A Very British Airline

I am in Scotland and it was available on BBC 2 Scotland for my area.

D

It wasn't shown on the same day as the rest of the uk which makes it difficult to take part in discussions online and on Twitter. The only way to circumvent was watch on iplayer or watch BBC2 England if that's available on your Sky/Virgin platform.

Where in Scotland are you? I'm in Fort William and it was shown on BBC 2 Scotland, Monday 9pm.

D

I really enjoyed the first program but I heard a comment from the narrator stating the BA invented the Premium economy cabin I always believed the it was Virgin's innovation. Am I wrong in thinking this ?|

No, not a Virgin idea. PE was introduced in 1991 by Eva Air.

Where in Scotland are you? I'm in Fort William and it was shown on BBC 2 Scotland, Monday 9pm.

D

I live on the runway of the old Renfrew Airport so that's STV West. Checking the Radio Times for 9pm tomorrow night, BBC2 England have A Very British Airline, my tv will have "The Quest For Bannockburn".

I can view it other ways as described above, my point was the delicious irony that the "British Flag carrier" who's destinations from Scotland and the north of England are anywhere as long as it's a London airport, can't even be shown across Britian on the national British broadcaster.

well the second episode is on tonight at 9pm, see what they offer up next

Well one of the girls was shown the door.
Literally pushed out through the revolving gate.
Seemed like a pretty harsh way to fail someone.
Dick D

And another girl was a little late due to a lorry on fire on the M25. the trainer acknowledged that it had happened and many others had been late as well - however she still got a warning!

I thought that it was a bit harsh penalising someone for being late when the situation was out of their control

I thought that it was a bit harsh penalising someone for being late when the situation was out of their control

Yes I also felt that was a bit harsh given that the situation was out of her control and as was acknowledged others had been late as a result.
Rules are rules but that was an exceptional circumstance. I only watched half so hope she made it through.

As they even say in the program with the mixed fleet, they get paid less but yet theres still massive demand for the job so they can afford to be picky, harsh or not and its trouble for them. I have been quite surprised over the programs just how strict and harsh they seem to be. I understand that the airline industry strives on customer service and safety but even so I had previously that this sort of stringent rules and dismissal were only found in likes of QR. Very interesting watch nonetheless.

Mixed fleet can be very good and i have had excellent flights with them, however last octobers flight out from miami was plain crap with youngsters who called me mate all the way and served F&B with no style or ellegance, it was all well below par.
I have had that from vs hence why we moved carriers, but dont expect it when in first, therefore whilst i enjoy watching these programs i never take them seriously as its just a well controlled advert written and scripted by Ba.

Regards

Aex v

I've just watched it and found it very interesting from a couple of perspectives:

1. The suggestion that passengers in First are obsessed with detail. :w I'm flying in First for the first time next month and I resent the implication that I am so nerdy that I would notice the slightest scuff mark or diminution in service.

I didn't get that from the program at all - she said that when you consider that some people are paying over £9k for a flight, you can imagine what standards they are used to at home - and we have to recreate that here.

And I do notice scuff marks - even when I am only burning miles!

I thought that it was a bit harsh penalising someone for being late when the situation was out of their control

It was tough, but had they been working a real flight that day it wouldn't have waited for them just because of jams on the M25 and they more than likely would have missed it, with severe consequences.

I imagine new crew members learn very quickly to always arrive for work early because, just as with late passengers, planes can't wait for them.

Interesting, incidentally, that according to Raffles over at headforpoints, the Chengdu route is proving to be a "commercial disaster" with fewer than 50 passengers at times. Which somewhat flies in the face of BA's constant bleating about the need for a third runway at LHR because of the supposed huge untapped demand for more flights to China.

http://www.headforpoints.com/2014/05/25 ... announced/

[honey lamb]

I've just watched it and found it very interesting from a couple of perspectives:

1. The suggestion that passengers in First are obsessed with detail. :w I'm flying in First for the first time next month and I resent the implication that I am so nerdy that I would notice the slightest scuff mark or diminution in service.

I didn't get that from the program at all - she said that when you consider that some people are paying over £9k for a flight, you can imagine what standards they are used to at home - and we have to recreate that here.

And I do notice scuff marks - even when I am only burning miles!

Billy, there's scuff marks and there's SCUFF marks! What they were talking about were teensie-tiny marks that you would barely notice! When my kitchen was being done and I stood around looking at the doors of the various cupboards, I noticed barely imperceptible dints and scratches on one or two mainly because I was looking for them as I was paying mega-bucks and I was going to be stuck with them, probably for the rest of my life. If it was a kitchen (or in this instance, an airline cabin) that I was going to be occupying for roughly ten hours of my life, well then, life's too short to obsess about that.

And as for the standards, that BA has to re-create - all I could think of was David Walliams character in Come Fly with Me! ) I'm terrified she will be my cabin crew on my flight! :0

I didn't get that from the program at all - she said that when you consider that some people are paying over £9k for a flight, you can imagine what standards they are used to at home - and we have to recreate that here.

Leaving aside the "some people are paying" or "some people's companies are paying" question, that's a pretty sweeping assumption about the general standards of those who are lucky enough to fly First and those that don't. Did I miss the forelock tugging test when I opted for "24 Hours in A&E" over part two of this infomercial?

I know a lot should be delivered for the prices charged for First, but travelling that class doesn't make you a different class of human being.

As a former VS Gold, now a BA Gold, I would say that BA's attention to detail shows through in the quality of the cabin. The last few VS flights I took, the UC suites were in a terrible condition - dirty, damaged, with pen marks and deep dents everywhere. So perhaps the BA way works?

I appreciate that this is a VS fan site, and nothing short of a crash will make some people write even remotely negative trip reports, but I have to say that BA have, for me, out performed VS on every flight I have taken with them since I started flying them again. They don't change my seats, screw up my bookings, call me a liar, treat me like an inconvenience or make me fly on a scruffy aircraft. VS could really take a leaf out of their book. A few years ago, the reverse was certainly true, but BA have got better and better, and VS have gone to the dogs in too many ways.

I didn't get that from the program at all - she said that when you consider that some people are paying over £9k for a flight, you can imagine what standards they are used to at home - and we have to recreate that here.

Leaving aside the "some people are paying" or "some people's companies are paying" question, that's a pretty sweeping assumption about the general standards of those who are lucky enough to fly First and those that don't. Did I miss the forelock tugging test when I opted for "24 Hours in A&E" over part two of this infomercial?

I know a lot should be delivered for the prices charged for First, but travelling that class doesn't make you a different class of human being.

Oh yes it does, just visit the BAEC board on FT !

I didn't get that from the program at all - she said that when you consider that some people are paying over £9k for a flight, you can imagine what standards they are used to at home - and we have to recreate that here.

Leaving aside the "some people are paying" or "some people's companies are paying" question, that's a pretty sweeping assumption about the general standards of those who are lucky enough to fly First and those that don't. Did I miss the forelock tugging test when I opted for "24 Hours in A&E" over part two of this infomercial?

I know a lot should be delivered for the prices charged for First, but travelling that class doesn't make you a different class of human being.

Noticing scuff marks isn't a class issue. I notice them everywhere I go, whatever ticket I am on.

Remember the context too - this was a BRAND NEW A380.

I don't believe anyone here would not notice scratch/scuff marks on a brand new first passenger flight ever plane.

The guy obsessing about scuff marks on the floor of JFK airport was a bit much.

And, what I did notice when he was getting rid of scuff marks, his shoes changed styles ! So, I guess I would notice stuff like that but certainly wouldn't complain. That Dr and his special friend that flew 300 segments came across as a pompous individual I thought.

As a former VS Gold, now a BA Gold, I would say that BA's attention to detail shows through in the quality of the cabin. The last few VS flights I took, the UC suites were in a terrible condition - dirty, damaged, with pen marks and deep dents everywhere. So perhaps the BA way works?

I appreciate that this is a VS fan site, and nothing short of a crash will make some people write even remotely negative trip reports, but I have to say that BA have, for me, out performed VS on every flight I have taken with them since I started flying them again. They don't change my seats, screw up my bookings, call me a liar, treat me like an inconvenience or make me fly on a scruffy aircraft. VS could really take a leaf out of their book. A few years ago, the reverse was certainly true, but BA have got better and better, and VS have gone to the dogs in too many ways.

+1 Also since changing to BA I have felt valued as a gold both on the ground and in the air,so the emphasis on premium training really works and other rewards such as upgrades. In seven years as a VS gold I never felt that.

Noticing scuff marks isn't a class issue. I notice them everywhere I go, whatever ticket I am on.

I get that, you get that... Unfortunately that's not how it came across to me on the programme, and to be fair that may have been a bit of sly editing.

I think that it is the same old formulaic rhubarb we have seen many times before. Whatever the airline, whatever the programme.

I preferred Airline....where I could at least laugh/cringe/despair at the awfulness of some of the passengers and sympathise with the check-in staff.

I appreciate that this is a VS fan site, and nothing short of a crash will make some people write even remotely negative trip reports

You might have missed this. Not the happiest of experiences!!!

The truth is BA and VS - and for that matter all airlines - have their relative strengths and weaknesses. Some people prefer the formality and deference of BA, others think it stuffy and prefer the more fun and informal attitude of VS. It's good that there's choice.

I've no doubt those lucky enough to be BA Gold or GGL get looked after very well. But for those without status travelling at the back of the bus, they are really very average.

The recent post on headforpoints about how BA "scores" every passenger in order to determine how they're treated makes very interesting reading. It seems the select few can expect fawning beyond their wildest dreams, but woe betide the little people at the bottom of the pile.

I think David Walliams' "Penny" was embarrassingly close to the mark for BA.

http://www.headforpoints.com/2014/06/09 ... ual-value/

The truth is BA and VS - and for that matter all airlines - have their relative strengths and weaknesses. Some people prefer the formality and deference of BA, others think it stuffy and prefer the more fun and informal attitude of VS. It's good that there's choice.

I've no doubt those lucky enough to be BA Gold or GGL get looked after very well. But for those without status travelling at the back of the bus, they are really very average.

The recent post on headforpoints about how BA "scores" every passenger in order to determine how they're treated makes very interesting reading. It seems the select few can expect fawning beyond their wildest dreams, but woe betide the little people at the bottom of the pile.

I think David Walliams' "Penny" was embarrassingly close to the mark for BA.

http://www.headforpoints.com/2014/06/09 ... ual-value/

I read that article an have to say it was spot on. I recently flew BA club Europe AMS-LHR to connect to the VS45 and then took the return LGW-AMS for the points.
My first flight AMS-LHR the crew were excellent as the Club cabin was fairly empty, that flight pushed back and then the flaps wouldn't extend so we were transfered on to the next BA LHR flight on a packed 767.
On boarding there was the (usually good) bleep at the gate and the manager was called over. I saw on the screen an error message and was told that there was no meal for me on this flight. On board I was completely ignored by the crew until the end of the meal service when a tray was placed infront if me with the words this is all we have left.
That experiance coupled with a very unimpressive trip to LAX on the A380 in Y has lead to me becoming an even bigger fan of VS where I have never had a bad flight, I have had a few that have not been as memorable as others and one or two with a crew in stealth mode but have always felt that VS are better at treating pax as individuals.

I am obviously at the bottom of the BA CIV list.

Can't agree with that, Gumshoe. Even when I was Blue with BA I got consistently better service than when I was Gold with VS. Even in the European economy cabin, I was greeted by name (and I know that is only a small thing, but it is something that VS just seemed to have given up on, or at least something they couldn't do consistently).

Oh, and BA called me the other day - I had priced up a flight to London and didn't complete it (my travel plans changed) and someone in BA here in Dubai rang me to see if they could help. VS didn't even call me when I had a serious complaint with them, and disposed of my Gold Card....

Not sure what Jodie's issue was, but four snapshots and the last for lack of makeup and she blew a great chance ii) Maybe it isnt for everybody