Your success rate on a glass of ET tap water?
Jan 28, 2019, 4:44 pm
#47
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: UK
Programs: BA Blue, IC Spire Ambassador
Posts: 5,228
OP - I understand the sentiment but I suspect the truth is BA won’t care as it isn’t a revenue source for them, so they can promise ‘time permitting’ but aren’t going to justify an internal project to sort this out!
Always an option to use the call button or your legs (fully agree you shouldn’t have to).
Good luck with your aquatic crusade!
Always an option to use the call button or your legs (fully agree you shouldn’t have to).
Good luck with your aquatic crusade!
Jan 28, 2019, 11:26 pm
#48
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What's to stop you taking an empty 2L bottle through security and filling it up airside [...]
Having said that, it is interesting those who just choose their moment when CC can easily supply the water without having to either disturb their BOB service or remember it in minutes several seam to have a greater "success rate".
Having said that, it is interesting those who just choose their moment when CC can easily supply the water without having to either disturb their BOB service or remember it in minutes several seam to have a greater "success rate".
in any case, while I appreciate the effort to make my life happier, bringing more water, buying more water, starting meditation with a desert theme, or allowing my nose to bleed all fail to solve the basic problem discuss in this thread which is how to improve the delivery of a service that both ba and crew are completely happy to provide in principle but which delivery is largely ineffective. I mean sure, if there is a leak in the flat above yours I can always tell you you can just put a bucket in your living room and emptying it twice a day, but that sort of misses the point that the neighbour above has a leak in the first place.
On 2), my abject apologies if I have done it wrong: I thought that the right time to ask was precisely when crew come with BoB, but I’d love to know what the correct time is if it increases my chances so please do tell me. In this thread I’ve seen only one person with much better success but from what I gather he asks exactly at the same time as me. That also matches the process described by our resident Crew members when first discussing this at the start of BoB though always happy to learn if something has changed.
Last edited by orbitmic; Jan 29, 2019 at 12:03 am
Jan 28, 2019, 11:57 pm
#49
Join Date: May 2014
Location: BRU
Programs: BA GGL, TK E (*G), ITA exec
Posts: 4,102
I understand the OP point as a matter of principle: the service should be provided, but for various reason fails to materialize. A person can use multiple methods to avoid the issue, from bringing a bottle to buy it on board, but it doesn't solve the "problem" itself.
I have no data point, though, because so far I never asked for a glass of water, nor bought anything from BoB...
I have no data point, though, because so far I never asked for a glass of water, nor bought anything from BoB...
Jan 29, 2019, 1:43 am
#51
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Join Date: Feb 2010
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Reading through of this 24 hours later, clearly the OP is clearly right to work on the basis that the advertised service will be provided efficiently. As with any area of the service which is not thusly delivered, the SCCM should be summoned for a polite discussion, that's is what they are paid to do, notably dealing with frustrations that arise from barriers to good service.
There is a "however" coming. The OP has, with understandable rationality, put a whole series of barriers in the way too:
- not willing to pay for water
- not willing to use Avios for water
- having a rather high level of short connections AND cabin service failure.
- preferring to travel EuroTraveller
- sitting by the window
- sitting near the front of the cabin/exit rows
- unwilling to disturb neighbours
- not overly keen on using the call bell
So I wonder if a blurring of some of the above red lines may lead to a more pragmatic outcome? Particularly the Avios one, I rather doubt the OP has a shortage there. Or the call bell. At least the spirit of compromise, sometimes missing in life these days, should also be in the wash too, if I may mix many a metaphor.
There is definitely space on the top of the trolley for a spare 2 litre water bottle, I have seen it happen, the obvious thing to do is to get unbranded water bottles, which is actually purified tap water from the UK water supply, Beckton Treatment Plant by LCY has a roaring trade in this, and these clear water bottles, with very little labelling and no branding can be sourced on the catering trade market. Maybe a mini FT campaign for this amendment to the service?
There is a "however" coming. The OP has, with understandable rationality, put a whole series of barriers in the way too:
- not willing to pay for water
- not willing to use Avios for water
- having a rather high level of short connections AND cabin service failure.
- preferring to travel EuroTraveller
- sitting by the window
- sitting near the front of the cabin/exit rows
- unwilling to disturb neighbours
- not overly keen on using the call bell
So I wonder if a blurring of some of the above red lines may lead to a more pragmatic outcome? Particularly the Avios one, I rather doubt the OP has a shortage there. Or the call bell. At least the spirit of compromise, sometimes missing in life these days, should also be in the wash too, if I may mix many a metaphor.
There is definitely space on the top of the trolley for a spare 2 litre water bottle, I have seen it happen, the obvious thing to do is to get unbranded water bottles, which is actually purified tap water from the UK water supply, Beckton Treatment Plant by LCY has a roaring trade in this, and these clear water bottles, with very little labelling and no branding can be sourced on the catering trade market. Maybe a mini FT campaign for this amendment to the service?
Jan 29, 2019, 1:48 am
#52
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Rhineland-Palatinate
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Posts: 5,699
It is a while I did not ask due to my current flying pattern, but for the few times I did, I had a success rate of 50% of having it delivered when I asked (which was during BOB service). The other 50% I either use the call bell (I do not hesitate to use it if I feel I need it) or ask on my way back from the bathroom.
Jan 29, 2019, 3:05 am
#53
Join Date: May 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 5,380
... I regularly ask the crew for a glass of tap water (yes, the free stuff that looks like a chalky cloud when it is just out of the tank and which the crew themselves refuse to drink) "when you'll get a chance" when they pass with their trolley in ET. I phrase it that way because I know that they are supposed to do the BoB first and then bring tap water to whoever asked after that has ended...
- Anything else?
- Anything else?
Jan 29, 2019, 11:48 pm
#54
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
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In addition to the very valid points in CWS's post above, I have wondered if the OP is contributing to being forgotten without realising it by phrasing his request on such a polite and humble way that it does not convey the importance of the matter to him. I am not knocking being polite or considerate in any way, but in this case he may project an overlooking of his need through his delivery of it. Practically, just firmly asking for tap water please (without embellishment) when offered BoB may result in a better hit rate.
i’ve certainly asked myself just that so may try the less ‘I don’t want to disturb you’ version today!
Jan 30, 2019, 12:00 am
#55
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There is a "however" coming. The OP has, with understandable rationality, put a whole series of barriers in the way too:
- 1. not willing to pay for water
- 2. not willing to use Avios for water
- 3. having a rather high level of short connections AND cabin service failure.
- 4. preferring to travel EuroTraveller
- 5. sitting by the window
- 6. sitting near the front of the cabin/exit rows
- 7. unwilling to disturb neighbours
- 8. not overly keen on using the call bell
For instance 1,2,3,4 arguably don’t make the service issue any worse but merely more noticeable by simply leading me to want to avail myself of the tap water service. I mean if I only flew ET or bought water, I’d simply never need to ask for tap water and would this ignore whether crew were effective at delivering it or not.
by contrast, 5,7 and 8 just means that the delivery problem becomes a bit more frustrating (though again, at the end I do either end up bothering neighbours and asking in the galley or asking a passing crew member on their rubbish collection run so I do end up getting the water, it remains that I think everyone, crew included, would be better off with your excellent jug suggestion and getting it right there and then imho)
finally 6 is the one that makes me more likely to have my request forgotten. Typically, crew who choose to go and fetch water at the first opportunity get it to me invariably but if they abide by the instruction to do so at the end of the BoB service they forget more often than not and probably wouldn’t if I were in row 28.
i think another paradoxical explanation btw is that I think the more people ask for tap water, the less we tend to be forgotten. Also interesting!
Jan 30, 2019, 1:40 am
#56
Join Date: Nov 2015
Programs: CAMRA GGL (Gold Card Holder/Lifetime membership)
Posts: 727
I’m amazed by the amount of people who don’t have a problem with BoB.
BA used to give me a GnT included in my fare
now they charge an extra 6 quid or so for it and try to pass it off as an enhancement
Id rather go to hell than give them the satisfaction !
BA used to give me a GnT included in my fare
now they charge an extra 6 quid or so for it and try to pass it off as an enhancement
Id rather go to hell than give them the satisfaction !