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Well that's me no longer booking domestic or short haul Europe.
Ryanair and easyJet are now much more attractive. |
I am going to say that I don't mind this - I rarely eat anything on short haul and maybe have a wine on the occasional flight up and down to Edinburgh.
If I am hungry, I am lucky enough to be able to grab something in the lounge before departure. If I want to drink wine, again I can do so in the lounge. However I do think that not providing free water is a health and safety issue - in fact I would be surprised if they are allowed to keep people in a confined space for a period of time without the ability to drink water and this in itself is ludicrous. Never mind adding a delay to the mix. THAT is the bit I find very distasteful about this whole thing. :mad: aks120 |
I don't see how they can get a way with this for those with existing bookings? Surely they have to provide something?
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Originally Posted by Oaxaca
(Post 27278375)
The only difference to easyJet is that you can't pay with cash on BA, but you can pay with Avios, the exchange rate will be interesting.
Originally Posted by Señor Alex Cruz
For someone flying with us a couple of times a month, this should be a nice extension if they want to use it for private use. If they want to expense the food, then we will give them a receipt and they can expense it. Just being able to use the points we think is innovative and we think that people will welcome it.
I'm also in the "it could be worse" category. It does seem a better Buy on Board menu than Ryanair and easyJet, and a much better value menu than IB, EI and VY. |
Sample avios price list,
https://www.businesstraveller.com/business-travel/2016/09/29/british-airways-avios-payments-onboard-food-drink/ G&T and a sandwich will cost you 1125 avios. A bargain when you think it only costs £31 to buy 1000 avios. |
Can someone do a survey of current prices at Pret/Boots/WHSmith etc at LHR and LGW? I'll have a small wager that they'll be higher in January as the captive audience becomes more captive (especially things like water which are actually quite cheap at the moment).
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Originally Posted by Oaxaca
(Post 27278401)
Given that BA are marketing this as an upgrade and Alex Cruz is saying BA is "really, really far from being a low cost airline" (though in terms of cost base he may be right), I suspect you're in the wrong place if you are looking for logic.
It is impossible to compete with low-cost carriers when they have such a high cost-base. The airline is practically a flying pension fund! British Airways need to differentiate in other ways, rather than copy an impossible-to-copy business model. I predict a short-term equity bounce from improved financials, until passengers cotton on to the fact the value-add-differentiated-offering rug has been pulled from under them, and revenue inevitably declines as previously loyal passengers divert to other carriers. Will make for an interesting business school case study in a few years time. |
To paraphrase Inigo Montoya:
"Upgrade. You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means" |
Originally Posted by crazyanglaisy
(Post 27278445)
Sadly no surprises on the alcohol, but I'm very surprised they're not keeping complementary water, soft drinks and tea and coffee given that this policy is being applied to all flights under FIVE hours.
BA's sole advantage now is the timetable, with more options in IRROPS compared to the LCCs who only run a route daily or less. I still remain convinced that trying to emulate the LCCs without charging LCC prices is going to end in disaster. But Cruz is the executive so what do I know. |
Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave
(Post 27278452)
It does seem a better Buy on Board menu than Ryanair and easyJet
Oh, that and EasyJet give you Fever Tree tonic for your G&T, and charge 40p less than BA intend to. http://buyonboard.easyjet.com/ |
No more domestic brekkie :(
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My earlier post was not meant to be logical. I was taking a data point - the period of the Gate Gourmet strike - when next to nothing was supplied and the responses was "it was complimentary so tough."
In the years since then, BA's policy has not become more customer friendly so if they took that approach then, I suspect they will do the same again. I hope I am wrong. Surely I am not the only one to remember the strike period and if anyone received a rebate on their ticket price then I am happy to be corrected. The eventually started giving out vouchers (when travelling in First at least) but that was not the position at the outset. As said, logic need to come into this, just an historic data point. |
I was just about to book some CE trips for next summer. I have just booked the flights with EZY instead - why on earth would I take the risk of spending 3x the price only for BA to enhance the catering in the interim?
Making changes is one thing (whatever you may think of them). Making no allowance for people that booked before you announced them is absolutely appalling behaviour. |
So not introducing food for sale as leaked to the Daily Mail, but actually scrapping ALL FOOD AND DRINK on short haul.
And replacing it with a BOB offer that's more expensive than any of its more punctual, more comfortable and more reliable competitors. F*** that! |
To be honest, I don't really blame BA. I never eat the SH food (unless in CE) as the quality is low and it's not particularly appealing. I suspect lots of people do the same so the waste on those flights must be high.
What grates is (a) the BA marketing spin on these service reductions, do the marketing team really think people are that stupid...:rolleyes: (b) charging for soft drinks, if that's really the plan then BA have genuinely just aligned with Ryan air :td: |
Originally Posted by Arctic Troll
(Post 27278464)
I disagree, c-w-s, I really do. Have you seen EasyJet's menu recently? It doesn't have the M&S name, sure, but that's pretty much the only difference between the
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Looks good and would entice me to stay in economy. I wonder if I can have a sandwich from the menu when flying in business?
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On a grammatical note, BA's previous food and beverage offering may have been 'complimenary' but it was far from 'complementary' ;)
Originally Posted by Ben Jones
(Post 27278455)
G&T and a sandwich will cost you 1125 avios. A bargain when you think it only costs £31 to buy 1000 avios. |
Also just received the following in an email about an ET booking for next year (so confirmation that they have no intention of providing the advertised free food and drinks for existing bookings). Genuinely appalling.
"Thank you for booking your flight with British Airways. We're writing to let you know about some key changes that are taking place to our on-board catering. From 11 January, we're upgrading our food offering on all short haul flights to and from London Heathrow and London Gatwick to a new buy-on-board menu range. Partnering with Marks & Spencer, another great British brand, you will be able to buy from their delicious and seasonally inspired menu, 'M&S on board', which will replace the complimentary service currently provided in our Euro Traveller cabins, including UK domestic flights." |
Originally Posted by JumboJim
(Post 27278338)
My question is whether BAEC Golds & OWEs and above will get a complimentary drink and snack as happens to Executive Platinum & OWE members on AA?
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I'm looking forward to being able to get a hot sandwich on board. I really wish they hadn't cut drinks though.
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I've not really been following this, but I'd assumed the BoB scheme was only for food, but it seems it's for everything including water. Utterly incredible.
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Originally Posted by pdsuk
(Post 27278316)
My bolding and other font changes.
Fantastic !!!!!!!!!!!! Percy Pigs are the best ........... |
There's going to be a lot of pinching from the lounge going on......
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Buy your Percy Pigs landside at LGW South after the terminal move, I'm sure they'll be far cheaper ;)
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Originally Posted by percy pig
(Post 27278500)
thanks!
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well at least there wont be too much change to their brand and marketing...
BA.com now becomes Budget Airlines dot com |
Originally Posted by 8420PR
(Post 27278400)
The quality and prices for the food looks relatively OK to me, especially in comparison to the BoB offer from US airlines.
-- all of it? -- some of each? -- what's left when they get to your row? |
Where exactly is the limit for "short haul" flights with British Airways? Going to the original page of the press release, there seems to be no category for "mid haul", which would suggest short haul could be anything up to 4-6 hours?
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Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave
(Post 27278452)
And following on from dsf's link, one interesting point is that to some degree BAEC cardholders have had some protection here, in that on a commercial ticket, even a £40 fare will come with 625 Avios for a Gold cardholder. So to that extent if the Avios were expendable in this form then even the cheapest revenue ticket would generate approx £5 of Buy on Board merchandise. Now this is still taking the Avios away, nothing is "free" here, but BAEC members do have an interesting option.
It's fascinating they went through this thought process. Reworded: the corporate customers will just expense the difference, so a less than visible fare increase. Leisure travellers can dip into their Avios balance, and I bet there will be a few Hilton style promotions rolling from here on. I'm also in the "it could be worse" category. It does seem a better Buy on Board menu than Ryanair and easyJet, and a much better value menu than IB, EI and VY. I wouldn't be able to expense tonights G&T, when I don't see it possible to maintain status (which I won't next year) then there is no incentive other than the quite nice chair to use BA. The brekkie is a major differentiater for me on my morning domestic flights and tipple is a major differentiater on the way back up. Tis a shame, but I don't really care, my weekly commute finishes in three weeks :D |
Originally Posted by elitetraveler
(Post 27278511)
Agree, but the question is what do they stock --
-- all of it? -- some of each? -- what's left when they get to your row? |
Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave
(Post 27278478)
My comment comes from pretty much eating the entire easyJet menu, I fly with them at least weekly. Their sandwiches are not great.
If the products are good quality then I don't think this is too bad - it's good to see fresh fruit, yoghurt etc on there. I'm a bit surprised they haven't switched IST to a mid haul route though - BA is competing with EZY but forgetting about TK for instance, who offer a better hard and soft product. Percy Pigs will be a big seller. |
Hilarious.
Selling T and Coffee - those cups will obviously get much larger and the (minimum) crew will need to run up and down the aisle filling them up more. This will be fun to watch |
Originally Posted by Noobflyer59
(Post 27278513)
Where exactly is the limit for "short haul" flights with British Airways? Going to the original page of the press release, there seems to be no category for "mid haul", which would suggest short haul could be anything up to 4-6 hours?
Any flight branded with World Traveller/Club World is long haul - that includes TLV, AMM, CAI, DME. |
Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave
(Post 27278478)
My comment comes from pretty much eating the entire easyJet menu, I fly with them at least weekly. Their sandwiches are not great.
I think people looking at the M&S branding are going to be very underwhelmed, which is why I think it is a big reputational risk for M&S to get involved in this. BA must be paying them well, which makes me wonder what the point of the whole process really is. |
Originally Posted by Ldnn1
(Post 27278523)
There is a clear limit for short haul which is any flight branded with Euro Traveller/Club Europe cabins - that includes IST, ATH, LCA etc.
Any flight branded with World Traveller/Club World is long haul - that includes TLV, AMM, CAI, DME. |
Anyone received the email about what will happen to their already booked flight?
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Last 3 sub-2 hour EasyJet flights I've been on have failed to get through the whole cabin with f&b, so if you're in the wrong seat on BA now, the trolley may not even get to you before the service is pulled prior to landing.
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Originally Posted by ba_cityflyer
(Post 27278311)
£1.80 for a water?
Bye bye, BA. No more short-haul revenue from me. |
BA customer relations have been instructed to give up to 1,000 Avios per passenger per booking to compensate which is enough for a 'drink and a snack'.
Also able to cancel for a full refund up to 28 days prior to departure. |
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