BA Domestic – Club Europe?
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at 04:08 by K1ngston.
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scott1ntheskyParticipantI have resumed my 2/3x weekly commutes between NCL/LHR. The usual crew grumpiness is back as they fling a bag of crisps at those in ‘World Traveller’ (an oxymoron?). The BA Covid catering pages suggest juice, tea and coffee are available ‘on request’. A recent prod of their team on social media to ask if short haul in this case included domestic resulted in a vague “check the website”. When I asked for coffee on my last NCL-LHR sector (A319, 2 in J and 9 in Y), this was cheerily refused by the crew who were…sitting in the galley drinking coffee themselves. Apparently, juice and hot drinks applies to band 3 flights (domestics are typically band 1). I don’t think this is strictly true and I imagine it depends on the individual crew you get….which brings me to my question on CE in Domestic.
I stopped paying for Domestic CE this pre-Covid but if I have one more bag of stale crisps and rancid pretzels I’ll flip without the soothing numbness of a gin or fizz. I was thinking of trying one of their last minute upgrades to CE. I’m Silver so there’s very little extra benefit – the route is empty at the moment, the NCL lounge remains closed, as does Fast Track. I know the new CE catering is a sandwich and some brown mousse sludge but…what about the bar service? Are they doing a full bar as the website says or is this also depending on the crew?
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21 Oct 2020
at 17:17
businessclassgoodfirstclassbetterParticipantI think this is a rather unnecessary attack on BA Domestic.
Firstly, there is no such thing as being served ‘stale crisps’ as they are sealed in a bag to retain their freshness.
The crew do not ‘fling’ a bag at you – they pass one to you as to fling could cause injury and therefore would not be permitted due to health & safety requirements.Quote “I was thinking of trying one of their last minute upgrades to CE. I’m Silver so there’s very little extra benefit” leads on to statements about lounge & fast track closures and brown mousse ‘sludge’ (which I think you will find is an M&S branded mousse and therefore totally acceptable for CE imo). You had absolutely no intention of upgrading for those reasons you stated.
Why don’t you use another airline if you are unhappy.
You sound a bit entitled with your ‘silver’ status. Who do you think you are? Do you think BA should bow to your every whim…? 🙂
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22 Oct 2020
at 09:21
esselleParticipant[postquote quote=1013854][/postquote]
Is that you, VK?
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22 Oct 2020
at 09:37
FrequentTravellerParticipantOn a Sunday 18th October evening Heathrow to Jersey flight in Club Europe (catering as band 1) we were asked what we wanted to drink from the trolley brought down the aisle. Champagne, other alcohol drinks and soft drinks were requested and served with plastic cups. Everybody within my hearing range seemed to get their first choice request of drink, so it seemed full bar choice.
Coffee and tea weren’t offered and I don’t recall anybody within hearing range asking for hot drinks. The food was a choice of two sandwiches either Chicken and coleslaw or tomato and cheese. Served in a paper bag with the chocolate mousse pot, small bottle of water, napkin and plastic spoon etc.
The sandwich was wrapped in a brown bag which had crease/fat stains. Most off pointing and definitely not premium experience.
Before the flight at Heathrow the business class check-in in zone H only had four then three agents. As a result the queuing to drop of bags took 40 minutes. Which is 2 minutes more than the airborne time of the flight. All galleries lounges were closed with all lounge eligible passengers directed to the first class lounge. It was my first time in the first class lounge and it didn’t seem much different to my August visit to the Galleries T5 South lounge. The first class lounge seating was more spaced out and the food served on nicer plates. Those were the only noticeable differences.
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22 Oct 2020
at 09:45
FrequentTravellerParticipant[quote quote=1013854]brown mousse ‘sludge’ (which I think you will find is an M&S branded mousse and therefore totally acceptable for CE imo). You had absolutely no intention of upgrading for those reasons you stated.[/quote]
FYI The chocolate mousse has a chocolate button on top with the DO&CO logo on it. So it isn’t M&S.
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22 Oct 2020
at 09:50
scott1ntheskyParticipant[postquote quote=1013858][/postquote]
That’s really helpful, thanks! I’ve taken the upgrade for today’s NCL – LHR out of curiosity so I’ll see how it goes but your bar service sounds half-decent so it’ll be interesting to compare.
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22 Oct 2020
at 10:01
AlanOrton1ParticipantRecently flew Club Europe:
Catering was a box, within it was a sandwich (perfectly edible), with a choice of either meat (I had the veggie option on way out and chicken & coleslaw on return). Both tasted fresh and were fine. There is also small ‘starter’ in a pot. A type of a salad thing, but again tasted fine. Mousse, I thought, I was pretty decent.
I may well be wrong, but I think the CE box is the same box given out to those flying in World Traveller. If so, while perfectly fine for my two hour flight, it is perhaps a little small for a long haul flight.
GF lounge service at LHR was lightening fast. Very similar to how Tom described it in his review in July. Still looks like the terrace is for F and GGL, which is not so great for them. In fact I saw one F pax poke his head in and then take a seat near me in the main lounge.
Crew couldn’t have been nicer on both flights with many drink runs made.
On a value basis, £154 with up to 3 checked bags, absolutely zero complaints from me.
Oh, and I had a couple of cups of coffee on board too 😉2 users thanked author for this post.
22 Oct 2020
at 10:10
LondonAndy70ParticipantI did 6 CE sectors in the last week and had no complaints (apart from getting fed up with Chicken Coleslaw sandwiches and having to switch to Cream Cheese and Sundried Tomatoes!). Full bar service, friendly service. Yes, the lounges are shut but I’ve used by Dragon Pass that I get with my bank account for INV and EDI lounges. It is what it is – if you don’t like the service then get the train….
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22 Oct 2020
at 10:58
IanFromHKGParticipantWe few CE to PMI a few weeks ago and not only was it all perfectly acceptable with a full bar service, we probably had the nicest lady serving us that I have encountered in a long while, and when we explained that the food choices didn’t work for us because we can’t eat cheese and both of them contained it, she scurried around the aircraft to get snacks for us (the economy ones were cheese-free). We didn’t ask for hot drinks though, we were busy with alcohol 😉
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22 Oct 2020
at 12:05
nevereconomyParticipantFunny old world isn’t it ? Everyone raved about DO & CO on other carriers – now BA has it, it is “brown sludge” ………
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22 Oct 2020
at 12:47
PointyMarkParticipantIt seems, from my experience, to be entirely down to the crew. I recently endured CE to ATH and back. Outbound all drinks were only on request, inbound we had a full bar trolley pass down the aisle, top ups were offered proactively, and 1hr before LHR an FA even came through the cabin with a tray of soft drinks to choose from.
CE catering is very poor! That mousse is disgusting.2 users thanked author for this post.
22 Oct 2020
at 13:20
JamesParticipantI upgraded my student daughter NCL/LHR for £49. So ticket was only £80 in total! She said there was a full bar service – 2 bottles of fizz on the flight and 2 for her handbag I gather! The extra space in CE is nice, but she told me the plane was maybe 1/4 full.
29 Oct 2020
at 11:57 -
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