BA F service. Quo vadis?
Jan 14, 2022, 10:31 am
#16
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Sussex
Programs: BA; IHG; LHW; Hilton
Posts: 786
Better at LGW
I think that is appalling – and far from the norm as I have experienced it. Coming into Heathrow, they have always been keen to clear up fairly early whereas on many occasions coming into Gatwick I have been served beverage through the descent and, when the seatbelt sign comes on, anything remaining is decanted into plastic cups to be consumed on the final approach. It sounds as though, On this occasion, Service was very very poor indeed.
Jan 14, 2022, 10:59 am
#17
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: UK
Programs: LH lifetime Sen; HH lifetime diamond; flying blue silver
Posts: 285
I have done this numerous times in LH F and have never been denied food or coffee. It might be cut-down, but I have always got something.
Jan 14, 2022, 3:19 pm
#18
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2020
Posts: 963
I am resuming frequent travel after a long covid related break. I recently had a BA F fight to the US and I am puzzled by the service I received. On my trip to LAX I had a normal crew, not good, not bad, not ugly. The meal could not be reserved pre-flight. For mains I had the choice between pork, chicken tikka masala and and a vegetarian dish. No beef, no fish. I asked to get 2 starters instead of one of the mains but my request was declined since each customer could only get one starter. In the end I was even punished because I did not get the starter of my choice. For completeness, there were 14 F seats occupied on the 777 (old configuration), I am GGL and it was a paid F ticket. On the return, same type of plane, no escort to the seat, almost no interaction with the crew. Just the usual : 'Do you want a drink sir? Do you want a sleeping suit? Which seize?'. I went to sleep without waiting for food. I woke up up one hour before landing at LHR. Too late for breakfast or coffee. At no moment the inflight manager was seen. We had to disembark in groups and although I was in the first group I waited in my seat. Finally a FA approached me : 'you will have to disembark sir'. I replied that 'since I did not had the occasion yet , I was just waiting to thank you for flying with me'. The FA did not get my message. I rate my BA F experience much lower than my recent United Polaris and Delta One experiences and even AA transcontinental Flagship First . Is that a general feeling or is my experience just bad luck? Does BA suffer covid related catering and crew training issues? I wonder how the poor souls must have been treated in business and in economy. For the record I am not a BA basher, I have always loved travelling with BA and I am a IAG share holder.
Jan 14, 2022, 5:12 pm
#19
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Washington,DC
Posts: 1,822
Jan 14, 2022, 5:35 pm
#21
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,832
I will explain it in more detail. A decent crew normally wishes you welcome on board, they normally take your meal order shortly after take-off (from US anyway), they ask you if you want a coffee or tea after resting, even if you are one hour from landing (I did not expect full breakfast), they thank you for flying with them, the inflight manager comes to introduce her/himself. None of this happened on my return flight. A disappointing service in my eyes. You know how much a F ticket costs.
Jan 14, 2022, 5:46 pm
#22
Join Date: Jan 2021
Posts: 95
Being refused a miserable cup of coffee after paying thousands of pounds would certainly define my BA travel experience. Rather neutral on pleasantries.
Jan 14, 2022, 8:28 pm
#23
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: New York, NY
Programs: AA ExPl, DL PM, UA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium, probably some others
Posts: 4,099
We had to disembark in groups and although I was in the first group I waited in my seat. Finally a FA approached me : 'you will have to disembark sir'. I replied that 'since I did not had the occasion yet , I was just waiting to thank you for flying with me'.
Jan 14, 2022, 9:55 pm
#25
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 498
Jan 22 LHR > MLE - F
Just flown to Male in F and it was a very good service better than a few years ago having had some awful crews to Tokyo and Shanghai that could even give me the right drink
Offered to be shown to seat by CSM, nice new 8 seat cabin, two experienced CC working my side of the cabin who were very engaging and chatty, asked sizes for sleeper suit and slippers, menu explained, wash bag etc.
pre take of drinks with top ups. Once airborne drinks and canapés, sat with who I was flying with and proactive drink top ups.
back to seat for dinner and the curry talked about was excellent, usual F dinner service.
After in PJS and reclined for a film and fell asleep, woke up 4 hours later and had been covered in a duvet by the crew, and doors closed so that I think is good old fashioned service, when I woke crew popped by to see if I needed anything
few hours later usual nice breakfast service
so overall I very good flight even compared to pre covid and cabin was full
Offered to be shown to seat by CSM, nice new 8 seat cabin, two experienced CC working my side of the cabin who were very engaging and chatty, asked sizes for sleeper suit and slippers, menu explained, wash bag etc.
pre take of drinks with top ups. Once airborne drinks and canapés, sat with who I was flying with and proactive drink top ups.
back to seat for dinner and the curry talked about was excellent, usual F dinner service.
After in PJS and reclined for a film and fell asleep, woke up 4 hours later and had been covered in a duvet by the crew, and doors closed so that I think is good old fashioned service, when I woke crew popped by to see if I needed anything
few hours later usual nice breakfast service
so overall I very good flight even compared to pre covid and cabin was full
Jan 15, 2022, 12:00 am
#26
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: London Stratford, E7
Programs: BAEC Gold! Thanks to FT
Posts: 3,378
Also like Club World London City a grab and go breakfast bag could bE provided especially as the arrivals lounge is closed. This is BA F remember not Ryanair.
Jan 15, 2022, 12:46 am
#27
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club, easyJet and Ryanair
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: UK/Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold (GGL/CCR)
Posts: 15,926
A good crew prior to take off would say will you be joining us for dinner sir/madam or would you like to be woken up for breakfast. The fact that a croissant, orange juice and coffee couldn’t be provided an hour before speaks volumes. Even if the crew said, I can get you a coffee/orange juice but I’m afraid it will have to be in paper/plastic cups is that OK would be a difference.
Also like Club World London City a grab and go breakfast bag could bE provided especially as the arrivals lounge is closed. This is BA F remember not Ryanair.
Also like Club World London City a grab and go breakfast bag could bE provided especially as the arrivals lounge is closed. This is BA F remember not Ryanair.
Jan 15, 2022, 1:09 am
#28
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: London
Programs: BAEC GGL/CCR, HH Diamond
Posts: 1,916
Very odd on the breakfast denial in particular. On a recent DFW-LHR in Club, those woken up by the captain’s 40 minutes to landing announcement were quickly tended to and offered full breakfasts and drinks. The crew did me a Bloody Mary at 25 minutes to landing in glassware also.
Not that many years ago a 757 full of economy passengers to Glasgow would get a three course dinner, drinks and liqueurs in the same amount of flight time!
Not that many years ago a 757 full of economy passengers to Glasgow would get a three course dinner, drinks and liqueurs in the same amount of flight time!
Jan 15, 2022, 1:47 am
#29
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,531
Is that necessary? OP considers his F experiences were not really good, explains why, anyone may agree or disagree, but I don't think that getting personal helps.
Jan 15, 2022, 3:39 am
#30
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold, Mucci: Classe de la Luxe Eternelle
Posts: 816
