Sep 12, 2018, 5:55 am

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Last edit by: EJetter

Club Europe Catering Guide - September 2018 onwards

This thread outlines the new arrangements for Club Europe catering introduced on Wednesday 12 September 2018 based on 5 bands (Express, and Bands 1-4). The main information piece - in terms of timings and the distance zones for the meals can be found in post 1. The following cross references the photos below against the matrix of options. In addition to the photos, some FTers have written extensively on their experiences so there is more to this thread than the pictures. Also note that the menus for LGW routes rotate monthly, whereas LHR routes rotate bi-weekly

Please keep this thread clear for for reviews, menu descriptions, and photos. For chat about the new service arrangements there is a dedicated thread has now been set up for this Club Europe catering opinions and general discussion

Please do not quote photos in this thread.

The previous shorthaul catering guide for Sunday 26 March 2017 to Tuesday 11 September 2018 is now locked, but is to be found here.

Numbers relate to the post number. Vegetarian means the alternative option provided as standard rather than the special meals. The pre-ordered special meals are AVML (Asia-vegetarian), CHML(children meal), DBML (diabetic meal), GFML (gluten free), HNML (Hindu non-vegetarian meal), KSML (Kosher meal), LCML (low calorie meal), LFML (low fat meal), NLML (low-lactose meal), LSML (low salt meal), MOML (Muslim meal), VGML (vegan meal), and VLML (lacto-ovo vegetarian).

There are differences between the offering in/out of LHR, LGW, and BA CityFlyer routes operated from LCY, STN, BRS, BHX, MAN, EDI, and DUB. For BA CityFlyer flights please refer to this guide created by eJetter BA CityFlyer catering guide

Last update: post 1830
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Chef's Chat sheets for:

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Express (LBA, MAN, and JER only. Note JER is classes at express but gets band 1 service)

Breakfast: 176, 289 (KSML), 345 (VLML), 347 (JER), 375, 622, 705, 1063, 1359, 1390 (JER)
Brunch: 813, 987 (AVML), 1066
Lunch: 226, 326, 388 (KSML), 427 (AVML), 553 (KSML), 586, 678, 887, 1014 (JER), 1015, 1128, 1139, 1148 (KSML), 1276, 1351, 1396, 1452, 1456, 1789
Afternoon tea: 103, 176, 643 (LCML), 733, 1038
Dinner: 279, 332 (JER), 359 (AVML), 521, 588, 608, 647, 752, 914, 941, 950, 961, 1006 (KSML), 1014 (JER), 1016, 1026, 1050 (AVML), 1054 (KSML), 1095, 1142 (VLML), 1143 (NLML), 1186 (KSML), 1399 (JER), 1523, 1524 (KSML), 1598

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Band 1 (UK, France, Ireland, BeNeLux, Germany)

Breakfast: 9, 56, 105, 183, 203, 256, 304, 377, 420 (LGW), 445, 452 (VGML), 457 (VGML), 558, 641, 971 (LGW), 1071, 1417, 1424, 1584 (VGML), 1605, 1638, 1748,1758 (LGW), 1810
Brunch: 68, 121, 142, 197, 420, 458, 555, 559, 620 (LCML), 660, 662, 770, 923, 1077 (VGML), 1354, 1410, 1560, 1704, 1747 (LGW), 1755, 1819
Lunch: 16, 142, 147 (VLML), 170 (KSML), 230, 255, 344, 498, 510, 529, 535, 556, 560, 592, 612, 632, 640, 660, 707 (LGW), 713 (KSML), 723, 838, 981 (LGW) (VLML), 1008 (KSML), 1094, 1183 (VGML), 1196, 1222 (VGML), 1223, 1318, 1360, 1461 (VGML), 1475 (LGW), 1539 (LGW) (VLML), 1543, 1709 (LGW), 1778, 1794, 1820 (LGW)
Afternoon tea: 32, 36 (LGW), 71, 90, 104, 123 (LGW), 139 (LCML), 146, 167 (VLML), 207 (KSML), 252, 277, 285, 353 (KSML), 441, 527 (LGW), 557, 739, 783, 831, 907, 976, 1160, 1337 (LGW), 1340, 1343 (VGML), 1382, 1408 (LGW), 1642 (LGW), 1756, 1757, 1804, 1809, 1817
Dinner: 49, 130 (LGW), 142, 642185, 186 (LGW & VLML), 208 (KSML), 225, 225 (LGW), 237, 242, 268, 281, 298, 307 (KSML), 353 (KSML), 367, 436 (AVML), 441, 444, 498, 517 (AVML), 554, 648, 652, 653, 669, 690, 708, 758, 789, 822, 916 (LGW), 917 (LGW), 955 (VGML), 981 (LGW) , 1060, 1070, 1136, 1212 (VGML), 1217, 1218, 1275, 1308 (KSML), 1321, 1358, 1365, 1369, 1529, 1556 (LGW), 1568 (VGML), 1576, 1577, 1617 (LGW), 1638, 1682, 1690, 1703, 1769, 1771, 1778 (VGML), 1788 (VGML), 1812, 1813, 1820 (LGW)

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Band 2 (e.g. Barcelona, Nice, Venice, Prague, Copenhagen)

Breakfast: 8, 269, 309, 329, 400, 576 (KSML), 613, 650 (LGW), 679 (AVML), 914 (AVML), 955 (VGML), 1463, 1655 (LGW)
Brunch: 578, 610, 659, 910
Lunch: 18, 40, 107, 163 (AVML), 235, 421, 431, 504, 578, 614, 760, 894 (VGML), 1243, 1407, 1641 (LGW), 1656 (LGW), 1830
Afternoon tea: 278 (LGW), 306, 362 (KSML), 399, 496 (LGW), 499, 578, 749, 1150, 1191 (AVML), 1204, 1279 (KSML), 1730 (LGW)
Dinner: 155 (AVML), 227, 269, 287, 385, 496 (LGW), 578, 583, 591 (KSML), 593 (LGW), 596 (AVML), 596 (HNML), 794, 875, 910, 925, 937, 940, 982, 1204, 1221 (GFML), 1231 (KSML), 1237, 1238 (AVML), 1720 (LGW), 1774, 1777, 1806, 1830

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Band 3 (e.g. Madrid, Rome, Warsaw, Stockholm)

Breakfast: 57, 171, 418, 507, 631, 677, 762, 956, 1165 (VGML), 1425, 1430, 1443, 1464,1749, 1727, 1749
Rest of the day: 27, 44, 59, 87, 100, 165, 168, 199 (LGW), 200 (LGW), 216, 268, 282, 321 (LGW), 322, 335, 341 (LGW), 343, 350 (LGW), 351 (LGW), 387, 397 (KSML), 398, 400, 419, 429, 435 (AVML), 448 (VGML), 477, 484, 485, 500, 448 (KSML), 551 (LCML), 571 (KSML), 587, 599 (LGW), 619, 649 (KSML), 676, 743 (VLML), 753, 763, 778 (GFML), 780, 803, 806, 816, 854, 880, 882 (LGW), 895, 929, 944, 954, 957, 963, 984, 985, 998 (LFML), 1002, 1017 (LGW), 1035, 1037 (LGW), 1046 (LGW), 1067 (KSML), 1071, 1072, 1074, 1078, 1091, 1097, 1104, 1121, 1126 (LFML), 1127, 1132, 1135, 1145 (KSML), 1151, 1152, 1154 (KSML), 1205, 1220, 1227 (VGML), 1246, 1266, 1269 (LGW), 1272, 1273, 1274, 1323, 1426, 1465 (AVML), 1482, 1504, 1538, 1552, 1561, 1586 (LGW), 1610, 1612, 1620, 1621 (AVML), 1658 (LGW), 1673 (LGW), 1680, 1685, 1687, 1696, 1699 (LGW), 1706, 1718, , 1728, 1731, 1735 (LGW), 1736 (KSML), 1742 (LGW), 1770, 1772, 1773, 1790 (LGW), 1791, 1793, 1796 (LGW), 1805, 1828, 1829

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Band 4 (e.g. Malta, Sofia, Kiev, Istanbul)

Breakfast: 159, 223, 440, 483, 661, 795, 796, 878 (AVML), 898 (LGW), 919 (KSML), 1226
Rest of the day: 61 (LGW), 63 (LGW), 83, 122 (LGW), 129 (LGW), 191 (LGW), 233, 244, 255, 264, 342, 349, 618 (CHML) (LGW), 624, 661, 730 (LGW), 797, 798, 835 (LGW), 836 (LGW), 863 (LGW), 893, 896 (LGW), 897 (LGW), 911 (LGW), 942, 986, 1047, 1141 (CHML), 1149, 1226, 1250 (LGW), 1252 (LGW), 1263, 1277 (LGW), 1280, 1314 (LGW), 1366, 1371, 1450, 1469, 1474, 1484 (LGW), 1497, 1505, 1516, 1520, 1522, 1648, 1661 (LGW), 1662 (LGW), 1681 (LGW), 1722 (LGW) (VGML), 1746 (LGW) (VGML), 1786, 1787, 1811 (LGW)

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Club Europe catering | menus, reviews and photos

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Dec 8, 2019, 3:27 pm

#1501

ENTP

Join Date: Aug 2014

Location: London

Programs: BAEC GGL/CCR, HH Diamond

Posts: 1,916

Quote:

Originally Posted by APUBleed

I'm flying LHR-ARN in CE Row 10 (of 11). I am managing my own expectations that it's unlikely I'll get my first choice....do they cater well such that two choices are likely to be available? How often do they start service at both ends vs the 'standard operating procedures' of starting from the front?

Thanks

You might want to order a special meal.
I have found the Hindu meals a lot tastier than either hot choice on some of the current menus. Other contributors like the Kosher meals similarly.

Ldnn1 likes this.

Dec 8, 2019, 3:35 pm

#1502

1Aturnleft

Join Date: Dec 2007

Posts: 3,576

Quote:

Originally Posted by APUBleed

IME if you prepare for 2of3 choices having already been requested then you're not going to be disappointed when it's advised to you that there's only 1 of the menu options available on a take it or leave it basis. Anything better than this is a bonus. Catering is pretty much set to the cabin load in my experience. By that I mean if there are 11 rows, expect it to be catered for 44. If there are some empty seats then this may increase your chances of a choice by the time the service reaches you.

In terms of veering off service standard from front to back, IME it tends to be mixed fleet who do this - either by taking meal choices ahead of service or going out with carts in weird start positions and service patterns. That said it's not a normal thing either, just when it's happened to me it's always been a MF crew. I'm not sure what fleet works ARN at the moment but invariably EF tend to know their Club Europe service standard inside out where as with MF it merges into some sort of quasi ClubEuropeWorld mash of whatever seems familiar.

Dec 10, 2019, 9:52 am

#1503

tmac100

Join Date: Dec 2005

Location: Middle Earth, and often worse

Programs: BAEC Silver, A3 Gold

Posts: 2,211

Quote:

Originally Posted by ENTP

You might want to order a special meal.
I have found the Hindu meals a lot tastier than either hot choice on some of the current menus. Other contributors like the Kosher meals similarly.

On several airlines, the Halal meals were great - with seafood.

The only Kosher meals I have had were on 2 United flights (RT) DXB-IAD several years ago. They were in Rabbinically-sealed boxes to ensure Kosher purity (which I understand). But, not exactly appetizing on the DXB-IAD flight, after been loaded onboard (at IAD, I presume) a day before. On the other hand, I am sure the Kosher meals served on shorter RT sectors would be fine. However, after those two United sectors, I have not tried Kosher airline meals - on any airline.

Dec 10, 2019, 10:16 am

#1504

Oxon Flyer

Moderator: British Airways Executive Club, Marriott Bonvoy

Join Date: May 2006

Location: Englandshire

Programs: SPG LT Plat, BA G, BD*LG, MG Blue+ ...

Posts: 16,004

LHR-MAD dep 1255 A35K Chicken Curry
MAD-LHR dep 1745 B773 Lamb Shank

Featuring :
"The Great British BA Cheese Swap Scandal"
and
"The Scottish roast beef has run out again".

Drinks service was somewhat spoiled by this new BA way of doing "How NOT to serve the perfect G&T : let's just chuck the whole miniature of gin into the glass, open the can of tonic and add a bit, then hand it to the customer, and let him progressively add the rest of the tonic so the strength goes from unbearably strong to weak and weedly"

Attached Images

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Last edited by Oxon Flyer; Dec 10, 2019 at 10:50 am

Dec 10, 2019, 12:46 pm

#1505

BJ787

Join Date: Mar 2011

Location: UK

Programs: BA Gold

Posts: 531

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charentedame

Was on the return flight this evening MLA to LGW. Similar experience. People commenting on new menu and great crew. Sausages and mash was good and seemed very popular. There was also pumpkin tortellini or smoked mackerel with Bombay potatoes

The aforementioned menu, MLA-LGW BA2645

As sausage goes, it was most satisfying.

As an aside, we were on BA1344 yesterday to West Yorkshire, standard afternoon tea but the speed with which the service was done was the quickest I've ever seen. 8 almost full rows of Club, trolley on the move before 10,000ft, everyone sorted and further drinks being dished out with 20 minutes to go, everything cleared away and plastic cups issued at 10 minutes to go with two of the best crew I've experienced and to their credit despite it being incredibly quick, at no point did it feel like they were rushing any of it.

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Dec 10, 2019, 1:13 pm

#1506

mikebg

Join Date: Feb 2005

Programs: EL AL Matmid, BA Executive Club GfL, GGL/CCR, Hilton Diamond, Avis President's Club

Posts: 2,084

Quote:

Originally Posted by tmac100

Getting good kosher meals on airlines is a black art. Those of us who only eat strictly kosher food know all about it! Many airline kosher meals are worse than dog food ...
However, the best kosher airline meals worldwide by far are those produced in London by the Hermolis catering company. Basically, BA provides kosher meals from Hermolis for all their ex-LHR flights (all classes) and a good number of short haul flights in CE which are catered from London anyway (for example Munich flights, which I do about once a month).
When you read here about excellent kosher meals, often better than the regular meals, they are pretty much always talking about these Hermolis meals.
Kosher airline meals in the USA vary from acceptable to awful - matching the experience you described with United.

Dec 10, 2019, 1:15 pm

#1507

1Aturnleft

Join Date: Dec 2007

Posts: 3,576

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oxon Flyer

Drinks service was somewhat spoiled by this new BA way of doing "How NOT to serve the perfect G&T : let's just chuck the whole miniature of gin into the glass, open the can of tonic and add a bit, then hand it to the customer, and let him progressively add the rest of the tonic so the strength goes from unbearably strong to weak and weedly"

THIS is a classic example of a MF crew member operating a short haul service to their own drum beat. Nothing about this is standard. Drinks in CE should be unsealed by the crew member before being presented for the passenger them to pour/mix themselves. I'd have had no issue asking for another and that I'd do the mixing thanks.

Dec 10, 2019, 1:31 pm

#1508

orbitmic

FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club

Join Date: Jun 2008

Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high

Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc

Posts: 30,491

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1Aturnleft

I have had this happen with both MF and EF, more often than not just to try to be nice/helpful. In fairness, I think it is also a bit unfair to blame MF if BA asks them to do things in completely different ways on their European and long haul flights, it is bound to lead to confusion some times...

Dec 10, 2019, 1:56 pm

#1509

1Aturnleft

Join Date: Dec 2007

Posts: 3,576

Quote:

Originally Posted by orbitmic

Yes I agree with you to a point but it's not the passengers fault either. MF are BA - they are the same thing. It's also completely fair to call MF on this when the specific flights in question that were raised by someone else are operated by them. If it were a inherent issue encountered by WW or EF then I'd be just as quick to point it out -please note this isn't MF bashing for the sake of it, just a common theme I've seen occurring for a while now which I think needs addressing.

Last edited by 1Aturnleft; Dec 10, 2019 at 2:02 pm

Dec 10, 2019, 4:39 pm

#1510

gypsyjaney

Join Date: Oct 2014

Location: Malta

Programs: BAEC Bronze

Posts: 671

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1Aturnleft

interesting to read this. I was puzzled when my G &T was served already mixed last month, LGW - MLA. I didn’t like it, but assumed it was some new service policy. Since then however, it’s been back to the miniatures - thank goodness.

Dec 10, 2019, 4:45 pm

#1511

gypsyjaney

Join Date: Oct 2014

Location: Malta

Programs: BAEC Bronze

Posts: 671

For my last 2 flights LGW-MLA I have been in row 3. On each occasion the Salmon has been finished by the time they reached me. It’s clearly popular - is it beyond the wit of BA to figure this out and load some extra? Don’t the crew ever give feedback onthese things? Heaven help those in the rows further back.

Dec 10, 2019, 4:53 pm

#1512

1Aturnleft

Join Date: Dec 2007

Posts: 3,576

Quote:

Originally Posted by gypsyjaney

I supoose LGW is a mixed crew base too so its only to be expected that similar inconsistencies will be experienced. I do a fair amount of Gatwick flying but have not encountered the issue there before. I guess I've just been lucky. Pre BOB short haul and WT long haul my issue was/is plastic tumblers 'lampshading' quarter wine bottles. Not only does it look tacky, I don't appreciate the sterile nature of the tumbler being compromised by the neck and external screw-top of the bottle - I don't know how long the bottles have been warehoused or in what condition and I dread to think what might have crawled accross them during that time. And yet it still happens on a semi regular basis. A request for an additional tumbler solves the issue when it happens.

Last edited by 1Aturnleft; Dec 10, 2019 at 5:04 pm

Dec 10, 2019, 8:00 pm

#1513

PUCCI GALORE

Fontaine d'honneur du Flyertalk

Join Date: Jul 2001

Location: Morbihan, France

Programs: Reine des Muccis de Pucci; Foreign Elitist (according to others)

Posts: 19,157

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oxon Flyer

Silly boy. If you don’t like it, ask them either for another glass or extra gin. What does weedly mean, my Angel?

i bet if I’d been your CSD (not that they exist in Eurofleet) p, you’d have had a Gin&Tonic that would put hair on your chest.

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Dec 11, 2019, 12:42 am

#1514

george77300

Join Date: Jul 2018

Location: London, UK

Programs: BAEC Gold

Posts: 1,020

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oxon Flyer

I was on that very flight, (12:55 A35K). I had a lovely Scottish Beef (Row 11)

, I guess you were in the left aisle as that seemed to be served slower. Also my G&T was lovely. Perfect strength.

Dec 11, 2019, 1:39 am

#1515

Oxon Flyer

Moderator: British Airways Executive Club, Marriott Bonvoy

Join Date: May 2006

Location: Englandshire

Programs: SPG LT Plat, BA G, BD*LG, MG Blue+ ...

Posts: 16,004

Quote:

Originally Posted by george77300

I was on that very flight, (12:55 A35K). I had a lovely Scottish Beef (Row 11)

, I guess you were in the left aisle as that seemed to be served slower. Also my G&T was lovely. Perfect strength.

Meals were distributed ‘4 corners’ from the front galley, so it was those in rows 3/4/5 who missed out.

Similarly, on the SOF run last week, they were distributed ‘2 ends’, so again it was those towards the front who missed out.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PUCCI GALORE

Silly boy. If you don’t like it, ask them either for another glass or extra gin. What does weedly mean, my Angel?

G&T was dispatched in short order, and replaced with a proper one. Weedly is a Northern term, Pet.

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