V-Flyer

Following on from the rumours this has been announced:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8174009.stm

Very bad news indeed [V]

Not sure if this applies to Club Europe - I hope not !

Regards,

Hackneyguy

I don't do short haul so won't be a problem! [:p][:D][;)]

More to the point I don't do BA [:$]

Not even an option to buy food! Ryanair have missed a trick![;)]

Wonder if that applies to Club Europe flights under 2.5 hours - would hope not or they drive short-haul premium passengers elsewhere!

Don't really see a problem here. On the shorter flights I've taken i.e Humberside to Amsterdam, Amsterdam to Berlin, Manchester to Frankfurt etc, which range from 45-90 mins+, it's little more than a taxi service. You generally get a drink, sandwich and cake / biscuit, but to be honest, for that length of trip, you don't really need anything....even if you do, bring your own food like on some, if not all, US internal flights.

The FT guys have been talking about this.

From the first post - 'Club Europe Band 2 flights will now be provided with a smaller tray, removing the pudding and placing chocolates on the tray instead'

A bad move in my book. Yes BA need to cut costs but the meal option was a huge differentiator. I am sure there are lots of travellers baording the sub 2 hour flights that have come straight from meetings or other situations and havent had a chance to eat in the terminal, that was certainly my case when doing a far bit of European travel as on the way back I'd be coming from an all day customer meeting (with no real opportunity to bring my own food) and many of the shared lounges only offer nuts and crisps on arrival. I'd usually be catching the 6pm-ish flight home and the meal onboard was my dinner. A real shame.

Thanks,
Sarah

Surely no one would have noticed if two pound was added to the flight and therefore still keeping distance from the LLC.

cheers

alex

Hmm. I think BA need to tread very carefully with this one.

In a nutshell, they are in danger of following the Ryanairs and easyJets of the world into making flying a commodity, and, as perception is reality, what will help them differentiate?

The fact that they fly to airports closer to the cities won't, free airport check-in won't, and a free luggage allowance won't, as easyJet and Ryanair's passenger numbers testify. Lower the price and they will fly.

The staff, and to a slightly lesser extent, the food, in my opinion, will. But it has to be done correctly. On my recent flight to Prague, there was something comically surreal about everyone munching their sandwiches at more or less the same time, and it felt almost like school dinners the way they were distributed. I wouldn't miss that. What I think would have been perfect for a flight of that duration was a hot drink and a biscuit. And I think that's what they are proposing.

The staff on my flights were great, especially the return flight. We didn't come off the plane saying 'That was a great flight because of the sandwich', it was a great flight because the crew were happy and laughing and at ease. But when I booked with BA, it was because although they were more expensive, it just felt more civilised, (plus I thought I was going to have a hot meal, like on their LCY domestics, but that's by the by).

So, BA, by all means, save money. But keep your staff smiling. By doing that, you will make sure you do enough so that people know why you are different, and why they are paying more.

quote:Originally posted by Sealink


The staff on my flights were great, especially the return flight. We didn't come off the plane saying 'That was a great flight because of the sandwich', it was a great flight because the crew were happy and laughing and at ease. But when I booked with BA, it was because although they were more expensive, it just felt more civilised, (plus I thought I was going to have a hot meal, like on their LCY domestics, but that's by the by).



That a good point about good staff and especially about feeling civilised when booking with BA, as thats the way i feel when flying with them over the LLC 'civilised' and thats something i have never really thougt too much about, i just know i wouldnt purchase a LLC ticket!

cheers

alex[:)]

I agree with Sealink about 'feeling like school dinners'.

On some short flights (less than 2 hours or so), you are barely and then you are down.

I rememeber a shirt flight in New Zealand when the cabibn crew had to almost literally dash up and down the cabin to hand out some snack and then serve coffee.

Definitely agree that it's the attitude of the cc that matters more - not some bread wrapped in clingfilm.

quote:Originally posted by gingerflyer
Wonder if that applies to Club Europe flights under 2.5 hours - would hope not or they drive short-haul premium passengers elsewhere!


After yesterdays experience ZUR-LHR I will never pay to fly CE again.The only justification for anyone would be if you hadn't already got lounge access or you needed the TPs(no check in desk at all for any PAX J or Y,no priority boarding, same seat as in ET and as it turned out no food either).I just love it when I am sat in 1C Mrs JP in 1A both BA gold card holders and a spotty oik comes on board just before the door shuts and says no food for you 2 as we haven't loaded enough.I felt gutted for the unlucky QF OW Emerald in 2A who was also told this,as he had paid over 700 for a one way the day before.The food that was served to everyone else looked quite good[:(!]

I'm no big fan of airline meals, but this does seem a bad move. As Alex V said, stick a couple of quid on the flight cost.

I've done CE for work a few times but I wouldn't bother otherwise as the service differential is too small.

quote:Originally posted by jaguarpig
again.The only justification for anyone would be if you hadn't already got lounge access or you needed the TPs(no check in desk at all for any PAX J or Y,no priority boarding, same seat as in ET and as it turned out no food either).I just love it when I am sat in 1C Mrs JP in 1A both BA gold card holders and a spotty oik comes on board just before the door shuts and says no food for you 2 as we haven't loaded enough.I felt gutted for the unlucky QF OW Emerald in 2A who was also told this,as he had paid over 700 for a one way the day before.The food that was served to everyone else looked quite good[:(!]


Oh dear that is poor. How come you both didnt get meals, as golds in the first row? How on earth did that happen?

Thanks,
Sarah

quote:Originally posted by HighFlyer
Oh dear that is poor. How come you both didnt get meals, as golds in the first row? How on earth did that happen?


BASSA crew exhibiting seriously suicidal tendencies?

quote:Originally posted by HighFlyer



Oh dear that is poor. How come you both didnt get meals, as golds in the first row? How on earth did that happen?

Thanks,
Sarah

Because they had decided to serve from the back of the cabin against BA CE stated service policy.Thus pissing off their frequent fliers sat at the front.Unbelievable can't wait to hear the response to the email Ive just sent them.

boiler-plate reply and a few miles? Sound familiar?

Am not too bothered by this as I thought the sandwiches that they handed out were pretty poor anyway. I'll still be going to Pret a Manger before a flight to get food to take onboard with me.

quote:Originally posted by Darren Wheeler
boiler-plate reply and a few miles? Sound familiar?


Spot on Darren,email reply not addressing anything I said, sorry bla bla bla 5k miles each.They do usually ring, maybe thats a longhaul thing.

This is what is offered in Euro Traveller now. You are given a choice of 'Sweet' or 'Savoury' - so a cookie or a packet of birdseed sunflower seeds.

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