BRITISH AIRWAYS (BA) - Flight Only / Airline and Airports, Holiday Forums

BRITISH AIRWAYS (BA)

carolynn

2008-01-02 12:38:10

Well after posting several questions here re my flight to Miami from manchester (and return) this Christmas with BA, I though I would let you know how we got on.

Managed to do online checkin 24 hours before, but unfortunately on both legs of flight (Man > LHR and LHR > MIA) all the extra legroom seats had gone

Flight MAN > LHR was uneventful and short, except after we had landed. Unfortunately there was nowhere to 'park' the plane, so we were all left waiting for over 1.5 hours. Most people on the plane were transferring so it got quite nasty as no-one was telling us anything - cabin crew or pilot. In the end, one cabin crew did offer to tell me that LHR was at a standstill and no planes were leaving, or had left for the past half hour so I would make my connection fine. This would have been satisfactory, apart from the fact we were right next to the runway and could see planes landing and taking off every couple of minutes!!!!!! Did not appreciate this 'white lie'!

When we finally got off, ran to connections between terminal 3 and 1 (which may I add is a long way) and got there at 09.30. Our MIA flight was meant to go at 09.40. We were told that we had already been booked onto the next flight as we had missed ours. Another white lie as we later found out our original plane did not actually leave for another 2 hours.

Anyway, pleased to be booked onto the next flight (at 13.40), but not pleased to be told there were no seats together. Told them this was not satisfactory, and they then managed to find us 2 together, but not an aisle. Now this may seem OK, but I do have a bad knee (cartilage surgery) so I do need and aisle seat on long haul. After having another look, they told us the flight was full but would put a note on our booking if anything came up, and yo ask at the gate when we boarded. We were then given a £10 food and beverage voucher each for our 'inconvenience'.

Finally got to the gate at approx 1pm, and lo and behold, we had been moved to 2 seats together, an aisle seat also, and best of all, upgraded to World Traveller Plus. Excellent - sort of made up for the long day we were having!

I did speak too soon though, because after we boarded there were yet more problems, and we didn't actually leave till 2 hours later. At least we had better seats, but I was a bit put out when no one came to give anyone in WT or WT+ a drink the whole time we were waiting. Not even a glass of water was forthcoming!!!!!

Anyway, the flight itself was fine. Food was OK - nothing special, but did enjoy the video on demand system. Managed to watch 3 films!!!!!!!!.

Finally arrived at out hotel in Miami exactly 24 hours after we had left our house, and luckily we had all our bags too - bonus!

Flight home was much less eventful. Checked in online again, and managed to bag extra legroom seats on both legs. No delays this time, and apart from a LOT of turbulence (actually woke me up) we arrived back on time - again with all bags

Edited by Lance Chambers 2017-03-19 10:30:53

keela1eva2

2008-01-02 17:58:21

Re: BRITISH AIRWAYS (BA) Q&As .. please post here

Flying Manchester to New York on the 27th February and do hope that I will have less problems than you had.
Flying back on the 10th March but need to come back via Heathrow. Now there are flights to Manchester but I would need to pay a further £134.I have been advised to request a change at the New York end and this would entail an admin fee of £50 if seats are indeed available. I would pay the £50 just for the convenience and will be in NY for 2 days prior to my cruise so will see what can be done.

Glad you got home safely and hope you had a good holiday in the meantime.

Sue

sugarbabe61

2008-01-14 21:53:37

Re: BRITISH AIRWAYS (BA) Q&As .. please post here

For the Northern Scotland members, Flybe have announced the new route Aberdeen to Gatwick, which BA dropped last month.

Excellent prices as well. Just got a price of £49pp as opposed to £85pp with BA.

Edit just read you have to pay for baggage so that would add £10 however still cheaper than BA

luci HT Mod

2008-01-14 22:36:11

Re: BRITISH AIRWAYS (BA) Q&As .. please post here

Be aware that FlyBe's baggage allowance only allows one piece of hand baggage up to 10kgs and no further personal items such as a handbag or laptop bag for economy passengers.

Their cabin baggage, if you pay £5 each way for it, is a max 20kgs and you can't buy additional baggage allowance.

I can't see this going down well with the business traveller who was BA's main customer on this route.

luci :wave

vic8700

2008-01-21 18:24:20

Re: BRITISH AIRWAYS (BA) Q&As .. please post here

Just thought I would take this opportunity to say a big congratulations to the crew of flight BA 038 that had the incident at LHR. I know quite a few cabin and flightdeck crew, like myself, read these forums. Credit where credit is due.

We train for emergencies like this. That is the reason we are there. But, thank goodness, the travelling public and ourselves hopefully will never get to see it.

Well done to all concerned!

bridd

2008-01-24 07:48:42

Checking luggage right through - or not

Does anyone know if it's a problem to choose NOT to have your hold luggage checked through on connecting flights with BA? We have a 4 hour connection at Gatwick. (Flying from Scotland then on to Italy both with BA.) I always worry about my luggage not making it, and would be happier retrieving it at Gatwick then checking it back in. Am I likely to meet resistance at check-in?
Thanks

Dazbo HT Mod

2008-01-24 09:30:33

Re: Checking luggage right through - or not

bridd,

It's a lot less hassle checking it straight through though isn't it? Although BA are one of the worst culprits for baggge not making onward flights, that's normally at their Heathrow operation. Gatwick is not as bad. Of course there is a risk of your bags not making it but when you consider the volume of baggage which is handled, some are bound to go missing. It's only a very small chance your bags won't make it and I'm sure everyone is a little aprehensive about it at their final destination when waiting for them. I'm sure you'll be fine.

If you ask the check-in agent just to check you on to the flight to Gatwick, I'm sure it's possible.

Darren

SMa

2008-01-24 09:44:13

Re: Checking luggage right through - or not

Personally I think your luggage is much more likely to make it if you check it in right through. 4 hrs in transit at Gatwick isn't actually all that long. I would be worried about the scenario whereby I'd checked the baggage in in Scotland but the inbound flight is late and hence there's a delay arriving at Gatwick (quite a common occurrence in BA Connect from Edinburgh in my experience) but you then still have to collect your baggage from the reclaim and will probably have to leave airside to queue to re-check your bag in at the landside check-in desks. Airside Transit desks aren't usually geared up these days to handling baggage as even if the flights aren't with the same company, systems are much more geared up to checking through all baggage. In my experience, even though the BA say that you can check-in up to 40 minutes beforehand, if you do leave it that late you run the risk of checked-in baggage not being loaded in time to actually be on the sme plane as you. But after that you will also then have to queue again at security to get back airside and whilst the queues at North Terminal tend not to be as bad as those at South Terminal in Gatwick I think that even at the best of times a 4hr connection at Gatwick where you have to collect baggage and re-check it in etc is very tight.

If these have been sold as connecting flights, and especially if both are with BA, then I think you will meet resistance but also, bear in mind that if you end up missing the connecting flight as a result of doing this then there's a good chance that BA will regard it as you own fault. If you have non-changeable, non-transferable tickets they probably won't just automatically re-book you on the next flight to your destination in Italy, if there was time for you to make the transit even if your luggage didn't.

SM

bridd

2008-01-24 15:42:51

Re: BRITISH AIRWAYS (BA) Q&As .. please post here

Thank you both.
I hadn't actually considered the possibility that we'd be pressed for time at Gatwick. We land at 12.40 and take off again at 16.00 so I imagine we will be killing time.
You make a good point however, Sma, about it being my own fault if we run out of time. Yes, we are booked through on the one booking.
I suppose the reason for my anxiety is that whenever I or anyone I know has had luggage go missing, it's been on a connecting flight, so I assumed they take less care of bags in transit.
I'll have a wee think about it. It's a while away yet.

SMa

2008-01-24 17:40:12

Re: BRITISH AIRWAYS (BA) Q&As .. please post here

Yes, I've only had luggage go astray on connecting flights but I don't think that it's necessarily because they take less care but that there isn't always time to transfer the luggage if the airport is busy. The last time it happened to me was with BA through Heathrow and just I knew it was going to happen because Heathrow was in such chaos with a tremendous backlog of transit passengers trying to get from international arrivals to domestic departures. It didn't surprise me one bit that I arrived in Edinburgh but the case didn't. Had I had to collect the luggage on that occassion I'm pretty sure that I wouldn't have made the connecting flight either!

The time before that was when I transited through Madrid - and again I was expecting it. The inbound flight was heavily delayed and they 'ran' me through to make my connection just in time for Seville. Again it didn't surpise me that I arrived but the case followed on the next flight and was duly delivered to my hotel later.

SM

David

2008-02-04 12:25:08

Re: BRITISH AIRWAYS (BA) Q&As .. please post here

BA to serve New York from London City

An all-business class service between London City Airport and New York is to be established by British Airways

The new flights will operate on Airbus A318 aircraft with 32 seats onboard with a double daily frequency.

The move to fly transatlantic from the London Docklands airport will pitch BA against all-business class carriers Silverjet from Luton and Eos from Stansted.

BA is ordering two A318s to operate the service. The date of the first flight has not been disclosed or the price of tickets.

The airline's chief executive said: "This niche service will fly passengers between the heart of the two largest financial centres in the world. London City airport is located minutes away from some of our key corporate customers and is in one of the fastest growing areas of the capital.

"We will offer a 15 minute check-in for customers in both London and New York. London City's size means that it is a quick and easy airport to use and, with a maximum of 32 passengers onboard, getting on and off the aircraft will be a smooth process.

"Once onboard, customers will experience all the benefits of our business class cabin including a fully flat bed.

"The London-New York route is a key market for us and these flights will be in addition to our current Heathrow schedule from where we fly eight times a day to JFK and three times a day to Newark.

"As well as the business market, we are confident that there will also be a demand from premium leisure customers for this service.

"The A318 is the perfect aircraft for these flights. It is capable of operating at London City and is large enough for us to provide the number of business class seats required to make this a viable operation."

With permission from Travelmole

David

2008-02-20 22:01:14

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BA raises fuel surcharge on medium and long-haul flights

British Airways is raising its fuel surcharge on medium and long-haul flights for tickets issued from February 25.

The surcharge for one-way flights of less than nine hours will increase by £5 each way, bringing the surcharge to £106 for a return flight.

On flights of more than nine hours, the surcharge will go up by £6 each way, bringing the charge to £128 for a return fare.

Short-haul fuel surcharges will remain at £10 and £20.

The airline blamed the rising price of fuel.

BA usually notifies the travel trade press when charges go up, but made a decision not to do so on this occasion. A spokesman could not give a reason why.

With permission from Travelmole

David

2008-02-21 11:26:19

Re: BRITISH AIRWAYS (BA) Q&As .. please post here

BA pilots vote to strike

Pilots at British Airways have voted to walk out overe the airline's plans to create a transatlantic subsidiary.

Members of the British Airline Pilots Association are angry over plans for BA OpenSkies, due to operate from the Continent to the US.

Pilots claim crews will work or inferior terms at the new arm of BA, which is due to start serving New York from Paris in June.

BALPA said 86% of members working for BA voted to strike with a turnout of 90%.

"This is one of the highest ever percentage turnouts in an industrial action ballot in any union," said BALPA general secretary Jim McAuslan.

The union represents 3,000 BA pilots and claims the action, if it goes ahead, "would effectrively ground BA worldwide".

No strike dates have yet been set but if it goes ahead it will be the first action by pilots in almost 30 years.

Union representatives were meeting with BA today and has set up a strike support fund.

With permission from Travelmole

Alsacienne

2008-02-21 12:09:15

Re: BRITISH AIRWAYS (BA) Q&As .. please post here

Just a personal rant - I do wish BA would get their act together. They are still sitting on their laurels as 'The World's Favourite Airline' which was their slogan about 20 years or so ago.

I think they are seen as a universal joke, partly for their lack of efficient baggage handling and for their attitude to their customers ........ according to the Sunday Times, Michael Winner had his Gold card withdrawn for daring to criticise them publicly, and they are no more sympathetic to you and me, Joe Public, who spend a lot of money with them.

They don't present a positive and dynamic image of Britain, and all the publicity they seem to attract is negative.

I'd like to see a return to a UK-flagcarrier worthy of the name.

nivsy

2008-02-21 12:53:53

Re: BRITISH AIRWAYS (BA) Q&As .. please post here

Alsacienne,

Your comments are understandable - I dont think the pilots of BA have taken this decision lightly. Most pilots from every other operator more or less are also behind such strike action as it effects standard terms and conditions of employment. Lets not kid ourselves - this could escalate beyond BA.

Management of BA will need a hard re think.

Nivsy

Pippa

2008-03-04 21:27:18

Re: BRITISH AIRWAYS (BA) Q&As .. please post here

Are BA not flying to any of the Canary Islands Winter 2008/2009?

I presume that previously these routes were covered by GB Airways and have now gone to Easyjet. I have no desire to travel that sort of distance on Easyjet!

Pippa

jetnoise

2008-03-05 07:05:35

Re: BRITISH AIRWAYS (BA) Q&As .. please post here

Pippa,
I have not seen anything about BA continuing with the Canaries and, to be honest, I would be surprised if they were to do so. easyJet have taken the routes along with GB Airways so, if they are not your cup of tea, you have the choice of the other "charter/no frills" such as XL/Thomson etc or, if you prefer scheduled, Iberia via Madrid. We did the latter two years ago and found it comfortable and with only a short plane change in Madrid (bags go straight through). It was also cheaper than XL direct!

Cheers,
Jet

hbrac

2008-03-11 21:07:58

Re: BRITISH AIRWAYS (BA) Q&As .. please post here

We are doing an internal flight MAN to LGW and then LGW to Pisa. Do we put our luggage on at MAN and pick it up in Pisa ? Will it get there when we do ??? We have never done a journey in 2 parts so don't know the drill. There is a couple of hours between flights. Is the luggage allowance 20kg per case ?
Thanks in anticipation. :tup

luci HT Mod

2008-03-11 21:28:53

Re: BRITISH AIRWAYS (BA) Q&As .. please post here

If both flights are with the same carried they can be tagged to your final destination.

You will need to check the BA website for baggage allowance.

luci :wave

hbrac

2008-03-12 14:03:55

Re: BRITISH AIRWAYS (BA) Q&As .. please post here

Yes they are Luci...so I assume it will be drop it and hop it then