Apr 16, 2017, 1:12 pm
Last edit by: corporate-wage-slave
Club Europe Catering Guide 2017.
This thread outlines the new arrangements for Club Europe catering, introduced on Sunday 26 March 2017 and due to end on Tuesday 11 September 2018, based on 3 zones. A new Club Europe catering product is due to be launch on Wednesday 12 September 2018, and this is based on 4 bands. The main information piece - in terms of timings and the distance zones for the meals can be found in post 1. The following cross references the photos below against the matrix of options. In addition to the photos, some FTers have written extensively on their experiences so there is more to this thread than the pictures. Also note that there was an increase in food offered on some combinations shortly after the start-up, so the more recent photos may be the best place to start.The previous shorthaul catering guide, now locked but which had the previous 4 band system, is to be found here.
Numbers relate to the post number. Vegetarian means the alternative option provided as standard rather than the pre-ordered versions - which are VLML (Lacto-ovo), AVML (Asia) and VGML (Vegan) . There are differences between the offering in/out of LHR, LGW, LCY+STN. Last update: 833
-------------------------
Note posts before 1-832 are typically the April 2017 menu. 833 and above is from the menu for May 2017.
----
Chef's Chat sheets for:
CE LHR Summer 2017 - Rotation A
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/28338151-post954.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/28339641-post958.html
-----.
Short Band (UK, France, Ireland, BeNeLux, Germany)
Breakfast: 279, 570 (vegetarian), 629, 674, 821 (Express breakfast for MAN and LBA), 1343 (Vegan), 2285 (Express for LBA and MAN), 2445
Brunch: 180, 289, 469, 563, 685, 716, 2625 (AVML)
Lunch: 207, 545 (diabetic), 644 (first photo), 680 (VLML), 802, 928, 1322 (Kosher), 2284
Afternoon tea: 339, 404 (vegetarian), 480, 600 (VLML), 710 (including low lactose), 800, 882 (gluten free), 1281, 1322 (Kosher), 1673, 2679 (Kosher), 2792
Dinner: 563, 630 (VGML), 669 (Kosher Passover), 771 (VGML LCY) 799, 819 (AVML), 833 (May 2017 menu), 1283, 1287, 1674, 2446, 2616 (Kosher), 2793
Comments on difference between AVML and VLML here.
-----
Medium Band (e.g. Madrid, Nice, Prague, Copenhagen)
Breakfast: 645 (vegetarian), 724 (vegetarian), 1003
Brunch: 199 (VLML), 600 (VLML), 659 (Kosher Passover)
Lunch: 239 (child), 251, 425, 641, 733
Afternoon tea: 332 (also includes vegetarian), 426 (GFML), 813 (Muslim)
Dinner: 456, 551 (also includes VLML), 666, 1004,
1278
-----
Long Band (e.g. Lisbon, Rome, Warsaw, Stockholm).
Breakfast: 195 (vegetarian)
Rest of the day: 306 (LFML), 345, 427, 443, 468, 597, 676, 687, 695, 783 (VLML)
======
NOT MAINTAINED AND OUT OF DATE: The complete Short Haul meal structure for the longer flights as of October 2017 is:
LHR
Meal 1: Chicken / red pepper risotto
Meal 2: Beef cheek
Meal 3: Chicken supreme / gnocchi
Meal 4: Miso glazed cod
Meal 5: Chicken khao soi
Meal 6: Hot smoked salmon linguine
LGW
Meal 1: Thyme roasted chicken
Meal 2: Spicy corn and paneer masala
Meal 3: Thai Penang chicken curry
Meal 4: Roasted red pepper tortellini
Meal 5: Beef and mushroom caserole
Meal 6: Tomato and four cheeses tortellini
Structured into:
Rotation A
LHR outbound
Meal 3
Meal 4
inbound to LHR
Meal 5
Meal 6
Rotation B
LHR outbound
Meal 5
Meal 6
inbound to LHR
Meal 1
Meal 2
Rotation C
LHR outbound
Meal 1
Meal 2
inbound to LHR
Meal 3
Meal 4
===
October 2017 = Rotation C
November 2017 = Rotation A
December 2017 = Rotation B
January 2018 = Rotation C
etc
This thread outlines the new arrangements for Club Europe catering, introduced on Sunday 26 March 2017 and due to end on Tuesday 11 September 2018, based on 3 zones. A new Club Europe catering product is due to be launch on Wednesday 12 September 2018, and this is based on 4 bands. The main information piece - in terms of timings and the distance zones for the meals can be found in post 1. The following cross references the photos below against the matrix of options. In addition to the photos, some FTers have written extensively on their experiences so there is more to this thread than the pictures. Also note that there was an increase in food offered on some combinations shortly after the start-up, so the more recent photos may be the best place to start.The previous shorthaul catering guide, now locked but which had the previous 4 band system, is to be found here.
Numbers relate to the post number. Vegetarian means the alternative option provided as standard rather than the pre-ordered versions - which are VLML (Lacto-ovo), AVML (Asia) and VGML (Vegan) . There are differences between the offering in/out of LHR, LGW, LCY+STN. Last update: 833
-------------------------
Note posts before 1-832 are typically the April 2017 menu. 833 and above is from the menu for May 2017.
----
Chef's Chat sheets for:
CE LHR Summer 2017 - Rotation A
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/28338151-post954.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/28339641-post958.html
-----.
Short Band (UK, France, Ireland, BeNeLux, Germany)
Breakfast: 279, 570 (vegetarian), 629, 674, 821 (Express breakfast for MAN and LBA), 1343 (Vegan), 2285 (Express for LBA and MAN), 2445
Brunch: 180, 289, 469, 563, 685, 716, 2625 (AVML)
Lunch: 207, 545 (diabetic), 644 (first photo), 680 (VLML), 802, 928, 1322 (Kosher), 2284
Afternoon tea: 339, 404 (vegetarian), 480, 600 (VLML), 710 (including low lactose), 800, 882 (gluten free), 1281, 1322 (Kosher), 1673, 2679 (Kosher), 2792
Dinner: 563, 630 (VGML), 669 (Kosher Passover), 771 (VGML LCY) 799, 819 (AVML), 833 (May 2017 menu), 1283, 1287, 1674, 2446, 2616 (Kosher), 2793
Comments on difference between AVML and VLML here.
-----
Medium Band (e.g. Madrid, Nice, Prague, Copenhagen)
Breakfast: 645 (vegetarian), 724 (vegetarian), 1003
Brunch: 199 (VLML), 600 (VLML), 659 (Kosher Passover)
Lunch: 239 (child), 251, 425, 641, 733
Afternoon tea: 332 (also includes vegetarian), 426 (GFML), 813 (Muslim)
Dinner: 456, 551 (also includes VLML), 666, 1004,
1278
-----
Long Band (e.g. Lisbon, Rome, Warsaw, Stockholm).
Breakfast: 195 (vegetarian)
Rest of the day: 306 (LFML), 345, 427, 443, 468, 597, 676, 687, 695, 783 (VLML)
======
NOT MAINTAINED AND OUT OF DATE: The complete Short Haul meal structure for the longer flights as of October 2017 is:
LHR
Meal 1: Chicken / red pepper risotto
Meal 2: Beef cheek
Meal 3: Chicken supreme / gnocchi
Meal 4: Miso glazed cod
Meal 5: Chicken khao soi
Meal 6: Hot smoked salmon linguine
LGW
Meal 1: Thyme roasted chicken
Meal 2: Spicy corn and paneer masala
Meal 3: Thai Penang chicken curry
Meal 4: Roasted red pepper tortellini
Meal 5: Beef and mushroom caserole
Meal 6: Tomato and four cheeses tortellini
Structured into:
Rotation A
LHR outbound
Meal 3
Meal 4
inbound to LHR
Meal 5
Meal 6
Rotation B
LHR outbound
Meal 5
Meal 6
inbound to LHR
Meal 1
Meal 2
Rotation C
LHR outbound
Meal 1
Meal 2
inbound to LHR
Meal 3
Meal 4
===
October 2017 = Rotation C
November 2017 = Rotation A
December 2017 = Rotation B
January 2018 = Rotation C
etc
Club Europe catering guide
Mar 30, 2017, 4:40 am
#466
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club, easyJet and Ryanair
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: UK/Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold (GGL/CCR)
Posts: 15,924
Mar 30, 2017, 6:02 am
#468
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: WC1
Programs: BAEC Gold, SK *G, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 660
I flew from LHR to ARN last night, with a scheduled departure time of 8.05 pm. After I remarked on the bigger champagne bottle, the CSM told me that it's her first time doing the new service routine, and she encouraged me to give feedback. The gentleman in my neighbouring seat instantly piped up and said he wanted small bottles of champagne back. I managed to bite my tongue about méthode champenoise...
Drinks were indeed served out of a big bottle of Castelnau and my glass was kept topped up throughout the flight.
I was given a choice between two main courses: a chicken risotto - and another option that I can't seem to recall. The photos below are of the starter and the main. I thought the quality of both was very good, and the quantity had certainly increased since I did this leg last week.
For the ARN route, this definitely improves things, and makes the chasm between this and the fish box in SAS Plus even greater.
Drinks were indeed served out of a big bottle of Castelnau and my glass was kept topped up throughout the flight.
I was given a choice between two main courses: a chicken risotto - and another option that I can't seem to recall. The photos below are of the starter and the main. I thought the quality of both was very good, and the quantity had certainly increased since I did this leg last week.
For the ARN route, this definitely improves things, and makes the chasm between this and the fish box in SAS Plus even greater.
Mar 30, 2017, 6:20 am
#469
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Betwixt SEA and LHR
Programs: BAEC GGL/CCR, AS Gold MVP, IC RA, IHG Spire Elite, HH Diamond, Dennis The Menace Fan Club
Posts: 1,354
LHR-TXL, brunch.
Totally unacceptable as a full meal. By the time the bread came for the bread plate the 'amuse bouche' was done. The alternative was a beef panini which looked, and smelled, disgusting. Most of them were sent back and they ran out of the charcuterie plate option.
I note also that the lemon scented refreshing wipe is no longer provided either.
Totally unacceptable as a full meal. By the time the bread came for the bread plate the 'amuse bouche' was done. The alternative was a beef panini which looked, and smelled, disgusting. Most of them were sent back and they ran out of the charcuterie plate option.
I note also that the lemon scented refreshing wipe is no longer provided either.
Mar 30, 2017, 10:19 am
#470
Join Date: Dec 2009
Programs: BA Gold Guest List, Concorde Room Card, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 728
LHR-TXL, brunch.
Totally unacceptable as a full meal. By the time the bread came for the bread plate the 'amuse bouche' was done. The alternative was a beef panini which looked, and smelled, disgusting. Most of them were sent back and they ran out of the charcuterie plate option.
Totally unacceptable as a full meal. By the time the bread came for the bread plate the 'amuse bouche' was done. The alternative was a beef panini which looked, and smelled, disgusting. Most of them were sent back and they ran out of the charcuterie plate option.
Mar 30, 2017, 10:40 am
#471
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold, LH Sen, MUCCI, Junior Jet Club.
Posts: 8,101
Mar 30, 2017, 12:59 pm
#474
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Programs: BA Gold, Mucci
Posts: 2,068
Essentially it seems some of the medium flights should really be classed as long. To be fair, the long meals all look great.
The small meals on the medium and short (the opposite of the sandwich) look and do taste good, they're just too damned small to be called a meal.
Perhaps there will be tweaking to come.
The small meals on the medium and short (the opposite of the sandwich) look and do taste good, they're just too damned small to be called a meal.
Perhaps there will be tweaking to come.
Mar 30, 2017, 1:13 pm
#475
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Wedged somewhere between BTS and VIE ✈
Programs: Star Alliance Gold (A3 Gold), Oneworld Emerald (BA Gold), Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,338
Essentially it seems some of the medium flights should really be classed as long. To be fair, the long meals all look great.
The small meals on the medium and short (the opposite of the sandwich) look and do taste good, they're just too damned small to be called a meal.
The small meals on the medium and short (the opposite of the sandwich) look and do taste good, they're just too damned small to be called a meal.
The Medium banded flights that used to be Band 3's are really unsatisfactory in my opinion. They'd be much more reasonable if they replaced those miniature 'salad' concoctions (or the infamous premium panini!) with mains similar to those for the new Long banded flights. OK, Mediums possibly don't require the full works, but what they're currently getting is almost a joke.
Mar 30, 2017, 1:21 pm
#476
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: London
Programs: BA GGL, HH Diamond, IHG Spire, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 160
Essentially it seems some of the medium flights should really be classed as long. To be fair, the long meals all look great.
The small meals on the medium and short (the opposite of the sandwich) look and do taste good, they're just too damned small to be called a meal.
Perhaps there will be tweaking to come.
The small meals on the medium and short (the opposite of the sandwich) look and do taste good, they're just too damned small to be called a meal.
Perhaps there will be tweaking to come.
For me I'm personally gutted that the fruit plate from (some/all?) brekkie has gone.... If anything I'd like it to be added to other meals! That carb laden panini might look more appetizing if it was presented as a more 'balanced' offering with some fruit....
In fact on some pics I started to wonder if the 'bread plate' (sitting there with no bread as the panini had been chosen), was actually an 'I was supposed to be a fruit selection plate but then they enhanced the fruit away and now I'm just an empty plate' plate....
Looking back on articles I recall this about BOB 'BA is the first airline to offer a fresher, healthier selection of snacks and sweet treats on short-haul routes'
It seems a crying shame to me that on some of these routes the same ethos has not been applied. I agree that the long routes do look great... and I remain hopeful that maybe some sense might prevail!!!
I'm clearly an optimist!
Mar 30, 2017, 2:13 pm
#477
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: ±38,000 feet
Programs: LH HON, BA GGL, AF Plat, EK Plat
Posts: 6,428
I just called and downgraded my RFS tomorrow from CE to ET on LHr ViE route. I have no interest in a single prawn and the Dan Dan noodles I will eat before the flight in CX F lounge will have to get me through the evening.
Do we have a list of routes that are classed short vs long, e.g. If I instead fly to slightly less convenient Budapest will I be getting full dinner service in the future?
Do we have a list of routes that are classed short vs long, e.g. If I instead fly to slightly less convenient Budapest will I be getting full dinner service in the future?
Mar 30, 2017, 2:21 pm
#478
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Wedged somewhere between BTS and VIE ✈
Programs: Star Alliance Gold (A3 Gold), Oneworld Emerald (BA Gold), Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,338
I just called and downgraded my RFS tomorrow from CE to ET on LHr ViE route. I have no interest in a single prawn and the Dan Dan noodles I will eat before the flight in CX F lounge will have to get me through the evening.
Do we have a list of routes that are classed short vs long, e.g. If I instead fly to slightly less convenient Budapest will I be getting full dinner service in the future?
Do we have a list of routes that are classed short vs long, e.g. If I instead fly to slightly less convenient Budapest will I be getting full dinner service in the future?
Mar 30, 2017, 3:30 pm
#479
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BA, U2+, SK, AF/KL, IHG, Hilton, others gathering dust...
Posts: 2,552
I just called and downgraded my RFS tomorrow from CE to ET on LHr ViE route. I have no interest in a single prawn and the Dan Dan noodles I will eat before the flight in CX F lounge will have to get me through the evening.
Do we have a list of routes that are classed short vs long, e.g. If I instead fly to slightly less convenient Budapest will I be getting full dinner service in the future?
Do we have a list of routes that are classed short vs long, e.g. If I instead fly to slightly less convenient Budapest will I be getting full dinner service in the future?
Mar 30, 2017, 3:31 pm
#480
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Betwixt SEA and LHR
Programs: BAEC GGL/CCR, AS Gold MVP, IC RA, IHG Spire Elite, HH Diamond, Dennis The Menace Fan Club
Posts: 1,354
TXL-LHR, 16:45 dep
Took the Ploughman's "Salad" (why it isn't a Ploughman's *Lunch* I don't know - it certainly would be more suitable in that time slot).
It was actually pretty tasty, if a bit limited. What it was not, however, was a dinner-time meal, but BA decree no one wants dinner before 5pm and that's a whole different story.
Can see BA fielding some awkward dry cleaning claims for piccalli and Branston pickle stains, though!
The alternative was a wholly derisory 2 and a half fingers of sandwich.
I realise TXL is only 90 mins or so in the air (though frequently more like 120 with LHR holds) and is a shorter former band 3, but even for this length of flight the offering felt derisory. Can totally understand why longer band 3 regulars are so angry at this change.
Took the Ploughman's "Salad" (why it isn't a Ploughman's *Lunch* I don't know - it certainly would be more suitable in that time slot).
It was actually pretty tasty, if a bit limited. What it was not, however, was a dinner-time meal, but BA decree no one wants dinner before 5pm and that's a whole different story.
Can see BA fielding some awkward dry cleaning claims for piccalli and Branston pickle stains, though!
The alternative was a wholly derisory 2 and a half fingers of sandwich.
I realise TXL is only 90 mins or so in the air (though frequently more like 120 with LHR holds) and is a shorter former band 3, but even for this length of flight the offering felt derisory. Can totally understand why longer band 3 regulars are so angry at this change.