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
Jun 12, 2020, 8:54 am
#91
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Spitalfields, London
Programs: BA Gold, KFC 'The Colonel's Club' Palladium tier, Mucci des Visions Célestes du Nord-Pas-de-Calais
Posts: 2,321
I think this just shows the limitation of Twitter. The safety issue was the previous catering, which allowed for SPMLs, and all of which has stopped from concerns about handling. Not so much KSML, but the other meals require some tray assembly in the galley or trolley top. So at that point the safey reason is valid. Going forward, catering is partly restored next week, but in so doing nothing yet has been done for SPMLs. Doubtless it will come but given passenger numbers I can see it would be a lot of work for relatively few passengers, so it got no focus. That position won't be sustainable in the medium term so SPMLs will come back.
Jun 12, 2020, 8:58 am
#92
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 3,440
So does CE now include soft drinks (Juice, Pepsi etc) or is it just water and alcohol? How about hot drinks (tea, coffee)?
Jun 12, 2020, 9:23 am
#93
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 2,422
I suspect that delivering low quantities of special meals is logistically challenging at the moment and once more people return to flying the extra costs involved would be easier to justify at bean counter level. They can't actually say this publicly though.
Jun 12, 2020, 9:36 am
#94
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 373
Walsh knows passengers will pay to fly direct and the cabins will probably be full. His eyes are already showing £££ signs that he can offer less and still charge a premium.
Last edited by kaizenflying; Jun 12, 2020 at 9:42 am
Jun 12, 2020, 9:54 am
#95
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: UK - Hampshire & London
Programs: Mucci de Guardian des Celliers des Grands Crus 1e Classé, plus BAEC.
Posts: 2,734
Why be grateful? They haven't lowered the ticket prices and if anything they will go up. What they have been offering is a complete joke up until now, and what they are proposing is simply a cost cutting measure they will likely keep into effect much longer... This is also designed to stop potential lawsuits as going forward "we have been advised of what to expect onboard when buying tickets" because its no longer the old service.
What risk is there to heating up hot food if sanitary precautions are taken (e.g. crew wearing mask/gloves and not opening tin foil)?
I wouldn't be surprised if glassware/plates etc never returns to short haul, and is removed from long haul W permanently. This stinks of cost cutting. With restaurants opening soon in the UK, and takeaway being open throughout lockdown - there has never been a risk to serving hot food if done properly. Minimizing crew contact with passengers is fine - you can still serve a full meal on one tray with everything covered up.
There is no excuse for this. Its just cost cutting.
EDIT: I wouldn't put it past them to use this semi-permanent service flow to schedule less crew on long haul flights....
What risk is there to heating up hot food if sanitary precautions are taken (e.g. crew wearing mask/gloves and not opening tin foil)?
I wouldn't be surprised if glassware/plates etc never returns to short haul, and is removed from long haul W permanently. This stinks of cost cutting. With restaurants opening soon in the UK, and takeaway being open throughout lockdown - there has never been a risk to serving hot food if done properly. Minimizing crew contact with passengers is fine - you can still serve a full meal on one tray with everything covered up.
There is no excuse for this. Its just cost cutting.
EDIT: I wouldn't put it past them to use this semi-permanent service flow to schedule less crew on long haul flights....
I’m not as fearful as you that BA will keep things like this. Their realistic direct competitors, AF/KL and LH, will strongly encourage BA to return to pre-Covid catering as soon as practicable. All IMHO of course.
Jun 12, 2020, 10:28 am
#96
Join Date: Jun 2017
Programs: BA Gold (GGL/GfL), LH FTL, SPG Plat
Posts: 52
I suggest that anyone who will still have the luxury of a job that allows for generous Business Travel in the coming months / years or has the funds for a premium leisure travel experience should be grateful. Catering is a 'high quality' problem. On which note I flew back from JFK the other week. The experience was pretty sad. A super tired G-YMM frame, with a joke of an entertainment system, minimal service and (of course) no lounges. But the one thing I would have given my right hand for is the luxury of not having to wear a mask. I can't even imagine doing so continuously on a 14hour Singapore leg. Right now the greatest luxury is knowing that I can avoid getting on a plane again until mid-July.
With the greatest respect I think many comments are coming from those who have not flown yet in the new reality and realised what an utterly miserable experience it is right now. And is likely to remain so in the ST. And also how jobs, business travel budgets, bonuses, wages, etc, are growing to be slashed in the coming months / years. Anyone who is travelling right now will surely be doing so for a good reason. Let's cut BA some slack. Walsh is not fighting to 'gouge' customers, Walsh is fighting for BA's survival. And that includes the continued value of the Avios piles and status that we all hold so dearly. All IMHO...
Last edited by contrails7; Jun 12, 2020 at 10:33 am
Jun 12, 2020, 10:30 am
#97
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: NYC, FLL
Programs: UA PP 1MM, Marriott Bonvoy LTTE, BA Gold
Posts: 6,322
Direct is relative (as is price). Right now, I'm looking at US-EU in F and there's no way I would choose BA over LH/LX.
Jun 12, 2020, 10:57 am
#98
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: OSL
Posts: 2,643
Direct isn’t really relative. The NYC - LHR market is either direct or indirect. If you’re going elsewhere in the EU of course all is to play but London is [i believe] the wealthiest O&D market in the world. Many will not fly via second airport. BA knows this.
Jun 12, 2020, 11:10 am
#99
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: NYC, FLL
Programs: UA PP 1MM, Marriott Bonvoy LTTE, BA Gold
Posts: 6,322
Therefore, I’m not captive to Walsh which was the OP I was responding to.
Jun 12, 2020, 12:00 pm
#100
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: 14,186
Both WW and AC knows that UK based business travellers are inclined to fly direct rather than paying less and make a connection, spend the extra time/hassle and they know that still, BA would be their top choice.
If you’re based in London, Spain is direct on BA. From NYC, it’s not. That was my point. I have little incentive to fly through LHR at this time when I can connect on another airline and get a near-normal F experience.
Therefore, I’m not captive to Walsh which was the OP I was responding to.
Therefore, I’m not captive to Walsh which was the OP I was responding to.
Jun 12, 2020, 12:02 pm
#101
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: NYC and London
Programs: BA (LTG, GGL, CCR), LH (*G)
Posts: 334
How interesting since BA only supply exactly what is needed for each flight.
BA was hardly the best on F&B before this pandemic and unsurprising to see them race to the bottom and sustain their position of miserly offerings right up to the bitter end.
Oh and yes the passenger loads will be low...who in their right mind would choose BA when competitors offer a vastly superior service for no additional cost?
BA was hardly the best on F&B before this pandemic and unsurprising to see them race to the bottom and sustain their position of miserly offerings right up to the bitter end.
Oh and yes the passenger loads will be low...who in their right mind would choose BA when competitors offer a vastly superior service for no additional cost?
Jun 12, 2020, 12:54 pm
#102
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: A3*G,BA Silver
Posts: 2,010
BA has finally decided that a bag of kit kats and a sad looking sandwich is not appropriate for a premium cabin. It is a big step and well done to BA management team that once again realised the obvious...
Now, personally i believe the changes are in the right direction but still falls short if you compare it with the LH group. If there is a price difference and BA comes cheaper i will probably go with BA but if the price is pretty much the same with LH i will certainly fly LH.
Now, personally i believe the changes are in the right direction but still falls short if you compare it with the LH group. If there is a price difference and BA comes cheaper i will probably go with BA but if the price is pretty much the same with LH i will certainly fly LH.
Jun 12, 2020, 12:55 pm
#103
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Flatland
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold 1MM, BA Gold, UA Peon
Posts: 6,110
If one were of a cynical mindset, one could note that this very simple box-meal service could be delivered by a small number of staff, or staff not trained in the finer points of onboard service, or even staff who do not normally work as cabin crew, allowing minimum crew staffing or temporary staff to be used to crew aircraft (subject to the basic crew safety training, of course).
This would be very useful for BA if they were about to have a major staff dispute while trying to greatly decrease worker pay and the quality of the conditions of their employment, as in 2010.
If one were cynical.
This would be very useful for BA if they were about to have a major staff dispute while trying to greatly decrease worker pay and the quality of the conditions of their employment, as in 2010.
If one were cynical.
Jun 12, 2020, 1:43 pm
#104
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Surrey, UK
Posts: 495
If one were of a cynical mindset, one could note that this very simple box-meal service could be delivered by a small number of staff, or staff not trained in the finer points of onboard service, or even staff who do not normally work as cabin crew, allowing minimum crew staffing or temporary staff to be used to crew aircraft (subject to the basic crew safety training, of course).
This would be very useful for BA if they were about to have a major staff dispute while trying to greatly decrease worker pay and the quality of the conditions of their employment, as in 2010.
If one were cynical.
This would be very useful for BA if they were about to have a major staff dispute while trying to greatly decrease worker pay and the quality of the conditions of their employment, as in 2010.
If one were cynical.
UK Government guidance for airlines states "use pre packaged and sealed food and drink products"
Jun 12, 2020, 1:49 pm
#105
Join Date: May 2006
Location: UK London / Salisbury
Programs: BA GGL, CCR, LTG
Posts: 542
Completely agree, how many of LON based travellers who could afford to pay premium cabins ( not to make a research on FlyerTalk as people here are more aware of the situation ) would prefer to make a stop in order to avoid a boxed catering and spend extra hours on travel? Probably less than 5% of these people.
Both WW and AC knows that UK based business travellers are inclined to fly direct rather than paying less and make a connection, spend the extra time/hassle and they know that still, BA would be their top choice.
The UK does not have a legacy carrier other than BA that flies to that many destinations. In the USA, you have the choice between Delta, United and American on most routes that passengers could be loyal on.
Both WW and AC knows that UK based business travellers are inclined to fly direct rather than paying less and make a connection, spend the extra time/hassle and they know that still, BA would be their top choice.
The UK does not have a legacy carrier other than BA that flies to that many destinations. In the USA, you have the choice between Delta, United and American on most routes that passengers could be loyal on.