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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.

  • Rich says:
    21 Oct21 October 07:27

    I flew to Houston in August in first and was offered brunch, I had previously been sent a menu for lunch service. We took off at 9.10am, I had eaten breakfast in the lounge… I was looking forward to lunch … very disappointed and won’t do first again.

    I was extremely p*ssed off… I don’t pay first class to have a budget cutting service..

    I complained and got 20k avios points.

  • Geek says:
    21 Oct21 October 07:31

    Brunch (with a dessert of a marble cake) followed by a stodgy afternoon tea. Honestly it’s hard to think of a less appetising or premium selection of food – just piles of sweet carbs.

    Second service was always poor for longer flights (I went to Seattle a few weeks ago and it was unsubstantial); only option now will be raiding more cheap carbs from club kitchen to keep hunger at bay.

  • Rma says:
    21 Oct21 October 07:34

    This must have been in BA plans for some time, to give the catering companies time to prepare. There must be a serious problem of group think among management that no one was able to stop such a bizarre plan.
    The Club menu looks like someone emptying the fridge of a collection of leftovers. The menu is unhealthy, this is a stodgy meal which will be followed by an unhealthy, stodgy afternoon tea. Do BA not employ dieticians, or should passengers complain to the health and safety department?
    Also, if they are going to call it ‘British’ why are eggs and bacon missing?

    • JDB says:
      21 Oct21 October 07:45

      @Rma – I agree but the majority of people here seem to complain that the much healthier CE food is too modern, too healthy, too insubstantial. I would take that food in CW any day.

  • Dan says:
    21 Oct21 October 07:35

    I have seen a better menu selection in Wetherspoons. Honestly when will BA get the shake up it needs

    • JDB says:
      21 Oct21 October 07:57

      @Dan – what shake up are you suggesting they need? BA continues to be by far the most profitable legacy carrier in Europe.

  • PeterK says:
    21 Oct21 October 07:36

    My wife has suggested BA comes
    up with an option : save 10% on the J fare by bringing your own onboard food 🤣.

    We should all be writing to BA to complain ahead of any travel, or perhaps set up an online petition? The sooner this madness is reversed the better.

  • JDB says:
    21 Oct21 October 07:40

    Not sure why there is such a big fuss. The CW food is already so poor that if you want to eat vaguely decently you need to bring your own food anyway. On the latest departures, they are so slow to serve anything it’s not worth staying awake for anyway. The wine can’t get worse.

    Also, when some posters are saying how marvellous Greggs or The Ivy are, BA can’t be so bad in comparison.

    • Ken says:
      21 Oct21 October 07:51

      Pretending to love Greggs is like politicians talking about football.
      It’s a tool to demonstrate you are ‘normal’ and not in anyway a snob.

      • CJD says:
        21 Oct21 October 08:40

        Greggs is perfectly adequate. It’s not amazing but anyone pretending it’s crap is also at it.

        • Panda Mick says:
          21 Oct21 October 08:55

          I love a Gregg’s Sausage roll as much as I love a Ginger Pig Sausage roll. Both excellent and both have their place in society.

          But casting dispersions on anyone that loves a Gregg’s sausage roll? That’s mightily judgemental

          • John says:
            21 Oct21 October 09:08

            Greggs is utter crap and I eat it because it’s free 🙂

          • JDB says:
            21 Oct21 October 10:14

            @Panda Mick – I’m not casting aspersions on anyone, but unfortunately many people in the UK have very low standards with regards to ‘real’ food and the chemical concoction that is a Greggs sausage roll is a good example. I think it’s a bit rich complaining about BA food when people are happy eating total rubbish at other times.

          • ken says:
            21 Oct21 October 12:03

            Greggs along with Domino’s ‘Pizza’ is utter shite and lets not pretend otherwise.

            Alongside Ginsters ‘pasties’ or sandwiches sold in petrol stations with a shelf life of 4 days. All shite.

            However is doesn’t pretend to be anything else – cheap calorific, salty and fatty fodder.

            Middle class people claiming its fantastic are delusional although at the same don’t want their kids to eat it, funnily enough.

            I don’t cast any asperions on people who eat it and have little choice.

            BA on the other hand pretends to offer a first class service.

      • pete says:
        21 Oct21 October 11:59

        so true. just another brand that somehow has become fashionable for reasons escape me?

    • BSI1978 says:
      21 Oct21 October 07:56

      Some of the comments are a little baffling, but the overall / continuing impression is of BA penny pinching wherever possible and pursuing a race to the bottom.

      Seems like another unnecessary own goal.

    • TGLoyalty says:
      21 Oct21 October 09:23

      With you here. Sounds like everyone’s biting on some none news.

      Most haven’t even tried it but already leading the “let’s complain to BA” to tell them how crap what I haven’t tried is.

      I also find it funny how many people want a 4000 calories worth meal while sitting on their butt for 7-10 hours.

      • ken says:
        21 Oct21 October 12:05

        Many people eat & drink alcohol when they are bored.
        And this compulsion goes into override once stuff is ‘free’.

        They can’t even last 90 mins without the need to shovel rubbish down their throat.
        7-10 hours is a challenge too much.

  • Bumblebee says:
    21 Oct21 October 07:41

    Flew business recent with family and pocketed between £50 and £100 each for complaining about the food.

    • Andrew says:
      21 Oct21 October 07:57

      Where and how did you complain? I’ve got a 4 pax CW flight coming up. Looking forward to subsidising a Fortnum carryon hamper or two.

  • can2 says:
    21 Oct21 October 07:42

    Not to worry too much then when they “forget” to load my special meal in Club…

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