bubu-SNA

I just got off BA 274 from Las Vegas in new first...flight was run by a young mixed fleet crew. They were certainly VERY polite and extremely enthusiastic but sadly fell short on the meal service. They just don't know how to use the ovens @ 40,000 feet. 7 passengers in F, all barely touched their dinners...and NOBODY dared to try a warm breakfast.

The scallop starter was burnt on the outside. When I took a bite it was actually crunchy to the point that I thought there were pieces of shell embedded.

The "fresh salad leaves" were good, although that's not what I ordered (asked for the Crab salad)...a mistake I can easily forgive since I know they'd have corrected the miscommunication immediately. The "fresh salad leaves" were drowning in dressing...not sure if that's the way it catered but it made only 30% of the salad edible. The portion not completely submerged in dressing.

The main course was painful. My "Chicken Korma" was comparable to old 'take out' with dried out hard rice. My father's "filet of beef" had a bizarre aftertaste & smell to it, I can't quite describe it...to call it chewy would be an understatement. His potatoes were undercooked (really hard)...or so overcooked as to cause them to become that way.

desert was not offered...

Some of the other comments I overheard were.

"...you've brought this soup out to me twice now COLD", and "this beef does not quite taste right", "the bread is frozen", "the bread is stale".

The crew was of course very apologetic blaming the ovens and that they'd have engineers check them but lets face it...the ovens were not broken. Water boils at a lower temperature @ altitude. I squarely blame BA for setting these mixed fleet crews up for failure. It was clear that they had minimal knowledge of the aircraft (fumbling with lights, etc).

Question is, should I even bother contacting customer relations @ BA? Is there a point?

Can I help you

Yes, absolutely.

henkybaby

Yes. If not for yourself than for BA and the next pax flying F.

stevie-d

I agree totally YES. I've been on the receiving end of some equally inedible food in F on a few sectors and always complained.

Having said that the last couple of trips this year the food in F was better.

Flying Doctor

Hi there,
If it was genuinely this bad then you really should send either and email or letter to customer relations or call BA. This is not what F is about and it is a shame that although very enthusiastic the crew were not able to offer a decent meal service. There is no excuse for cold soup for example........
FD.

BASW5

I had a similar experience out of Atlanta in September. Crew didn't have a clue and the entire meal service took nearly 4 hours on an overnight flight. Even then the food was either under or over cooked. Deserts missed too and no hot towels either, the list goes on. I actually complained to the captain as I waited for the loo and received a call from CS a few days later. I relayed my list of complaints, including my comments on the service out from LHR. Looks like MF needs to be avoided if at all possible, in First anyway.

KP2006

Yes. They need to know this and they should get their ... together to not have this happen.

HIDDY

It's not only with Mixed Fleet this can happen on.

We had a couple of stinkers in F SYD-LHR where the food and service was not up to scratch. Thankfully all flights since have been very good.

Can I help you

I agree and if you are not happy on any flight please let BA know.
Can I please ask if you are ever unhappy onboard that you let the pursers or CSD/CM/CSM’s know and give us a chance to rectify the problem there and then?

fife

For sure, you should make a bit stink.

Look at it this way- you've paid a huge premium for a crap meal. When you consider what F really offers, you're essentially paying thousands of pounds for a bad meal, at the best of times - and when it goes wrong, there's all the more reason to be outraged.

sunrisegirl

Do you truly believe you pay just for the meal in F?

fife

I can't think of any other benefit!

The seats aren't sufficiently different to J (keeping in mind I sleep soundly in CW).

What does F provide that J can't? All I can think of is a smaller cabin (J has never bothered me); better food (£1000-2500 better? I'd expect Gordon Ramsey himself!); a larger seat (meh, I sleep well in CW).

What else am I missing?

Unless I'm missing anything revolutionary - you're paying a premium of a grand or two for dinner. A bad dinner!

Sixth Freedom

F offers a lot more than just the catering. Anyway, you could have just as bad a meal in CW, WTP or WT.

The seat is significantly more comfortable and spacious than CW. And that is, I think, what you are really paying for.

Can I help you

In a way I agree with you, if you cannot see the reason for travelling First then you are best to travel in Club.

sunrisegirl

I agree and think the cabin is more exclusive with just 14 seats. The UD is great, especially in 64K, but those extra 6 seats take away a little of the exclusivity you get in F.

On the ground when travelling F you get CCR at LHR, choice of seats at time of booking, exclusive check in area, etc.

I've not travelled in New F yet but have adored my two F trips and the food meant less than 10% to me (but was superb). It was the rest of the experience that was really special.

Some people prefer CW (obviously jghill is one of those) and that's fine too.

That said, if the OP was unhappy - and clearly had reason to be - then he should undoubtedly let BA know.