Because for the 75,000 passengers affected by the airline’s “IT outage”, there was neither very much flying nor serving of its customers.

The meltdown may have provided rival Ryanair with a chance for social media jibes, but for affected passengers – and the travel agents through which many of them booked – the outage was no laughing matter.

Customers interviewed by news channels said it was the lack of information that jarred most because, as one TTG reader commented online, the BA fallout was “a classic case of how not to run your PR”.

Legal experts estimate the cost of BA’s technology failure could reach £150 million. But what of the cost to its reputation? A PR expert told TTG the damage would be “high”, while Ryanair attributed a “surge in bookings” over the weekend to BA’s misfortunes as customers sought flights elsewhere.

And just when it needs them most, the flag carrier can hardly rely on the trade for support. Last Friday’s news that BA plans to add £8 per GDS fare component from November will be a bitter pill to swallow for the agents and TMCs who, as the Guild of Travel Management Companies highlighted, “worked tirelessly” to support the airline’s customers over the bank holiday.

The aviation world is a fiercely competitive one. BA has now angered and frustrated its customers – and the agents that could have championed it.