British Airways will complete its rollback of two unpopular meal service experiments in its business and first class cabins next month that left its premium passengers angry and upset.
British Airways Ends Unpopular Meal Service Experiments In Business + First Class
Last October, I wrote about two changes to onboard catering in business (Club World) and first class, which included:
- Brunch service for flights that depart between 8:30 am and 11:29 am (breakfast dish[es] replace lunch more lunch items)
- Reduced menu on longhaul flights that depart after 9:00 pm (Asia flights exempted) with no appetizers, no dessert choice, and main courses reduced to paninis, soup, and salads
Almost immediately, the changes prompted so much outrage that British Airways even sent a memo to flight attendants telling them to stop saying “sorry” for catering cuts.
> Read More: British Airways Slashes Catering, Tells Flight Attendants To Stop Saying “Sorry”
In December 2024, British Airways pulled the brunch service in favor of “Christmas meals” onboard and starting in February 2025, the carrier will return to full meal service (with an appetizer, main course, and dessert) on all intercontinental flights that depart after 9:00 pm. Per PYOK, the carrier began that process this month but it will expand to all flights, including flights from the East Coast of the USA to London, starting next month.
I applaud British Airways for correcting this foolish error, though it’s a shame that British Airways could not spend just a little bit more to offer even more options onboard. The brunch service may well have appealed to some travelers. Why not offer a breakfast choice along with the four lunch choices on late-morning departures?
The “goodnight” service of a panini, soup, or salad may appeal to those looking for a quick bite and longer rest on shorter transatlantic flights. Why not offer the expedited meal service along with the full service to those who want it?
Yes, that costs money, but if British Airways introduced a comprehensive pre-order system like so many airlines have now managed to offer, it could reduce food waste and make its bread-and-butter premium passengers happy.
CONCLUSION
I’m pleased to see British Airways rescind its late 2024 cutbacks to catering in premium cabins, though it is a shame the British carrier did not use this opportunity to actually innovate and offer a wider menu made possible without increasing waste via pre-ordering.
Maybe BA will get there one day, but for now the problem will once again no longer be the meals themselves, but how long it takes to serve them. That’s a tradeoff I prefer to going hungry on a longhaul flight or eating breakfast at 1:00 pm after I already had breakfast four hours earlier.
image: British Airways
Check your dates before publishing. Dec 2025 cannot come before Feb 2025…. You meant Dec 2024!
Was in BA F LHR-ORD (BA295) just two weeks ago. Didn’t notice any significant changes from the handful of other times I’ve flown BA F. This was a morning flight with scheduled departure at 11 AM GMT. F was 2/3 full and the menu didn’t seem to be any different then it has been on the handful of other times I’ve taken this route in F. It actually appeared to be a full lunch service. I don’t recall any breakfast items being served at all. Maybe they were rolling back the service in phases and this route was one of the first.
I love how engaged the British traveling public is with BA. They were eviscerated across basically all media channels. If the US 3 did the same, most people wouldn’t know/care. To this end, I’m surprised Executive Club didn’t do a Delta-style retraction to the elite status changes.
“I think the way out is not to slash and burn, it’s to innovate.” – Steve Jobs.
Pre-ordering seems like a no-brainer, particularly when you’re charging a significant price for your TATL tickets. If I’d paid £7700 for a flexible, one-way, first class ticket between LHR and JFK I’d be expecting a lot more than pancakes for lunch.
I take a break on eating when flying. Healthier than stuffing myself.
And yet applauds UA for every minute “improvement” they implement however basic.
I have backpedaled on flying BA after they destroyed the Exec Club.
Adios BA!
BA have the worst breakfast item in business on transatlantic flight it’s a spinach wrap with salsa egg absolutely awful you see them all go back uneaten
Just flew British Airways to London and from Singapore , the service was superior and food was good. The flight attendants were great. Always be polite and say thank you.
If you think that of BA (and it’s only usually blind members of the BA Executive Club who do), next time try Singapore Airlines and you’ll realise how poor BA are next to their comptition.
Pity they’re not still wearing that uniform too.
A pragmatic move by BA and one which will be appreciated.
That said, passengers these days are relatively spoilt more often than not, getting the chance to have a full meal in the lounge prior to departure, only to be followed by a further full meal(s) on board. The reality is that in day to day life one would probably not eat quite so much in such a short period of time.
Hearing many more positive comments on BA long Haul these days, especially around the service provided by the cabin crew. If any major fix is needed, it is probably on those flights of between something like three (possibly two) and six hours, where the Club Europe seat simply does not cut the mustard.