British Airways - not impressed

[brickwall]

Was on a BA jumbo couple of nights ago. Even up in the nose the IFE was woeful. Crap resolution, glitchy, slow. The service wasn't up to normal First standards either - I think the crew were struggling with some issues in the galley as it took ages for the food to come out.

Thankfully an overnight flight so not a huge bother, but I'm avoiding the 747s for now. It's a shame, because I really like the jumbo. But the product is just way behind (in particular) the 787 and A380 experience.

[schmalex]

I'm currently in my Emirates chauffeur drive car on the way to LGW for a 4 night trip to Hanoi.

I do really like the EK J product and it goes a long way to taking the crapness out of long haul business trips.

I'm going to try BA on my next trip to Ottawa in a couple of weeks to compare, as it's been a couple of years since I've flown BA Club

[pushthebutton]

chopper602 said:

Well the trip was as bad as I expected...

Return flight on a 777 from SF was the exact opposite . . .

That story, however, won't sell newspapers.

[parabolica]

djc206 said:

Ayahuasca said:

Sorry, all you BA peeps, your protestations leave me unmoved.


You will long for BA If you ever have the misfortune to experience American Airlines.

I'm doing that next year to MIA. BA out, AA back I've had a look and we're on one of the 777-300's with flat bed so hopefully it won't be too bad....

My dad and I flew American from LHR to Hawaii last December and they were pretty good - brand new 777 on the way over - what looked like new planes on the LAX-LIH leg. Only downfall was the Chicago - LHR flight was on one of the oldest 777s still in service. Only 25 people on the entire flight (!) but the plane was a wreck - no IFE apart from tiny LCD screens at the front of each section, trim panels loose and rattling around, dirty seats - it was a bit of a dive. At least we could stretch out over the middle seats for most of the trip.

[djc206]

parabolica said:

My dad and I flew American from LHR to Hawaii last December and they were pretty good - brand new 777 on the way over - what looked like new planes on the LAX-LIH leg. Only downfall was the Chicago - LHR flight was on one of the oldest 777s still in service. Only 25 people on the entire flight (!) but the plane was a wreck - no IFE apart from tiny LCD screens at the front of each section, trim panels loose and rattling around, dirty seats - it was a bit of a dive. At least we could stretch out over the middle seats for most of the trip.

I heard some horror stories similar to yours so I checked, double checked and triple checked that it's one of the shiny new 777-300's. I'll probably be asleep anyway as its a night flight so just need the flat bed and I'm happy, not too arsed about entertainment, food or service on that leg. BA on the way out so it'll be interesting to compare.

One bonus was AA let us pick our seats for all our flights on booking

[RammyMP]

I've just returned from Miami in business, to be honest it was good and I'd fly with BA again but no way through Heathrow, it was a nightmare this morning and BA's organisation was poor. Took full advantage of the lounge though, the boy had seven bacon butties the pig!

[RammyMP]

Just to add though, it was a 747 and the entertainment screens were ste!

[djc206]

RammyMP said:

Just to add though, it was a 747 and the entertainment screens were ste!

I checked that as well we're on the A380. Trying BA A380 out next month to LA so won't be caught unaware!

[pushthebutton]

RammyMP said:

I've just returned from Miami in business, to be honest it was good and I'd fly with BA again but no way through Heathrow, it was a nightmare this morning and BA's organisation was poor.

Out of interest, which parts of the organisation were poor?

Edited by pushthebutton on Sunday 14th August 19:43

[Sheepshanks]

djc206 said:

parabolica said:

My dad and I flew American from LHR to Hawaii last December and they were pretty good - brand new 777 on the way over - what looked like new planes on the LAX-LIH leg. Only downfall was the Chicago - LHR flight was on one of the oldest 777s still in service. Only 25 people on the entire flight (!) but the plane was a wreck - no IFE apart from tiny LCD screens at the front of each section, trim panels loose and rattling around, dirty seats - it was a bit of a dive. At least we could stretch out over the middle seats for most of the trip.

I heard some horror stories similar to yours so I checked, double checked and triple checked that it's one of the shiny new 777-300's. I'll probably be asleep anyway as its a night flight so just need the flat bed and I'm happy, not too arsed about entertainment, food or service on that leg. BA on the way out so it'll be interesting to compare.

One bonus was AA let us pick our seats for all our flights on booking

I don't know if it's unique to AA but the 77W versions off 777-300 have a very decent Main Cabin Extra section with only about 3 rows in it which I came back to LHR from Dallas in. I think it was something stupid like $100 extra - an absolute no-brainer.

[djc206]

Sheepshanks said:

I don't know if it's unique to AA but the 77W versions off 777-300 have a very decent Main Cabin Extra section with only about 3 rows in it which I came back to LHR from Dallas in. I think it was something stupid like $100 extra - an absolute no-brainer.

Yeah i noticed that on seat guru. We've chosen 3D and G for that same reason, two rows only in that section.

[The Moose]

RammyMP said:

I've just returned from Miami in business, to be honest it was good and I'd fly with BA again but no way through Heathrow, it was a nightmare this morning and BA's organisation was poor. Took full advantage of the lounge though, the boy had seven bacon butties the pig!

It's one of the routes I use the most through Heathrow and it pissed me off when they move the Miami route out of T5.

[RammyMP]

pushthebutton said:

Out of interest, which parts of the organisation were poor?

Edited by pushthebutton on Sunday 14th August 19:43

Just Heathrow generally, big queues and no one knowing what queue was for what. BA staff not knowing what was going on and giving wrong instructions.

[RammyMP]

The Moose said:

RammyMP said:

I've just returned from Miami in business, to be honest it was good and I'd fly with BA again but no way through Heathrow, it was a nightmare this morning and BA's organisation was poor. Took full advantage of the lounge though, the boy had seven bacon butties the pig!

It's one of the routes I use the most through Heathrow and it pissed me off when they move the Miami route out of T5.

That was my biggest complaint, if I could have stayed in T5 it would have been a whole lot better. We were told by BA staff that due to the queues at immigration at arrivals leave T5 and check in again for our connector. What a shock, massive queues at security!

[pushthebutton]

RammyMP said:

pushthebutton said:

Out of interest, which parts of the organisation were poor?

Edited by pushthebutton on Sunday 14th August 19:43

Just Heathrow generally, big queues and no one knowing what queue was for what. BA staff not knowing what was going on and giving wrong instructions.

I'm sure you know this, but BA and Heathrow Airport (HAL) are two very separate companies. There's no link whatsoever. Where were the queues?

[surveyor]

pushthebutton said:

RammyMP said:

pushthebutton said:

Out of interest, which parts of the organisation were poor?

Edited by pushthebutton on Sunday 14th August 19:43

Just Heathrow generally, big queues and no one knowing what queue was for what. BA staff not knowing what was going on and giving wrong instructions.

I'm sure you know this, but BA and Heathrow Airport (HAL) are two very separate companies. There's no link whatsoever. Where were the queues?

Perhaps there should be - especially in Terminal 5. Then perhaps there would be enough staff at security / immigration.

I assume that they do actually talk to each other?

[pushthebutton]

surveyor said:

Perhaps there should be - especially in Terminal 5. Then perhaps there would be enough staff at security / immigration.

I assume that they do actually talk to each other?

It seems to me like the issues of piss poor organisation that you experienced were caused by the staffing levels of the U.K. Border Force. Neither BA nor HAL control who enters the UK.

You'll be needing to contact these guys for your complaint:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/border...

[surveyor]

pushthebutton said:

surveyor said:

Perhaps there should be - especially in Terminal 5. Then perhaps there would be enough staff at security / immigration.

I assume that they do actually talk to each other?

It seems to me like the issues of piss poor organisation that you experienced were caused by the staffing levels of the U.K. Border Force. Neither BA nor HAL control who enters the UK.

You'll be needing to contact these guys for your complaint:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/border...

Not my issue - other posters. Merely pointing out that BA need to be talking to UK Border Force. Although thinking about it we were similarly unchuffed to be chucked to Terminal 3, rather than a Transfer within T5, and also found the immigration on return to be a little slow.

[pushthebutton]

surveyor said:

Not my issue - other posters. Merely pointing out that BA need to be talking to UK Border Force. Although thinking about it we were similarly unchuffed to be chucked to Terminal 3, rather than a Transfer within T5, and also found the immigration on return to be a little slow.

Oops.

I'm using my phone. I didn't notice the change in poster. BA/HAL have almost zero influence over the setting of Govt department budgets.l. It's a lovely thought though. A well organised tax payer campaign would have way more influence, but will end with the question "ok, whose budget would you like us to cut?"

Regarding T5-T3, the Govt at the time set the limits on number of movements when granting permission to build T5. I read the report a while ago, but I remember the main points. BA have no choice, but to move some flights as they're reaching these Govt imposed caps. Demand, however, has quickly outgrown those caps and hence the move of some flights to T3.

I'd humbly suggest that these/your issues lie with the Govt at the time and now.

[RammyMP]

pushthebutton said:

I'm sure you know this, but BA and Heathrow Airport (HAL) are two very separate companies. There's no link whatsoever. Where were the queues?

Basically for everything, incoming immigration, bag check, at the gates, terminal transfers. It was the fact that every BA rep I asked for help told me they didn't know what I had to do and what queue was for what. They told me to get in the wrong queue that took me ages to get through.