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Old Jun 14, 2019, 1:39 pm
  #31  
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Originally Posted by orbitmic
If the OP is talking about Y (and it is not very clear that he/she does) I don't altogether agree.
I guess I was imagining the whole pot of utter mishmash, covering everything from LCCs down to W6, Y, J, and essentially all major carriers etc., but only within the EU because of outliers such as TK and any others with a 'full' business class seats (or those flights operated by them), and thinking more about the hard product and scheduling than soft based on the mention by the OP of seats and schedule padding (that's probably more of a LHR and other basically-at-capacity airports thing).
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Old Jun 14, 2019, 3:32 pm
  #32  
 
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If you buy a ticket based on a block time (gate to gate) that’s acceptable to you then why does it matter what percentage of time is spent in the air vs on the ground?
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Old Jun 14, 2019, 4:47 pm
  #33  
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Originally Posted by stefan_nl
I don't understand the purpose of these kind of topics. If you don't like it don't do it. Go find another employer that has another travel policy. Challenge the current policy and have it changed. Stop flying.
I agree with the first part of what you say in that I too find little purpose to those threads. I think the OP just wanted to vent, which is fine but sort of limited, especially if it's about such concepts as airlines advertising block times!

That said, I must say that the second part really does not make much sense to me either. Saying that if the OP doesn't like just change jobs sounds a bit like: "if you don't like the colour of the tiles of your superb mansion then just move" or "if you don't like the taste of the love of your life in socks you should just divorce". I mean, no job is perfect, but quite frankly, the choice of airline (or even to an extent travel policy) associated with it is likely to be only an infinitesimal ingredient in one's choice of employment. And one can still complain about the colour of the tiles or their wife's taste in socks and love them very much, it's all good and fairly normal for human beings!
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Old Jun 14, 2019, 5:45 pm
  #34  
 
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I think this is a case of welcome to flying in 2019.

Whatever the airline, the glamour is gone. Even if you pay Ł1000 for LHR-NCE on BA, you might find no space in the overheads, you might not get a choice of meal - caviar, it isn’t.

The nicest flights are the half empty ones from quiet airports to quiet airports.

Tired of London, OP?
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Old Jun 14, 2019, 6:07 pm
  #35  
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Can you ask to be reassigned to Eastern European jobs?
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Old Jun 14, 2019, 11:35 pm
  #36  
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Originally Posted by windowontheAside
It's hard to disagree with the points made, but if you have to travel around Europe, who does it much better?
Trains where that option is available...

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Old Jun 15, 2019, 12:55 am
  #37  
 
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Originally Posted by amt


Trains where that option is available...

I second this, especially if you regularly travel to Paris or Amsterdam. Ground staff at Orly are miserable, and security at Schiphol is turning into a farce.
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Old Jun 15, 2019, 3:36 am
  #38  
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Originally Posted by ZippyK
I second this, especially if you regularly travel to Paris or Amsterdam. Ground staff at Orly are miserable, and security at Schiphol is turning into a farce.
Unfortunately Eurostar has had its share of problems this year too...
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Old Jun 15, 2019, 5:10 am
  #39  
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Quite extraordinary. I think what is horrible is the employer for making the OP fly BA in the first place.

I’d love to expand but the Tooth Fairy is coming for cocktails and gossip.
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Old Jun 15, 2019, 5:20 am
  #40  
 
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Originally Posted by fruitcage
If you buy a ticket based on a block time (gate to gate) that’s acceptable to you then why does it matter what percentage of time is spent in the air vs on the ground?
I agree. I'd rather have reliable timing than hopelessly optimistic. And if you do get in early, nobody's going to complain.
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Old Jun 15, 2019, 5:22 am
  #41  
 
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I wish in these sorts of threads we remember that the airline business has become price-driven. It's something the majority of consumers press for and so we get the service and pricing packaging we've asked for. I'm afraid the days of glamourous European travel has long gone. You can just about still get it in higher cabins on long haul.
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Old Jun 15, 2019, 6:21 am
  #42  
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Simple answer is that OP is the passenger not the customer. The customer is OP's employer and BA caters to business traffic. OP has an employer issue, not a BA issue.

In the ordinary course, the simple answer would be to suggest that OP shift to another carrier. But, that will not happen here. Thus, OP is faced with a choice. Do the positives of the job exceed its negatives (which would include being required to fly BA). If the former, stick with it. If the latter, change jobs.

Most would not change jobs over this issue, but it is entirely OP's choice.
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Old Jun 15, 2019, 6:23 am
  #43  
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Originally Posted by Spacoom
I happened to fly frequently within europe and unavoidabye using BA due to my company policy. I think BA realized it and quality of service is awful.

These are the most uncomfortable cramped together seats. If the flight time is 50 minutes, the ticket says 1 and 40 minutes. Most of the time you are sitting in the plane, awaiting departure window. Short flight becomes a very long and uncomfortable one. Quite disappointed with the airline view on its passengers. The quality of service is of a low cost airline, while pricing is mid range.
Have you checked with your company travel department to see if private charter is an option?
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Old Jun 15, 2019, 6:54 am
  #44  
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Originally Posted by Often1
Simple answer is that OP is the passenger not the customer. The customer is OP's employer and BA caters to business traffic. OP has an employer issue, not a BA issue.

In the ordinary course, the simple answer would be to suggest that OP shift to another carrier. But, that will not happen here. Thus, OP is faced with a choice. Do the positives of the job exceed its negatives (which would include being required to fly BA). If the former, stick with it. If the latter, change jobs.
Actually, there is an alternative. Pay for your own flight (as in at own costs) if the job is otherwise satisfactory. I have done that when I did not like the flights but other aspects were OK.
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Old Jun 15, 2019, 7:25 am
  #45  
 
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Originally Posted by LTN Phobia
Have you tried other EU airlines on short haul, for instance on holidays? You might find that they are not very different from BA. In fact, some are worse.
IMO, some carriers in Europe are worse in eco than BA (e.g., IB), some are better (e.g., A3, TK).

However, overall I cannot fault the OP for finding BA subpar. I'd consider them slightly subpar when thinking about the short-haul eco soft and hard product. (To be fair, I think BA's network is far above average, as is its ground product and its loyalty program.)

They were among the first European network carriers to start charging for tea, water, and seat reservations. The reconfig of the LHR- and LGW-based Airbus planes has started. 30 in pitch, max. of 2 in recline, and one of the thinnest eco seats among the European network carriers.

In my mind, when it comes to "enhancements" in short-haul eco, it would be more appropriate to consider BA as leading as opposed to lagging.
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