After a tough year that saw its cancellation rate soar, British Airways faces pressure to improve operations just as summer travel begins.
Cirium, a company that provides aviation analytics, has found that the airline cancelled 4,033 flights out of UK airports in the last year. This is nearly twice as many as its low-cost competitor, easyJet. This is a staggering 2.3 percent of the airline’s flights to the UK. That’s well above the average industry of 1.4 percent.
Chris Tarry, a consultant in the aviation industry, said that “BA still suffers from years of cost-cutting”. “In my opinion, BA has a lot of work to do. Once you lose a client it is difficult to get them back.”
These figures show how BA’s creaking technologies, operational complexity, and its exposure to London Heathrow Airport, which is operating at full capacity, has combined to put the airline under stress as millions of holidaymakers prepare for their summer vacations.
In late June, a “temporary fault” in BA’s baggage system, the latest of many glitches, caused major disruptions to passengers. Some planes were delayed, while others took off without luggage, and some passengers waited hours for their bags.
“Undoubtedly, the operation is BA’s Achilles’ heel. John Strickland is an aviation consultant and a former BA executive. He said that they are a premium carrier and have historically been an airline with exemplary reliability. He added that the target for cancelled flight should be 1% or less.
BA is not the only airline to suffer from problems, such as serious delays and cancellations due to air traffic control issues. Wizz Air had to drastically reduce its schedules due to engine problems on many of their aircraft. Lufthansa, a German airline, has also been affected by strikes.
But BA has been the target of criticism for years: the cost-cutting measures taken before the pandemic – including the elimination of free food and drinks in economy for shorter flights – were partially reversed by the current CEO Sean Doyle. This led to accusations that BA had lost its reputation as a brand offering a premium service.
Doyle’s priority has been to rebuild the airline’s image since he assumed the role at the height the Covid-19 pandemic, in late 2020. However, the operation is struggling amid the soaring travel demand.
IAG, the company that owns BA, as well as Iberia, Aer Lingus and other airlines, is supportive but also acknowledges that BA has to work hard to improve its image.
The UK’s aviation regulator received 10 percent more complaints in the first quarter of this year than they did in 2023, according to the latest available data. This airline ranked second in the number of complaints from passengers after Ryanair, a low-cost carrier.
There are many things BA can do [to transform its image]. “But they take time and there is not much,” said a former senior BA executive.
IAG has committed to spending £7bn over the next three years on BA, which includes new aircraft. The carrier’s vast operations complicate the recovery program.
The airline flies Boeing and Airbus aircraft for both short- and long-haul routes. The schedules all converge on Heathrow Airport in London, which is one of the most congested and busy airports in the world. Even BA’s competitors agree that delays can be difficult to recover from if they spiral out of control.
Although the relationship with the staff has been reset by Doyle and new people hired to replace those who were cut during the pandemic; executives admit that BA also lost an important mass of senior managers due to the pandemic.
Maintenance has also been complicated by supply chain issues in the aviation industry.
The problems at BA are striking, as IAG is raking in record profits during a travel boom following the pandemic.
“BA has been IAG’s main profit engine for years. . . “They are now playing catch up because they haven’t made any investments yet,” Tarry said.
Doyle says that the recovery of IAG’s investment grade rating has allowed for significant investments to be made in BA.
BA has already implemented a new model of operation at Heathrow. This includes hiring 350 new staff on the frontline, changing management reporting structures and upgrading technology behind-the-scenes, from baggage scanners to IT.
Flyers have been promised a new website and app, as well as major upgrades in lounges and cabins to enhance the passenger experience.
Luis Gallego, IAG’s CEO, said: “We are putting a lot of effort into improving operations. Things are improving.” “If you are going to be the best airline, you have to offer the best service to your customers”.
BA’s bosses highlight recent improvements in operational efficiency. Last year, only 60 percent of flights arrived or departed within 15 minutes. After the Heathrow changes, this improved to 80 percent of flights in the spring. The data on punctuality does not include cancellations.
BA’s on-time performance is better than that of its direct competitors, Air France KLM and Lufthansa, at Heathrow, their hub airports.
The executives also said that internal metrics show that passengers who fly in the cabins are satisfied. The upgrades aren’t expected to be completed until 2026. This leaves many unhappy flyers with a inconsistent product.
Paul Lucas, frequent flyer, airline reviewer, and YouTube star who makes between 40 to 50 BA trips per year, thinks some recent criticism of BA has been exaggerated.
“I believe that when you speak to British people, it’s a case where familiarity breeds contempt. Everyone thinks their own airline is the worst, barring the Gulf carriers.
Gallego had hoped that BA would be the “best” airline. But Gallego only rated BA as “roughly midtable”.
Lucas said, “It’s always tolerable.”
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