BA Legacy Crew on Long Haul

[Skipness One Echo]

This applies to VS as well but I was rather appalled by the lack of visibility of the Cabin Crew in my recent flight to Sydney via Singapore. Particulary the lack of water runs, I saw one run on four sectors, the only time I saw crew outside of meal service was as they made for the bunks down the back. Not being funny but how much else do they need to do in the galley in a 14 hour flight?

It seems that from a customer perspective they get away with the absolute minimum they can down the back, something I have not encountered with Emirates et al. Am I being unfair?
I've flown DL, NW, CO and AA recently and at least they came round periodically with water and juice to see if everything was OK.

[Hartington]

I've recently done 11 hours and 13 hours with BA and three 4/5 hour sectors with LAN, all in Business. The crews weren't visible once food had been served so my first reaction is to agree with you. On the other hand, I slept most of the way through the 11 hour overnight and a lot of the way through the 13 hour overnight so I don't actually know whether they were visible or not. I was quite happy with the LAN flights but the crew (lack of) visibility was more obvious on daylight flights. Except one; the last of our three flights we had a male crew member looking after us and, compared to the other crews, he was a revalation (and I've written to LAN to tell them so). He introduced himself, was very industrious during boarding and was generally visible.

It's a balancing act. I did notice one crew member walk quietly through the cabin during a wakeful period on the 13 hour flight and we had bottled water on both flights. BA also have their "raid the larder" so you wander off and nibble/drink as you like. When I'm asleep the less movement the better, probably. Even on a daylight flight how often do I want someone coming through to check on me? I'm not sure I know.

[PAXboy]

A guess - nothing more as I do not do anything like the long haul I used to - could it be that pax are now more likely to press the call bell? When I was first taken on a flight (aged 9 in 1965) I was told by my parents that the bell was for emergencies ONLY.

My view is that pax today see the CC as 'staff' and call them for absolutely anything - such as a cup of water - rather than go to the galley and ask for it and get a leg stretch too! If the CC know that pax are going to buzz for any and everything - they would be less inclined to patrol?

I wonder if Tight Slot (and other CC) could say if the number of times that pax 'buzz' has increased significantly during his working time? (Not asking for a view as to whether his airline CC patrols more or less) but about pax behaviour.

[Skipness One Echo]

BA also have their "raid the larder" so you wander off and nibble/drink as you like.
I had heard of that. How does it work given that as soon as you pull the curtain open, you are made to feel you are disturbing something? Worked well with VS where the galley was the open section in the tail fin, and more accessible. I didn't see one person try to raid anything all day. I suspect it's not exactly advertised.

[TOWTEAMBASE]

I think raid the larder is for the crew not the pax ! May be wrong

[Hartington]

All I can say is that on both of my BA flights there was a selection of snacks and drinks laid out in the galley area.

On the 777 coming home I can remember a small glass doored fridge. It's something they advertise as a benefit. When I wandered in there was one crew member sitting on a jump seat on the other side of the aircraft who looked up but went back to reading when I started helping myself.

[DaveReidUK]

Worked well with VS where the galley was the open section in the tail fin, and more accessible.Though presumably only to thin, agile passengers. :O

[ConstantFlyer]

They're usually better than my last experience of Iberia crew on long-haul who not only failed to provide effectively for passengers, but kept people awake yacking to each other in the galley incessantly. I suppose, working for Iberia, they had plenty to moan to each other about.

[Skipness One Echo]

All I can say is that on both of my BA flights there was a selection of snacks and drinks laid out in the galley area.
On the B744 the galley is at Door 4 and was kept curtained off the whole time they weren't serving.

[Hartington]

Maybe I was lucky upstairs.

[Dairyground]

On the B744 the galley is at Door 4 and was kept curtained off the whole time they weren't serving.

On LHR-SIN-SYD and back most of the flight is during the night, with many passengers trying to sleep (and often succeeding). The cabins are therefore kept dark most of the time and the curtains, even between different bits of WT, are kept shut to contain the light from the galleys.

I must admit that on a recent trip to Sydney the drinks rounds were not very obvious, but I find the WT+ seats fairly comfortable and slept a lot of the time.

On these and other flights I have found the cabin crew generally friendly and helpful on the rare ocasions that I have ventured through the curtains.

[VintageKrug]

I can't say it's especially bad.

It can disturb those trying to sleep if crew are constantly trotting through with trays etc. with risk of spillage and the noise of offering and thanks for drinks etc.

In F you have a call bell which you should be encouraged to use and water bottle, in J there's a water bottle and Raid the Larder and on both of those it's easy enough to ask for something in the galley.

In the economy cabins, there is usually a tray of pre-poured juice and water in the galley.

All seats have a call bell, though disturbance is probably minimised for those around you if you can get out of your seat and grab that drink yourself, or plan ahead and bring a a water bottle on board yourself (less easy at SIN, of course).

While can't say for certain, it may be that you nodded off when the trays came through (assuming you didn't stay awake the whole 22 hours!).

Too often I think people have lost the art (and possibly the courage) to actually ask for what they need, preferring to suffer and then bleat about it online, after the fact!

[Skipness One Echo]

My point is other airline staff walk the cabin quietly and without fuss with drinks of water and juice every few hours. At night there is no noise and fuss and keeps people hydrated without having to disturb a sleeping neighbour twice to go to the galley. I've seen it done very well on other carriers and when staff are off for a wee sleep on an eight hour flight having done less than three hours work, it's hardly the best customer care. It's hardly rocket science. To be clear, I like BA, but their short haul crew work way harder for the paying customer imho.

I hope you're not comparing Y to F.

[Heathrow Harry]

had the same problem on one Qantas A380 last year - food served , crew disappeared and were most ungruntled if you pressed the bell or (heaven forfend) strayed into their converstation in the galley. other flights were OK so I suspect we had some REAL legacy crew on the bad flight

[Phileas Fogg]

Did some 14 hours with KLM (B777) MNL/AMS, they weren't so bad, often KLM can be tighter than a duck's backside but they set-up a kind of open-house snack bar mid cabin, perhaps just one cabin crew member to be seen but when it's "help yourself to the goodies" the fewer cabin crew observing then the better :)

[Omnipresent]

Crew visibility does seem to be a big inconsistency and a recognised problem that BA cannot seem to get a handle on. Crew should do regular passes with a tray of drinks but on many flights it just doesn't happen.

Singapore-Sydney is something of an oddity as it was a popular Worldwide route for allowances but not known for being the best for in flight service. Qantas crews always used to get better feedback.

[PAXboy]

Omnipresent... a recognised problem that BA cannot seem to get a handle on. They need 'secret shoppers'. Many retail organisations use recognised companies that have spent many years shopping/visiting/phoning/booking/buying for companies and then reporting back on what they find.

If such people (NOT direct employees of BA) were used, then the mgmt would get consistent feedback on what was happening on their aircraft and to their customers. It is so easy.

[strake]

They need 'secret shoppers'.
I can assure you Pax, they do have them. Problem is the bar that BA have set themselves is now far lower than it used to be. So inspector says:"On my C-Europe class flight, toilets were less than clean, food was just about acceptable. Service was at minimal level required - but nothing special and flight was less than 20 minutes late" BA shrugs and say's "OK, good enough".
15 years ago, that would be a resounding "Fail". Now, it's "Satisfactory"
The report above fairly accurately mirrors my experience this last weekend.
As I sat in the 737, my mind went back to CE flights taken in the mid '90's - probably on the same aircraft, in the same seats. World of difference.

[easyflyer83]

Some very interesting points re: crew visibility. What is a bit disconcerting is the fact that most of you are just worried that you're not getting a glass or water served at your seat. Whilst a water service is very good practice, even if it is just as convenient (for many who love to stretch their legs) to go to the galley, there are more pressing reasons for crew to be visible in the cabin. IMO it is a safety issue and not primarily a service failure.

What I will say in defence of crew taking their crew rest is that by the end of the meal service they will have probably have been on duty 5 hours. You also have to remember that crew rest is staggered. Some of you make it sound like every crew member go for crew rest all at once.

[Omnipresent]

I can assure you Pax, they do have them.

My understanding is that mystery shopping has been introduced only very recently on BA.

[crewmeal]

From my SEP days I seem to recall that it was a rule for cabin crew to patrol the cabin at least once every 30 mins especially on night sectors. (Probably to ensure no one fell asleep whilst smoking) These days I'm sure there are other problems that require crew to keep an eye on the cabin.

[TightSlot]

As always, interesting perspectives here... My company has a new(ish) system that enables customers in all cabins to order drinks/snax through their seat-back touch-screens. In addition, we are supposed to do a water round in the cabin every 30 minutes.

The problem is that we tend to become so busy with the seat-back orders that we are unable to get out with the water rounds. Our crew rest period averages about 2 hours duration each crew half and the time spent (with your remaining 50% crew team not on rest) is rather busy, between running orders for about 50% of the customers, water rounds, toilet cleans and prepping up for the next service.

The seat-back system has some drawbacks (novelty value and ease of use substantially increase demand) and some benefits (one less journey up the cabin per order and much more pleasant for the customer) but I'm entirely comfortable with it. I would suggest that if you need something during the night, you either go to the galley or use your call bell: The crew are there to do a job and there should be no "attitude" when they are asked for something: If there is, then do something about it, such as a discussion with the senior FA?

[Businesstraveller]

SQ (LHR-SIN) in Economy
Staff frequently toured round the cabin to check everyone was ok. Something they managed to do without disturbing passengers. At one point we decided to have a 'middle of the night' G&T session, so went up to the nearest galley , where the staff were falling over themselves to provide as much of whatever you wanted throughout the flight - all with a smile and accompanied by loads of nibbles etc. None of the 'you're only allowed one alcoholic drink sir' I've heard from other passengers on certain legacy carriers.

LX (ZRH-HKG) in First
Much the same type of service as with SQ, just with all the items upgraded to what you expect in First. I'm not sure the friendly personal introduction from the captain is mentioned on their website however :ok:

TG (BKK-FRA) in First
Much the same type of service as with SQ but even more so LX.

Basic point is that all these carriers gave a high level of service that was frequent, attentive, low-key and friendly. At one point was one made to feel in the way, disrupting a routine or asking for something that wasn't reasonable. Admittedly, I would consider myself a considerate traveler and don't think that my ticket has hired a fleet of slaves for the next 12hrs ;)