Malli1

Catering LGW - BGI yesterday was abysmal. First time I’ve said it but also crew weren’t much better.

Starters smoked salmon (see below!), soup or (icy cold) tomatoes.

Pre-bookable mains were cod, chicken or pasta. No beef.

Dessert of cheese, bread and butter pudding or mango cheesecake.

Ran out of starters because they ‘had to give some to first who had run out of food too’, ran out of food for afternoon tea, no ice cream, ran out of rum by hr 3 (on the way to BGI!) even with only one drink service aside from dinner at that point. Ran out of cheese and desserts and found something eventually they said was first cheese but it certainly wasn’t. On the sandwich front they ‘made’ some sandwiches for my parents because they were hungry and they were bread rolls with tuna on. No idea where they came from. Very odd.

Food was the worst I’ve had on BA and hugely disappointing. Flight clearly oversold as they bumped 5 people to first but appears they didn’t cater for everyone on board either! Totally different experience to last years flight.

RG1X

Cheers JessicaB. Maybe I should get a special meal ordered up for the way back.

@Malli1 - Running out of rum on the route to Barbados? Sounds risky!

JessicaB

I like Rum but didn't think that BA served rum other than Bacardi.

You can't pre-order meals for the return sector, only from flights leaving LGW or LHR.

JessicaB

I haven't yet had issues with them running out of meals - I guess this is probably because my flight is a 3-class and normally 100% full. But my main complaint is the atrocious service from the Gatwick crews on the Caribbean and Miami flights in J. Very often you have to ask for wine, ask for bread, ask them to clear the dirty plates, ask for dessert. And unless you do ask, you don't get.

RG1X

Yeah, I wouldn't call it rum either!

...and I'm specifically talking something like a Kosher meal etc. Rather than an actual specific main course etc.

Malli1

I agree. The service is almost impossibly bad, even difficult to get water (which is usually obliged even with the worst of staffing). I’ve had some hit and miss flights but never usually felt the need to complain, this was terrible.

enemigo

Got the same menu for LGW-JFK on Weds next week...BA2273 London to New York 16:45

See the menus below for the meals you'll be served on your flight.

Starters

• Severn & Wye smoked salmon, fennel salad, horseradish and dill pannacotta
• West Sussex heirloom tomatoes, Laverstock Park mozzarella, red quinoa, loveage pesto
• Celeriac and truffle soup, bacon and chive crčme fraiche
• Fresh seasonal salad

Main

• Seared North Atlantic cod, saffron mashed potato, shellfish bisque, samphire
• British corn fed chicken breast, roasted sweet potatoes, girolle mushrooms, creamed sweetcorn
• Ricotta and basil ravioli, roasted red pepper sauce, basil pesto, feta

Dessert

• Mango lime cheesecake with raspberry coulis
• Fresh seasonal fruits
• Chocolate bread and butter pudding
• Ford Farm aged Cheddar, Cornish Camembert, Cropwell Shropshire blue with Pear paste

JessicaB

I think the pasta may be a reasonable option on that menu. I had pasta once out of London and it was really good, but I can't remember if it was that specific dish. The other options look a bit school dinnersy don't they - cod and mash or chicken breast, soggy sweet potatoes and sweetcorn goo. Alex probably got a deal on the ingredients and picked up a few cases in his high-vis.

tattikat2

hello,

Is there always one side of a twin isle aircraft that starts meal service first?

I thought I remembered reading that ( say for instance) the a/b seat side starts first etc.

Coming up on some 789 flights, CW and wondered if anyone has noticed this very first world issue?

Thanks,

TTmex

In many cases it is front to back and the speed on each side depends on the person serving that side. Also when done properly status passengers will get priority on choice, not necessarily served first, thus if too many people order one of the dishes then golds and silvers etc get first dibs, and the rest will be given the next option on the menu

A P Yu

The LEFT hand side of the aircraft can sometimes be slower as that side sometimes should be worked by the senior crew member who can get called away to do other things, leaving one poor lad or lassie doing all the work.

MH1981

How is the catering in CW these days? For transatlantic flights can we expect anything that resembles pre-Covid times? Anyone got any recent pictures?

felicidad76

This was lhr to sea last month

MH1981

Thank you. Looks edible. And proper glassware too. I’ll settle for that 👍

rockflyertalk

Looking at this and understandably there’s time as well as logistic constraints but a separate main and afters tray would elevate this presentation as it’s a very crowded and takes away from the luxury of the fare/cabin experience.