24 people in CE; 8 bottles of champers loaded...
Feb 16, 2020, 2:44 pm
#17
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: London, UK
Posts: 5,105
Just so you know, the bars are catered to the same standard on all flights. It's just not practical to loads bars tailored to each flight, especially as the demand for each product varies dramatically from day to day.
Unfortunately you hit a day when there were a lot of champagne drinkers. There's no way BA would know this. I'm also sure there was still a wide variety of other drinks available for you to choose from so you didn't have to have a sober flight.
Interestingly, on longhaul flights with pre flight champagne, the vast majority of those that partake on the ground do not drink it once airborne when the full variety of drinks is available.
Unfortunately you hit a day when there were a lot of champagne drinkers. There's no way BA would know this. I'm also sure there was still a wide variety of other drinks available for you to choose from so you didn't have to have a sober flight.
Interestingly, on longhaul flights with pre flight champagne, the vast majority of those that partake on the ground do not drink it once airborne when the full variety of drinks is available.
Feb 16, 2020, 2:55 pm
#20
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Krakow
Programs: BAEC Silver, Miles and More(FTL), IHG(Platinum), Accor, HHonors(Diamond), SPG, Hertz Five Star
Posts: 5,978
Feb 16, 2020, 3:06 pm
#21
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: BNE, AU
Programs: QFF, VA, IHG
Posts: 39
So when BA cater for "out and back" flights, if the outbound passengers are particularly thirsty, they dip into the quota for the return flight. Why not simply have half the allocation for each and share the pain, rather than penalise the returning passengers.
Feb 16, 2020, 3:14 pm
#22
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC GGL/GFl, HH Diamond, BW Diamond, Virgin Voyages Deep Blue Extra, Blue Peter Badge Holder
Posts: 3,937
Was this not the case that a reasonable amount was loaded but running short on the outbound they used some of the inbound stock perhaps? Not saying it is right, and one can argue better to guarantee not to disappoint the customer in front of you vs a potential risk of disappointing a subsequent one that may not materialise.
Personally, whilst I no longer drink and haven’t done for nearly 5 years, I never understood the fascination with champagne. People seam to like it because of its expense (not that the stuff BA (or indeed as I’m this case BACF serve on CE is particularly expensive). No doubt some will disagree and I won’t judge,,just sharing an opinion.
Glad you manage to get a bottle OP for the short flight.
Personally, whilst I no longer drink and haven’t done for nearly 5 years, I never understood the fascination with champagne. People seam to like it because of its expense (not that the stuff BA (or indeed as I’m this case BACF serve on CE is particularly expensive). No doubt some will disagree and I won’t judge,,just sharing an opinion.
Glad you manage to get a bottle OP for the short flight.
Feb 16, 2020, 3:19 pm
#23
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 848
Also as an aside, I thought that champagne was served from full sized bottles on this route, or is it different on Cityflyer?
Feb 16, 2020, 3:23 pm
#24
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: UK
Programs: BD Gold, BAEC Gold, Hilton HHonors
Posts: 870
I misread the title and thought the issue was there were 24 bottles for 8 passengers 
I agree that 1 bottle between 3 is very suboptimal, and not in keeping with the premium cabin product as marketed
I agree that 1 bottle between 3 is very suboptimal, and not in keeping with the premium cabin product as marketed
Feb 16, 2020, 3:32 pm
#25
Join Date: May 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 5,380
Personally, whilst I no longer drink and haven’t done for nearly 5 years, I never understood the fascination with champagne. People seam to like it because of its expense (not that the stuff BA (or indeed as I’m this case BACF serve on CE is particularly expensive). No doubt some will disagree and I won’t judge,,just sharing an opinion.
Glad you manage to get a bottle OP for the short flight.
Glad you manage to get a bottle OP for the short flight.
And a good match for when I'm going on vacation. Nice to see it was on free pour at the Gatters club lounge last week.8 small bottles does seem a little on the light side for 24 passengers.
Feb 16, 2020, 3:59 pm
#27
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 858
BA's sales page for Business states:
Complimentary bar service including champagne upon request
So if no champers, then perhaps a request for some combo would not be amiss.
Yes, 8 small bottles for 24 passengers seems a little on the short side. Did the crew make an effort to "downsell" - i.e. Would sir/madam like a G&T, and not offer champagne unless "upon request" so as to eke the stock out?
Complimentary bar service including champagne upon request
So if no champers, then perhaps a request for some combo would not be amiss.
Yes, 8 small bottles for 24 passengers seems a little on the short side. Did the crew make an effort to "downsell" - i.e. Would sir/madam like a G&T, and not offer champagne unless "upon request" so as to eke the stock out?
Feb 16, 2020, 4:09 pm
#28
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: London, UK
Posts: 5,105
BA's sales page for Business states:
Complimentary bar service including champagne upon request
So if no champers, then perhaps a request for some combo would not be amiss.
Yes, 8 small bottles for 24 passengers seems a little on the short side. Did the crew make an effort to "downsell" - i.e. Would sir/madam like a G&T, and not offer champagne unless "upon request" so as to eke the stock out?
Complimentary bar service including champagne upon request
So if no champers, then perhaps a request for some combo would not be amiss.
Yes, 8 small bottles for 24 passengers seems a little on the short side. Did the crew make an effort to "downsell" - i.e. Would sir/madam like a G&T, and not offer champagne unless "upon request" so as to eke the stock out?
Feb 16, 2020, 4:27 pm
#29
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: London
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 2,644
Adding to the complexity of that every item has a known weight, and so knowing in advance how much each trolley and canister weigh is very important to correctly and safely balancing the aircraft.
The result of this is that if you're the only passenger in a cabin, you know you can have everything (within reason) from the bar. You'd be pretty annoyed if you were booked in an empty cabin and they'd loaded one gin, one lager, and one champagne as that's what the computer profile said you'd likely want.
Much like food availability, it's never going to suit everyone, and from time to time, things are going to run out. It's a fact of life on a plane.
(BA do try and forecast for Buy on Board, and on known busy flights load extra of certain things, but that's a whole different ballgame)