I was in seat 10D for the flight from Doha to London (via Bahrain). The seat was the first row of the cabin but close to the toilet.
When I had checked in online the service had been advertised as a sleeper service and invited me to dine in the lounge. I knew with the stop it would not quite be a sleeper service but was therefore expecting food in the lounge in line with the pre-dining BA promised.
BA shares the Oryx lounge with all non Qatar Airways passengers. There is a limited supply of food, a couple of sandwiches, biscuits, pasta salad, humous, soup but nothing that would qualify for pre-dining as you get on the New York sleeper service.
Boarding took place efficiently and on time. The Cabin was quiet and with just a few passengers for the first leg of the trip. I had my jacket taken from me and was offered a drink. No newspaper was offered. During the short hop to Bahrain the crew did not offer a drink and were not really present in the cabin.
Whilst on the ground in Bahrain I was given my bottle of water for the night and I asked for a newspaper. I was offered a copy of the Times that had been clearly been read before and was the only person in the cabin to be lucky enough to get a newspaper at all.
As I wanted to sleep as soon as I could I reclined my bed and pulled my quilt over me. I slept well and woke up at the end of the breakfast service. I was ignored by the staff and was surprised not even to be offered a juice.
Good seat, poor service.
HonestCrew - 20/01/2012 23:04 GMT
Just to put up a bit of defence for the crew.
DOH-BAH there is no service as per BA service standards. No drink was offered as this is not part of the product.
Papers will generally be offered when departing BAH for LHR on the ground time permitting and if there are enough papers from the supplier to offer every customer.
The problem we now have, particularly on these Sleeper Service sectors is lack of crew. Not the customers fault, granted, but a problem any how. When our dear leader WW pushed to remove crew members to save money we knew there would be certain times of the service that would suffer, namely boarding, pre take-off and just before landing.
The Club World service at these times cannot be done in an efficient manner as there is too much to do and not enough of us. To get everything done before push-back is a race against time on Sleeper Services as the flights are short and customers want to sleep as much as possible, not be handed menus, washbags, water, hot towels, etc after take-off.
So, papers would be the first thing to be culled and moved to an 'on request' basis. Associated Newspapers (who supply BA) give a set amount of each paper, The Times being the most popular. So I guess there may have been none left so the crew gave you one that may have been kept back from the previous sector knowing they will be asked for.
Breakfast service is a tricky one. Cabin lights on or cabin lights off? Keep them off to lengthen customers sleeping time or turn them on low to encourage people to eat now if they want to.
Unfortunately, it is not possible to keep the breakfast service going right to the last knockings. Closing down a galley, completing the reams of customs paperwork, preparing for the seatbelt sign is a big ask. Going to each customer as they wake right at the end just isn't possible, even though personally I'd like to ensure everyone is offered something, the manpower isn't there for Club World and there is no 'slack' for any other crew from other cabins to come and assist.
Every breakfast service, we do have to walk past folk waking up close to the end of the flight. Please do not feel you are being ignored, it is just with so much to do there has to be an end to the service and with the 'monkey see monkey do' factor going back to the galley and fetching a juice will initiate all other newly-awakened to ask for something and the time just isn't there.
DOH-BAH-LHR is one of those flights that seems to take an eternity as you well know, but at the crucial times there isn't enough of it. Please comment to BA your thoughts about the DOH lounge though as you are not the first to mentions it's shortfalls.
Cheers
Honest Crew - I don't understand your post. BA reduced the number of crew - if as you say, the work can not be done and the services suffer, why are you not being supported by either your Union, (working with unfair conditions) or other legal process regarding your employment T & C's.
"The problem we now have, particularly on these Sleeper Service sectors is lack of crew. Not the customers fault, granted, but a problem any how. When our dear leader WW pushed to remove crew members to save money we knew there would be certain times of the service that would suffer, namely boarding, pre take-off and just before landing.
The Club World service at these times cannot be done in an efficient manner as there is too much to do and not enough of us. "
HonestCrew - 21/01/2012 09:39 GMT
Hi Martyn.
It is something we we tried to explain to the company. However, it fell on deaf ears as those at the top felt it was simply we were to do 1/10th more work, which in reality is not the case.
the result is now we must rush through everything, trying to serve pre take-off items whilst economy passengers move through the cabin to take their seats and it looks and feels like a general mish-mash. Combine this with the lack of time we are given to make our pre-boarding preparations (again to save money) we are left with the scenario that often we can't give a good a service as we would like.
The new motto of "Putting the customer at the heart of everything we do" would have been laughable under WW as there was no consideration for the customer at all. At least now there are improvements filtering through, such as bringing the quality of catering back up to previous levels, or rather improving it to appease all out regular customers who complained, by putting back the money that the old leader demanded be cut by that department.
I can't see us ever having another crew member back, but boy would it be useful sometimes!
Got to rush, Cheers!
HonestCrew
With so little time to do everything and it is all rush rush, without any dramatics, is it your opinion that safety is being compromised or even balanced, against ensuring timelines allow service levels to be achieved?
HonestCrew
I rarely send in submissions but take great pleasure in reading the regular contributors.
Your observations are always a pleasure to read and you give a great insight into the problems faced by you and other crew members in at times very trying circumstances.
Please continue to keep us posted on' life in the skies' within BA!
HonestCrew - 21/01/2012 22:37 GMT
Hello chaps.
Thank you cartoonman for your comment. I do try to see the brighter side in life and enjoy my job very much. Sometimes though, as in this case, it can be very frustrating when we can do a better job if only those above us allow us to and act faster on our feedback.
To Martyn, there is no issue with safety being compromised. We never allow boarding to start before we are 100% happy with security and safety equipment checks. It is only after we complete these that we begin service preps and it is here that with the crew numbers we now have things are so often a race against time. This can lead to some items of service, such as the newspapers being cut. Every flight, when boarding begins there are still crew trying to prep the pre take off service in the Club World galley, leaving a shortfall to welcome customers, take coats, etc. It doesn't sound much but when everything is rush rush rush just to save a few £££ the service is not as good as it could be. Call me a perfectionist or simply someone who appreciates the price of a premium ticket these days deserves a premium service.
Whilst boarding, there must always be a crew member in the vicinity of each pair of doors, should the need for an evacuation occur. This is an example of even when it is highly unlikely, it is always best to expect the worst, just in case.
Safety first, service second.
Honest Crew
"Call me a perfectionist or simply someone who appreciates the price of a premium ticket these days deserves a premium service."
Very true. Sadly I am appreciating the service elsehwere these days.
Did a BA NCW to CAI before Xmas and it was okay, just did an Etihad to AUH and it was streets ahead in terms of product.
Cost per mile, EY was a lot less than BA. BA was 31c per mile EY 22c (and this is apportioning 100% of the cost MLA-LHR-MLA connections to the LHR-AUH-LHR segements.)
Being based in London gives BA a strategic advantage, but I wonder how much business is going to other airlines at the moment.
HonestCrew,
I recently flew back from a Chicago in Club World, this service was a sleeper service and the cabin was roughly 3/4 full.
I awoke roughly 5-10 mins before the seatbelt sign was turned on into LHR. I quickly dashed to the loo and asked the crew for a coffee whilst there.
It was not only bought to me, but bought with a smile!
I believe from speaking to the crew that this flight was crewed with the new Mixed Fleet. (on lesser terms and conditions from what I have read).
So it is possible.
HonestCrew - 22/01/2012 12:08 GMT
Jack
Of course if you come to the galley and ask for something your crew will happily serve you every time, regardless of which fleet of crew are operating the flight.
It is going through the cabin asking everyone who has woken up at the last knockings if they would like something that isn't always practical/possible.
LcyA318 - 22/01/2012 12:09 GMT
Last November I travelled to HKG in Club and the service was superb. The crew were on top of their game, I was addressed by name and even when I moved seats, with the crews knowledge, they tracked me down to take orders for dinner. Nothing was too much trouble, which is why I enjoy travelling BA.
BeckyBoop - 22/01/2012 22:35 GMT
frustratedflyer if you miss breakfast on the flight all is not lost as you still can get a bite in the arrivals lounge (never tried) after you land. I usually skip breakfast on the overnight flights and just stick with a coffee as i find it too early to eat xx
spudseamus - 23/01/2012 02:28 GMT
frustratedflyer if you miss breakfast on the flight all is not lost as you still can get a bite in the arrivals lounge (never tried) after you land. I usually skip breakfast on the overnight flights and just stick with a coffee as i find it too early to eat xx
wouldn't that only apply if you were transiting forward?
No, the BA arrivals lounge at T5 is landside.
Watch the time for hot food though, they tend to remove it about an hour before closing, so they can clean up etc.
The arrivals lounge is on the first floor as you exit into arrivals. All the lifts in T5 are different colours, it is the orange lift that takes you to the arrivals lounge. As crew myself, I agree with everything honest crew has to say, I will always try and offer all club pax a drink before landing if they wake at the last minute, even letting people have a quick bacon buttie if no time left for the full brekkie, however, at 20 mins to landing we are not allowed to serve hot drinks, and it can be quite a photo finish in club at times trying to get everything done before landing, but we always manage it!
Martyn, safety is never compromised over service, never ever! Safety and security is paramount over everything, and always will be! Safety is the most important aspect of our job, it is why we are here!
HonestCrew has always provided good "neutral" and fair feedback.
However, this whole issue about being a crew member down, I would dispute the statement @ 23/01/2012 23:17 GMT
"Safety is the most important aspect of our job, it is why we are here!"
Safety and security is extremely important, but so is providing a service to passengers in terms of inflight offering. After all, if it was only safety and security, the airlines would employ former soldiers or policeman!
Cabin crew are employed to provide inflight service to passengers in line with expectations. If as you both say, this is not possible with the number of staff provided, then surely BA management need to be made aware and not just by an "internal memo". In my line of work, I am also having to undertake more duties, especially in reports and form filling and notifications of safety breaches and with automation/computers, it is down to me to submit these. I too complain but bottom line is I have to undertake this additional work and for no additional pay.
If the bosses felt this was not possible it wouldn't be asked. of me.
If cabin crew feel unable to carry out duties as required by their employers which compromises any of the safety, security and services being provided to the passengers, then its down to Unions and staff reps to demand BA return the additional crew member - after all, its the employer who ultimately shoulders the legal responsibility to ensure the 3 "S" are able to be provided!
Not trying to be contentious, just realistic 2012!
BeckyBoop - 24/01/2012 09:04 GMT
Do BA have less crew now than other airlines as a result of the cut back of one person? xx
bacrew1 - 29/01/2012 00:32 GMT
"It is only after we complete these that we begin service preps and it is here that with the crew numbers we now have things are so often a race against time. This can lead to some items of service, such as the newspapers being cut. Every flight, when boarding begins there are still crew trying to prep the pre take off service in the Club World galley, leaving a shortfall to welcome customers, take coats, etc."
So true honest Crew!!! I choose to work in CW most flights as it is my preferred cabin, and it's exactly as you explain... A lot of people don;t realise that we have 12mins from when we board the plane to complete our checks and to try and do as many pre flight things ASAP... which in club world includes preparing juice/water/champagne, checking catering (2 meal services), preparing wash bags and newspapers, dressing magazine racks, dressing the toilets with soaps/creams/flowers etc...
bacrew1 - 29/01/2012 00:33 GMT
12 mins to complete all checks and start immediate boarding, I should have said.
24/01/2012 09:04 GMT
This part of the posters question was avoided.
"Do BA have less crew now than other airlines as a result of the cut back of one person? xx" - (Becky's xx, not mine !!)
How do the likes of Singapore, Emirates, Cathay and all the other "high service" airlines manage? Are cabin crew numbers higher or lower or do they simply get to work on board earlier than 12 minutes for pax board?
"12 minutes" - is it suffiecient time, guess it depends on staff numbers and list of jobs!!
