British Airways to introduce buy-on-board F&B on short haul services?

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Viewing 15 posts - 31 through 45 (of 319 total)

  • IanFromHKG
    Participant

    HUSH!! Don’t give the taxman ideas….!!


    summerfly
    Participant

    I do find making a transaction on board inconvenient. Personally I wish BA would serve their afternoon tea on every flight regardless of flight length and time of day. That’s one thing they do very well. But I would expect tea/coffee/juice at the very minimum even on a short flight.


    FDOS_UK
    Participant

    IanFromHKG – 23/03/2016 05:20 GMT

    That is one possibility and I believe bmi used to do the same.

    Another is that expensive ‘Y’ tickets get a voucher and then present this to the crew to get a snack and drink.

    Flybe used to do this on the BACON routes they acquired.


    FDOS_UK
    Participant

    MsKonstanz – 23/03/2016 07:52 GMT

    What class of travel have you got in mind?


    LuganoPirate
    Participant

    I’m firmly in the complimentary food on board camp. It doesn’t have to be elaborate but a good sandwich with a hot or cold drink is adequate – Swiss do this very well even on the shortest flights.

    If you go BoB you’re just like the LCC’s so you may as well fly them instead.


    summerfly
    Participant

    Hi FDOS – I have Euro Traveller in mind as it’s quickly becoming less favourable than easy jet. I have BAEC silver and usually travel in F long haul, but recently I found myself flying easy jet out of BRS (same distance as LHR for me) for short haul and have been satisfied with the service.

    BA shorthaul for both classes is totally losing its appeal. I wish BA would go in the opposite direction and offer a proper business product and a nice meal (such as afternoon tea) in Euro traveller.

    But that’s just me and my colleagues compare me to ‘something out of Alice in Wonderland’.


    canucklad
    Participant

    If BA implements this policy, it will be just another way of propelling yet another ancillary fee onto its Y customers.
    At this point I’d go as far as saying that BA had finally crossed the threshold, and had become a fully-fledged LCC, that supplemented it’s yields by having a premium cabin.
    Incidentally due to their higher than average BAEC membership, probably full of higher than usual non-revenue paying passengers.

    And will BA allow you to bring your own food and drink on board, that risks a revenue stream ? ……. Not likely !

    I’d add, when BMI introduced the same policy, it really changed the feel of the airline. From one of pride and confidence, to IMO an airline in desperation, scratching the bottom of the barrel.

    Wouldn’t look out of place if the cabin crew had a bowl and German Shepard puppy. As this change in policy will also, no doubt mean that the cabin crew will be incentivized to sell, in order to supplement their meagre wages.


    FDOS_UK
    Participant

    MsKonstanz – 23/03/2016 08:55 GMT, canucklad – 23/03/2016 09:20 GMT

    BA seems to believe that it can only compete by using pricing elasticity (cheap fares) as a response to the ‘new’ airlines.

    That severely limits its degrees of freedom on the product side and as much as I hear what you are saying, don’t think they can gold plate the offer.

    I fully expect them to introduce BoB (at some stage) and they did it in the mid 2000s with BACON, before selling it to Flybe.

    LuganoPirate – 23/03/2016 08:48 GMT

    I couldn’t agree more with your point, but at BA they no longer offer much more than a pack of crisps or choccy bar during some times of the day.

    As RFerguson pointed out recently, when he costed up some short haul flights, BA undercut easyJet on most fares and IMO they will use their strength in London and corporate deals to continue this approach.

    Is it a sensible strategy? Time will be the arbiter.


    LuganoPirate
    Participant

    I also think that while I’m happy to do a one hour commute, or even a 90 minute train journey without eating or drinking anything, a one hour flight entails waiting at the gate to board for about 15 minutes, then the walk or perhaps bus to the aircraft, waiting to board, then waiting for everyone else, doors to close and taxi out. That can often amount to 30 -40 minutes, then the flight itself in a cabin which is very dry. Under these circumstances some sort of refreshment is often necessary and unlike a bus, you can’t just get off for a quick drink and then go back on!

    I just wonder if anyone drinks the water from the bathroom on board and what would happen if you did?


    FDOS_UK
    Participant

    I wouldn’t drink any water from the aircraft system, unless it was boiled for a hot drink.

    See the conclusions of this report and make up your own mind.

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4661625/

    Edited to add: I tend to buy a 500ml of 1 litre bottle (depending on the flight length) airside, to keey hydrated


    LuganoPirate
    Participant

    Interesting report FDOS but I ask myself now, how safe is boiling water since water boils at lower temperatures with altitude? I’d never thought about my tea coming from the same water used for the bathrooms, until now!

    Whilst I know both you and I would buy a bottle of water, just how many people don’t and how many drink the aircraft water and do they have any ill affects after? I’m now thinking that perhaps the quality of water on board should be regulated so it is safe to drink.


    AisleSeatTraveller
    Participant

    most airlines I have travelled on pour your cup of water from a bottle of mineral water (not saying that hasn’t been topped up from the tanked water)

    also think i’ll avoid the tea / coffee going forward, better stick to G&T with no ice (of course I’d have to take both on board myself)


    LuganoPirate
    Participant

    I think ice may be OK as it’s not produced on board but pre loaded with the catering. Not 100% sure though.


    summerfly
    Participant

    If airlines don’t provide safe drinking water this could become an ethical issue, as travellers are forced to purchase highly marked up water on board or airside at the airport. Not everyone will be willing/able to do this.


    FDOS_UK
    Participant

    LuganoPirate – 24/03/2016 06:50 GMT

    I believe that you are right, ice is generally pre-loaded.

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