Customers Commend BA's Efforts at Eliminating Stress of Traveling with Children

For most parents, travelling with children can be a major headache. But not so for British Airways customers who have benefitted immensely from the measures the airline has put in place to improve the comfort and travelling experience of passengers travelling with children, as well as kids travelling alone.

From Lagos to Istanbul, Cape Town to Hong Kong, Cairo to London, it's been the same case of satisfied customers stepping off from aircrafts with warm smiles on their faces, and commendations for the airline. For one parent, Lolade Bamidele, a UK-based Nigerian businesswoman, what impresses her most is the care and dedication of British Airways' cabin crew to her three-year old daughter during flights between Lagos and London.

Bamidele who has been travelling on British Airways with her daughter since she was two months old, recalled a particular flight when she was really tired, and her baby couldn't stop crying. One of the cabin crew took the baby from her to give her some well-deserved break.

Another customer, Mrs. Tolu Pinheiro, CEO of Lifestyle Collectables, spoke in the same vein, and commended BA's crew assigned to its World Traveller Plus cabin, describing them as 'fantastic.' Her very words: 'I flew from London to Lagos on BA75 flight May 17, and I would like to commend British Airways on the fantastic crew assigned to the World Traveller Plus cabin. The entire team was fantastic; the service for me was first class treatment. After take-off, the entire staff was so polite, pleasant and happy to serve.'

However, what impressed her most was the crew's attention to a passenger traveling with two young children. When the passenger could not cope with the responsibilities, she narrated, one of the crew members came to her rescue by carrying her baby, while she took her other child to the bathroom. 'This really impressed me, and I shared my observation with a friend who was also traveling, and she confirmed on the quality of service,' she said.

British Airways Country Manager, Kola Olayinka said the airline has over the years put in place measures to improve the comfort and travelling experience of its customers travelling with children, as well as for kids travelling alone.  These measures, he said, are part of its drive to deliver excellent services to its customers, and include making sure that its cabin crew add a personal touch to their skills by taking extra interest in the welfare of children and their parents and guardians on every flight.

Olayinka said that over the years, British Airways has come to recognise that when customers travel with their families, they expect some form of extra help, from planning the trip to actually taking it. Being an airline that is highly attuned to family's requirements, he said, BA always obliges, giving them relevant tips on travelling with children.

He disclosed that the airline also has special arrangements for parents who wish to book their children to travel in a different cabin on the same flight, with no special booking procedure required.

For children travelling alone, he said that BA has appointed designated staff who will host the child throughout their journey, until they are collected by the nominated adult at the arriving airport, or by the transferring airline if applicable. BA also has dedicated lounges for children travelling alone at London Heathrow and Gatwick airports, where they will be cared for until they board their flights.

Infants are also not left out of these special packages. Olayinka said the airline has specially designed carrycots so that infants can sleep on board, which is particularly useful for longhaul flights. It also supplies an on-board infant seat that attaches to the carrycot positions.

The parents also need not worry about what meals their children eat on board. 'We have created a tasty range of children's meals that are both healthy and delicious. Our Kids' Council has advised us what they enjoy eating, and we've developed these dishes to satisfy their sense of fun as well as their hunger,' he said. 'Our 'Feed Kids First' policy also means that you can make sure that your little ones are happy before enjoying your own meal in peace,' he added.

'British Airways will continue in its quest to improve on its unparalleled, top notch service not only to its adult Nigerian customers, but also to the children, knowing that our customers' children are potential future gold card members,' he said. The airline, he said, has always been noted for paying more attention to the well-being and comfort of its customers than the average airline by offering them quality services before, during, and after their flights.