Customer call centre issues have been highlighted as the top priority to resolve by the boss of British Airways.
Chief executive Sean Doyle admitted waiting times had increased in the face of constantly changing and complicated travel restrictions during the pandemic.
Writing to the airline’s Executive Club members, he said: “To be frank, we’ve been moving from one set of restrictions to another and the amount of change we’ve been dealing with over the past couple of years from week to week has been relentless.
“I’m not seeking to make excuses for things that should have gone better. What I am doing is making a personal commitment to you that we will build a better British Airways. An airline you can trust and rely on and that offers great customer service, with someone always available to help.”
He added: “My number one priority is to address the customer call centre issues many of you have experienced and may still be experiencing.
“In the face of constantly changing and complicated travel restrictions the length of time it’s taking us to take calls has naturally been longer, which has pushed up our waiting times.
“We are mid-way through replacing our phone systems to create a better customer experience and are also already recruiting more people to ensure your calls are answered, social media messages are responded to and problems are solved in the moment, wherever possible.
“I know that change won’t happen overnight, but this week I have briefed teams across the airline to do all they need to, to tackle the issues we know you’re facing so we don’t let you down.”
For example, the airline’s operations teams are working on a new baggage tracing system, allowing passengers to track bags via mobile phones throughout their journey.
Discussing service levels, he added: “You’ve also told us you appreciate the complimentary water and snacks we’ve been offering on short-haul flights in our Euro Traveller cabin, so we’ll be continuing with these too. In addition, we’re working hard to improve the quality of the meals and choices we serve across all cabins and rolling out our Club Suite on as many aircraft as we can, as quickly as we can.”
Doyle said he was writing directly to the airline’s most loyal customers in the “spirit of transparency, which is the ethos we’re striving to promote at British Airways in 2022 as we emerge from the worst crisis in our 102-year history”.
“We know that for many months now we’ve been asking you to be patient with us. Patient while we bring multiple aircraft back from airfields around the world. Patient while we rebuild our network, retrain and recruit people to serve you better, and patient while we deal with the thousands of customers that need our help,” he said.
“We know change starts from within. Our teams across the airline have been through a lot, and I am looking at what we need to do to recognise and reward the people we know make a difference to your journey, and ensure they have everything they need to feel empowered to do the right thing by you every single day.
“For me, 2022 is the year we’re finally able to rebuild and re-energise our airline. After the recent news from the UK government around the removal of restrictions, it’s time to get Britain moving again.”