BA compensation for Brunch now Avios instead of cash voucher

[BA Flyer IHG Stayer]

@notrob

1. Giving an opinion / explaining the reasoning as to why BA did this does not make someone a ‘BA aologist’. Which to be honest is an easy insult to make even if it is inaccurate. I could just as easily toss out ‘BA hater’ to some posters on here but it hardly adds to the debate.

2. People will still be fed. There is still a meal being offered.

And only 20% of CW passengers will be affected by being offered brunch on flights departing before 11.29. A statistic seemingly being deliberatly ignored by some.

[TGLoyalty]

Honestly it’s hyperbole nonsense that’s gone around because there’s nothing else interesting going on in the airline space than Rolls Royce engines being out of action, actual impact to passengers and prices through cancelled flights and lower capacity from planes being out of action.

All this nonsense is really doing is stopping Cs from dealing with real issues.

No one will starve. There’s plenty of food onboard and prior to boarding in the lounges.

[JDB]

notrob wrote:

I do love that the BA apologists here lack any ability to empathise with people who are genuinely disappointed at the catering downgrade. BA Club catering has it’s moments – not perhaps as many as you would hope, but if you have booked a trip for a special occasion the meal is part of that experience (Let’s be honest, eating is also something to keep you occupied.

But this is the internet where it is somehow acceptable to call people out as naïve because they happen to value something more than you do.

I’m afraid it’s incredibly rude to tar people who have a sense of perspective and are able to analyse a given situation objectively as “BA apologists”. It also speaks to your status as a newbie here for which I don’t criticise you, but if you were a seasoned poster, you would know that I and others who share similar views about this non story are most definitely not “BA apologists”. It’s an airline that like most European legacy carriers has good points and bad points. Club World food was terrible before ‘brunchgate’ and the wine offered is between execrable and undrinkable. In that respect, nothing has changed. It’s not about what one person might value vs another person but the smallness of the change vs the fuss.

If you were a regular poster you would know that articles about BA’s banana bread, Qatar’s caviar, Greggs and now ‘brunchgate’ sadly elicit far more comments and interest than great articles about Taiwan which appear to be far too exotic for most readers. But report that BA plans to take away their rubbery fibrous chicken breast and replace it with some egg, bacon, sausage etc. and all hell breaks loose.

[notrob]

2. People will still be fed. There is still a meal being offered.

No one will starve. There’s plenty of food onboard and prior to boarding in the lounges.

This is a business class flight – people are shelling out a fair amount of money – the food is part of the experience. Was some of it hideous – god yes. If you pay a premium it is fair to expect a premium experience. Yes you can eat in the lounge, but given that nowadays nachos are considered to be lounge worthy I think I’d rather eat on the plane where the choice between average and mediocre has been made for me.

It also speaks to your status as a newbie here for which I don’t criticise you,

Thank you for not criticising, but I choose not to post here – Simple requests for info are often met with derision.

[Ihar]

Well in all my time if F/J I’ve never gone hungry – neither has my DW and she has gluten-intolerance. Usually some “extra” food if still hungry, or just order from further back. I agree the penny-pinching isn’t a great idea, especially long-haul.

If you leave the plane hungry I can appreciate it’s not what you paid for. At the same time, did the OP ask for extra food? I’d consider £60 as more than enough to compensate you, and I’ve had lots more for trivial matters when flying F (never asked, the cabin crew took care of it).

I think it all comes down to how you ask… 😉

[memesweeper]

JDB wrote:

If you were a regular poster you would know that articles about BA’s banana bread, Qatar’s caviar, Greggs and now ‘brunchgate’ sadly elicit far more comments and interest than great articles about Taiwan which appear to be far too exotic for most readers.

Some of us lapped up the Taiwan series and simply, quietly, added it to the bucket list and moved on. I didn’t feel the need to comment. It’s a great destination, but not controversial.

[Garethgerry]

ekposh wrote:

I have had my fair share of troubles with BA with dodgy IT and waiting months and months for refunds so I’m not a huge fan.

But I have to say, people complaining about this and getting compensation I find totally wrong. It is what it is and you’re getting food, just not what you like. Should Ryanair pay out because I don’t get anything?

It’s a service change and it’s been announced. If you don’t like it, take your business elsewhere. I don’t think it’s great that the offering is what it is. But I don’t think anyone should be due compensation and frankly am surprised they’re giving people anything at all.

Anyway, an unpopular view perhaps.

Once you have paid your money, except with fully flexible fare you can’t take your business elsewhere. It’s only your future business you can take elsewhere. You paid expecting X you got y so BA have not kept their promise

[JDB]

memesweeper wrote:

JDB wrote:

If you were a regular poster you would know that articles about BA’s banana bread, Qatar’s caviar, Greggs and now ‘brunchgate’ sadly elicit far more comments and interest than great articles about Taiwan which appear to be far too exotic for most readers.

Some of us lapped up the Taiwan series and simply, quietly, added it to the bucket list and moved on. I didn’t feel the need to comment. It’s a great destination, but not controversial.

Well, it would have been nice and/or polite if more people had thanked Rhys for his excellent series of articles on Taiwan, even if they were just silently filing them away. That would give encouragement to the HfP team that some of us venture beyond long haul places like Florida, Dubai and the Maldives and/or BA destinations and that there is mileage in pursuing articles about more interesting less touristed destinations.

I fear however, judging by the forums and comments to articles that once anything strays from a few comfort zones, interest drops off a cliff.

[JDB]

Garethgerry wrote:

ekposh wrote:

I have had my fair share of troubles with BA with dodgy IT and waiting months and months for refunds so I’m not a huge fan.

But I have to say, people complaining about this and getting compensation I find totally wrong. It is what it is and you’re getting food, just not what you like. Should Ryanair pay out because I don’t get anything?

It’s a service change and it’s been announced. If you don’t like it, take your business elsewhere. I don’t think it’s great that the offering is what it is. But I don’t think anyone should be due compensation and frankly am surprised they’re giving people anything at all.

Anyway, an unpopular view perhaps.

Once you have paid your money, except with fully flexible fare you can’t take your business elsewhere. It’s only your future business you can take elsewhere. You paid expecting X you got y so BA have not kept their promise

The issue is that BA hasn’t really made any concrete “promise” any more than they have promised to provide you with Club Suite vs old Club, any specific aircraft, boarding via a jetway vs a bus, good lounge vs rubbish one etc. A few have pointed to something somewhere on the BA website where the food offering is ‘bigged up’ like most marketing blurb, but if anyone is hoping to rely on that, their legal argument will fall well short.

[Garethgerry]

There seems to be a train of thought that marketing blurb is meaningless. It’s not meaningless it forms part of your contract, tha advertising code of practice which BA is signed up to , ensures that promises must be upheld.

[NorthernLass]

Didn’t some celeb (possibly Victoria Beckham) get some outrageous level of compo because the first class seats (possibly on Emirates) weren’t the same as the pictures on the booking page? Like free first class travel for life (again possibly – I obviously need to pay more attention to my news feed, lol).

[NorthernLass]

My addled brain has conflated no less than 3 stories, part of it obviously still thinks it’s the early 2000s!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/723217.stm

https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/couple-threatens-to-sue-emirates-after-unpleasant-first-class-experience

https://businesstravelerusa.com/news/two-passengers-sued-emirates-for-deceptive-advertising-in-new-zealand/

I do recall reports that Ms Beckham “suggested” that her compensation should be first class travel on BA for life!

[can2]

NorthernLass wrote:

Didn’t some celeb (possibly Victoria Beckham) get some outrageous level of compo because the first class seats (possibly on Emirates) weren’t the same as the pictures on the booking page? Like free first class travel for life (again possibly – I obviously need to pay more attention to my news feed, lol).

Posh got posher!

[NorthernLass]

My addled brain conflated 3 stories, I did post links but I think it must have gone into moderation!

[Whiteowl]

Given the change to Brunch in Club, does anyone have the menu for Econ or PE to compare. It may be better to request a lower class meal.

[Aston100]

Whiteowl wrote:

It may be better to request a lower class meal.

A saveloy and chips? Now that’s a step too far!

[ed_fly]

Whiteowl wrote:

Given the change to Brunch in Club, does anyone have the menu for Econ or PE to compare. It may be better to request a lower class meal.

From something I saw on YouTube, WTP also has brunch, some sort of mixed grill offering with chicken, a sausage and some other bits and pieces.

[ed_fly]

ed_fly wrote:

Whiteowl wrote:

Given the change to Brunch in Club, does anyone have the menu for Econ or PE to compare. It may be better to request a lower class meal.

From something I saw on YouTube, WTP also has brunch, some sort of mixed grill offering with chicken, a sausage and some other bits and pieces.

though HfP instagram is suggesting club supper is a toastie and WTP is a three course meal with a choice of three hot mains.

[Alex G]

If only that were true.

Even prior to these changes, you could go hungry on a long BA flight. The cabin crew serve the first meal as early as possible and the second meal as late as possible. Eating in the lounge doesn’t help if you have ten hours between meals on a 14 hour daytime flight.

I’ve also had conversations with cabin crew in the past who have told be that BA have a practice of not loading enough food for everyone, on the assumption that not everyone will be eating.

And try ordering dessert and cheese.

But in terms of quality, I have always enjoyed the meals in Club.

Incidentally, do they still have sandwiches in Club Kitchen? Last time I looked, it just seemed to be crisps and chocolate.

[NorthernLass]

Club kitchen has been getting gradually poorer and is usually stripped bare within minutes of opening – due to the whole 10 hours between meals that people are wise to now!

Don’t get me started on dessert and cheese. I don’t know if it’s BA penny-pinching or that people these days just don’t know they are separate courses!

[freckles]

But dessert and cheese are NOT separate courses, that’s the issue, they are generally either/or unless there is a few spare

[Jill Kinkell]

On our recent return from Denver. OH had his dessert followed by biscuits and cheese and a glass of port .

[Andrew J]

Wouldn’t it be easier for BA to return to offering full meals rather than operating this compensation scheme?

[sloth]

Andrew J wrote:

Wouldn’t it be easier for BA to return to offering full meals rather than operating this compensation scheme?

they hope that people will give up complaining which of course ultimately they will…then nth to pay out anymore and savings roll in

[Mouse]

Another way to think about the question of what is a reasonable amount to hope for BA to pay out in this situation is how much more would you have paid given the choice between two flights which were identical other than the meal. Personally, with the meal being such an important part of the flight, I would have paid £50 more to have a basic but coherent meal versus the weird and offputting brunch, so I think 6,000 avios is quite fair.