Rebekkap
Active Member
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2010
- Posts
- 899
After a hellish flight in the early 90s, I swore I'd never fly BA again. 20 years on, I was stupid enough to risk it again, figuring I'd get better treatment as oneworld emerald than I had as a lowly Qantas NB back then.
Plus it was only a 1.5 hour return flight LHR - TLS.
Stupid me. Flight out was ok - nothing to write home about, customer service at its British best, but no real complaints.
Flight back went from bad to worse. Checkin agent (British, not French, so no language barrier) clearly didn't give even half a cough. Barely said hello. I'd checked in online but needed to drop a bag off (thanks to my lovely friend in Toulouse insisting on giving me a bottle of champagne), which did not get a priority tag. (I didn't realise at the time but it later resulted in me waiting nearly half an hour for my bag at Heathrow). Totally failed to direct me to the priority security queue, and I had to ask where the lounge was. Didn't give me so much as a "bye" as I walked off. The lounge was ok, for a shared regional lounge. Waited half an hour or so, went to have a look upstairs and suddenly noticed flight was on final call (they don't have announcements in the lounge). Dashed off, went through passport control and got to the gate to discover the plane hadn't landed yet, and was showing on the screen as a half hour delay.
Why in the name of all that's holy have you got a flight on final call that hasn't even arrived at the freaking airport yet?
This resulted in having to spend a good hour (as the delay stretched out somewhat) sitting at the departure gate with the great unwashed (and believe me, I am using that expression literally. There was a certain odour.)
Eventually, we got to board. Priority boarding appears to be the one thing BA does right, with the priority queue being rigorously enforced. The next issue occurred after the meal service. I have a medical issue that occasionally means I need the toilet urgently. Aisle was blocked by two trolleys. I got up and explained to a Flight attendant that I urgently needed the toilet, and could I please go to the one at the front. The answer? "no, go back to your seat and wait." Word for word. I expressed again that the need was urgent. "I told you, go back to your seat." I can (sort of) understand saying no. But do you have to be so rude?
To top off the total lack of service, they then failed to give me an express card for Heathrow - now a published benefit of oneworld emerald status. It didn't really matter as I was well through immigration by the time my non-priority bag arrived, but still, a published benefit is a published benefit.
Contrast between BA and a lovely Emirates flight last night from LHR to DBX couldn't be bigger. Emirates understand customer service. BA acts like they're doing you a favour by allowing you onto their plane.
Plus it was only a 1.5 hour return flight LHR - TLS.
Stupid me. Flight out was ok - nothing to write home about, customer service at its British best, but no real complaints.
Flight back went from bad to worse. Checkin agent (British, not French, so no language barrier) clearly didn't give even half a cough. Barely said hello. I'd checked in online but needed to drop a bag off (thanks to my lovely friend in Toulouse insisting on giving me a bottle of champagne), which did not get a priority tag. (I didn't realise at the time but it later resulted in me waiting nearly half an hour for my bag at Heathrow). Totally failed to direct me to the priority security queue, and I had to ask where the lounge was. Didn't give me so much as a "bye" as I walked off. The lounge was ok, for a shared regional lounge. Waited half an hour or so, went to have a look upstairs and suddenly noticed flight was on final call (they don't have announcements in the lounge). Dashed off, went through passport control and got to the gate to discover the plane hadn't landed yet, and was showing on the screen as a half hour delay.
Why in the name of all that's holy have you got a flight on final call that hasn't even arrived at the freaking airport yet?
This resulted in having to spend a good hour (as the delay stretched out somewhat) sitting at the departure gate with the great unwashed (and believe me, I am using that expression literally. There was a certain odour.)
Eventually, we got to board. Priority boarding appears to be the one thing BA does right, with the priority queue being rigorously enforced. The next issue occurred after the meal service. I have a medical issue that occasionally means I need the toilet urgently. Aisle was blocked by two trolleys. I got up and explained to a Flight attendant that I urgently needed the toilet, and could I please go to the one at the front. The answer? "no, go back to your seat and wait." Word for word. I expressed again that the need was urgent. "I told you, go back to your seat." I can (sort of) understand saying no. But do you have to be so rude?
To top off the total lack of service, they then failed to give me an express card for Heathrow - now a published benefit of oneworld emerald status. It didn't really matter as I was well through immigration by the time my non-priority bag arrived, but still, a published benefit is a published benefit.
Contrast between BA and a lovely Emirates flight last night from LHR to DBX couldn't be bigger. Emirates understand customer service. BA acts like they're doing you a favour by allowing you onto their plane.
)
