British Airways

[TheLocalYokel]

I don't think BA informed LBA though. Unless you are on those flights and have forward bookings you wouldn't immediately know. I happened to have some flights rebooked and then took it upon myself to trawl through the BA timetable from Jan-Apr to work out what was going on. I don't think it is reasonable to start making derogatory comments about LBA management on this one.

Fair enough. We'll just have to disagree on this.

 

[White Heather]

Fair enough. We'll just have to disagree on this.

With respect Local Yokel, the changes to the timetable only became apparent to anyone the day prior to the meeting. If BA didn't tell LBA management what they were doing, it is not reasonable to expect that LBA management and their staff would find out through a trawl of the schedules/timetables to identify what is happening, within 24 hours. It just happened that the meeting was the day after the schedules seem to have changed, which gave myself the opportunity to raise it with one of the airport managers, and another member did the same having his flight cancelled by BA only that morning. I am sure that had the changes taken place, for example, several days earlier rather than the day before, LBA will have found out about it or would have been informed BA. There is a huge amount going on at LBA at the moment with the terminal extension, change of management, etc. and bear in mind that if anyone in the management team would have known about this it would have been Tony Hallwood, who had resigned and not yet replaced.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Tony Hallwood is the man I had in mind. He would have known almost before BA themselves. His successor, formerly his deputy, at BRS is the same. He lives and breathes his airport and has sources everywhere.

Thank you for the amplification.

 

[leedslad]

Flying BA today as day return for business (fingers crossed no evening cancellation).

I'd love always to go long haul via Heathrow with BA but so often it's not viable due to timing or too risky due to cancellation that I can't... KLM meanwhile...

 

[leedslad]

Oddly departing from the KLM gate 3.
Didn't check in a bag but never showed ID guess that's normal on domestic... Was a bit surprised.

 

[KARFA]

Oddly departing from the KLM gate 3.
Didn't check in a bag but never showed ID guess that's normal on domestic... Was a bit surprised.

There is no requirement in law to show ID on a domestic flight. BA do not require any for a domestic flight, unless checking a bag in which case some ID is needed but it can just be your exec club card.

In terms of gates BA often seem to use 3 as well as 4, just depends which of the two airbridges is available.

Can't see any reason for BA to cancel the flight this evening. To the extent I have had short notice cancellations on BA it has been due to weather restrictions at LHR, and it doesn't look like anything dramatic is due so you should be fine.

 

[Finger66]

So its not all bad re BA then! Still to me shows the importance of a night stopper for the day tripper and earlier outward connex and later inbound connex. Give or take southbound need to be at 0700, 1000 and 1800, with northbound at 0830, 1630 and 2000. Perhaps even with a fourth rotation in between once that night stopper increases pax further

 

[Tarn Spotter]

Interesting article in yesterdays Sunday Times magazine with Aex Crux BA CEO, he tries to justify trying to form two airlines under one umbrella, a budget airline and a posh airline on the same planes.
There going to put more seats in economy class, 777's to have 10 across, strip a loo out the 321 and put in more seats reducing seat legroom to 29"
I have never been a BA fan, but this aritcle certainly wont have me scannning the BA web site for flight availability.
BA ranking has dropped from 26th to 40th in Skytrax ranking list.

 

[cmj]

Ryanair experience at BA prices?

 

[KARFA]

Ryanair experience at BA prices?

Having done both, I can say no to that.

 

[Tarn Spotter]

For our recent BA flights it was rather getting a poor travel experience at fairly high prices.
Certainly far worse an experience then any recent Ryanair (improved greatly now only 90 cabin luggage allowed and all seat booking)
This is my order of approval for flights made in the last year, 1) Ryanair, 2) Jet2, 3)Monarch, 4) Easyjet 5) BA, feel sure if I had flown other airlines BA would still be the bottom.
For me certainly the "ABBA" airline, "Anyone but B A"
My rating irrespective of price, Customer service, easy of boarding/access lockers, cabin service/comfort, ground handling. I buy every extra I can, Pre boarding , seat allocation etc and find Ryanair ticks all the boxes, its money well spent today.
Certainly on our recent BA flight to Geneva, a lot of old passengers like me annoyed that they could not pay cash for a cup of tea and on the return sat in row 8 no food available on the trolley, we gave our packed lunch to two starving children sat in our row with their parents. Not even a choc bar or a bag of crisps.

 

[lbaspotter]

Bet British Airways will be watching with interest on how forward bookings are going on its UK Domestic shuttle routes over the next few months after today's announcement that all regulated rail fares will increase by 3.6% in January.

Surely it will have an effect on some people with them possibly switching to using other means, eg: road or air travel?

 

[David_itl]

Watch out for the domestic APD to be boosted by 3.7%. Can't have aviation taking advantage as it's not a "green" industry.

 

[KARFA]

Watch out for the domestic APD to be boosted by 3.7%. Can't have aviation taking advantage as it's not a "green" industry.

What do you mean?

APD has two bands, 0-2000 miles and 2000+ miles.

Obviously all domestic flights are in the first band. APD is currently £13 for economy and £26 for everything above economy for the shorter band. It didn't change this April and isn't due to change in April 2018. If you are just doing BA flights between LBA and LHR there is no APD change, you are still paying £13/£26.

APD is changing for the longer bands in April 2018, so you would pay that if doing LBA-LHR-JFK for example. Is this what you mean?

 

[jason1-11]

Just received a text message from BA stating that they would like me to check my hand baggage in as the flight ( BA1344) is full tonight.

Happy days.

 

[KARFA]

Just received a text message from BA stating that they would like me to check my hand baggage in as the flight ( BA1344) is full tonight.

Happy days.

BA do seem to send this out often if you are on a full or near-full flight to try and reduce the amount of carry on bags and ensure there is enough space. If you are minded to do this wait until you are at the gate, they will usually announce that you can gate check a bag for free (even if on a basic fare which doesn't come with a checked bag allowance), and as an incentive you would board first.

They are still willing to sell two seats in economy, and there are a few more left in business, but great to see it near capacity.
J4 C3 D1 R0 I0 Y2 B0 H0 K0 M0 L0 V0 N0 Q0 O0 S0 G0

One I got recently:

Flight BA1342 on 29-Aug/LHR - Your flight is full today, we would like you to check in your hand baggage free of charge. This will ensure a pleasant journey through the airport and help us get you to your destination on time. Please go to Desk B15 or B16 prior to security to check in your hand baggage.

Have a good flight @jason1-11

 

[jason1-11]

BA do seem to send this out often if you are on a full or near-full flight to try and reduce the amount of carry on bags and ensure there is enough space. If you are minded to do this wait until you are at the gate, they will usually announce that you can gate check a bag for free (even if on a basic fare which doesn't come with a checked bag allowance), and as an incentive you would board first.

They are still willing to sell two seats in economy, and there are a few more left in business, but great to see it near capacity.
J4 C3 D1 R0 I0 Y2 B0 H0 K0 M0 L0 V0 N0 Q0 O0 S0 G0

One I got recently:


Have a good flight @jason1-11

I checked my bag in the main terminal, but requested a priority tag which BA obliged.

 

[cmj]

They are still willing to sell two seats in economy, and there are a few more left in business, but great to see it near capacity.
J4 C3 D1 R0 I0 Y2 B0 H0 K0 M0 L0 V0 N0 Q0 O0 S0 G0

Didn't think they did Business on the domestics.

 

[KARFA]

Didn't think they did Business on the domestics.

On domestic flights for a long time BA had one cabin class only. Actually even when this was the case they still had the business selling classes J, C, D, R, and I available - I think only J came with lounge access though and was called UK Business or Business UK (can't remember which). On board there was no difference though whether on a business or economy selling class.

Since April this year they have now brought domestic flights in to line with short haul, so there is a business Club Europe cabin up front, and an economy Euro Traveller cabin for the rest of the plane.

 

[AirBingley]

On domestic flights for a long time BA had one cabin class only. Actually even when this was the case they still had the business selling classes J, C, D, R, and I available - I think only J came with lounge access though and was called UK Business or Business UK (can't remember which). On board there was no difference though whether on a business or economy selling class.

Since April this year they have now brought domestic flights in to line with short haul, so there is a business Club Europe cabin up front, and an economy Euro Traveller cabin for the rest of the plane.

You can also use Avios to upgrade - something like 3,500 per sector and you get Lounge and on board drinks / snacks etc which isn't a bad conversion rate compared with the buy on board prices! Interestingly BA had a number of cancellations today and we weren't one of them!