newyorklondon

I got to SFO earlier than planned for the BA286, so ventured to the SFO CX lounge (avoiding the CI, JL lounges in the current reshuffle etc). I noticed the noodle bar - which I've enjoyed in various CX lounges before - was open, so I ordered the wanton soup from the soup chef.

CHEF: "Can I see you boarding pass please."

ME: "Er..." [hands over boarding pass]

CHEF: "HA! British Airways! NO SOUP FOR YOU!"

I really, genuinely thought this was a Seinfeld joke, so I started laughing (a little too hysterically). I stopped when I noticed he looked genuinely annoyed, pent up, and possibly readying himself to jump over the counter and club me with a killer wanton.

CHEF: "Yeah, you take it up with BA. They were REALLY RUDE."

I sort of gently backed away, and brought up the issue at the reception desk. The receptionists explained, somewhat more calmly, that BA have removed access to the noodle bar in their contract with CX.

Is this new? Have I just been lucky before? Is this a global phenomenon? WHAT'S GOING ON?

tnqray

Ha - I was literally about to make the same post as you. With the same title.

Not only are they withholding Wontons but they seem to have figured the best way to control costs from their BA contract is to "forget" to put out more champagne (well Domaine Carneros) and hide the glassware.

Seems like they are missing a trick to win over a bunch of BA travellers to the amazing Cathay hospitality!

newyorklondon

Ha! Brilliant! They've always been a bit measly with the booze, but - yes - it's clearly a only-one-bottle-out-at-a-time policy.

I just roamed around with the empty fizz bottle vaguely waving it in the face of any employee I could find. Which - uncouth as that was - did actually work.

The War of the Wantons has begun.

shefgab

Is this a worldwide policy? Can we still get soup in LHR?

brunos

You can still get soup at CX CDG lounge.

newyorklondon

I can only vouch for SFO. CX noodle bars of the world, please report.

ermen

the only thing is i think most BA pax dont need winning over to CX..

Nicoolio

I've had noodles at T3 before AA and BA flights. At JFK, CX J pax were not allowed for pre-flight dining in the BA lounge at T7 as I remember - so maybe it's a bit of tit for tat.

sxc

Is it tit-for-tat, or BA just refusing to pay the amount CX would like them to?

safari ari

I've been in there with an AS lounge membership flying on AS, and I have been able to order noodles. But no BP was asked for, so a bit surprised.

sxc

I suspect all the rules have recently changed as:

• QF are now using the CX lounge officially for their Gold and Platinum FFs, and business class passengers (not sure about oneworld equivalents).
• BA are officially directing their Gold members to the CX lounge.

The noodle bar isn't open for most of the period that QF passengers would be in the lounge. So it sounds like a similar arrangement to BA.

orbitmic

crazyanglaisy

So you get access to the lounge but deprived of some of the food in the lounge? That would get me riled up too! I'd rather be turned away at the door quite frankly.

streetmagix

That all seems pretty petty, restricting certain lounge features to those travelling on certain flights or airlines . Not really in the spirit of OneWorld...

Dambus