corporate-wage-slave

Frequently Asked Questions

I put Jon, from the Service Proposition team under the spotlight for this, many thanks for his kind help with this. However I don't think you can regard this as officially coming from BA, more like how CWS thought it might sound like!

1) What is the ethos/logic behind this new CW offering?
From the menu itself "Our aim is to bring you a completely new dining experience in Club World, with the finest quality ingredients, focused on provenance and seasonality. We are proud to introduce a completely new menu alongside bespoke china and glassware, developed exclusively for British Airways, all brought to you in a new style that we hope will make your flight an unforgettable experience". Unusually, for marketing spin, I find it difficult to disagree with this. More broadly, this is a project which took 15 months from its launch to the first flight. It involved going to Do&Co, who had done some previously good work for BA, and asking them to come up with their idea of what this service could look like. They came back with the core products shown above, BA worked with Do&Co to come up with something which was realistic and yet stretching the boundary as far as possible from "yet another business class food product". For a lot of the challenges listed below, it felt BA's approach was "ok, how would a restaurant handle this?".

2) How does this new service work on the Sleeper service?
There won't be trolleys but there will be a new range of food. There is an acceptance that sleep remains a core part of the product, and is a unique part of the CW product, but equally for those who wish to stay up a bit, then there will be a single tray service available. I will be on a Sleeper flight in a few days with more precise details.

3) What does the JFK-LHR supper menu look like?
See new post in a few days.

4) What does the JFK-LHR breakfast look like?
See new post in a few days.

5) How long does it take to serve?
Well this flight did take a long time! This was also a short flight, 7 hours basically, with the result that the first meal almost felt it merged into the second meal to be one long meal with a flight thrown in. I rolled off the aircraft absolutely stuffed and there was plenty of dishes and options I had to turn down. However in designing the menu the meal is intended to actually not take too long in the galley to bring together, crew are expected to do a lot more talking to passengers. So clearly the idea of going to a restaurant and having some fine dining is part of this ethos, that is best not rushed. However I'm sure the staff will get faster than today. It's like asking someone to make a meal in a kitchen you've never been in before, so just finding the sugar is a major exercise. There has been quite a degree of both research and training involved here, including 5 test "flights" involving staff volunteers, but nothing beats experience in this area.

6) Any changes to staff numbers for this? [With reference to full 52J cabins]
Yes. On this flight there were additional crew to make sure it all worked, but generally more crew will be moved to CW from WT/WTP, so their service will get slower. Having said that, it was always an unspoken secret that service in WT/WTP is-was significantly quicker and slicker than CW, WTP service often being completed before the last row of CW got their starters.

7) What does the second meal look like?
See above. The alternative to sandwiches will be part of this new service on other routes, with an expectation that the longer routes (e.g. LAX/SFO) will have a hot second meal.

8) How practical are the trolleys?
Very. They've been tested in turbulence, and so far no problems. I noticed the crew were having to get the knack of the wheel-stop but I felt they were already quite proficient. While it is not noisy, it is quite deliberately intended to be eye catching. Both the trolleys and the mini trays (see tea/coffee cups above) have a texture surface to keep things stuck in place, and it's surprisingly effective.

9) Will the total meal numbers increase to prevent people not getting their first choice?
Yes, but it's more than that. BA are trying to break away from the starter/main course/dessert stereotype, "one of each" scenario. So they fully expect some people to not bother with the main course, and perhaps have 2 or even 3 starters. Someone may just have the salad, soup and cheese for example. Alternatively the soup and all the desserts (two of them are actually quite small).

10) Will the existing semi-formal prioritisation of meal selection for Golds continue?
BA think they've done the maths and that while there may be an occasional case, essentially everyone will get their first choice, gold card or not. As far as I could tell that was the case on this flight too. But there is a bit of cleverness here: by using the trolleys, moving the displays around and encouraging people to have (say) 2 starters, then the idea is that people will stop looking at the menu, look at the trolley, listen to the crew and perhaps choose things that catch their eye. Essentially this is how it works in restaurants, particularly the staff promoting certain dishes.

11) Is the new amenity bag available?
No, it was felt besy to bring the White Company in as one event rather than over two stages.

12) If the new amenity bag is available, what is in it?
See above

13) Any more news on the bedding?
Not really. Just wait until mid October. It was intended to be launched today, but the colour of the bedding was just too close to the floor carpet, and it's difficult to fault the "safety first" approach here. I know from leaving aircraft just how incredibly untidy some of BA's lovely passengers can be.

14) Champagne and wine confirmation
Menus are above. Champagne definitely no changes. The wines, however, have been paired, and though it isn't fully part of the Do&Co arrangement, the fact that certain dishes are present means there have been some subtle changes.

15) Any changes to apéritifs and digestifs?
No, except for the previous announced Warre's LBV Port 2009.

16) And spirits (gin/vodka)?
No changes.

17) How practical is the wine carrier?
It has been tested and checked. The crew had no complaints about it (and that in itself is remarkable).

18) Any changes to soft drinks?
No changes.

19) When can we look this this going to other services beyond LHR-JFK
Coyness there! The word is beginning of next year (2018), there are quite a lot of logistics involved here and they do want to get it right before placing a mega order for equipment.

20) What about BA1?
No changes yet, but at some point they will presumably be brought into this. They are already on the previous Do&Co food supply arrangement.

21) What about EWR?
No changes, until the rest of the network changes they will remain on the previous menu. Change your bookings now if you can!

22) What about those who prefer unfancy/comfort food?
Well, listening to Jon, my take on this is that BA are making no apologies for a hefty lurch towards upscale restaurant style food. Which is what they have done. Something has to give, and if that is the shepherd's pie so be it. However, a combination of starters, desserts and the monthly rotation may well make it works for some people in this category.

23) Is the cheese suitable for vegetarians?
No. See next answer.

24) What is the position for vegetarians on the main menu?
This isn't good. Whereas the menu indicated whether wine was vegan / vegetarian, the food sections did not!

25) Why has the fourth main meal option been removed?
The extra options on starters and desserts, and the ability to have multiple items means that this should have been overtaken by the flexibility of the new dining arrangements. The cold salad option was essentially the fourth item, and a combination of the new salad and another starter probably covers a very similar territory. Overall I really can't say you have less choice overall.

26) Is the salad "as well as" or "instead of"
As well, instead of, it doesn't matter! The salad is much, much better than the previous offering and stands up in its own right.

27) Is it dessert or cheese or can we have both?
Both. I doubt many people will have space, I struggled to finish the dessert, there was no space for cheese.

28) What can we say about healthy eating on longhaul?
It's there, again if the barriers between the courses is removed then something like soup/salad/strawberries would be there. Just like in a restaurant.

29) Are the calorific values available?
No.

30) Any more news of changes to First?
Ha, well, no. I have to say I prefer this CW menu to First. And by quite a margin. They are quite different concepts, First retains the more elegant portion sizes. And, um, comfort food.

31) Is it confirmed that there will be enough loadings for everyone to have one starter + salad or soup (or more?) If not, how will it be prioritised, will status be used again?
See above questions 9 and 10, but essentially BA thinks they have more-or-less got rid of this as an issue. Just like in a restaurant.

32) Any change to the day JFK-LHR flight offerings?
It will be a brunch style offering, but it has been revamped in line with the concepts rolled out on the other LHR-JFK services.

33) Any intention to improve coffee offering and notably offer an espresso machine?
Not immediately but there may be movement on the espresso issue at some point.

34) Any plans to improve the quality/variety of non-alcoholic drinks?
None, however BA remains open to initiatives from drinks suppliers in this area.

35) Are all the main courses now cooked separately and then plated?
The dishes are supplied pre-plated and the whole dish goes into the oven and then on to the passenger. This is partly done to ensure consistency of delivery, but also to take account of staff work load.

36) What changes will there be to WTP and WT offers? (direct, ie WTP food ex CW, indirect staffing level). For WTP food, how plated
No changes to the existing WTP and WT offering. WTP effectively continues on the previous CW items for the time being. Staff numbers, as mentioned above, are being reduced in some WTP/WT scenarios to prioritise CW.

37) What are the next 2 routes to get the service?
Jon wasn't saying, but my guess is ORD and IAD won't be far off.

38) Cabin temperature and the new bedding
Yes, they are very aware of this. The new bedding is intended to be snug, so after experiments the cabin is expected to be kept at 20c. Crew are being trained on this point, since it may feel a bit chilly for them under this régime, but passengers will find it the best temperature for the new bedding. Probably best if WTP passengers don't wear shorts mind!

39) How often will the menu rotate?
Full rotation every month, though I'd guess some aspects of the breakfast and brunch won't change much.

40) Club kitchen?
No change, quantities will be increased (goodness knows why. There is a further problem that after the genuinely high class meal, the fun sized Mars bars look so utterly out of place now. The popcorn and crisps probably still work).

41) Pre ordering out of JFK and not just LHR/LGW?
Being looked at quite seriously (for JFK I can't believe it would be difficult. Elsewhere, well kitchens do vary all over the planet).

42) Will special meals be plated to the new glass and china?
Yes, with the exception of Kosher due to the way that is prepared and sealed.