Oct 24, 2020, 7:26 am
Last edit by: Prospero
Temporary COVID-19 catering, effective 25 October 2020 until 19 January 2021, after which normal catering is expected to resume.
Euro Traveller
Breakfast: cereal bar, cookies, and mineral water bottle
Rest of the day: bag of crisps, small packet of pretzels, and mineral water bottle
Tea, coffee, juice available on request
Club Europe
Band 1 Breakfast: paper bag containing a filled croissant, yogurt pot or muffin, and mineral water bottle
Band 1 Rest of the Day: paper bag containing a sandwich, dessert pot, and mineral water bottle
Bands 2 to 4 Breakfast: box containing a filled croissant, yogurt pot, and mineral water bottle
Bands 2 to 4 Rest of the Day: box containing a sandwich, salad pot, dessert pot, and mineral water bottle
Tea, coffee, drinks from the bar including champagne (Nicolas Feuillatte quarter bottles) available on request
World Traveller and World Traveller Plus:
Primary lunch/dinner flight
Primary meal comprises of a tray with hot dish, side salad, bread bag, and mineral water bottle
Secondary meal (breakfast) is a filled croissant, yoghurt pot, and mineral water bottle
Primary breakfast flight
Primary meal comprises of a tray with hot dish, yoghurt, muffin, and mineral water bottle
Secondary meal is a chilled sandwich, bar of chocolate, and mineral water bottle
Tea, coffee, drinks from the bar available on request
Club World:
Primary lunch/dinner flight
Primary meal includes a tablecloth-covered tray with hot dish, salad dish, small side salad, bread bag, cheese, crackers, dessert pot, and mineral water bottle
Secondary meal (breakfast) is a tablecloth-covered tray with a filled croissant, muesli pot, yoghurt pot, and mineral water bottle (served in a box rather than on a tray on 77M return catered flights)
Secondary meal (afternoon tea) is a tablecloth-covered tray with sandwich, cookies, bar of chocolate, and mineral water bottle (served in a box rather than on a tray on 77M return catered flights)
Primary breakfast flight
Primary meal includes a tablecloth-covered tray with hot dish, yoghurt/fruit dish, croissant, bread bag, jam, dessert pot, and mineral water bottle
Secondary meal is a tablecloth-covered tray with sandwich, cookies, bar of chocolate, and mineral water bottle (served in a box rather than on a tray on 77M return catered flights)
Tea, coffee, drinks from the bar including champagne (Nicolas Feuillatte quarter bottles) available on request
First:
Primary lunch/dinner flight
Box containing a salad, starter, pesto, bread bag, crackers, and mineral water bottle. A hot main dish in foil and trio of dessert/cheese pots in cardboard holder are served separately directly onto the tablecloth-covered table
Secondary meal (breakfast) is unconfirmed
Secondary meal (afternoon tea) is a box containing sandwich, fruit salad, crackers, scone, clotted cream, jam, macarons atop the tablecloth-covered table
Primary breakfast flight
Primary breakfast service is unconfirmed
Secondary meal is a box containing sandwich, fruit salad, crackers, scone, clotted cream, jam, macarons atop the tablecloth-covered table
Tea, coffee, drinks from the bar including champagne (Nicolas Feuillatte quarter bottles) available on request
Euro Traveller
Breakfast: cereal bar, cookies, and mineral water bottle
Rest of the day: bag of crisps, small packet of pretzels, and mineral water bottle
Tea, coffee, juice available on request
Club Europe
Band 1 Breakfast: paper bag containing a filled croissant, yogurt pot or muffin, and mineral water bottle
Band 1 Rest of the Day: paper bag containing a sandwich, dessert pot, and mineral water bottle
Bands 2 to 4 Breakfast: box containing a filled croissant, yogurt pot, and mineral water bottle
Bands 2 to 4 Rest of the Day: box containing a sandwich, salad pot, dessert pot, and mineral water bottle
Tea, coffee, drinks from the bar including champagne (Nicolas Feuillatte quarter bottles) available on request
World Traveller and World Traveller Plus:
Primary lunch/dinner flight
Primary meal comprises of a tray with hot dish, side salad, bread bag, and mineral water bottle
Secondary meal (breakfast) is a filled croissant, yoghurt pot, and mineral water bottle
Primary breakfast flight
Primary meal comprises of a tray with hot dish, yoghurt, muffin, and mineral water bottle
Secondary meal is a chilled sandwich, bar of chocolate, and mineral water bottle
Tea, coffee, drinks from the bar available on request
Club World:
Primary lunch/dinner flight
Primary meal includes a tablecloth-covered tray with hot dish, salad dish, small side salad, bread bag, cheese, crackers, dessert pot, and mineral water bottle
Secondary meal (breakfast) is a tablecloth-covered tray with a filled croissant, muesli pot, yoghurt pot, and mineral water bottle (served in a box rather than on a tray on 77M return catered flights)
Secondary meal (afternoon tea) is a tablecloth-covered tray with sandwich, cookies, bar of chocolate, and mineral water bottle (served in a box rather than on a tray on 77M return catered flights)
Primary breakfast flight
Primary meal includes a tablecloth-covered tray with hot dish, yoghurt/fruit dish, croissant, bread bag, jam, dessert pot, and mineral water bottle
Secondary meal is a tablecloth-covered tray with sandwich, cookies, bar of chocolate, and mineral water bottle (served in a box rather than on a tray on 77M return catered flights)
Tea, coffee, drinks from the bar including champagne (Nicolas Feuillatte quarter bottles) available on request
First:
Primary lunch/dinner flight
Box containing a salad, starter, pesto, bread bag, crackers, and mineral water bottle. A hot main dish in foil and trio of dessert/cheese pots in cardboard holder are served separately directly onto the tablecloth-covered table
Secondary meal (breakfast) is unconfirmed
Secondary meal (afternoon tea) is a box containing sandwich, fruit salad, crackers, scone, clotted cream, jam, macarons atop the tablecloth-covered table
Primary breakfast flight
Primary breakfast service is unconfirmed
Secondary meal is a box containing sandwich, fruit salad, crackers, scone, clotted cream, jam, macarons atop the tablecloth-covered table
Tea, coffee, drinks from the bar including champagne (Nicolas Feuillatte quarter bottles) available on request
COVID Friendly Catering Revealed By British Airways
Oct 11, 2020, 7:18 am
#1741
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Surrey, UK
Programs: BA Gold, *A Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 653
I spoke with a friend who is a CSM at LGW this morning. They seem to be under the impression things will be back to normal by the end of the month. Although as she’s been on furlough since March, I guess it’s not out of the question she doesn’t have the most up to date information.
Oct 11, 2020, 7:41 am
#1742
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Programs: Mucci des Hommes Magiques et Magnifiques
Posts: 19,072
Sadly she is not in touch with reality.
Oct 11, 2020, 8:38 am
#1743
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Hong Kong, France
Programs: FB , BA Gold
Posts: 15,545
That is only very partly correct. CDG does indeed have a "proper" TGV station, but whilst that works well for the North and East for instance Lille or Strasbourg), the situation from the South and West is very different. For instance, if you are coming from Marseille (one of the routes to be discontinued), your first arrival into CDG is after 10.30am. From Bordeaux (same fate), there is a departure around 5.50 then no further nonstop to CDG until 1pm (arriving a bit before 5pm). WIth Montpellier (same system again), the first train arrives into CDG after 1pm. In all the cases the nonstop trains to CDG are few and far between just because - exactly as in the UK - those areas arrive to the wrong "side" of the Parisian network whilst the main Eastern and Northern trunks of traffic are saturated with traffic already so there is no perspective of things improving any time soon - certainly not before at least 10-15 years from now.
Furthermore, Marseille, Montpellier or Bordeaux - to stick to the examples above and two of the main routes that will be discontinued - you do not have a "TGV Air" agreement between AF and the SNCF so if you choose that way of going to CDG, you take all of the responsibility in case your train arrives late (not an infrequent occurrence with any trains) and you lose your plane ticket.
AF are furious about having to close those routes for a reason. They consider that they will lose a lot of connecting long haul traffic and from the people I know who live in places like Bordeaux and Marseille (two cities where I happen to know quite a few!) they are absolutely right in their worries!
Furthermore, Marseille, Montpellier or Bordeaux - to stick to the examples above and two of the main routes that will be discontinued - you do not have a "TGV Air" agreement between AF and the SNCF so if you choose that way of going to CDG, you take all of the responsibility in case your train arrives late (not an infrequent occurrence with any trains) and you lose your plane ticket.
AF are furious about having to close those routes for a reason. They consider that they will lose a lot of connecting long haul traffic and from the people I know who live in places like Bordeaux and Marseille (two cities where I happen to know quite a few!) they are absolutely right in their worries!
Oct 11, 2020, 8:45 am
#1744
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,502
The ORY flights have mostly been discontinued already from a number of cities and they will be the first hit, but CDG is explicitly next in line.
When AF complained about the competition effects, government agreed to take a decree which will similarly prevent low cost airlines from filling in the void left by AF on the domestic routings themselves, but they have (obviously) no way of imposing any restriction to someone flying, say, LYS-FRA-HKG or BOD-MAD-JFK
Last edited by orbitmic; Oct 11, 2020 at 8:55 am
Oct 11, 2020, 8:53 am
#1745
Join Date: Apr 2016
Programs: Bonvoy Titanium, Hilton Diamond, BA Silver, IHG Spire, AMEX Plat
Posts: 598
Oct 11, 2020, 9:23 am
#1746
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 3,579
- Direct service from London as opposed to indirect via FRA/MUC/DOH
- Price
- Times
- Journey duration
- Status benefits with OW compared to VS/ *A (which I don't have)
- Refund track history and speed in which they are processed (VS and LH have a poor history of this).
If I had to fly anywhere these days and BA proved the best option for non-stop and most direct then I wouldn't be paying/redeeming for First as it would be a complete waste of money in terms of product differential. I'd be prepared to pay for Club World purely for the flat bed, WTP and CE for the additional personal space and cater for myself from F&M/Gordon Ramsay/something prepared from home. I'd probably cater for myself too if flying in WT/ET and I wouldn't think any more about it - the pre covid offerings in W/Y were hardly anything to write home about anyway.
As for CE/CW/F, I understand why BA have chosen to extend their lite catering for the Winter season - the projected passenger figures are anticipated to be so few and without any short term guarantee that this is going to change, that the cost of fresh, hot, multi-choice catering isn't going to win any additional business. It's a thrifty decision I'll grant but in the current climate a pragmatic one that has no doubt been considered and agreed to for a significant cost saving. BA seem to think it doesn't matter to you or me either. The vast majority of people travelling are doing so out of necessity rather than out of pleasure and as such will pay to travel on the basis that food and beverage offering isn't the number one factor for them when choosing who to fly.
Last edited by 1Aturnleft; Oct 11, 2020 at 9:32 am
Oct 11, 2020, 9:34 am
#1747
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: London
Posts: 1,251
According to reports, Air France are required to discontinue domestic routes which are connected by TGV in under 2.5 hours. That is not the case for CDG to Marseille, Montpellier, or Bordeaux, so these routes should not be affected?
Oct 11, 2020, 9:53 am
#1748
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,502
Bordeaux is well below the 2.5 hours from Paris (Bordeaux-Paris is 2h10) so is affected and will have to be discontinued, as would Lyon or Nantes which are also problematic in terms of CDG train access. You are absolutely right that currently Marseille and Montpellier are not affected as they are both a bit above 3 hours, though it is worth noting that several people within the current majority (including, if reports are correct, the current environment minister) are asking that the decree the government will publish should use a higher threshold which could make things further difficult.
Oct 11, 2020, 10:55 am
#1749
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,593
Looks like BA will have less F competition on US routes starting November so even less incentive to change...
LH appears to be eliminating F to all US gateways as all 748 flights are zero'd out in F starting 11/1.
LX has cancelled all ZRH-LAX nonstops for the winter. And ZRH-SFO is down to just 2x weekly for the winter.
LH appears to be eliminating F to all US gateways as all 748 flights are zero'd out in F starting 11/1.
LX has cancelled all ZRH-LAX nonstops for the winter. And ZRH-SFO is down to just 2x weekly for the winter.
Oct 11, 2020, 11:00 am
#1750
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2019
Programs: AA: CK
Posts: 2,230
Looks like BA will have less F competition on US routes starting November so even less incentive to change...
LH appears to be eliminating F to all US gateways as all 748 flights are zero'd out in F starting 11/1.
LX has cancelled all ZRH-LAX nonstops for the winter. And ZRH-SFO is down to just 2x weekly for the winter.
LH appears to be eliminating F to all US gateways as all 748 flights are zero'd out in F starting 11/1.
LX has cancelled all ZRH-LAX nonstops for the winter. And ZRH-SFO is down to just 2x weekly for the winter.
Oct 11, 2020, 11:20 am
#1751
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: London Stratford, E7
Programs: BAEC Gold! Thanks to FT
Posts: 3,369
I spoke with a friend who is a CSM at LGW this morning. They seem to be under the impression things will be back to normal by the end of the month. Although as she’s been on furlough since March, I guess it’s not out of the question she doesn’t have the most up to date information.
Oct 12, 2020, 12:25 am
#1752
Join Date: Jul 2020
Programs: BA Executive Club
Posts: 18
Cruz is gone!
Oct 12, 2020, 1:00 am
#1753
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,502
Oct 12, 2020, 1:08 am
#1754
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club, easyJet and Ryanair
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: UK/Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold (GGL/CCR)
Posts: 15,914
Oct 12, 2020, 2:13 am
#1755
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Programs: TK Elite Plus,BAEC GGL,ITA Executive, AFKL Gold,QR Gold,HH Diamond,Bonvoy Gold,ALL Gold
Posts: 14,185
All sorts of reasons. I don't know about you but for me the following come in to play:
If I had to fly anywhere these days and BA proved the best option for non-stop and most direct then I wouldn't be paying/redeeming for First as it would be a complete waste of money in terms of product differential. I'd be prepared to pay for Club World purely for the flat bed, WTP and CE for the additional personal space and cater for myself from F&M/Gordon Ramsay/something prepared from home. I'd probably cater for myself too if flying in WT/ET and I wouldn't think any more about it - the pre covid offerings in W/Y were hardly anything to write home about anyway.
As for CE/CW/F, I understand why BA have chosen to extend their lite catering for the Winter season - the projected passenger figures are anticipated to be so few and without any short term guarantee that this is going to change, that the cost of fresh, hot, multi-choice catering isn't going to win any additional business. It's a thrifty decision I'll grant but in the current climate a pragmatic one that has no doubt been considered and agreed to for a significant cost saving. BA seem to think it doesn't matter to you or me either. The vast majority of people travelling are doing so out of necessity rather than out of pleasure and as such will pay to travel on the basis that food and beverage offering isn't the number one factor for them when choosing who to fly.
- Direct service from London as opposed to indirect via FRA/MUC/DOH
- Price
- Times
- Journey duration
- Status benefits with OW compared to VS/ *A (which I don't have)
- Refund track history and speed in which they are processed (VS and LH have a poor history of this).
If I had to fly anywhere these days and BA proved the best option for non-stop and most direct then I wouldn't be paying/redeeming for First as it would be a complete waste of money in terms of product differential. I'd be prepared to pay for Club World purely for the flat bed, WTP and CE for the additional personal space and cater for myself from F&M/Gordon Ramsay/something prepared from home. I'd probably cater for myself too if flying in WT/ET and I wouldn't think any more about it - the pre covid offerings in W/Y were hardly anything to write home about anyway.
As for CE/CW/F, I understand why BA have chosen to extend their lite catering for the Winter season - the projected passenger figures are anticipated to be so few and without any short term guarantee that this is going to change, that the cost of fresh, hot, multi-choice catering isn't going to win any additional business. It's a thrifty decision I'll grant but in the current climate a pragmatic one that has no doubt been considered and agreed to for a significant cost saving. BA seem to think it doesn't matter to you or me either. The vast majority of people travelling are doing so out of necessity rather than out of pleasure and as such will pay to travel on the basis that food and beverage offering isn't the number one factor for them when choosing who to fly.
Yes, I agree with TGLoyalty as I would probably not fly with BA until 2021 as their scheduling does not fit me and unfortunately, the USA does not allow non-US citizens and permanent residents to board a plane from countries that are on their high-risk list. ( Pre-COVID, most of my business with BA was transatlantic ).
Yes, I do value the catering and the soft-product; although, if BA offers a decent price and decent connection times to my intended destination, why shouldn't I choose them. Yes, I would not pay extra to fly BA over LH or QR but a when the situation is the opposite, instead of complaining about the meals, I would help myself ( a little bit extra than usual ) at the Galleries Club or Galleries First at LHR and do not think about the aircraft meals.
By the way, I pretty see the benefit of having status in multiple alliances. I am not stuck to a single airline or their partners, and I have the flexibility to choose the airline without thinking about the elite perks.
If we return to the subject and TGLoyalty 's point, this 117-page thread is a huge example where people complaining still use BA. I have spotted many people complaining here about the catering downgrade and still flying BA. With some wandering around threads, you would notice that the same members who complained about catering and mentioned that they would not fly BA in this climate are asking questions about their booked BA flights, Future Travel Vouchers, and even some are providing their experience with BA.