Buster CT1K

Is it just my bad luck or is the 787-10 F cabin hard for the crews to serve properly?

I have had two flights in the 787-10 F cabin this year (both westbound TATL LHR-USA) and the crews were friendly and eager but they were just so slow to take orders, to get the first drink out, to get appetizers out, and to get the meal service done. So slow, that I fell asleep before the main course in one case [it took 2 hours after take off to get appetizers]. And then when I asked for dessert and cheese, the crew member on duty said that the other crew member was resting and the dessert and cheese were in the same compartment as the resting crew member so the crew member on duty was not going to be able to get those items for me.

By comparison, I also have flown this year the 777-300ER from LHR to USA and USA to LHR and in both cases, the crew were expeditious and able to get the meal done promptly.

If it is just my bad luck, maybe I will fly the 787-10 in F again. If this is a pattern of difficulty for the crew, I will avoid the 787-10 in F where possible.

crazy8534

That's a shame, I just had an experience in F on a 787-10 which was one of the best in recent memory in my opinion.
It was with the new "First specialist trained" crew though so that could have been a factor.

I hadn't heard of any systemic issues with F service on this type of aircraft, the only one I can think of immediately is CW on the A350.
Sounds like a bit of personnel-specific bad luck.

Confus

I think you were unfortunate, I’ve had decent F flights on that aircraft. Sounds as if there was a bit of poor planning from the crew though, it’s true they have to take their (legally mandated) breaks on curtained-off jumpseats (bunks are non-standard on the -10 and BA chose not to pay Boeing extra to add them) and they need to be left alone for this, but they should have got out any equipment or service items from that area before breaks began.

Can I help you

The First galley on the B787 is a lot more cramped than the B777 and badly designed, even the best crew would find it more difficult to work from.

krispy84

Food and beverage not being available to F pax because of resting crew isn’t acceptable.

I fully understand the need for cabin crew to have their legally mandated rest, but the galley needs to be arranged to allow pax to be served and crew to rest.

worldtrav

Rather drastic move!!

Cambrian

Last week I flew First to MEX. The moving map reminded me that I was served my first drink and canapés when the city of Sligo was already 283 miles BEHIND me. I got my meal as we overflew the southern tip of Greenland.

The crew were very nice but a bit slow off the mark.

AJNEDC

[QUOTE=Buster CT1K;35614398"... And then when I asked for dessert and cheese, the crew member on duty said that the other crew member was resting and the dessert and cheese were in the same compartment as the resting crew member so the crew member on duty was not going to be able to get those items for me...".[/QUOTE]

Just when I thought I had heard it all...

I hope you were non revving and not a paying pax.

TheRealBabushka

What's drastic about better planning and better galley management? If the OP has accurately represented the situation, it does seem like the lamest of excuses.

Let's not forget QR does Dine on Demand on a 787 in Business (lot more pax than First).

GLA

They were referring to the typo “severed”.

Door5L

Not really an aircraft type issue but a disorganised crew which did not think the service routine through or communicate as a team. Also, having flown BA for decades, surely the crew breaks only start when the service is complete?

shefgab

IIRC when the rest seat is used on the 781, the curtain then blocks of access to a couple of trollies. Not ideal for crew.

And yes, breaks start after the service is finished, however, the nature of the First service flow means that that's not always the case if First customers are dining on demand (as in this case, cheese and dessert well after every main dining period has ended).

SK AAR

It is safe to conclude that BA crews dislike/hate the new B78X? (and prefer e.g. B77W)

ajamieson

And the A350. I was given a long list of complaints about the A350 galleys on my CW flight.

bogglesuk

Just out of curiosity, from a crew perspective, are these complaints on the galleys etc on the A350/B78X due to bad design on the part of the manufacturer, or the way the airline has decided to configure the aircraft (or maybe a bit of both)?

You'd think that with Boeing and Airbus building similar planes for decades and the likes of BA operating them, they'd know what would work and what wouldn't. Maybe its just little changes that on paper don't look like an issue to a designer but the practical impacts can be far greater?