Sep 29, 2016, 2:55 am
Last edit by: Aus_Mal
This thread is for opinions on the concept of Buy on Board, concerned with the rights or wrongs of the decision to introduce it.
An information thread exists for your questions, particularly if they are on factual matters, here:
Buy on board: Information guide for BA shorthaul economy services
There is a separate thread for experiences, anecdotes, reactions and related comments, which is to be found here:
Buy on board: Experiences and reactions from BA's shorthaul economy services
Useful sub-links
chongcao posted a comparison of other oneworld airlines' BOB prices
Not happy about these changes?
If you have an existing booking, you may be able to complain and get 1000 Avios or cancel for free until 28 days before departure. BA's complaint form.
However, in November 2016, phone calls to BA indicated that "no refunds would be given as food & drinks were complimentary and not part of the T&C."
An information thread exists for your questions, particularly if they are on factual matters, here:
Buy on board: Information guide for BA shorthaul economy services
There is a separate thread for experiences, anecdotes, reactions and related comments, which is to be found here:
Buy on board: Experiences and reactions from BA's shorthaul economy services
Useful sub-links
chongcao posted a comparison of other oneworld airlines' BOB prices
Not happy about these changes?
If you have an existing booking, you may be able to complain and get 1000 Avios or cancel for free until 28 days before departure. BA's complaint form.
However, in November 2016, phone calls to BA indicated that "no refunds would be given as food & drinks were complimentary and not part of the T&C."
Buy on board: Implemented on BA short haul - opinions on the concept
Jan 22, 2017, 9:36 am
#3076
Join Date: Jan 2014
Programs: BAEC GfL, currently GGL
Posts: 234
Wouldnt it be a better model to register your credit card at booking and be given a booking code and then you would be charged when the crew return your receipts at base.
Or better still pre order and pay and order what you want prior to flying incuding full meal trays with free drinks
Or better still pre order and pay and order what you want prior to flying incuding full meal trays with free drinks
Maybe be they could introduce it as a specific class of ticket in the ET cabin? Perhaps call it something like "Full Service Economy"?
Jan 22, 2017, 9:42 am
#3077
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 5,596
Wouldnt it be a better model to register your credit card at booking and be given a booking code and then you would be charged when the crew return your receipts at base.
Or better still pre order and pay and order what you want prior to flying incuding full meal trays with free drinks
Or better still pre order and pay and order what you want prior to flying incuding full meal trays with free drinks
Jan 22, 2017, 9:53 am
#3078
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 161
taking that idea further, how about having the option to buy a ticket that included a hot meal and unlimited drinks.. I bet if BA offered that as an option they would find that almost all passengers would select it.
Maybe be they could introduce it as a specific class of ticket in the ET cabin? Perhaps call it something like "Full Service Economy"?
Maybe be they could introduce it as a specific class of ticket in the ET cabin? Perhaps call it something like "Full Service Economy"?
Jan 22, 2017, 10:45 am
#3081
Join Date: Aug 2014
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 97
I've heard the next enhancement will be selling the first 6 rows of seats at an even higher premium with the tag "in these seats, you may have the opportunity to purchase a meal before it runs out"
Jan 22, 2017, 10:48 am
#3082
Join Date: Aug 2014
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 97
Good evening folks,
my 2nd BoB flight, back to BSL at 7.10pm.
A319 with light load: 72/107 in ET (67%).
One of two sale machines not working, no hot food orders as far as I could tell.
Quite a few purchases, around 10 I'd say, all < £5. Noticed one gentleman who was not happy at all when he was asked to pay for his drink.
Let me add that I don't like the payment machine. It is really difficult to cover the PIN code entering process in order for people not to see the PIN code.
Note that there was no rubbish collection at all...
Talked to a cabin crew member while waiting for the lavatory and she said that many crew members are unhappy with BoB, but also that it was easier and less stressful than expected because not many customers buy something. She added that on most flights something goes wrong with the machines.
Not impressed, really. The menu looks ok (although I expected it to be in every seat), but the choice is still not great. Only sandwiches as 'substantial meals', really?
Will reduce BA ETtravel this year and try to be more in the CE cabin if on BA.
my 2nd BoB flight, back to BSL at 7.10pm.
A319 with light load: 72/107 in ET (67%).
One of two sale machines not working, no hot food orders as far as I could tell.
Quite a few purchases, around 10 I'd say, all < £5. Noticed one gentleman who was not happy at all when he was asked to pay for his drink.
Let me add that I don't like the payment machine. It is really difficult to cover the PIN code entering process in order for people not to see the PIN code.
Note that there was no rubbish collection at all...
Talked to a cabin crew member while waiting for the lavatory and she said that many crew members are unhappy with BoB, but also that it was easier and less stressful than expected because not many customers buy something. She added that on most flights something goes wrong with the machines.
Not impressed, really. The menu looks ok (although I expected it to be in every seat), but the choice is still not great. Only sandwiches as 'substantial meals', really?
Will reduce BA ETtravel this year and try to be more in the CE cabin if on BA.
This is exactly what they want. By making CE seats the same as economy, and providing a basic catering service, they've basically made club Europe the old economy. And they are charging huge, inflated prices for it
Jan 22, 2017, 10:50 am
#3083
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BAEC Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 870
Jan 22, 2017, 11:02 am
#3084
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Staffordshire UK
Programs: FB LT Plat, BA LTG, LH HON
Posts: 273
Jan 22, 2017, 11:10 am
#3085
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: 30,536
Certainly not me nor the people who have either directly experienced or read FT accounts of flights where the crew never makes it past row 5 of ET by the time the cabin is prepared for landing...
Jan 22, 2017, 11:41 am
#3086
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 17,455
Can any BA employee tell us how often the potable water tanks are cleaned?
I've been told by FA's (not on BA) that they won't drink the potable water or even the coffee and tea made with it because they don't trust the cleanliness of the tanks.
I've been told by FA's (not on BA) that they won't drink the potable water or even the coffee and tea made with it because they don't trust the cleanliness of the tanks.
Jan 22, 2017, 12:53 pm
#3087
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Mexico City
Programs: Life Miles, Miles and more
Posts: 518
Jan 22, 2017, 3:40 pm
#3088
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: Executive Club: Gold - Flying Blue: Gold
Posts: 1,382
Just got of an American Airlines flight from
LGA to ATL. Everyone in Y got pretzels and soft drinks (including mineral water and coffee or tea). I got a 330cl Coke Zero can. As BA Gold (OneWorld Emerald), they came to my row and proactively offered me the choice of an alcoholoic drink or cocktail. I opted for White Wine. They apologized for not having sandwiches to give me as the plane was originally an E175 of AA Eagle that got substitued by a mainline AA 738. So AA is now so much better than BA and they value Emerald customers from partner airlines.
Never would have thought that BA would be worse than US airlines but it is now. I just got a nunwood survey for my Friday's LHR-BRU. BA will get a maximum of 2 points (out of 10). For the first time, I will recommend my friends and family not to fly BA. And I will not renew my Gold status this year. I have reached Silver thanks to RJ. And I am cancelling my BA Mykonos reward flights and going with Aegean.
LGA to ATL. Everyone in Y got pretzels and soft drinks (including mineral water and coffee or tea). I got a 330cl Coke Zero can. As BA Gold (OneWorld Emerald), they came to my row and proactively offered me the choice of an alcoholoic drink or cocktail. I opted for White Wine. They apologized for not having sandwiches to give me as the plane was originally an E175 of AA Eagle that got substitued by a mainline AA 738. So AA is now so much better than BA and they value Emerald customers from partner airlines.
Never would have thought that BA would be worse than US airlines but it is now. I just got a nunwood survey for my Friday's LHR-BRU. BA will get a maximum of 2 points (out of 10). For the first time, I will recommend my friends and family not to fly BA. And I will not renew my Gold status this year. I have reached Silver thanks to RJ. And I am cancelling my BA Mykonos reward flights and going with Aegean.
Jan 24, 2017, 12:13 pm
#3089
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 373
BoB will be ironed out on shorthaul first and then introduced on shorter long hauls for second service routines, particularly East Coast and Middle East. Free alcohol on long haul Y won't last where BA can make £££. Looking forward to my Virgin Atlantic JFK in March: pretzels with my first drink, a hot meal and a pre landing sandwich and cake. Why would anyone keep flying BA in Y?
Jan 24, 2017, 1:06 pm
#3090
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Scotland
Programs: BA Exec Club (Silver)
Posts: 454
BoB will be ironed out on shorthaul first and then introduced on shorter long hauls for second service routines, particularly East Coast and Middle East. Free alcohol on long haul Y won't last where BA can make £££. Looking forward to my Virgin Atlantic JFK in March: pretzels with my first drink, a hot meal and a pre landing sandwich and cake. Why would anyone keep flying BA in Y?
The miniscule snack offering in place of the 2nd meal in LH Y is exactly this. Once BA has stoked up enough negative feedback about this and got passengers to the point where they'd willingly pay for something decent.... then BoB gets rolled out to LH Y.
Last edited by GlasgowBlue; Jan 24, 2017 at 1:37 pm