BRITISH AIRWAYS AND A JUMBO PILE OF NONSENSE

BA is very proud of its in-flight entertainment package, now replete with choices covering the latest films, television series, music channels — you name it. So on a recent 12- hour flight, having finished the book I took on board, I decided to try the airline’s much-vaunted ‘personalised’ entertainment system.

It didn’t work. The remote control that operated it was stuck in its socket and could not be extracted. The air hostess tried mightily — I thought she might burst a blood vessel, she struggled so hard — but without luck.

And, as the flight was full, there was no alternative seat. So, at the hostess’s suggestion, I filled out a complaint form. Soon afterwards I received an email from BA customer relations, offering a voucher of £20 towards any future flight I might take with them.

I wrote back, pointing out that given the claims it makes for the quality of its ‘in-flight entertainment package’ and the great length of the flight, this was not much by way of recompense: I suggested they send a larger payment — not a voucher — to a charity either of their or my choice. To my amazement, the woman from customer relations department responded that the figure of £20 ‘is a set limit under EU regulations, which means I’m unable to increase our offer’.

I wrote back to ask for the text of the specific EU regulation, expressing doubt that it would be ‘£20’ as the Euro is the official EU currency.

The reply was 100% cut-and-paste guff: ‘I’m sorry to disappoint you. We know that incidents like this are always unpleasant and really appreciate the points you’ve raised.

‘We know that little details do count and we’re always aiming to provide the best customer service we can.’

When I replied that she hadn’t actually given me the details of the ‘EU regulation’ allegedly limiting recompense to a £20 voucher, I got no further response.

Exasperated, I emailed the BA press office, to see if it could supply the text of this ‘EU regulation’.

Only then was the truth revealed: there is no such EU regulation. It was all complete nonsense.

I then got an email from someone higher up in the Customer Relations department, saying that his colleague had ‘ made a genuine mistake’. But the £20 voucher was still the maximum they would offer.

If we ever do leave the EU, then BA will have to come up with a different ‘genuine mistake’ to justify their policy.