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Brunchgate – aggressive BA service cuts resume

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We have been sceptical about the ‘£7bn investment programme’ from British Airways, because when we peered behind the curtain we struggled to see anything there.

Whilst replacing life-expired assets is, of course, ‘investment’, it isn’t the same as taking pro-active steps to improve the customer experience.

One example is the new, bigger overhead bins being installed on new short-haul aircraft deliveries. These are great, solving cabin baggage issues at a stroke. However, is BA spending money on retro-fitting them to its existing aircraft as many other airlines have done? No.

Brunchgate - aggressive BA service cuts resume

The biggest structural issue with the airline business is that most of your costs are fixed. Fuel costs are fixed. Aircraft leasing costs (or debt repayments) are fixed. Staff numbers are set by law and pay scales are fixed in the medium term. Whilst it seems petty to start attacking the in-flight food budget, it is one of very few levers to pull.

From 15th October, two new measures have been introduced. One is just crackpot. Both are cost cutting.

Breakfast …. for lunch

BA has introduced a brunch service to all long haul flights departing between 8.30am and 11.29am.

Whilst the logic here is obviously a bit crazy in theory …. passengers departing at 11am have almost certainly had breakfast in the lounge if not at home …. it is even crazier in practice.

Since food service cannot start until the aircraft is at cruising altitude, anyone at the back of Club World won’t be getting fed until around 1.30pm. Just the time for a cheap airline breakfast.

Even more bizarrely, the rest of the menu is unchanged. You get an appetiser. You get a dessert. You are offered wine with your meal.

I don’t know how many people have eggs on sourdough paired with wine, followed by a cheeseboard or chocolate tart, for breakfast at home ….

Brunchgate - aggressive BA service cuts resume

The new First Class menu

As an example, the 11.20am New York JFK flight was previously offering the following main course options in First Class for your post-take off meal:

  • grilled lamb rack
  • chicken wellington
  • grilled halibut and shrimp sauce
  • vegetarian kofta in korma sauce 

It now offers:

  • chicken / sausage / mushrooms / hash browns
  • prawn salad
  • poached egg on sourdough
  • pancakes

It’s even weirder when you see the full menu. This is what is now served in First Class if you depart before 11.29am:

  • amuse bouche (a cut from the previous selection of canapes)

followed by your choice of:

  • smoked salmon
  • roasted artichoke
  • butternut squash and coconut soup

followed by one of the breakfast dishes listed above, followed by:

  • chocolate tart
  • fresh fruit

followed by a cheeseboard.

Based on feedback from a friend of mine who spoke to the crew, not a single passenger on his flight in First had the pancakes and no-one in Club World had the waffles.

Brunchgate - aggressive BA service cuts resume

The new Club World menu

If you’re in business class, here is a typical brunch menu – it is actually called ‘The Great British Brunch’ on the menu.

A choice of appetisers from:

  • a fruit plate
  • smoked salmon
  • goat’s cheese and grilled artichoke
  • cheese and crackers

followed by

  • chicken / sausage / mushrooms / hash browns
  • cheese frittatta
  • Belgian waffles

followed by

  • chocolate marble slice (no alternatives)

followed by coffee and liqueurs.

It’s just weird.

The upside is that it will probably be scrapped before Christmas, so if you want to try it out I recommend you book now.

Interestingly, one person on Flyertalk who complained about his Club World brunch has been offered real money in compensation (well, a BA voucher, but near enough to cash). The amount was described as ‘generous’.

In a second article tomorrow we’ll look at the cuts to food service in Club World and First Class for flights departing after 9pm.

PS. Don’t forget that, if you are looking for good business class food, Qatar Airways has just introduced a caviar service on flights from many airports including London. This is on top of the existing meal service.

Qatar Airways introduces caviar in Business Class

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Comments (366)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • Gail says:
    21 Oct21 October 14:06

    What is it with BA and artichokes? They seem to go with everything! Disgusting things! My opinion of course!

  • Guy Incognito says:
    21 Oct21 October 14:10

    Flew out on BA283 in Club on the 19th. Noticed the menu was very weird but wasn’t that hungry.

    They ran out of Coke Zero, and then Diet Coke. Also ran out of crisps.

    Got offered a drink once (when they were taking food selections) and that was it.

    The service was pretty much non-existent.

    • Mike Fish says:
      21 Oct21 October 14:56

      On a club ticket from SFO, we had the welcome drink, a drink with the meal (just one was offered with the meal, no more) and the drink with breakfast. They ran the cabin at a ridiculously hot temperature and at no point did they offer any more drinks. I had cramps in my legs for days I was that dehydrated by the end of the flight. I assume BA think that you can just pop off the plane and go to Walgreens as we fly over. Their logistics and service are terrible.

    • JDB says:
      21 Oct21 October 15:31

      One of the sad things about BA suspending its Beijing route is that they sacked all the locally based crew who worked on the route. They were fantastic – hard working, charming, solicitous, efficient and they don’t clomp and clatter. They put the British crew to shame.

      • Rich says:
        21 Oct21 October 15:34

        They did not. They have all been offered 10 day PVG LHR HKG LHR PVG trips until the suspension ends which almost all accepted.

        • JDB says:
          21 Oct21 October 15:51

          That was not the information given to us by the British captain and affected Chinese crew members when we flew to PKX a couple of weeks ago. We were impressed that they continued to do such a good job although according to them, they were losing their jobs at the end of the month.

          • Rich says:
            21 Oct21 October 15:54

            My info was from a UK cabin crew who flew the route end of last week. Maybe things got sorted out after you flew.

  • Lumma says:
    21 Oct21 October 14:11

    While I agree with most of the points in the article, I do love a “oh the humanity” post on HfP with the subsequent comments.

  • Paul says:
    21 Oct21 October 14:33

    Generally I’d say BA have been going in the right direction lately (though I still maintain all BA crew could learn from Cathay, JAL and Qatar what proper service looks like) but this is a joke. I already get annoyed when I find breakfast being served on a flight leaving at 08.00 and as they serve breakfast I in the lounge till 11.00 which idiot thought anyone would want a second one once aboard

    • HampshireHog says:
      21 Oct21 October 14:56

      If only they could serve meals on demand rather than serving meals after 2 hours then disappearing to gossip loudly in the galley till second meal 90 mins before landing

      • Lee says:
        21 Oct21 October 15:30

        Agreed. Ba service has become pretty bad and the staff are not fully trained or now equipped with proper food or drinks.

  • Mark H says:
    21 Oct21 October 14:57

    It’s almost impossible to believe customer feedback drove this decision. Nobody here seems willling to support and why are the crews apologising to passengers as they hand out the menus?

    If I take an example of someone flying to Newark today on BA185 at 11:10. I might leave home at 0700 grabbing, perhaps a slice of toast, as I go. Someone in a London or airport hotel might get breakfast. I get to LHR T5 about 0830 and proceed through First Wing to lounge where I partake in a full breakfast as I work, read and deal with emails.

    The flight today took off at 12:15 so at some time after 13:00 I am going to be offered a choice of meal and, as stated, expect the main course to arrive by 14:00

    To be served a breakfast (or let’s accept brunch) at 14:00 to people who have been up and awake for getting on 8 hours seems bizarre and a menu that mixes lunch/dinner starters and deserts with breakfast.

    I cannot believe anyone asked for this!?

    • CJD says:
      21 Oct21 October 16:17

      Then factor in a hypothetical business traveller who is connecting down on a morning flight from Glasgow or Edinburgh.

      Breakfast at home.
      Breakfast in lounge.
      Breakfast on flight to LHR.
      Breakfast in lounge.
      Breakfast on flight to New York.

      Absolutely mental.

  • Lady London says:
    21 Oct21 October 15:18

    So BOB (Buy on Board) has a new sister.

    BYOOB (Bring Your Own On Board)

    • JDB says:
      21 Oct21 October 15:33

      @Lady London – that has effectively been a requirement on CW anyway, so no change.

    • Occasional Ranter says:
      21 Oct21 October 17:50

      OOTBGOBOBOB (Out of touch board goes overboard on breakfasts on board)

      • TGLoyalty says:
        21 Oct21 October 21:30

        Thing is I don’t think it’s BA out of touch.

        There’s a whole generation of under 40’s that will eat this stuff all day and stick it on TikTok or insta quicker than you can blink.

        They might have got the timing wrong but I’m sure they haven’t got the concept wrong.

        • meta says:
          21 Oct21 October 23:47

          That is actually true. Many of the under 40s wake up at 11am anyway or skip breakfast all together. This is why there is a proliferation of brunch buffet places.

          • Rob says:
            22 Oct22 October 00:41

            They’re not flying Club World, in general.

            A reminder that the average Virgin Flying Club member is 46 (fact), the average HfP reader is around 46 and I suspect the average BAEC member is around 46.

          • Roy says:
            23 Oct23 October 02:32

            Surely anyone who doesn’t wake up until 11 a.m. is unlikely to be travelling on a pre-11.29 flight. Clearly BA need to extend this brunch menu to flights later in the day!

  • pbcold says:
    21 Oct21 October 15:33

    I am flying LHR-DOH-SEZ tomorrow….will I be offered caviar? sounds great.

  • Stu says:
    21 Oct21 October 15:35

    I really feel sorry for the crews, made to implement some manager’s crazy cost saving think tank absolutely fabulous idea.

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

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