attention, not the time the passenger goes through security/arrives at the gate.
Now if he had got bags to check, that's a whole different story, and I think does make sense...
Could they have shown a little flexibility in this case, probably. Would it have done them any harm, almost certainly not. Would it have cost them anything, probably not. Would Tyler have found something nice to say, probably not! So maybe they got it right!
If the rule is detatch airbridge 15 minutes before departure and push back on time (or 5 minutes before planned departure), then surely that's all you need to do to prevent a passenger delaying a flight? Why put all these obstacles in the way (check in at t-40, security by t-35, gate by t-20) - why not just say gate by t-20? Why not let the passenger try and make the flight if they want to? Trapping the individual in the 'system' on purpose is really likely to cause needless upset for the passenger when there's a chance that the passenger can make it.
I don't understand why BA think this system is the solution to their problems, it's not, but they can still achieve punctuality by pushing back on time having offloaded checked in passengers (which presumably they have to do for some passengers anyway). If the reason that they have these silly timings is because it takes more than 30 seconds to offload a passenger then it's their IT systems that need attention, not the time the passenger goes through security/arrives at the gate.
Now if he had got bags to check, that's a whole different story, and I think does make sense...
Jul 25, 2010, 1:52 am
#125
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,335
Slightly OT: Should Tyler Brûlé get his just deserts...
