Few things in travel rival the panic of knowing your connecting flight is in serious jeopardy. The non refundable hotel reservations, lost time at your destination and fear of being bumped off of future flights kicks in – and it’s not fun. After a series of trials, British Airways are expanding their tight connection service, improving passengers odds of making it to their destination on time, er at least close.
Months back, British Airways trialled private Jaguar sedan transfers, usually reserved for VIP flyers for passengers with extremely tight connections from a domestic flight to international. After extremely positive feedback, the trials will expand to international connections, connecting onward to long haul. For example, if you’re flying in from Oslo to London and are in danger of missing a long haul flight, a representative may be waiting for you with a clipboard to usher you into a waiting Jaguar to the plane. Some might say this is reason enough to schedule a terrible connection.
If your fears come true, and you miss a connection, British Airways is now offering some relief. Agents will be waiting at gates for passengers with missed connections, with new boarding pass in hand. Accommodation vouchers will also be distributed, as necessary. This saves valuable time and effort in getting rebooked, allowing the passenger to carry on without hassle, despite the delay. With weather increasingly unpredictable, this is a valuable move to help improve the customer experience. If executed, it’s a winner.
Some flights require a “remote stand”, which is a parking space not attached to the terminal. In these occasions, British Airways will now offer a first class only bus, creating an extreme sense of smarminess for first class passengers. It’s a great move to protect the value and and prestige of first class, while appealing to first class passengers. We’re sure the others won’t mind – just kidding, of course they will. But hey, you buy first class – you get the treatment.
