Seems like British Airways may soon be having second thoughts about its £240 second bag charge.
Perhaps there just might be someone sensible in that company after all.
I expect to see the charge scrapped soon. Just as soon as they realise the disastrous effect on their sales.
By the way, when is the next baggage handlers’ strike?
I have never known a company manage to infuriate both its customers and employees at the same time. Some companies manage one, but not the other.
Perhaps, like Peter Hain, the BA management could benefit from a few basic lessons in business and economics.
February 13th, 2007 at 5:15 pm
BA’s management are held to ransom by unreconstructed unions who resemble the worst of 1970’s and 1980’s excesses.
BA staff have the best pay and perks in the industry and still want more. BA has its lunch eaten by Ryanir and Easyjet.
Ryanair does not let you take nay bags, BA proposes to ask for money for extra luggage. Yet you attack BA.
I defend them becuase as incompetent as they may seem they run a very profitable airline in hugely difficult circumstances. They have made some silly mistakes (like the cross issue this year), but commercially have kept it together.
Have you seen the state of Al-Itlia or Swiss Air or Sabena recently?
Did you know that the US government has given $15 billion in subsidy to its airlines since 2001; In contrast BA has paid £500 million in tax.
February 13th, 2007 at 5:29 pm
I know exactly what I will get if I fly Ryanair, so I steer well clear.
My attacking BA is not actually to do with the imposition of the bag charge; it is to do with the amount. I should have made that clear. I won’t have complained if they charged a reasonable amount for a second bag, but surely £240 for long-haul is just asking for defections.
I sympathise with BA as far as its union problems go, but they always seem to make matters worse. Take the case of December’s strike. Many passengers had their luggage mislaid, and how does BA respond to this? By putting out premium rate numbers for them to call. That is the sort of thing I mean, when I talk about them annoying both employees and passengers at the same time.
February 13th, 2007 at 8:02 pm
I last went BA six years ago. Interesting that things haven’t improved.
February 13th, 2007 at 8:22 pm
Ok, well your points there are fairer. Premium rate numbers is a bit much I agree.
£240 does seem alot, but then I guess this is the discouragement factor. No doubt it will rarely be imposed.
I wonder what they plan to do though about the increasing size of passengers?
One day we the climate change nutters will have air travel hiked up to such as rate that we will be charged to the nearest kilo for flying; baggage and us!
February 15th, 2007 at 12:38 am
British Airways is one of the last remaining closed shops. The TGWU have got the ground handling side of the business sewn up and effectively control the hiring and firing of employees.
Usually the way the airline manages to upset employees is by asking them to adopt reasonable working practices and increase productivity. Understandable given the competition on short haul routes in particular. The kneejerk response of the union is to threaten a walk out. Being a union rep at BA is a gravy train.
Brendan Gold was a pain in the backside when he was a local union leader based in Horley, servicing the T&G at Gatwick in particular. Now he seems to take every opportunity to stick it to the airline regardless of the common sense of the airline’s request.
I think the excess baggage pricing was badly thought out, but the airline has to find ways to either reduce costs or get more money from passengers. Much of the fleet needs to be replaced and that will cost billions. Reducing labour cost, as we have seen, is nigh on impossible without a massive fight. Who would be a BA executive?
February 15th, 2007 at 9:38 pm
You gone on holiday, Bel? No new posts?
February 15th, 2007 at 10:24 pm
Sorry, Joe. Right here.
New posts in the next few hours. I’ve been busy commmenting on other blogs, etc.
Hope you’re doing fine.
February 15th, 2007 at 11:00 pm
I wait in anticipation…
Probably should comment on more blogs than I do- or find out why my own vanishes into cyberspace- but I seem to get stuck on a limted number of sites.
I will return soon and see what Bel has in store…
November 20th, 2007 at 2:31 pm
Half life of hydrocodone in fetus….
Hydrocodone. Hydrocodone side effects. Hydrocodone bitartrate….