Apologies for not properly quoting everybody, just a few reactions:
- @Fabio.sk: your comment on friction because of items not being available, payment problems, etc is spot on. I fear that as well (see earlier comments by me). Although I fear a little less for the quality of the (currently not existing) chit chat with the crew, but for the frustration of passengers that want to give the highly advertised BoB a chance.
- It wasn’t me commenting on the disappearance of free luggage being just a minor thing. And actually, I don’t think that. For me the case of free luggage and free food in economy is not at all the same thing. Transporting luggage is actually something useful and good, so having to pay for it is a real loss in value of the product. On the other hand, losing economy class food that’s terrible to start with is not a major loss. Looked at differently, who of us would pay for the kind of food we’re getting today in economy class? Nobody. For buy on board, they have to seriously upgrade the quality of the food.
- @orbitmic: Air France medium haul Business Class - despite the dramatic (!!) downgrading of the food offering, not just hot vs cold - is not the worst in Europe. That would be Lufthansa, not withstanding the fact that hot food is still offered on a number of destinations.
To be honest, I didn’t have a good meal on any airline in Europe in any class on any length of flight. Not even TK. I certainly have not tried all airlines, but on the ones I have sampled, it was always between very disappointing and outright disgusting. Probably would have to go to Asia for that. Because from experience I know that North America and South America are terrible as well.