Inadequate F Catering Levels
May 22, 2019, 9:11 am
#76
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,225
It seems to me that this would explain why some pax bring their own meals into first! 
May 22, 2019, 10:13 am
#77
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
And what happens when everyone in F starts ordering the 'F only' mains given they are more attractive/individually plated and have had a higher budget spent on them? You now have even less of these to go around! I love the idea that the problem here is BA are spending too much on F passenger meals and should offer cheaper meals from CW instead.
The only way to protect against that is to cater all items to capacity. There may be carriers which will do this because they have a different philosophy about F service and customers willing to pay that, but that is not BA and I suspect that the demand for seats at the fares the super-luxury brand would demand is not there.
The only way a BA F product survives at a time when many other carriers are dropping the F product is by selling upgrades, discounts and the like.
Last edited by Often1; May 22, 2019 at 11:46 am
May 22, 2019, 2:25 pm
#78
Join Date: May 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 5,380
You are more qualified to know than most on here, so I reckon you're likely to be right. However, you can bet that wherever the line was drawn over loading percentages, there would be people who would complain that it wasn't high enough.
May 28, 2019, 9:45 am
#79
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: UK
Programs: MUCCI, British Airways Executive Club Gold
Posts: 1,795
Of course the same happened on the return. LPGS ran out one hour into the flight as the crew on the outbound had 'used too much' and there wasn't enough catering once again!
The cabin crew logged this with Customer Relations on their iPad but I have been told by Customer Relations that food and drink isn't included in the price of the ticket, it's just a complimentary service that BA offers their passengers.
Seriously? To be fair to the agent, it feels like it was a statement rather than her actually believing that was the case.
Not sure on the legal position? Eventually a gesture of Avios was offered but what a fight!
The cabin crew logged this with Customer Relations on their iPad but I have been told by Customer Relations that food and drink isn't included in the price of the ticket, it's just a complimentary service that BA offers their passengers.
Seriously? To be fair to the agent, it feels like it was a statement rather than her actually believing that was the case.
Not sure on the legal position? Eventually a gesture of Avios was offered but what a fight!
May 28, 2019, 10:13 am
#80
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Lausanne Switzerland
Programs: BA Gold; Swiss Blue
Posts: 1,244
Of course the same happened on the return. LPGS ran out one hour into the flight as the crew on the outbound had 'used too much' and there wasn't enough catering once again!
The cabin crew logged this with Customer Relations on their iPad but I have been told by Customer Relations that food and drink isn't included in the price of the ticket, it's just a complimentary service that BA offers their passengers.
Seriously? To be fair to the agent, it feels like it was a statement rather than her actually believing that was the case.
Not sure on the legal position? Eventually a gesture of Avios was offered but what a fight!
The cabin crew logged this with Customer Relations on their iPad but I have been told by Customer Relations that food and drink isn't included in the price of the ticket, it's just a complimentary service that BA offers their passengers.
Seriously? To be fair to the agent, it feels like it was a statement rather than her actually believing that was the case.
Not sure on the legal position? Eventually a gesture of Avios was offered but what a fight!
It may be considered as an included service for which there is no charge, unless in ET, but complimentary it is not.
May 28, 2019, 10:13 am
#81
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: BAEC Gold, EK Skywards (enhanced Blue !), Oman Air Sindbad Gold
Posts: 6,399
................................
The cabin crew logged this with Customer Relations on their iPad but I have been told by Customer Relations that food and drink isn't included in the price of the ticket, it's just a complimentary service that BA offers their passengers.
Seriously? To be fair to the agent, it feels like it was a statement rather than her actually believing that was the case.
Not sure on the legal position? Eventually a gesture of Avios was offered but what a fight!
I can’t recall examples of the same line being trotted out to customers in First before ...... but I could well be wrong.
May 28, 2019, 10:28 am
#82
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: GGL/CCR
Posts: 1,899
Of course the same happened on the return. LPGS ran out one hour into the flight as the crew on the outbound had 'used too much' and there wasn't enough catering once again!
The cabin crew logged this with Customer Relations on their iPad but I have been told by Customer Relations that food and drink isn't included in the price of the ticket, it's just a complimentary service that BA offers their passengers.
Seriously? To be fair to the agent, it feels like it was a statement rather than her actually believing that was the case.
Not sure on the legal position? Eventually a gesture of Avios was offered but what a fight!
The cabin crew logged this with Customer Relations on their iPad but I have been told by Customer Relations that food and drink isn't included in the price of the ticket, it's just a complimentary service that BA offers their passengers.
Seriously? To be fair to the agent, it feels like it was a statement rather than her actually believing that was the case.
Not sure on the legal position? Eventually a gesture of Avios was offered but what a fight!
May 28, 2019, 10:40 am
#83
Join Date: Apr 2008
Programs: Confirmed
Posts: 1,091
I can give you an example in the other direction from just yesterday. On my KIX-LHR, a long day time flight where the Club Kitchen normally comes under stress, the Kitchen supplies were so generous they couldn't put all the items out, and the crew were left making walk-throughs down the aisles every 30 minutes with the basket, trying to offload all the sandwiches, biscuits and noodles. After a while this was upped to every 20 minutes, pour encourager les autres. Most of the travellers in CW were Japanese and I suspect not regular BA passengers, and were left somewhat baffled by the huge quantity of food being rained down on them.
Surely many Japanese travellers are familiar with these two airlines.
It’s a general BA specific problem. Just admit and see how OP could get it compensated.
May 28, 2019, 10:55 am
#84
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: UK
Programs: Mucci, Diamond Status & on the Supreme Council des Conseillers, BA Ag, Bonvoy GFL/Plat, xVS Au
Posts: 833
Why not simply take a more proactive approach in getting people’s choices before catering is loaded? This could be by giving the options offered at check-in, bag drop off at the airport, entry to lounge or app notification? With a cut-off time of x mins before the flight to give sufficient time to load. Whilst flight logistics might need a bit of an adjustment, I think this is a win-win all round. Reduced waste for the airline and greater choice of the pax, allowing them to choose on the day according to how they feel.
May 28, 2019, 10:57 am
#85
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,225
Why not simply take a more proactive approach in getting people’s choices before catering is loaded? This could be by giving the options offered at check-in, bag drop off at the airport, entry to lounge or app notification? With a cut-off time of x mins before the flight to give sufficient time to load. Whilst flight logistics might need a bit of an adjustment, I think this is a win-win all round. Reduced waste for the airline and greater choice of the pax, allowing them to choose on the day according to how they feel.
May 28, 2019, 11:34 am
#87
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: BA exec, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 556
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Agree- way off the competition. It’s become,as you describe. I would only ever do a revenue BA booking in CW now for a flat bed to sleep , upgrade me to F sure for the space, never pay for it though.
also and I don’t really subscribe to the BA WW//MF debate here. Gotta say I’ve had good and bad from both in all cabins which adds / subtracts from the premium experience.
I e just done this month (yes I do travel BA) 2x returns to Mid East on BA . MF on 3/4 flights have been poor, self entertaining and upgrading mates, Food cold/ badly presented, unanswered calls for service, unobtainable manager and when said manager became “free” uninterested. (Yes upon the last leg I formally complained - first time ever!)
On my WW crew flight DXB -LHR had amazing interaction, food presented/served well, good understated interaction, and a rested arrival into LHR
Seems to me ( imho) based on my recent and long experience (cica colin marshall era and beyond) BA now has systemic food/service continuity issues
also and I don’t really subscribe to the BA WW//MF debate here. Gotta say I’ve had good and bad from both in all cabins which adds / subtracts from the premium experience.
I e just done this month (yes I do travel BA) 2x returns to Mid East on BA . MF on 3/4 flights have been poor, self entertaining and upgrading mates, Food cold/ badly presented, unanswered calls for service, unobtainable manager and when said manager became “free” uninterested. (Yes upon the last leg I formally complained - first time ever!)
On my WW crew flight DXB -LHR had amazing interaction, food presented/served well, good understated interaction, and a rested arrival into LHR
Seems to me ( imho) based on my recent and long experience (cica colin marshall era and beyond) BA now has systemic food/service continuity issues
Last edited by Telecasterman; May 29, 2019 at 12:25 am
May 28, 2019, 1:00 pm
#88
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 1,839
Why not simply take a more proactive approach in getting people’s choices before catering is loaded? This could be by giving the options offered at check-in, bag drop off at the airport, entry to lounge or app notification? With a cut-off time of x mins before the flight to give sufficient time to load. Whilst flight logistics might need a bit of an adjustment, I think this is a win-win all round. Reduced waste for the airline and greater choice of the pax, allowing them to choose on the day according to how they feel.
I'm sure Yoda would agree. Do F or don't do F, there is no try.
May 28, 2019, 1:03 pm
#89
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: UK
Programs: BA Blue, IC Spire Ambassador
Posts: 5,228