Compensation for mistake with special meal
 

I ordered a special meal but the FA told me I'm not appearing as having any special meal, pointing to some hand-scribbled note with some seat numbers that didn't include mine..

I took some regular meal instead, and asked the FA to check whether it was a mistake in how I order the meal, or that it wasn't loaded for some reason. She promised the check and get back to me. Around 3 hours later, no word from the FA. I asked another FA and it turns out that my special meal appeared in the manifest and was loaded on the plane - it was some human error of the first FA (and maybe others as well).

I asked for a complaint form, but the FA tried to persuade me not to file a complaint and asked how she can make it up to me, offered me a "bottle of something" or a "wash kit from first class". I politely declined. The purser later came up and offered me 2,000 avios (ridiculous, I know). I said the minimum I would even consider as decent compensation is 20,000. The purser then said she can give me 10,000 and if I want anything beyond that I would need to contact customer support. I agreed to take the 10,000 for a start, and entered my email on her ipad for it to presumably auto-post to my account.

Now I'm wondering - what is the chance of getting a significant additional compensation and how to best go about getting it?

I fear you may take some incoming fire on this one. 10,000 should be more than enough in my opinion in any class of travel for this issue. Shame it wasn't sorted out, but not sure why there were 3 hours between following up. Were you able to eat something?

I think the special meal is printed on the boarding pass somewhere if printed at the airport, not sure though.

What cabin and where was you travelled too?

T be honest 10 000 Avios is good going for such an issue. How long was the flight and could they give it to you subsequently or was it used. Might be worth having a word with CSM on boarding to see if special meal has been loaded before departure.

if you pursue this it will IMO be a waste of time as typically catering issues is of the 4000 Avios mark. Compensation of the tens of thousands is a thing of the past.

Depends on how you value AVIOS, but you have received an offer of 100 GBP plus... I would take that and just leave it... Are you seriously expecting to get more?

I haven't flown on BA metal for a few years now, and I remember getting something like 20,000 as compensation for a malfunctioning IFE in CW some years back. No IFE is a tiny nuisance in my book, but having to choose between a regular meal (when vegetarian was ordered for ethical and health reasons) and being forced to fast for many hours (I happened to get to the flight after a long day with hardly any food, and skipped the lounge), is extremely aggravating. Not sure if non-vegetarians can fully understand this, but I understand your point about waste of time in trying to get more.

Gosh, take the compensation; it was only a meal.

Could the FAs have put together a meal with a salad and some of the side vegetables - even Y meals come with a salad and some sides in addition to the fish, poultry or meat.

Did you discuss what could be provided?

BA are not responsible for your eating patterns leading up to the flight.

Last time I looked, avios didn't cure hunger retrospectively and 10k is a good result in extracting a gesture of contrition. Take it and move on.

I am strictly kosher and if my meal isn't loaded, I can't pick from regular meals. That being said--I know it can get messed up and therefore travel with some granola bars or something. I AM realistic, its only food--and if there was only 1 meal than how many hours was the flight--c'mon do you never miss a meal at home?

I agree 2000 is low, but I would have taken the 10,000 Avios for sure.

I think 10k is more than reasonable. Certainly worth more than what a meal on board a plane would cost. Think you should accept it without thinking how much more you can get.

Vegetarian of 35+ years here and I never assume there will be a meal for me on a flight. Never managed to get a single vegetarian meal on CX, although it's been a while since I flew with them. If there is one and it's edible, it can seem like a miracle. My mind doesn't immediately jump to "compo, compo, compo", just "that's okay, I have something in my bag". But perhaps that's generational (suck it up, 1st world problems, "in the war...") and/or locational (live somewhere where a compensation culture has yet to take hold).

You were fed, you got 10,000 Avios. Is it because you believe you were truly heinously treated or because you want bragging rights that you want more?