HarryHolden68

Ah, so it's the passengers fault that BA under stock their bars?
And is it also the passengers fault that BA choose to use under-equipped aircraft with only one toilet for the J cabin on these longer SH routes?

It is not beyond the realms of possibility that a BA apologist will now come on and say that if they didn't drink all the champagne, they would not need the toilet.

Blumie

Certainly not the passengers’ fault, but now, far more than is ordinarily the case, BA’s strategy is to maximize revenue and minimize costs. (And also, I’m pretty certain it’s true, to a large extent, that if passengers didn’t drink the champagne they wouldn’t need the toilet. 😀 )

1Aturnleft

None of this is new. It has been happening on Club Europe flights with high loads to leisure destinations for years. Heavily compounded pre BoB by the fact you also had Y to contend with for lack of drinks (not just champagne - which I don't particularly enjoy in BA Club - but also mixers and miniatures). Have always added a couple of cans of tonic to my carry on from the lounge when on those kinds of flights in order to ensure a G&T was possible (the gin never seems to run out). Not even sure that would be possible now.

Getting back on track the namby pamby guidelines set out by UK.GOV (not rules) pretty much prevent enforcement of any type. Without wanting to drag this into mask debate and social distancing territory which has been done to a death on other threads, BA's policy is reliant to a greater on passenger awareness and consideration. Once those go out of the window, there's little the crew are permitted to do to turn it around.

OneworldHarj

I've had this problem on a 4 row Club cabin coming out of Geneva where Champagne ran out at row 2 but also been on a 10 row Club cabin where they could not get rid of the Champagne and provided 2 bottles per customer. It's what makes flying BA so fun

OneworldHarj

On my last hop to TXL I ended up drinking 5 mini bottles in the hour. I may need help lol

jjLDNY

Oh the best thing about BA FA's is they know the deal.

I know for a fact that when I sit down, and they offer me champagne and I say "Yes please" with a big smile they now know I am 'one of them' - in a good way . Nothing else needs to be said.

There was a story I didn't want to tell for the sake of maybe getting someone in trouble but it was a few months ago now. I was flying back to London from a EU country just as the self-isolation kicked back in. I had some chit chat with the FA about why I'd been there, and whether they had to isolate at all. On the short flight the FA kept me quiet with 4 of the small bottles, and then gave me 1 bottle in a bag to take home. They snuck it to me when no other PAX were looking "This should keep you busy during your self-isolation" they said.

Now, sitting in row 1 obviously helps for that kind of stuff, and generally as you're often front of mind (#DYKWIA). But I think it's just hit and miss with on board beverages most of the time..

OneworldHarj

When BA crew go that extra mile, they really do go beyond the norms. 9 bottles though #wow!! I've been given 4 to take away and I thought that was decent haha

jjLDNY

Ok I. think I had double vision. It was 1*.

81romeo

Last month I deplaned at LHR back from a short haul with 9 mini-bottles in two plastic bags - so embarrassing

jjLDNY

I managed to squeeze mine into my carry-on as to not raise suspicion.

Jed

I hope no one from the BA bean counter department is reading this- they will soon put a stop to their stellar crew making these sorts of kind gestures. Not expected of course, but there certainly seems to be more of a proactive offer of takeaway champagne in CE recently. Or have we just been lucky?

jjLDNY

Valid, and the reason I resisted telling the story. though I do appreciate the 1 single bottle I was given

@81romeo, you seem to have typed 1 incorrect also.

HarryHolden68

Alternatively, perhaps the bean counters who, in their desire to have more beans to count, should not have alienated the vast majority of their work force who no longer give a flying pig about how many beans there are for the bean counters to count,

1Aturnleft

Resisted? In those shoes?!?!
You couldn't wait to tell the story! 😆

PUCCI GALORE

Lovely shoes - shame that the poor Darling couldn't afford socks.

Right, this is time to wade in with my 2p worth. Have you noticed that the departure of the big bottles of Champagne and the lack of stock to serve passengers has gone hand-in hand? I am aware that when there is plenty; there are no end of complaints about the brand by those who are concerned about such matters - and I was not a Castelnau fan. At least, they are now - and I wait to be corrected by someone to whom this has happened to tell me that they went to the back of the section and started serving there; leaving the front where all their Elites are until last.

All in all, not having enough of a popular product for all who want it is really poor and at those fare levels it simply is not good enough. Club Europe like all european Business Class is a con. It is a con as it leaves the seating much the same - except for now - they are still not selling the middle seat (it was not always so) and the difference between ET is the service provided to the passenger. That basically means free drinks and meals and if you do not provide it, the whole concept is gone. The seating will never change. First Class never paid in Europe. That is why it was ditched by all and sundry the best part of 40 years ago.

The OP demonstrates the flexibilty of the system - they got enough people to fill 15 Rows even at Ł59 for an upgrade on check-in or online - it is extra cash at a desperate time. Of course I would love an American style F seat - but I far prefer the service in the narrower one and knowing that no one is going to be next to me.

Lastly - is ti really such a good idea to come on here and boast how much Champagne (or anything) that the crew gave you, including the flight and date? The crew could through a kind gesture get into all sorts of trouble. I'm just saying.