British Airways has long been identified as the air carrier for the discerning traveler — that is to say, the right choice for the traveler who expects the best customer service and finest attention to detail.
The airline is now breaking its model.
Following the announcement of admittedly unjustified strikes by the airline’s pilots union, passengers are facing huge challenges in even getting hold of British Airways representatives. The BBC reports numerous stories of passengers who have made dozens of calls to the airline, but are repeatedly unable to get through. Making matters worse, British Airways accidentally told passengers that it had canceled flights even on days where strikes are not scheduled. That led some passengers to rebook flights, further disrupting plans.
From my own anecdotal experience it seems that the airline’s troubles might go beyond the present strike situation. I emailed British Airways two weeks ago in relation to a broken seat on a recent flight. That email and my follow up emails have still not received a response.
A major airline predicated on customer service should have enough customer service staff to deal with customer service. Making matters worse, British Airways knew the strikes were coming weeks before the strike dates were announced.
This collapse of brand trust would be a big problem for most airlines, but for British Airways it’s a crisis. The airline has long been regarded as the master of great service and reliability. That has allowed British Airways to charge higher prices in return for a better experience. But what now?
There are plenty of competitor airlines challenging British Airways for sales. With British Airways throwing away that which stood it apart, its future seems bleak.
