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 12, 2020, 3:44 am
#1756
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Hong Kong, France
Programs: FB , BA Gold
Posts: 15,556
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.
For longhaul traffic, BA desperately needs to keep attracting transit traffic, which is a significant proportion of its pax including premium pax.. The arguments of direct service from London, is a major motivation for sticking with BA, although other carriers might also serve the route nonstop. But that motivation disappears if you originate/end in other european or even British airports. BA has always been at the low end of prices for premium one-stop longhaul, but it now needs to be really further below to retain those customers. BA cannot afford to only fly Londoners or pax going to London..
As a side note, I know of several people who have drastically reduced their longhaul business travel, but moved to J or F when they do travel to minimize covid risk. Maybe that is only happening in/to Asia. However, if it is not negligible, BA knows that the marginal premium customers make a big différence to the bottom line.
Oct 12, 2020, 4:35 am
#1757
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: MIA, VIE and DPS
Programs: DL Plat 1MM, AA EXP 3MM, SQ Krisflyer Gold, UA Silver, Marriott LTT, HH Gold
Posts: 1,132
On the return flight I was on VS - there was a voucher to McDonalds (OK - there was a voucher to any open place behind security - McD just happened to be the only open place) - I slept instead of dinner, but the breakfast was nothing to write home about either - yes, real knife and forks - but on a flight that isn't empty - I am not a big fan of the VS sardine seating,
So anyhow - I am certainly not going out of my way to avoid BA because of some card board boxes. I did recently fly LH - and the F experience was a lot better - but when east bound, I mainly care about the seat and these days space. On LH I had to share the cabin with another pax - on my BA flight - I was the only pax in F. Right now - I rather have that then the usual food service
Oct 12, 2020, 4:56 am
#1758
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: MIA, VIE and DPS
Programs: DL Plat 1MM, AA EXP 3MM, SQ Krisflyer Gold, UA Silver, Marriott LTT, HH Gold
Posts: 1,132
I really didn't find it that bad
Oct 12, 2020, 5:06 am
#1759
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: London
Programs: BA Silver Seigneur des Horaires des Mucci.
Posts: 2,047
I agree the main competition is flying vs not flying at all
The main limiting factor is too much Covid still around and too many quarantines
Agree the best part of club is empty seats around you if you are going to fly
BA need to offer something new and innovative and ENTICING
for the Covid era.
I think if BA limited seat occupancy , offered pre flight testing , negotiated with countries for special conditions if they offered this
and arranged for pre flight dining and box of goodies on board pre ordered they may attract more customers. They could charge more
The current LHR lounge offering is the only thing to have scored so far
The main limiting factor is too much Covid still around and too many quarantines
Agree the best part of club is empty seats around you if you are going to fly
BA need to offer something new and innovative and ENTICING
for the Covid era.
I think if BA limited seat occupancy , offered pre flight testing , negotiated with countries for special conditions if they offered this
and arranged for pre flight dining and box of goodies on board pre ordered they may attract more customers. They could charge more
The current LHR lounge offering is the only thing to have scored so far
Oct 12, 2020, 5:18 am
#1760
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: US/UK - and elsewhere
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 2,557
Oct 12, 2020, 5:42 am
#1761
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: MIA, VIE and DPS
Programs: DL Plat 1MM, AA EXP 3MM, SQ Krisflyer Gold, UA Silver, Marriott LTT, HH Gold
Posts: 1,132
Those pics were LHR-MIA
Actually that I thought was a thing BA could really have done better. The only good thing was that there was probably for the first time no wait for the men's room in Galleries First. But the lounge experience and the "Concord Terrace" were rather disappointing in terms of food choices. People complained a lot about the LH First lounge covid offering - but that was classes - many classes - above the BA lounge experience.
In general I find it ridiculous how few lounges are open. I was recently in AMS and the KLM lounge in the Shengen Terminal closes at noon - just odd. I am finally making good use of that Priority Pass thing I have from AX
In general I find it ridiculous how few lounges are open. I was recently in AMS and the KLM lounge in the Shengen Terminal closes at noon - just odd. I am finally making good use of that Priority Pass thing I have from AX
Last edited by Prospero; Oct 12, 2020 at 11:47 am Reason: merge consecutive posts
Oct 12, 2020, 10:24 am
#1762
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: MIA, VIE and DPS
Programs: DL Plat 1MM, AA EXP 3MM, SQ Krisflyer Gold, UA Silver, Marriott LTT, HH Gold
Posts: 1,132
Of course it's not the fine dining experience one might hope for - not that I was a big fan of BA F food pre Covid either. I feel the CW food had improved over the last 2 years while F sort of stayed where it was. I am digressing - so lunch is now three boxes, and plastic utensils. Given that I was alone in F - there was nobody to impress with how cultured I am - so while it would be nice to have real plates and utensils - the actual food is more important.
The salat was fresh, the salmon was fresh, the chicken - well, it was a lot more spicy than I would have expected - but for a warm up meal, really wasn't awful either. I always like the DO&CO chocolate mousse - and it wasn't the small CE container - the other two deserts were ok with different cheeses of reasonable quality - and the sandwiches later were - while cold sandwiches - not of poor quality either.
I was not hungry and I didn't feel I ate junk food. Maybe not a super high standard - but I didn't really feel I was roughing it because of the boxes. With sweating under a mask while trying to catch a flight, long wait times for a silly shuttle bus, no room service at the hotel - I have other Covid travel issues to be annoyed by.
I have flown WT+ LHR-MIA 2 years ago - and this was dramatically better food than what they served back then.
The salat was fresh, the salmon was fresh, the chicken - well, it was a lot more spicy than I would have expected - but for a warm up meal, really wasn't awful either. I always like the DO&CO chocolate mousse - and it wasn't the small CE container - the other two deserts were ok with different cheeses of reasonable quality - and the sandwiches later were - while cold sandwiches - not of poor quality either.
I was not hungry and I didn't feel I ate junk food. Maybe not a super high standard - but I didn't really feel I was roughing it because of the boxes. With sweating under a mask while trying to catch a flight, long wait times for a silly shuttle bus, no room service at the hotel - I have other Covid travel issues to be annoyed by.
I have flown WT+ LHR-MIA 2 years ago - and this was dramatically better food than what they served back then.
Oct 12, 2020, 10:40 am
#1763
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Bridport, Dorset
Programs: Mucci, BA Bronze, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,130
Haven't read all the posts but odd that VS are offering, and have been for quite some time, hot meals in all classes.
And this is the airline we may lose!
And this is the airline we may lose!
Oct 12, 2020, 11:39 am
#1764
Join Date: May 2009
Location: London
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 2,741
[QUOTE=flying_geek;32741I really didn't find it that bad[/QUOTE]
All things considered, apart from the boxed presentation, the only real downer is the plastic cutlery. Not sure why CW is treated so badly in comparison...
All things considered, apart from the boxed presentation, the only real downer is the plastic cutlery. Not sure why CW is treated so badly in comparison...
Oct 12, 2020, 12:22 pm
#1765
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold, AA 1MM lifetime gold, Starwood gold, Marriott Gold Elite
Posts: 719
Of course it's not the fine dining experience one might hope for - not that I was a big fan of BA F food pre Covid either. I feel the CW food had improved over the last 2 years while F sort of stayed where it was. I am digressing - so lunch is now three boxes, and plastic utensils. Given that I was alone in F - there was nobody to impress with how cultured I am - so while it would be nice to have real plates and utensils - the actual food is more important.
The salat was fresh, the salmon was fresh, the chicken - well, it was a lot more spicy than I would have expected - but for a warm up meal, really wasn't awful either. I always like the DO&CO chocolate mousse - and it wasn't the small CE container - the other two deserts were ok with different cheeses of reasonable quality - and the sandwiches later were - while cold sandwiches - not of poor quality either.
I was not hungry and I didn't feel I ate junk food. Maybe not a super high standard - but I didn't really feel I was roughing it because of the boxes. With sweating under a mask while trying to catch a flight, long wait times for a silly shuttle bus, no room service at the hotel - I have other Covid travel issues to be annoyed by.
I have flown WT+ LHR-MIA 2 years ago - and this was dramatically better food than what they served back then.
The salat was fresh, the salmon was fresh, the chicken - well, it was a lot more spicy than I would have expected - but for a warm up meal, really wasn't awful either. I always like the DO&CO chocolate mousse - and it wasn't the small CE container - the other two deserts were ok with different cheeses of reasonable quality - and the sandwiches later were - while cold sandwiches - not of poor quality either.
I was not hungry and I didn't feel I ate junk food. Maybe not a super high standard - but I didn't really feel I was roughing it because of the boxes. With sweating under a mask while trying to catch a flight, long wait times for a silly shuttle bus, no room service at the hotel - I have other Covid travel issues to be annoyed by.
I have flown WT+ LHR-MIA 2 years ago - and this was dramatically better food than what they served back then.
I’d be quite happy with that at home on a weekend night.
Oct 12, 2020, 12:37 pm
#1766
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: MIA, VIE and DPS
Programs: DL Plat 1MM, AA EXP 3MM, SQ Krisflyer Gold, UA Silver, Marriott LTT, HH Gold
Posts: 1,132
This was LH's Covid menu on my last flight - yes, it was a lot better and pretty close to pre-covid times (the caviar was pre-packed vs the big dish with a big spoon you normally get served from) - but as stated above - I was OK with what I got on BA
Oct 12, 2020, 1:20 pm
#1767
Join Date: Mar 2020
Programs: British Airways GGL/CCR, Hilton Diamond & Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,612
Better than pre covid BA
Oct 12, 2020, 2:01 pm
#1769
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: London
Programs: BA Silver (for now)
Posts: 1,000
Cutting costs is the right thing to do.
The premium side of the business is essentially dead. Remember their most profitable business until early this year was TATL. That business is well below 10% of where it was last year. Cargo is just about the only thing that induces them to continue offering some TATL routes at all.
When posters on FT suggest the catering and the premium services will determine which airlines come out of this crisis strengthened relativ to their competitors, I just think LOL.
Bringing down costs and retaining the ability to pick up bailout money from the government if needed is what really counts right now. Sure, you can try to generate a few percent of extra revenue by tweaking your route network (leisure travel seems to do slightly better right now) or by differentiating yourself a little bit from competitors (e.g., through better security protocols). But it's secondary to the cost-cutting considerations and the need to have your government's support.
Honestly, I don't think anybody at BA cares about a FT thread or a Sun article about poor food in short-haul J. Travel is not expected to return to 2019 levels until 2024 or 2025. So, once again, the big issue is downsizing the scale of your operations, not what people thing of the J catering on BA vis-a-vis LX.
The premium side of the business is essentially dead. Remember their most profitable business until early this year was TATL. That business is well below 10% of where it was last year. Cargo is just about the only thing that induces them to continue offering some TATL routes at all.
When posters on FT suggest the catering and the premium services will determine which airlines come out of this crisis strengthened relativ to their competitors, I just think LOL.
Bringing down costs and retaining the ability to pick up bailout money from the government if needed is what really counts right now. Sure, you can try to generate a few percent of extra revenue by tweaking your route network (leisure travel seems to do slightly better right now) or by differentiating yourself a little bit from competitors (e.g., through better security protocols). But it's secondary to the cost-cutting considerations and the need to have your government's support.
Honestly, I don't think anybody at BA cares about a FT thread or a Sun article about poor food in short-haul J. Travel is not expected to return to 2019 levels until 2024 or 2025. So, once again, the big issue is downsizing the scale of your operations, not what people thing of the J catering on BA vis-a-vis LX.
Sell a service get the customers, out of sh3t and you’ll lose customers. It’s simple, food costs relatively nothing (compared to J fares) - you can serve sealed stuff that tastes good. Pret, for example, serves a very tasting sandwich for £4.
BA will need to sort this out before too many change their habits away from them, including me.
Oct 12, 2020, 2:52 pm
#1770
Join Date: Mar 2020
Programs: British Airways GGL/CCR, Hilton Diamond & Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,612
Negative point of view, I disagree.
Sell a service get the customers, out of sh3t and you’ll lose customers. It’s simple, food costs relatively nothing (compared to J fares) - you can serve sealed stuff that tastes good. Pret, for example, serves a very tasting sandwich for £4.
BA will need to sort this out before too many change their habits away from them, including me.
Sell a service get the customers, out of sh3t and you’ll lose customers. It’s simple, food costs relatively nothing (compared to J fares) - you can serve sealed stuff that tastes good. Pret, for example, serves a very tasting sandwich for £4.
BA will need to sort this out before too many change their habits away from them, including me.