NickB

EI will give you water from the water tank if you ask for it. I know that a lot of FTers baulk at that prospect, seeing it as an almost sure recipe to catch all sorts of diseases. I personally have my doubts about that, as I don't see airlines exposing themselves to the risk of law suits that this would represent. Still, this does not in any way diminish the outrageousness of not allowing self-procured food or drink on board.

NickB

These things do happen, but I fail to see this as an argument to provide free food and drink as a matter of course. We do not expect to be provided with free food and drink when we board a train, coach, bus or boat, even when it is very early in the morning. Nor do we expect grocers to provide free fruits or chocolate when walking the street because some people have hypoglycaemic fits.

The 'bring no food or drink onboard' rule is outrageous in itself. No need to bring in rather contrived medical arguments.

jamespvg

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the menu doesn't look that bad.

60p (x2 for a reasonable size) isn't outrageous for a Coke. £3 for a sandwich? Well, at least there's a choice. Makes a pleasant change from BLT, BLT, BLT, which is all Virgin Trains ever seem to have left. I've always been fond of bmi sandwiches in the past. Nice to see some salads as well, though freshness is the key with these, so I'm not really sure what to expect. It's certainly not worse than the easyKiosk offering.

It could be a lot worse, and if my return fare actually was consistently £6 cheaper, I wouldn't mind paying for a sandwich each way .

I still maintain that premium passengers should get this stuff free -- we're not talking about people who've paid a lot because that's the cheapest fare available -- we're talking about people who actively and voluntarily (and crazily) pay hundreds of pounds for every flight. At least give them a bloody sandwich.

Also, in reply to the latest stupid blanket rule, if I fly bmi in the future, I most certainly will take my own bottle of water on board.

WHBM

If you offer Euros, I wonder if the cabin crew will pout, sulk and sigh like their US airline counterparts do if you offer Sterling on a westbound transatlantic flight.

No. Thought not. See, we must be grateful for small mercies.

stut

It's not an argument for provising food and drink, it's an argument against preventing you from bringing your own. I don't expect grocers to provide free chocolate, but then, I don't expect shopping centres to prevent me keeping one in my pocket.

And they're not contrived. I have seen the former happen, and experienced the latter.

Internaut

I'm pretty sure BMI Baby have a similar rule and I've never seen the FAs try to enforce it on the couple of flights I've had with them.

jamespvg

Crikey, you're not going buy-on-board on MAN-IAD as well are you?

NickB

If you re-read my post, you will see that I did not deny that these things happen (obviously, they do, and I should know as my brother was diabetic and I have witnessed more often than I would have liked him being hypoglycemic) but that there is something contrived about raising that as an argument against BYO food and drink on board. Even if they were to enforce the rule, there is no suggestion that they will do a search of pax and confiscate any food or drink item on entering the aircraft.

It is just an unacceptable rule, period. I would also see it as plainly illegal, as an unfair contract term but that is another story.

neil

This also makes the credit card charge more preposterous. The fee to buy a £25 flight on flybmi.com is £4.85 yet I can spend the same amount on board without any fee.

On a more serious note, is this the end of "nibbles"?

jamespvg

Ooh yeah! Presumably it doesn't make sense to continue producing 'nibbles' just for lounges, so can we have Kettle Chips or something instead?

jbfield

It's my understanding that nightclubs have to supply water for free as a requirement of having a public entertainment licence (unless the laws have changed in the last 2 years). That said, not all nightclubs require entertainments licence's. Some do offer water regardless as a means to keep a respectable image though. I felt the need to check these details out once in my student days, but that's not something I'm prepared to go into!
Of course, like the uni I attended once tried, the obligatory water can be offered free but a charge for a glass can still be imposed!

So unless bmi are going to introduce some kind of live entertainment on their modular routes, maybe Kareoke for the premium pax?? I don't think this will apply to them.

I think it's worth bearing in mind here, that the bmi menus state "Only food and drinks purchased from the cabin crew may be consumed onboard." It doesn't say passengers aren't allowed to have their own with them or aren't allowed to bring it on board.

BigVince76

OFF TOPIC!

jbfield:

Just FYI, Yes the UK licensing laws have undergone extensive changes in the last year with the new Licensing Act 2003. Full implementation of the new act is due for November this year.

lhrpete

Surely the menu is wrong - there's no Egg Mayo on it, the Egg Mayo industry will go out of business as a result of this change....

Jenbel

With regard to the no BYO food or drink, I think I've got some serious food allergies, which means I need to be sure of the source of the food and possible cross contamination.

No I don't feel inclined to discuss my precise personal medical requirements with a member of staff....

AJLondon