AlwaysOnTheRoad

Does BA have standards of performance?

Flew BA in F from IAD to LHR yesterday. No turbulence, 5 of 8 seats in F occupied. Told cabin crew that I wanted to eat immediately so I could get some sleep.

Timeline on service post wheels up. Times are hours.minutes.

1.00. Canapes.
1.15. Drink arrives.
2.15. Starter.
2.40. Main Course.

After 2.5 hours I had given up and asked for a plate of cheese as I had abandoned hope for a meal. Crew insisted my meal would arrive in minutes.

Prior to landing... cabin manager asked how I enjoyed the flight. I told him that flight was poor. He had no interest in learning why.

Most businesses have standards on performance. Is there such a thing for BA?

Tobias-UK

That is an usual and unacceptable delay in service. Drinks (and canap�s) are normally served within 15-30 minutes of takeoff. The meals are on demand so from about 60 minutes after takeoff. If a passenger asks for expedited meal service that should be served as soon as it is reasonably practical to do so.

MFCC

This is unfortunate and obviously not in line with what you�d expect as a passenger.
I think a little leeway should be given in that the crew member may be recently back off furlough and may be their first time back in F after a long period of absence. It takes a while to get back into the swing of things and learn the stowages etc again. They may (although shouldn�t have with 5/8 seats occupied) have been working alone in doing both the cabin and galley which complicates things. They also have to look after flight crew etc, not that this should have an impact on the pax experience.
Of course worth feeding this back to BA so they can have a look at trends. An hour before canap�s even emerge is not acceptable.

AlwaysOnTheRoad

Two cabin crew assigned to First. Fortunately, I had picked up a sandwich from the Dubrovnik lounge which I ate while awaiting my meal. By the way, it was better than the main I had... Baked Chicken.

Can I help you

It is completely unacceptable and even with MFCC explanation in my opinion unbelievably bad service, the fact that the SCCM wasn’t interested speaks volumes, I would have picked up on this during my 30 minute walkabout and managed it accordingly.

AnaTravel

Managing by walking around, using your eyes, talking and listening to customers. When I see this style being used, it reassures me that professionalism is present.

AlwaysOnTheRoad, have you fed this back to BA following the flight?

AlwaysOnTheRoad

Sent the feedback to BA via Priority GGL Desk. I am expecting the standard "sorry to hear you had a bad experience" response. Will advise on feedback, if any.

BAeuro

Personally, I have noticed standards slipping this year. On my last flight, the cabin crew stood at the door, miserable as hell, and didn�t even give a greeting.

On another flight, the cabin crew sat gossiping at the back (using the jumpseat on the rear A320neo toilet), meaning only 1 toilet was in use for a full ET cabin. It was only when the queue reached 7+ people that she got up and let someone use the other toilet at the back. I know they have nowhere to take a proper rest, but please don�t block a toilet!

I must say my experiences on BACF have been very good.

Swanhunter

I�ve had similar in the past. Not the norm but it�s certainly not a total outlier. The worst I can recall was JNB-LHR on a 747. I was in 1K and served fairly quickly. My friend in 5K gave up after his main course arrived 3 hours in. Invisible CSM and a disengaged crew.

HIDDY

''We have enhanced our food and beverage service to ensure you remain safe and healthy as you travel with us.Some descriptions and images may not represent our current available services as we respond to COVID-19.''

KSVVZ2015

65m to get a drink on a 10k J ticket on JFK to LHR got me a sorry response. It�s costing BA business. Right now BA is third choice across the pond for me after AA and UA. AA is restoring fuller service soon. The Ua catering is sub par with no date for restoration but the service has been much more efficient. In 2019 BA had almost all of my TATL business. Since covid they have received only 6 of 17 TATL Segments and only one of those six was paid.

35m for a coffee on the CCT in July didn�t help the warm and fuzzies either.

hydro001

Please let the IFM know so that they can log internal feedback to company too if it happens again. The crew complements are still currently reduced and company has not restored crew complements to full. The standard for drinks service is 35 mins after out of crew seats all customers should have a drink in Club World.

Can I help you

Doesn’t the IFM work in CW, they should already know how slow the service is, it sounds like incompetence to me.

8592nd

Jeeze. I've only flown above economy once but it was Qatar J, Q-suites. Dine on demand, crew actively making time to chat to me and proactively offering food. Dine on demand, doors, Do Not Disturb buttons. I sent a bottle of wine back because I misjudged the taste and I've never spent more than �7.99 on a bottle of wine. If I had that service on First, I'd want a refund.

Goes to show what a sham a lot of this industry us, you can book First for god knows how much money or points and get that service on a 777-200 from thirty years ago with a 2010 entertainment system or pay a fraction and get ten times better on another airline. Even shelling out the insane cash fares or gathering points for years and you could get something like this.

Anyway rant over, delete if you BA fans don't like whining

EuropeanPete

You will definitely have a particularly view of life in J then. I envy you.