Poor service in CE but reasonable complaint response
Jan 9, 2018, 12:53 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 58
Poor service in CE but reasonable complaint response
Hi FTers
Regular reader but only occasional poster here. I thought you might appreciate a data point that I got 10k avios for a recent service complaint. Flying LHR-DUB (55min flight time) before Christmas in CE (cash ticket, treated myself) and the service was pretty bad. I was in last row of CE, row 5, on A319 and while I appreciate there was only one CC member serving the 20 people in CE, service did seem to progress very slowly. Each passenger individually had drinks and food order taken, then off to galley to fetch it, deliver to passenger, back to galley for bread basket to offer to the same passenger, then replace bread basket in galley, move to next passenger. Seemed to linger at some pax for a chat also. By the time I was reached in 5D the captain had already announced 20 mins to landing. I was offered a drink and food, unfortunately I could not eat the only choice on offer by that time (not sure if others were available further forward) and the CC really wasn’t interested in discussing alternatives “sorry, nothing else” and that was that - the response verged on rude. I can understand the desire to finish up quickly by that point, but the pressure created was somewhat of their own making by progressing slowly. CC did oblige with my requested drinks order, some bubbles and a g&t, which were served in glassware but then hurried to secure the cabin and was back three minutes later with plastic glasses to pour the drinks into for landing.
I realise these are first world problems but after treating myself to CE it was quite frustrating to watch the service progress so slowly - I was ready to start the Christmas break with a well earned glass of bubbles!
I submitted feedback via the app and got a nice response, which seemed less copy paste than other examples I have read here lately. They acknowledged my issue and wished me a pleasant flight on my next booking (they included the date). The offer of 10k avios seems towards the higher end of offers reported here lately, so thought you all would appreciate the info.
Happy flightings!
27L
Regular reader but only occasional poster here. I thought you might appreciate a data point that I got 10k avios for a recent service complaint. Flying LHR-DUB (55min flight time) before Christmas in CE (cash ticket, treated myself) and the service was pretty bad. I was in last row of CE, row 5, on A319 and while I appreciate there was only one CC member serving the 20 people in CE, service did seem to progress very slowly. Each passenger individually had drinks and food order taken, then off to galley to fetch it, deliver to passenger, back to galley for bread basket to offer to the same passenger, then replace bread basket in galley, move to next passenger. Seemed to linger at some pax for a chat also. By the time I was reached in 5D the captain had already announced 20 mins to landing. I was offered a drink and food, unfortunately I could not eat the only choice on offer by that time (not sure if others were available further forward) and the CC really wasn’t interested in discussing alternatives “sorry, nothing else” and that was that - the response verged on rude. I can understand the desire to finish up quickly by that point, but the pressure created was somewhat of their own making by progressing slowly. CC did oblige with my requested drinks order, some bubbles and a g&t, which were served in glassware but then hurried to secure the cabin and was back three minutes later with plastic glasses to pour the drinks into for landing.
I realise these are first world problems but after treating myself to CE it was quite frustrating to watch the service progress so slowly - I was ready to start the Christmas break with a well earned glass of bubbles!
I submitted feedback via the app and got a nice response, which seemed less copy paste than other examples I have read here lately. They acknowledged my issue and wished me a pleasant flight on my next booking (they included the date). The offer of 10k avios seems towards the higher end of offers reported here lately, so thought you all would appreciate the info.
Happy flightings!
27L
Jan 9, 2018, 1:08 pm
#2
Join Date: Oct 2015
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Sorry to hear of the slow Service, often only one option on a band 1 flight but very generous service recovery given more recent reports, people having got less with no meal on a LH flight in J.
my recent flights of such length have had 2 CC working the cabin which would have helped somewhat.
my recent flights of such length have had 2 CC working the cabin which would have helped somewhat.
Jan 9, 2018, 1:34 pm
#3
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One CC for 5 rows seems a bit thight, but then I have no idea what the BA cut-off is for an extra CC.
I do recall an 8-row CE (JER-LGW) where 3 (yes, THREE) CC managed to make a complete hash of it ... and we were in Row 2 (1 cold croque monsieur and 1 ‘we’ve run out, have a salad’)
I do recall an 8-row CE (JER-LGW) where 3 (yes, THREE) CC managed to make a complete hash of it ... and we were in Row 2 (1 cold croque monsieur and 1 ‘we’ve run out, have a salad’)
Jan 9, 2018, 1:55 pm
#4
Join Date: Oct 2017
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...and yet when it’s done well, CE service is remarkable and an exercise in efficiency. Coming back from GVA at the weekend, there were 12 full rows of CE and they did the full meal and two drinks services within 45mins from take-off. Remarkable.
Jan 9, 2018, 2:14 pm
#5
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Aberdeenshire
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One CC for 5 rows seems a bit thight, but then I have no idea what the BA cut-off is for an extra CC.
I do recall an 8-row CE (JER-LGW) where 3 (yes, THREE) CC managed to make a complete hash of it ... and we were in Row 2 (1 cold croque monsieur and 1 ‘we’ve run out, have a salad’)
I do recall an 8-row CE (JER-LGW) where 3 (yes, THREE) CC managed to make a complete hash of it ... and we were in Row 2 (1 cold croque monsieur and 1 ‘we’ve run out, have a salad’)
Jan 9, 2018, 2:47 pm
#6
Join Date: Apr 2017
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Yesterday on the 15.25 from GLA to LHR which was a 767 with 20 in CE (5 rows) the (CSM or CSD or Purser, not sure the correct title) was the best I have seen in my limited time 9/10 months with BA. I think his name was Robert ? I wish I had taken a note of his name. Starting with his welcome on board message which was delivered very smoothly in proper BBC English, all 20 CE passengers then had a genuine by name personalised welcome on board and thank you for travelling with us today and also a little bit of info about how to best connect if they had an onward flight. After take off he came and asked the GC holders if they had a meal preference (ploughman’s or afternoon tea). The first drinks service and the meal were served super quick and then there was a 2nd drinks service from the trolley again. To be fair there were 3 CC in CE but he made it run like clockwork and it really did look like a well oiled machine. Really enjoyed it, well done BA.
OT:
Robert told me that I was connecting in 5B yesterday so I asked him about using the tunnel, I’ve never been in 5B or 5C before, really enjoyed the walk and only saw 1 other person who was an employee coming the other way, can’t believe so few people use them.
OT:
Robert told me that I was connecting in 5B yesterday so I asked him about using the tunnel, I’ve never been in 5B or 5C before, really enjoyed the walk and only saw 1 other person who was an employee coming the other way, can’t believe so few people use them.
Jan 9, 2018, 3:18 pm
#7
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Jan 9, 2018, 3:58 pm
#8
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I have also experienced glacially slow CE service on the LHR-DUB route. Like the OP, a single member of cabin crew (the SCCM) took her own sweet time serving food and drink on an item-by-item basis from the galley. We were well into the descent, passing the Isle of Man, by the time I got served anything. It wasn't exactly relaxing. I didn't bother to complain about it, but perhaps I should have. Now I'm wondering if it was the same CC.
Jan 9, 2018, 4:09 pm
#9
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Welcome to Flyertalk and the BA forum 27Liam. I know you posted before in the TP Run thread last year, but it's easy to miss people in that thread! Belated welcome anyway.
I don't know whether this assumption is correct, but because you mentioned it was galley led, what sometimes happens on DUBs and other short services is that there is a second crew member lurking there preparing the trays (etc) for the crew member running the aisle. This can work well if both crew are experienced and have the galley and trolley in good shape, I would normally be looking to an experienced EF crew to do this. Otherwise if there were 20 in CE and it is Mixed Fleet, there really should have been 2 working the aisles in the usual way. So I'm not sure what happened there (unless they were caught out by the sector speed, which is unlikely with EF but entirely possible with a new Mixed Fleet crew). You are right that you got a high level of Avios compensation, it would buy quite a lot of the BoB trolley by way of comparison (nearly 5 bottles / 1.8 litres of champagne for example!), there have been some early pointers recently that CR have eased off the squeeze on Avios recently. Hopefully your next trip will go more smoothly.
I don't know whether this assumption is correct, but because you mentioned it was galley led, what sometimes happens on DUBs and other short services is that there is a second crew member lurking there preparing the trays (etc) for the crew member running the aisle. This can work well if both crew are experienced and have the galley and trolley in good shape, I would normally be looking to an experienced EF crew to do this. Otherwise if there were 20 in CE and it is Mixed Fleet, there really should have been 2 working the aisles in the usual way. So I'm not sure what happened there (unless they were caught out by the sector speed, which is unlikely with EF but entirely possible with a new Mixed Fleet crew). You are right that you got a high level of Avios compensation, it would buy quite a lot of the BoB trolley by way of comparison (nearly 5 bottles / 1.8 litres of champagne for example!), there have been some early pointers recently that CR have eased off the squeeze on Avios recently. Hopefully your next trip will go more smoothly.
Jan 9, 2018, 4:56 pm
#10
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Berks
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Yesterday on the 15.25 from GLA to LHR which was a 767 with 20 in CE (5 rows) the (CSM or CSD or Purser, not sure the correct title) was the best I have seen in my limited time 9/10 months with BA. I think his name was Robert ? I wish I had taken a note of his name. Starting with his welcome on board message which was delivered very smoothly in proper BBC English, all 20 CE passengers then had a genuine by name personalised welcome on board and thank you for travelling with us today and also a little bit of info about how to best connect if they had an onward flight. After take off he came and asked the GC holders if they had a meal preference (ploughman’s or afternoon tea). The first drinks service and the meal were served super quick and then there was a 2nd drinks service from the trolley again. To be fair there were 3 CC in CE but he made it run like clockwork and it really did look like a well oiled machine. Really enjoyed it, well done BA.
OT:
Robert told me that I was connecting in 5B yesterday so I asked him about using the tunnel, I’ve never been in 5B or 5C before, really enjoyed the walk and only saw 1 other person who was an employee coming the other way, can’t believe so few people use them.
OT:
Robert told me that I was connecting in 5B yesterday so I asked him about using the tunnel, I’ve never been in 5B or 5C before, really enjoyed the walk and only saw 1 other person who was an employee coming the other way, can’t believe so few people use them.
Jan 9, 2018, 11:27 pm
#11
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Jan 10, 2018, 4:50 am
#12
Join Date: Apr 2017
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Noting your username and also the person you were quoting mentioning their travelling on a 767, I remember being served by a member of the cabin crew who had an impressive handlebar moustache and was also the first time I'd been addressed personally. This was Sept 2015 LCA - LHR. He was very good indeed; the red wine kept coming!
Jan 10, 2018, 6:28 am
#13
Join Date: Nov 2005
Programs: BA Exec
Posts: 647
There is a service matrix which details each route sector by sector with guidelines on time available, suggested crew ratios etc.
DUB is classed as "Short" and as such, one SCCM should be able to handle 20 customers on their own. However, I certainly wouldn't be hand delivering to 5 rows of Club Europe..a time consuming and inefficient method of delivering on such a short flight. I'm very surprised the SCCM didn't use a trolley and dispense drinks and food at the same time given the load and sector length.
Conceivably there could have been an issue with the equipment which prevented its use - but it does sound as if the individual in question under-estimated the shortness of the flight....perhaps they were new and not accustomed to operating short sectors.
Good to hear the issue was resolved to the OP's satisfaction.
DUB is classed as "Short" and as such, one SCCM should be able to handle 20 customers on their own. However, I certainly wouldn't be hand delivering to 5 rows of Club Europe..a time consuming and inefficient method of delivering on such a short flight. I'm very surprised the SCCM didn't use a trolley and dispense drinks and food at the same time given the load and sector length.
Conceivably there could have been an issue with the equipment which prevented its use - but it does sound as if the individual in question under-estimated the shortness of the flight....perhaps they were new and not accustomed to operating short sectors.
Good to hear the issue was resolved to the OP's satisfaction.
Jan 10, 2018, 6:39 am
#14
Join Date: May 2016
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Noting your username and also the person you were quoting mentioning their travelling on a 767, I remember being served by a member of the cabin crew who had an impressive handlebar moustache and was also the first time I'd been addressed personally. This was Sept 2015 LCA - LHR. He was very good indeed; the red wine kept coming!
Jan 10, 2018, 5:07 pm
#15
Join Date: Jul 2011
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That isnot great at all. And just being in row 5 with 20 mins to go. Glad they addressed the issue and gave you recompense after the event.
But I would not be happy at all with that service. I think you must have been very unlucky really. Never had an issue like that happen. And I'm a bit nosy, so I see how long it takes the crew to serve the entire cabin, at least with one service.
Had one flight DUB LHR , when there was a great sale on to the west coast via LHR a couple years back and I think there were 14-16 rows. Everyone got served and offered top-ups!
But I would not be happy at all with that service. I think you must have been very unlucky really. Never had an issue like that happen. And I'm a bit nosy, so I see how long it takes the crew to serve the entire cabin, at least with one service.
Had one flight DUB LHR , when there was a great sale on to the west coast via LHR a couple years back and I think there were 14-16 rows. Everyone got served and offered top-ups!