Sep 8, 2016, 8:27 am
Last edit by: NWIFlyer
** Mod note:
This information is valid until January 2017, at which point BA will be introducing Buy on Board for flights from LGW & LHR, with LCY & STN moving to a BOB model from Summer 2017.
Please see here for the discussion on the BOB options.
Examples of what to expect. The descriptions are based on services to/from London Heathrow (LGW/LCY follow the same principle but there may be minor variations to the actual offerings listed below)
Breakfast
Snack basket
Lunch
Rest of the day meal
This information is valid until January 2017, at which point BA will be introducing Buy on Board for flights from LGW & LHR, with LCY & STN moving to a BOB model from Summer 2017.
Please see here for the discussion on the BOB options.
Examples of what to expect. The descriptions are based on services to/from London Heathrow (LGW/LCY follow the same principle but there may be minor variations to the actual offerings listed below)
Breakfast
Euro Traveller Bands 1, 2, and 3
A filled croissant and orange juice. A vegetarian alternative is also available on request. Service follows with the choice of tea or coffee
Euro Traveller Band 4
Breakfast deli box containing an egg and bacon sandwich, yoghurt pot, and a Lily O’Brien’s chocolate. Special meals are available but must be pre-ordered
A filled croissant and orange juice. A vegetarian alternative is also available on request. Service follows with the choice of tea or coffee
Euro Traveller Band 4
Breakfast deli box containing an egg and bacon sandwich, yoghurt pot, and a Lily O’Brien’s chocolate. Special meals are available but must be pre-ordered
Snack basket
Euro Traveller Bands 1, 2, and 3
Your choice of Island Bakery cookies, Corker’s crisps and Thai Street Food savoury snack will be served with your choice of beverage
Your choice of Island Bakery cookies, Corker’s crisps and Thai Street Food savoury snack will be served with your choice of beverage
Lunch
Euro Traveller Bands 2, and 3
A sandwich will be served with your choice of beverage. Vegetarian option available on request
A sandwich will be served with your choice of beverage. Vegetarian option available on request
Rest of the day meal
Euro Traveller Band 4
Drink from the bar followed by Deli box containing a sandwich, dessert pot, cheese and crackers, and a Lily O’Brien’s chocolate. Special meals are available but must be pre-ordered
Drink from the bar followed by Deli box containing a sandwich, dessert pot, cheese and crackers, and a Lily O’Brien’s chocolate. Special meals are available but must be pre-ordered
Euro Traveller food changes - crisps only [Bands 2 and 3]
Aug 15, 2016, 4:17 pm
#47
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 8,776
I wonder, will BA Band 3 flights now have the worst food offer of any major airline in the world for flights of that length?
Can anyone name another airline, whether legacy or lo-co, that on a 2-3 hour flight offers:
- nothing substantial for free, and
- nothing substantial to buy
?
Can anyone name another airline, whether legacy or lo-co, that on a 2-3 hour flight offers:
- nothing substantial for free, and
- nothing substantial to buy
?
Aug 15, 2016, 4:51 pm
#49
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold; FB Silver; SPG; IHG Gold
Posts: 2,991
Just introduce Bob. Maybe offer a free drink and charge for food. The current offering is embarrassing. The brand is taking a hammering. I used to defend BA but when someone now comments on how mediocre the service is, I find it difficult to disagree.
Aug 15, 2016, 5:00 pm
#50
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Leeds ,Yorks UK
Programs: KLM Flying Blue Platinum for Life.. BA Gold , oh and some other shiny bits of plastic ...
Posts: 4,238
No .. anything but BOB ...
Aug 15, 2016, 5:28 pm
#52
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold, ex-BD Gold, SPG Gold, HH Gold
Posts: 2,040
This is the approach that most US airlines take, and of which I would strongly support for BA. Economy-class food is at best mediocre, and often much worse, and at most major/hub airports one can purchase something no worse than an on-board offering--and if not there is BOB. I do like the free beverages, as I tend to drink a large amount [of water] on flights but also like having other opportunities around. I also object to paying for what is, for me, part of my routine for coping with airplane atmosphere from a health perspective.
Aug 16, 2016, 1:03 am
#54
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,568
In my mind, people encouraging no food and BOB are missing the fact that bar a large proportion of people sitting in band 3 Y are not passengers flying between London and Rome or Lisbon who had to choose between BA and U2, but rather pax flying between SFO and FCO or JNB and LIS in Economy or Premium Economy who had to choose between BA, AF, and LH among others.
I think that being foodless (or having to pay for food) on your 2-3 hour connection is enough to take your premium economy business somewhere else when the two main competitors feed you (in fact, even better than a few years ago) for free throughout your trip.
I think that being foodless (or having to pay for food) on your 2-3 hour connection is enough to take your premium economy business somewhere else when the two main competitors feed you (in fact, even better than a few years ago) for free throughout your trip.
Aug 16, 2016, 1:29 am
#55
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: London
Programs: BA Silver, IHG Spire, Radisson Gold
Posts: 991
Had my first experience of this on MRS-LHR yesterday.
The enhancements so far this year haven't been great, but they've been cost saving where they can without drastically changing the customer experience.
This however seems a step too far. It was the talk of my flight yesterday, mutters up and down the plane as everyone was offered individually wrapped crisp or biscuits for a 2 hour flight.
Something that the passengers really notice, and I think the first thing of late that will be a real decision maker. Something that will send people to the LCCs in the masses. The sentiment amongst my neighbouring passengers yesterday was most certainly one of them seeing little reason left for BA to bother with short haul. The crew were apologetic and seemed tired of BA and tired of explaining this to passengers.
I don't know if this is meant to soften the blow prior to BOB introduction, but in the interim i think this will do nothing but damage. An immediate BOB introduction wouldn't be so bad, people would have thrown a strop but probably continued to fly BA. But the fact you don't get anything to eat and can't buy anything to eat just makes me want to fly EZY so I can buy myself a sandwich at least.
The enhancements so far this year haven't been great, but they've been cost saving where they can without drastically changing the customer experience.
This however seems a step too far. It was the talk of my flight yesterday, mutters up and down the plane as everyone was offered individually wrapped crisp or biscuits for a 2 hour flight.
Something that the passengers really notice, and I think the first thing of late that will be a real decision maker. Something that will send people to the LCCs in the masses. The sentiment amongst my neighbouring passengers yesterday was most certainly one of them seeing little reason left for BA to bother with short haul. The crew were apologetic and seemed tired of BA and tired of explaining this to passengers.
I don't know if this is meant to soften the blow prior to BOB introduction, but in the interim i think this will do nothing but damage. An immediate BOB introduction wouldn't be so bad, people would have thrown a strop but probably continued to fly BA. But the fact you don't get anything to eat and can't buy anything to eat just makes me want to fly EZY so I can buy myself a sandwich at least.
Aug 16, 2016, 1:37 am
#56
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 8,776
There's also the point that - yet again - BA has made a detrimental change without informing its customers.
Think how many people travel routes like MRS, NCE etc regularly with BA. They will be expecting the previous offering, even if they hardly loved it. Now suddenly they won't get it and as hcuk94 notes that's going to be a very noticeable downgrade.
Think how many people travel routes like MRS, NCE etc regularly with BA. They will be expecting the previous offering, even if they hardly loved it. Now suddenly they won't get it and as hcuk94 notes that's going to be a very noticeable downgrade.
Aug 16, 2016, 1:41 am
#57
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: London, UK
Posts: 5,658
The reason for introducing this is abundantly clear. They are reducing the offering so that "due to customer feedback for a more substantial offering, we will be introducing a paid for service in our Euro Traveller cabin" or something along those lines.
Aug 16, 2016, 1:51 am
#58
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: 8,963
There's also the point that - yet again - BA has made a detrimental change without informing its customers.
Think how many people travel routes like MRS, NCE etc regularly with BA. They will be expecting the previous offering, even if they hardly loved it. Now suddenly they won't get it and as hcuk94 notes that's going to be a very noticeable downgrade.
Think how many people travel routes like MRS, NCE etc regularly with BA. They will be expecting the previous offering, even if they hardly loved it. Now suddenly they won't get it and as hcuk94 notes that's going to be a very noticeable downgrade.
Slowly but surely, the differences are disappearing.
When BA updated ET, the legroom went out the door, and it is now comparable to EasyJet.
The flight times are now almost the same, and EasyJet have pretty much a flight an hour to the UK from Nice.
Now that EasyJet have launched their own Loyalty scheme, which I believe offers cash discounts on flights, a lot of locals are reviewing how desperately they need the TPs and Avios for the short flight.
Add to that, the fact that T1 at NCE is now a nightmare to wander through, and even worse due to the new roads, and it's clear why EasyJet do so well.
I appreciate NCE is a minute sample airport, but there is a lot of wealth that flies in and out of the airport. Having spoken to quite a few people in MC and Cannes, they now favour routing longhaul with QR out of Milan or Paris, or they fly with EK direct from Nice.
Again, it's a tiny subsection of the flying community, but when both premium and economy passengers are flying with other carriers, surely something will eventually change.
Regrettably, I feel that change will be Vueling, as Petrus mentioned up thread.
M
Aug 16, 2016, 2:03 am
#59
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Flatland
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold 1MM, BA Gold, UA Peon
Posts: 6,113
BoB isn't reliable.
EasyJet and AA both run out of food and can have a very limited and erratic selection depending on demand. Flying both a fair bit, for me buying on board is a last resort - I always aim to board with the food I need in-flight. BA at least loads (used to load) one sandwich each.
EasyJet and AA both run out of food and can have a very limited and erratic selection depending on demand. Flying both a fair bit, for me buying on board is a last resort - I always aim to board with the food I need in-flight. BA at least loads (used to load) one sandwich each.
Aug 16, 2016, 2:10 am
#60
Join Date: Jan 2005
Programs: BA Gold, several other less interesting cards...
Posts: 3,712
BA short haul will be Veuling eventually in Economy.
CE will stay as other legacy carriers are keeping some sort of "premium" cabin in the front.
CE tends to be well sold on my route (ARN).
They way I see it, without Gold and I suppose Silver, the incentive to fly BA in Economy is zero.
CE will stay as other legacy carriers are keeping some sort of "premium" cabin in the front.
CE tends to be well sold on my route (ARN).
They way I see it, without Gold and I suppose Silver, the incentive to fly BA in Economy is zero.
BA prices out of NCE are usually around 10% higher than EasyJet, but the BA Fans have always been able to point at - better legroom, seat reclining, free food and drinks, leather seating, better flight times, Avios and Tier Points.
Slowly but surely, the differences are disappearing.
When BA updated ET, the legroom went out the door, and it is now comparable to EasyJet.
The flight times are now almost the same, and EasyJet have pretty much a flight an hour to the UK from Nice.
Now that EasyJet have launched their own Loyalty scheme, which I believe offers cash discounts on flights, a lot of locals are reviewing how desperately they need the TPs and Avios for the short flight.
Add to that, the fact that T1 at NCE is now a nightmare to wander through, and even worse due to the new roads, and it's clear why EasyJet do so well.
I appreciate NCE is a minute sample airport, but there is a lot of wealth that flies in and out of the airport. Having spoken to quite a few people in MC and Cannes, they now favour routing longhaul with QR out of Milan or Paris, or they fly with EK direct from Nice.
Again, it's a tiny subsection of the flying community, but when both premium and economy passengers are flying with other carriers, surely something will eventually change.
Regrettably, I feel that change will be Vueling, as Petrus mentioned up thread.
M
Slowly but surely, the differences are disappearing.
When BA updated ET, the legroom went out the door, and it is now comparable to EasyJet.
The flight times are now almost the same, and EasyJet have pretty much a flight an hour to the UK from Nice.
Now that EasyJet have launched their own Loyalty scheme, which I believe offers cash discounts on flights, a lot of locals are reviewing how desperately they need the TPs and Avios for the short flight.
Add to that, the fact that T1 at NCE is now a nightmare to wander through, and even worse due to the new roads, and it's clear why EasyJet do so well.
I appreciate NCE is a minute sample airport, but there is a lot of wealth that flies in and out of the airport. Having spoken to quite a few people in MC and Cannes, they now favour routing longhaul with QR out of Milan or Paris, or they fly with EK direct from Nice.
Again, it's a tiny subsection of the flying community, but when both premium and economy passengers are flying with other carriers, surely something will eventually change.
Regrettably, I feel that change will be Vueling, as Petrus mentioned up thread.
M
ET is heading down the LCC alley.
As others have mentioned, BA rely on connecting traffic to make s/h profitable so I'm not sure what they hope to achieve with this latest enhancement.