orbitmic

I'm a little lost here - on all my LH flights in Y, I get something to eat (typically a pretzel, sandwich, or salad on shorter flights, a tray on longer ones). By contrast, on BA, while I don't use BoB myself, I've frequently heard the crew apologetically tell people near me who ask that they have no sandwiches/salads left and I tend to sit anywhere between the first row of the cabin and emergency exits.

I also find the drinks selection on LH (and the likes) decent. Both their wine and their beer are notably nicer than what BA offers on BoB and I prefer their sparkling water too.

Andriyko

Yes, we can argue about this all day, and those who dislike BoB will continue to come up with reasons such as BA having no competition to explain why people still choose BA despite no free food/drinks. There is simply no accepting for those people that flying stopped being viewed as an experience, and even though there is a small minority of people who still do they are just a minority. There must be a handful of routes which see no competition and where BA is the only operator, but there is plenty competition at LHR. The fantasy that if another airline started flying from LHR we would suddenly start getting three course lunches and dinners is bizarre. The market is what it is.

Well, they can keep their 'free' food and drinks to themselves. I'd much rather buy something I like than be given something I don't for free.



I don't. Even in business class. A matter of personal preference, of course, but I simply don't understand how their wines can be better than what BA offers on board to purchase...they are so much worse. The 'snacks' are pretty dire as well. I'd much rather eat at the airport.

subject2load

Andriyko

I am sure you meant to write something that had a meaning but I am struggling to see any point in your post...

Padmeister

He is right in his comments subject2load! When the BOB threads first appeared on FT there was an abundance of people huffing and puffing over it; and stating this is the end of BA the final straw bla bla bla so I think that is what he is referring to.....

ahmetdouas

KARFA

subject2load

ThatT1Feeling

Mixed for me. I like the choice and better quality offered by BoB and it also means I don't snack on something filled with sugar and salt because I've been given it for free. I don't like that the trolleys often still seem to be undercatered with the popular items.

However, not providing complementary soft drinks, like Finnair do, still really annoys me, especially to those of us who regularly chuck £20k+ per annum BA's way. It makes them seem cheap and not appreciating that loyalty is a two-way thing,

Padmeister

Simply read the original threads on FT about BOB and you will see alot of negativity about it and it being the final straw! I don't have to provide bugger all evidence about it who do you think you are? KARFA immediately agreed with me so in no way am I making it up!

My opinion of BOB is that BA should have done is include free tea coffee and water and that would be the sweetener. People moaned about the free food in short haul and they moan about BOB so there is no real winner to keep people happy.

littlefish

BoB has impacted me, too, through the GnT angle. My workday evening BA flights in ET to or from the likes of CPH, AMS, VIE, DUB, DUS and such were, pre BoB, characterised by the little luxury of a GnT with a couple of crisps served "my way" by the lovely CC. Just a nice thing that I enjoyed immensely as I jetted to wherever. Not only was this part of the ticket but there was a clear rhythm to the service so I knew when the trolley would reach me.
Tis no more.
BoB has taken this away. So that little but magnified aspect of the BA experience has gone too. One less thing to be a click the plus meter with me ... and that has really counted. I fly BA less longhaul now!
I still fly BA in ET. My flight routine has changed. I have my GnT as the flight is called in the lounge. I sleep as soon as wheels are up. I have zero interest to await the BoB trolley. I have practically no interaction with the CC. It is now altogether a 'meh' experience.

PUCCI GALORE

amt

Ancient Observer

Mixed for me. SWMBO and I have adjusted. Pret has done well out of the change. (And the Pret queues at LHR do seem quite long, but maybe they always were). I live near LHR, so our choices of airline are limited, as I don't want to fight the M25 before a flight.
Has anyone deliberately switched to CE due to BoB? For us, the seats & food are not worth the extra money.

orbitmic

I actually agree with you that if one can and wants to spend money to eat at the airport, it will often be better than whatever you get onboard (some airports are sadly dire exceptions), though it is equally true that taking the logic even further, most airport eateries offer very poor value for money so equally, I'd rather eat - usually much better and cheaper - in town rather than spend too much cash on airport food, but that as you say is a matter of personal taste, fully agreed. I also agree that drinks are of course a question of personal preference. I guess that if in particular one is not too keen on German whites, which can be quite fruity, this may not be a very tempting option but I personally quite like them and like the LX and OS Swiss and Austrian ones even more even in Y (and even though I take those rankings with a good bucketload of salt, LH Y did win multiple awards for best white wine from various mainstream magazines in recent years). I'm not keen on their current Spanish red, but I also do find BA European wines in both Y and C very poor.

That said, my main point was about your saying:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andriyko

In fact, I prefer flying BoB airlines because if I want a drink or something to eat I can buy something of decent quality. Airlines like Lufthansa are the worst since if you're hungry there is nothing to eat and you can't buy anything.

because I've never been on a LH flight with nothing to eat except the super short ones. For full disclosure, I'm not keen on sandwiches so I actually do not like their filled pretzels or sandwiches which you get on very short flights like FRA-LHR, but I cannot say I have ever gone hungry with those and with nothing to eat, and often, one gets a salad which I prefer. For longer flights, trays are maintained including hot food over 3 hours or so, something you can't buy - even for money - on BA flights of similar length. That's why your experience of risking going hungry on LH but not on BA surprised me, especially as, as mentioned, I've witnessed many a BA flight with none of the sandwiches/salads available after just a few rows (something many others have in fact experienced and reported on here).

While I do not like the principle of BoB, I think some airlines actually do it very well. For instance, I really enjoy the BoB offer on BT where you can pre-order a full hot meal and drink for a reasonable price (€10-15 depending on the choice of main course, including a big choice of starters, a big choice of mains, a big choice of desserts, and wine, beer, water, or soft drink). If BA wanted to move to something like that, I'd be a lot more sympathetic to their BoB concept.

The OS concept is also better in my view. Everyone gets a full meal on flights of over 2h30 or so, and on flights shorter than that, their Do&Co A la Carte menus at €15 are actually very good, a lot better than anything you get in BA or LH C (great wienerschnitzel when it's offered, and great Japanese bento box, and even their cooked breakfast puts BA's full English to shame). Again, that is not my ideal as I prefer traditional all inclusive offering which I think offer a very different experience and create a different relationship between passenger and crew, but if we are talking BoB, I find those versions of it more tempting.