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BA tempts top passengers with free ride in a black cab
Jonathan Prynn14.05.09
British Airways is to lay on free London black cabs for passengers living within 100 miles of Heathrow.
Long-haul flyers in Club or First class will be entitled to a taxi from their home or office to the airport and will be picked up again on their return.
The perk, which has never been offered before by BA, starts on Monday. Its three-month trial comes after a grim winter for BA in which First and Club class bookings, which provide much of its profits, have plummeted by 15 per cent.
The launch of the service also comes days before BA's chief executive Willie Walsh is expected to announce a loss of about £225million for the year to the end of March.
Several other airlines provide a chauffeur service for premium passengers but this is thought to be the first time that a fleet of black cabs has been used.
Richard Tams, BA's head of sales for the UK and Ireland, said: “There is no better way to travel to and from Heathrow than in a black cab. You can use the M4 bus lane to beat the traffic queues and you have the most knowledgeable drivers in London at your service.”
The service will not be available on some heavily discounted fares or on routes within Europe.
BA has teamed up with Computer Cab, which has allocated a fleet of 3,000 cabs, and the bill is likely to run to several millions of pounds. A typical Boeing 747 has 85 seats in the business and first class cabins. A typical one-way black cab fare to the City from Heathrow, a 17-mile journey, is £65 and to Sevenoaks, or 52 miles, it is £116.
BA's rival Virgin Atlantic has always offered a chauffeured car service for Upper Class passengers within 75 miles of Heathrow or Gatwick. BMI lays on a chauffeured car up to 50 miles from Heathrow and Emirates a 50-mile range for business class passengers and unlimited radius for First Class.
It is the latest initiative by BA to refill its emptying “premium” cabins. Over the May Bank Holiday weekend it held a two-for-one sale of Club class seats.
In the last edition of internal newspaper British Airways News, finance director Keith Williams said BA faced “a far bigger revenue crisis than 9/11”.
Reader views (21)
Virgin do not have a limit on distance. They will pick up/drop off anywhere in the UK and they do the same at the other side. So, you get four limo's with a business class ticket.
I fear BA still have some catching up to do..!
- Mike, Colchester
For those who bemoan the fact they are not getting a service as lower paying passengers perhaps they should consider the fact tthat the average Business and First class fare is between 6 and 10 times waht they pay. For those still moaning in Sipson..You knoew you were moving in next to an Airport ...Get over it!!! And for those who love chauffeurs over taxis..The industry thansk and appluds you for the support. You try shifting 8 Bags and 4 passengers to cruise port in a taxi or via the train system.
- Central Chauffeur, London UK
It's amazing that the climate change fanatics even have to jump on a story like this one! How do you think these people travel to the airport currently -walk/train/bicycle? I don't think so.
Give us a break from your preaching......
Well done BA - finally!
- Chris, St Albans
Its alright if you can afford club or first class, I can't. Again the poorer end gets nothing again.
Its about time these offers included the lower class of traveller.
Maybe we poorer ones can get pillion on a motorbike!!
- C Cusano, Bedford
Thanks Willie for doing your bit for the No Third Runway campaign. BAA always says that it's not the aircraft causing the pollution it's the road traffic. Keeping pollution levels high by increasing road traffic (one fat cat per cab) with ensure that targets can't be met and a runway won't get permission. Guess Willie has realised that all his mates in the Government are facing the sack so what the hell.
- Save Sipson, Harlington, England
Virgin have been doing this for years. Its a no brainer. I can't believe BA are so slow to follow suit ...when sort of (I know I'd rather be in the back of a new chauffer driven volvo than a black cab)
- Alex, London, UK
It might be cheaper in a merc but i hope you know the driver of the merc e class is earning just above the minimum wage,but that's ok for some who are still only looking at the surface,if it's cheaper than a black cab there is a short cut in the pricing and its not going to the car hire driver
- Jonnie Of Brixton, brixton,london,england
Have just checked ba.com/taxi and it looks as though they're using Black Cab AND Exec Cars based on your postcode dependant. So the comments re longer journeys needed worry about being uncomfortable. Sounds like a great idea.
- Sam, london
How irresponsible of BA - encouraging traffic on the roads to congest up London and increasing carbon footprint. I travel regularly and almost always use public transport - I find older colleagues still feel they deserve the perk and don't consider the environment. Judging by my experience on their flights (WHAT is that food? how rude are the staff?) and a phone call yesterday where one of their 'offers' was actually unavailable (as usual)and the operator had a real attitude, it's customer service they need to fix first.
- Rob A, London
Heathrow to Sevenoaks in a black cab..er..no thanks! Give me an E Class Mercedes please every time. It is considerably more comfortable and, Mr Walsh, an E Class Mercedes or similar car service is roughly 1/2 the price of a black cab. With a loss of £225m last year I thought you would need to be saving money! Please ask Mr Tams to explain the logic behind his decision..!
- Bob, London, UK
I will be comeing in from Milan for my trip home to Australia,will they discount the taxi fare from the cost of the ticket?
- David Nigel Braham, Milan Italy
Black cabs are perfectly fine, why a limo, just to make people feel important when they are not? They only get it because their bosses pay for it but when they go on hols it's back to the old chater airline... As for BA, best cabin crew of any airline (and I have flown with many airlines). Michael of Southampton is also right, the Club World cabin (but not Club Europe!) is excellent though the first class cabin is in dire need of a revamp, as soon as you can BA please!
- Fanfan La Tulipe, London
I don't think it's fair to say BA is outdated just because it doesn't offer chauffered cars. The likes Of Virgin Atlantic, Qatar etc are so much smaller than BA so they are able to offer this service. I would rather have the schedules and frequencies that BA offer.
These other airlines offer this service as a way to tempt customers away from British Airways' excellent Club World cabins and lounges. I fly Club World often and it's the most comfortable seat/bed of all the airlines.
- Michael, Southampton, Hampshire
I wonder if they've thought of sending a publicity mail shot to Westminster.
There must be scores of MPs, currently planning to flee the country, who would jump at the chance of a final freebie!
- Dave, Cumbria
Virgin use range rovers for their service ... somewhat more comfortable than a black cab.
- Matthew, london
I always use a black cab to and from Heathrow and have never been let down, cant say the same about several car services I tried.
- Les, St Johns wood
The black cabs are for London journeys as they're able to take advantage of the bus and taxi lanes, particularly the one on the M4 which allows them faster access to Heathrow. Executive cars will be offered to customers on longer journeys.
- Amanda, Ba, London, UK
BA is such an out dated airline compared to the likes of Emirates, Virgin, Qatar airways etc. Who have been offering Chauffered cars for some time now... and the quality of the onboard facilities are not ways as good as other airlines if i go first class with Emirates i get my own suite.. pure luxury! But to be fair the new BA T5 lounges are exceptional.
- Rob, Farnham, Surrey
15yrs behind Virgin and I agree with others that I'd rather travel in an executive saloon (what happened to the Virgin Range Rovers?) than a black cab. A sat-nav and comfort trumps a surly, noisy cab any time.
- Mark, London
100 miles in a black cab? Best leave 3 days to get to Heathrow and take a mask for the fumes. NO THANKS.
- Richard, Cambridge
Black cabs are uncomfortable on the motorway. I'd prefer a Merc. On expenses. Thanks.
- Banker-W*Nker, The City (where else?!)
