Another Mediocre CE Flight
Nov 12, 2017, 10:43 am
#31
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Paynesville, Vic
Programs: BA Gold AVIS Presidents Club
Posts: 356
Never had an issue with service but once the rather Ok hot meals disappeared from CE then those down the back got my company; namely in 12 A . More room than most of CE and unless it was a full flight, the seat next to me has been vacant. Shall find out if this still holds true in about 1 hr as currently in T3 F lounge which is rather busy.
OF
OF
Nov 12, 2017, 11:07 am
#32
Join Date: Nov 2011
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 1,222
Never had an issue with service but once the rather Ok hot meals disappeared from CE then those down the back got my company; namely in 12 A . More room than most of CE and unless it was a full flight, the seat next to me has been vacant. Shall find out if this still holds true in about 1 hr as currently in T3 F lounge which is rather busy.
OF
OF
Major error here I'm hoping in your post.
Nov 12, 2017, 11:09 am
#33
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA GS 2MM
Posts: 947
Hey folks,
Another not so nice CE experience this morning.
BHD-LHR (departure 0930), flight time only 50 minutes due to strong tail winds. 6 rows of CE. 2 cabin crew working in CE. Cabin crew started slowly with drinks service, individually served from the galley. Didn’t get a meal until past Manchester (row 1!) when we had already started our descent. It was a “brunch” flight but cabin crew asked whether I wanted breakfast. I was surprised and confused and asked what was on offer and the answer was “we have ten minutes to landing, sir”
. No bread offered either because there was no time. Shambles. 
Overheard a conversation as well and apparently there was an issue with the payment machine in ET for BoB.
Another not so nice CE experience this morning.
BHD-LHR (departure 0930), flight time only 50 minutes due to strong tail winds. 6 rows of CE. 2 cabin crew working in CE. Cabin crew started slowly with drinks service, individually served from the galley. Didn’t get a meal until past Manchester (row 1!) when we had already started our descent. It was a “brunch” flight but cabin crew asked whether I wanted breakfast. I was surprised and confused and asked what was on offer and the answer was “we have ten minutes to landing, sir”
. No bread offered either because there was no time. Shambles. Overheard a conversation as well and apparently there was an issue with the payment machine in ET for BoB.
Was on this very flight in row 2. Can confirm this was the experience. My own theory is that crew forgot to turn the ovens on until well underway but who knows.
Nov 12, 2017, 11:12 am
#34
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Switzerland
Programs: AY+ Platinum, SK Gold, BAEC Silver, airbaltic VIP, Radisson VIP
Posts: 6,532
Nov 12, 2017, 12:08 pm
#35
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA GS 2MM
Posts: 947
And if anyone continued on to ZRH at 13:00 it was quite a wild ride due to a long hold in turbulence (with no visibility), and then a rollercoaster of a descent. Take a look at the altitude chart below. A lot of sick bags used on that one (including CE, so maybe the small meal was a blessing). I hope they gave the cabin good clean before the return.
flightaware.com/live/flight/BAW716/history/20171112/1300Z/EGLL/LSZH
flightaware.com/live/flight/BAW716/history/20171112/1300Z/EGLL/LSZH
Nov 12, 2017, 12:17 pm
#36
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Switzerland
Programs: AY+ Platinum, SK Gold, BAEC Silver, airbaltic VIP, Radisson VIP
Posts: 6,532
And if anyone continued on to ZRH at 13:00 it was quite a wild ride due to a long hold in turbulence (with no visibility), and then a rollercoaster of a descent. Take a look at the altitude chart below. A lot of sick bags used on that one (including CE, so maybe the small meal was a blessing). I hope they gave the cabin good clean before the return.
flightaware.com/live/flight/BAW716/history/20171112/1300Z/EGLL/LSZH
flightaware.com/live/flight/BAW716/history/20171112/1300Z/EGLL/LSZH
Nov 12, 2017, 1:00 pm
#37
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Krakow
Programs: BAEC Silver, Miles and More(FTL), IHG(Platinum), Accor, HHonors(Diamond), SPG, Hertz Five Star
Posts: 5,939
At t-72 the seat next to you would have been blocked provided another elite had not picked it prior to t-72 or someone had purchased it.
when you check in has no effect on the seat blocking in TS
as more people check in some blocked seats need to be freed up. I imagine the exit row is regard a "good" seat and frees up quite quickly when middles are required.
i can assure you that TS does block exits, but on you probably find they are among tbe first middles to be made available as more people check in
i would bet row 10 had an elite that was blocking the middle on tbat row too
Last edited by scottishpoet; Nov 13, 2017 at 12:33 am
Nov 12, 2017, 1:15 pm
#38
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Lincoln, UK
Programs: BAEC Gold, IHG Spire Ambassador, Hilton Diamond, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 1,267
LHR- GLA: Out Friday afternoon, returning Saturday morning. A321 with 9 rows up to GLA and 12 rows back. Full service both sectors with 3 drinks runs offered up to GLA and 2 on the return.
Only disappointment was that on the return, the chicken panini or meat / cheese plate had turned into cheese plate or bust by the time I was served in row 5. More than 50% of the cabin did not get a choice, let alone their first. CSM apologetic but resigned to it happening "more often than not". Worse things have happened.
Overall great value and great service from a proactive crew.
Only disappointment was that on the return, the chicken panini or meat / cheese plate had turned into cheese plate or bust by the time I was served in row 5. More than 50% of the cabin did not get a choice, let alone their first. CSM apologetic but resigned to it happening "more often than not". Worse things have happened.
Overall great value and great service from a proactive crew.
Nov 12, 2017, 1:17 pm
#39
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Switzerland
Programs: AY+ Platinum, SK Gold, BAEC Silver, airbaltic VIP, Radisson VIP
Posts: 6,532
Nov 12, 2017, 1:23 pm
#40
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Lincoln, UK
Programs: BAEC Gold, IHG Spire Ambassador, Hilton Diamond, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 1,267
3 in CE helped. Two were straight out with the meals with the third following with the drinks. All trolley service and still had time to talk.
I think CE on domestics is a wonderful thing all things considered, and especially compared to a single class domestic.
I think CE on domestics is a wonderful thing all things considered, and especially compared to a single class domestic.
Nov 12, 2017, 4:40 pm
#41
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA GS 2MM
Posts: 947
Nov 12, 2017, 9:16 pm
#42
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 565
In the end I believe BA will do the same. They can reap the financial benefits of their LCC thinking for a few years, but at some point in the future passengers will demand decent service once more and if they do not deliver it some other airline will.
Nov 13, 2017, 7:53 am
#43
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: UK/France
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold, EY Plat, etc
Posts: 351
Having seen another crew battling both ovens not getting to temperature at close hand (via the al fresco dining experience that is Row 1 on a G-GAT* aircraft) I got the hot breakfast served 15 mins into descent this morning and honestly the crew looked out of options other than drinks/bread whilst we waited. Really felt for them (but not enough to risk eating the bacon and sausage just to be on the safe side!)
Last edited by Robespierre; Nov 13, 2017 at 8:02 am
Nov 13, 2017, 8:13 am
#44
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Switzerland
Programs: AY+ Platinum, SK Gold, BAEC Silver, airbaltic VIP, Radisson VIP
Posts: 6,532
Even if the ovens were not working, it doesn't really matter, as my plate was cold anyway, and they could have started the service offering only the cold plate instead of cold plate or panino.
Nov 13, 2017, 10:11 am
#45
Fontaine d'honneur du Flyertalk
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Morbihan, France
Programs: Reine des Muccis de Pucci; Foreign Elitist (according to others)
Posts: 19,180
The crew, I think, got the service order wrong. The meal should be delivered and the bar served afterwards. I and many others here have watched this happen on MAN - LHR which is a hop and a skip as there is no time for the jump.
These may mean nothing to you, but they do to me.