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Please do not quote photos in this thread.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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Sep 29, 2018, 2:51 am

#241

Soupey202

Join Date: Oct 2014

Location: Leicestershire

Posts: 360

Quote:

Originally Posted by orbitmic

I must admit that one looks pretty miserable to me on the face of it (though a positive surprise upon tasting is of course never excluded). The antipasti lunch also looks tiny, more like a small brunch plate served on a lunch flight.

To be fair it wasn’t huge but after a full cooked breakfast at the hotel and then snacks in the lounge it was big enough for us, but if you were looking for a full meal it wouldn’t be.

Sep 29, 2018, 5:34 am

#242

KARFA

Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend

Join Date: Apr 2012

Location: Leeds, UK

Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond

Posts: 42,939

LHR-NCL, 28 September 2018, 2055d
Band 1 dinner

Quote:

Originally Posted by aks120

I had a choice of the beef or chickpea salad. I went for the beef but was a bit disappointed but purely because it was not to my taste! I never really got any horseradish taste from the accompanying cream and I thought the beef was an odd texture! That said the chap next to me nearly licked his plate so it was purely my taste and preference, not quality! Interesting I loved my little salad (unlike Speedbird676 above) but I think we all agree the puddings are delicious! Bread an improvement too!

Same choice as you. There was quite a lot of beef in the beef carpaccio which may not be obvious from the photo. I agree the horseradish was a bit lacking and it could have done with more, but I guess that's what happens when you try and make it acceptable to everyone. I felt the salad was a bit unexciting, but pudding was good as you say. Overall lots better than before.

Prospero, Andriyko, Genius1 and 2 others like this.

Sep 29, 2018, 9:17 am

#243

krispy84

Join Date: Jul 2014

Location: UK - Hampshire & London

Programs: Mucci de Guardian des Celliers des Grands Crus 1e Classé, plus BAEC.

Posts: 2,732

BA562 LHR - Milan Linate 1200-1500 28/09/18

Quote:

Originally Posted by aks120

Almost identical to the above on my flight to Milan yesterday. Choice of beef or chickpea salad. I went with the beef and rather enjoyed it. Good quantity of nicely rare beef, tasty courgette and pepper ‘salsa’ and pleasant char-grilled mini corn and asparagus. I thought the horseradish was just right for a mass-market dish, personal preference aside. On this band 2 we got some protein with the starter, a largish prawn with some sauce marie rose under the lettuce. It was tasty, but calling it a starter really is stretching a bit far, more amuse bouche tbh. The bread roll (identical to the above) was v tasty and served warm. I’d have been happy with it in any middle of the road restaurant. The chocolate mousse and raspberry compote dessert was delish! All in all I was v happy with the catering improvements. The main wasn’t that big, but when added with everything else, was sufficient for a shortish band 2. Coffee a giant leap forward as well.

Sep 29, 2018, 2:35 pm

#244

CurbedEnthusiasm

Join Date: Jul 2012

Posts: 500

9/28/18 LHR-JTR. Band 4 lunch.

To me, this meal represents a significant downgrade in the Band 4 catering. I do not consider the minuscule salad of lettuce, half a cherry tomato, and some shaved parmasean to be a starter, so in my opinion, the starter course has been eliminated. The chicken I will say was perfectly cooked and amazingly succulent, but with the mashed potatoes and pigs-in-a-blanket, it felt like a school dinner. The cheese was nice but the crackers seem much smaller than the old oat cakes and there was far too little fig chutney. Gone are the proper slices of cake, replaced with a small but tasty pot of chocolate mousse.

New crockery is very nice and the coffee was drinkable. Excellent service from the staff through the whole flight.

Genius1, orbitmic and crazyanglaisy like this.

Sep 29, 2018, 2:48 pm

#245

LTN Phobia

Moderator: British Airways Executive Club

Join Date: Jan 2009

Programs: Battleaxe Alliance

Posts: 22,127

Quote:

Originally Posted by CurbedEnthusiasm

The cheese was nice but the crackers seem much smaller than the old oat cakes and there was far too little fig chutney.

There were two sizes of oat cake. When it was large, you only got one. When it was medium, you got two, from memory. Now you get three crackers. I find those crackers easier to use with cheese, and besides, I never really liked the sogginess the oatcakes used to take on from sitting on the cheese plate, so I am happier with the current crackers.

In fact, those wrapped crackers were on board at LGW for a while before the catering change, from memory. They at least stay crisp. LHR also had similar ones before, although they were square.

Another thing is, Band 4 was down to 1 slice of cheese. It's now gone back to 2.

Quote:

Gone are the proper slices of cake, replaced with a small but tasty pot of chocolate mousse.

I give my vote to the new one. All too frequently the cakes were excessively sweet and I couldn't finish them (I only had a mouthful of many of them). The new ones don't seem to be quite so sickly sweet. In fact there is a lovely pot of what is essentially an apple crumble with berries (they called it 'crisp' instead of 'crumble' which seems odd) at LGW that is really nice.

Sep 30, 2018, 2:11 am

#246

MarkP24

Join Date: Mar 2015

Location: NYC/ EWR/ PHL

Programs: UA Platinum, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum

Posts: 2,210

Drinks

Has the drink menu changed at all? Have the beverage options been improved?

Sep 30, 2018, 2:41 am

#247

corporate-wage-slave

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: 63,771

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkP24

Has the drink menu changed at all? Have the beverage options been improved?

The changes are - as far as I can tell:
- Coffee changed to the Union brand (big uptick)
- Decaf coffee unchanged
- Tea unchanged, Twinings, plus variants such as green tea

- Wines served in mini bottles throughout and new products:

- Chatron et Trébuchet Mâcon Chardonnay 2016
- Endless River Sauvignon Blanc 2017 (NZ)
- Mouton Cadet Bordeaux 2015
- Maison Calvet Malbec, Cahors 2016

- Champagne served in mini bottles on B1 and B2, but I think it's still large bottles on B3 and B4 (not sure though) - still de Castlenau

- Beers unchanged (Tribute and Heineken) in 330 ml cans
- Waters, juices, mixers and spirits all unchanged and mostly in 150ml cans, still Fever-Tree for key mixers.
- Spirits are Tanqueray, Gordon's, JW Black, Glenlivet Reserve, Bacardi, JD, Ciroc vodka.
In theory you can also purchase items from the BoB menu, which would add some things like Mount Gay Rum (heavily being promoted in the UK at the moment) and Sipsmith / Bombay Sapphire, but in terms of logistics best left until the end of CE service.

impeymac likes this.

Sep 30, 2018, 2:51 am

#248

MarkP24

Join Date: Mar 2015

Location: NYC/ EWR/ PHL

Programs: UA Platinum, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum

Posts: 2,210

Quote:

Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave

- Chatron et Trébuchet M con Chardonnay 2016
- Endless River Sauvignon Blanc 2017 (NZ)
- Mouton Cadet Bordeaux 2015
- Maison Calvet Malbec, Cahors 2016

Thanks. That's helpful!

Sep 30, 2018, 2:53 am

#249

Deltus

Join Date: Oct 2015

Location: LON

Programs: BA Gold; LH FTL; IHG Diamond; Marriott Gold; ALL Gold

Posts: 1,758

Is Baileys still available? I notice it's not on the menus, but it wasn't before either.

Sep 30, 2018, 3:45 am

#250

crazyanglaisy

Join Date: Nov 2010

Location: Singapore

Programs: BA Gold. KrisFlyer Gold

Posts: 732

Quote:

Originally Posted by CurbedEnthusiasm

I completely agree. The Band 4 flights are not what they were before these changes, and I don't find the quality of the meals from LGW to have noticeably improved (unlike from LHR). As before, the desserts remain the stand out item on the tray. A last minute change on most recent flight from a G-MID* aircraft to the Titan G-POWM (their very cramped 180 seat A320) also didn't help, though it was pretty funny sat in 1A observing 3 very competent and professional crew-members and a food trolley crowded together into the curtain-shrouded half-galley trying to prepare drink and food orders for a very busy cabin. To be fair, they did a sterling job in ridiculous working conditions. It was also the first ever time that I've seen a crew offer pre-departure beverages on BA short haul!

My abiding thought is that Band 4 catering in CE is now almost identical to what is served for the main meal in long-haul WTP. The only difference is that the starter and dessert get served in proper bowls, and there's obviously a slightly upgraded drinks selection. It is shame that they haven't improved the wines to the same level of quality as those served in CW. But, yes, the coffee is much improved.

Last edited by crazyanglaisy; Sep 30, 2018 at 3:59 am Reason: errors

Sep 30, 2018, 8:30 am

#251

Confus

Join Date: Nov 2017

Posts: 3,059

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazyanglaisy

It is shame that they haven't improved the wines to the same level of quality as those served in CW.

They did - hence the move to full-size bottles. But then everyone complained about full-size bottles, so they went back to smaller ones. Only quality wines are not produced in small bottles (at least at reasonable cost), so they had to compromise with the ones we get now.

Sometimes it's a case of 'be careful what you wish for'.

crazyanglaisy likes this.

Sep 30, 2018, 12:48 pm

#252

aks120

Moderator: British Airways Executive Club

Join Date: Jul 2008

Location: Scotland & London

Programs: BA GGL, IHG Diamond Ambassador, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Mucci des Salons Ouvrants

Posts: 3,025

Band 1 - Afternoon Tea - EDI-LHR

This was the afternoon tea today on EDI-LHR. The other options was the ploughman's which I will have next time. The sandwich choice was very tasty though - they really have got the afternoon tea meal sorted in my opinion. The only issue was the yellow pudding icing - I could not get my spoon in it it was so hard - I turned it over and found there was a sponge like substance under the icing but gave up at that point! I also don't like having the glass remaining on the tray even if you don't have wine - it just gets in the way!

Prospero, Genius1, corporate-wage-slave and 1 others like this.

Sep 30, 2018, 12:58 pm

#253

corporate-wage-slave

Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club

Join Date: Feb 2010

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Posts: 63,771

Quote:

Originally Posted by aks120

I also don't like having the glass remaining on the tray even if you don't have wine - it just gets in the way!

Me too. I just hand it to the SCCM when I place my order for sparkling water. The water sometimes comes back in the glass, but usually it comes back in the long glass.