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 1965 reviews
5/10
4 star Skytrax Rating
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10/10

"onboard service was efficient"

(United Kingdom)

Trip Verified | The flight took off a little late due to Heathrow congestion but still landed on schedule. Boarding was smooth and the onboard service was efficient. A small snack was served for free with a bottle of water; additional items were available for purchase. The cabin and toilets were very clean. Overall an unremarkable flight but in a good way!
AircraftA319
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteLondon Heathrow to Geneva
Date FlownDecember 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Ground Service 12345
Wifi & Connectivity 12345
Value For Money 12345
yes
1/10

“Lots of stress”

(Ecuador)

Trip Verified | BA is great in the air! But... they sell you connections thru London Heathrow Terminal 5 (their private, BA-only terminal) which you are practically not able to make. 90 minutes stopover time, European flight inbound, transatlantic flight outbound, you arrive at the terminal gate ON TIME and... book, security! Endless line, slow process. Your boarding starts and you are nowhere near the X ray, and then.... it is a train ride withing the same terminal (but different, distant buildings). Almost impossible to make. Lots of stress.
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteMadrid to San Francisco via London Heathrow
Date FlownNovember 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Wifi & Connectivity 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

"did not offer a wheelchair"

(United States)

Trip Verified | I had broken my leg 2 days before our return flight from Lisbon to London. I called to get some assistance from British Airways, hoping for wheelchair assistance, an easier seat to get to, or possibly an upgrade so that I could stretch out my broken leg, which was in a cast. This airline failed on all fronts. Quoted us a price of €6,000 each (I was traveling with my husband), which we could not do. Almost didn't let me on the plane, trying to interpret my medical report. They did not attempt to change our seats, which were near the back. The single concession they made was to allow me to board 1st, but did not offer a wheelchair, so I had to swing myself down the aisle to my seat using the arm rests of all 21 rows before my seat, as the aisles are not wide enough for crutches. Might I add, I am nearly 70. Had to exit same way. No wheelchair waiting for me at Heathrow, had to hop onto bus with crutches to change terminals and nearly took a tumble doing so. Took so long to get a wheelchair that they had to hold my connecting flight (on another airline) for me and we were last to board. That flight had allowed us to upgrade to business class, for a reasonable price, and took great care of me.
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteLisbon to London Heathrow
Date FlownNovember 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

"such a terrible customer experience"

(United Kingdom)

Trip Verified |   Never I saw such a terrible customer experience. The plane landed already 30 minutes late: despite any operational delays, the boarding took over 1 hour because the crew did not know where to place the luggages. After this long 1 hour boarding process, the captain did not apologise. This is extremely frustrating when this occurs on a night flight, forcing passengers to lose train connections to home.
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RoutePalma de Mallorca to Gatwick
Date FlownDecember 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
5/10

"I was pleasantly surprised"

(United Kingdom)

Trip Verified | Having not flown with BA for a few years, I read some of the reviews in preparation, needless to say I boarded this flight with low expectations. I was pleasantly surprised as the flight was ok. We left LHR a few minutes early and arrived at JNB ahead of schedule. Cabin crew, although not as good as some carriers were attentive and professional. Onboard catering was a disappointment as if you were unlucky to miss out on the chicken you were given a very sloppy pasta. On board entertainment has never been BA's strong point and sadly that hasn't changed. Unfortunately BA is not the prestigious carrier it once was but its not as bad (from my experience) as some reviews suggest.
AircraftBoeing 787-9
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteLondon to Johannesburg
Date FlownNovember 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Wifi & Connectivity 12345
Value For Money 12345
yes
1/10

"Buckle up, folks; this one's a rollercoaster"

(Switzerland)

Trip Verified | Dear Community I feel compelled to share the utter frustration and disappointment that defined my recent travel experience with British Airways. Buckle up, folks; this one's a rollercoaster. On July 16 and 17, 2023, I had the displeasure of flying with British Airways on BA709 and BA7, and let me tell you, it was a nightmare. The initial flight from Zurich (ZRH) to London (LHR) on BA709 faced a seemingly unavoidable one-hour delay upon arrival at LHR. This, of course, resulted in me missing my connection to Tokyo, triggering an automatic rescheduling of my flight to Tokyo (HND) via Beijing with Air China. Oh, but the fun didn't stop there — flight CA183 was also delayed, turning my 16-hour delay into a grand total of 23 hours, finally arriving in Tokyo at 23:00 instead of the promised 7:10. And the cherry on top? My four checked-in suitcases decided to take a detour and didn't join me in Tokyo, forcing me to waste an additional two hours filling out forms at the baggage center. I finally got my lost luggage back on July 23, because why make it easy, right? But wait, there's more! My return flight from Tokyo to Zurich (BA8) on August 8 also danced to the delay tune, making me question if punctuality is just a myth for British Airways. The cumulative impact of these delays torpedoed my vacation plans, stealing a whole day of scheduled activities, including a guided Tokyo tour. As if that weren't enough, I had to dig deeper into my pockets for unforeseen expenses—extra airport transfers, tour operator assistance fees, emergency purchases, airport meals, and international calls for rearrangements. The lack of assistance at LHR airport was the icing on this bitter cake. Installing the BA app just to get basic information about alternative connection flights was a hassle, and the fact that no BA clerk could provide this info in person was downright infuriating. British Airways, you've left me with a sour taste in my mouth and a dent in my wallet. Here's hoping you take this feedback seriously and step up your game because right now, it's not a good look. Frustrated and fed up, Bert
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteZürich to Tokyo Haneda via London
Date FlownJuly 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Wifi & Connectivity 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

"Service level far worse then Ryanair"

(Germany)

Trip Verified | 4 Hours before takeoff we received a Mail stating a cryptic message that there are disruptions to be expected as there is a limit on how many planes can leave at the same time. So did the capacity of the Heathrow Airport really hit British Airways by surprise, 4h before departure? Anyhow - we took the one hour delay so what - but then we have been forced to check in our Hand luggage. I travel only with hand luggage to avoid waiting for the ultra slow processing of the checked in luggage. Overall 2h later at home than planed, with really no reason, just due to incompetent people. Service level far worse then Ryanair and triple the price. Really never again. Thanks for nothing.
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteLondon to Stuttgart
Date FlownNovember 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
3/10

"do not upgrade members based on status"

(United States)

Trip Verified | I recently had a delay on British Airways from BRU to LHR that was due to staff shortages. They announced that there was a 2 hour holding delay but they would board us immediately in hopes of clearing the gate and leaving early. We had to wait the full 2 hours inside the airplane. The plane was old, dirty, had no power at the seats. The staff provided a small bag of pretzels and 250ml of water to the passengers for 2 hour delay and 2 hour flight. There were no options to purchase food or drink. There were no entertainment options available. I am a OneWorld emerald elite member but they do not upgrade members based on status. First class lounges at Heathrow are overcrowded, understaffed and poorly equipped. The help desk is completely unhelpful when an error arises with delays and cancellations - even when having the top status. The Avios points system has been devalued to near worthlessness and requires fees to book reward that nearly equal the price of the revenue ticket. British has lost its way in recent years and has a moved from a world-class airline to a budget airline with much worse service and timeliness than Ryanair or EasyJet.
AircraftA320
Type Of TravellerBusiness
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteBrussels to London
Date FlownNovember 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Wifi & Connectivity 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

"Absolutely hopeless airline"

(Australia)

Trip Verified | 5 days before the flight, we were advised by BA that it had been cancelled and asked us to rebook. There were flights 1 hour before and 1 hour after our original flight but they made us take one 3 hours earlier. Our original ticket (and the return flight a week later) included a checked bag. When we arrive at Heathrow to check in we are told our ticket doesn't included a bag and we will have to pay 75 pounds each to take them. We explained that the original ticket had the bags and when they checked the system they confirmed that it did- but not this one! They would make no effort to sort it out and just told us to pay up or they would remove us from the flight. So we had no choice but to pay up, thinking it should be pretty easy to get a refund. 15 months and 10 emails later we have still not seen a penny. Every time I ask where my refund is and state how long we have been waiting I get an inane email saying some departments take longer than others to respond! Absolutely hopeless airline to stuff up the booking in the first place and even worse customer service to not even attempt to solve the problem at check in even when they could see the mistake THEY had made in their system, compounded by being be unable to investigate a very simple claim, and refund me 150 pounds in 15 months.
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteLondon to Dublin
Date FlownDecember 2022
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

"Customer Service is non existent"

(United States)

Not Verified | We traveled to Lisbon for our dream vacation, a cruise to Portugal and Spain. Our friends did not EVER get their luggage. It was a two week cruise. Two weeks without a change of clothes or her CPAP machine. Contacting customer service was a nightmare. We never talked to a real person. Very little effort was put into getting them their bags. In one port we were on the ship and the bags were at the airport. The airlines did not deliver the bags nor did they tell our friends that they needed to go get them. The airline couldn’t be bothered to take the bags from the airport to the ship. BA says it is their policy to get you your bags within 72 hours. That is a joke! It’s been over two weeks and they still don’t have them. They are back home in the US and last they heard the bags were in Lisbon! If your have a choice, do not fly British Airways. Customer Service is non existent!
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteLondon to Lisbon
Date FlownNovember 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Wifi & Connectivity 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