Ops-Normal.org

I have read the article, which by the way is behind a paywall.

It makes sad reading to see how what was once one of the world's premium brands has sunk to a level where, in some respects, it is worse than Ryanair, who at least deliver what they purport to deliver, and make no bones about what they do and how they do it.

On my last longhaul flight with BA, on a 21 year old 747, in business class, my seat recline didn't work, someone had to come and pull it up, the IFE didn't work properly until after a couple of nudges a bad connection resolved itself, getting rid of the streaks across the low quality screen. The choice of viewing was limited and uninspired. My neighbour's IFE didn't work at all and the attitude of the crew to his polite and calm complaint was 'sorry but ......' and you could sense that they are so used to it that they no longer care.

The food was very ordinary and poorly presented, and seemed no better than, or different to, the Premium Economy offering. One member of the cabin crew, a middle aged lady, was caring and helpful, the others, mostly younger, noticeably just wanted to get back into the galley to resume their easily overheard private tittle-tattle as quickly as possible.

Anyone who has had the misfortune to fly Iberia, or its even worse 'low cost' subsidiary, Vueling, will know that the Spanish have no clue about running an airline that delivers service to its customers. Alex Cruz, who has probably single-handedly done more to ensure the demise of BA than any other person, even the dreadful Robert Ayling, shouldn't be in charge of a churros stall, never mind an international airline.

I am not sure what is British any more about BA. Run by a Spaniard, owned by a Spanish holding company with an Irishman at its helm, and most of its telephone staff apparently in India, it's an atrocious third rate parody of what it should be.

I know quite a few people who work for BA, from engineering, management, finance, crew, and all indicate that morale and loyalty is at an all time low. Those who who are in my age group are hugely thankful that they are at the end of their careers.

Cruz has clearly not understood that when you cut costs beyond a certain level, you end up losing goodwill, revenue, and passengers, it's a slippery slope and he has reached the point of no return. It's a shame that his ugly mug is so well known to his staff, otherwise he should try travelling incognito (without a high viz vest!) on some of BA's flights. They'd probably poison his food ......... in fact ......... what a great idea!

Capetonian wrote:I have read the article, which by the way is behind a paywall.

Ah, yes, but; if one registers with the Times, on gets 2 free articles a month.

If one also creates several e-mail id's wit G-mail, Yahoo and such, one registers with the Times from each ID and one has access to several 'free' articles a month.

It's not like they're losing money at the moment?
Now is not the best time to implement skimping, offering the passengers - less.
And 7 massively disrupting computer outages so far this year is sheer incompetence and another example of skimping to squeeze money. That they do not have a back-up able to kick in rapidly borders on criminal.

I’ve only been back two days

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-48905907

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-48901566

Lord King would roll in his grave.

If I didn’t believe that my pension was inexorably dependant upon the continued existence of B.A. I would actively work to send them to the wall. One reason ( of many of course ) for my now living in New Zealand was the promised lifetime rebate staff travel fares in retirement, subsequently revoked by that Irish barsteward Wee Willie Whatsisname - whose "management" staff travel concession is of course guaranteed for life.

Howzabout a new paint scheme for the tailfins, crewcoaches, menus, logos and anything else to confirm brand identity and quality?

Waddya mean, it's been tried before?!

British Airways pilots set for summer strike https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-49175569

Oh how the mighty are fallen.

Perhaps a cull of "management" would be a positive start?

Not actually our fault this time

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-49212984

Saw son off back to Oz yesterday. 1st leg was a BA flight Durban to JHB, no trouble!

But it was with the ZA franchise.

ian16th wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 03, 2019 11:54 am

Saw son off back to Oz yesterday. 1st leg was a BA flight Durban to JHB, no trouble!

But it was with the ZA franchise.

I like flying Comair, better service than BA main line

I wonder if the Spanish waiter is dusting off his hiviz jacket

Bet that the Pilots bonus scheme is not looking so good now

Wankadeus strikes again - presumably Altea DCS.

Sitting on the tarmac at Perry Oaks International, reading the comments on the latest cock up on the Daily Fail, all I can say is that I hope we don’t run out of Valium after Brexit

Another day, another MAJOR BA cockup.

British Airways strike: Passengers angry at airline 'silence' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-49464345

Any chance Lopez & Walsh comedy duo being forced to walk the plank minus pension and bonus options??

This is the management that some of us have to deal with every day