Have British Airways lost the plot?

Question

This latest news that BA are only allowing 1 case in their hold, 2nd case on a long haul return will cost you £250, even cases with 2 cases not meeting max weight you will be charged this. They are also putting high charges on European flights etc which you can hear all about in the news. Should we boycot them? If they get away with this all other airlines will follow suit and air travel will become only for the very well off. Do you think there is a better way of making them take notice? If so please tell us your thoughts. Even if you don't travel with them this could have the domino effect with whom you do travel.

Answer 1

The only thing to do is hit them in the pocket everyone should boycott them.

Answer 2

They are all doing similar things now to gain money without really advertising it. I think it should be law to bring back the times when a flight that cost 200 pounds actually cost you that, that there should be 25 kilos FREE luggage and we pay a reasonable amount afterwards if we are over. Long gone are the days when someone at the check in tells you "oh it's ok madam, you are a little over, but this time well let it go, try and remember next time please" Ha, that's a laugh now they say "hey you are 200gms overweight pay at the other desk, it will be 6 pounds, go straight to jail, do not pass go!! let's all stay where we are this summer and then see what they do! What a chaos that would bring. We consumers should always march with our feet, and keep our money in our pockets, it's sheer blackmail and should be stopped

Answer 3

Im not boycotting them, I have just spent 4 weeks trying to sort a holiday for this Christmas and they have come in the most economical

All airlines charge for excess luggage but its at there discretion if the flight is full they will charge if it isnt they sometimes wont......

Singapore airlines changed there luggage allowance while on once on holiday so I ended up being charged loads coming home for excess luggage but the amount I took was fine when I left (how is that for fair)

Answer 4

Well, let's see.
1. Overpriced.
2. Rude staff.
3. They were on strike early last year.
4. They were on strike late last year.
5. They nearly went on strike last month.
6. They're planning to go on strike in a few months.
7. The Executive Club (frequent flyer club) has had more and more restrictions placed on using your rewards.
8. Free upgrades are near-impossible, even for frequent flyers.
9. Less seats are now reservable in advance, so you may not be able to choose your seat until arrival at the airport - by which time you may not have a choice.
10. Their punctuality is WORSE than Ryanair, easyJet, BMI, and Virgin.
11. And now the bags.

Now... have they lost the plot? Yes!

Answer 5

THE LOVELY PRESS HAVE YET AGAIN BALLSED THINGS UP TRYING TO WARP PEOPLES MINDS AGAINST THE AIRLINE I WORK FOR AND I FOR ONE AM GETTING A BIT HACKED OFF.
I would like to clear up a few things straight regarding the new baggage policy as I work in check in and am currently going thru this change over at the moment.
Firstly from 13th Feb we are ONLY advising passengers about the change so that they are fully aware that the policy once in will be enforced, all airlines will follw shortly with a reduced baggage weight restriction of 23KG this is for a health and safety aspect for baggage handlers. With regards to our airline we are permitting 1 piece of baggage weighing no more than 23kg per passenger travelling to anywhere other than the USA, Nigeria, Caribbean and Canada also other routes which opperate a 2 piece system in economy class, world traveller plus passengers will be allowed 2 bags on all routed and club and first class 3 bags at 23KG on all routes. Domestic flights are 1 bag at 23KG and european is 1 bag for economy and club europe is 2 bags at 23kg.
The excess charge is NOT what is published in the news if people took the time to go to ba.com's website and bother to read the facts its not £270 a bag.
Any extra bag is £30 domestic £60 shorthaul and £120 for longhaul regardless of class of travel also for a short time if excess pre paid on line passengers will be given a 30% discount.
The handbaggage will change (PROVIDING CURRENT SECURITY MEASURES CHANGE OTHERWISE 1 PIECE PER PASSENGER) for economy and world traveller plus it will be 1 bag @ 23kg providing the passenger can lift the bag unaided into the overhead locker or place it under the seat infront and must conform to the FAA and CAA handbaggage guidelines.
The ruling for charging incapacitated passengers to check in extra baggage that they cant carry is untrue also. We at the airport will assess the individual if we can see that they physically can not manage the hand baggage we will check it in at NO extra charge.
I hope this sheds a bit of light on the subject and I for one am sick and tired of people judging a book by its cover before reading or investigating the facts first.

Answer 6

Well, they did employ a boss from Air Lingus, not one of the most successful airlines in the world.

I suppose he's thick as well as Irish and thought, " Jakers what will I do to make BA profitable!, I know I'll copy Ryanair, they are successful. I'll charge for luggage!"

To be serious, I think that they underestimated the cost of absorbing Gordon Brown's new tax.

Answer 7

I found out about this in December when I was charged excess baggage on American Airlines-as they had changed their allowances from 32kilos per bag. All airlines are following suit including Virgin with reduced allowances etc. i think it is disgusting and a stealth tax wrapped up in the veneer of helping their baggage handlers and making Terminal 5 a streamlined operation- oh come on!! We know you just want to make money out of people!

Answer 8

It is a way of making money these days.
Soon other Airlines will tag the line. They offer cheaper tics that are not really cheap, and do this.

I'd boycot them. As it is their Hostesses have a nose in the Air attitude.

Answer 9

"This ought to contain frequency of flights from London Gatwick to PMI, rates for checked in luggage and seat allocations.. help on those thanks" Do you extremely imagine everybody the following will waste time dealing with BA and Easyjet's web pages and commence comparing expenditures, routes and schedules ??? Why do not you purely flow and to that your self.

Answer 10

They have got to claw the money back from loosing 14,000 bags before Christmas and then transporting them all to Barcelona to find the owners.