First Class Gluten Free Meal - What Would You Expect?
Apr 7, 2015, 12:26 am
#16
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: London / Brighton
Programs: BAEC Gold / M-Life Gold / HH Diamond
Posts: 1,634
Can you pre-book meals on the route you're flying? I'm off to ORD in the next couple of weeks and have just seen that the little i symbol beside each menu choice pops up a list of allergens - I know I said in my previous post that sometimes I just risk it, but this is *brilliant* ^
Below is the pop-up for some trout with samphire. What I don't show in the picture below is that the first choice (Aberdeen Angus) shows as having Gluten in, but you'll get the idea...
Below is the pop-up for some trout with samphire. What I don't show in the picture below is that the first choice (Aberdeen Angus) shows as having Gluten in, but you'll get the idea...
Apr 7, 2015, 1:42 am
#17
Moderator: Qatar Airways
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: LHR/NCE/MIA
Programs: BAEC GfL & GGL, SQ Gold, Amex Centurion, Mucci des Chevaliers des Bons Mots et Qui Savent Moucher
Posts: 8,947
Perhaps BA should watch this to understand how hard it is being Gluten Free :-)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Oht9AEq1798
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Oht9AEq1798
Last edited by msm2000uk; Apr 7, 2015 at 2:42 am
Apr 7, 2015, 2:01 am
#18
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: UK
Programs: I go wherever the content takes me.
Posts: 5,698
First Class Gluten Free Meal - What Would You Expect?
It's beyond my comprehension to think why BA would serve economy meals in F under any circumstances. Utterly bizarre. I am sure it's to do with cost... 
Apr 7, 2015, 3:28 am
#20
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Glasgow
Programs: BAEC (Silver), IHG (Plat Elite)
Posts: 541
Slightly OT, but by comparison my wife and I flew LHR – BKK – SYD in J/F combo with Thai. My wife needs a GF diet, and arranged special meals. Despite being in J and F, the food presented was awful. Fruit salad for starter and desert, with the blandest, dullest main meal. As others have pointed out, many of the other options in other cabins were most likely GF in any case ! It was a honeymoon trip, paid for in *A miles in the days of BMI, and my new wife actually cried at the state of affairs, having looked forward to the trip for months. A very nice and understanding CC gave my wife her own staff meal, a red Thai curry which should have been, and was, completely GF.
I’d go for one of the suggestions on here, do not order special meals, IMHO.
I’d go for one of the suggestions on here, do not order special meals, IMHO.
Apr 7, 2015, 3:32 am
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Near Edinburgh
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 9,034
Apr 7, 2015, 3:42 am
#22
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: London, England
Programs: OW Emerald (BA), UA*G, Marriott Plat, IC RA, Various others
Posts: 1,009
My hunch is the GF meal is bought from a third-party supplier, so the request is for x GF meals per flight, regardless of class of service. Shame. I'd just go with what is on the menu and cobble something together - this is a big choice. Also, have something in the lounge before you fly, and bring a snack along (crisps, nuts) in case the second service is nothing but a gluten fest!
Apr 7, 2015, 4:00 am
#23
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Near Edinburgh
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 9,034
Perhaps BA should watch this to understand how hard it is being Gluten Free :-)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Oht9AEq1798
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Oht9AEq1798
I'll pass that on. Then run and hide.
Apr 7, 2015, 9:50 am
#25
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: EMA
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 25
I pre-ordered a GF meal for my mother last month on BA107 LHR - DXB in First and on the return BA104 in CW and both meals were much better than expected.
In first it was a salmon and asparagus starter, then a salad, a chicken, veg and potatoes main and a bread and butter pudding for desert with plenty of fruit available as well as gluten free bread (although this was a little hard).
In F, they came round and went through each element on the tray, explained how they would cook it and offered to remove any elements or swap for those off the standard menu.
In CW on the return, there was less personal service (as would be expected), with a GF tray presented. I cannot remember the return meal, but it certainly didn't have any rice cakes! ;-)
In first it was a salmon and asparagus starter, then a salad, a chicken, veg and potatoes main and a bread and butter pudding for desert with plenty of fruit available as well as gluten free bread (although this was a little hard).
In F, they came round and went through each element on the tray, explained how they would cook it and offered to remove any elements or swap for those off the standard menu.
In CW on the return, there was less personal service (as would be expected), with a GF tray presented. I cannot remember the return meal, but it certainly didn't have any rice cakes! ;-)
Mar 31, 2016, 2:28 am
#27
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Little dot in Asia
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Posts: 25,932
My apologies for not spotting this thread before I started another one... but lesson learned too.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...mls-first.html
I'll not order any special meals on BA in F.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...mls-first.html
I'll not order any special meals on BA in F.
Mar 31, 2016, 2:39 am
#28
Moderator, Emirates
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Where My Heart Is
Programs: BAEC Silver, FB Platinum, KQ Asante Gold, Shebamiles Blue, Emirates Blue
Posts: 3,385
Being Gluten Intolerant (not through choice), I usually pre-order a special meal. I am having a bash on EK First class today and ordered the GFSPML. Made the mistake of looking at the normal menu. Hopefully as they have done before, the cabin crew will ask if I would like anything off the normal menu .
Safe & Happy Travels
S
.Safe & Happy Travels
S
Mar 31, 2016, 2:45 am
#29
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 17,008
It's an email: generally a step down from more formal typed and posted script. The latter most likely goes through stages of production which allow editing.
I can see no egregious errors in the mail. Obvious omissions in verb parts, but the sense is clear. The communication addresses the enquiry directly, a feat not always achieved by customer service ....