gasp! 41 in club europe just now!
May 26, 2019, 9:00 am
#31
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 574
just landed at LHR from lisbon...i was in row 1 and i noted there just seemed to be endless travs leaving the galley--but i couldnt determine which row the curtain was at, it was so far back.
eventually just asked and she said there were 41 in CE today. and both windows in row 1 were left empty...but very impressive the amount of service they could deliver! they just never seems to take even the slightest break!
eventually just asked and she said there were 41 in CE today. and both windows in row 1 were left empty...but very impressive the amount of service they could deliver! they just never seems to take even the slightest break!
May 26, 2019, 9:35 am
#32
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Hong Kong, France
Programs: FB , BA Gold
Posts: 15,557
Popular is a good term. I am one of those frequent "transfer" premium pax from EU to Asia. Many years ago, I chose BA because it was the only airline to guarantee a flat bed.
Today, BA has a somewhat-inferior product but the price is very competitive. For example, their every-day business fare to HKG is well below QR fares, even QR sales fares, and both are one-stop alternative. It's the marketplace, and the difference is justified by the quality difference
May 26, 2019, 10:01 am
#33
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Argentina
Posts: 40,211
Other airlines, such as AF, also have a large share of transfer traffic on their longhaul premium classes.
Popular is a good term. I am one of those frequent "transfer" premium pax from EU to Asia. Many years ago, I chose BA because it was the only airline to guarantee a flat bed.
Today, BA has a somewhat-inferior product but the price is very competitive. For example, their every-day business fare to HKG is well below QR fares, even QR sales fares, and both are one-stop alternative. It's the marketplace, and the difference is justified by the quality difference
Popular is a good term. I am one of those frequent "transfer" premium pax from EU to Asia. Many years ago, I chose BA because it was the only airline to guarantee a flat bed.
Today, BA has a somewhat-inferior product but the price is very competitive. For example, their every-day business fare to HKG is well below QR fares, even QR sales fares, and both are one-stop alternative. It's the marketplace, and the difference is justified by the quality difference
Goes without saying BA products aren't always the best but they continue to be very popular with the travelling public. Something which doesn't get publicised a lot.
May 26, 2019, 10:38 am
#34
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,145
Valid point, HIDDY. Add in the emotional aspect of not wanting a ‘lesser’ experience when connecting to a ‘superior’ long-haul one and you have the passenger[s] hooked.
Works for us, anyway.
Works for us, anyway.
May 26, 2019, 2:25 pm
#35
Fontaine d'honneur du Flyertalk
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Morbihan, France
Programs: Reine des Muccis de Pucci; Foreign Elitist (according to others)
Posts: 19,179
Well said. Indeed they are working in a pressurised cabin and you do not stop, it is highly intense. I might add that some of that galley equipment is heavy. I love it when people make remarks like that and wonder when they did anything like it themselves.
May 26, 2019, 6:55 pm
#36
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2005
Programs: BA GGL & GfL, AA LTP, Marriott (sigh) Ambassador, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,234
May 26, 2019, 7:15 pm
#37
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 323
Wow, maybe they should have knelt at your row 1 feet and sought your advice on how to be worthy of being a "regular" CE passenger.
May 26, 2019, 7:36 pm
#38
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: London
Programs: plenty - ggl, ccr, etc, etc.
Posts: 1,704
Exactly. Aside from the primary safety aspect, they will switch into a waiter/waitress mode (serving drinks and meals--for lack of a better phrase) and sorry, I never see anyone in the restaurant industry or and front of house service industry position that would need to work like cabin crew sometimes must do--I would not have the tolerance for it myself so seeing it is incredibly impressive--especially with a smile and sometimes with the added fun of chop!
so really nothing new here at all, and all quite regular despite the gasps and hyperbole here, again.
May 26, 2019, 11:59 pm
#39
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: BAEC Gold, EK Skywards (enhanced Blue !), Oman Air Sindbad Gold
Posts: 6,399
But let’s also be realistic and not pretend they are Mother Theresa. It is simply not true to imply that they “do not stop”. Some sectors will be especially busy ; but many will not be.
A few weeks back I had an OSL-LHR, and because we had missed our slot it was necessary to do a wing de-ice after concerns that fresh ice had built up. The whole process took around 20 mins. Nice chance for CC to sit and chat merrily amongst themselves (of which no criticism .... there was little else to do). And later, with a fairly light load in CE, there was a lot more chat time after meal service, all of which I could overhear (and perhaps too clearly ....). They didn’t sound to be under a whole lot of stress, for sure.
May 27, 2019, 1:59 am
#40
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Newcastle/London & Worldwide
Programs: BAEC Gold, Virgin Flying Club Silver
Posts: 818
I’m just back from LIN on a 12 row CE and when I think about it over the last few weeks every CE flight I’ve taken has been at least 10 rows + and service on the whole has generally been great albeit I’m seeing all sorts of strange service routines that I’m sure aren’t the norm - sometimes pre dinner drinks , sometimes not (on band 3) and yesterday 1 crew member started at row 1 and the other at row 12 then they met in the middle which I haven’t seen before in CE - so being in row 4 I almost last to be served in a 12 row cabin.
Maybe just coincidence.
Maybe just coincidence.
May 27, 2019, 2:19 am
#41
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 847
I also had exactly this a couple of weeks ago in a 12 row CE cabin. I still got my first choice of meal whilst served literally last (row 7) but others relatively forward in the cabin did not and were annoyed having seen the meals sail past them to the back of the cabin. I would however have sat in row 11 or 12 had I known I could both be served first and have the extra legroom!
May 27, 2019, 2:34 am
#42
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Newcastle/London & Worldwide
Programs: BAEC Gold, Virgin Flying Club Silver
Posts: 818
I also had exactly this a couple of weeks ago in a 12 row CE cabin. I still got my first choice of meal whilst served literally last (row 7) but others relatively forward in the cabin did not and were annoyed having seen the meals sail past them to the back of the cabin. I would however have sat in row 11 or 12 had I known I could both be served first and have the extra legroom!
May 27, 2019, 5:59 am
#43
Fontaine d'honneur du Flyertalk
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Morbihan, France
Programs: Reine des Muccis de Pucci; Foreign Elitist (according to others)
Posts: 19,179
PUCCI - full credit to CC who work hard, as the vast majority do. They do a good job, and very often amidst trying circumstances / conditions (not to mention trying pax !)
But let’s also be realistic and not pretend they are Mother Theresa. It is simply not true to imply that they “do not stop”. Some sectors will be especially busy ; but many will not be.
A few weeks back I had an OSL-LHR, and because we had missed our slot it was necessary to do a wing de-ice after concerns that fresh ice had built up. The whole process took around 20 mins. Nice chance for CC to sit and chat merrily amongst themselves (of which no criticism .... there was little else to do). And later, with a fairly light load in CE, there was a lot more chat time after meal service, all of which I could overhear (and perhaps too clearly ....). They didn’t sound to be under a whole lot of stress, for sure.
I would also add that this is certainly not the case on the last ALC that I took with 8 rows of Club and less than two hours to serve a full bar and Band 3 catering. I have seen it done badly by one CSM only out of LGW who really had no idea if it was New York or New Year. Dozy as a doormouse.
May 27, 2019, 6:07 am
#44
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: BAEC Gold, EK Skywards (enhanced Blue !), Oman Air Sindbad Gold
Posts: 6,399
Thank you for your thoughtful, measured reaction, PUCCI. I was fearful that I would be in line for a rebuke from you ; but not so, and I appreciate the favourable comment.
We clearly share certain important values in our changing world
We clearly share certain important values in our changing world