Large CE Cabins
Jun 25, 19, 2:32 am
#31
Join Date: Nov 2005
Programs: BA Exec
Posts: 640
Originally Posted by zappomatic
Cabin crew have no discretion as to when to get up - the flight crew will cycle the fasten seatbelt sign off and on resulting in a double chime, which is the signal to release the cabin crew.
Outside of this exception, (at BA mainline) cabin crew can leave their seats as soon as the aircraft is clear of low level turbulence, and they judge it is safe to do so.
On very short flights where the weather on departure and enroute is poor, it can mean the crew may not be able to offer any service at all - although this is rare.
There’s nothing like 20 minutes of useful service time in a high CE load environment to motivate crew to get organised, and get the service rolled out rapidly !
Jun 25, 19, 2:53 am
#32
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: London
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Although pax numbers and length of sector clearly do impact on the experience I've had excellent service in a 12 row CE and poor service in a 4 row CE cabin. I do quite a few AMS hops and although most are in ET, when I've been in CE I've always been impressed at the speed and efficiency of the crew. I guess they cannot hang about on that sector and simply must get on with it.
Jun 25, 19, 3:06 am
#33
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Originally Posted by Bar Operator
This is only standard procedure if the Captain has deemed it necessary, due to the high probability of turbulence on departure. The Captain would then advise the Senior crew member of his intentions, and would signal the release of cabin crew through a double chime.
Outside of this exception, (at BA mainline) cabin crew can leave their seats as soon as the aircraft is clear of low level turbulence, and they judge it is safe to do so.
On very short flights where the weather on departure and enroute is poor, it can mean the crew may not be able to offer any service at all - although this is rare.
There’s nothing like 20 minutes of useful service time in a high CE load environment to motivate crew to get organised, and get the service rolled out rapidly !
Jun 25, 19, 3:55 am
#34
Join Date: Nov 2005
Programs: BA Exec
Posts: 640
Originally Posted by Chris9642
Thanks for the insight - interesting then that the AGP crew decided to sit for 20 minutes complaining about a big CE cabin but made no effort to get up and start the service - there was absolutely no turbulence on the climb and no chime to release crew other than when the seatbelt sign went off after around 15/20 mins.
Jun 25, 19, 4:44 am
#35
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Executive Club Blue
Posts: 800
Originally Posted by Bar Operator
This is only standard procedure if the Captain has deemed it necessary, due to the high probability of turbulence on departure. The Captain would then advise the Senior crew member of his intentions, and would signal the release of cabin crew through a double chime.
Outside of this exception, (at BA mainline) cabin crew can leave their seats as soon as the aircraft is clear of low level turbulence, and they judge it is safe to do so.
On very short flights where the weather on departure and enroute is poor, it can mean the crew may not be able to offer any service at all - although this is rare.
There’s nothing like 20 minutes of useful service time in a high CE load environment to motivate crew to get organised, and get the service rolled out rapidly !
Jul 17, 19, 1:55 pm
#36
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: London
Programs: BA BLUE BADGE
Posts: 1,226
LGW - LCA today and waited 2 hours for a drink in row 1.
I requested a drink after one and a half hours but was told drinks would be served after a tea/coffee round.
I explained this was not normal and was shouted down by a plainly useless sccm.
I requested a drink after one and a half hours but was told drinks would be served after a tea/coffee round.
I explained this was not normal and was shouted down by a plainly useless sccm.
Jul 17, 19, 2:59 pm
#37
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Join Date: Jan 2003
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Originally Posted by Lioneye
LGW - LCA today and waited 2 hours for a drink in row 1.
I requested a drink after one and a half hours but was told drinks would be served after a tea/coffee round.
I explained this was not normal and was shouted down by a plainly useless sccm.
I requested a drink after one and a half hours but was told drinks would be served after a tea/coffee round.
I explained this was not normal and was shouted down by a plainly useless sccm.
Jul 17, 19, 3:50 pm
#39
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Originally Posted by Chris9642
Have a LHR-NCL CE coming up with 12 rows .... dreading it!!! After recent experiences I’m genuinely not sure what to expect.
Jul 17, 19, 4:58 pm
#40
Join Date: Aug 2014
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Seems like LCA-LGW fared better than LGW-LCA.
Doc Copper
Originally Posted by lost_in_translation
LCA-LGW had Jacquart Brut Mosaique today, which I quite like but I know some people hate.
Last edited by DoctorCopper; Jul 17, 19 at 5:05 pm
Jul 17, 19, 5:43 pm
#41
Join Date: Oct 2013
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Originally Posted by Chris9642
I’ve had a run of excellent BA flights recently and have generally been enjoying my experiences but returning from AGP this weekend in a 12 row CE cabin was dreadful - I have experienced a few of these larger CE cabins recently (I think there was another thread about this recently) and can’t understand the inconsistency - sometimes delivered seamlessly but on this occasion it felt like the Purser had already accepted defeat before we set off - absolutely miserable on boarding , not hot towels , no pre dinner drinks - over an hour to get food and heard him loudly complaining in the galley about the large CE cabins and how impossible it is to deliver any kind of service. Also never seen this happen before but a passenger was removed from 1D to make space for an extra crew member and displaced back to row 8 away from their partner - a member of the crew then took the seat for take off - assuming not a new recruit as it was Eurofleet.
The tone and attitude of the senior crew members always sets the tone for the entire flight - certainly not a rant rant but just sharing the observations - this route is surely long enough to allow a fairly steady , organised service delivery - I’ve seen it done so on much shorter sectors. My days of flying in 3 row CE cabins seems like a distant memory - sweet spot feels like 4-8 rows.
The tone and attitude of the senior crew members always sets the tone for the entire flight - certainly not a rant rant but just sharing the observations - this route is surely long enough to allow a fairly steady , organised service delivery - I’ve seen it done so on much shorter sectors. My days of flying in 3 row CE cabins seems like a distant memory - sweet spot feels like 4-8 rows.
Aug 11, 19, 7:02 am
#42
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: London
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Posts: 740
CE to row 12 - service suffers?
Just booked myself a Club Europe ticket on the BA632 to Athens next Saturday and I see that CE goes back to row 12. I know from past threads here that this isn't particularly unusual in itself, but I wondered what experiences people had of service levels on these front heavy short haul flights. Given the frequent comments about crewing levels it would be useful to know if I should be prepared for a quick pass by from the crew and little else.
I am in 1A so should be served pretty quick - but if the hope of a second round of drinks is more than an hour away after that I shall have to psychologically prepare myself! Do the crew feel overwhelmed on these flights?
I am in 1A so should be served pretty quick - but if the hope of a second round of drinks is more than an hour away after that I shall have to psychologically prepare myself! Do the crew feel overwhelmed on these flights?
Aug 11, 19, 7:09 am
#43
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As usual it will depend on the crew on the day, I think most "issues" come when you have a short (approx. 60 mins) flight time
on a "band 4" you should have a drinks run, then the meal with another drink if you want one.
on a "band 4" you should have a drinks run, then the meal with another drink if you want one.
Aug 11, 19, 7:13 am
#44
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I’ve been on several 12 row CE flights over the past year and in my experience, service only potentially suffers aft of row 3. Row 5–7 might be last to be served as they might use 2 service carts- one that starts at row 1 and moves backwards and one that starts at row 12 and moves forwards. I have experienced this set up when in row 5 and it wasn’t good.
I think you’ll be absolutely fine in row 1.
I think you’ll be absolutely fine in row 1.
Last edited by Jed; Aug 11, 19 at 11:34 am
