Haven't got your choice of meal available - why does this happen?
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Haven't got your choice of meal available - why does this happen?
VS200, LHR-HKG, Saturday 9th Jan 2010.
I've not flown Virgin Upper for a couple of years. I noticed the lack of IFB cos I missed the polos and the razor before the doors shut
But I digress. About 10 mins after dinner orders were taken, CC crouched by the lady in the next seat to me and had a conversation along the lines of "Would you do me a huge favour....you've ordered the chicken, it's very popular tonight, would you be really kind and have something else instead?". "I don't eat fish". "You could have the sausage and mash". "I wanted chicken that's why I ordered it. I hate sausages". *puppy eyes from CC* "Ok what's it worth?".
"I'd be really grateful".....
Now, given people are paying 3-4 grand for a ticket, is it too much to expect that you could get the meal you asked for? I felt sorry for the lady but also for the CC guy having to go round the Upper Class cabin asking all the "chicken" people.
How does this sort of thing happen? And how often? I can understand if we were down route on a day flight out of Timbucktoo but night out of Heathrow when most of the UC cabin has their jammers and their "do not disturb" faces on before the doors have shut I was really surprised.
Educate me!
I've not flown Virgin Upper for a couple of years. I noticed the lack of IFB cos I missed the polos and the razor before the doors shut
But I digress. About 10 mins after dinner orders were taken, CC crouched by the lady in the next seat to me and had a conversation along the lines of "Would you do me a huge favour....you've ordered the chicken, it's very popular tonight, would you be really kind and have something else instead?". "I don't eat fish". "You could have the sausage and mash". "I wanted chicken that's why I ordered it. I hate sausages". *puppy eyes from CC* "Ok what's it worth?".
"I'd be really grateful".....
Now, given people are paying 3-4 grand for a ticket, is it too much to expect that you could get the meal you asked for? I felt sorry for the lady but also for the CC guy having to go round the Upper Class cabin asking all the "chicken" people.
How does this sort of thing happen? And how often? I can understand if we were down route on a day flight out of Timbucktoo but night out of Heathrow when most of the UC cabin has their jammers and their "do not disturb" faces on before the doors have shut I was really surprised.
Educate me!
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I dont understand why the crew member was trying to plead with the lady to switch meals...sounds horrendously unprofessional!!!! Now if this lady was an unpaid upgrade, a staff passenger or something to that effect then yes change her meal but dont do what that steward was doing! That sounds awful!
It happens all the time. In BA we can have up to 70 passengers and 5 meal choices. Usually a Beef of which there is probably about a 60% loading, a chicken of about 20%, something veg and something light of about 10% and 5% and then a couple of cold main course salads. The company along with all their other money scrimping have reduced the over flow loading so narrowly now that the chances of not getting what you want are much higher.
I personally (although we are told not to do it) when taking the meal order usually take the orders based on FFP rank starting with gold cards, then silver and so on ending with Upgrades and then staff! That way the most important passengers in the cabin are least likely to be put out!
But its all about diplomacy at the end of the day! At the end of the day you must remember that even the best restaurants can run out of a particular meal half way through the night as demand was perhaps misjudged!
It happens all the time. In BA we can have up to 70 passengers and 5 meal choices. Usually a Beef of which there is probably about a 60% loading, a chicken of about 20%, something veg and something light of about 10% and 5% and then a couple of cold main course salads. The company along with all their other money scrimping have reduced the over flow loading so narrowly now that the chances of not getting what you want are much higher.
I personally (although we are told not to do it) when taking the meal order usually take the orders based on FFP rank starting with gold cards, then silver and so on ending with Upgrades and then staff! That way the most important passengers in the cabin are least likely to be put out!
But its all about diplomacy at the end of the day! At the end of the day you must remember that even the best restaurants can run out of a particular meal half way through the night as demand was perhaps misjudged!
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apaddyinuk makes some fair points, I think. All airline margins are being trimmed to the bone, and trying to ensure total availability of all meals in all cabins is simply uneconomic.
I would take issue with your breaching the rules when taking orders and doing it by FFP rank, however. I would assume they were imposed by someone in your company who carries a certain level of management responsibility - it is surely not your choice to ignore those instructions on a personal preference? But then perhaps that's why uncommitted passengers are leaving BA for other airlines, when they discover that Club Class isn't what they expected [paid for with their own money, instead of having tickets bought by a company]?
I would take issue with your breaching the rules when taking orders and doing it by FFP rank, however. I would assume they were imposed by someone in your company who carries a certain level of management responsibility - it is surely not your choice to ignore those instructions on a personal preference? But then perhaps that's why uncommitted passengers are leaving BA for other airlines, when they discover that Club Class isn't what they expected [paid for with their own money, instead of having tickets bought by a company]?
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That way the most important passengers in the cabin are least likely to be put out!
Just curious.
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That isnt what apaddyinuk was saying! In the First Cabin (example only...could be done in Business/Premium or Economy) if meal choices were limited then the first to be asked should be those highest on the FFP list then upgrades then staff! He wasnt saying anything about anyone not being able to afford First Class! 
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Agree with Agent x - I'd guess when he's talking about 70 passengers he's serving meals in Club. And then defying his company's orders by using his own rules to see who gets what meal choice first.
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In the First Cabin (example only...could be done in Business/Premium or Economy) if meal choices were limited then the first to be asked should be those highest on the FFP list then upgrades then staff!
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Unfortunately, forgetting finances, waste, or anything else that comes into the equation, even if we wanted to, we just don't have the room to carry one of each option, for every person in each cabin.
Out of interest, would you, as passengers, prefer there to be less options in the premium cabins, maybe three choices rather than five, but more of each option? I sometimes wonder if we offer too many different things, thereby, almost shooting ourselves in the foot.
Out of interest, would you, as passengers, prefer there to be less options in the premium cabins, maybe three choices rather than five, but more of each option? I sometimes wonder if we offer too many different things, thereby, almost shooting ourselves in the foot.
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For £9,600 I'd expect the whole kahuna, i.e. a very wide range with plenty available.
On the other hand, I've spent £2,100 on a J class MUC LHR RUH LHR RUH today and would be prepared to be a little more forgiving (but not much, it is still an expensive ticket.)
Sorry JSL, this one went to BD, I will not book any tickets with BA whilst there is any threat of industrial action from the loonies at Heathrow.
On the other hand, I've spent £2,100 on a J class MUC LHR RUH LHR RUH today and would be prepared to be a little more forgiving (but not much, it is still an expensive ticket.)
Sorry JSL, this one went to BD, I will not book any tickets with BA whilst there is any threat of industrial action from the loonies at Heathrow.
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Quite often the 'seasoned' traveller will order a special meal, not for any health or religious reason, simply because they usually come out first!
Then, when all others are still on desert, you can slope off to the toilets before the mad post meal rush begins. Most relevant when travelling Economy but useful in Business too.
Then, when all others are still on desert, you can slope off to the toilets before the mad post meal rush begins. Most relevant when travelling Economy but useful in Business too.
As to the question on too many choices, I'm happy enough with choice of 3 when lucky enough to be in Business. 5 choices surely means you must run out of something every time unless you can be massively overstocked??
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What apaddy says is not really unusual - although I was never told not to do it, just never told to do it, perhaps that leaves the Cabin Crew with some flexibility and common sense.
Personally I would agree that trying to ensure there is still a choice for the High Gold card holder at the back is a good idea - I used to do it slightly differently though so as not to be too obvious, generally however high level Freq. Flyers tend to be seated towards the front of the Cabin (which is why service runs front to aft to). Staff Passenger wise - you get what's available after the paying pax have had what they want.
In first I never (thankfully) had a problem providing first choice though if all 14 decided to order the more obscure option we'd have been in trouble.
I completely agree and sympathise with passengers, that paying the price of a First ticket should ensure first choice but, unfortunately in reality, space, weight and cost prohibit carrying 14 of everything (and certainly 70 of everything in Club), It's not physically possible either! (If you ever get the chance to watch the first galley operator on a BA 777 you will quickly see that the space is tiny and the storage a bit like a game of tetris!)
Personally I would agree that trying to ensure there is still a choice for the High Gold card holder at the back is a good idea - I used to do it slightly differently though so as not to be too obvious, generally however high level Freq. Flyers tend to be seated towards the front of the Cabin (which is why service runs front to aft to). Staff Passenger wise - you get what's available after the paying pax have had what they want.
In first I never (thankfully) had a problem providing first choice though if all 14 decided to order the more obscure option we'd have been in trouble.
I completely agree and sympathise with passengers, that paying the price of a First ticket should ensure first choice but, unfortunately in reality, space, weight and cost prohibit carrying 14 of everything (and certainly 70 of everything in Club), It's not physically possible either! (If you ever get the chance to watch the first galley operator on a BA 777 you will quickly see that the space is tiny and the storage a bit like a game of tetris!)
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F3G and others, you can book a special meal yourself with BA too, Seafood is available and about 19 others weather Vegetarian Gluten free etc. that's in all cabins on long haul.
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F3G and others, you can book a special meal yourself with BA too
Currently, they are not.
Last edited by Final 3 Greens; 12th Jan 2010 at 10:44.
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JSL makes a very good point.
The "expectation" that your choice, and or a selection, of meals will be available together with a superior selections of wines etc would suggest that quality and not quantity should be the order of the day.
Makes much more sense to offer 3 meals with the certainty that all 3 will be available and a couple of reds, whites, rose and champagnes than 5 or 6 choices with limited numbers.
The "expectation" that your choice, and or a selection, of meals will be available together with a superior selections of wines etc would suggest that quality and not quantity should be the order of the day.
Makes much more sense to offer 3 meals with the certainty that all 3 will be available and a couple of reds, whites, rose and champagnes than 5 or 6 choices with limited numbers.
