Euroflyer poor Club Europe experience
Jun 12, 2023, 4:28 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 13
Euroflyer poor Club Europe experience
Very poor Club experience yesterday morning LGW-FAO.
40 minute wait at check in - only 1 desk available for all flights. Queue started at the end of moving walkway as you enter the check in area.
Very odd service onboard from a totally disinterested Inflight manager who spent her whole flight in the galley sending her young cabin crew assistant to hand run the whole service with 10 full rows on a A321.
No menus. Bar service offered first (odd on a breakfast service). Then breakfast, described as hot english or eggs ? , no idea what the eggs were or how presented (hopefully not still fully shelled!). No tea/ coffee or other drinks offered. Trays and all glasswear cleared in record time. Requested a top up of champagne at this point and was glared at and request not acknowledged. Glass taken away and some while later did reappear refilled but not with any kind of interaction whatsoever. No other service of any kind offered.
Maybe there is some directive from senior management to let crew do whatever they like with the service and to reduce it so far that no one then pays for it and it can then be quietly dropped under the guise of no longer any demand for it !!
40 minute wait at check in - only 1 desk available for all flights. Queue started at the end of moving walkway as you enter the check in area.
Very odd service onboard from a totally disinterested Inflight manager who spent her whole flight in the galley sending her young cabin crew assistant to hand run the whole service with 10 full rows on a A321.
No menus. Bar service offered first (odd on a breakfast service). Then breakfast, described as hot english or eggs ? , no idea what the eggs were or how presented (hopefully not still fully shelled!). No tea/ coffee or other drinks offered. Trays and all glasswear cleared in record time. Requested a top up of champagne at this point and was glared at and request not acknowledged. Glass taken away and some while later did reappear refilled but not with any kind of interaction whatsoever. No other service of any kind offered.
Maybe there is some directive from senior management to let crew do whatever they like with the service and to reduce it so far that no one then pays for it and it can then be quietly dropped under the guise of no longer any demand for it !!
Jun 12, 2023, 4:41 am
#2
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Munich, Algarve, Sussex or S.F Bay Area
Programs: Mucci, BA Gold, A3*Gold, AA Plat, HH Gold, IHG Plat Amb, Marriott Plat
Posts: 4,164
I fly this route a lot. Standards have undoubtedly further declined since the Euroflyer thing has really kicked in. Initially even Euroflyer flights were being crewed by BA but I think no longer. Up to now I have been cutting the crew some slack because despite an obvious lack of knowledge and training, all have been lovely natured and enthusiastic. My hope was, and is, that they will grow into their roles and service will improve so that they can deliver as they should.
Most recently though I have noticed this enthusiasm has waned and been replaced by a "couldn't give a monkeys" attitude. CE is very often 10-14 rows on an A321 and seldom is there a 3rd crew member in CE to cover it. Menus are now never handed out. The initial drinks run is rushed, except somehow still takes way too long. I really did get offered ice for my white wine too. Glasses and bottles get dropped or spilled. Carelessness abounds. Probably due to the drinks run taking too long, the food is also now always overheated. Now BA has developed menus that are supposed to be able to withstand a bit of this, but not in the degree which is currently common practice. I sent back my last Chicken Pie for being burned, which I later regretted when I overheard crew discussing what to do about no meal available for seat 10F.
I don't have the energy to complain any more, yet still book CE because either prices are not astronomical when booking, POUG readily pops up on every flight, and ET is now literally worse than Ryanair in terms of both comfort and service. Who'd have thought it.
Most recently though I have noticed this enthusiasm has waned and been replaced by a "couldn't give a monkeys" attitude. CE is very often 10-14 rows on an A321 and seldom is there a 3rd crew member in CE to cover it. Menus are now never handed out. The initial drinks run is rushed, except somehow still takes way too long. I really did get offered ice for my white wine too. Glasses and bottles get dropped or spilled. Carelessness abounds. Probably due to the drinks run taking too long, the food is also now always overheated. Now BA has developed menus that are supposed to be able to withstand a bit of this, but not in the degree which is currently common practice. I sent back my last Chicken Pie for being burned, which I later regretted when I overheard crew discussing what to do about no meal available for seat 10F.
I don't have the energy to complain any more, yet still book CE because either prices are not astronomical when booking, POUG readily pops up on every flight, and ET is now literally worse than Ryanair in terms of both comfort and service. Who'd have thought it.
Jun 12, 2023, 4:47 am
#3
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 2,339
I fly this route a lot. Standards have undoubtedly further declined since the Euroflyer thing has really kicked in. Initially even Euroflyer flights were being crewed by BA but I think no longer. Up to now I have been cutting the crew some slack because despite an obvious lack of knowledge and training, all have been lovely natured and enthusiastic. My hope was, and is, that they will grow into their roles and service will improve so that they can deliver as they should.
Most recently though I have noticed this enthusiasm has waned and been replaced by a "couldn't give a monkeys" attitude. CE is very often 10-14 rows on an A321 and seldom is there a 3rd crew member in CE to cover it. Menus are now never handed out. The initial drinks run is rushed, except somehow still takes way too long. I really did get offered ice for my white wine too. Glasses and bottles get dropped or spilled. Carelessness abounds. Probably due to the drinks run taking too long, the food is also now always overheated. Now BA has developed menus that are supposed to be able to withstand a bit of this, but not in the degree which is currently common practice. I sent back my last Chicken Pie for being burned, which I later regretted when I overheard crew discussing what to do about no meal available for seat 10F.
I don't have the energy to complain any more, yet still book CE because either prices are not astronomical when booking, POUG readily pops up on every flight, and ET is now literally worse than Ryanair in terms of both comfort and service. Who'd have thought it.
Most recently though I have noticed this enthusiasm has waned and been replaced by a "couldn't give a monkeys" attitude. CE is very often 10-14 rows on an A321 and seldom is there a 3rd crew member in CE to cover it. Menus are now never handed out. The initial drinks run is rushed, except somehow still takes way too long. I really did get offered ice for my white wine too. Glasses and bottles get dropped or spilled. Carelessness abounds. Probably due to the drinks run taking too long, the food is also now always overheated. Now BA has developed menus that are supposed to be able to withstand a bit of this, but not in the degree which is currently common practice. I sent back my last Chicken Pie for being burned, which I later regretted when I overheard crew discussing what to do about no meal available for seat 10F.
I don't have the energy to complain any more, yet still book CE because either prices are not astronomical when booking, POUG readily pops up on every flight, and ET is now literally worse than Ryanair in terms of both comfort and service. Who'd have thought it.
Jun 12, 2023, 4:16 pm
#4
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Tenerife
Programs: BA Gold, BA AMEX PP, Amex Platinum
Posts: 434
I suppose it depends who you get. I've come across some of the best CSMs with them considering they are all less than a year old, but then one flight was the worst CE team ever by a mile. { There's only 200 or so crew there so you see a few familiar faces too. }
One thing I noticed when moving back to LGW from all LHR flights is the EF crew have been trained to serve every drink in CE, where the BA crew mostly just give you the bottle / can. { Hence the bar service taking so long. } Whilst that's no big thing when sitting at the front, I would be frustrated as hell in row 8 the time they take. { Some also think it's up to them if they deviate from the service standards. }
Also they changed the Y service in March so they no longer give out bottles of water, but pour them into plastic cups in a combined service so that takes forever as well.
As for the menus, they aren't always loaded on the flight. The crews are frustrated as hell too as they are always running out of a lot of things in ET on the longer flights, but even though they have the space for extra stuff in the back galley the brains above don't seem to get the message.
One thing I noticed when moving back to LGW from all LHR flights is the EF crew have been trained to serve every drink in CE, where the BA crew mostly just give you the bottle / can. { Hence the bar service taking so long. } Whilst that's no big thing when sitting at the front, I would be frustrated as hell in row 8 the time they take. { Some also think it's up to them if they deviate from the service standards. }
Also they changed the Y service in March so they no longer give out bottles of water, but pour them into plastic cups in a combined service so that takes forever as well.
As for the menus, they aren't always loaded on the flight. The crews are frustrated as hell too as they are always running out of a lot of things in ET on the longer flights, but even though they have the space for extra stuff in the back galley the brains above don't seem to get the message.
Jun 13, 2023, 12:41 am
#5
Join Date: Dec 2022
Posts: 778
Very poor Club experience yesterday morning LGW-FAO.
40 minute wait at check in - only 1 desk available for all flights. Queue started at the end of moving walkway as you enter the check in area.
Very odd service onboard from a totally disinterested Inflight manager who spent her whole flight in the galley sending her young cabin crew assistant to hand run the whole service with 10 full rows on a A321.
No menus. Bar service offered first (odd on a breakfast service). Then breakfast, described as hot english or eggs ? , no idea what the eggs were or how presented (hopefully not still fully shelled!). No tea/ coffee or other drinks offered. Trays and all glasswear cleared in record time. Requested a top up of champagne at this point and was glared at and request not acknowledged. Glass taken away and some while later did reappear refilled but not with any kind of interaction whatsoever. No other service of any kind offered.
Maybe there is some directive from senior management to let crew do whatever they like with the service and to reduce it so far that no one then pays for it and it can then be quietly dropped under the guise of no longer any demand for it !!
40 minute wait at check in - only 1 desk available for all flights. Queue started at the end of moving walkway as you enter the check in area.
Very odd service onboard from a totally disinterested Inflight manager who spent her whole flight in the galley sending her young cabin crew assistant to hand run the whole service with 10 full rows on a A321.
No menus. Bar service offered first (odd on a breakfast service). Then breakfast, described as hot english or eggs ? , no idea what the eggs were or how presented (hopefully not still fully shelled!). No tea/ coffee or other drinks offered. Trays and all glasswear cleared in record time. Requested a top up of champagne at this point and was glared at and request not acknowledged. Glass taken away and some while later did reappear refilled but not with any kind of interaction whatsoever. No other service of any kind offered.
Maybe there is some directive from senior management to let crew do whatever they like with the service and to reduce it so far that no one then pays for it and it can then be quietly dropped under the guise of no longer any demand for it !!
And again, I’ve come across many many many “old crew” (maybe born in 1973 as the OP apparently is) who are poor, rude, arrogant and stuck in the past and think that BA owes them something.
I just don’t understand by stating “old”, “young”, “straight” “gay” et al what it contributes to the forum.
now I’ll wait to be shouted down!
Jun 13, 2023, 1:07 am
#6
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 1,397
A 50-something in-flight lead on a recent CE flight from IBZ was horrible, stern and like a fire-dragon barking at her crew and offering the coldest of service. I had an older in-flight lead yesterday out to MYK and he came across as, let's say, beyond his prime. One of those types who thinks he knows it all, but his skills had long gone: kept dropping ice cubes when serving drinks for example.
But at least they understand this board: champers at brekkers and darn well don't pass up a top up! Or else.
Jun 13, 2023, 1:21 am
#7
Join Date: Dec 2022
Posts: 778
I agree. But this board is full of old-school types who view a 20-something as lazy, wet-behind-the-ears and just not at their standard (by which I mean: paid off mortgage, enjoying life, quaffing champers on their flight and demanding top ups or they will darn well come here and complain about it....).
A 50-something in-flight lead on a recent CE flight from IBZ was horrible, stern and like a fire-dragon barking at her crew and offering the coldest of service. I had an older in-flight lead yesterday out to MYK and he came across as, let's say, beyond his prime. One of those types who thinks he knows it all, but his skills had long gone: kept dropping ice cubes when serving drinks for example.
But at least they understand this board: champers at brekkers and darn well don't pass up a top up! Or else.
A 50-something in-flight lead on a recent CE flight from IBZ was horrible, stern and like a fire-dragon barking at her crew and offering the coldest of service. I had an older in-flight lead yesterday out to MYK and he came across as, let's say, beyond his prime. One of those types who thinks he knows it all, but his skills had long gone: kept dropping ice cubes when serving drinks for example.
But at least they understand this board: champers at brekkers and darn well don't pass up a top up! Or else.
Jun 13, 2023, 1:24 am
#8
Ambassador: Emirates Airlines
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Manchester, UK
Posts: 18,618
I agree. But this board is full of old-school types who view a 20-something as lazy, wet-behind-the-ears and just not at their standard (by which I mean: paid off mortgage, enjoying life, quaffing champers on their flight and demanding top ups or they will darn well come here and complain about it....).
A 50-something in-flight lead on a recent CE flight from IBZ was horrible, stern and like a fire-dragon barking at her crew and offering the coldest of service. I had an older in-flight lead yesterday out to MYK and he came across as, let's say, beyond his prime. One of those types who thinks he knows it all, but his skills had long gone: kept dropping ice cubes when serving drinks for example.
Jun 13, 2023, 1:52 am
#10
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 516
For the first time ever in CE I found that it was really hard to get drinks/any service from the awful in flight lead on the way back from Dalaman to Gatwick in May. It sounds like we may have had the same Asian, female in flight lead who made the junior hand run the meals and then hid behind the curtain for the remaining three hours. Didn’t even offer tea or coffee, and told me she was having a break when I asked for a gin and tonic on the way back from the loo. I don’t know how she made herself so unapproachable, but she succeeded.
I did put a complaint into ba and got a very generic response back, and no avios!
I did put a complaint into ba and got a very generic response back, and no avios!
Jun 13, 2023, 1:53 am
#11
Join Date: Oct 2017
Programs: Honors Diamond
Posts: 1,640
As for the menus, they aren't always loaded on the flight. The crews are frustrated as hell too as they are always running out of a lot of things in ET on the longer flights, but even though they have the space for extra stuff in the back galley the brains above don't seem to get the message.
Jun 13, 2023, 1:56 am
#12
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: England
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 278
Very poor Club experience yesterday morning LGW-FAO.
40 minute wait at check in - only 1 desk available for all flights. Queue started at the end of moving walkway as you enter the check in area.
Very odd service onboard from a totally disinterested Inflight manager who spent her whole flight in the galley sending her young cabin crew assistant to hand run the whole service with 10 full rows on a A321.
No menus. Bar service offered first (odd on a breakfast service). Then breakfast, described as hot english or eggs ? , no idea what the eggs were or how presented (hopefully not still fully shelled!). No tea/ coffee or other drinks offered. Trays and all glasswear cleared in record time. Requested a top up of champagne at this point and was glared at and request not acknowledged. Glass taken away and some while later did reappear refilled but not with any kind of interaction whatsoever. No other service of any kind offered.
Maybe there is some directive from senior management to let crew do whatever they like with the service and to reduce it so far that no one then pays for it and it can then be quietly dropped under the guise of no longer any demand for it !!
40 minute wait at check in - only 1 desk available for all flights. Queue started at the end of moving walkway as you enter the check in area.
Very odd service onboard from a totally disinterested Inflight manager who spent her whole flight in the galley sending her young cabin crew assistant to hand run the whole service with 10 full rows on a A321.
No menus. Bar service offered first (odd on a breakfast service). Then breakfast, described as hot english or eggs ? , no idea what the eggs were or how presented (hopefully not still fully shelled!). No tea/ coffee or other drinks offered. Trays and all glasswear cleared in record time. Requested a top up of champagne at this point and was glared at and request not acknowledged. Glass taken away and some while later did reappear refilled but not with any kind of interaction whatsoever. No other service of any kind offered.
Maybe there is some directive from senior management to let crew do whatever they like with the service and to reduce it so far that no one then pays for it and it can then be quietly dropped under the guise of no longer any demand for it !!
Jun 13, 2023, 2:19 am
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Programs: Mucci des Hommes Magiques et Magnifiques
Posts: 19,100
Jun 13, 2023, 2:22 am
#14
Fontaine d'honneur du Flyertalk
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Morbihan, France
Programs: Reine des Muccis de Pucci; Foreign Elitist (according to others)
Posts: 19,179
”young crew” - I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, what is the obsession on this forum on using this term in a derogatory way?
And again, I’ve come across many many many “old crew” (maybe born in 1973 as the OP apparently is) who are poor, rude, arrogant and stuck in the past and think that BA owes them something.
I just don’t understand by stating “old”, “young”, “straight” “gay” et al what it contributes to the forum.
now I’ll wait to be shouted down!
And again, I’ve come across many many many “old crew” (maybe born in 1973 as the OP apparently is) who are poor, rude, arrogant and stuck in the past and think that BA owes them something.
I just don’t understand by stating “old”, “young”, “straight” “gay” et al what it contributes to the forum.
now I’ll wait to be shouted down!
What I can comment on is that I have no actually flown Euroflyer, as the LGW flights that were operated by Euroflyer were manned ny LHR crew. What with these examples and given that I have not heard a good word about Avion - life flying at LGW seems somewhat grim!
Jun 13, 2023, 2:31 am
#15
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 2,286
I fly this route a lot. Standards have undoubtedly further declined since the Euroflyer thing has really kicked in. Initially even Euroflyer flights were being crewed by BA but I think no longer. Up to now I have been cutting the crew some slack because despite an obvious lack of knowledge and training, all have been lovely natured and enthusiastic. My hope was, and is, that they will grow into their roles and service will improve so that they can deliver as they should.
Most recently though I have noticed this enthusiasm has waned and been replaced by a "couldn't give a monkeys" attitude. CE is very often 10-14 rows on an A321 and seldom is there a 3rd crew member in CE to cover it. Menus are now never handed out. The initial drinks run is rushed, except somehow still takes way too long. I really did get offered ice for my white wine too. Glasses and bottles get dropped or spilled. Carelessness abounds. Probably due to the drinks run taking too long, the food is also now always overheated. Now BA has developed menus that are supposed to be able to withstand a bit of this, but not in the degree which is currently common practice. I sent back my last Chicken Pie for being burned, which I later regretted when I overheard crew discussing what to do about no meal available for seat 10F.
I don't have the energy to complain any more, yet still book CE because either prices are not astronomical when booking, POUG readily pops up on every flight, and ET is now literally worse than Ryanair in terms of both comfort and service. Who'd have thought it.
Most recently though I have noticed this enthusiasm has waned and been replaced by a "couldn't give a monkeys" attitude. CE is very often 10-14 rows on an A321 and seldom is there a 3rd crew member in CE to cover it. Menus are now never handed out. The initial drinks run is rushed, except somehow still takes way too long. I really did get offered ice for my white wine too. Glasses and bottles get dropped or spilled. Carelessness abounds. Probably due to the drinks run taking too long, the food is also now always overheated. Now BA has developed menus that are supposed to be able to withstand a bit of this, but not in the degree which is currently common practice. I sent back my last Chicken Pie for being burned, which I later regretted when I overheard crew discussing what to do about no meal available for seat 10F.
I don't have the energy to complain any more, yet still book CE because either prices are not astronomical when booking, POUG readily pops up on every flight, and ET is now literally worse than Ryanair in terms of both comfort and service. Who'd have thought it.