ahmetdouas

Yes I would go with a 50 GBP refund. You don't ask, you don't get!

corporate-wage-slave

If booked 48 hours beforehand then food normally is provided. So we're in the logic of a same day booking here, in that the person selected is the last to book, as if booking the same day, and, irrespective of status, it will be that passenger who isn't catered. If those booking 48 hours ahead were not catered systemically then BA FT would be drowning in examples of this.

PETER01

Oooh you're a hard nosed trader!

It's hard to put a value on a missed meal and sounds like it could have been handled better from what has been posted. Like PG I would have raised it onboard but I understand some people for a legitimate variety of reasons may not do this. Can't understand the no offering of the rolls though, how very odd!

mikeyfly

To not have one spare meal across two sectors seems crazy tight

Yachtman

Shouldn't it be about financial compensation for the inconvenience? If you know that you aren't going to have a meal provided you can cater accordingly (arrive at the airport early and purchase something), however to be informed onboard is too late and for many on tight schedules and with a busy life part of the decision to choose business class is for the convenience of a meal being available. The actual cost of the meal is irrelevant in that case. You have paid a premium for a premium service and not received it. At least with other low cost airlines (which BA is) you add the extras individually so you can actually place a value on the meal, lounge access, fast track, priority boarding...

Why is it always avios that is offered? What if someone holds another one world FF status, do they receive an alternative? What would the courts say if someone did actually take British Airways to court for not providing the service they advertise? Would damages be awarded? Would BA change their ways?

pharmawalk

The FAs eat all the extras quickly.

subject2load

True, the whole incident is just plain wrong - and on so many levels : starting from the loading incompetence (ok .... let's call it error ..... mistakes happen, I guess) ; then the seemingly casual, dismissive reaction of the crew member who spoke to the OP ; further compounded by a truly bizarre policy that prohibits crew from offering substitute BoB food, thus blocking off the opportunity of a potentially satisfactory, on-the-spot, pro-active, resolution (always the preferred option, as generally recognized across the service sector).

These scenarios are, as already noted, no longer wholly isolated. The more such reports one hears, the more one is tempted to conclude that - where good, old-fashioned customer service is concerned - there is something rotten within the state of our national airline.

BA6948

It is not a one off situation. Many passengers are reporting lack of food in CE and even on longhaul WTP on twitter? Is it a sign of new enhancements to come? Like, we listened to customer feedback and introducing paid for food?

Skipcool3

Denied CE catering on BA flights DUB-LHR. AND AMS -LGW this year, both flights departed around 18.30
Issue with return catering I was told. Grumbled gently and received some avios.
I was on long standing bookings and had checked in on line the day before.

Cw novice

One of the most worrying aspects here is that it's outside the remit of CC to remedy with BoB. You would think it would be both the common sense option and best for Customer service. Both areas which are falling by the wayside.

IAMORGAN

The irony is the BoB doesnt belong to BA...so I'd guess with delays and so on and so forth there'd be loads of 'ex gratia' M&S branded food being given out.

What I'd be really interested to know is what the unit cost of a CE short/medium meal is.

Jane42

I do tend to "suck it up" and not stand up for myself, but the older I get, the less I worry about what others think.

I cannot believe that they didn't at least get him something from BoB - forget whether they have the discretion or not. I would have paid for it out of my pocket rather than be embarrassed that the company I work for is so cheap, they will give you nothing unless YOU put in a claim or YOU ask for Avios or YOU buy the meal and then charge back to the airline. I wouldn't want to go to all that trouble either. How can you tell a passenger, in front of all of the other passengers, that they do not have food for you while everyone around you is being served. Sounds a bit absurb to me, and really not great advertising for your Brand. But, then, some of these airlines just don't seem too concerned. Hey, their planes are full, what do they care?

But people don't forget things like this. I had a problem with United several years ago and it has stuck with me since. It wasn't a huge problem, it just annoyed me. Now, I would still fly United, but they are the last airline I check.

FeedbirdNiner

It's absolutely not your responsibility to argue with the crew. I'm like you and would rather not get involved in a discussion in front of others. I hate the fact that you feel partly responsible for what happened to you - and that some on here have pointedly suggested that you somehow failed in your role by not objecting to what was said to you and 'arguing your case'.

and...

...the fact that :

is I'm afraid symptomatic of the deep legacy based trouble that BA finds itself in.

An aircraft carries a trolley full of food for sale, but cannot give one of its higher paying passengers a sandwich, when the company itself has failed to provide his paid for meal, is LAUGHABLE.

Can you imagine setting up a new company and making that part of the procedure?

Takiteasy

Wouldn't a single CSM or crew empower themselves and just do it? They're not all sheep are they?

DYKWIA

And then get fired for misconduct?