BA ground service failure - again
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BA ground service failure - again
Just had a couple of pleasant Club World sectors to/from the middle east.
Had to choose BA, because of schedule considerations.
Crew on board delivered a good service both ways, pleasantly.
However, the ground circus continues, despite a nearly 3 hour connection, my suitcase didn't make the outbound flight.
Apparently the company knew this and had transmitted a message to destination, who sat on their hands - what a shame I had to wait by the carousel for 30 mins, before going to luggage desk - cr*ppy service for someone who has just paid quite a lot for the privilege.
I was then issued with an allegedly pre-paid credit card, which was declined by three shops and a cash machine.
The duty manager promised me it would work when I got to London - ha ha, good joke.
Whilst I always seem to have a decent experience in the air, it is high time BA realised that the journey is end to end.
The ground part is an ongoing disaster from my perspective, something goes wrong every trip.
At least they only charged me once for this ticket, mind you I did decide to book via Expedia as I have lost confidence in BA after the last wheeze, when the company billed me £12K for a £4K ticket and maxed out my credit card half way through a trip - thanks guys.
And before Rusland and some others start talking about 'BA bashing', please note I am just recounting facts.
Had to choose BA, because of schedule considerations.
Crew on board delivered a good service both ways, pleasantly.
However, the ground circus continues, despite a nearly 3 hour connection, my suitcase didn't make the outbound flight.
Apparently the company knew this and had transmitted a message to destination, who sat on their hands - what a shame I had to wait by the carousel for 30 mins, before going to luggage desk - cr*ppy service for someone who has just paid quite a lot for the privilege.
I was then issued with an allegedly pre-paid credit card, which was declined by three shops and a cash machine.
The duty manager promised me it would work when I got to London - ha ha, good joke.
Whilst I always seem to have a decent experience in the air, it is high time BA realised that the journey is end to end.
The ground part is an ongoing disaster from my perspective, something goes wrong every trip.
At least they only charged me once for this ticket, mind you I did decide to book via Expedia as I have lost confidence in BA after the last wheeze, when the company billed me £12K for a £4K ticket and maxed out my credit card half way through a trip - thanks guys.
And before Rusland and some others start talking about 'BA bashing', please note I am just recounting facts.
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"something goes wrong on every trip"
F3G a query here from somebody who won't fly BA because of how unreliable they are on, it seems, every front at present 
Why do you continue to use them
You quote schedule considerations here but the middle east is well served by numerous high profile carriers who provide a good on board product. I'm sure you would be able to get an acceptable (maybe not ideal) schedule from one of them. If I had as many problems as you I would take the acceptable from another carrier for my own sanity.
This is a genuine, and I believe valid query, from someone who has seen you complain about BA on numerous occasions in the year I've been on PPrune. I'm not accusing you of BA bashing.
Why don't you just vote with your feet and go elsewhere?
Why do you continue to use them
You quote schedule considerations here but the middle east is well served by numerous high profile carriers who provide a good on board product. I'm sure you would be able to get an acceptable (maybe not ideal) schedule from one of them. If I had as many problems as you I would take the acceptable from another carrier for my own sanity.
This is a genuine, and I believe valid query, from someone who has seen you complain about BA on numerous occasions in the year I've been on PPrune. I'm not accusing you of BA bashing.
Why don't you just vote with your feet and go elsewhere?
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I am also rabidly anti-BA because of their unreliability and their attitude towards customers. I have managed to avoid flying them for about 8 years, until last month when I had no choice, they happened to be the only non-stop carrier on the route I needed, it made sense to fly out of LHR and the time suited me. In realistic terms there was no choice which would not have inconvenienced me.
T5 was fantastic. Service on board was abysmal, they were professionally cold but they got me there safely and on time. I walked off the 'plane feeling that there is no reason to fly them again and that they could not care less. The cabin crew weren't even looking at people, let alone saying goodbye, as they deplaned.
T5 was fantastic. Service on board was abysmal, they were professionally cold but they got me there safely and on time. I walked off the 'plane feeling that there is no reason to fly them again and that they could not care less. The cabin crew weren't even looking at people, let alone saying goodbye, as they deplaned.
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OK ...
Firstly, the plural of 'Anecdote' is not 'Data'; what you have experienced cannot be used to make a case for or against a particular airline. The monthly surveys - which are data - clearly shows BA at or close to most other full service airlines.
As a BA staff member I am always sad to read of a failure somewhere along the line for an individual. But this needs to be tempered with a sense of proportion. on a typical day, 85,000 people fly with BA. If we get it right 99.9 percent of the time, then eighty people per day will consider that BA is abysmal, unfeeling, whatever the adjective of the day is. That adds up to nearly thirty thousand per year. Sounds a lot, but is only 0.01% of the total.
I have found that BA can be genuinly baffling in its customer service but mostly shows it's pedigree as a national airline. I and a number of others, plus many staff working overtime, spent my evening on Monday as a volunteer in T5 rebooking people who had missed their connection because of the volcanic ash - note, not BA or anyone else's fault. Anyone who had to wait the night for a flight was given, without fuss, a hotel for the night, with food. Most people were genuinely understanding even after a five hour queue to rebook, of the situation (the one person who had a hissy fit had come in on Virgin and missed her connection on BA - our fault, apparently, and a hotel wasn't good enough). Did we do everything right? No, but we did our best, and a lot of us did so without any renumeration, and will do it again the nxt time the elements, or baggage system, or a minority of the cabin crew cause disruption.
May I suggest the next time something happens (and the data suggest you'd be unlucky to have a 'next time' incident) you ask the CSD for a survey form. Then you really will have influence on what happens and how BA shapes its customer service.
Ll
Firstly, the plural of 'Anecdote' is not 'Data'; what you have experienced cannot be used to make a case for or against a particular airline. The monthly surveys - which are data - clearly shows BA at or close to most other full service airlines.
As a BA staff member I am always sad to read of a failure somewhere along the line for an individual. But this needs to be tempered with a sense of proportion. on a typical day, 85,000 people fly with BA. If we get it right 99.9 percent of the time, then eighty people per day will consider that BA is abysmal, unfeeling, whatever the adjective of the day is. That adds up to nearly thirty thousand per year. Sounds a lot, but is only 0.01% of the total.
I have found that BA can be genuinly baffling in its customer service but mostly shows it's pedigree as a national airline. I and a number of others, plus many staff working overtime, spent my evening on Monday as a volunteer in T5 rebooking people who had missed their connection because of the volcanic ash - note, not BA or anyone else's fault. Anyone who had to wait the night for a flight was given, without fuss, a hotel for the night, with food. Most people were genuinely understanding even after a five hour queue to rebook, of the situation (the one person who had a hissy fit had come in on Virgin and missed her connection on BA - our fault, apparently, and a hotel wasn't good enough). Did we do everything right? No, but we did our best, and a lot of us did so without any renumeration, and will do it again the nxt time the elements, or baggage system, or a minority of the cabin crew cause disruption.
May I suggest the next time something happens (and the data suggest you'd be unlucky to have a 'next time' incident) you ask the CSD for a survey form. Then you really will have influence on what happens and how BA shapes its customer service.
Ll
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Hi LCD
Fair question.
As a very frequent traveller, sometimes schedule considerations drive the routing. In my business, 2 hours can be worth £750 billing.
My main ME market is served from London, with a national airline and one other UK airline flying there - BA's schedule is perfect. The others delay me by 5-12 hours.
And to tell the truth, the BA service in long haul J class is reliable and always acceptable or better, even if the product shows cost cutting.
If only the ground was sorted, they would be an airline of choice for me, rather than an 'if needs must' choice.
Fair question.
As a very frequent traveller, sometimes schedule considerations drive the routing. In my business, 2 hours can be worth £750 billing.
My main ME market is served from London, with a national airline and one other UK airline flying there - BA's schedule is perfect. The others delay me by 5-12 hours.
And to tell the truth, the BA service in long haul J class is reliable and always acceptable or better, even if the product shows cost cutting.
If only the ground was sorted, they would be an airline of choice for me, rather than an 'if needs must' choice.
Last edited by Final 3 Greens; 19th May 2010 at 16:55.
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Llademos
This quotation demonstrates completely the complacence that makes BA ground service appalling.
I am a very frequent traveller and EVERY TIME I have flown BA in the past year, something has gone wrong involving the ground service.
To quote data is a totally amazing for an airline employee towards someone who spends a lot of money in premium cabins.
I really don't give a
about what the data says, as a premium traveller I expect better service from the ground staff.
Asking someone to fill out a form is laughable, when I have done that I get a standard reply that fills me with no confidence whatsoever.
Others on this forum have made similar comments.
You will note that I have been very fair in my comments on the BA airborne experience, throughout the last year.
But your company is incompetent on the ground and no amount of stats will change that.
LOOK AT YOUR COMPANY FINANCIALS!
Then look at Emirates recent results and weep.
Also, look at Ryanair's.
Your company is neither one nor the other and therefore delivers neither, which is why it is in the mess it is in.
Firstly, the plural of 'Anecdote' is not 'Data'; what you have experienced cannot be used to make a case for or against a particular airline. The monthly surveys - which are data - clearly shows BA at or close to most other full service airlines.
I am a very frequent traveller and EVERY TIME I have flown BA in the past year, something has gone wrong involving the ground service.
To quote data is a totally amazing for an airline employee towards someone who spends a lot of money in premium cabins.
I really don't give a
about what the data says, as a premium traveller I expect better service from the ground staff.Asking someone to fill out a form is laughable, when I have done that I get a standard reply that fills me with no confidence whatsoever.
Others on this forum have made similar comments.
You will note that I have been very fair in my comments on the BA airborne experience, throughout the last year.
But your company is incompetent on the ground and no amount of stats will change that.
LOOK AT YOUR COMPANY FINANCIALS!
Then look at Emirates recent results and weep.
Also, look at Ryanair's.
Your company is neither one nor the other and therefore delivers neither, which is why it is in the mess it is in.
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I've flown 229 sectors with BA over the last 5 years and have had gold and silver Exec club cards for the last 3 years. During that time I've also flown around 80 sectors with other airlines.
That there are BA staff who go above and beyond the call of duty to resolve problems is undeniable - I have seen it myself many times, and experienced it myself here on PPRUNE. And I don't doubt that at present as a result of the cabin crew strike and the ash disruption there are even more staff doing this than ever before.
That the BA service on board, on a good day, can match any other carrier in the world is also beyond question.
But I'm afraid F3G is absolutely correct about the service _on the ground_ provided by BA (and its agents) not being up to standard.
Having had my luggage go to Madrid while I was flying from Gatwick to Edinburgh and been left in the inexpert hands of BA's ground handlers at Edinburgh I fully sympathise with F3G in his predicament.
What BA frequent fliers are looking for, frankly, isn't that the company goes out of its way to resolve problems when they arise - that's taken as read. It's that the problems don't arise in the first place. And that applies from the moment we buy our ticket until the moment we retrieve our luggage from the carousel.
For all easyJet may be low cost, they've never left my luggage behind, nor has their website ever failed to send me a receipt when I bought a ticket. They may well be crAp at dealing with complaints - but I don't know: because they've never given me cause to complain.
13Alpha
That there are BA staff who go above and beyond the call of duty to resolve problems is undeniable - I have seen it myself many times, and experienced it myself here on PPRUNE. And I don't doubt that at present as a result of the cabin crew strike and the ash disruption there are even more staff doing this than ever before.
That the BA service on board, on a good day, can match any other carrier in the world is also beyond question.
But I'm afraid F3G is absolutely correct about the service _on the ground_ provided by BA (and its agents) not being up to standard.
Having had my luggage go to Madrid while I was flying from Gatwick to Edinburgh and been left in the inexpert hands of BA's ground handlers at Edinburgh I fully sympathise with F3G in his predicament.
What BA frequent fliers are looking for, frankly, isn't that the company goes out of its way to resolve problems when they arise - that's taken as read. It's that the problems don't arise in the first place. And that applies from the moment we buy our ticket until the moment we retrieve our luggage from the carousel.
For all easyJet may be low cost, they've never left my luggage behind, nor has their website ever failed to send me a receipt when I bought a ticket. They may well be crAp at dealing with complaints - but I don't know: because they've never given me cause to complain.
13Alpha
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They (easyJet) may well be crAp at dealing with complaints - but I don't know: because they've never given me cause to complain.
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What BA frequent fliers are looking for, frankly, isn't that the company goes out of its way to resolve problems when they arise - that's taken as read. It's that the problems don't arise in the first place. And that applies from the moment we buy our ticket until the moment we retrieve our luggage from the carousel.
When I complained after the first strike about not getting what I'd paid for, I had a 'brush off ' letter and an MCO for £30. Having come to Pprune and got advice, I wrote again on April 20th. I haven't heard anything but I got £120 credit on my credit card........
No, you Ppruners who did advise, thankyou, but I'm not sharing!
But I went to the US last week. Everything superb, on the ground and in the air. Even American got my bags off early from the internal connecting flight at the far end.
No, you Ppruners who did advise, thankyou, but I'm not sharing!
But I went to the US last week. Everything superb, on the ground and in the air. Even American got my bags off early from the internal connecting flight at the far end.
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National Airline
Llademos.
.
The last time I looked BA was no longer a national airline, not in the UK anyway.
E.F.
I have found that BA can be genuinly baffling in its customer service but mostly shows it's pedigree as a national airline
The last time I looked BA was no longer a national airline, not in the UK anyway.
E.F.
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*Pedant Alert*
From thefreedictionary.com:
ped·i·gree
a. A line of ancestors; a lineage. (my bold)
b. A list of ancestors; a family tree.
And (with thanks to PAXboy, from whom I have shamelessly copied this BA history)...
From thefreedictionary.com:
ped·i·gree
a. A line of ancestors; a lineage. (my bold)
b. A list of ancestors; a family tree.
And (with thanks to PAXboy, from whom I have shamelessly copied this BA history)...
- BOAC commercial
- BOAC + BEA merged
- British Airways nationalised
- British (branded)
- British Airways de-nationalised
- BA plc
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The monthly surveys - which are data - clearly shows BA at or close to most other full service airlines.
I am a BA supporter (gold card holder) but as F3G says, they do *sometimes* let themselves down. However, I am only ever "selected" to fill out customer satisfaction surveys by cabin crew who have been very attentive and provided great service . Of course, they end up with glowing feedback.
I am never asked to complete a survey by grumpy crew, or on sectors when I haven't had my choice of meal, or when there has been problems with IFE, or when my baggage did not make it with me to the destination. If this is repeated elsewhere, no wonder the 'data' is so good.
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I am never asked to complete a survey by grumpy crew, or on sectors when I haven't had my choice of meal, or when there has been problems with IFE
Pohutu,
wasn't there a British Airways which went into Imperial Airlines in the dizzy days long before WW2? And then BOAC and BEA inherited the mantle.....
wasn't there a British Airways which went into Imperial Airlines in the dizzy days long before WW2? And then BOAC and BEA inherited the mantle.....
Paxing All Over The World
radeng, it was I who made that list and happy for it to be copied. However, I had prefaced that list with, "Post War only" that was to simplify matters. Technically, the company dates from 1929, which is why it is classed (by some of us) as an old company. Some folks think it is 'young' from it's time of being a modern plc, but it still has many folks from earlier incarnations and those aspects have been discussed in various threads.
This is the correct version. A range of independents started up in 1919 and were merged together in 1924 to Imperial Airways, which became the mainstream UK carrier, with some government support. A further range of independents were merged together in 1935 and took the British Airways name, an independent and unsubsidised operator on lesser routes, which became the second largest UK airline. In 1940 these two were merged into BOAC at government behest, but the registered BA name was kept by the company unused. BOAC was split up after WW2 into BEA and BOAC, two nationalised companies and then in 1974 these were merged back together again and the BA name was reinstated for the combined operation. It didn't become privately owned until 1987.
Paxing All Over The World
[continuing thread diversion]
Thanks for the time-line WHBM. I fear that the sequence of mergers and acquisitions has not helped. The list of small carriers that have been swallowed must be enormous and doubtless someone in the History or AAR forums could list them. But that is what happens in old companies - they lose their focus.
Thanks for the time-line WHBM. I fear that the sequence of mergers and acquisitions has not helped. The list of small carriers that have been swallowed must be enormous and doubtless someone in the History or AAR forums could list them. But that is what happens in old companies - they lose their focus.
I believe that originally, before Croydon was London's airport, the airport was at Hounslow. So going to Heathrow was another full circle!