British Airways

[Speedpig]

Originally Posted by Jordan D

Bloody ridiculous changes. 23kg limit per bag? Where's the flexibility gone these days? What was wrong with 32kg?
Utter disgrace (and this comes from a BA supporter)
Jordan

There will be no flexibility, no concession, no discount at the airport. You will pay for every kilo of excess. Do not argue at check-in, you and your bags will be offloaded
If you can cram all your belongings into "The maximum size of the bag, 56cm x 45cm x 25cm (22in x 18in x 10in) has been set in line with the UK Department for Transport recommendations. Passengers must be able to lift their bag unaided into the aircraft overhead locker". Doesn't matter how heavy it is
One of the discussion points about carry-on weight has always been the ability of the overhead to sustain that weight in turbulence and the danger of 20Kg+ missiles in the cabin (searching for the video of UA a/c in turbulence to support). There have been no modifications made to strengthen said overheads.... unless I blinked.
Don't forget, when you ask for the manager, he/she now has no discretion to allow heavier bags (H&S) or waive excess

[Jordan D]

But why a 23kg H&S limit, when that is reducing the H&S limit by over 25% from the current limit?

How are families travelling together going to effectively pack their stuff? Each time you add a bag, it weighs empty between 3 and 6kg, which eats into your allowance. Lowering the limit, means more bags, which means less actual stuff transported ... and no doubt more bags going missing.

Jordan

[Globaliser]

Originally Posted by Speedpig

You will pay for every kilo of excess.

Actually, it's worse. You pay for every bag, flat rate. See this leaflet, which was being distributed by corporate sales reps yesterday.

So:-

• [*]

For me, it's not the total checked allowance that's the problem for me. It's the lack of flexibility. I can no longer take 2 bags each weighing 8 kg, for example, even though the total weight is well under 23 kg. If two of us are travelling, we can't take one suitcase between us if it weighs 25 kg. We'll have to take two, with a total weight of about 32 kg (because of the extra empty weight of the second suitcase alone).

And the extra cabin baggage allowance will just turn BA into a clone of the US carriers, where everyone fights for overhead space because there isn't enough for everyone. At the moment, it's so nice to be able to board last, secure in the knowledge that there will be space.

[traveller5]

BA under investigation.

This announced to the stock exchange:

Britain's Office of Fair Trading and the U.S. Department of Justice are investigating alleged cartel activity involving British Airways Plc and other airlines. BA said in a statement the investigation related "to pricing of passenger air transportation, including fuel surcharges". BA also said its commercial director, Martin George, and head of communications, Iain Burns, had been given leave of absence during the investigation.

[Fargoo]

The BBC also have the story

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5104946.stm

and from the BA Website

"Date
22/06/2006

Back



OFT/DOJ Investigations

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) and the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) are investigating alleged cartel activity involving British Airways and other airlines in relation to pricing of passenger air transportation, including fuel surcharges.

British Airways' policy is to conduct its business in full compliance with all applicable competition laws. British Airways is assisting the OFT and DOJ with their investigations. Martin George, Commercial Director, and Iain Burns, Head of Communications, have been given leave of absence during the investigation.



Certain information included in this statement may be forward-looking and involves risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward looking statements.

Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, projections relating to results of operations and financial conditions and the Company's plans and objectives for future operations, including, without limitation, expected future revenues, financing plans and expected expenditures and divestments. Any forward-looking statements in this announcement are based upon information known to the Company on the date of this announcement. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

It is not reasonably possible to itemise all of the many factors and specific events that could cause the Company's forward looking statements to be incorrect or that could otherwise have a material adverse effect on the future operations or results of an airline operating in the global economy. Information on some factors which could result in material difference to the results is available in the Company's SEC filings, including, without limitation the Company's Report on Form 20-F for the year ended March, 2006"

From what I can gather , price fixing needs to involve more than one party. Who are the others??

Fargoo

[manintheback]

Virgin Atlantic are also 'assisting with enquiries' as they say. If proven BA face a fine of upto 10% of annual turnover - £850 million

[Farrell]

Originally Posted by manintheback

If proven BA face a fine of upto 10% of annual turnover - £850 million

Which should then be used to train student pilots.

[Golden Ticket]

If proven all airlines that are found guilty should be fined 10% of turnover, should make for some interesting reading.

[thunderbird7]

Maybe the uk airlines being investigated could, if found guilty, borrow some of the billions 'gifted' to US airlines to keep them afloat, to pay the fines?

[Hot Wings]

I agree - definitely time to investigate US airline's pricing!

[Golden Ticket]

this is all a bit fishy, all other airlines have stated that they are cooperating but are not under investigation or that this doesn't affect them. How can you operate a price cartel on your own?

[PAXboy]

1. Somebody trying to move a grudge forwards?
2. Too many pax not understand how the system works and just what a large percentage of cost fuel is, so they have all been complaining?
3. Perhaps a good old fashioned Jobsworth?
4. ???

Given how low prices are, I am bemused at this.

[Kalium Chloride]

this is all a bit fishy, all other airlines have stated that they are cooperating but are not under investigation or that this doesn't affect them. How can you operate a price cartel on your own?

Actually Virgin hasn't said it's not under investigation. In fact, it seem it's noticeably not taken a golden PR opportunity to wash its hands at BA's expense. What do you make of that?

[jerrystinger]

I bet the managers on "leave of absence" were up for a bonus if they could get profits up to a high.....and did so at whatever cost.

Very fishy.

[RevMan2]

Same pattern as at LH Cargo earlier this year - CEO "retires for reasons of health" i.e. sacrificial lamb and everything goes to periscope depth

[Desert Diner]

I may have it arseways, but I think its only the alliances that don't have anti-trust imunity that are being investigated. Hence AA/BA.

I think the UA and DL managed to get such imunity before signing up their partners.

[BMI701EGCC]

Could this work in BMI's favour? i know this would be a dream situation for BMI, but isnt this what BMI hoped for? everyone knows there are ties with BA and the Goverment.....finally the suites have been shaken?

[antonovman]

Its not up to BA to open up heatrhrow too additional trans-atlantic carriers, its up to the authorities when they come to an agreement with the US authorities and agree to some kind of open skies agreement

[411A]

BA raided? Price fixing probe?

The revenge of Sir Freddie Laker (RIP), part two....

[manintheback]

Well more news is now surfacing -its alleged fixing of fuel price surcharges. Appears a number of airlines have put the surcharges up at a rate in excess of 3.5 times as much as the oil price increase.