Special meal catering cutbacks?
Jul 27, 2017, 4:02 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2012
Programs: AA EXP, PriorityClub Gold, SPG Gold, Hertz Gold fivestar
Posts: 486
Special meal catering cutbacks?
BA190 July 26th
On today's flight in CW we were served one drink + nuts about 1 hr after takeoff.
About 2hrs after takeoff I was served a side salad (lettuce and two slices of pepper) along with a fruit bowl and a cheesecake. There were no drinks offered. There was bread but no butter.
About 3hrs into the flight the tray still hadn't been collected, no drinks offered and no further food offered so I move the tray to the empty adjacent seat and went to sleep.
Seemed like much less food than normal for the club world vegetarian option. The club kitchen also seemed to be unstocked even 3 hrs into the flight.
On today's flight in CW we were served one drink + nuts about 1 hr after takeoff.
About 2hrs after takeoff I was served a side salad (lettuce and two slices of pepper) along with a fruit bowl and a cheesecake. There were no drinks offered. There was bread but no butter.
About 3hrs into the flight the tray still hadn't been collected, no drinks offered and no further food offered so I move the tray to the empty adjacent seat and went to sleep.
Seemed like much less food than normal for the club world vegetarian option. The club kitchen also seemed to be unstocked even 3 hrs into the flight.
Last edited by ChrL; Jul 27, 2017 at 4:10 am
Jul 27, 2017, 4:13 am
#2
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: South East, UK
Programs: BA Gold / GfL, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,432
Sounds more like a catering mess up. I would have expected a hot main course to be served. Did you not query where your main course was? I assume other customers were being served hot mains?
However, with the on-going strike by some parts of BA's cabin crew there is also reduced crewing levels on many flights. So the lack of experienced crew in some cabins may also be a factor.
Are you sure you pre-ordered a vegetarian meal and not a fruit plate (not even sure if BA offers this option)? That is the only thing I can think of that could have caused this confusion (or the crew mixed up orders on the flight).
However, with the on-going strike by some parts of BA's cabin crew there is also reduced crewing levels on many flights. So the lack of experienced crew in some cabins may also be a factor.
Are you sure you pre-ordered a vegetarian meal and not a fruit plate (not even sure if BA offers this option)? That is the only thing I can think of that could have caused this confusion (or the crew mixed up orders on the flight).
Jul 27, 2017, 4:44 am
#4
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Ha! ... just saw your Tweet to BA with that. I'm not familiar with Special Meals, but that certainly doesn't look 'special'. As for the failure to clear up, it sounds like you had a totally apathetic crew.
Jul 27, 2017, 5:38 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2012
Programs: AA EXP, PriorityClub Gold, SPG Gold, Hertz Gold fivestar
Posts: 486
Sounds more like a catering mess up. I would have expected a hot main course to be served. Did you not query where your main course was? I assume other customers were being served hot mains?
However, with the on-going strike by some parts of BA's cabin crew there is also reduced crewing levels on many flights. So the lack of experienced crew in some cabins may also be a factor.
Are you sure you pre-ordered a vegetarian meal and not a fruit plate (not even sure if BA offers this option)? That is the only thing I can think of that could have caused this confusion (or the crew mixed up orders on the flight).
However, with the on-going strike by some parts of BA's cabin crew there is also reduced crewing levels on many flights. So the lack of experienced crew in some cabins may also be a factor.
Are you sure you pre-ordered a vegetarian meal and not a fruit plate (not even sure if BA offers this option)? That is the only thing I can think of that could have caused this confusion (or the crew mixed up orders on the flight).
In the 1 hr between the food being served and me deciding to go to sleep there were no crew in the aisle, the seatbelt sign was on (but not bumpy) and the call button ignored.
The couple behind me were also commenting on a lack of food. Maybe they just forgot to serve the hot mains to our aisle.
Jul 27, 2017, 9:28 am
#9
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
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Location: TPA/ABZ
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Posts: 13,248
The title of this thread should probably be "Special meal catering cockup" rather than cutback. I don't think the lack of a main course here is reason to jump to a conclusion that it's been withdrawn.
Jul 27, 2017, 9:45 am
#10
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Jul 28, 2017, 2:41 am
#12
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Oslo, Norway
Posts: 557
Might be that they got a message from the flightdeck to sit down with seatbelts on? Sometime it happens if (severe) turbulence has been reported along the route. I have experienced only half of the cabin getting food for the first three hours due to this (non-BA-flight).
Jul 28, 2017, 3:16 am
#13
Join Date: May 2003
Location: DEL
Programs: Mucci du Miel d'Or
Posts: 2,374
BA crew are typically great. But I have had as many ropey WW crews, as MF. MF have been able to count on inexperience as the reason, with WW it's more likely to be indifference or worse.
Jul 28, 2017, 4:54 am
#15
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