So we were not expecting much from last nights flight but when we were asked whether we wanted the beef or cheese panini for dinner, we knew BA had sunk to rock bottom! It would be nice to think their service will be improved. 1. Bright and energetic C-suite assistant, fully focussed on providing support and solutions of the very highest standard. Tctico Group S.A.S. In addition, were working hard to improve the quality of the meals and choices we serve across all cabins and rolling out our Club Suite on as many aircraft as we can, as quickly as we can. As often the case with these things action speak louder than words we will see if these words translate into real world changes in a meaningful way. Did you appreciate Seans email? How can we build back better European aviation after COVID-19 - and what will our industry look like in five years?The environment, changing markets, new con. When full service comes back, look towards 3 hours to complete it because of the number of new people joining, the ridiculous new system of allocating working positions meaning that people will be working in club who havent been there in months and slow with the product and the fact we have to hand run everything. Disagree that everything should be automated. BA have lost the plot and lost this loyal customer to Emirates and other for east coast US. Should airlines pay for what they've done to us? In the email, Mr. Doyle said: My number one priority is to address the customer call center issues many of you have experienced and may still be experiencing. One poor family had 7 pieces of luggage. There is no element of luxury or premium to most of the meals. I think the combination of the storms with the very busy half term weekend has caused a major breakdown with luggage and stands at T5. I cant see them ever being premium again and will only fly with them if their prices arent premium. At the start of the year, BA CEO Sean Doyle announced a series of senior management changes to spearhead the airline's recovery from COVID-19. Check out Elliott Advocacy Today, our free, daily newsletter with links to your favorite commentary, tips and news about consumer advocacy. So it was my choice to fly BA, support the airline and enjoy the benefits of being a Gold Card holder. There is no reason why this Avios service cannot be added to their online system, sadly this is a deliberate rather than an IT issue. Now they have done away with that system so its a free for all. When Tom Stevens, in response to a question about Willie Walshs comments about IAG splitting BA off from the group (probably out of context) said that Willie had no insider knowledge of BA or IAG which was a ludicrously stupid thing to say of the man who led BA for years and was instrumental in the formation of IAG. He served as non-exec Board member at Topbonus Ltd, AB Holidays and IZair and started his career at Boston Consulting Group (BCG). Were always here to help. Verizon Connect, CEO - The Buzz People | Founder - The Bhukkad Cafe | Entrepreneur Marketing Events Retail Branding SMM Its penny pinching and takes the shine off of what might have been a rather pleasant flight with British Airways. Lorem ipsum dolor sit, amet consectetur adipisicing elit. As for the Contact Centres/Twitter/Facebook Messenger it is an absolute disaster I have a message from a query that says Im connecting you with an agent who can assist, please note it may take longer than usual as we are busy this was on the 17th January, and yep, you guessed it. Time and time again we are of the view that BA just dont care. Crew are not keen to return to a full service as its extra work. Ive had a couple of almost immediate responses to scathing comments recently even giving a point of contact. Nobody answers the phone. at Totally agree with maximising the online channel and Im VERY disappointed and suspicious that I cant see all my numerous eVouchers and their values on my account, This can all be fixed but I fear they simply dont get how sub-premium the Club World product is it why didnt Sean take the opportunity to ask for comments? There are other options and whilst we remain Gold with BA, I have lost patience with their promises of a return to normality. During his time at British Airways, Sean held a number of senior roles including Finance Director BA Cargo, Head of Corporate Strategy and Executive Vice . Fernando Candela, LEVEL chief executive, is joining the Group's management committee in a new role of chief transformation officer. BA is not and is unlikely to be a premium airline again its not the same as it was 10 years ago. Copyright 2021 - 2022 AviationSource LTD. All Rights Reserved. BA could have the SQ hard and soft product if they wanted to and the financials stacked up but we know they wont do this. Forbes contributor. at Just look at the starter below which consists of a couple of bits of lettuce, two bits of avocado and half a cherry tomato! Sean Doyle's phone (**) *** *** 722 What industry does Sean Doyle work in? She studied law at the College of Law, Chester and holds a Post-Graduate Diploma in EU Competition Law from Kings College, University of London. Ive just checked flights to BNA in May 6k for 2 return in Club. Sean Doyle, Chief Executive & Chairman, British Airways (Image Credit: British Airways) Welcome to London Air Travel's Monday Briefing for the week beginning 31 January 2022. She graduated from Fundao Getlio Vargas in Business management. With decent airline obviously. He was appointed LEVEL chief executive in September 2019 and was previously chief executive of Iberia Express for six years. We also know they removed the ability to cancel an Avios booking online, before the pandemic, a real bug bearer for most of us. Lynne joined Aer Lingus as chief executive and chairman in April 2021. The key to me at the moment is the onboard service. Mr Doyle you and your company are an effing joke. A recent Denver-LHR leg in Club Class saw a very disappointing one-tray meal. Soon there will be less of them as they wet lease more and more as the post covid world reopens. Finally, despite being tagged priority, our bags were some of the last on the carousel at Newcastle. It is about time that if you order a special meal that some choice should be given especially in premium cabins. The son of a policeman, Sean Doyle grew up in Youghal, Co Cork. Cant say Im looking forward to the return leg. This year will be a test. Be Sure To Check out our 24 Live blog for Live and accurate Coverage of the Airshow! Prior to joining IAG, Julio was Managing Director of NIKI Luftfahrt in Austria, Chief Commercial Officer of Airberlin in Germany and Chief Commercial Officer of Vueling Airlines in Spain holding further senior roles there from 2006. UK blog on how to travel in luxury for less. Just got back from Switzerland. So I would like these issues resolved that would make my life a lot easier. This year I plan to maintain that status and have a number of BA flights booked. However, my patience ran out last last year: BA and BA holidays are impossible to contact, generally uninterested and they collectively cancelled or rescheduled over 20 of my flights last year. Mille, As an Inflight Manager I totally agree with you with regard to onboard working position allocation. has for us been outstanding still. TLFL has an exclusive partnership with GTC, one of the worlds largest collections of independent luxury travel agents. Something else that needs sorting is bus gates at outstations when airbridges are available. The Elliott Report is supported by Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that offers free advice and advocacy for consumers. He started at KLM in 1995 and carried a number of positions in Sales & Marketing, Alliances and M&A. at The crew rarely came round to see if there was anything we needed. Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes Previous Thread | Next Thread Forum Jump The Covid hiatus, with many planes taken out of service, presented the airline with an unprecedented chance to catch up and speed up the introduction of Club Suites across all the remaining planes. Sean Liam Doyle is Chairman/CEO at British Airways PLC. Full service food and beverage even through Covid. He may have a generous Irish heart but his company finally became a lost cause when they disastrously employed a bonus chasing Spanish discount airline CEO who only knew how to cut and not invest. I am feeling very let down and disillusioned by this experience today. Could be just words though. It actually doesnt involve that much expenditure . Our outward was also in club with single plate offering of curry. He graduated from Staffordshire Polytechnic with a BSc (Hons) in Information Systems and is a Fellow of the British Computer Society. Location London, GB Work CEO British Airways @ British Airways CEO Aer Lingus @ Aer Lingus Director Fleet Network and Alliances @ British Airways see more Education CIMA ACMA 1994 - 1997 University College Cork Fernando Candela, LEVEL chief executive, is joining the Group's management committee in a new role of chief transformation officer. IT Department. This weekend he gave an interview to the Financial Times as well as sending all Executive members an email. BA, get your act together, youre haemorrhaging premium customer by charging premium prices, and youre no way near giving a premium service. Use this form to log in to your account or to create an account for the British Airways executive club. Previously he was Chief Executive Officer and executive director of Aer Lingus from January 2019. Theres was no starter, side dish or desert for anyone because of a mistake. Waited too long to get a passport? Sean Doyle is Head of Strategy and Business Plan, Sean Doyle's personal email What that means for many people is a delay in receiving their meal because others who are closer to the front are already wanting 2nd and 3rd drinks. To get your password contact the press office: press.office@ba.com . Baggage tracing has been talked about for a long time. Will we get our case back? The mid haul routes operated as Club Europe instead of Club World are unacceptable. I just laughed. Sean Doyle was appointed Chief Executive of British Airways in October 2020. Personally I dont care if it comes on a trolley or the back of a donkey as long I dont wait for ages. Service was above recent standards and when my desert choice was unavailable I was offered a choice of F deserts which was a nice touch Bottom line when my hold status goes Ill be looking at AA and DL for my US flights and buying on price so I doubt Ill be flying BA as much in future. The email listed out many details on how they would look to fix flaws and issues that had been highlighted inside of the airline during the pandemic with one of the major focuses being on the customer support phone lines. What a joke! BA are far away from this level of both offering and service and having just experienced qr yet again on my most recent trip, Im not really looking forward to my forthcoming trip to Dubai via London in WTP/back Club. British Airways Plc, WatersidePO Box 365Harmondsworth, UNITED KINGDOM UB7 0GBhttps://www.britishairways.com, Main: +44 20 8738 5050 Customer Service: (312) 843-5794Toll Free: (800) 247-9297. Per - Bolivia BA have totally ruined my trip , lesson learned . Gerente de Lnea So we are still using the #covidexcuse long after many other airlines have returned to close to normal. While there is no official confirmation, it is likely that we will see the airline roll out the new club at an accelerated level on its long haul fleet first, with the new cabin already deployed on the carriers A350-1000 and Boeing 787-10 aircraft. address is se****[emailprotected], Sean Doyle's business email First was great, we felt valued but as there are so many new Club Suites we felt just a number, same level of service as if we were in Economy. My Whirlpool stove is defective again. Wine list was non committal as to specific wines probably whatever Sainsburys are doing at 25% off for 6 bottles or more. Remember Margaret Thatcher covering the tail fin? However, totally agree about the wine selection being spot on! 24, New York, NY 10036- 8002, New booking or changes to existing booking: 877-428-2228 Monday Friday, 7am 3pm Saturday and Sunday, 7am 3pm: Eastern Standard Time (EST), Contact the British Airways North America Refunds Department if your ticket was issued in the United States, Canada or Bermuda and you are not able to process your refund online. In spite of all of this, yes it still has to do much better. BTW, BA are so against another runway at LHR.they have pretty much a duopoly on some routes and a strong position on North America with American. Just flown to St Lucia in J 2 days ago and food offering was pretty atrocious. BA need to go back to using trolleys if they are going make the multi course service work again. Every aspect of this strategy is to help make your journey more seamless and enjoyable. Our Chairman & CEO, Sean Doyle, . So kow to the actual flights outward was OK not what you would call a premium inflight service as this article rightly illustrates, food was acceptable but the one tray approach smacks TV dinner and nothing more. A good friend has always flown Emirates business and F. We convinced him to fly F to New York with BA. Completely agree re worry about needing to contact and not being able to. Arrived at Terminal 5 but nobody could be bothered to put our luggage on the carousel. Cabin Staff clealry not with it any longer, needing to be reminded what request had been made, not responding to call buttons, and very very slow and assistant service almost as if they are all finding their way. They are still hiding behind the covid nonsense an an excuse not to provide a full service. Every time? Here dealing with government departments, doctors, businesses of all shapes & sizes, you name it all done using WhatsApp. I also agree that Sean Doyle is decent. Which Airline Has Had The Most Crashes in the U.S? The moment Mille, Steven, myself and thousands of others are actually free to interact and offer a modern aerodynamic (pardon the pun) without looking like a circus contortionist then something is wrong. at I had an aneurysm, but British Airways is keeping my money. Club Kitchen virtually empty after 20 mins into flight observed. Staff advised everyone to do it online. No credit card required. The turnout of the crew was dreadful sloppily dressed and whist hanging around the airport on arrival with blouses hanging out, cravats askew, an Aeroflot crew walked past them fresh from landing looking well groomed, smartly dressed, with heads held high the contrast was shocking. Absolutely loved visiting the cities of Charleston, A quick look at my @airfrance flight from Dubai to, New review of @klm latest business class seat only, If you havent been to Oman its time to visit, On the blog today you can read the full preview of, This beautiful hotel is on a natural island in Abu, Todays review is the new Hilton Dubai Palm Jume, Saturdays review will be @flydubai B737MAX from, A quick tour around the beautiful @waldorfastoriar, Absolutely loved my time in Ras Al Khaimah. Not enough meals heated up outbound and completely ran out of all meals and drinks glasses by row 10 on the return leg.disgraceful, they knew how many seats theyd sold, its not difficult to work out the food needed. CEO, British Airways. However, now that the UK government has announced the removal of all restrictions on travel it is time for British Airways to once again look to the future and rebuild the airlines image. Staff increasingly invisible when on board and I do miss my finger of fudge or crunchie on trip back from the loo in the middle of the flight. Its all really been said above. Fernando Candela became IAGs chief transformation officer in October 2020. We get a lot of complaints about British Airways. Can I get my 173,116 Chase Ultimate Rewards points refunded? For example, our operations teams are working on a new baggage tracing system, allowing you to track your bag via your phone throughout your journey. On a recent long haul flight, they didnt bother to offer anyone breakfast, including any hot drinks. The double points would have taken me to gold and felt like a nice reward. More legroom, excellent all round service as always. Sadly Ive heard lots of similar stories this weekend. British Airways boss Sean Doyle pledged on Friday to rebuild relations with customers and staff and restore the airline's reputation for premium service as the industry recovers from the. All in all, please insert some slickness and indeed pride back into your cabin service these crews are lucky to be still employed by what used to be a world-beating brand and defintely address the quality and section of the product BA is already been well-overtaken by many other carriers to claim the epithet of The Worlds Favourite carrier (notably Qatar Airways, Air France, Singapore Airlines to name but two) and we do not want to see UKs supposed National Carrier being seen as slowly descending to that of a budget carrier (and certainly not at the high fares they are charging!). Pretty impressi, Room with a view at @jumeirahsaadiyat. I still fly with BA 80% of the time, and indeed I am off to the states in a few weeks as well as a regular GLA-LHR every week or two. Hiking Confidential: Almost live from the hills of Christchurch, New Zealand. Unlike any other airline in Europe it has a very effective domestic long haul competitor on all its most important routes and unlike the Middle East carriers, it has to make money and receives no covert support for its Government/owners. I have just traveled long haul in BA First Class (new BA B777-300ER cabin config) and frankly Sean has a challenge on his hands, but one on which I wish him well. She was also chairman of BA CityFlyer. Marco is a graduate in Economics from University of Bolonia and took an EMBA at IMD (Lausanne). I do, however, appreciate his honesty and acknowledgment that things could be better which is rare from a CEO. Sean Doyle Sets Out His Vision For BA "A Royal Departure" Desert Island Discs Also of interest this week: News from London Air Travel you may have missed: Id try Twitter. Financial Controller Airline Partnerships, Finance Business Partner Strategy & Business Units. And recent experiences have just pushed me to the point where I seriously question why I would ever fly with the airline again. Im retired. When we can we travel twice a year to Atlanta we fly either Club or First. On the subject of drinks, Id like pre-departure drinks back properly instead of the ad-hoc service that seems to happen now. Sean still has a lot to do with staff training. John Mulligan. What should they improve? First class was full (8 pax) but they managed to run out of choices by the time they came to the last passenger (unfortunately my wife) and that is with only three choices on the menu (one being vegetarian) utterly unacceptable and certainly NOT First Class BA need to quickly pull socks up, add more choice to both F/C and B/C menus (indeed all classes) and stop penny pinching, especially in premium classes. Did we mention it's free? Spot on when you say While the majority of the food has tasted OK, it reeks of cheapness. Last November we flew back from Barbados on a new 777 with Club suites, which were great, let down by the fact that there was no Champagne available. If all you have is young inexperienced overworked underpaid unmotivated staff that no longer see the job as a career. In 2001 he was appointed as General Manager for Central Europe. The airline has been beset by staff shortages, congestion at Heathrow Terminal 5 and . We hope that as we start to welcome back many of you on board youll see just how much we have missed you all. at How to win your consumer dispute using the Elliott Method. In the addition to the Club Suite rollout onto the whole fleet, Sean Doyle mentioned in the email that British Airways would focus on ensuring it can reach an economical and sustainable future. Shambles! Why are travel refunds taking so long now? # Cost of flights. With the Air France -KLM merger Marco moved to Paris in 2004 and held the responsibility first as VP Global Business and then as Commercial Director Europe. John became Chief Information Officer (CIO) in September 2019. Eversource Gas says I have a leak. Also, please remove as many pain points as possible. The south lounge in T5 was at least not overcrowded; but the choice of food was pretty limited and uninspiring. He also clearly doesnt understand what the food in club world of the last few years is like, I would best describe it as similar to 1990s package holiday charter flight fare. Ive now got another tier point error to clear up and Im not looking forward to another hour of lift music. Bio Ritmo Academia, Electrical engineer from NED University of Engineering and Technology. at Sean wasnt hired to make fundamental changes, said an IAG insider according to the Financial Times. Please keep up this option. Green Lemon Company, founder of Vialog, fixing fake and broken review systems with video dialogue Where have the hot towels gone for pre-departure! I still havent received the double tier points (now 61 days and counting). Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipisicing elit. My American Tourister luggage is defective. No credit card required. Ive already mentioned in my previous postings most of the pertinent points you have made, so would just like to fully endorse all your comments, and to add that BA has little time left to improve their overall product, and continue to hide behind Covid. This has happened for years and when I finally got so frustrated that I contacted BA about it, I hit the usual operational demands excuse. # Call Centres C-19 being used as an excuse Im afraid. Trying a different option they are too busy to take the call not even an option to hold. Also cabin crew, you are attracting a following. Get contact details including emails and phone numbers Crew exhausting serving 60 in club. (Well, the prices are eye-wateringly premium at least!). If there are any positives to come from the past year, one of them is our ability to innovate. British Airways often responds to customer feedback or third parties. From travel apps to testing, behind the scenes we have been working tirelessly to make sure that British Airways continues to be the airline you can trust. Hi Michele. Too rarely did you actually receive service which actually warranted it.When its good its very good, however these days this is rare. #avgeek #luxurytravel #miles #luxuryhotel. What?! So hot chicken curry and carbs followed by cold curry and carbs. Nobody answering the phones, as usual. On departure 3 of the 4 toilets were not working and we were not allowed to use the unused first class toilet because first class was being used as a crew rest area. Where are the after-dinner chocolates now I really cannot believe that by stopping this element BA will somehow repair its balance sheet. A very focussed course for all. BA staff are currently providing Ryanair quality service for their premium prices. Having already had a flight last month to Phuket travelling with Qatar airways, it makes me realise just how far behind BA have become as an airline. The downgrade from the Cabin Service Director role to a Flight Manager has resulted in no one really in control on a flight in a senior position and the loss of someone giving the personal touch to their frequent fliers. CEO Sean Doyle reportedly said in a recorded message to staff in March that passengers were "rightly fed up" with BA's issues, but he added that there were no quick fixes, and likened .