Jan 11, 2017, 7:42 am
Last edit by: KARFA
This thread focuses on experiences and reactions for the implementation of buy on board for shorthaul, mainly led by impressions taken from flying on board British Airways' shorthaul services.
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
If you have an opinion about the concept of Buy on Board, the right thread is:
Buy on board: Implemented on BA short haul - opinions on the concept
Photos of current BoB menu (September 2018) post #125 in information thread
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
If you have an opinion about the concept of Buy on Board, the right thread is:
Buy on board: Implemented on BA short haul - opinions on the concept
Photos of current BoB menu (September 2018) post #125 in information thread
Buy on board: Experiences and reactions from BA's shorthaul economy service
Jan 17, 2017, 1:08 pm
#571
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: London, UK and Southern France
Posts: 18,364
BA has repeatedly stated that the reason why they were introducing BoB was because passengers were unhappy with the previous catering and BoB opened up the possibility of better quality catering.There is not really anything new here... or have I missed something?
Jan 17, 2017, 1:12 pm
#572
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
thought they had admitted defeat .. wait 6 months for that
Jan 17, 2017, 1:12 pm
#573
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Kent, UK
Programs: BA Gold; Turkish Miles&SmilesElite;; Freccia Alata Plus; Amex Platinum; SPG Gold; Marriott Gold Elit
Posts: 276
Just had an interesting call to M&S customer services ,
Wow
Such a difference to BA !
Proactively looking into concerns regarding their relationship in this cooperation , Actually calling back when promised , confirming a 6 month trial duration at the moment , they were unaware about the problems of stock levels on BA flights ... From the agent I spoke to they care how their brand is being damaged by this ... unlike the poor BA CS agents at MAN and NCL who are in fear of their jobs ( I add I have a friend of mine up at NCL , their moral levels are at an all time low )
maybe we should attack this on 2 fronts
Wow
Such a difference to BA !
Proactively looking into concerns regarding their relationship in this cooperation , Actually calling back when promised , confirming a 6 month trial duration at the moment , they were unaware about the problems of stock levels on BA flights ... From the agent I spoke to they care how their brand is being damaged by this ... unlike the poor BA CS agents at MAN and NCL who are in fear of their jobs
( I add I have a friend of mine up at NCL , their moral levels are at an all time low )maybe we should attack this on 2 fronts
Jan 17, 2017, 1:13 pm
#574
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: UK
Programs: BA Silver, AA Gold, A3 Gold, Honors Diamond, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 1,251
Jan 17, 2017, 1:14 pm
#575
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
... strangely they were unaware of Flyertalk
Jan 17, 2017, 1:20 pm
#576
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 8,771
Secondly and more significantly, the issues with BoB are about the delivery of the products, not the products themselves. So just as you would complain to WH Smith not Mars if you had to queue for half an hour at the till, so BA are the ones to complain to about the shoddy service.
Now psollitt may well have good reason to give feedback to M&S about the way they've managed the project and the impact on the M&S brand, but ultimately the BoB service is being delivered (or not) to the customer by BA.
Jan 17, 2017, 1:24 pm
#577
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
I don't really take your point. Firstly if WH Smith sell you a Mars bar, your contract is with WH Smith and you are entitled to get a refund/replacement from them.
Secondly and more significantly, the issues with BoB are about the delivery of the products, not the products themselves. So just as you would complain to WH Smith not Mars if you had to queue for half an hour at the till, so BA are the ones to complain to about the shoddy service.
Now psollitt may well have good reason to give feedback to M&S about the way they've managed the project, but ultimately the BoB service is being delivered (or not) to the customer by BA.
Secondly and more significantly, the issues with BoB are about the delivery of the products, not the products themselves. So just as you would complain to WH Smith not Mars if you had to queue for half an hour at the till, so BA are the ones to complain to about the shoddy service.
Now psollitt may well have good reason to give feedback to M&S about the way they've managed the project, but ultimately the BoB service is being delivered (or not) to the customer by BA.
Jan 17, 2017, 1:25 pm
#578
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: UK
Programs: BA Silver, AA Gold, A3 Gold, Honors Diamond, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 1,251
I don't really take your point. Firstly if WH Smith sell you a Mars bar, your contract is with WH Smith and you are entitled to get a refund/replacement from them.
Secondly and more significantly, the issues with BoB are about the delivery of the products, not the products themselves. So just as you would complain to WH Smith not Mars if you had to queue for half an hour at the till, so BA are the ones to complain to about the shoddy service.
Now psollitt may well have good reason to give feedback to M&S about the way they've managed the project, but ultimately the BoB service is being delivered (or not) to the customer by BA.
Secondly and more significantly, the issues with BoB are about the delivery of the products, not the products themselves. So just as you would complain to WH Smith not Mars if you had to queue for half an hour at the till, so BA are the ones to complain to about the shoddy service.
Now psollitt may well have good reason to give feedback to M&S about the way they've managed the project, but ultimately the BoB service is being delivered (or not) to the customer by BA.
As to the WHSmith example. Whilst you are of course entitled to complain directly to WHSmith and WHSmith should remedy the matter there and then, Mars will also accept your complaint and provide a remedy purely in order to protect their brand reputation - this is why they have customer contact information on their packs.
Jan 17, 2017, 1:32 pm
#579
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Waitrose have certainly been very responsive to a couple of product complaints from this household ... and they are very keen to know the barcode and details of who supplied the product (both occasions were pre-packaged veggies)
Always comensated with a voucher, BTW.
Always comensated with a voucher, BTW.
Jan 17, 2017, 1:37 pm
#580
Join Date: Sep 2007
Programs: AA, BA, Accor, Honors Diamond, IHG Diamond Elite and lots more....
Posts: 2,972
I don't really take your point. Firstly if WH Smith sell you a Mars bar, your contract is with WH Smith and you are entitled to get a refund/replacement from them.
Secondly and more significantly, the issues with BoB are about the delivery of the products, not the products themselves. So just as you would complain to WH Smith not Mars if you had to queue for half an hour at the till, so BA are the ones to complain to about the shoddy service.
Now psollitt may well have good reason to give feedback to M&S about the way they've managed the project and the impact on the M&S brand, but ultimately the BoB service is being delivered (or not) to the customer by BA.
Secondly and more significantly, the issues with BoB are about the delivery of the products, not the products themselves. So just as you would complain to WH Smith not Mars if you had to queue for half an hour at the till, so BA are the ones to complain to about the shoddy service.
Now psollitt may well have good reason to give feedback to M&S about the way they've managed the project and the impact on the M&S brand, but ultimately the BoB service is being delivered (or not) to the customer by BA.
Same applies to M&S
Sure they might pass that liability up the line to the suppliers.
Complaints to M&S will only speed up the process to get a better service for everyone.
Jan 17, 2017, 1:44 pm
#581
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: London
Posts: 6,265
Well I blame M&S as much as BA for this debacle. If you think it hasn't tarnished their brand, you're in dream land.
It is a partnership. They are the ones getting massive brand damage due to BA screwing up the rollout.
And if the rumours are true, and M&S paid for the brochures to be printed (with their logo all over it and their lovely corporate spin on every second page), they are more than culpable in the matter.
It is a partnership. They are the ones getting massive brand damage due to BA screwing up the rollout.
And if the rumours are true, and M&S paid for the brochures to be printed (with their logo all over it and their lovely corporate spin on every second page), they are more than culpable in the matter.
Jan 17, 2017, 1:47 pm
#582
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 1,314
Sure, your contract might be with Smiths, but if there was something was wrong with the product Mars would be liable. It is their name on the label.
Same applies to M&S
Sure they might pass that liability up the line to the suppliers.
Complaints to M&S will only speed up the process to get a better service for everyone.
Same applies to M&S
Sure they might pass that liability up the line to the suppliers.
Complaints to M&S will only speed up the process to get a better service for everyone.
Jan 17, 2017, 1:51 pm
#583
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: London
Posts: 344
In fairly sure the M&S sandwich I had for lunch had a quality guarantee on the packaging that said something like they will refund you if you are unhappy with the quality. I imagine the same wording is on the in flight packs too (unless I am making it up)
Jan 17, 2017, 1:58 pm
#584
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: BAEC Gold, EK Skywards (enhanced Blue !), Oman Air Sindbad Gold
Posts: 6,399
Way too much confusion & mixed messages here folks, and must say I'm surprised to see it all.
Are none of you disciples of Martin Lewis, aka moneysavingexpert.com, and all-round champion of consumer rights .....??
Whatever you are given/supplied with (whether paid for at POS or otherwise) whilst travelling onboard a BA aircraft : BA have responsibility. And it is to BA that any complaint or grievance should be addressed.
Sure, feel free to pass on your thoughts/concerns to M&S, wrt any perceived damage to their brand. I'm sure they would want to gather such feedback because, when all said & done, the impact on conventional retail store sales - both food & non-food - is obviously far more important to M&S than any BA contract.
But as pointed out by some posters, the matter of poorly-executed at-seat delivery of the product is entirely the responsibility of BA. And that would include any potential 'dodgy-tasting' product which you feel was the result of poor storage or untimely delivery etc, etc.
I doubt any of you think about writing to the IFE system manufacturer if your particular unit isn't functioning properly during the flight. No difference with the food & drink they supply to you onboard.
Are none of you disciples of Martin Lewis, aka moneysavingexpert.com, and all-round champion of consumer rights .....??
Whatever you are given/supplied with (whether paid for at POS or otherwise) whilst travelling onboard a BA aircraft : BA have responsibility. And it is to BA that any complaint or grievance should be addressed.
Sure, feel free to pass on your thoughts/concerns to M&S, wrt any perceived damage to their brand. I'm sure they would want to gather such feedback because, when all said & done, the impact on conventional retail store sales - both food & non-food - is obviously far more important to M&S than any BA contract.
But as pointed out by some posters, the matter of poorly-executed at-seat delivery of the product is entirely the responsibility of BA. And that would include any potential 'dodgy-tasting' product which you feel was the result of poor storage or untimely delivery etc, etc.
I doubt any of you think about writing to the IFE system manufacturer if your particular unit isn't functioning properly during the flight. No difference with the food & drink they supply to you onboard.
Jan 17, 2017, 2:02 pm
#585
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 209
Remember this...
Just re-read Cruz's first interview with Business Traveller (https://www.businesstraveller.com/airlines/british-airways/2016/05/20/428264/)
Some highlights:
we will not look at what others are doing from a product point of view in terms of low-cost. We are also looking at how we can make our premium product more premium and we plan to introduce technology that has not been introduced anywhere in the airline industry.
Little did we realise why it hadn't been introduced anywhere else....
But if we do make that decision, it will be “flashy” because it will be something that none of the existing carriers that are doing this modality of catering are doing.
Who knew that meant the food would left on the ground.
So we can't say we weren't warned
Also:
When you think about travelling short-haul it seems to be a sandwich or something to drink, and then chocolate bars or muffins or crisps. I think there’s an opportunity to go beyond that.
Beyond that, to...... A Salad, nuts and Percy pigs... *insert Miranda Preastly "groundbreaking" GIF*
Some highlights:
we will not look at what others are doing from a product point of view in terms of low-cost. We are also looking at how we can make our premium product more premium and we plan to introduce technology that has not been introduced anywhere in the airline industry.
Little did we realise why it hadn't been introduced anywhere else....
But if we do make that decision, it will be “flashy” because it will be something that none of the existing carriers that are doing this modality of catering are doing.
Who knew that meant the food would left on the ground.
So we can't say we weren't warned
Also:
When you think about travelling short-haul it seems to be a sandwich or something to drink, and then chocolate bars or muffins or crisps. I think there’s an opportunity to go beyond that.
Beyond that, to...... A Salad, nuts and Percy pigs... *insert Miranda Preastly "groundbreaking" GIF*