Another Mediocre CE Flight
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Switzerland
Programs: AY+ Platinum, SK Gold, BAEC Silver, airbaltic VIP, Radisson VIP
Posts: 6,532
Another Mediocre CE Flight
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.
#2
Join Date: Apr 2009
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Honors Diamond, Mucci de buveur de gin
Posts: 3,060
Why in God's name they thought they should do a drinks service first is beyond me (especially on a flight of such a short length). Hope you managed to wolf down whatever you got in time and weren't left with too much indigestion!
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Switzerland
Programs: AY+ Platinum, SK Gold, BAEC Silver, airbaltic VIP, Radisson VIP
Posts: 6,532
I don't understand it either. I appreciate that the crews are very busy on such flights but with some preparation this could have been avoided. By the way: They started heating the ovens when above the Isle of Man, whereas on other flights they do it even before takeoff!
#5
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,855
Breakfast is sometimes available on so called brunch domestic flights if the LHR-BHD sector before it was before 09:30 hrs. They often have a few trays left and are happy to give people the third choice. But in reality I think you were being offered the domestic "extended breakfast" of the past namely this (which isn't my idea of breakfast but that is how some crew describe it):
Personally I'm not sure I would have noticed Manchester as being late into the cruise from BHD, they sometimes have to back around the Irish Sea a bit before they get settled, and at that time of the day the crew will be wanting the seat belt signs off so they can serve tea and coffee.
Still, they shouldn't have greeted any indecision with "ten minutes to landing", not least since over Cheshire (?) it wouldn't be true. Plus it's somewhat lacking in customer service skills.
Drinks rounds are good to have on Domestics provided there is the time and the crew really know what they are doing, but I agree on morning flights it's probably best to do a single tray and hot drink offering.
Personally I'm not sure I would have noticed Manchester as being late into the cruise from BHD, they sometimes have to back around the Irish Sea a bit before they get settled, and at that time of the day the crew will be wanting the seat belt signs off so they can serve tea and coffee.
Still, they shouldn't have greeted any indecision with "ten minutes to landing", not least since over Cheshire (?) it wouldn't be true. Plus it's somewhat lacking in customer service skills.
Drinks rounds are good to have on Domestics provided there is the time and the crew really know what they are doing, but I agree on morning flights it's probably best to do a single tray and hot drink offering.
#7
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Cape Town
Programs: BA Exec Gold , Qatar Priviledge Club Plat
Posts: 1,584
Surely a system of one crew member does drinks then the other one does food would work better ? Crew really need to come on with their game face on for theses flights. BA/Comair crew on the JNB-DUR sector are like ninja's , even they have a more elaborate club service offering to serve.
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Switzerland
Programs: AY+ Platinum, SK Gold, BAEC Silver, airbaltic VIP, Radisson VIP
Posts: 6,532
They often have a few trays left and are happy to give people the third choice. But in reality I think you were being offered the domestic "extended breakfast" of the past namely this:
Personally I'm not sure I would have noticed Manchester as being late into the cruise from BHD, they sometimes have to back around the Irish Sea a bit before they get settled, and at that time of the day the crew will be wanting the seat belt signs off so they can serve tea and coffee.
Still, they shouldn't have greeted any indecision with "ten minutes to landing", not least since over Cheshire (?) it wouldn't be true. Plus it's somewhat lacking in customer service skills.
Still, they shouldn't have greeted any indecision with "ten minutes to landing", not least since over Cheshire (?) it wouldn't be true. Plus it's somewhat lacking in customer service skills.
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Switzerland
Programs: AY+ Platinum, SK Gold, BAEC Silver, airbaltic VIP, Radisson VIP
Posts: 6,532
After so many mediocre flights, I tend to agree with you now, and nearly all of my upcoming flights are actually in ET. Still, it doesn't really matter, as I or anyone else could have been on this flight connecting to longhaul.
#10
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: Some
Posts: 5,265
I’m not sure TS blocks exit row seats (could be wrong?), but otherwise agreed!
#12
Join Date: Nov 2005
Programs: BA Exec
Posts: 647
Let me start by saying that I don't know what was going on behind the scenes...
On a short, busy sector such as the one described above I would be out in the cabin pretty quickly after wheels-up and delivering the service from a trolley - combining drinks with the brunch service. I certainly wouldn't be delivering the service by hand with 6 rows of CE...a recipe for potentially running out of time and having to rush to finish on such a short sector.
What you have described is not in line with the Service Standards for this sector. The response you received from the crew is also unacceptable .
Complain. The SCCM will get an email and they will then have to explain their actions (there could be a good reason, who knows - perhaps the equipment/trolley was defective). If not, they will be reminded of what they should have done...
On a short, busy sector such as the one described above I would be out in the cabin pretty quickly after wheels-up and delivering the service from a trolley - combining drinks with the brunch service. I certainly wouldn't be delivering the service by hand with 6 rows of CE...a recipe for potentially running out of time and having to rush to finish on such a short sector.
What you have described is not in line with the Service Standards for this sector. The response you received from the crew is also unacceptable .
Complain. The SCCM will get an email and they will then have to explain their actions (there could be a good reason, who knows - perhaps the equipment/trolley was defective). If not, they will be reminded of what they should have done...
#13
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,855
#14
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Switzerland
Posts: 1,593
I've never been gold (and, irritatingly but not unexpectedly, have just been demoted to bronze!) but one of the nice things about being silver and booking an emergency exit seat on my BSL-LHR flights is that I often get a goldie sitting in the same section, so I get to leech off their empty middle seat. Thanks goldies!
#15
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,855