richie_ja

I had the misfortune to pay for CE out of LGW for an extra £118 return. LGW-FCO on Tuesday, NAP-LGW yesterday. Things seem to have got worse out of LGW in CE.

I was told by the flight attendent that there had been changes to the meal service in the last month, on my particular flights at least.

Outbound, 10:55 to FCO: "Lunch" (previously hot food or salad?) has been replaced with a "late breakfast" consisting of a small plate of cold ham and cheese and 5 small peices of friut. Only one piece of bread was offered. I chose CE because I knew I had no chance to eat again until 9pm that night. I left the plane hungry so, I had to buy a sandwich in Rome.

Return 15:20 NAP-LGW last night: No papers in lounge, on boarding or in the plane. I know this has been the case for some time, but BA can't assume that papers will be available in a 3rd party lounge.

But the food was: 2 small tasteless sandwich quarters, a small piece of quiche, a cake and a small scone. Alcholoic drinks were not served with the meal and only one was offered then (this was not an operational cock-up but clearly their offering). Later, another "Tea or Coffee Sir" was offered - I had to ask for another wine. I had had no chance for lunch beforehand, so I was again hungry.

CE was stuffed with middle seats all taken. Several passengers appeared unhappy / refused the food.

Monopoo was back, however.

I chose to fly CE for practical reasons, such as not having the time to eat other than on the plane. A proper meal should be provided at lunch time.

BA should either offer a business class product or ditch it altogether. Having a deliberately inconsistent product (LGW vs LHR) must be bad business? ??

G-BOAC

The former I have never experienced - it sounds crap though. The latter is a woeful and deeply insulting 'afternoon tea' service. You got it NAP-LGW? Try getting it RIX-LGW (when it was running) and see how you feel...that's nearly as far as HEL-LHR, ffs! I was so annoyed at it that I got a comments card and sent it in. On the plus side, I did get a personal response because it referenced first of all my praise for the Purser (who made the best of a crap offering as usual)...but then went in to the usual general crap about 'sorry you were not happy...we cater to the time of the day...can't please everyone...hope to see you again' Really, it is a totally dire offering. It's the single cherry tomato on the side I find most insulting of all [BA's inevitable response: remove said tomato in future? ]

That said, the drinks service will always depend on the crew - on the flight I mention here, the Purser couldn't do enough and offered multiple drinks when glasses were in danger of being empty...

vla

I'm sure you know how much American saved (in the days when they still did food-ish) by removing the one olive off their salads.

Something I often think about when I enjoy that one green olive by the sandwich triangles on the way in to London.

clubman

Had a very nice meal yesterday afternoon MRS-LGW.
Choice between chicken salad and a very tasty Salmon with Pasta.
Veggie option was very good as well.

richie_ja

so, it sounds like its just a problem with BA moving their definitions of "meal" for mid=-morning / mid-afternoon flights. Either that or they are market testing some pretty nasty cutbacks.

However, my 10:55 FCO flight is scheduled to land at 14:30 (but landed 30 mins late at 15:00). For a flight that length and for those times, how can they NOT offer lunch?

The FA said "[as far as LGW vs LHR are concerned], you'd think we run two different airlines sometimes".

Did you get access to newspapers?

clubman

The check in desk had some locally printed Daily Mail's.
Nothing onboard, and the awful lounge didn't have anything other then French newspapers.
Didn’t even bother staying in there, just took some drinks and sat outside.

moonbeam

Yeah RIX-LGW was a joke same meal and my CSD only offered drinks when i rang the bell

LHR Tim

There were no papers offered last week either LHR-LIN or LIN-LHR.

They just have them by the jetty now (or at the doorway to get on the bus at LIN )

So it seems LGW cuts are creeping over to LHR.

Smirnoff

Where have you been for the past year?

CE out of LGW is not a premium business product any more, and it not to be compared with CE out of LHR. It's s cheaper version with rubbish food, less crew, less attention, less everything in fact.

You do not fly CE out of Europe unless (i) you get offered a cheap ungrade from Y, (ii) you are on business and the destination is only served from LGW so you have no choice (eg DUB, LGW) or (iii) you want to go in business and the LGW is much lower than the LHR fare.

Basically you get what you pay for. But "LHR-style CE" it is not.

moonbeam

LGW -RIX i got 11 bottles of monopole left on the B seat me and my mate did drink them so maybe not less booze

PUCCI GALORE

HI and I flew to LIS yesterday. We had the afternoon tea and I have to say that is was quite pleasant, A rather tasteless pasty, a couple of sandwiches and as many scones as the pig formerly known as Him Indoors could lash cream and jam upon. I drank beautifully chilled Monopole and decided that I would let him enjoy himslef. The CSD was an old mate from Log Haul long ago and she let me in on the Champagne nonsense and yes they sent out big bottles "because of all the bad publicity with elite fliers on the internet" SO she had no idea but she had this from one of the Managers on Short Haul. SO would that be you???

Tatty old 757 though - tons of leg room but really tired seats,

moonbeam

Had some really positive runs to BCN from LGW great service but it varies more than CE via LHR sadly you get what you pay for on BA it seems .

moonbeam

Maybe It's Club Europe plus from LHR and standard Club Europe from LGW

phreegreens

Is this the same for GB ex-LGW..?

I haven't been on them since last year, got a trip coming up next month, I always thought they bettered the LHR service hands down, are they being dragged into the abyss by LGW "enhancements..?

JAT74L

Ex LHR can be equally crap with the right crew. One drink LHR-WAW for example - and I mean ONE.

WAW-LHR two days later was a joy by comparison.

JAT