British Airways

Customer Reviews

4 star Skytrax Rating
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Seat Comfort 12345
Staff Service 12345
Value for Money 12345
Customer rating from 3778 reviews
5/10
4 star Skytrax Rating
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3/10

British Airways customer review

(United Kingdom)

Our night flight was delayed by nearly an hour; not the fault of the airline but a contributory factor to our disappointment with BA on this flight (17th June 2015). We paid extra for our Premium Economy tickets, then extra again to reserve seats, and past experience with BA and with equivalent seats/service on Virgin Atlantic had led us to expect value for money and some small rewards for the extra costs. Not this flight, however, where the only real benefit appeared to be a small amount of extra legroom. We were last to board after First, Business and Economy. Where customers in Premium Economy used to be greeted with the choice of a glass of fizz or orange juice, now it is water or juice. Once we had taken off, drinks were served; fine, but when the steward came to collect the empty glass/bottle, he knocked the glass onto the floor, where it broke - the staff were all rushed and seemed to be short on numbers perhaps? I was made to feel that the breakage was my fault! Dinner did not arrive until after 11pm, by which time I had rather lost interest, as had my partner. So far, our extra costs had bought us extra leg room and one glass of wine (I was not offered a second, possibly because of my crime of causing the steward to break a glass). Overnight, by contrast to other night flights, the lights were never fully dimmed; there were no offers of water/orange juice to prevent dehydration. The promised (on the menu card) morning 'light snack' and coffee/tea/fruit juice was a hastily delivered piece of dried-up cake and a weak coffee - no mention of fruit juice. I couldn't really see what my extra costs were getting me that those in Economy had for less - the extra leg room was rather negated by the passenger in front's fully reclined seat. I will not, if at all possible, be travelling with BA again. It left a rather sour taste at the end of our holiday.
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Seat TypePremium Economy
RouteWashington DC to Heathrow
Date FlownJune 2015
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Wifi & Connectivity 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
2/10

British Airways customer review

(Thailand)

Check in at Tegel was a disaster and ludicrously (for it has a lot of BA flights) I was told there are no BA staff at that airport to sort out problems. 100 minutes prior to departure, 2 check in desks were open - 1 business, 1 economy. As a BA Silver card holder, I joined the business queue. First one lady had considerably too much baggage. The arguments went on for more than 10 minutes before she paid the extra fees. Then the technical crew for a pop event the previous day had to be checked in. Not only were some of their 20 or so items very overweight, others were way too large. After 20 more minutes I asked a young lady why the other business passengers could not be processed at the economy desk. This was not possible, I was told. Eventually another economy desk opened; yet our queue remained immobile for a further 15 minutes. Finally after more than 40 minutes, someone decided we could be processed at an economy desk after all! Looking forward to a drink in the lounge, I then discover there is no lounge airside. As for the LHR-ORD flight, I have been spoiled with business class intercontinental travel since business class was introduced. To board an international carrier and discover a seat pitch of just 31" was a major shock. This is like travelling long haul on a budget carrier only at considerably greater cost. The worst part was the cabin was kept at an extremely warm temperature throughout despite requests for the captain to reduce it to a more reasonable level. The meal was OK and the IFE had a decent selection of movies. But overall, the flight was hugely uncomfortable. With some other carriers still offering a seat pitch greater than 31", BA has lost my future business.
AircraftA320 / Boeing 777-300
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteBerlin to Chicago via LHR
Date FlownJune 2015
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
3/10

British Airways customer review

(United Kingdom)

After my flight to Vienna with BA I was hoping for a slight improvement on the way back - however the service was very boring. Drink service was rushed with the stewardess pouring an entire miniature of vodka into a drink before putting a drop of Tomato juice in when I asked for a Tomato and Vodka - unpalatable. Was glad to be off the plane in all fairness. Hoping that one day BA will wow me.
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteVienna to London
Date FlownNovember 2014
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
4/10

British Airways customer review

(United Kingdom)

Slightly disappointing flight in an aircraft that was showing it's age. It seems very little effort is put into cabin decor meaning it looks quite tawdry in all fairness. Food was okay - ham and cheese croissant - but nothing to write home about. Seats weren't great for someone my height and all in all I was left feeling underwhelmed - budget level offerings at a high price
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteLondon to Vienna
Date FlownNovember 2014
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
8/10

British Airways customer review

(United Kingdom)

LHR-FCO and return outbound A321 new Club Europe seating, return Boeing 767. I've not flown Club Europe for some years and wasn't looking forward to the flight due to the new seat pitch which is the same as economy. I was fortunate on both journeys to secure a seat in row 1 where you do have extra legroom. The only other seat with extra leg room is the emergency exit row. The food and drink selection was good and the service from the crew was excellent on the return leg.
AircraftA321 and B767
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Seat TypeBusiness Class
RouteLHR to FCO
Date FlownJune 2015
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
yes
3/10

British Airways customer review

(United Kingdom)

It appears BA continues to adopt a “do as little as possible” for this route, presumably due to their monopoly. The aircraft and cabin is looking tired/old, and decidedly mediocre compared to recent business class flights with Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways. Outward excellent service from cabin and flight deck crew. My seat (2K) was shockingly filthy. It had been cleared since the last passenger, but I noticed much ingrained filth e.g. food /drink splatters on the cabin wall, crumbs in seat folds/gaps and stained cover, all sorts of debris on floor in gaps/cracks, and remarkably grimy carpet. Cabin attendant offered me choice of the empty seats, but on inspection these were in a similarly grim state. Seat was OK for comfort, but mediocre IFE choice with very poor quality screen. Meal service was good for food and drink, although dirty environment was off-putting. Lacto Veg’ meal much improved since last tried. Pantry service is underwhelming in places e.g. Mars Bars and KitKats are tragically promoted as retro, but some nice ice cream. Return in 1K, and excellent service from cabin and flight deck crew. I'm ridiculously grateful that this cabin is clean. Tired, so skipped dinner. Decided to watch a short TV programme and found much better picture quality on screen compared to outward, although even less programme choice. I found seat comfort mediocre in bed mode, but got five hours of sleep. The cabin layout is clearly designed to maximise passenger numbers without much thought for their comfort. Awake for breakfast, so when attendants were offering bacon rolls I asked for my wife and my requested Lacto Veg Meals. Staff returned ashen faced, and profusely apologising, with two neatly wrapped and labelled plain white bread rolls. Such bad service, and a lack of joined-up thinking! You couldn’t make it up. Post-flight I found the BA customer complaints dept to be dreadful, and left me far more disappointed with the service than at the end of my flights.
AircraftBoeing 767
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Seat TypeBusiness Class
RouteLHR to Grand Cayman via Nassau
Date FlownJune 2015
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
8/10

British Airways customer review

(United Kingdom)

Flight home was as good as the flight out. Had long delay to depart, in part from a missing passenger who checked in, then disappeared - one of those mysteries about airline travel that happens from time to time. Meanwhile a full plane of passengers were delayed in total by 90 mins. A320 was newly refurbished and clean. So called "new" Club Europe seats were installed, and as I was in row 1 it was okay. The menu was identical to the outbound and the beef main course was was terrific. It was the sort of meal that I would have happily paid £20 for in a quality bistro. FAs were great. The Chinese FA was the sort that understand customer service. Her colleague was closer to retirement and seemed to be on another planet most of the time. At the half way point I wanted another gin and tonic, but they had run out of both ice and proper "glasses". On arrival to LHR we were parked miles away from the Terminal. No reasons was given. All in all, a very good experience.
AircraftA320
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Seat TypeBusiness Class
RouteSantorini to LHR
Date FlownJune 2015
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
yes
8/10

British Airways customer review

(United Kingdom)

Once boarded there was a technical fault with air conditioning and the cabin got very hot. The cabin crew did offer cold water to keep all passengers cool, and delay was only around 20 minutes. Once airborne, drinks and snacks were served. Seating on A319 was comfortable for a short flight. At GLA Airport the parking stands are so far away from the main terminal and pick up points, and changes to the airport in the past couple of years have increased the walking distance. This is annoying if you only have hand luggage and want a quick getaway, especially on a late night arrival. One sees Easyjet and Ryanair passengers passing through the arrivals process much quicker.
AircraftA319
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteLondon Gatwick to Glasgow
Date FlownJune 2015
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
yes
4/10

British Airways customer review

(United Kingdom)

Disappointed. The food was poor, my wife's steak could have been anything, my curry had a tiny piece of chicken. The cabin was less than half full but cabin crew hadn't time to bring a glass of wine. After the meal, staff disappeared. No after dinner drink offered, no refreshments during the night. For the price this could have been a lot better. Return on old B747 was better.
AircraftAirbus A380
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Seat TypeBusiness Class
RouteLondon to Johannesburg
Date FlownMay 2015
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
2/10

British Airways customer review

(United Kingdom)

This is my 3rd flight with BA in 8 months and the worst yet. The customer service and communication is appalling. Originally my return flight was from Rome to London Gatwick but my flight was cancelled due to issues at Rome airport. But instead of BA getting in contact with me in regards to this, the third party company I booked the flights with had to. When Checking in they tried to charge me for baggage again although already paid for. When I spoke to them on the phone, they just tried to fob me off to other numbers even though I called the Customer Service number. This is a shame because for once the actual flight and flight service was good which is surprising. But as a result of the rudeness, lack of communication and appalling customer service I'm very unlikely to ever use them again.
AircraftBoeing 737
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteNaples to London Gatwick
Date FlownJune 2015
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
no

British Airways Photos

British Airways is the flag carrier of the United Kingdom, with its main hub being at London Heathrow Airport where it operates from Terminal 5 and Terminal 3. The airline also has substantial operations from Gatwick Airport. British Airways is a member of Onweworld alliance, and part of International Airlines Group (IAG).

FIRST CLASS

British Airways offers First Class on many long haul routes operated by widebody aircraft (Boeing 747-400, Boeing 777, Boeing 787 and the A380). Most aircraft have 14 flat-bed seats in First Class, and 8 seats on the Boeing 787-9.

flat_seatsFlat bed seat / suite
power_iconIn-seat &/or USB power
No WiFiOnboard WiFi
AVODAudio / video on demand
DiningOn demand dining
WinesFine wines & beverage service
SleepingPillows & duvet / blanket
PyjamasPyjamas / Sleepsuit
AmenitiesAmenity kit

BUSINESS CLASS

Branded as Club World for long haul and Club Europe for short haul services, British Airways was one of the pioneers of flat bed seats in long haul business class. The product is overdue an upgrade, with the seat layout on a Boeing 777 being 8-across in contrast to the more standard 4-across layout. British Airways Club Europe cabin uses a standard Economy class seat, with the middle of each 3-across section left empty. British Airways charges business class customers to reserve seats for both long haul and short haul flights..

LONG HAUL
flat_seatsFlat bed seat
power_iconIn-seat &/or USB power
No WiFiOnboard WiFi
AVODAudio / video on demand
On demand dining
SleepingPillows & duvet / blanket
PyjamasPyjamas / Sleepsuit
AmenitiesAmenity kit

SHORT HAUL
Seat pitchSeat pitch : 31 ins
Seat widthSeat width : 17 ins
In-seat &/or USB power
No WiFiOnboard WiFi
Inflight entertainment
DiningComplimentary meal / snack

PREMIUM ECONOMY

British Airways offers a premium economy cabin on their long haul / widebody aircraft, branded as World Traveller Plus. With the exception of the larger seat, the onboard service and product varies little to the standard long haul Economy class.

Seat pitchSeat pitch : 38 ins
Seat widthSeat width : 18.5 ins
No WiFiOnboard WiFi
power_iconUSB power
AVODAudio / video on demand
DiningComplimentary meal
WinesComplimentary beverages & wines
SleepingPillow / blanket

ECONOMY CLASS

British Airways has been reducing economy class standards recently and now charge for all food and beverages on short haul services. Further cuts are expected to their long haul product standards. The cabins are branded as World Traveller for long haul, and EuroTraveller for short haul.

LONG HAUL
Seat pitchSeat pitch : 31 ins
Seat widthSeat width : 17.5 ins
No WiFiOnboard WiFi
power_iconUSB power
AVODAudio / video on demand
DiningComplimentary meal
WinesComplimentary beverages & wines
SleepingPillow / blanket

SHORT HAUL
Seat pitchSeat pitch : 29-30 ins
Seat widthSeat width : 17 ins
In-seat &/or USB power
No WiFiOnboard WiFi
Inflight entertainment
Complimentary meal / beverages