BAA and Rip Off Britain - airport prices higher than High Street

I have been complaining for years about BAAs advertising prices being
the same as in the High Street. Which High Street? Certainly not the
ones I shopin. The prices at BAA shops are way ABOVE High Street
prices. Even their Duty Free / Tax Free are above the normal High
Street prices. Its about time BAA was taken to court for misleading
the public. The wholly owned Spanish BAA is one of the worst of 'Rip
Off Britain.'

The Times has a major article about the rip off scams that BAA are
allegedly pulling at every airport it owns. See:

http://travel.timesonline.co.uk/tol/...cle2344055.ece

Millions misled over airport pricesBen Webster, Transport
Correspondent

BAA, the airport operator, has misled millions of passengers about
prices at shops and bars in its terminals, according to the
advertising watchdog.

It has been forced to withdraw leaflets claiming that passengers are
paying the same prices as in their local high street.

The Advertising Standards Authority upheld a complaint against the
leaflets after finding that prices at airports were substantially
higher. It found that passengers paid the same as at outlets in the
City of London and the West End, where rents mean retail prices are
the highest in the country.

A glass of house wine at a bar at Heathrow, Gatwick or Stansted cost
40 per cent more than in bars run by the same company in regional
towns and cities. BAA makes almost half its revenue from retailing and
has frequently been accused of focusing so heavily on maximising
income from shops that it neglects airport facilities and fails to
tackle the causes of delays.

One BAA leaflet, entitled Guide to Stansted Airport, stated: "The
price of all food and drink sold in BAA airports is matched with the
UK high street, so you won't pay a penny more than you' re used to."

The leaflet listed airport food and drink outlets. A second leaflet,
entitled Taste, stated: "Don't forget, our caterers are committed to
matching the price of all the food and drink they sell within their
airport stores against their high street equivalents." BAA told the
ASA that it had contracts with retailers which demanded price parity
with the high street. It claimed that prices at each airport were
compared with the local high street, or, in cases where the retailer
did not have a branch on that high street, with the nearest outlet.

snip ...

CJB.

"CJB" wrote in message
ups.com...
I have been complaining for years about BAAs advertising prices being
the same as in the High Street. Which High Street? Certainly not the
ones I shopin. The prices at BAA shops are way ABOVE High Street
prices. Even their Duty Free / Tax Free are above the normal High
Street prices. Its about time BAA was taken to court for misleading
the public. The wholly owned Spanish BAA is one of the worst of 'Rip
Off Britain.'

Whilst I can see that this leaflet is misleading I think that it
is unfair to suggest that the prices charged are a rip-off.

The problem with the leaflet is that it says the prices are the
same as in *your* high street when in fact the prices charged
are the same as the ones charged (in the same store) in
London branches. I don't see the problem with this, LHR is,
in fact, in London.

It should be remembered that before this campaign (which
is many years old and predates Ferrovia buying BAA by a
long way), it used to be significantly more expensive to buy
things in the airport that outside with the franchised food
stores in particular charging up to twice the price.

tim

In message , at 11:03:09 on Sun, 2
Sep 2007, tim..... remarked:
The problem with the leaflet is that it says the prices are the
same as in *your* high street when in fact the prices charged
are the same as the ones charged (in the same store) in
London branches. I don't see the problem with this, LHR is,
in fact, in London.

It's in Hounslow, which is a long way from the West End. The nearest
"real" High Street is probably in Slough.
--
Roland Perry

"CJB" wrote in message
ups.com...
I have been complaining for years about BAAs advertising prices being
the same as in the High Street. Which High Street? Certainly not the
ones I shopin. The prices at BAA shops are way ABOVE High Street
prices. Even their Duty Free / Tax Free are above the normal High
Street prices. Its about time BAA was taken to court for misleading
the public. The wholly owned Spanish BAA is one of the worst of 'Rip
Off Britain.'

Two points.

1. The Costa Coffee places at Heathrow charge exactly the same as they do
anywhere else in the UK.

2. £16 for two litres of premium brand booze isn't a bad price.

3. What idiot eats meals or drinks pints of beer at airport restaurants?

--
William Black


I've seen things you people wouldn't believe.
Barbeques on fire by the chalets past the castle headland
I watched the gift shops glitter in the darkness off the Newborough gate
All these moments will be lost in time, like icecream on the beach
Time for tea.

In message . com, at
02:43:40 on Sun, 2 Sep 2007, CJB remarked:
One BAA leaflet, entitled Guide to Stansted Airport, stated: "The
price of all food and drink sold in BAA airports is matched with the
UK high street, so you won't pay a penny more than you' re used to."

The leaflet listed airport food and drink outlets. A second leaflet,
entitled Taste, stated: "Don't forget, our caterers are committed to
matching the price of all the food and drink they sell within their
airport stores against their high street equivalents." BAA told the
ASA that it had contracts with retailers which demanded price parity
with the high street. It claimed that prices at each airport were
compared with the local high street, or, in cases where the retailer
did not have a branch on that high street, with the nearest outlet.

Luton Airport (yes, I know it's not BAA, but I'm pretty sure the retail
outlets have a consistent policy across airports): £3.10 for a pint of
lager landside, £2.90 airside [is there VAT on beer, and would that
account for the difference?]. Is that the price in a pub in Luton (can
anyone comment?)
--
Roland Perry

In message , at 12:13:10 on Sun,
2 Sep 2007, William Black remarked:

3. What idiot eats meals or drinks pints of beer at airport restaurants?

One who is in the middle of a long journey, and doesn't want to venture
outside the airport instead. Can you name the closest cheaper place, if
I was travelling through Heathrow or Gatwick?
--
Roland Perry

Roland Perry wrote:

In message . com, at
02:43:40 on Sun, 2 Sep 2007, CJB remarked:
[]
The leaflet listed airport food and drink outlets. A second leaflet,
entitled Taste, stated: "Don't forget, our caterers are committed to
matching the price of all the food and drink they sell within their
airport stores against their high street equivalents." BAA told the
ASA that it had contracts with retailers which demanded price parity
with the high street. It claimed that prices at each airport were
compared with the local high street, or, in cases where the retailer
did not have a branch on that high street, with the nearest outlet.

Luton Airport (yes, I know it's not BAA, but I'm pretty sure the retail
outlets have a consistent policy across airports): £3.10 for a pint of
lager landside, £2.90 airside [is there VAT on beer, and would that
account for the difference?]. Is that the price in a pub in Luton (can
anyone comment?)

Comparing the landside Wetherspoons at Liverpool John Lennon to central
Liverpool would be a good idea too. (Some bitters and lagers can be
bought for around £1.50 at Wetherspoons outside London.) Haven't been to
it, though I have been to the airside bar- don't know who runs it. It's
definitely more expensive than what I'd expect to pay on the street, but
not by a large margin. Also, it's bright, has lots of seats and tables,
and good service, which frankly, I'd hold in much higher regard in an
airport waiting lounge than whether or not the price was the same as on
the high street. I don't think bright and airy is an adjective that I
could apply to much of Heathrow...

--
(*) ... of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate
http://www.davidhorne.net - real address on website
"He cant be as stupid as he looks, but nevertheless he probably
is quite a stupid man." Richard Dawkins on Pres. Bush"

"William Black" wrote in message
...

"CJB" wrote in message
ups.com...
I have been complaining for years about BAAs advertising prices being
the same as in the High Street. Which High Street? Certainly not the
ones I shopin. The prices at BAA shops are way ABOVE High Street
prices. Even their Duty Free / Tax Free are above the normal High
Street prices. Its about time BAA was taken to court for misleading
the public. The wholly owned Spanish BAA is one of the worst of 'Rip
Off Britain.'

Two points.

1. The Costa Coffee places at Heathrow charge exactly the same as they do
anywhere else in the UK.

2. £16 for two litres of premium brand booze isn't a bad price.

3. What idiot eats meals or drinks pints of beer at airport restaurants?



I have had to eat several times at LHR, Airside, when my connecting flight
has been significantly delayed.

And, btw, your sig is becoming incredibly tedious!
--

JohnT

William Black wrote:

"CJB" wrote in message
ups.com...
I have been complaining for years about BAAs advertising prices being
the same as in the High Street. Which High Street? Certainly not the
ones I shopin. The prices at BAA shops are way ABOVE High Street
prices. Even their Duty Free / Tax Free are above the normal High
Street prices. Its about time BAA was taken to court for misleading
the public. The wholly owned Spanish BAA is one of the worst of 'Rip
Off Britain.'

Two points.

1. The Costa Coffee places at Heathrow charge exactly the same as they do
anywhere else in the UK.

2. £16 for two litres of premium brand booze isn't a bad price.

3. What idiot eats meals or drinks pints of beer at airport restaurants?

Isn't that three points?

How much do you fly? I will frequently have to leave home at 2 or 3 in
the afternoon, and not arrive at my destination until 10 or 11. That's
including the time from actually leaving my front door to arriving at my
hotel etc. at the final destination. If I want a hot meal in the
evening, eating at the airport makes perfect sense to me. Last time was
last week, before leaving for Alghero, and I ate at the airport- roast
chicken and rice. Wasn't bad, and cost £6. A plate of spaghetti in
Alghero can cost around the same, but in any case, I didn't want to wait
until 10.30pm to eat, and my partner would have refused to do so.

The flight back didn't leave until 10.10pm, so we were able to have an
early dinner in Alghero itself, once we found somewhere that would
servce before 7.30pm that was!

I simply don't mind the extra cost of coffee, food, or a drink at an
airport. I'm more concerned that I can buy something to eat or drink at
the airport, and get a seat to enjoy it in without much difficulty. In
_this_ respect, the airports I use most in the UK (Liverpool and
Manchester, neither BAA of course) do pretty well.

--
(*) ... of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate
http://www.davidhorne.net - real address on website
"He cant be as stupid as he looks, but nevertheless he probably
is quite a stupid man." Richard Dawkins on Pres. Bush"

horne answering someone else than evleth
oooooh !!!!

"David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*)" a écrit dans le
message de ...
Roland Perry wrote:

In message . com, at
02:43:40 on Sun, 2 Sep 2007, CJB remarked:
[]
The leaflet listed airport food and drink outlets. A second leaflet,
entitled Taste, stated: "Don't forget, our caterers are committed to
matching the price of all the food and drink they sell within their
airport stores against their high street equivalents." BAA told the
ASA that it had contracts with retailers which demanded price parity
with the high street. It claimed that prices at each airport were
compared with the local high street, or, in cases where the retailer
did not have a branch on that high street, with the nearest outlet.

Luton Airport (yes, I know it's not BAA, but I'm pretty sure the retail
outlets have a consistent policy across airports): £3.10 for a pint of
lager landside, £2.90 airside [is there VAT on beer, and would that
account for the difference?]. Is that the price in a pub in Luton (can
anyone comment?)

Comparing the landside Wetherspoons at Liverpool John Lennon to central
Liverpool would be a good idea too. (Some bitters and lagers can be
bought for around £1.50 at Wetherspoons outside London.) Haven't been to
it, though I have been to the airside bar- don't know who runs it. It's
definitely more expensive than what I'd expect to pay on the street, but
not by a large margin. Also, it's bright, has lots of seats and tables,
and good service, which frankly, I'd hold in much higher regard in an
airport waiting lounge than whether or not the price was the same as on
the high street. I don't think bright and airy is an adjective that I
could apply to much of Heathrow...

--
(*) ... of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate
http://www.davidhorne.net - real address on website
"He cant be as stupid as he looks, but nevertheless he probably
is quite a stupid man." Richard Dawkins on Pres. Bush"