Let's not get too off the track here.....
Traveller5's suggestion would be fantastic for BA management and i'm sure it isn't something that hasn't already be considered before.
But why do you think it hasn't already been implemented in the past??? I mean you don't really have to be that sly to think of the meal-in-hotel scenario.
The reason it hasn't been introduced in the past is because of the stumbling block that BA management will continue to have. That we have a contract that includes the wording of our allowence structure.
And I repeat, it DOESN'T include anything along the lines of "you will be paid an allowence OR provided with meals etc etc".
I actually went into the BASSA office yesterday and was shown in black and white the wording of our allowence agreement, of our BINDING contract that BA has signed up to. And it reads:
"....mainline cabin crews will be paid an allowence in appropriate currency at negotiated trigger times an amount equal or greater than a three course meal in an approved hotel restaurant. This does not affect the provision of in-flight crew meals".
I don't doubt that the meal-in-hotel system HAS been looked at but there is no way in can be introduced without the changing of contracts of 13,000 mainline cabin crew.