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https://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi Main Forum >> Geographical Numbers Chat >> BA made a quick 50p https://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1128688992 Message started by Tanllan on Oct 7^th, 2005 at 1:43pm

Title: BA made a quick 50p
Post by Tanllan on Oct 7^th, 2005 at 1:43pm

BA made a quick 50p out of me - and how many others? This is the Letter Editor's title for a letter published in today's FT (Friday 7 Oct), but sadly not yet available in FT.com.
The letter is from a Birmingham professor, who mentions the volumes of calls and also the implicit incentives to prolong 087X calls. From the University of Birmingham's Department of Economics...
Keep up the good work :)

Title: Re: BA made a quick 50p
Post by idb on Oct 7^th, 2005 at 1:51pm

Seems to be available now:

Source: http://news.ft.com/cms/s/801d37d6-36ce-11da-bedc-00000e2511c8.html

<<
From Prof Richard Green.

Sir, A company with an 0800 number loses money when it keeps people on hold, and would gain from Archie McKerrell's suggestion of telling people how long they had to wait (Letters October 4). Although this is likely to change soon, a company with an 0870 number has had a financial incentive to keep us hanging on as long as possible.

For example, British Airways received about 50p yesterday from my abortive attempt to contact them - a small sum individually, but they get a lot of calls . . .

Richard Green,
Department of Economics,
University of Birmingham,
Birmingham B15 2TT
>>

Title: Re: BA made a quick 50p
Post by Dave on Oct 7^th, 2005 at 1:58pm

See this page on Prof Green at University of Birmingham. One of his research interests is "The economics and regulation of the electricity supply industry and other network utilities."

Title: Re: BA made a quick 50p
Post by Gazzer on Oct 7^th, 2005 at 11:10pm

I had occasion to call BA recently to change a flight. I waited ages on their 0870 number and gave up. I then looked up the number given here on the website and got through immediately, I do mean immediately, withing 15 seconds I was speaking to a real person.

Title: Re: BA made a quick 50p
Post by Tanllan on Oct 8^th, 2005 at 12:37pm

and now in today's FT (Saturday 8 October) an excellent article - at http://news.ft.com/cms/s/0df7b3ee-371d-11da-af40-00000e2511c8.html
Keep up the pressure.

Title: Re: BA made a quick 50p
Post by dorf on Oct 8^th, 2005 at 8:03pm

But Gazzer, Ofcom claim that there is no evidence that companies or government departments keep you queuing as long as possible on Disguised Premium numbers!

Surely you must be wrong? .............Uuuuuuuug

Title: Re: BA made a quick 50p
Post by BenDToy on Oct 11^th, 2005 at 11:53pm

I am delighted to report that they made nothing from me today. I called twice, both times using the 0191 490 7901 "overseas" number. The first call took 20 minutes, the second one an unbelievable 1hr 15 mins. I don't pay for geographical calls so I saved a lot of money today! I also complained to a number of people, and was told on more than one occasion that 0870 was a "local call". I made sure that they were put right on that one.