Seat 59A

Kudos to BA crew in J on BA199 LHR to Mumbai on 4 November. After a few dismal experiences in BA recently (paper cups for morning tea in First was a recent low point!), I have to acknowledge the brilliant, cheerful and considerate service on this flight, which was also full. Well up to the standard that we expect (but often don't get) in the face of considerable adversity at present!

PS: Not sure how BA would compare with Jet Airways short-haul Mumbai to Goa though, which managed the impressive performance of a full meal service to a crowded 737 on a 45-minute sector. Unnecessary perhaps, but damned impressive!!

Basil

BA used to do it London/Glasgow and even London/Paris

Kanoknuahaha

As if that is a normal thing to do...it's plain stupid to offer such a service on such a short flight, and it's even more stupid to demand it..... but then in india they would do anything to please you,so....i guess enjoy it....
Personally, i think a muffin&coffee is more than enough!

K.

Ancient Observer

BA's problem is that it is unable to deliver that Quality service on a consistent basis.
Reading the BA Crew thread tells you why - many of them see BA as a huge salary, huge pension, and object to earning either of them, especially when living in different countries from their employer.

That does not apply to all BA CC crew as at times they perform brilliantly.

When they've figured out how to deliver Quality service on a consistent basis, BA might earn the right to survive.
Otherwise, they'll go the way of the USA based legacy players. As the UK does not have chapter 11, I guess they'll just have to appoint administrators when they go down.

ex-beagle

Quote:
"paper cups for morning tea in First was a recent low point!"

What a tough life you lead. I feel sorry for you.

deeceethree

ex-beagle,

Your point is .........?

ex-beagle

....my point is that having to use a paper cup for morning tea in First Class is an awfully petty complaint. I am sure that normally BA serve tea in china cups and that this was a one off. There are a few reasons I can think of that tea might be served in a paper cup.

Regardless of the reason, it is still a petty complaint.

Lauderdale

And I am sure he got charged a petty price for the privilege to travel First class - think not!

In this climate (or in any other for that matter) you can never drop your standards when it comes to product delivery. And it just shows you what passengers pick up on when it comes to service experience.

So think next time before you start spouting sarcasm.

ex-beagle

Yes Sir...I'll definitely think next time.

(but it's still petty)

BobHead

Seat 59A

I applaud good service but may I ask was this 1st Class Ticket purchased from your personal Bank Account or another source because few in this world can afford to pay from private means. On LCC's I get what I pay for.

Basil and Kanoknuahaha

As for food, newspapers, china or paper cups on short haul flights many of you are living back in the 50/60's. Would you expect that on a 1 hour bus train or taxi journey I think not.

Perhaps that is why RyanAir are shouting that soon they will be the biggest airline in UK and BA are struggling.

BobH

Basil

Even in the eighties, free Cuban cigars in GF first - one was always courteous to the first class purser

BobHead

Basil

Yes but in the 50/60's they would not have allowed riff-raff, pop stars, models, football or professional rugby players in 1st class.

BobH

Basil

Coming back to the present, I would expect food, newspapers, china in F or J .
Whether the fare is paid by the passenger, an employer or production company is irrelevant. It is a premium fare which forms a significant portion of the airline's profit.
In economy or on a LoCo I would not, of course, expect the same standard.

I really would think the foregoing is self evident and does not require to be spelt out.

ex-beagle

As I mentioned in a previous post, I am sure there was a reason this gentleman was served his tea in a paper cup. For instance, at my airline our policy is that if a passenger requests a tea or coffee on descent we serve it in a paper cup. This is because you cannot have china cups bouncing around the cabin on landing, but a paper cup is allowed. The same thing happens on departure. The passenger gets his/her champagne or orange juice in a glass, but if they haven't finished it prior to pushback, we transfer it to a plastic glass.

This gentleman complained that he was served his morning tea in a paper cup. I suggest he probably slept until the last minute and then when he requested tea it was close to descent. The crew on this flight did just what any crew on my airline would do. They accommodated his request, but due to the fact that he may not be finished his tea prior to landing, they served it to him in a paper cup.

Basil

Good point, ex-beagle.

Re-Heat

Not necessarily. Those who are directly off to meetings all day and then directly back on the last flight of the day expect something substantial to keep them going. It now annoys me that I have to find somewhere else to eat post- or pre-flight these days from Band 2/3 destinations.

Good old UK / German domestic with full catering was a godsend at times.

Union Jack

In my humble opinon, the whole thing is a storm in a teacup!

Jack

WHBM

I guess you don't have the experience of many business travellers on the routes described (LHR-GLA etc), get up at 0430, rush out of the house, drive 1.5 hours to Heathrow, waste time in long security queue because BAA understaff it, into first departure to GLA, ONE HOUR SAT IN PLANE, taxi straight to meeting where others are sat waiting, make presentation all day spending lunchtime amending afternoon items, push back reservation for return flight, meeting up to the last minute, get the order (wow!), taxi to airport, waste time in long security queue, into LHR flight, ONE HOUR SAT IN PLANE, into car, drive 1.5 hours home, get there 2245.

And this is what many of BA's core customers are doing, you see plenty of us on these flights each day. That's why we value in-flight catering. Remember as well that this is why BA charge their highest fares at these times. Envy of those travelling substantially on company business is normally the province of just the junior staff in the office who have never had to do it.

Seat 59A

Some good and interesting responses here. So, as I was the original poster, let me clarify a few points.

1. First and foremost, the original purpose of the post was not to complain, but to give credit to BA staff for recent excellent service. One of the most pleasant BA flights I have been on in recent years.

2. Second, in mentioning the Jet Lite service from Mumbai to Goa, I was no way suggesting that I had an expectation of such service on UK and European short-haul flights. I was merely observing that I sat in stunned admiration at the enthusiasm of the 4 cabin crew who managed to serve a full 737 with a complete meal in 45 minutes flat!! I did not personally partake as it was the middle of the day and I didn't need anything.

3. However, I do understand those who made the point about early morning business flights. It can be tough to get up at 4 or 5 a.m. and not be given a coffee and croissant at that time of day. It's not a big ask.

4. As for the commentator who made the slightly scornful comment about my complaint about paper cups in F, well, I don't actually regard it as a totally petty complaint. I was not sleeping until top of descent either. This was in the context of the regular breakfast service (which in my observation BA serves a good deal earlier than most airlines as they like to clear the decks well before top of descent). I do seriously think that, in these days of intense competition (I have just flown Etihad and, boy, that really is competition), BA needs to think very, very carefully indeed about the cumulative effect of apparently small cuts in service quality. Given the price of tickets (regardless of whether travel is personal or business, I ultimately choose the carrier), I do not think that it is too much to ask that F and J service standards are maintained at a level commensurate with the competition. By the way, if the commentator is current or ex-cabin crew, and still cannot see what is wrong with a paper cup, then I would be much more concerned about that comment!!

5. Finally, to repeat, the point of the original post, to turn a phrase, was to praise him, and not to bury him!!

iamorgan

I think if a drink is served in a paper cup at the top of descent, it would leave a better impression if the cc member delivering the drink said "sir, i've put it in a paper cup so that you don't have to rush/so you can keep it until landing" or something like that. This would leave a positive view of the service on the a/c -same paper cup -but gone from being a negative experience into a positive one!