Community
Wiki Posts
Search

48 in CE - good idea?!

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Dec 2, 2018, 4:16 pm
  #31  
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC GGL/GFl, HH Diamond, BW Diamond, Virgin Voyages Deep Blue Extra, Blue Peter Badge Holder
Posts: 3,937
Originally Posted by onobond
(my bolding)

Forgive me if I'm missing something here, but doesn't 48 pax in CE also come with substantial higher ticket revenue?

As @teledude says, he booked months ago and couldn't find anything more to the front than 11F. BA has known the exceptional distribution of passengers long beforehand and IMHO, should have had more than ample time to fix staffing for the flight.
perhaps the business case isn’t there to add additional crew, clearly people are prepared to pay, or use up their avios, for the flight.

In any case, a meal towards the end of a flight may be an advantage, if you’ve had something in the lounge beforehand.
navylad is offline  
Old Dec 2, 2018, 4:16 pm
  #32  
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: UK
Programs: BA Blue, IC Spire Ambassador
Posts: 5,228
On Exec Club prioritisation, in CE it has never been a thing. In CW, it certainly used to be (no idea these days) but orders / delivery should NEVER have been by status. Everyone’s order taken, back to the galley, the crew then work out who gets first choice based on status, if necessary crew will go and ask for second choices and so on. Then service distributed as normal.

48 is 12 rows which is a lot. I suspect CSM was also responsible for things customers don’t notice such as flight deck service / contact, checking forward lav, BA also expect them to deliver proactive messages from Exec Club and they also are ultimately responsible for customer service in both cabins, so also need to keep a handle on ET service. No idea if CSM responsible for any bar paperwork / customs seals too. What about passengers with additional needs, all the peoppe who have ordered special meals, Mrs 3F’s tight connection? Oh and landing cards. Plus the bars and meal trolleys do not magically set themselves up (or deconstruct themselves), trays and cutlery need to be cleared in and put away. Call bells going off - could be a coke, could be a stroke. Someone needs to keep a handle on all of that!

Tray distribution can also be slow if crew are new - with MF you do get a high turnover plus mixed long & shorthaul flying so I guess chances of getting somebody unfamiliar with CE band 3 service is higher! But I am sure the CSM would not have been doing nothing.
.
Andriyko and Talking Penguin like this.
IAMORGAN is offline  
Old Dec 2, 2018, 4:19 pm
  #33  
Hyatt Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Egham, Surrey, UK
Programs: Mucci Champion des Champions, BAG4L, *A Gold, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, Hertz Gold, Avis President
Posts: 3,416
Originally Posted by teledude
I have asked GGL and CS and have a fairly woolly response.... (and a bucket load of avios for running out of the food I wanted yesterday with 17 in CE! - row 4)
I got 6500 Avios for no food in F from LHR to MIA so you must have done well!

On CE flights as GGL sometimes get food order taken early but BCN flight recently once again no food
BAGoldBoy is offline  
Old Dec 2, 2018, 4:21 pm
  #34  
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: UK
Programs: BA Blue, IC Spire Ambassador
Posts: 5,228
Originally Posted by onobond
(my bolding)

Forgive me if I'm missing something here, but doesn't 48 pax in CE also come with substantial higher ticket revenue?

As @teledude says, he booked months ago and couldn't find anything more to the front than 11F. BA has known the exceptional distribution of passengers long beforehand and IMHO, should have had more than ample time to fix staffing for the flight.
They did - assuming A320, it would normally be a total of 4 crew - 2 in CE and 2 in ET but sounds like this flight had 5 crew. I’ve seen crew come forward from ET to help too when they had the ‘long’ meals which seemed to take an age to deliver. You’d think a single tray would be quicker but maybe having 3 choices and full bottles slows things down.
IAMORGAN is offline  
Old Dec 2, 2018, 4:25 pm
  #35  
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA GfL, Marriott PlatfL/Ambassador, TP Gold, IHG Spire
Posts: 1,656
Originally Posted by IAMORGAN
But I am sure the CSM would not have been doing nothing.
.
Why are you so quick at jumping to conclusions? I've had my share of really lazy crew.

I'm not suggesting this particular CSM was not doing anytging I'm more interested in the choice of your own words, that you are "sure" he would not been doing nothing.
mario is offline  
Old Dec 2, 2018, 4:27 pm
  #36  
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: BAEC GGL/CR; Hilton Diamond; Mucci des Puccis
Posts: 5,609
I had one who spent the last third of the flight reading a paperback on her jump seat rather than proactively offering drinks. There's a wide spectrum of CSMs on BA, most are very good but you do get the occasional very poor one.
Dover2Golf likes this.
bisonrav is online now  
Old Dec 2, 2018, 4:29 pm
  #37  
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: UK
Programs: BA Blue, IC Spire Ambassador
Posts: 5,228
Originally Posted by mario
Why are you so quick at jumping to conclusions? I've had my share of really lazy crew.

I'm not suggesting this particular CSM was not doing anytging I'm more interested in the choice of your own words, that you are "sure" he would not been doing nothing.
Because I am psychic :-)
IAMORGAN is offline  
Old Dec 2, 2018, 4:31 pm
  #38  
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA GfL, Marriott PlatfL/Ambassador, TP Gold, IHG Spire
Posts: 1,656
Originally Posted by bisonrav
I had one who spent the last third of the flight reading a paperback on her jump seat rather than proactively offering drinks. There's a wide spectrum of CSMs on BA, most are very good but you do get the occasional very poor one.
I've had one (admittedly not BA) who plonked herself in 1C on a E190 reading the Portuguese equivalent of Hello! magazine.
mario is offline  
Old Dec 2, 2018, 4:47 pm
  #39  
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC GGL/GFl, HH Diamond, BW Diamond, Virgin Voyages Deep Blue Extra, Blue Peter Badge Holder
Posts: 3,937
Originally Posted by mario
Why are you so quick at jumping to conclusions? I've had my share of really lazy crew.

I'm not suggesting this particular CSM was not doing anytging I'm more interested in the choice of your own words, that you are "sure" he would not been doing nothing.
To be fair, the OP has already demonstrated that the CSM was not doing nothing, so yes they can be sure, and thanks them posting a useful reminder of the number of jobs performed that we may easily forget about.

As for not havibg a proactive crew, yes I’m grateful if one is, but equally, I’m capable of pressing a button should I need anything rather than watching someone reading a book hoping they are telepathic.

Last edited by navylad; Dec 2, 2018 at 4:59 pm
navylad is offline  
Old Dec 2, 2018, 4:50 pm
  #40  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Canary Wharf, London
Programs: MyWaitrose, IC Spire Ambassador, Hilton Diamond & BAEC Gold
Posts: 2,685
When I've sat a bit further back my food has been delayed even more by people at the front stopping crew and asking for something else, before we've had anything!
chistery is offline  
Old Dec 2, 2018, 4:57 pm
  #41  
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC GGL/GFl, HH Diamond, BW Diamond, Virgin Voyages Deep Blue Extra, Blue Peter Badge Holder
Posts: 3,937
It reminds me of eating with the queen, service begins with HM and proceeds, but she doesn’t wait for all to be serve before starting. Once The queen is done, clearance begins, cheap seats may only get a few mouth fulls.

Personally, I won’t ask for anything additional until everyone has been served, hopefully having respect for other pax brings me karma.
Dover2Golf and Akoz like this.
navylad is offline  
Old Dec 2, 2018, 4:59 pm
  #42  
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: YLMQ
Programs: QF Gold, WY Gold
Posts: 682
When CE is so popular it does make me question whether there is a business case for a real premium short/mid haul business/first class product like elsewhere in the world. I.e the big recliner seats etc. I can see the bean counters reason for not when enough people are silly enough to pay for CE.
Yachtman is offline  
Old Dec 2, 2018, 5:02 pm
  #43  
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC GGL/GFl, HH Diamond, BW Diamond, Virgin Voyages Deep Blue Extra, Blue Peter Badge Holder
Posts: 3,937
Originally Posted by Yachtman
When CE is so popular it does make me question whether there is a business case for a real premium short/mid haul business/first class product like elsewhere in the world. I.e the big recliner seats etc. I can see the bean counters reason for not when enough people are silly enough to pay for CE.
Describing people are silly for choosing CE is well a little silly in itself. Whether it is work paying, you are time poor but able to afford and in need of TPs or actually just picked a bargain and want to have a little treat, particularly if you don’t have status, plenary kf reasons why people choose CE, even if you don’t. I’m happy to travel in either cabin, but if paying for my folks for example I’ll put them in CE.
navylad is offline  
Old Dec 2, 2018, 10:49 pm
  #44  
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: London
Programs: BA GGL (for now) and Lifetime Gold, Marriott fan thanks to Bonvoy Moments
Posts: 5,115
Originally Posted by teledude
Didn't take anything back and was in 11F And yes agree about seating.... but should that be right? I booked months ago and couldn't get near the front
point of order - 47 (11C was free )

Service was ok IMO (some issues, 6/10?), though not sure how a bread roll suddenly landed in 11C at one stage. I had adjusted my expectations down though and stocked up on cans of coke on the first drinks run.

Main gripe was the dinner drinks run not reaching me for some reason, but crew came quickly when I rang.
lorcancoyle is offline  
Old Dec 2, 2018, 10:49 pm
  #45  
 
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 6,349
Originally Posted by navylad
As for not havibg a proactive crew, yes I’m grateful if one is, but equally, I’m capable of pressing a button should I need anything rather than watching someone reading a book hoping they are telepathic.
I'm capable of pressing a button too but I'm not sure how that justifies someone sitting reading a book rather than providing service, and it certainly doesn't make me feel I should be "grateful" if I get a reasonable service.

In the same way that I'm quite capable of carrying a bottle of water and some snacks onto the plane, but if sat in CE that should not be interpreted as me not being bothered about getting what I paid for.


Dover2Golf and subject2load like this.
simons1 is offline  


Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.