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Original poster

BA Business Class

47 replies

Toffeeapple06 · 18/07/2018 20:47

Hi we’re flying to Toronto business class with our air miles , the last time we flew on air miles we felt that we were treated second class
For example we weren’t shown how to pull out the beds and the crew were generally off with us .. Anybody else experienced this ?

OP posts:
Heratnumber7 · 18/07/2018 22:24

How would the crew know how you paid for your seats?

NewIdeasToday · 18/07/2018 22:28

No. I’ve travelled business and even been upgraded to first while using air miles. I’ve found if you’re friendly with the air crew they are friendly in return. Just ask if you need anything. Enjoy your flight:-)

NameChangedAgain18 · 18/07/2018 22:39

They never show you how to operate the beds. BA crews vary hugely, ime. Some are excellent, some very curt. As it happens, the worst I’ve experienced was on a flight to Toronto, but that was down to a particular crew member.

Herat - they would know if you paid using avios, I think, as tickets have a fare code, which would (I believe) be on their passenger information list, along what what level of exec club member you are, etc.

drquin · 18/07/2018 22:41

No, sorry, I've only ever flown business class on upgrades & airmiles and never experienced any difference service level between me & other BC passengers.
My only complaint was Upper Deck steward telling me to drink my champagne quicker 😳 thatgaveitaway

Bluntness100 · 18/07/2018 22:45

I have flown ba business class long haul many times, more than I can count. Why do you need to be shown how to use the beds, you press the buttons it's not remotely hard. If you can recline a seat you can put the bed down.

I suspect this is less about the staff and more about your attitude.

Seriously? Shown how to use the beds? 🤣

TroubledLichen · 19/07/2018 01:38

If you want full turn down service and 1:1 chat with the purser you need to upgrade to first 😉

CraftyGin · 19/07/2018 07:32

We were bumped up to Club a couple of weeks ago on a flight to New York. We were treated very well but not as if we were incapable. I’m sure if we asked for help, it would have been happily given.

Backinthebox · 19/07/2018 07:40

The crew have no way of knowing how you paid for your ticket - a Club passenger is a Club passenger and all are treated the same. There are up to 48 Club seats on my aircraft and 3 cabin crew who will prepare and serve a 3 course main meal and an afternoon tea. It is assumed that the passengers will be able to figure out the buttons or read the instructions in the High Life magazine, but just in case, here is how to do it: There are 2 buttons, one with a picture of the chair upright, and one with a picture of the seat in flat bed position. Press the button with the chair on for upright, press the button with the bed on for bed. HTH.

RealEstateNovelist · 19/07/2018 07:45

I would actually think the opposite, OP. If you’ve paid with miles you are clearly a loyal customer and airlines usually reward loyal customers.

Bluntness100 · 19/07/2018 07:58

The crew will know if you are a loyalty club member, that's on the passenger manifesto, so likely to be treated better, that's the norm.

I suspect this was about expectations. If the crew were off, it would be in response to how the op was behaving or it was just a perception she had.

Either way, the example of being shown how to put the bed down is daft, it's self explanatory. You press the buttons, if you really can't work it out and you shouldn't be travelling independently if you can'tthen I'm sure they have helped.

BellaAAA20 · 19/07/2018 16:26

We have used Avios for First and Club. Treated very well on all occasions. If you expect a ludicrous amount of fuss made of you, you need First. If you are moderately self sufficient, it’s easy to operate the seats to lie flat. I’m sure you were given champagne and lots of top ups!

pallisers · 19/07/2018 16:31

I would actually think the opposite, OP. If you’ve paid with miles you are clearly a loyal customer and airlines usually reward loyal customers.

This. The more miles you have with them the better you are treated - this goes for every airline. They have a list of the highest airmiles passengers on every flight. I travelled with my boss several times - he basically circumnavigated the globe a few times a year and I made maybe one long-haul trip a year. He was asked for his preference for meals etc before I was. Ditto travelling with dh who has a huge number of miles with BA.

I think your expectations were maybe a little ott and you may have been unlucky with your crew.

LadyDuplo · 19/07/2018 16:36

Talk about first world problems! Geez.

Backinthebox · 19/07/2018 22:25

The more miles you have with them the better you are treated - this goes for every airline. They have a list of the highest airmiles passengers on every flight

I’ll just mention it again - I get a list of passengers on every flight I operate. We get a lot of info about each passenger but we get nothing about how they paid for it or how many avios points they have. However they got there every passenger in a given cabin is treated the same way, so there is no need to differentiate between passengers. Even among fare paying passengers, not everyone pays the same price. They are not differentiated between either.

pallisers · 19/07/2018 22:37

I’ll just mention it again - I get a list of passengers on every flight I operate. We get a lot of info about each passenger but we get nothing about how they paid for it or how many avios points

Both on BA and United I have sat next to someone with extremely high airmiles in business class - DH and my old boss (who in fairness would have been upgraded to first no problem but was nice enough to stay with me). Each time, the steward came by and asked them what their first choice preference for the meal was and to check was everything ok. First time it happened I presumed it was just routine and was about to tell mine when the steward pointed out that they would get back to me on that :). Maybe your airline doesn't do it and maybe it isn't a list of airmiles but there is certainly a list of passengers who will get preference on meals etc because they are loyal customers who spend a load of money on the airline.

WonderfulWonders · 19/07/2018 22:42

I'm a gold card holder so I always get a "welcome back" chat.

Since I started flying first class occasionally I've really noticed the difference in approach between business and first - business on transatlantic is very busy

first world problems

frasier · 19/07/2018 22:50

We have also been upgraded to first from Club, experienced fantastic service and service that was a bit meh, when paying by air miles.

The cabin crew don’t know how you paid.

Backinthebox · 19/07/2018 23:40

Maybe your airline doesn't do it and maybe it isn't a list of airmiles

I'm a British Airways long haul pilot with 20 years flying experience. I know what my passenger information list looks like. Next?

pallisers · 20/07/2018 12:48

I'm a British Airways long haul pilot with 20 years flying experience. I know what my passenger information list looks like. Next?

Well, with that "Next" we can certainly see where the OP's problem with the BA staff attitude came from.

Guess it is just pure coincidence then that my dh who is a lifetime BA goldcard holder gets "welcome back mr. pallisers, here is the menu for the flight, we want to make sure you have your first choice" and I don't when travelling business class?? They randomly pick people out?

TroubledLichen · 20/07/2018 13:53

pallisers The airline know your frequent flyer status level. It’s even printed on your boarding pass. That explains how they know who to offer first choice menus to, who to let into the lounges etc. I’m surprised if your DH has Gold that you haven’t yet made the connection.

But the crew don’t know whether you’ve redeemed miles to pay for a flight or exactly how many avios you have as confirmed by the very helpful BA pilot who took the time to answer.

Stopyourhavering64 · 20/07/2018 18:10

I've flown business class ( Emirates) on several occasions and there's a online form to complete( and an App) with your preferences regarding meals/ drinks / preferred seating , so I'd assume the cabin crew would know based on these results if you were a frequent flyer

Bluntness100 · 20/07/2018 20:53

I would have to say you are wrong back in the box. I'm ba gold and I'm always welcomed by crew on the flight specifically and by name and welcome back etc, they come to my seat after boarding and do it. They don't do it to those round me unless they are also their frequent flyers.

So for example bas business cabins are normally Ying and yang seating, I always take the window at the back of the cabin, I've had many situations were they speak to me and say nothing to the person next to me.

If you were really a ba captain you'd know absolutely that the crew have the info. There is no two ways about it. They do and they use it.

pallisers · 20/07/2018 20:56

pallisers The airline know your frequent flyer status level. It’s even printed on your boarding pass. That explains how they know who to offer first choice menus to, who to let into the lounges etc. I’m surprised if your DH has Gold that you haven’t yet made the connection.

But the crew don’t know whether you’ve redeemed miles to pay for a flight or exactly how many avios you have as confirmed by the very helpful BA pilot who took the time to answer.

Do you work for BA too? It would make sense.

I NEVER said they know how you paid for the ticket. I SAID they know who has a lot of airmiles (frequent flyer status just like you said) and treat you a little bit better/more attention as a result. The helpful BA pilot said they don't know anything about your status re airmile which you just said is untrue? So which is it?

BubblesBuddy · 20/07/2018 22:24

Who cares who gets the menu first? Who cares who paid with what? It’s perfectly acceptable going Club. Rear seat is naff though. On some aircraft that’s right by the loos and on seat guru it’s a red seat - avoid! Near the front is always best if the loos and the queues are not there!

FogCutter · 20/07/2018 22:27

Crew never show you how to use the bed as it's pretty straightforward and marked on the buttons and on the seat card in the pocket by your seat.

If you are struggling just ask.

The means by which you pay for your ticket is NOT shown on the passenger info list the crew get so they won't know how you paid for your tickets.

Ex BA staff here btw.

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