Service for couples in middle CW seats

Old Jul 22, 2014, 8:14 am
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Question Service for couples in middle CW seats

I recently flew in CW with Mrs. yhm in the middle E/F seats on a 777. Our service was rigidly divided, the FA on "my" side serving me and the FA on my wife's side her only. It was kind of funny how strict this was: "her" FA wouldn't even give me an immigration form when I asked, but rather pointed to "my" FA who hadn't yet reached my seat... Meal service was out of time by the end, with the Mrs. getting her desert about ten minutes before mine was served.
No big deal really, and from doing some searching I know this is the norm for these seats, but I was wondering if it is ever done differently? Has anyone experienced a "unified" service for couples when seated in the middle?
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Old Jul 22, 2014, 8:24 am
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How busy was the flight?

Mrs Lem and I flew YYZ-LHR and there was only 12 or so in the cabin, we both got served by the same FA. On a packed DFW-LHR we had the same as you.

Emirates do the same too on the A380, but they at least keep in sync
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Old Jul 22, 2014, 8:28 am
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I think the reason is that trolleys are loaded with numbered meals and the hot course is prepared for one side. That doesnt mean there can't be flexibility though especially with things like landing cards but that would have been why meal time might have been out of sync.

I've only been involuntarily once in one of the middle seats (but was alone) so didn't really notice.

I was though last week served by c/c from both sides when I had a middle row of CE on a 767 to myself. I wasn't sat on the middle seat but firmly on the right hand side but the crew member on the left would serve me with drinks, towels etc if the other hadn't gotten to me.
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Old Jul 22, 2014, 8:41 am
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The simple answer is that BA trains their staff to be the most rigid about procedure, etc. of any airline I have flown. Its not about logic. Its about policy.
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Old Jul 22, 2014, 9:09 am
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Our policy is to try serve each aisle at the same time, many things get in the way of this happening but it is something do our best to achieve.
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Old Jul 22, 2014, 12:56 pm
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On the mercifully rare occasions we have done "777 Middles" the dividing line down the centreline of the aircraft is obvious. And so is the rationale, as CIHY and chris1979 observe.

I'm sure sts603 would prefer the CC (or would you prefer FAs?) climbing over intervening seats to serve a fellow-traveller at the same moment, regardless of the content of trolleys.
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Old Jul 22, 2014, 1:15 pm
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Originally Posted by T8191
On the mercifully rare occasions we have done "777 Middles" the dividing line down the centreline of the aircraft is obvious. And so is the rationale, as CIHY and chris1979 observe.

I'm sure sts603 would prefer the CC (or would you prefer FAs?) climbing over intervening seats to serve a fellow-traveller at the same moment, regardless of the content of trolleys.
I'm unsure if they've sorted this now as I haven't been in CW on the a380 in the past few months but the CC really struggled with the middle seat on the UD. On a few flights they seemed very confused as to which aisle I belonged to. This was largely fine as the crew were competent and would check from both sides but it did lead to a couple of things getting missed in the service.
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Old Jul 22, 2014, 1:18 pm
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Originally Posted by TabTraveller
I'm unsure if they've sorted this now as I haven't been in CW on the a380 in the past few months but the CC really struggled with the middle seat on the UD. On a few flights they seemed very confused as to which aisle I belonged to. This was largely fine as the crew were competent and would check from both sides but it did lead to a couple of things getting missed in the service.
Yeah, 4 in the middle is easy ... more complex when there are 3.

i don't want CW in a 380, Mr Walsh
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Old Jul 22, 2014, 3:58 pm
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Originally Posted by yhm71
Has anyone experienced a "unified" service for couples when seated in the middle?
݀݀Yes, as a female passenger sitting next to a complete stranger (male) In the middle on Lufthansa the FA’s kept treating us as a couple!
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Old Jul 22, 2014, 4:17 pm
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Originally Posted by darthlemsip
How busy was the flight?

Mrs Lem and I flew YYZ-LHR and there was only 12 or so in the cabin, we both got served by the same FA. On a packed DFW-LHR we had the same as you.
The flight was pretty busy, only a few empty seats. Good to know you got the service from one side!

Originally Posted by chris1979
I think the reason is that trolleys are loaded with numbered meals and the hot course is prepared for one side.
Makes sense, thanks.

Originally Posted by Can I help you
Our policy is to try serve each aisle at the same time, many things get in the way of this happening but it is something do our best to achieve.
Not complaining, just curious how it works. It was a good flight! Maybe some of the crew were new. The meal was served in a different way on each side - my whole tray was cleared after the main (along with everyone else's on my side of the plane), my wife's left in place. When they served me desert they had to go back to the galley for cutlery...

Originally Posted by h15t0r1an
݀݀Yes, as a female passenger sitting next to a complete stranger (male) In the middle on Lufthansa the FA’s kept treating us as a couple!
That's funny! Or weird and awkward.
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Old Jul 22, 2014, 4:27 pm
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Originally Posted by sts603
The simple answer is that BA trains their staff to be the most rigid about procedure, etc. of any airline I have flown. Its not about logic. Its about policy.
The training decays a lot in the real world.

So many interpretations of logic and policy. Better service is when it is more personal.
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Old Jul 22, 2014, 6:06 pm
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Which route was this on?
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Old Jul 22, 2014, 6:13 pm
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Originally Posted by Can I help you
Which route was this on?
CPT-LHR.
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Old Jul 22, 2014, 6:16 pm
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Ok, well that flight is operated by our new MF crew so it was probably because of inexperience.
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Old Jul 23, 2014, 12:39 pm
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Originally Posted by T8191

I'm sure sts603 would prefer the CC (or would you prefer FAs?) climbing over intervening seats to serve a fellow-traveller at the same moment, regardless of the content of trolleys.
When we are talking about meals, of course not. But the OP was talking about a customs form. And its absurd that the FA or CC or steward or stewardess didn't just hand the OP the form.
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