Jerseylily2

Service has been declining rapidly. Most recent example came when I had to cancel a non-refundable flight. I realized I would lose the airfare but was a little surprised to see that the carrier surcharge would also be forfeited for a service that I wouldn't be taking. Anyway that was the least of the issues. Tried to make the cancellation online to avoid the 15 pound per person change fee or whatever they call it only to find that I had a message saying this cancellation could not be performed online. Phoned the service desk made the cancellation and was told that the 15 pound per person charge would be waived and that I would get an email shortly Email was sent to the second passenger, my husband (a man) and not to me, lead booker, suggesting that we would get the full fare back and just forfeit the taxes!! totally wrong!. Then I find I get a credit on my account but it is for the government taxes as expected but a deduction has been made for the 15 pounds per person change fee .Phoned them to try and get this rectified still no joy. Now raised a complaint asking for my missing �30. Total and utter chaos at BA. I fear that after many decades of loyal support for BA I see the end of our relationship is insight.

bisonrav

Ah well. Plenty of other airlines.

Ldnn1

The �15 fee applies to online refunds too. I'm pretty sure you got back what you would've done had you been able to make the cancellation online. There is an additional �15 fee for handling it via phone but you weren't charged that.

Jeedos

This is a simple IT error and if you are correct, a �30 refund will get to you.

duo

I am coming to the similar conclusion for a difference reason - BA amex need to spend 15k a year now for a companion voucher, fee has gone up to �300 a year. And BA in general is just a bit poor these days - when I flew last year the plates in the Business class lounge were dirty. Really bad. And my BC seat on the flight wasn't clean either. Then food was average at best. It has been five years since I had flown with then and you could see the decline.

Jerseylily2

Unfortunately not just a simple IT error. The service staff were muddled and confused by the whole process. The email sent was totally incorrect to the level only a human could generate. It is not the money it is the service standard. By all means put your head back in the sand BA.

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Yes this is my last year with BA Amex too.

orbitmic

As others have said, plenty of other fish in the pond so if you are unhappy, by all means, I'd move on and see if the grass is greener elsewhere. Having said that, 1) the �15 service fee is not an error, it is chargeable for all cancellations before taxes are refunded and indeed surcharges are non-refundable, 2) none of what you describe is new or has deteriorated in the past 5 years or more - the service fee was there, the cancellations often not working was there, the non refundable surcharge was there, etc. So no, things have not "deteriorated rapidly", it just seems that for some reason you were lucky enough not to experience them before.

Also, I'm not sure you'll find alternatives more generous/selfless when it comes to refunds but it's obviously a good idea to try a few other options for yourself and see if you like them better. I fly with 20+ (often 30+) airlines a year, so I'm certainly not one who'd advocate putting all your eggs in the same basket if/when you find better deals elsewhere.

lhrsfo

With BA�s effective monopoly at LHR, there�s really little alternative unless you fly only limited routes and even then it�s difficult. Every time I fly BA it reminds me how much I hate them but UA/*A are not strong enough at LHR, and the same applies for VS/Skyteam.

HIDDY

Says it all really.
Although I suspect Jerseylily2 was just wanting to vent and in all likeliehood will still fly BA.

orbitmic

To be honest, there are in fact very few key routes on which BA has a monopoly from lhr and even fewer from the London airport system. If you mean ba is the only airline offering a global network from lhr, then fair enough but to be honest that�s then true if local big guys in virtually any hub except the likes of ORD which happens to have two.

Anonba

If completed front office by the agent you spoke to, it isnt possible to manually generate an email like you suggest. Only back office could do that.

TabTraveller

Every time I try another short haul carrier I realise how much I miss BA, especially for those with OWS and above. Dedicated check in, fast track security, decent enough lounges, priority boarding, good catering in J, generous hand baggage allowance, broadly less objectionable punters than LCCs, WiFi, at seat power, free changes on the day, etc.

The grass is not much greener and is often patchy, muddy and withered.

subject2load

Could be wholly wrong but methinks it�s the very first sentence of the OP�s post which has led to the �end in sight� mindset, ie rather than the issue as reported.

These sort of decisions are rarely the result of a single incident (and least of all one involving the ostensibly trivial matter of �30). More likely a case - in the eyes of the OP - of the straw that broke the camel�s back.

Either way, an opportunity to see what else is out there. Variety is the spice and all that ��

rockflyertalk

The past 5 years feels more like 15 years! The world has been turned upside down and back again in that time. In 2019 Cruz was in cruise control and firmly stripping the airline apart to maximise any revenue possible. I�m glad those days are behind us including the pandemic which was an excuse to strip service levels even further albeit some were entirely necessary due to health reasons. But anyway I�d say it�s a bit illogical and unrealistic to assume that 5 years ago (service degradation) are still continuing into today�s experience. As others have said there�s plenty more fish�but BA have made improvements since then. Plenty of evidence on FT BAEC.

I�m not defending BA, some of what they offer and action is inexcusable or could be vastly improved but they are not all doom and gloom.

1Aturnleft

Past posts and username suggest the OP is Jersey based which for UK destinations offers them some alternatives to BA (not LHR however):

Blue Islands
Loganair
EasyJet
Eastern Airways
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For beyond UK destinations I'm not sure there's going to be a wealth of options (at least on thru tickets) for them to choose from without having to split/nest tickets and all the fun that entails if plans change.

Virgin might codeshare with someone via MAN perhaps. There'll also be seasonal opportunities with Lufthansa Group via MUC.

Other than that I suspect the OP will find themselves back on BA sooner than they'd perhaps like.