Jan 22, 2021, 4:50 pm
Last edit by: Enigma368
Modified COVID-19 catering, effective 20 January 2021 until further notice.
Previous discussion: COVID Friendly Catering Revealed By British Airways
A reduced service has resumed in all cabins, including steel cutlery, glassware and chinaware in premium cabins. Choice may be limited in some cabins and on some routes. Some elements may be delivered covered for safety. All meals apart from First are served on single trays. Portion sizes, particularly in Club World, have been significantly reduced compared to pre-Covid.
On BA CityFlyer full service has resumed, with the exception of hot towels and warmed bread in Club Europe. See dedicated wiki thread for full details.
Details of the current service are available on BA.com
Changes from pre-COVID service:
Euro Traveller
Previous discussion: COVID Friendly Catering Revealed By British Airways
A reduced service has resumed in all cabins, including steel cutlery, glassware and chinaware in premium cabins. Choice may be limited in some cabins and on some routes. Some elements may be delivered covered for safety. All meals apart from First are served on single trays. Portion sizes, particularly in Club World, have been significantly reduced compared to pre-Covid.
On BA CityFlyer full service has resumed, with the exception of hot towels and warmed bread in Club Europe. See dedicated wiki thread for full details.
Details of the current service are available on BA.com
Changes from pre-COVID service:
Euro Traveller
- Buy-on-board M&S menu replaced with pre-order Tom Kerridge menu
- Complimentary bottle of water and packaged ambient snack offered to all passengers
- Band 1 now receives the same service as Express (light breakfast > brunch > lunch > afternoon tea > dinner)
- Band 2 now receives the same service as Bands 3 and 4 (breakfast > rest of the day)
- Band 3 should still have a drinks run before serving lunch and dinner
- No hot towels
- No menus on Band 3 / Band 4 services
- Dessert served in ceramic dish rather than plastic pot
- No starter for Express / Band 1 lunch and dinner services
- No cheese for Band 3 / Band 4 rest of the day services
- One fewer sandwich for afternoon tea services
- One type of (warm) bread roll available, wrapped in sealed plastic, served from a basket
- No roll/butter served with main meal, cheese and crackers also not provided
- Inflight snack (previously took the form of a Magnum ice cream) and tuck box suspended - replaced with Walkers shortbread o/r from galley.
- TBC
- No hot towels
- Meals served on one tray at the same time
- No choice of starter or dessert
- Portion sizes have been substantially reduced. Starters, cheese and dessert are all served in mini ramekins
- No hot towels
Modified COVID-19 catering, effective 20 January 2021
Jan 20, 2021, 3:53 pm
#16
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 3,440
Jan 20, 2021, 4:52 pm
#17
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Aberdeen
Programs: BA Gold, IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 650
Will breakfasts in CW on overnight EC US and ME routes have a hot option once more or will it remain cold? And will afternoon tea/tapas plates return on daylight flights to these regions?
Jan 20, 2021, 5:14 pm
#18
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 796
I don't see how having FAs repeat the options to every single pax in CE improves safety...even if everyone on board is wearing a mask, they are not hundred precent protective and just reduce the range of the air droplets of saliva and bacteria/viruses. Imagine sitting in an aisle seat, and having the crew standing right beside, explaining the options, and then a minute later, repeat it again for the pax in the window seat...IMHO much more hygienic to hand out menu cards and have pax disinfect hands just prior to eating. The way ANA serves meals in Y (pre-pandemic) would be ideal actually...the FA has a laminated card with the menu and pictures of the meal, and all you have to do is point to either option A or B...
Jan 21, 2021, 2:33 am
#19
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 847
Jan 21, 2021, 5:35 am
#20
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 847
I can’t remember if INN was always Band 1 but it seems a bit mad given that it’s not exactly a quicker flight than SZG but I am sure there is some logic behind it.
What I do remember is that the choice of hot or cold meals always left some passengers upset if we didn’t have a hot meal left coming to the back, equally on some routes the cold lighter option was more popular and you ran out of choice by row 2 or 3. It will be interesting if it will be a choice of 2 hots or 1 cold or will it revert to the 1 hot and 1 cold option?
I can’t see myself flying soon due to restrictions, but I am sure someone will post on here sooner or later what it is.
Jan 21, 2021, 5:39 am
#21
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
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SZG and VIE were band 2. It should, be based on service time of the route.
Jan 21, 2021, 6:36 am
#22
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 847
Yes, it was band 1 under the pre covid banding Club Europe catering | menus, reviews and photos
SZG and VIE were band 2. It should, be based on service time of the route.
SZG and VIE were band 2. It should, be based on service time of the route.
Jan 21, 2021, 12:44 pm
#23
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC GGL/GFl, HH Diamond, BW Diamond, Virgin Voyages Deep Blue Extra, Blue Peter Badge Holder
Posts: 3,937
My MAN flight today, afternoon tea and extra scones offered. Everything came individually packaged, including the warm scones from the basket.
Jan 21, 2021, 1:46 pm
#24
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Were you offered an alternative to the afternoon tea ie. the ploughman's salad?
Jan 21, 2021, 1:53 pm
#25
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: York, UK
Programs: BAEC Gold, Honors Diamond
Posts: 1,184
Even pre-Covid there was never a choice offered on Express band flights. For a long time it has been take it or leave it.
Jan 21, 2021, 1:54 pm
#26
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Jan 21, 2021, 3:24 pm
#28
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: London, UK
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Have to say Kelly and her team were great, flight time seamed short even for a MAN, and bless them I think their heart skipped a beat when the Captain did the start of our decent announcement and said we should have you on the ground in the next 12 minutes... this was their first Service since the catering returned and given it has changed they did well to get it all out. Still a plus for them is they get a short sector, nice COVID secure hotel in Manchester and get to go back in the morning. Sorry to go slightly off topic slightly but there was also a rather late flare which the Captain did apologies for the ‘firm landing’ but he was grateful it was ‘one we’re walk-in away from’. Also annoying that MAN are busing people from the aircraft at a stand at T1, to exit through T3, which is effectively closed including pick up/drop off so everyone has to talk back landslide you T1.
Jan 21, 2021, 3:53 pm
#29
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Sheffield
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 417
Sorry to go slightly off topic slightly but there was also a rather late flare which the Captain did apologies for the ‘firm landing’ but he was grateful it was ‘one we’re walk-in away from’. Also annoying that MAN are busing people from the aircraft at a stand at T1, to exit through T3, which is effectively closed including pick up/drop off so everyone has to talk back landslide you T1.
Jan 21, 2021, 3:56 pm
#30
Join Date: Mar 2020
Programs: British Airways GGL/CCR, Hilton Diamond & Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,612
no alternative was offered. Some was asking for vegetarian option (I didn’t think there was any meat in this but hey), they were offered Scone and Cake negative sandwich.
Have to say Kelly and her team were great, flight time seamed short even for a MAN, and bless them I think their heart skipped a beat when the Captain did the start of our decent announcement and said we should have you on the ground in the next 12 minutes... this was their first Service since the catering returned and given it has changed they did well to get it all out. Still a plus for them is they get a short sector, nice COVID secure hotel in Manchester and get to go back in the morning. Sorry to go slightly off topic slightly but there was also a rather late flare which the Captain did apologies for the ‘firm landing’ but he was grateful it was ‘one we’re walk-in away from’. Also annoying that MAN are busing people from the aircraft at a stand at T1, to exit through T3, which is effectively closed including pick up/drop off so everyone has to talk back landslide you T1.
Have to say Kelly and her team were great, flight time seamed short even for a MAN, and bless them I think their heart skipped a beat when the Captain did the start of our decent announcement and said we should have you on the ground in the next 12 minutes... this was their first Service since the catering returned and given it has changed they did well to get it all out. Still a plus for them is they get a short sector, nice COVID secure hotel in Manchester and get to go back in the morning. Sorry to go slightly off topic slightly but there was also a rather late flare which the Captain did apologies for the ‘firm landing’ but he was grateful it was ‘one we’re walk-in away from’. Also annoying that MAN are busing people from the aircraft at a stand at T1, to exit through T3, which is effectively closed including pick up/drop off so everyone has to talk back landslide you T1.