Afternoon Tea In Y
Apr 12, 2019, 8:48 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2017
Programs: BA Exec Club - Gold
Posts: 171
Afternoon Tea In Y
Hi all,
Recently flew LHR - MIA in Y (first time in a while in long haul Y) and it was generally better than I remember and last experiences. The Magnum ice cream was a nice touch, they didn’t run out of any drinks that I asked for and the main meal didn’t taste too bad.
However, then it came to the time of afternoon tea, which is where I feel the experience was let down. (Setting aside the fact that afternoon tea didn’t include a scone, which I had built it up to include in my head, but the flapjack was nice.
Now we get to the sandwich - the crew came round and asked “Would you like a smoked salmon sandwich?” No alternative option until I said “do you not have anything else as I don’t really like fish”, after which I was offered a cheese sandwich. (Which was actually very nice). Looking around me it seems most people were in the same boat with most people having cheese rather than smoked salmon. This lead me to question a couple of things...:
1) Why was no option given? Is it just because they have a much lower stock of cheese?
2) I always think fishy type sandwiches and foods are slightly risky as surely they’re always less popular? Would ham or cheese or chicken not be a safer or more popular option? On more than one occasion when travelling in CE the only starter option left has been the salmon. So surely it’s less popular?!
3) One of our party was vegetarian and ordered a special veggie meal. Sadly this arrived and was truly disgusting (as the crew agreed when we showed them!) Dry, couple of small dollops of something etc. But no problem as we asked for a cheese sandwich. However it turns out the cheese sandwich wasn’t vegetarian due to an ingredient in I believe the pickle. I would’ve thought it would’ve been better for BA to have had the cheese sandwich as a veggie option as it then means they have to carry less stock? And can then simply dish those out to people who have pre-paid first?
What are other people’s thoughts on the above?
Recently flew LHR - MIA in Y (first time in a while in long haul Y) and it was generally better than I remember and last experiences. The Magnum ice cream was a nice touch, they didn’t run out of any drinks that I asked for and the main meal didn’t taste too bad.
However, then it came to the time of afternoon tea, which is where I feel the experience was let down. (Setting aside the fact that afternoon tea didn’t include a scone, which I had built it up to include in my head, but the flapjack was nice.
Now we get to the sandwich - the crew came round and asked “Would you like a smoked salmon sandwich?” No alternative option until I said “do you not have anything else as I don’t really like fish”, after which I was offered a cheese sandwich. (Which was actually very nice). Looking around me it seems most people were in the same boat with most people having cheese rather than smoked salmon. This lead me to question a couple of things...:
1) Why was no option given? Is it just because they have a much lower stock of cheese?
2) I always think fishy type sandwiches and foods are slightly risky as surely they’re always less popular? Would ham or cheese or chicken not be a safer or more popular option? On more than one occasion when travelling in CE the only starter option left has been the salmon. So surely it’s less popular?!
3) One of our party was vegetarian and ordered a special veggie meal. Sadly this arrived and was truly disgusting (as the crew agreed when we showed them!) Dry, couple of small dollops of something etc. But no problem as we asked for a cheese sandwich. However it turns out the cheese sandwich wasn’t vegetarian due to an ingredient in I believe the pickle. I would’ve thought it would’ve been better for BA to have had the cheese sandwich as a veggie option as it then means they have to carry less stock? And can then simply dish those out to people who have pre-paid first?
What are other people’s thoughts on the above?
Apr 12, 2019, 9:44 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Programs: Mucci des Hommes Magiques et Magnifiques
Posts: 19,069
The hot smoked salmon sandwich is extremely popular, the vegetarian option which is a cheese sandwich is available on request as they are only 10% of these loaded. I don’t know why you were told that the pickle made this not suitable because it is for a lacto vegetarians.
Apr 12, 2019, 9:53 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2017
Programs: BA Exec Club - Gold
Posts: 171
The hot smoked salmon sandwich is extremely popular, the vegetarian option which is a cheese sandwich is available on request as they are only 10% of these loaded. I don’t know why you were told that the pickle made this not suitable because it is for a lacto vegetarians.
Interestingly having looked at the ingredients on the cheese sandwich it had rennet in it (which I had never heard of but apparently is cow stomach!) which is what made it not completely suitable for (all) vegetarians. Presumably that’s also why the vegetarian option this time round was some hummus, lettuce and tomato sandwich!
Interesting to know about the smoked salmon sandwich being so popular... Perhaps I’m just in the minority and time my flights badly!
Apr 12, 2019, 10:19 am
#6
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Vale of Glamorgan
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 2,989
If, as the OP says, passengers are offered a hot salmon sandwich and not told that there is an alternative then I'm not really surprised that it is popular. And you seem to be admitting that you would run out of cheese sandwiches if passengers were made aware that they had a choice.
Is this the same kind of research that determined that passengers wanted BoB?
Apr 12, 2019, 10:38 am
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Programs: Mucci des Hommes Magiques et Magnifiques
Posts: 19,069
I am basing the popularity of the salmon on how many are returned uneaten or requests for alternatives are made, I can assure you that if we had problems with this option that we would have fed this back and I’m sure BA would have jumped at the option of putting something cheaper onboard.
Apr 12, 2019, 10:54 am
#8
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 1,795
If true (and I have no reason to doubt it) there may just be a labelling issue, say 'vegetarian rennet' on the ingredients list and you won't red flag to consumers. I believe rennet is used in cheese making. Gelatin is often used in making ice cream. So a lot of vegetarians have them on their radar despite the main ingredients (milk) being ok for lacto vegetarians.
Apr 12, 2019, 11:11 am
#9
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 1,795
Searching google for vegetarian rennet and discovered that a) most cheese is made with 'vegetarian rennet' because it's cheaper. b) Some rennet that can be legally called vegetarian in the US is bioengineered from cow DNA and expressed in microbes. So it might be better to label it as 'plant rennet' if it is (which seems unlikely as this is more expensive than the microbe version). Hopefully a cheese\rennet expert will be able to correct me.
Apr 12, 2019, 4:05 pm
#11
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2019
Programs: BA, QR, LH
Posts: 24
I am basing the popularity of the salmon on how many are returned uneaten or requests for alternatives are made, I can assure you that if we had problems with this option that we would have fed this back and I’m sure BA would have jumped at the option of putting something cheaper onboard.
Apr 12, 2019, 6:15 pm
#12
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: BA - Blue > Bronze > Silver > Bronze > Blue
Posts: 6,812
Searching google for vegetarian rennet and discovered that a) most cheese is made with 'vegetarian rennet' because it's cheaper. b) Some rennet that can be legally called vegetarian in the US is bioengineered from cow DNA and expressed in microbes. So it might be better to label it as 'plant rennet' if it is (which seems unlikely as this is more expensive than the microbe version). Hopefully a cheese\rennet expert will be able to correct me.
Isn't modern science a remarkable thing?
Apr 13, 2019, 2:53 am
#13
Join Date: Mar 2007
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 63
Long time no post...
The winter option in Y on the LHR-BOS used to be a tuna sandwich. I always managed to get a salad sandwich when asked. I agree that fish is a bit hit-and-miss.
The work TA tried to change my profile to get meaty main meal but veg sandwich to no avail. I was happy to see on my last trip that afternoon tea is back to chicken sandwich. Much better.
The winter option in Y on the LHR-BOS used to be a tuna sandwich. I always managed to get a salad sandwich when asked. I agree that fish is a bit hit-and-miss.
The work TA tried to change my profile to get meaty main meal but veg sandwich to no avail. I was happy to see on my last trip that afternoon tea is back to chicken sandwich. Much better.
Apr 13, 2019, 7:43 am
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2017
Programs: BA Exec Club - Gold
Posts: 171
Although we ordered “Lafto OVO Vegetarian” (or whatever the exact wording is!) so not sure in that case why we got the hummus thing?!
If nothing else this thread has been an interesting insight into how cheese is made and the interesting world of cow DNA to make vegetarian replacements!
Apr 13, 2019, 8:28 am
#15
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Scotland
Programs: BAEC - Silver | Hilton Honors - Gold
Posts: 295
I do find it interesting that also. On a recent flight to Dallas in Y. The only option left was a smoked salmon sandwich, which I did think was a very odd choice. I ended up passing on this as I am not a fan of salmon and ended up very hungry after a 10 hour flight and next to no food. (I had a meal, but the less said about the liquid potato that greeted me, the better but the cabin crew were excellent and gave me three magnums)
I am travelling to MIA in WTP, so looking forward to experiencing the new offerings.
I am travelling to MIA in WTP, so looking forward to experiencing the new offerings.
