British airways

[Frogger]

What an absolute sh1t show of a company. Crap app always crashing. Crap support, when you call too busy to take message or put you in queue just says “ we’re too busy, call back later” then disconnects.

I never thought I would ever see an airline company worse than RyanAir but BA have achieved it. At least RyanAir don’t pretend to care and their app does work!

British Airways is an embarrassment to aviation industry.

[Omygawd]

Well said. Entitled former staff, led by successive idiots who have alienated the current staff, too much emphasis on IT which is not up to the necessary standard. The last thing in their sights at present is positive customer experience. Sh*t show of an airline.

[Cheshunto]

I used to work in the Airline Industry for over 40 years. The last Airline I worked for had around 80 staff working there when I joined them in 2007.
I retired / took a ‘package’ in 2019 and they cut various positions including mine.
They currently have just 3 employees still left in the UK and this is with a daily long haul flight from Heathrow.
They don’t care about customer service anymore and BA are no different unfortunately.

Technology has reduced the workforce in many industries and the Airline industry is amongst them.

I would recommend using a Travel Agent who will do a lot of the work for you and usually the same cost.

[Horient]

I only use British Airways each year due to flying with them for work trips, and secondly the lucky byproduct of air miles for personal holidays.

If it were not for this, I wouldn’t touch them with a barge pole.

Customer service is awful, their prices are usually more than airlines such as Etihad or Emirates, their onboard service is inferior in all cabins however they act as if they are a premium flag carrier.

They’ve become increasingly average at the very best.

[LittleMate]

They are not what they used to be, but I have had nothing but positive flying experiences whilst actually on board.

Had a bad experience with their IT that lost our booking when in their sale period. Was a £17k package down to something like £11k on the last offer day. We didn't know whether the booking had gone through (because we did not receive a confirmation) and by the time we knew it had not the sale had ended. Took all manner of ructions to get a deal even close to the sale price and we had to accept a compromise.

[Rich Tea Wellin]

Everything British is on a downward spiral

[Dunners]

There's nothing British about British Airways.

It's just another multinational hiding behind trademarked legacy branding. At least Ryanair is honest.

[Adz]

BA's been crap for 30 years, how it's not gone bust is beyond me.

[MassiveForehead]

Only flown BA a few times before, usually with airmiles. I've never really enjoyed their flights, usually with issues on the plane - once an aircon leak on my head and another the window shutter refused to work.

However their customer service did help me out once due to a delay with French air traffic control - i had agreed to drive some friends to a connecting flight from LHR to Dubai as we were landing into LGW and they had pre-organised their booking to take off to a flight an hour and half later than the originally booked one, then moved us up to the front of the plane so we could leave the flight immediately - ever since then I've had a bit more of a positive feeling about them.

Then again I flew Scoot and Jetstar last year in Asia - and that was worse than being transported to the slaughter house.

[Dunners]

BA's been crap for 30 years, how it's not gone bust is beyond me.

It's because they've been allowed to hold to all of their slots at Heathrow. Without their monopoly there, BA would never have survived.

[Graham E17]

Totally agree with first post. Contact them and they are too busy phone back later. Took our holiday payment, said successful but there is an issue. Can't get through to find out why. Bank confirmed payment but not showing on the website login. Total garbage.

[FrankOFile]

What an absolute sh1t show of a company. Crap app always crashing. Crap support, when you call too busy to take message or put you in queue just says “ we’re too busy, call back later” then disconnects.

I never thought I would ever see an airline company worse than RyanAir but BA have achieved it. At least RyanAir don’t pretend to care and their app does work!

British Airways is an embarrassment to aviation industry.

Couldn’t agree more. Arrogance, insolence and incompetence all rolled into one.

[BIGRON]

I mainly use Jet2 for package holidays , they are OK , ......till something goes wrong then it's a pain in the arris trying to get results

[EliotNes]

Only had a handful of minor issues with BA flying with them around 10 times a year from 1992-2021. But for half of that period I had the Gold Card because of how much I flew.

The worst airline I flew with in that time is tax-dodger Richard Branson's Virgin. Only flew with them 3 times - after the 1st time I said never again, but needs must at times. Absolute c***, even most of the internal airlines in PR China are better except the one I flew in 1994 from Guangzhou to Beijing where on entering the plane one was given a packet of boiled sweets, a carton of juice and a hand fan - that was the meal, drink and air-conditioning.

Ryanair and Easyjet are OK.

[Lifelongfan]

Only had a handful of minor issues with BA flying with them around 10 times a year from 1992-2021. But for half of that period I had the Gold Card because of how much I flew.

The worst airline I flew with in that time is tax-dodger Richard Branson's Virgin. Only flew with them 3 times - after the 1st time I said never again, but needs must at times. Absolute c***, even most of the internal airlines in PR China are better except the one I flew in 1994 from Guangzhou to Beijing where on entering the plane one was given a packet of boiled sweets, a carton of juice and a hand fan - that was the meal, drink and air-conditioning.

Ryanair and Easyjet are OK.

Got nothing but positive to say about Virgin tbh. Branson is a fairly minor shareholder now

[EliotNes]

Further to my above post, where I said I'd had decent service. I should not have Jonahed things. Mrs NES & I had absolute lousy service from BA, especially their ground staff returning from a Portugese island holiday last week. Long story shortened - incoming BA flight couldn't land due to high winds, it was eventually sent back to UK (but 2 each Easyjet, Ryanair, Iberia, TAP and Wizz planes each landed ). Finally told this at 7.35 at night, but luggage not returned until 21.25. No hotel offered, just "refund of suitable hotel costs" and we couldn't find one available. Even had No. 1 daughter on the internet in UK trying to find one. All BA Ground staff had disappeared by now. Mrs NES said at 10pm, "give up, we'll sleep in airport". So 68 year old me ended up on the floor and 62 year old Mrs NES on the suitcases. First time in 41 years of marriage she's made me sleep on the floor.
New flight sent out the next day and the pilot had to audacity to say "I hope you enjoyed your extra day's holiday". Someone must have educated him as to what happened as he later said something more conciliatory.
Mrs NES says she never wants to fly BA again and I don't blame her.

[Orient_Man_And_Boy]

Mrs OMAB and I last flew with BA to China in 2009 - had an upgrade to Business Class both ways.

My return flight was the day we beat Newcastle in a pre-season.

[Graham E17]

I did post on 25th July about them cancelling our flight back from France so we had to change the date. last Thursday got another (10 days till we go on holiday), cancelled it again. After the usual hassle of getting through, was told "we don't have enough flight staff"! We were offered a flight option back from France, to Madrid, change and then to London Heathrow (we fly from Gatwick and car in Long term). Ended up getting an Easy Jet flight back and due to the short notice, paid through the nose. Will no be using B.A. ever again.

[Max B Gold]

Once turned up at GLA for a BA flight to LCN was informed that the scheduled aircraft had been swapped out for one with 8 fewer seats and there wasn't one for me.

There then ensued a heated debate. The outcome was I was offered £196 compo, a flight to Heathrow and a taxi to Canary Wharf. Obviously I had to check the compo wasn't just going to be credited to the company credit card before graciously accepting.

So I can't fault them.