[Rumor] New "enhancement" only one bottle of Champagne per passenger in Club Europe
Dec 3, 2016, 1:47 am
#32
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Lewes
Programs: HiltonH. Gold Starwood Gold BA BLUES! Mucci.
Posts: 4,833
Rowdy flight? Mmmmm. GB airways to Palma.... morning flight.... All airline staff on a golf jolly, having a very good time....
champers in CE ? Well I rarely bother but don't think it should be restricted to 1 bottle!
champers in CE ? Well I rarely bother but don't think it should be restricted to 1 bottle!
Dec 3, 2016, 1:49 am
#33
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: 30,520
Iberia Express food is the same as IB mainline, and typically better than BA CE (despite BA's clear improvement of CE lunch/dinnertime food in the last two years in my view).
Dec 3, 2016, 2:09 am
#34
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Glasgow
Programs: BAEC Gold, LH, EK, QR
Posts: 355
Dec 3, 2016, 2:13 am
#35
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: LHR/ATH
Programs: Amex Platinum, LH SEN (Gold), BA Bronze
Posts: 4,489
Many airlines do indeed serve sparkling wine (you can add quite a few to the two you mention!).
The Champagne AF serve in long haul Y is actually good, and much better in my view that the sparkling wines that I have had in both Y and J on NZ. You can think I am snobbish but quite frankly, it has nothing to do with that: the sparkling wines served by NZ are not nearly dry enough to my taste, and the bubbles are quite aggressive, it really tastes and feels entirely different from Champagne. I am sure many people might prefer it but I personally like it much less, either way it is simply completely different.
The Champagne AF serve in long haul Y is actually good, and much better in my view that the sparkling wines that I have had in both Y and J on NZ. You can think I am snobbish but quite frankly, it has nothing to do with that: the sparkling wines served by NZ are not nearly dry enough to my taste, and the bubbles are quite aggressive, it really tastes and feels entirely different from Champagne. I am sure many people might prefer it but I personally like it much less, either way it is simply completely different.
Dec 3, 2016, 3:28 am
#36
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 3,925
Champagne as an aperitif is a Frence thing. Only Brits slug it back like brown ale at all times.
Now we've left Europe we won't have to drink it at all. What with the special trade agreements we will be able to make, BA will be serving pulque in all classes.
Now we've left Europe we won't have to drink it at all. What with the special trade agreements we will be able to make, BA will be serving pulque in all classes.
Dec 3, 2016, 3:43 am
#37
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: LHR/ATH
Programs: Amex Platinum, LH SEN (Gold), BA Bronze
Posts: 4,489
Don't be silly UK is a HUGE importer of champagne. France can't live without UK buying so much from them, not to mention the hundreds of thousands of French in the UK.
Dec 3, 2016, 3:55 am
#39
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: 30,520
I'd rather they had got rid of Champagne than implemented 10 across in Y on the 777 (mind you, BA is now joining them!)
Dec 5, 2016, 2:51 pm
#42
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Scotland
Programs: BA Exec Club (Silver)
Posts: 452
Flying CE to both HEL and NCE my wife and myself have got through 3-4 minis each at a very leisurely pace. No one was guzzling it, no one was drunk, no one was demanding more. Crew were great and more than happy to serve us another bottle each when asked politely. Given the premium paid for CE, the uninspiring meals, and lack of extra leg room I can see A LOT of angst if this does come to fruition.
One last point, if this does get implemented or become a "trial", is it a case of BA using the same tactics in the run up to BoB? Make the offering so poor that they start to get feedback that if passengers could get more of it and better quality they'd be willing to pay? Then "hey presto", BoB champagne for CE.
Dec 5, 2016, 3:32 pm
#43
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Brighton, UK
Programs: BA Gold, IC Ambassador, HH Gold, SPG Gold, Fairmont Platinum
Posts: 3,166
BA are currently serving Castlenau in CE. Previously it was Monopole then Pommery then back to Monopole. There was a very brief period of German sparkling wine during a change in catering contractor. GB also used to serve Piper Heidsieck red label poured from full bottles.
At each change point the current wine was viewed as vile battery acid and its replacement as great. Which means that Monopole was both slated and praised at different times.
In reality some critics clearly haven't actually tasted the product and others just go with whatever is fashionable on here.
BA on the other hand seem to pick middle of the road Champagne from reasonably sized houses. They don't pay a premium for name but nor do they serve the fizzy water which passes for many supermarkets £10 Champagnes.
I personally don't find the Castlenau too bad, but preferred the Pommery. I would put those two and the Monopole ahead of any cava or prosecco simply because I enjoy the méthode champenoise (with or without malactic fermentation) to other methods of sparkling wine making.
That of course means I like my local English sparkling wines. Maybe one day BA should serve one of those.
Dec 5, 2016, 4:09 pm
#44
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: southampton
Programs: BAEC GGL, Virgin Silver, Marriott Platinum, HH diamond, IHG Platinum
Posts: 257
I love good champagne (Krug etc) but if it's bad I would rather have a good vintage Cava or a prosecco than a bad champagne. I agree with those that find it not much better than Monopoo. I doubt many people would complain if they swapped Castle No for something decent but fizzy if it meant not appearing stingy by restricting what you can drink. English sparkling would be great but often more expensive than champagne with the small production.
I am sure cava is made in the exactly the same method as champagne just with different grapes and not aged as long.
I am sure cava is made in the exactly the same method as champagne just with different grapes and not aged as long.
Dec 5, 2016, 4:16 pm
#45
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Wild Wiltshire
Programs: Demoted to gold, Cats protection
Posts: 3,455
It tastes like petrol anyway but I agree with the principle, if someone has paid that amount of money for CE they should be able to enjoy a bit of "luxury" in their beverages