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
Aug 15, 2020, 3:57 pm
#781
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 3,190
rb211.
Aug 15, 2020, 4:16 pm
#782
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: London
Programs: BAEC, AA, Emirates, Hilton, Hyatt, Taj Hotels
Posts: 2,346
Meanwhile, over at Lufthansa (as an example) they're getting menus, choices, china etc i.e. a near normal service
Aug 15, 2020, 4:51 pm
#783
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 3,190
rb211.
Aug 15, 2020, 6:19 pm
#784
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: US/UK - and elsewhere
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 2,565
I mean... you do understand that almost literally ever business in the entire world is cutting costs right now, correct? 
This isn't a uniquely BA situation. I'd suggest you broaden your horizons and visit many of the other airline forums on FT. I think you won't find things all that different and in fact, you might even find BA ahead in few areas (e.g lounges at LHR)
This isn't a uniquely BA situation. I'd suggest you broaden your horizons and visit many of the other airline forums on FT. I think you won't find things all that different and in fact, you might even find BA ahead in few areas (e.g lounges at LHR)
Aug 15, 2020, 7:06 pm
#785
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: LAS/FCO/JFK/LAX
Programs: DL DM/2MM, BA GGL/CCR,/GFL, A3 Gold, JBU Mosaic, ITA Executive, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 305
I mean... you do understand that almost literally ever business in the entire world is cutting costs right now, correct?
This isn't a uniquely BA situation. I'd suggest you broaden your horizons and visit many of the other airline forums on FT. I think you won't find things all that different and in fact, you might even find BA ahead in few areas (e.g lounges at LHR)
Regards
P.S. And yes, I know, "but the ME3! but the ME3!" sigh...
This isn't a uniquely BA situation. I'd suggest you broaden your horizons and visit many of the other airline forums on FT. I think you won't find things all that different and in fact, you might even find BA ahead in few areas (e.g lounges at LHR)
Regards
P.S. And yes, I know, "but the ME3! but the ME3!" sigh...
They should call it cost savings, not covid friendly and ongoing senseless penalizing of paying premium pax
As a frequent (15-20 RT yearly, before covid) ex-outstation (LAS) First passenger i have witnessed 12 years of ruthless cost-cutting, aircraft, cabin, connection, service, catering issues essentially left unhandled, with various categories of shortcomings of the F experience-could write a book
This year since March three unused tickets in paid First to/from LAS, one lost as no-show, since the FCO recommendation for no travel to MXP was issued a day after my presumed travel date, when Milan area was already red zone, two more F trips downgraded to CW without even a proper email, and incredible difficulties made by GGL staff to even try and reroute me via a First connection, citing fare difference and other absurdities
While evidently i have not had enough and continued to buy F given the convenience -when the service operates smoothly- What is even the point of arguing if this is how F pax are taken care of? finish your point a to point b remaining longhaul trips with crisps and cold sandwich, and give your business to someone else who treats you to something closer to a premium experience
Aug 15, 2020, 7:23 pm
#786
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: West Coast USA
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 564
Cost cutting in these situations is just plain stupid and illogical. Take current TATL passenger loads - maybe 5 in business/first. Save a fiver on the catering for each of these pax and you've saved £25 - wow. In the mean time you've probably lost at least 1 passenger to another carrier, which would have more than covered that £25. Same logic for the other travel classes. All penny-pinching does is make it look like penny-pinching... .
Further, AA coming into T5 really doesn’t help BA. The AA hard product (in J) is superiors to BA and so there is really no reason for a well informed traveler to book BA. I appreciate that not all buyers are informed as FT’ers are however.
Aug 16, 2020, 1:24 am
#787
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: BA GGL, A3*G, Mucci de l'expertise des Apps
Posts: 3,367
absolutely agree here. When BA cancelled our flights (early COVID-19 though) we rebooked with AA and Lufthansa (again, early Covid, but their service isn’t as diminished and I have AA status anyway). Right now the only forward bookings we (me and family for leisure, AND my corporation for UK business trips) are on either United or Lufthansa. The company TA will not book BA at this time, whereas BA was always their favored choice pre Covid.
Further, AA coming into T5 really doesn’t help BA. The AA hard product (in J) is superiors to BA and so there is really no reason for a well informed traveler to book BA. I appreciate that not all buyers are informed as FT’ers are however.
Further, AA coming into T5 really doesn’t help BA. The AA hard product (in J) is superiors to BA and so there is really no reason for a well informed traveler to book BA. I appreciate that not all buyers are informed as FT’ers are however.
Aug 16, 2020, 2:45 am
#788
Join Date: Feb 2009
Programs: Executive Club
Posts: 1,115
Cost cutting in these situations is just plain stupid and illogical. Take current TATL passenger loads - maybe 5 in business/first. Save a fiver on the catering for each of these pax and you've saved £25 - wow. In the mean time you've probably lost at least 1 passenger to another carrier, which would have more than covered that £25. Same logic for the other travel classes. All penny-pinching does is make it look like penny-pinching... .
When Virgin Atlantic launched they won market share because they had new funky add-ons like massages and make-up artists. And when BA first launched Club-world it sold service, flat-beds, innovation. Personally I believe that to survive, airlines are going to have to go back to these approaches and stop this obsession with cost-cutting.
Aug 16, 2020, 3:02 am
#789
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 85
Deleted
Last edited by T5ops; Aug 22, 2020 at 4:14 pm
Aug 16, 2020, 3:48 am
#790
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,061
I’ve been thinking about this too. It’s interesting that the carriers being discussed about having ‘normal’ food options are those with loads of cash... AA and LH because they’ve been handed it by their governments, QR because, well, QR. We hear less about those carriers trying to struggle along with no handouts.
Aug 16, 2020, 3:56 am
#791
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: London
Programs: BAEC GGL/CCR, HH Diamond
Posts: 1,916
I don't need 'a full catering operation' - can we just have those boxes with chicken dinners and curries available in all long haul (incl Y!) and in longer CE?
Aug 16, 2020, 4:54 am
#792
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 7,241
When Virgin Atlantic launched they won market share because they had new funky add-ons like massages and make-up artists. And when BA first launched Club-world it sold service, flat-beds, innovation. Personally I believe that to survive, airlines are going to have to go back to these approaches and stop this obsession with cost-cutting.
In spite of what we read here on Flyertalk, I'm yet to see definitive proof that more frills = more passenger and more money. See Etihad: on paper, given the Residence, and the Studio, and the great onboard product they'd be making money hand over fist. In practice they've lost an eye-watering amount of money even in pre-Covid days. The rumour is also that Air France's La Première isn't cash positive. I'm of the opinion that air travel - let's leave Covid aside for a moment - is becoming a commodity: every airline has a lie-flat, IFE, a lounge. People are primarily voting with their wallets or based on timings, or FQTV allegiance.
Having said all this, on the topic of the current in-flight offering: I personally think it's not so much about cost-cutting, but rather lack of aspiration. The BA I used to know before Alex's kingdom of mediocrity was trying to aspire to do something. Frank VdP was great in that sense because he wanted an improved product. Right now there's an utterly lacklustre leader, Alex, who is 110% unable to express a vision for the airline: see the botched business plan in 2017, and the even sorrier affair of the 'best airline in the world' launched in 2018/2019, or the pathetic 100th anniversary celebrations. It's a "that'll do" mentality that goes beyond simple cost-cutting, because I doubt that this is much of a saving. I think that it's also due to having a clueless leader who has replaced brilliant people with 'meh' top managers, who in turn are hiring/promoting 'meh' people who, in turn, implement 'meh' ideas.
Aug 16, 2020, 5:35 am
#793
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: Some
Posts: 5,271
Market share =/= operating profit.
In spite of what we read here on Flyertalk, I'm yet to see definitive proof that more frills = more passenger and more money. See Etihad: on paper, given the Residence, and the Studio, and the great onboard product they'd be making money hand over fist. In practice they've lost an eye-watering amount of money even in pre-Covid days. The rumour is also that Air France's La Première isn't cash positive. I'm of the opinion that air travel - let's leave Covid aside for a moment - is becoming a commodity: every airline has a lie-flat, IFE, a lounge. People are primarily voting with their wallets or based on timings, or FQTV allegiance.
Having said all this, on the topic of the current in-flight offering: I personally think it's not so much about cost-cutting, but rather lack of aspiration. The BA I used to know before Alex's kingdom of mediocrity was trying to aspire to do something. Frank VdP was great in that sense because he wanted an improved product. Right now there's an utterly lacklustre leader, Alex, who is 110% unable to express a vision for the airline: see the botched business plan in 2017, and the even sorrier affair of the 'best airline in the world' launched in 2018/2019, or the pathetic 100th anniversary celebrations. It's a "that'll do" mentality that goes beyond simple cost-cutting, because I doubt that this is much of a saving. I think that it's also due to having a clueless leader who has replaced brilliant people with 'meh' top managers, who in turn are hiring/promoting 'meh' people who, in turn, implement 'meh' ideas.
In spite of what we read here on Flyertalk, I'm yet to see definitive proof that more frills = more passenger and more money. See Etihad: on paper, given the Residence, and the Studio, and the great onboard product they'd be making money hand over fist. In practice they've lost an eye-watering amount of money even in pre-Covid days. The rumour is also that Air France's La Première isn't cash positive. I'm of the opinion that air travel - let's leave Covid aside for a moment - is becoming a commodity: every airline has a lie-flat, IFE, a lounge. People are primarily voting with their wallets or based on timings, or FQTV allegiance.
Having said all this, on the topic of the current in-flight offering: I personally think it's not so much about cost-cutting, but rather lack of aspiration. The BA I used to know before Alex's kingdom of mediocrity was trying to aspire to do something. Frank VdP was great in that sense because he wanted an improved product. Right now there's an utterly lacklustre leader, Alex, who is 110% unable to express a vision for the airline: see the botched business plan in 2017, and the even sorrier affair of the 'best airline in the world' launched in 2018/2019, or the pathetic 100th anniversary celebrations. It's a "that'll do" mentality that goes beyond simple cost-cutting, because I doubt that this is much of a saving. I think that it's also due to having a clueless leader who has replaced brilliant people with 'meh' top managers, who in turn are hiring/promoting 'meh' people who, in turn, implement 'meh' ideas.
EY is a basket case not because of the frills that they (used to) offer, but because they have never had an even half-coherent strategy or reason why they needed to exist as a global carrier when EK was also operating a much more extensive route network with similar standards and more established relationships from an airport an hour a way. EY's product also doesn't actually have all that many frills any longer, they've gradually hacked away at the soft product in both F and J over the years and it got to the point where even in F Apartments you were mostly paying for a seat and everything else was the standard of a good J product. This wasn't really noticed by the travel blogosphere who continued to pump it as 'WORLD'S BEST FIRST CLASS, LOOK AT THIS!!!'. I much prefer EK new F to EY F as a result, and so do seemingly most of the dwindling number of people that actually pay for F in my experience, which is probably why EK F continues to exist in broadly the same form.
Aug 16, 2020, 5:48 am
#794
Join Date: May 2003
Location: DEL
Programs: Mucci du Miel d'Or
Posts: 2,377
When Virgin Atlantic launched they won market share because they had new funky add-ons like massages and make-up artists. And when BA first launched Club-world it sold service, flat-beds, innovation. Personally I believe that to survive, airlines are going to have to go back to these approaches and stop this obsession with cost-cutting.
Some speculate fares will eventually rise, I'm doubtful and therefore see little prospect of services becoming much more luxurious. Indeed if Virgin don't survive the requirement for some services could disappear. I really thought that COVID would spell the end of arrival lounges and still see that it could.
Aug 16, 2020, 5:51 am
#795
Join Date: May 2003
Location: DEL
Programs: Mucci du Miel d'Or
Posts: 2,377