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Until the pandemic BA let you choose your F or CW meal in advance, which meant the everyone was generally guaranteed to get their first choice. Despite having been lobbied about this numerous times, and making vague promises about it, it seems like it’s not happening!
I wonder why , I presume it’s a landside supplier issue. They never offered this out of all stations. They have changed suppliers since covid. It would need some technology on part of suppliers. I presume, that it wasn’t part of contract and now arguing who will pay for it.
Until the pandemic BA let you choose your F or CW meal in advance, which meant the everyone was generally guaranteed to get their first choice. Despite having been lobbied about this numerous times, and making vague promises about it, it seems like it’s not happening!
From the BA website!
Pre-ordered main meals are available on selected British Airways (“BA”) operated long haul routes only for travellers travelling in First, Club World or World Traveller Plus cabins.Is that smoke I smell, from someone’s pants on fire?!
You used to be able to choose the exact meal you wanted from the menu, the same as being onboard, now you can only choose meals with special dietary requirements.
Indeed.
Other airlines are available – I was notified recently by VS that tomorrow I will receive an email inviting me to choose my meal on my MCO flight next week! And when we flew QR *economy* we could also pre-select our meal.
I am guessing the answer is yes, but I didn’t realise the cabin crew would have information on how you booked your ticket (cash/points).
I’m sure there is some priority given to Gold, frequent fliers and full-fare tickets, as others have said. I wouldn’t expect anything else. After that, just serve from the front and all is good. If you have special dietary requirements let them be known before food service.
Just for clarity, I usually take some small eatables for the crew just to say thanks (even in F). My wife is gluten intolerant but doesn’t select the GF meal because it’s often awful – so sometimes we kindly ask for a specific meal from the menu. Mainly being kind, thankful and respectful to the crew gets you what you want – but there’s no harm in a bit of food bribery 😉
Always find it strange I’m tipping everyone from the waiter to the taxi driver – but not cabin crew. Geez in the USA you’re even offered to tip at a self-checkout!
I’ve taken National Lottery tickets before for the cabin crew, but this was just after Covid when the industry was on its knees.
I’ve flown annually with BA on 241 deal for 20 years in business or 1st [mostly on 747s].
Can honestly say never been a problem either in lounges or onboardFrom the BA website!
Pre-ordered main meals are available on selected British Airways (“BA”) operated long haul routes only for travellers travelling in First, Club World or World Traveller Plus cabins.Is that smoke I smell, from someone’s pants on fire?!
Bit rude, especially since the information you quote is wrong/out of date, unless you want a special dietary meal and even then I don’t think it actually tells you want you’ll be served.
Other airlines are available – I was notified recently by VS that tomorrow I will receive an email inviting me to choose my meal on my MCO flight next week! And when we flew QR *economy* we could also pre-select our meal.
Not only that but if you’re flying in UC you get to choose from a wider range of options than feature on the inflight menu.
It seems like the obvious solution, in premium cabins at least, to give people a chance to select something they are going to be happy with and reduce waste. Of course it requires a bit of effort to set up, and not everyone will want to select in advance but other airlines do seem to manage and see the value in it. When BA offered it we pretty much always did do it.
These days we fly BA less. Of the eight booked business class redemption sectors currently in my BA app, only one of them is actually operated by BA.
I’ve flown annually with BA on 241 deal for 20 years in business or 1st [mostly on 747s].
Can honestly say never been a problem either in lounges or onboardYou may have been lucky. Sometimes it’s fine in Club World, other times not so much. It’s not just about running out – sometimes they just forget to serve people.
In F I’d expect them to carry extra so that everyone gets a choice, especially since most are only 8 seats cabins these days.
@strickers same haha, until ‘23 when Ticket Restaurante went fully digital, I was supplied with a booklet of €7,50 a day restaurant vouchers for time spent in Spain. Sometimes I’d only be there a day a month but I’d have 30 days’ worth of tickets (you could only use one each time and they were only valid 1 year). Those booklets all went to crew on the evening flights. Always told them: go bar hopping.
The only rule is that gold should be offered meal choice first. This happens in my experience roughly 50% of time. Note this is meal choice, meal service is still by row.
Nothing else should effect order of service Nothing should effect quality.
The CSD will have a list of ticket type but only CSD.
All crew will have list of BA status
@Garethgerry I truly appreciate what you are trying to say and do not dispute this in any way whatsoever. I also share, in principle, the statement @NorthernLass made about award flights being a thank you for loyalty and should be given the exactly the same level of service.The fact of the matter is simply that in real life, things play out a bit differently. AF staff have told me on various occasions they make executive decisions on the fly. Elderly couple who usually just do weekend domestic returns to their leisure residence outside Paris on a rare full-fare intercontinental J trip will get the red carpet rolled out for them (obviously resulting in others getting less attention). Those “redecorating” the seat with food during meal service will be slow-walked drink service and ignored the rest of the flight. From my short (yet highly educational in life lesson terms) student job at a chain hotel I can guarantee you 90% of front of house staff in the Western hemisphere loathe demanding status members behind that smile. Especially the credit card ones with no points in the bank. And the other 10% are either a bit dim, bless their hearts, or the few FoHM’s who come to work to barricade themselves in the back office.
And to get back to miles, well the same goes for miles. Some crew simply don’t care about people flying on miles, with all the credit card churning over the past decade. A plat by the coattails flying La Prèmiere on miles will have some chance of a lukewarm experience (even if the cabin is completely empty apart from him). Any decent purser can distill in a split second that based on travel history the vast majority of miles used to pay for it came from elsewhere and will most definitely share similar little tidbits of others with other crew if requests are made.
Dress somewhat appropriately, make sure your children are well behaved, be polite and flexible (crew in question might have come off a downright aweful flight). And take the hit if all of this still didn’t result in the service that was described on the tin. There used to be a time when the hard product was systematically good, crews were well trained and equally well enumerated. Those times have sadly passed with most legacy carriers.
Not saying this situation is right, not at all. I’m just saying it is the way it is and we should be realistic about award travel. I think it can only go downhill from here, with the recent rise of revenue-based credit card spend models across many European carriers. Where smart collection & redemption strategies of the wonderful people on this forum were a fun niche (I remember crew finding my very early mileage runs immensely hilarious), I think we are heading toward an American system where a significant amount of the masses will hold premium fee credit cards buying X number of lounge entries per year and ever increasing miles per £.
All of this has no direct relation to the bad experience such as OP described btw. I don’t wish such a let down on anyone, and one can always complain, hoping that someone will listen and actually do something with the feedback, and receive some compensation for it.
My experience in all cabins is that if you’re nice, polite, respectful, etc and your requests (not demands) are reasonable then they will be met with a smile. That’s the way to get an extra cheese plate in F and a full bottle of LPGS left on the table to share with my wife! I never use the call button (I prefer the walk to the galley), never complain if an issue is outside the crews control (although I might flag it) – and say “Thank you!” a lot. There are enough d**ks in every cabin class for vrew to deal with already.
Surprisingly it works in other life situations too!
On both legs of a recent Virgin Atlantic return I was chatting to the staff and — in case they didn’t already know — mentioned these being redemption trips. The crew could not have been better for me and +1. Meal set at the bar, restaurant style for two, for example. Absolutely fantastic.
I’ve never felt underserved or ignored because I was on a redemption, ever, and nobody should expect it. If it’s the reality on Air France it didn’t notice it there either. It is perfectly realistic to expect a decent minimum standard of service irrespective of who you are or how you pay.
I have had terrible service once or twice, including downright dangerous, but IIRC these outliers were all on cash tickets.
Demanding perks for status at hotel check-in is gauche, and I can completely understand why that would be hated by hard-pressed staff.
@memesweeper – I agree! I think that any concept that one is somehow treated differently by cabin crew on any airline as a reward ticket holder is in the head rather than any reality. The only different treatment we have experienced, and only on BA, is that my wife feels she is regularly treated as a second class citizen vs male passengers by male and female BA crew.
Hotels are a totally different ball game where guests are definitely treated differently depending on how and how much they have paid as well as how they are dressed and their demeanour/attitude etc. Once one is ‘demanding’ benefits the game is already lost.
@memesweeper – I agree! I think that any concept that one is somehow treated differently by cabin crew on any airline as a reward ticket holder is in the head rather than any reality. The only different treatment we have experienced, and only on BA, is that my wife feels she is regularly treated as a second class citizen vs male passengers by male and female BA crew.
Hotels are a totally different ball game where guests are definitely treated differently depending on how and how much they have paid as well as how they are dressed and their demeanour/attitude etc. Once one is ‘demanding’ benefits the game is already lost.
I recently flew BA where the cabin crew member had no concept of personal space. He would put his head right in my face at every interaction. It’s was really bizarre and clearly the new lot aren’t being trained on this aspect. Perhaps BA just assume it’s obvious, but we all know that if we assume it makes an ass out of you and me.
It’s a shame BA have fallen so far.
To the OP – it just sounds like standard BA service to me, nothing to do with you being flying on a redemption ticked. The art of service isn’t really taught in any place. BA. To Fly.
To serve.My experience in all cabins is that if you’re nice, polite, respectful, etc and your requests (not demands) are reasonable then they will be met with a smile.
This, a thousand times.
In dozens of flights in recent years, I’ve been met with consistently good and friendly service with only two meaningful exception (one, Virgin Upper Class, the other, Swiss short haul economy). I make it a point of principle to always smile, joke and engage with staff, and I thank them whenever possible and sympathise with the challenges of their role. Basically, I treat them like decent human beings, and, strangely enough, they also treat me like a decent human being.
A few days ago, my son and daugter-in-law left a CE Avios flight with an unrequested, unopened bottle of champagne. As a family, we did nothing to deserve the gift other than to be pleasant and understanding.
Perhaps the crew just fancied your son or daughter-in-law.
I know, at least at Euroflyer, crew freely raiding the CE drinks trolley at the end of the journey isn’t unheard of.
@Garethgerry I truly appreciate what you are trying to say and do not dispute this in any way whatsoever. I also share, in principle, the statement @NorthernLass made about award flights being a thank you for loyalty and should be given the exactly the same level of service.The fact of the matter is simply that in real life, things play out a bit differently. AF staff have told me on various occasions they make executive decisions on the fly. Elderly couple who usually just do weekend domestic returns to their leisure residence outside Paris on a rare full-fare intercontinental J trip will get the red carpet rolled out for them (obviously resulting in others getting less attention). Those “redecorating” the seat with food during meal service will be slow-walked drink service and ignored the rest of the flight. From my short (yet highly educational in life lesson terms) student job at a chain hotel I can guarantee you 90% of front of house staff in the Western hemisphere loathe demanding status members behind that smile. Especially the credit card ones with no points in the bank. And the other 10% are either a bit dim, bless their hearts, or the few FoHM’s who come to work to barricade themselves in the back office.
And to get back to miles, well the same goes for miles. Some crew simply don’t care about people flying on miles, with all the credit card churning over the past decade. A plat by the coattails flying La Prèmiere on miles will have some chance of a lukewarm experience (even if the cabin is completely empty apart from him). Any decent purser can distill in a split second that based on travel history the vast majority of miles used to pay for it came from elsewhere and will most definitely share similar little tidbits of others with other crew if requests are made.
Dress somewhat appropriately, make sure your children are well behaved, be polite and flexible (crew in question might have come off a downright aweful flight). And take the hit if all of this still didn’t result in the service that was described on the tin. There used to be a time when the hard product was systematically good, crews were well trained and equally well enumerated. Those times have sadly passed with most legacy carriers.
Not saying this situation is right, not at all. I’m just saying it is the way it is and we should be realistic about award travel. I think it can only go downhill from here, with the recent rise of revenue-based credit card spend models across many European carriers. Where smart collection & redemption strategies of the wonderful people on this forum were a fun niche (I remember crew finding my very early mileage runs immensely hilarious), I think we are heading toward an American system where a significant amount of the masses will hold premium fee credit cards buying X number of lounge entries per year and ever increasing miles per £.
All of this has no direct relation to the bad experience such as OP described btw. I don’t wish such a let down on anyone, and one can always complain, hoping that someone will listen and actually do something with the feedback, and receive some compensation for it.
Sorry but I disagree, I’ve used avios flights ever since it was air miles. Initially when I was still very active 5000 plus teir point earner, lately as a retired leisure traveller. Initially with children, now just two of us.
Always polite to crew, not demanding. I’ve never felt been getting any worse service than anyone else.
If cabin crew want to ignore the rude divas good on them, but then that doesn’t mean ordinary polite avios ticket holders are treated as second class citizens
Agreed, it’s rather offensive to suggest that people posting on here about poor service received it because they were rude and demanding! In any case, this wouldn’t correlate to things like certain meals not being loaded, or failing to offer F & B to pax who hadn’t even spoken with crew up to that point.
@dannyc, in previous years, on the LHR-NAS-GCM route, I’ve seen crew leaving the aircraft at NAS with multiple bottles of spirits from the galley!I apologize wholeheartedly for the wildfire caused by previous posts. Should not have made any general points not related to the OP’s issue that could subsequently be up for selective interpretation.
This ostrich will be sticking his head in the sand till it all blows over. Ostrich out!
What hasn’t been taken into account are avios only flights where no seats were sold for cash. Did anyone have any experience of these, particularly the long haul ones that went to Dubai? Was service the same as a cash flight given crew obviously knew everyone was there on points?
I always greet cabin crew on boarding, and often take treats (premium chocolates or similar). If I’m flying econ, we always get free drinks or champagne (I have status also). It would be weird to be served last, but as said Gold will have preference.
It’s much easier just to politely say something. Perhaps they didn’t think you wanted to eat??
So you now need to buy gifts / bribe British Airways for any (not good) service? Seriously it sums up what BA has become recently.
I have never done this (bought gifts)or seen it done, I don’t think it’s very common or necessary.
@Garethgerry I know someone who presently works for a large intercontinental airline. Many people board with gifts for crew and I know that on long haul a little box of chocolates (individually wrapped if possible) is seen as a welcome distraction on the overnight duties. They’ve also been offered cash and gift vouchers, those are kindly refused as that’s seen as a no-no. It’s not expected to get you any particularly special service and certainly no upgrade, but it’s a nice thing to do or receive on a 8+ hour flight. I’m told that it’s mostly those in business class that do this. I don’t do it on every occasion but on my last QR flight I was thanked for a wee gift from the Cabin Service Manager and we had a conversation about how the crew appreciate being thought of by customers. It cost me very little but maybe it personalised the service I got? I don’t know. Maybe I got my first choice meal 😎. But what I do know is that the crew work really hard, work long unsocial hours and, on occasion, a bit of chocolate keeps them going.I know, at least at Euroflyer, crew freely raiding the CE drinks trolley at the end of the journey isn’t unheard of.
I remember reading something even worse – crew refusing to topup drinks or pouring the minimum and selling the unopened bottles for cash!
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