BA announce end of inclusive catering in short-haul economy
The buy on board food makes the inflated airport food prices look reasonable in comparison. I'm assuming BA won't try to stop people bringing their own food onboard like certain low cost airlines do. Heathrow has a good selection of food outlets and those with lounge access can eat for free.
Most short haul flights simply need a sandwich/fruit/biscuits to make them bearable. Better airlines seem to do a meal and snack on flights over 5 hours. Singapore Airlines have free snacks laid out in the galley for passengers to help themselves.
https://www.gordonramsayrestaurants....ats-on/picnic/
Most short haul flights simply need a sandwich/fruit/biscuits to make them bearable. Better airlines seem to do a meal and snack on flights over 5 hours. Singapore Airlines have free snacks laid out in the galley for passengers to help themselves.
https://www.gordonramsayrestaurants....ats-on/picnic/
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I don't agree. The prices onboard are fairly reasonable. At our local airport it's £29 for a bottle of prosecco or £32 onboard for a full bottle of champagne.
Get a Burger King it's around £8 or a WHSmith meal deal is £6 ish. A hot meal, drink and snack around £6 onboard. £9 if you want it with a beer or wine.
I flew domestic and bought breakfast for four of us with drinks and snacks for around £20. Not bad.
A double gin and tonic £9 in the airport. £6.50 onboard. I've paid £10 for a double g and t in my small northern town where bar prices are a lot more sensible than many places.
I can't think of any airlines on short haul euro flights who do stop you bringing your own onboard so I can't envisage BA doing it.
Any Spanish airport prices are obscene for a bottle of water. I won't pay it. I'd rather wait and get one onboard. I saw a white chocolate kit Kat at AGP before they came to the UK. Oh how excited I was, until i saw the price tag of €2.50. Id rather starve.
Get a Burger King it's around £8 or a WHSmith meal deal is £6 ish. A hot meal, drink and snack around £6 onboard. £9 if you want it with a beer or wine.
I flew domestic and bought breakfast for four of us with drinks and snacks for around £20. Not bad.
A double gin and tonic £9 in the airport. £6.50 onboard. I've paid £10 for a double g and t in my small northern town where bar prices are a lot more sensible than many places.
I can't think of any airlines on short haul euro flights who do stop you bringing your own onboard so I can't envisage BA doing it.
Any Spanish airport prices are obscene for a bottle of water. I won't pay it. I'd rather wait and get one onboard. I saw a white chocolate kit Kat at AGP before they came to the UK. Oh how excited I was, until i saw the price tag of €2.50. Id rather starve.
Most airlines prohibit consumption of alcohol which isn't supplied by them, to keep things under control. It's nice to know European low costs don't have a problem with you bringing your own food as quite a few around here do. Drinks and yoghurt usually won't make it past security anywhere so if final screening is done at the gate you are out of luck.
Anyone who finds buy on board prices reasonable must be doing a lot of their food purchases at convenience stores or service stations. I buy from M&S or Waitrose food sections and look for stuff being sold cheap because it's close to the expiry date..
Anyone who finds buy on board prices reasonable must be doing a lot of their food purchases at convenience stores or service stations. I buy from M&S or Waitrose food sections and look for stuff being sold cheap because it's close to the expiry date..
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Anyone who finds buy on board prices reasonable must be doing a lot of their food purchases at convenience stores or service stations. I buy from M&S or Waitrose food sections and look for stuff being sold cheap because it's close to the expiry date.
So BA are throwing away their last remaining discriminator. Sad.
Also I note they will only accept payment for on-board food using contactless cards or something called Avios points (no idea what those are!).
So even in the unlikely event I wished to make an on-board purchase I would not have the means to do so.
Also I note they will only accept payment for on-board food using contactless cards or something called Avios points (no idea what those are!).
So even in the unlikely event I wished to make an on-board purchase I would not have the means to do so.
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After decades in IT, I can confirm: for payment, any device that accepts 'contactless cards' also accepts 'chip and pin cards'. Of course, there are some 'touch only' 'pads' but these are usually on public transport buses and so on. Any shop where I can use contactless in the UK, it offers Chip and Pin. Currently, many Chip/Pin devices do not take contactless.
There is an inevitability about this, and it's extension into long haul, for the simple fact that, over the last 30 years, 90% (+/-?) of pax have proved that they want to pay as little as possible. Further, that they WILL be drawn by the 'headline' seat price. Whether they then pay the full ticket price - does not matter. Their interest is always taken by that first price.
All shops have done this for as long as records show with the ridiculous £9.99 pricing scheme. It works.
BA will have LCC in Y and inclusive in the other cabins. I'm not saying I like it - but this is what the majority of people want.
There is an inevitability about this, and it's extension into long haul, for the simple fact that, over the last 30 years, 90% (+/-?) of pax have proved that they want to pay as little as possible. Further, that they WILL be drawn by the 'headline' seat price. Whether they then pay the full ticket price - does not matter. Their interest is always taken by that first price.
All shops have done this for as long as records show with the ridiculous £9.99 pricing scheme. It works.
BA will have LCC in Y and inclusive in the other cabins. I'm not saying I like it - but this is what the majority of people want.
Last edited by PAXboy; 5th Oct 2016 at 00:56. Reason: Clarifying the opening statement.
I honestly couldn’t give a toss about complimentary catering on a flight of just a few hours. It’s nice to have, but not having it is hardly the end of the world. Would you get it on a train (standard class) or a coach? No. So it’s a bit odd to expect it as of right in the air.
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Andy S, you're right of course, but for those of us even older pax it was par for the course to be fed and watered in days gone by. In the days of no IFE it helped pass the time I guess. I remember flying a BRU-LHR lunch time economy class service in a SABENA Convair 440 back in the late 60s. The seats were as luxurious as later Business Class seats and we were served a delicious 3-course lunch, course by course. Yes, flying was much more expensive but that was the style of travel we grew accustomed to. Over the years I have slowly surrendered to the present pay-as-you-go on-board catering and, considering fares paid now, find on board prices quite fair - at least with the LCCs I use most frequently. [This excludes RYR and EZY which I have never used and cannot comment on].
I think you hit the nail on the head. On board catering is something we’ve become so accustomed to that we start to feel entitled to it. Cue howls of outrage when it’s withdrawn. You can argue the toss about whether BOB prices are fair, but if you’ve paid £100 for a ticket then what’s another £10?
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I usually fly EZ/FR/Vueling and must admit their onboard prices are not too bad. I've done a little research online and most euro carriers are OK in terms of pricing however Norwegian, WOW Air and Icelandair pricing is a little over the top. I couldn't see myself buying anything.
On WOW it's £7.50 for a cold sandwich, £4.80 for a tub of yoghurt and £6.90 for a glass of wine are a little excessive. WOW are very expensive charging £2.40 for a small chocolate bar, £2.80 for crisps but at £6.90 for a double g&t it's not too bad.
Norwegian longhaul are £7.80 for a cold sandwich, £2.50 for a fruit smoothie and £5.40 for a glass of wine. A g&t is £9.80 now thanks to the crash in the value of the pound.
Icelandair are £6.90 for a sandwich, £6.20 for a double g&t, £2.40 for a pot yoghurt and £5 for a glass of wine.
So I think BA's prices should be mean it's successful.
On WOW it's £7.50 for a cold sandwich, £4.80 for a tub of yoghurt and £6.90 for a glass of wine are a little excessive. WOW are very expensive charging £2.40 for a small chocolate bar, £2.80 for crisps but at £6.90 for a double g&t it's not too bad.
Norwegian longhaul are £7.80 for a cold sandwich, £2.50 for a fruit smoothie and £5.40 for a glass of wine. A g&t is £9.80 now thanks to the crash in the value of the pound.
Icelandair are £6.90 for a sandwich, £6.20 for a double g&t, £2.40 for a pot yoghurt and £5 for a glass of wine.
So I think BA's prices should be mean it's successful.
Last edited by HeartyMeatballs; 4th Oct 2016 at 15:25.
I'm not saying I like it - but this is what the majority of people want.
In my view, the charges for soft drinks on short haul are wrong. A bad business decision.
I bet they will be free in a few months time.
I try not to fly with BA due to some nasty lies and promises that were not kept some time ago. However, I am quite happy to fly with them if it is for my convenience.
When I do fly s/h with them, tomato juice and worcester sauce is all I drink. Neither are on the list of what will become available.
I bet they will be free in a few months time.
I try not to fly with BA due to some nasty lies and promises that were not kept some time ago. However, I am quite happy to fly with them if it is for my convenience.
When I do fly s/h with them, tomato juice and worcester sauce is all I drink. Neither are on the list of what will become available.
I don't buy this "why can't you go for a couple of hours without eating/drinking" business.
It all depends on where you have come from, wether you had time to eat at home/airport, time of day/night etc.
A traveller may have got up really early, driven in heavy traffic for some distance, found themselves having to rush through boarding and not able to stop for even a coffee.
Then knowing that a proper breakfast will be provided is a godsend.
It all depends on where you have come from, wether you had time to eat at home/airport, time of day/night etc.
A traveller may have got up really early, driven in heavy traffic for some distance, found themselves having to rush through boarding and not able to stop for even a coffee.
Then knowing that a proper breakfast will be provided is a godsend.
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As Hotel Tango says - it is what we are used to and anyone over (about) 30 was used to. However, in another 20/30 years people will find it incredible that so many things were included in the price.
and THAT is the moment when some bright young spark (not yet born) will have the idea of introducing inclusive catering and baggage. There is nothing new in this world.
and THAT is the moment when some bright young spark (not yet born) will have the idea of introducing inclusive catering and baggage. There is nothing new in this world.
Last edited by PAXboy; 5th Oct 2016 at 03:57. Reason: Typo
On WOW it's £7.50 for a cold sandwich, £4.80 for a tub of yoghurt and £6.90 for a glass of wine are a little excessive. WOW are very expensive charging £2.40 for a small chocolate bar, £2.80 for crisps but at £6.90 for a double g&t it's not too bad.
Norwegian longhaul are £7.80 for a cold sandwich, £2.50 for a fruit smoothie and £5.40 for a glass of wine. A g&t is £9.80 now thanks to the crash in the value of the pound.
Icelandair are £6.90 for a sandwich, £6.20 for a double g&t, £2.40 for a pot yoghurt and £5 for a glass of wine.
So I think BA's prices should be mean it's successful.
Norwegian longhaul are £7.80 for a cold sandwich, £2.50 for a fruit smoothie and £5.40 for a glass of wine. A g&t is £9.80 now thanks to the crash in the value of the pound.
Icelandair are £6.90 for a sandwich, £6.20 for a double g&t, £2.40 for a pot yoghurt and £5 for a glass of wine.
So I think BA's prices should be mean it's successful.
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LOL, I was thinking exactly the same PAXboy Once the LCCs have reached rock bottom as far as fares go, how will they compete in the future? By slowly introducing goodies of course.
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There were two examples today of how humans work:
1) I stopped to check the tyre pressures as I have a slow puncture I need to deal with but had to top it up. At garages (when I was a lad
) 'air' was free. Then they introduced a 10p charge and it went on up from there. I only needed to check one tyre but the cost was a MINIMUM of .50p and I had no choice.
2) Listening to Radio 4 a few minutes later, they were talking about how, in the referendum, the 'headline' figure of £350m a week to the EU was plastered everywhere. Even after it had been long debunked, it was the number that people remembered.
I'd say that about sums it up.
1) I stopped to check the tyre pressures as I have a slow puncture I need to deal with but had to top it up. At garages (when I was a lad
) 'air' was free. Then they introduced a 10p charge and it went on up from there. I only needed to check one tyre but the cost was a MINIMUM of .50p and I had no choice.2) Listening to Radio 4 a few minutes later, they were talking about how, in the referendum, the 'headline' figure of £350m a week to the EU was plastered everywhere. Even after it had been long debunked, it was the number that people remembered.
I'd say that about sums it up.
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1) I stopped to check the tyre pressures as I have a slow puncture I need to deal with but had to top it up. At garages (when I was a lad 
) 'air' was free. Then they introduced a 10p charge and it went on up from there. I only needed to check one tyre but the cost was a MINIMUM of .50p and I had no choice.
) 'air' was free. Then they introduced a 10p charge and it went on up from there. I only needed to check one tyre but the cost was a MINIMUM of .50p and I had no choice.
