Is BA Bringing Back Premium Luxury Travel?
From June onwards, executives expect to implement “exciting improvements” as part of the airline’s “significant transformation.”
This upmarket blueprint is BA’s attempt at making passenger journeys from beginning to end as relaxing, comfortable, and, most importantly, pleasurable as possible. There will be considerable improvements implemented across the whole British Airways customer experience.
This is definitely a significant turnaround for British Airways under new CEO Sean Doyle, whose predecessor Alex Cruz was criticised by investors and passengers for seeking to cut costs and push the airline downmarket to compete with low-cost carriers. The shift in approach began under Cruz, according to BA, but the airline is now ready to move on with its ambitions.
Tom Stevens, BA’s director of brand and customer experience, said: ‘From booking until landing, BA needs to feel like a premium experience. Our strategy is to be a premium experience across the board.’
Doyle has subsequently recruited chef Tom Kerridge on board to replace M&S as the food brand for short-haul economy flights, and he has permanently reintroduced complimentary water and snacks on budget European flights.
Smarter Cabins, Gourmet Food & Technology
Over the next 12 months, renovations will be executed within airport lounges, the check-in experience and also the onboard food. With BA looking to reignite its desire for improvement, even new designer uniforms for cabin crews (designed by Savile Row tailor Ozwald Boateng)!
This won’t just be reserved for long haul passengers. Short-haul budget flights to Europe, new computerised ordering methods for in-flight meals will cut the number of carts bringing hot meals and duty-free products.
With efficiency and customer experience paramount to BA, technology will be a factor in reducing administrative and system backlogs and establishing a smooth and convenient as possible.
CEO Sean Doyle has said:
‘We are using digital applications to give customers a lot more convenience — such as order before you fly, order from your seat in the lounge, be ready to fly before you get to the airport.”
Convenience is king with BA’s plans. They intend to launch virtual queuing, to reduce congestion at check-in and boarding gates by assigning a specific arrival time to each passenger.
British Airways have also formed a partnership with AirPortr, a service that lets passengers check-in at home and has their bags secretly delivered from their doorstep all the way to the plane.
Premium Cabins & Business Class to get a revamp
Business-class cabins will receive new ‘Club Suite’ seats, which have flat-bed seats and a door to the aisle for privacy.
BA’s premium cabins will have their menus revamped. With Do & Co, a catering company that has erected a multi-million-pound kitchen near Heathrow’s runway to prepare meals fresh on-site, developing the menu.
Interior designers, furniture designers, chefs, drink manufacturers, and musicians are all in talks with the airlines as part of their grand plan to solidify British Airways as a symbol of elegance and comfort.
As we recover from the pandemic, we face some major hurdles, but with Sean Doyle at the helm, things are looking up, and there appears to be a greater focus on customers and bringing back a better BA.
Original Source: https://rewardflightfinder.com/news-and-advice/is-ba-bringing-back-premium-luxury-travel
